• 06FireChiefMajorFayetteville Fire Chief Ben Major has retired after 35 years of service with the department. Deputy Chief Mike Hill has been appointed interim chief.

    A graduate of E.E. Smith High School, Major was hired as a firefighter in February 1984 after completing undergraduate studies at Pembroke State University. He went on to complete a master’s degree in public administration at the University of North Carolina – Pembroke. Major was promoted to chief of the department in October 2011.

    The Fayetteville Fire Department consists of 15 fire stations and 332 personnel. The fire department received international accreditation in 2011 and was re-accredited in 2016 by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. During Chief Major’s tenure, the department earned an Insurance Services Office Class 1 Public Protection Classification, placing the FFD in the top 1 percent of fire departments in the nation.

    “Ben’s commitment to constant improvement of services and personnel was his greatest strength,” said City Manager Doug Hewett. Interim Chief Hill has served the Fayetteville Fire/Emergency Management Department for more than 25 years. He has served as a deputy chief since 2010. The city of Fayetteville has always promoted its fire chiefs from within the ranks.

    Voter identification struck down

    A judge has thrown out two amendments to the North Carolina Constitution that voters approved in November. One of the amendments was to implement a voter ID requirement, and the other was to place a cap on the state income tax rate. News of the actions was not widely disseminated. Wake County Superior Court Judge G. Bryan Collins’ decisions were issued late Friday afternoon, Feb. 22.

    “An illegally constituted General Assembly does not represent the people of North Carolina and is therefore not empowered to pass legislation that would amend the state’s constitution,” he wrote. 

    When the legislature voted to place the amendments on the 2018 ballot, many of the members had been elected under district lines that were ruled unconstitutional because they had been gerrymandered to dilute the political power of African-American voters.

    GenX controls continue

    Recently, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and other parties that signed a consent order made public last month learned the courts have approved the order. Downriver reduction in GenX in the Cape Fear River Basin will continue as the result of the order. Superior Court Judge Douglas Sasser approved the decree in its entirety, giving relief for people near the Chemours plant on the Cumberland/Bladen County line.

    “Reliable, clean water is a right of every North Carolinian,” said DEQ Secretary Michael S. Regan. “This order was designed to ensure that the Cape Fear River can be that reliable, clean source for all who depend on its water.”

    All terms of the order went into effect Feb. 25. Regan said DEQ will use the full weight of the court’s contempt to hold Chemours accountable.

    Stadium naming rights continue

    The Fayetteville Woodpeckers have partnered with AEVEX Aerospace in the naming of Segra Stadium’s premium club level facilities. AEVEX is a defense industry leader in airborne intelligence solutions. AEVEX Veterans Club patrons will enjoy an indoor/outdoor fan experience from the optimal vantage point in the ballpark. Lounge/ couch seating will come complete with bar service, premium food offerings and waitstaff to highlight the club’s dining experience.

    AEVEX’s capabilities include three business units: Intelligence Solutions in Fayetteville, North Carolina; Flight Operations in Solana Beach, California; and Engineering & Technology in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

    Its operations are global in scale, with efforts in North and South America, Africa, Europe, the Pacific region and the Middle East.

     “AEVEX operates internationally and has an obvious attachment to Fort Bragg,” said Woodpeckers President Mark Zarthar. “With offices located adjacent to Segra Stadium, they have expressed confidence in Fayetteville’s vision for economic development in the city’s historic downtown.” 

    Cumberland County educators focus on the future

    Nearly 500 students, parents, educators and others gathered at a recent town hall meeting to discuss potential strategic plan focus areas derived from information gathered by Cumberland County Superintendent Marvin Connelly’s listening tour, district surveys and accreditation reports. 

    The county Board of Education and Strategic Plan Development Team will review the feedback, which will help shape the school system’s strategic priorities over the next five years. School officials hope to begin implementing the plan this fall.

    “Our work is directly connected to the quality of life our students will enjoy later in life and the economic vitality of our community,” Connelly said.

    Nearly a dozen focus areas will be reduced to three to five action priorities. They include: graduating every student confident, competitive and ready for a career and college; providing a variety of classes and activities that reflect student interests and backgrounds; offering a learning environment that supports growth academically, socially and emotionally; ensuring that school buildings are safe, secure, orderly and provide innovative learning environments; and engaging parents and the community to build trusting relationships.

    Photo: Ben Major

  • 01AthenaPubPenFirst of all, I want to say how proud we all are of our publisher, Bill Bowman, for being awarded the Greater Fayetteville Chamber’s coveted Athena Leadership Award. Secondly, and speaking on behalf of our entire female staff, I want to say how proud we are to be a part this wonderful company. Bill is the first male to receive this award, and based on the emails, tweets and text messages, it has a lot of people scratching their heads. So, I thought I would provide a little background into the programs, products and activities his companies provided to promote, support and encourage the women in our community.

    Trifecta of Success

    In Bill Bowman’s acceptance speech, he admitted he stands in the shadow of the many talented and dedicated Athena Award recipients who have nurtured, educated, encouraged and inspired women to greatness in our community: Suzanne Pennink, Linda Lee Allan, Jean Stultz, Linda Huff, Jan Johnson and Patricia Wright, to name a few. There are many people and organizations that do great things for the women of the Fayetteville/Fort Bragg community. They all are passionate about what they do and they all have the best intentions. But passion and good intentions do not always create a successful endeavor. Example: There were once three women-related entities in our community – a weekly women’s networking organization called B.U.G.s (Between Us Girls), a quarterly ladies’ luncheon and Fayetteville’s Women’s View magazine. 

    Each of these organizations was started by a woman with great passion and wonderful ideas, with the intent to encourage, empower, educate, develop and celebrate the women of this community. Unfortunately, even though the need was great, separately they all struggled to survive. The business networking group, B.U.G.s, had no place to hold its weekly meetings; the luncheon, though extremely popular, was imploding from its own success; and the magazine was scheduled to cease publishing.

    These circumstances led Bill Bowman to step in and adopt all three projects. He knew the women of the Fayetteville community needed them and their demise would leave a major and painful void in the community. He saw the need and potential of these empowering organizations and how they positively influenced the lives of local women from all walks of life. Bill has a passion and natural entrepreneurial instinct for wanting to create a better quality of life for all Fayetteville residents. He’ll admit “it takes a village,” and the key to saving these three institutions was getting the right person to bring them together to create a women’s advocacy tour de force. 

    That person was Keri “So Very” Dickson-Kittinger. She took on the task of fulfilling the mission and mandates of motivating, inspiring, developing and celebrating women. She is passionate and enthusiastic about the needs of women. This made her the perfect partner to carry out Bill’s desire to bring all these organizations together to serve Fayetteville’s women. Keri was the “Oh So Very” right person. Her spunk, energy, determination, love and empathy for the women of this community gave local women what they needed and wanted. Keri, as the leader of these organizations, has the passion and direction they need to grow and prosper. And they have. Together, here is what Bill and Keri “So Very” Dickson-Kittinger have done:

    B.U.G.s (Between Us Girls) is led weekly by Keri Dickson with the assistance of Candy Sugarman and Jill Merrill. Businesses pay $25 a month for membership. B.U.G.s is a structured program with a plan for each month’s weekly meetings to help develop, encourage and support women in business. Week 1 provides the opportunity for one member to share the struggles they face in their business so they can receive valuable feedback from the group to help them overcome the struggle. Week 2 is education week, which is designed to not only teach, but to challenge women to step out of their comfort zones and overcome the struggles they face in business. Week 3 gives members the opportunity to present their business to the group and is broadcast on Facebook Live. Week 4 is all about accountability. Keri follows up with the woman that was on the focus chair in week 1. She also follows up on the challenge issued in week 2, and members talk about the business referrals passed within the group that month. When there are five weeks in the month, week 5 is designed to help the members get to know each other even better to encourage referrals within the group. Keri likes to remind the B.U.G.s members that they are business owners, not hobby owners (“BOs not HOs,” she says. You have to know Keri to receive that well). She reminds them that they are in business to make money, and it’s okay to say that, because successful women with plenty of money help the community by giving back. The weekly B.U.G.s meetings keep these women in business strengthened, encouraged, connected, focused and motivated. 

    The Fayetteville Ladies Power Lunch is a quarterly event that encourages women and gives them the opportunity to connect with and uplift each other. There are vendor opportunities for businesses to present their products and services. At each luncheon, a woman with an inspiring message from within the community addresses the ladies and shares the story of her journey. Keri leads the advisory board that makes this event happen. Women have made connections at these lunches that helped them snag their dream job and live a more balanced life doing what they love to do. It’s difficult to put into words how powerful it is to be in a room full of positive women. 

    Women’s View magazine ties it all together. Women’s View is written by the women of this community, about the women of this community, for the women of this community. This publication highlights local women who are working hard to make a difference. It takes a team to make it all happen and Up & Coming Weekly is proud of Keri and the team she and Bill have put together to promote women’s initiatives. 

    All this said, they provide the women of the Fayetteville community the opportunity to pursue their dreams, to grow personally and professionally and to see success in their business and personal lives. 

    A special thanks to the many women who worked with Bill through the years to make this company the community powerhouse it is today: Merrilyn Bowman, Janice Burton, Joy Crowe, Jean Bolton, Suzy Patterson, Paulette Naylor, Sara Smith, Laurel Handforth, April Olsen, Linda McAlister, Beverly Pone, Judy Stapleton, Leslie Pyo, Elizabeth Long. A special thank you to, Karla Allen, creator and founder of Fayetteville’s Women’s View magazine and B.U.G.s, and Fayetteville Ladies Power Lunch founder Denise Mercado and charter board members Keri Dickson-Kittinger, Peggy Manning, Chi Chi Okoroofor, Jill Merrill, Cely Graham, Belinda Wilkerson, Dr. Mary Kansora, Joan Richter, Paulette Naylor and Stacy Simfukwe. Thank you, Candy Sugarman, Jill Merrill, Belinda Wilkersonfor your B.U.G.s leadership. Thank you, April Perton and Laneilyn Naylor of Grace Enterprises, for hosting B.U.G.s each week. And thank you to all the local women who support these projects.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly!

  • 18Arm WrestlingOn April 8, the inaugural Strength Through Legacy Arm Wrestling Tournament is set to take place at Charlie Mike’s. Located at 195 Starpoint Dr., Charlie Mike’s is a local watering hole with a heart for the military community. The tournament commemorates Sgt. 1st Class Bradley S. Bohle, who was killed in action in 2009. Proceeds benefit the Green
    Beret Foundation. 

    Bohle’s widow, Elizabeth, is excited to partner with Dog Tag Brewing Foundation and the Steel Mags to establish what she hopes will become an annual event. “To my knowledge, this is the first time an arm wrestling tournament has been in Fayetteville, and it is a first for the Green Beret Foundation,” said Elizabeth. “It’s open to anyone who wants to enter. First time or experienced – doesn’t matter. Come out, see a great sport, and have a great time. Come experience some hard-hitting, in-your-face, over the top action and support a great cause.”

    An arm wrestling tournament seemed like the perfect way to honor her husband because it is an event that seeks to encompass the competitive spirit of Green Berets and Steel Mags while encouraging the support of the community in a fun and friendly environment.

    “People can expect to show up to arm wrestle and have a good time,” she said. “We would love to have max participation from the surrounding community and have upwards of 90 arm wrestlers.”

    There is also a silent auction with several unique items donated from within the veteran community. Paraclete donated a buddy plan pass, and Spartan Blades donated a knife. There are several other donors as well. There will also be a raffle for a custom Punisher Adirondack chair. Charlie Mike’s and Thai Pepper will both serve food and are open for business during the event. 

    There are prizes for first, second and third place finishers in all categories. There are men’s and women’s categories for left and right arms as well as different
    weight classes.

    The Green Beret Foundation holds a special place in Elizabeth’s heart because it was this organization that reached out to her after her husband was killed. “The Green Beret Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that helps Green Berets and their families carry on with the mission. There are many facets to the organization including casualty support, extended support, transition support and family support which is how I became involved with the foundation,” said Elizabeth. “Jen Paquette, executive director of the foundation, reached out to me several years ago after Brad was killed in action. Through the foundation, Jenny was instrumental in helping me start the healing process.”

    Registration and weigh-ins start at 4:30 p.m. and the tournament begins at 6 p.m. For more information, email braggsmags@greenberetfoundation.org.

  • 17fiddlerFiddler on the Roofis a classic piece of musical theater that first debuted in 1964. Gray’s Creek High School brings this classic to Fayetteville March 30-April 1. “Fiddleris a big show. We are not doing the junior version. We are doing the entire show. This year, we have been very lucky to have Mr. and Mrs. Vrabel and Mrs. Campbell on board with us. In high school theater, we have to do it all ourselves. We don’t have lighting, sound, costume or makeup departments we can depend on,” said Claudia Warga-Dean, representative for Gray’s Creek High School. “However, we do have people such as the Vrabels, who helped us out immensely this year, going over singing, dancing, blocking, set, whatever was needed, so we can bring the show together on time. Also, the parents built our amazing set.”

    The primary focus of the Gray’s Creek theater and chorus departments, though, are the students and their education. “Another reason we chose the show is because it comes with characters that the students really had to research and understand,” Warga-Dean said. 

    Theater takes a lot of time, effort and professionalism from the actors and the production crew. Additionally, many of the shows tackle very difficult issues. Fiddler on the Roofdeals with some serious and relevant themes like tradition and faith. The fact that the faculty chose such a difficult play for the students speaks volumes. “In the past, we have done a lot of comedies. However, after our fall production of Infinite Black Suitcase this year, which was an intense drama about how people in a small town deal with death, we realized that our students are very capable of taking on heavier issues,” Warga-Dean said. 

    Caleb Brigman leads the show as Tevye. “He is doing some wonderful work as Tevye. He really embodies the warmness of Tevye along with his struggle between family, tradition and a changing world. He also carries the weariness of the hardships that came along with living in that time and place. He is mature beyond his years,” said Dean-Warga. She added that Bobbie Hand does a great job as Golde, who is the glue that holds the family together.

    “Devon Cessna is our Perchik. Devon is so dedicated and very talented. He always goes the extra mile. Last year he learned how to tap dance for Once Upon a Mattress,” said Dean-Warga. She added that “The three daughters, Celeste Tice, Audrey Forman, and Bethanny Drake, really have a nice chemistry together and have all worked hard to bring out the different personalities of the daughters. Bethanny just received a full ride to Methodist University for music.”

    Dean-Warga also noted there are several Gray’s Creek students who participate in local community theatre at CFRT, FTCC and the Gilbert as well. A few of those actors are Kate McCosh, Audrey Forman, Courtney Peters and Devon Cessna. “We have a couple of the students from the football team that are a part of the play. Joey Creekmore is on the football team and plays the Rabbi. Nash Burke has done football and he helped construct set pieces for the show. I think that is a great thing. Our theatre department is not closed off. We have football players, band, art students...it is really diverse,” she added. 

    The production is possible thanks to the collaboration of the chorus and theater departments at the school. “I hope the community will come out to see the show because it’s a wonderful thing that Gray’s Creek has such wonderfully talented kids. They are so capable of giving an authentic performance and really making the plight of the Jewish community in Russia at the turn of the century feel close to us. They are making connections between historical and current events that are important as they become a part of a global society,” said Chorus teacher and Co-Director Amy Stovall.

    Fiddler on the Roof will run March 30, 31 and April 1 in the Gray’s Creek High School Auditorium. The shows Thursday and Friday start at 7 p.m. The Saturday showing is a matinee at 2 p.m. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased at the door of from cast members.

  • 15antonio cabralAntonio Cabral

    Gray’s Creek • Soccer, track • Junior

    Cabral had a 70 percent save percentage as goalkeeper for Gray’s Creek. He has a 4.667 grade point average.

     

     

     

     

     

    16laure mooreLauren Moore

    Jack Britt • Basketball • Junior

    Moore led Britt in scoring with a 13.4 average and was named first team All-Mid-South 4-A. She has a 4.35 grade point average.

  • 14Spencer OxendineA year ago, Jack Britt’s Spencer Oxendine was the only golfer in the Mid-South 4-A Conference to finish the season with an average round under 80. To say he’s picked up where he left off this year is an understatement.

    Through three rounds in 2017, Oxendine has yet to shoot a round in the 80s. His last round, a 76 on March 21 at Stryker Golf Course, was his worst of the year. In spite of that, he’s been a medalist in all three weekly Mid-South tournaments.

    This story will publish before the fourth tournament of the year at Upland Trace.

    Jack Britt golf coach Joe Myrtle said he’s been most impressed with the way Oxendine is striking the ball this season, and how he’s starting to manage the course better than he did during his freshman year last season.

    “He played a lot of tournament golf over the summer,’’ Myrtle said. “He learned how to play at a higher intensity with better golfers. He found he could score better, but he also saw at times if he lost his focus it can go away real quick.’’

    Myrtle said the important thing Oxendine has to realize is, like major league baseball, the golf season is a marathon, and a hot streak in the first few matches won’t continue if he doesn’t pace himself and continue to fine tune his game.

    “I’m more concerned with him working on his short game,’’ Myrtle said. “As long as he’s striking the ball, his short game can help him out a ton.’’

    In the weeks ahead, Myrtle said he’d like Oxendine not to focus so much on his score as how many fairways and greens he’s hitting.

    Oxendine feels the courses he’s played so far this golf season aren’t as tough as the ones he tackled during his run of summer competition. “I use high school golf as a way to get back into a competitive mentality,’’ he said. “I should be playing much better. I shot better on tougher courses over the summer.’’

    The summer golf helped Oxendine toughen his mental approach to the game so he could place himself into competitive situations over and over and get used to it.

    He will continue to focus on practice, going to Pinehurst every other weekend and working on his game there.

    “I hope I can shoot a sub-70 round,’’ he said. “That would be nice. With the courses we’ve got left, I’m very confident.’’

    Last year, Oxendine advanced to the N.C. High School Athletic Association regional tournament and qualified for the state tournament where he finished in the top 30.

    Myrtle thinks a repeat is possible, with Oxendine finishing as high as top 20 or even top 15.

    “You never know,’’ Myrtle said. “One good day and he could be in
    the top 10.’’

  • 13CarverClassicThe Carver Classic, named after former Cumberland County Schools Student Activities Director Bill Carver, is annually one of the biggest track meets in the Cape Fear region.

    This year’s Carver will be taking on an expanded look as it’s scheduled to be held two days for the first time, March 31 and April 1, at John Daskal Stadium at Reid Ross Classical High School on Ramsey Street.

    Current Student Activities Director Vernon Aldridge said the idea to make the meet run two days came from conversations with local track coaches and with people who run major meets elsewhere in
    the state.

    “Mr. Carver is such a great man we wanted to make this thing as big as possible,’’ Aldridge said. Adding a Friday round of competition will let the Carver hold an open 1,600-meter race and a 400-meter hurdle race. Saturday will feature the field events and the traditional running finals for girls and boys.

    Aldridge said many track coaches like to get competitive times for their 1,600-meter athletes, and scheduling an open race will allow plenty of chances for that. 

    The 400-meter hurdles are mainly run at the college level, Aldridge said. Running it in a high school meet will give hurdlers a chance to show college recruiters a competitive time in that event.

    It’s still early and the final list of competitors hasn’t been confirmed, but here are some likely names from Cumberland County to watch for in the meet: Jade Jordan, Pine Forest, 4-A indoor long jump state champion; Zinzili Kelley, Douglas Byrd, fourth in 3-A indoor long jump; Janay Hall, South View, 4-A indoor track middle distance champion; and Chianti Ghee, Pine Forest, third in 4-A indoor shot.

    • After putting together a successful girls’ invitational soccer event recently at Terry Sanford, Bulldog girls’ and boys’ coach Karl Molnar is working on a major preseason boys’ tournament for this August.

    Terry Sanford would host all of the games, and the field would include the Bulldogs along with Pinecrest, Fayetteville Academy, Pine Forest, Lee County, Southern Lee, South View and Seventy-First.

    Molnar got the idea from his friend Jamie Sykes, who reminded Molnar of a similar tournament held at Westover when Molnar was in his playing days at Fayetteville Academy in the 1980s.

    The tournament would benefit an organization founded by Molnar’s wife, Kim, called Miller’s Crew, which supports local youngsters with disabilities.

    Details of the tournament are still developing, but Molnar plans to pair
    the teams so that, as much as possible, they won’t meet conference rivals.

    • Congratulations to the Jack Britt High School cheerleaders, who recently placed second in a national cheerleading! competition held in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

  • 12KongKong: Skull Island (Rated PG-13)

    I am not opposed to extended movie universes. I think they’re generally pretty cool, even if some (*cough* DC Extended University *cough*) fall short of their potential. But trying to create a “Legendary Monsterverse” out of Godzilla, King Kong, Mothra, Rodan and King Ghidorah — well, color me skeptical. Kong: Skull Island (118 minutes) was better than I expected, but that doesn’t change the fact that it was clumsily executed, and the connection to the recent Godzilla movie was forced, at best.

    The film begins in 1944, during World War II. An American named Hank Marlow (John C. Reilly) lands on a beach and fights with a Japanese pilot named Gunpei Ikari (Miyavi). I’m sure that in modern Hollywood, a blockbuster movie will be sure to incorporate Gunpei into the remaining plot and … wait, nope. That dude dies off screen, leaving Hank as the only moderately likeable character. 

    Fast forward to the 1970s. Bill Randa (John Goodman, apparently still alive) is a scientist performing science for the United States government in the closing days of the Vietnam War. The conflict that starts off this segment is that Bill wants to do science but the government doesn’t want to pay for it. Bill convinces somebody to let him tag along with a different, better funded, group of scientists doing science, and somehow manages to get everything else he wanted, including a military escort and low-rent James Bond named James Conrad (Tom Hiddleston). An anti-war photographer named Mason Weaver (Brie Larson) is also included on the assignment, because (reason to be decided later).

    The cast is huge at this point, but that doesn’t mean there’s not room for one more female character, and I’m sure that in modern Hollywood both women will have an interesting, dynamic … wait, nope. The plot splits them up as soon as possible, so they never have the chance to accidently talk to each other or play a significant role in the film. You know, I was paying careful attention, and I’m not sure the other female character even got a name, much less a back story. I’ll admit, it was entirely possible she got both and I missed it due to not being able to care about any of the people except Hank.

    The group flies over Skull Island, blow some stuff up, and Kong understandably attackes them. After the first encounter with King Kong, the cast is still pretty big, with Lt. Col. Preston Packard (Samuel L. Jackson) leading a group of survivors to kill King Kong and Conrad leading a slightly smaller group to a rendezvous point on the other side of the island. Along the way, Packard’s group is steadily whittled away, their determination to kill Kong increasingly resembling Ahab chasing the white whale. When the two groups finally share the screen again, it is clear that the military are the bad guys — unable to recognize that their true enemy isn’t King Kong, but another kind of M.U.T.O. (yes, they resurrected the Massive Unidentified Terrestial Organism acronym from Godzilla), the skullcrawlers.

    Overall, if you’ve seen Apocalypse Now and thought, “gosh, what this movie needs is a giant ape and a pokemon-inspired antagonist” you’re in for a treat. Everyone else, feel free to place bets on who gets wiped out in their first encounter with King Kong, stuff you face with popcorn, and then take a pleasant nap for the last hour of the film. 

    Now playing at Patriot 14 + IMAX.

  • 001CoverExpress Employment Professionals believes that great leaders don’t just stand on their own; they cultivate and build incredible teams. For the third annualRefresh Leadership Live Simulcast and “Shop Local” Business 2 Business Expo,the lineup of celebrity speakers will focus on this theme. EEP is a locally-owned staffing and human resources company that benefits both employees and employers by matching the right people with the right jobs. 

    This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Refresh Leadership Live Simulcast by the EEP Fayetteville office, which has been owned and managed by Brad Loase since 2002. In 2014, Up & Coming Weeklypublisher Bill Bowman and the Greater Fayetteville Chamber teamed up with Loase to develop and expand the Live Simulcast program into a full day of leadership training and networking opportunities for local organizations and business owners. Three years later, the event is still going strong. This year’s full-day event is hosted by Ramada Plaza (formally the Holiday Inn Bordeaux). It is set for Wednesday, April 12, 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m. “Leadership is something that we at Express … feel very strongly about. That’s why we get behind it and put a lot of effort into developing this for the community,” Loase said. 

    This year, Loase has added another business development dimension to the Leadership Expo: EEP and Up & Coming Weekly will host the Chamber Coffee Club networking breakfast. The Leadership Live Simulcast will immediately follow the breakfast in three simulcast segments, beginning with internationally-recognized speaker and best-selling business author Patrick Lencioni. Lencioni will speak about “The Ideal Team Player,” expounding on what he considers to be the three essential characteristics of team players: humility, hunger and people smarts. 

    After a short break, Lencioni will be followed by the keynote speaker, Jimmy Johnson, American football broadcaster, former player and former NFL two-time Super Bowl winning head coach of the Dallas Cowboys. Currently, Johnson is a sports analyst for Fox, hosting the pregame show NFL Sunday.He will draw on the lessons learned from his distinguished coaching career to discuss “Teams That Win: Fundamentals for Success.” 

    Robyn Benincasa will round out the Live Simulcast. Benincasa is an inspiration for business owners and a teaching tour de force when it comes to building teams. This CNN Hero has real life experiences in marketing, firefighting and adventure racing and is a best-selling author. She will take viewers on a multimedia adventure that “viscerally imparts the attitude and mindset that allows groups of ordinary people to accomplish truly extraordinary feats together.” 

    The Live Simulcast is free, but registration is required. Signing up is easy, and can be done at www.refreshleadership.com/live.

    Immediately following the Live Simulcast, attendees will have the opportunity to network and learn from over 40 local Fayetteville businesses and organizations who will be featured in the “Shop Local” Business Expo. Gifts and door prizes will be presented all day. 

    Attendees will also have a second exciting option in the afternoon. They are invited to attend the Refresh Leadership Luncheon featuring a special guest, Discovery Channel’s Naked and Afraid star EJ Snyder. Snyder is a highly decorated combat Army veteran who teaches survival skills through team building. Snyder said he feels he has many messages to share with the business community when it comes to how teamwork contributes to life’s successes. “I just have a knack … for finding the good in everyone and capitalizing on their strengths,” he said. “I’ve found that with my teams if I showed them I was passionate about what I was doing and that I had a love in my heart for them and truly cared for them, I had (much better results).” 

    Tickets for the luncheon are $40 with a $5 discount for members of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber and Better Business Bureau, military, students and seniors. If available, tickets will be $45 at the door. Contact the Chamber of Commerce or call (910) 391-3859 for tickets and information.

    Two business-related team-building workshops will be held after lunch. One will be “Tactical and Practical,” conducted by EJ Snyder, and the other will focus on traditional business development practices and will be conducted by the Greater Fayetteville Chamber in conjunction with the Better Business Bureau of Coastal Carolina. These activities will be followed by a Town Hall-style open discussion with a panel of local experts, featuring five known and proven leaders in the business community. The panel members will share their secrets of success and field business-related questions from the audience. The panelists are: 

    Darsweil Rogers, president/CEO of RMC Strategies: Rogers is a seasoned coach and consultant specializing in the development of professional managers and business leaders with an emphasis on growing profitability while delivering value
    to customers. 

    John D’Ambrosio, president/CEO of the Better Business Bureau of Coastal Carolina: D’Ambrosio has over 40 years’ experience in assisting businesses to build successful teams.

    Kirk deViere, president/CEO of 219 Group: As a veteran entrepreneur, deViere is well-versed in team building. He has owned and initiated many successful startup ventures in the technology, consumer products, communications and hospitality industries.

    Susanne Pennink, Realtor and co-owner of Coldwell Banker Unity Realty: As a real estate professional, Pennink has been in just about every industry position in Cumberland County and the state. She has also held the position of president of the North Carolina Associations of REALTORS. 

    EJ Snyder will round out the panel, and you can be sure he will have hard-earned and unique advice. 

    The day will conclude with the grand finale Business 2 Business After Hours Reception, hosted by the Ramada Plaza, Better Business Bureau and Greater Fayetteville Chamber. It will be a celebration where the vendors, special guests, business leaders and city, county and state-elected officials will all come together to network while promoting the “shop local” theme. There will be music, food, fun, prizes and surprises. “The format for this is pretty relaxed but interactive,” Loase said. “It’s important to hear what these people who have had tremendous success have to say. But even more important is to hear what people in our community have to say about that and interact and communicate with each other about it.” 

    The leadership event is free all day except for the optional Refresh Leadership Luncheon. Leadership participants must register online at www.refreshleadership.com/live. To register for the luncheon, visit www.eventbrite.com and search “Refresh Leadership Live Simulcast and Business Expo.”

    This event is made possible by many organizations in our community. The hosting sponsors are Express Employment Professionals, Greater Fayetteville Chamber, Better Business Bureau, Ramada Plaza, Beasley Broadcasting and Up & Coming Weekly. Other supporting organizations include PWC, Fayetteville State University, Bragg Mutual Credit Union, Bizcard Express, FTCC and the UPS Store, just to name a few.

  • 10the secret gardenThe next show of the season for the Gilbert Theater is The Secret Garden: A Musical, which runs March 24-April 9. This show is originally adapted from a children’s book, but it is a performance for all ages. “This story really is the perfect family musical because it reaches both children and adults. The themes of redemption and reconciliation are very prominent as well as love and loss and how we deal with that. I firmly believe that audiences will be able to see a bit of their experience in the story unfolding onstage. My hope is that this production will remind both children and adults to look for the magic in life and how often that magic is found in the people we love,” explained Matthew Overturf, the new artistic director of the Gilbert Theater. 

    The original story was written by Frances Hodgson Burnett and published in 1910. It follows a sickly young girl and her family, whose lives are changed by their experiences with a garden. Though over a century old, the story contains powerful themes that still ring true today.  “The themes of eternal love for a spouse and for family, the magic in our everyday lives, and the idea of finding redemption are particularly interesting to me. What is also interesting is that the songs and story speak even in rehearsal,” Overturf said. “There is a particular song in the show that brought me to tears during the read through. While it was sung beautifully and that was enough to bring tears to one’s eyes, it was the message of the song that spoke to me. It was the perfect song at the perfect time. I thoroughly enjoy this beautiful piece of theater and know audiences will too.”

    The Secret Garden will be a musical on the Gilbert Theater stage. This adds an extra level of challenge for the performers and excitement for the audience. “Musicals require dynamic acting, interesting costumes and creative sets just like any other play. The unique difficulty is in finding a cast that can sing well and a musical director that knows how to guide a cast to make beautiful music and work with the director to create something beautiful,” Overturf said. “We are so very fortunate to have Katherine Anderson as our musical director. Not only is she in the cast, but a wonderful musician who knows how to help a cast discover their potential. She is a wonderful collaborator. “

    The Gilbert Theater has a long history of making theater available for younger audience members. Exposure to the arts is important for individual growth and watching shows as a family can serve as a starting point for interesting and sometimes life-changing conversations. The Gilbert Theater also offers a summer camp for when watching shows just isn’t enough. “Our summer acting camp is a wonderful opportunity for students ages 6-17 to learn more about theater, hone their acting skills, sing and dance and ultimately have fun while learning. The camp is July 31 to August 12. Students have the option of attending one or two weeks. At the end of the week, there is a special showcase for family and friends to see what their students have been learning during their time at camp,” Overturf said. 

    For more information about the shows at the Gilbert Theater, to purchase tickets, or to learn more about the summer camp, call the Box Office at 910-678-7186, email admin@gilberttheater.com or visit the website www.gilberttheater.com.

  • 08FSOJazzWineIt’s been quite a year for the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. The organization held auditions for its next conductor by having candidates test their skills on stage at each concert this season. With a decision coming soon, next season’s audiences have plenty to look forward to. The is one more even to enjoy before this season ends, though. The FSO presents the Second Annual Jazz and Wine Fest, Friday, April 7, from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m. in Festival Park located in downtown Fayetteville. 

    “The Jazz and Wine Fest is going to be a nice social evening out,” said Julia Atkins, Director of Artistic Operations and Marketing for the FSO. “It was originally scheduled for Oct. 7, but due to Hurricane Matthew we had to postpone it.” Atkins added that the idea first started as a fundraiser for the FSO and they decided to have a jazz and wine fest because it would be a cool thing for Fayetteville to have. 

    The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra reached out to universities to perform for the event and wanted to give them the publicity as well. The festival will feature performances by statewide jazz bands and acapella student groups from UNC Greensboro, UNC Chapel Hill, UNC Pembroke, Methodist University and Fayetteville State University. “They will be performing throughout the evening, and people are welcome to come,” said Atkins. “There will be various beer and wine by Healy Wholesale Company along with food trucks on-site for attendees to purchase food items.” Atkins added that a general admission ticket includes this as well as a souvenir glass. 

    “We encourage people to purchase tickets in advance, and we welcome parents to bring their kids,” said Atkins. “This is really a nice event to give the community of Fayetteville something else to go and see.”       

    The fest will take place rain or shine. General admission is $25 before the day of the event and $30 the day of the event. The military price is $20, $10 for kids and non-drinking is $10. The VIP package is $45 per person, and it includes a separate beer and wine service, appetizers from Carrabba’s Italian Grill and reserved seating close to the stage. It is limited to the first 150 people to purchase. Lawn chairs and blankets are welcome. 

     For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.fayettevillesymphony.org or call 433-4690. 

  • 09Erinns articleThe week of April 3, Fayetteville State University will host its Fine Arts Week. FSU is committed to supporting the arts year-round as a part of its curriculum. Fine Arts Week is special because it is packed with a variety of performances featuring different themes and mediums. This is a perfect time to experience something new and engage in relevant conversation with other members of the community. For more information, visit www.fsuarts.com. Many of the events are free and open to the public.

    The first part of Fine Arts Week is an Invitational Exhibition of Women Artists featuring the work of Sonya Clark. The exhibit focuses specifically on the works of female artists of color from around the United States. Sonya Clark is an American artist born in Washington, D.C. She is of Afro-Caribbean heritage, and her work often addresses race, culture, class and history. She engages these difficult topics often through the use of hair, both symbolically and physically. This exhibit has been open since Feb. 24 and closes April 8 at 7 p.m. The exhibition is in the Rosenthal Gallery located at 1200 Murchison Road. April 8, Sonya Clark visits FSU to talk about her work that was featured in the art exhibit. She is a highly-acclaimed artist and has exhibited work in over 300 museums and galleries across the world. She has also received many awards and fellowships such as the Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship. Her success has given her incredible opportunities to travel, explore, research and learn. She will be bringing an entire lifetime of learning and creativity to Fayetteville for the community to explore. This is an incredible opportunity to learn and to engage with one of the most brilliantly creative artists in the country. Her talk will take place in the Rosenthal Gallery at 1200 Murchison Road from 1-3 p.m.

    April 3 features a musical recital with art songs and spirituals in Seabrook Auditorium. The performance is titled Songs of a People.Performers include Dr. Denise Payton and Dr. Amanda Virelles. 

    At 2 p.m. on April 4m Jim White will speak about career pathways in the music industry. Also, on April 4, the student chamber music ensemble will perform Petite Musical at 7 p.m. in Seabrook Auditorium.

    On April 5, Seabrook Auditorium hosts the music student solo recitals at noon with the FSU Concert Band performing April 6 at 7 p.m. 

    April 6-8 at 7:30 p.m.  a comedy-drama rock musical is scheduled to take pace in the Butler Theater. The show is called Passing Strangeand it is by Stew and Heidi Rodewald. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased by calling the FSU Box Office at 910.672.1724. This show focuses on the story of a young African-American man as he travels through Europe. His journey is one of self-discovery and artistic growth. The show has been widely produced from Broadway to a filmed version directed by Spike Lee in 2008. The show addresses many themes such as identity, love and art.  

    On April 7 from 7 - 9 p.m., don’t’ miss Can I Kick It, which will be at the Bronco Theater at 1200 Murchison Road.  The event is presented by Shaolin Jazz. This film experience is unlike any other. DJ 2-Tone Jones will mix a soundtrack live to accompany a cult classic martial arts film. The mix will feature hip-hop, Soul and Funk. Each screening is an entirely unique performance as the music is mixed live. This soundtrack is intended to give the audiences a new viewing experience. The music highlights certain elements in scenes and fights in a way that traditional soundtracks would not. The show combines classic kung-fu with classic hip-hop to combine an incredible and new viewing experience. It explores a phenomenon that has occurred since the 1970s:  how African-American culture and East Asian culture have intersected in interesting and engaging ways. 

  • 07RAINCommunity Concerts’ season finale will take place Tuesday, April 11 at the Crown Complex, with RAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles. RAIN is a multi-media global sensation, seen by over 1.9 million people, that time travels through the life and times of one of the world’s most beloved bands. The show celebrates the 50th anniversary of the release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band, the Beatles’ eighth studio album, and the first rock LP to ever receive Album of
    the Year. 

    Fans will be pleased to hear Beatles classics like “I Want To Hold Your Hand,” “Hard Day’s Night,” “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band,” “Let It Be,” “Come Together” and “Hey Jude.” The Associated Press called RAIN “the next best thing to seeing The Beatles!”

    One unique aspect of RAINis that members perform challenging and complex songs that the original Beatles themselves recorded in the studio, but never performed live. RAIN’s updated sets include LED, high-definition screens and multimedia surprises. 

    Since RAIN has been together even longer than The Beatles were, they have, according to their press release, “mastered every song, gesture and nuance of the legendary foursome, delivering a totally live, note-for-note performance that’s as infectious as it is transporting.” They have received praise from The Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post 
    and more. 

    Community Concerts Attractions Director Michael Fleishman said, “RAIN was a smash hit on Broadway and continues to receive rave reviews. For those who have seen it, the show has been expanded to include even more of your favorite songs, a newSergeant Pepper tribute, and some of the best lighting and staging you will ever see.” RAINfounder, member and original keyboardist Mark Lewis spoke in a 2017 interview about the diverse crowd a RAIN show brings: “We get a lot of ‘baby boomers’, (sic) ex-hippies, etc. BUT, we also get parents that love to bring their kids.  A lot (of) teenagers and young children. I think parents take a certain pride in turning their children on to the music of the Beatles … The appeal of RAIN is the appeal of, in my opinion, the greatest music ever written and recorded, the greatest band in history, The Beatles.” 

    Tickets to see RAIN on April 11 range from $28 to $65 and are available in person at the Crown Box Office or online at www.crowncomplexnc.com. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. 

    Community Concerts, founded in 1935, holds the title of Fayetteville’s oldest art organization. They are an “all-volunteer, non-profit whose goal is to bring the finest in top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville.” Their previous concert on March 18 was preceded by a short induction ceremony for new members into The Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame. Now going on its 10th year, The Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame was founded by Community Concerts to honor those who have brought musical distinction to the community. New members inducted on March 18 included the late Harlan Duenow, Alan Porter and the Cumberland Oratorio Singers.

  • 06BBBThe world has grown smaller with advances in technology and communications. People are often unsure about where to find verified, unbiased business information. Believe it or not, there are 30 million businesses in North America alone and hundreds of thousands of worldwide websites where people shop online. Inexpensive advertising can put a slick face on even the most deceptive businesses. There are thousands of free and subscription websites that offer a range of information, including reviews, reports, directories, listings and gripe sites. The Better Business Bureau is the one place you can find it all. For over 100 years, BBB has helped people make smarter decisions and is evolving to meet fast-changing marketplace needs.

    The BBB has a greater presence in Fayetteville than ever before. For the first time, local people have been elected to serve in leadership positions. “We’ve done something very historic,” said Regional President and CEO John D’Ambrosio. Carl Mitchell, vice president for Human Resources at Fayetteville Technical Community College, is Chairman. Businessman Ed Melvin is Chair-elect. “Typically,” D’Ambrosio said, “our executives are... chosen from Horry County, South Carolina,” where the regional BBB is headquartered.

    The selection of Mitchell and Melvin emphasizes that “Fayetteville and Cumberland County are deserving of greater attention,” added the president.

    There are 15 counties in the regional BBB structure, seven in South Carolina and eight in North Carolina. “Fayetteville is an anchor point for us,” said D’Ambrosio. Other anchor points are Florence, Wilmington and Myrtle Beach. “We realize the potential of this market,” Mitchell said. He noted that Melvin, who served for many years as a county commissioner, has been on the BBB board for 22 years and gives the agency historic perspective. 

    “We hope to expand services and provide more information” about our members, Mitchell added. He stressed the overall objective is to be more visible and active in the entire 15-county area served by the Better Business Bureau. Of special interest to the Fort Bragg community is BBB’s Military and Veterans Initiative free monthly e-newsletter. “Trusted Scout” helps readers be better consumers and avoid scams designed to separate them from their hard-earned money. There are numerous resources for military members, their families
    and veterans.  

    Local businesses can become accredited members of the BBB by agreeing to govern themselves by best practice standards set by the bureau. The BBB says seven out of 10 consumers prefer to do business with accredited companies. Founded in 1912, the Better Business Bureau is a nonprofit organization focused on advancing marketplace trust. The local organization  is one of 112 independently incorporated local BBBs in the United States and Canada. They are coordinated under the Council of Better Business Bureaus in Arlington, Virginia. 

  • 05CountyJailHealthCumberland County Commissioners are working on two fronts to improve medical services provided to detention center inmates. The board is preparing to request proposals from firms interested in contracting with the county to provide health care at the jail, which is among the state’s largest detention centers with more than 800 inmates. County Commission Chairman Glenn Adams has empaneled “a working group to review deficiencies in the jail health program and to develop a corrective action plan,” said Assistant County Manager Sally Shutt. “The chairman appointed a subcommittee of the group to review the accreditation findings and to report recommendations back to the working group on corrective actions within the existing jail health program operated by the Cumberland County Department of Public Health,” Shutt added.  

    Jail health care is administered by the department of public health, not the sheriff’s office. The detention center’s health program lost its accreditation in November 2016, “following significant changes to the accreditation standards,” said Public Health Director Buck Wilson. The National Commission on Corrections Health Care put it differently in its report: “There are very serious issues that suggest the basic health care needs of the patient population are not being met.” 

    The NCCHC is widely recognized for its recommendations for the management of correctional health services systems. They specifically outline procedures for county jails as opposed to prisons. Manuals for mental health services and opioid treatment programs are included. The commission says the standards cover care and treatment, health records, administration, personnel and medical-legal issues. These essential resources have helped correctional and detention facilities improve the health of their inmates. And they reduce the risk of adverse legal judgments. County Attorney Rick Moorefield told commissioners that instances of legal challenges by inmates have been reduced significantly over the years with advances in jail health care. He noted that the Cumberland County Detention Center infirmary cannot be utilized to its fullest unless the program
    is accredited.

    Wilson says there is no industry standard, and participation in accreditation programs is not required. “The Department of Public Health conducted a survey in February” and found “most of the jails in North Carolina that responded to the survey are not accredited.”  Thirty-four counties responded to the survey. Wilson noted that “only four health departments operated the jail health program; 30 used another
    entity to operate jail health.” Most of those did not have accredited health care programs.

    Sheriff Ennis Wright prefers accreditation, as did his predecessor, retired Sheriff Moose Butler. “Providing non-accredited health services is a dangerous thing,” said Sheriff’s Attorney Ronnie Mitchell. Wilson sought funding to meet the higher jail health accreditation standards but was denied. “Accreditation standards were the same for 20 years, and Cumberland County’s program stayed accredited throughout that time,” Wilson said. “It was only after the standards changed significantly that the jail health program lost its accreditation,” he noted.  “Moving forward, the County will be looking at all aspects of the jail health program and is utilizing the request for proposals process to determine the most cost-effective manner for providing jail health services,” said Shutt. 

  • 04NewsDigestNew Chamber CEO

    The Greater Fayetteville Chamber has named Christine Michaels its new president and chief executive officer. Michaels has 18 years of association management experience plus 10 years in journalism, marketing, and public relations. She has a B.S. in Public Relations from Empire State College in New York. Michaels has served as the chief executive of two chambers both of which have achieved the highest ranking of 5-stars from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Michaels comes to Fayetteville from Brandon, Florida, where she served as Executive Director of the Greater Brandon Chamber. “With Christine’s vast experience in successfully running Chambers, we look forward to new ideas and growth for our members,” said Kitti Jo Finch, Chair of the Chamber.

    Publisher Bill Bowman wins Athena Award

    Bill Bowman, founder and publisher of Up & Coming Weekly, was honored by the Greater Fayetteville Chamber at its 2017 Annual Awards Dinner. Bowman received the Athena Leadership Award, which is conferred on “a woman or man who demonstrates professional excellence and who encourages women to achieve their full leadership potential,” the chamber said. In Greek Mythology, Athena was the goddess of intellect, wisdom, craft and war. She was known for her calm temperament and was noted to have only fought for just reasons, and would not fight without a stellar purpose. Bowman has nurtured and professionally supported and endorsed programs for women engaged in local business and community leadership. He publishes Fayetteville’s Women’s View each month while sponsoring and hosting a weekly women’s business networking group called B.U.G.s (Between Us Girls). He also sponsors the quarterly Fayetteville Ladies Power Lunch that is held at the Ramada Plaza. In its acknowledgement of Bowman’s commitment, the chamber said, “These three ventures were struggling, unable to maintain and scale the opportunities before them. Today all three woman-focused organizations are thriving.” In his acceptance speech, Bowman acknowledged that his staff is made up of almost exclusively women. 

    2017 Cumberland County Fair

    This year’s Cumberland County Fair will be held Sept 1-10. It begins on Friday before Labor Day and will run for ten days. The theme for this year’s fair is “Country Days - American Ways.” For the first time in many years, fair goers in Fayetteville and the Cape Fear Region will have something to do over the Labor Day weekend by attending the fair. Returning for the second year will be Close Encounters of the Exotic Kind, a lions and tigers show. There will be comedy and magic shows featuring FARMily Feud and a Survivor Family Game Show. The fair will again offer free admission on the opening night of the fair. Other promotions include a $15 one-price admission on Monday through Thursday nights that will permit admission and unlimited carnival rides.  

    More Cold Case Arrests

    The Fayetteville Police Department’s Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit has charged a suspect in two 22-year-old rape investigations. One of the incidents occurred on April 28, 1995 and the other on September 19 of the same year. The subject was arrested in 1995, but he had fled the state and extradition was not approved. Following a recent review of these cases by the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office his extradition was approved. Louis Lane III, 59, of Milwaukee, Wisc. was apprehended in Milwaukee with the assistance of the U.S. Marshal’s Violent Fugitive Task Force. Cumberland County Sheriff’s Deputies returned Lane to Cumberland County. He was charged with 1st degree rape, kidnapping, 2nd degree rape, and 2nd degree sex offense. Lane is being held in the Cumberland County Detention Center on an $800,000 secured bond.      

  • 03Cape Fear River NC USAThe water war between three western Wake County towns and Fayetteville is not over.

    Two weeks ago, an administrative judge ruled for Fayetteville and its ally, Wilmington, against Cary, Apex and Morrisville, who were sopping up water at Fayetteville’s expense. 

    The three Wake County towns want more water out of the Cape Fear River Basin, to use it, treat it and put it into the Neuse River Basin. The state’s Environmental Management Commission said they could do it, even if it meant less water heading down the Cape Fear River. Less water downriver could cause problems for Fayetteville and Wilmington.

    Two weeks ago, the judge ruled the Environmental Management Commission’s decision to let the three fast-growing towns yet again dip into the Cape Fear River was based on shoddy decision-making. Last week, the Commission appealed the ruling. So, it’s back to legal squabbles, but no date for the face off as yet.

    Taking water out of the Cape Fear River Basin and putting it back into the Neuse River Basin at the detriment of Fayetteville and other downriver communities is something Cary, Apex and Morrisville have been doing for years.

    November 1989: The state’s Environmental Management Commission gave them permission to take 16 million gallons a day from Jordan Lake, which is in the Cape Fear River Basin.

    July 2001: The EMC issued yet another Inter Basin Transfer Certificate (IBT) allowing Cary, Apex, Morrisville and Wake County to transfer 24 million gallons per day from the Haw River (Cape Fear River Basin) to the Neuse River Basin.

    Cary and Apex also built a $290 million wastewater treatment plant so they could treat water and put it back into the Cape Fear River Basin. But, they determined it was still cheaper to dump it back into the Neuse instead, even though the plant had plenty of capacity to treat more water. Go figure.

    March 2015: The EMC allowed them to amend the 2001 agreement and take 33 million gallons a day from the Haw River, a 38 percent increase. The Haw River feeds into the Cape Fear.

    May 2015: Fayetteville Public Works Commission filed a legal action against the state Department of Environmental Quality and EMC.

    PWC argued that the method they used to determine taking that much water from the Cape Fear River Basin and not putting it back wouldn’t hurt downriver towns was rushed and thus flawed. Also, the commission didn’t follow the rules for holding public hearings about the issue.

    Former State Attorney Roy Cooper’s lawyers represented the EMC and Department of Environmental Quality.

    The state’s lawyers argued that Cary, Apex and Morrisville need the water because they’re growing. That’s an arrogant argument. The state’s environmental gurus and state attorney general’s office obviously believe water to feed the Wake County’s growth is more important than the potential growth for Fayetteville
    and Wilmington.

    February 2017: Judge ruled in favor of Fayetteville, stating that the EMC and its advising agency the Department of Environmental Quality failed to use proper procedures and failed to act according to law.

    The EMC’s legal appeal will prolong this effort by Wake County to feed its need for more water at the detriment of downriver towns. The good news is that the hearing will be held in Cumberland County. 

    Raleigh and Wake County are among the fastest growing economies in the nation, and with that growth comes a desperate thirst for water. Taking water from the Cape Fear River Basin and not returning it is a dangerous precedent that PWC, the City of Fayetteville and its allies downriver cannot ignor if we are
    to prosper.

  • 02AlchemyIt’s the most wonderful time of year — Income Tax Season. Could you use some fast cash to pay Uncle Sam? What if you had a way to turn your old rusty three-speed bike into solid gold? When was the last time you turned lead into gold? Been a while, hasn’t it, Binky? Back in the good old days of the Medieval period, Alchemists were using secret processes to whip out more gold from lead than you could shake a stick at. Unfortunately, over the centuries most of the alchemists’ secrets have been as forgotten as the location of Jimmy Hoffa’s burial plot beneath Giant Stadium.

    So as a public service, we shall stroll down memory lane to learn about alchemy. Through the miracle of crowd sourcing, perhaps we can come up with a way to revive the lost secrets of alchemy. Alchemy will allow us to render unto Caesar what is due to Caesar. We will still have enough cash left over to buy the newest iPhone. Yo, both of you readers! It’s time to put on your Tom Terrific thinking caps. Ponder what we know about alchemy in the hopes we can revive this bigly patch of forgotten scientific lore. Alchemy’s goal is to take something yucky and worthless and make it into something bright and shiny. Sort of like listening to Trump’s spokesman Sean Spicer trying to explain The Donald’s latest bizarre actions and tweets.

    According to the gnomes at Wikipedia (not to be confused with Trump’s favorite news source — Wikileaks), alchemy is designed to “purify, mature and perfect certain objects.” Changing lead to gold is alchemy’s most well-known objective. Another goal of alchemy was to create a Medieval version of Red Bull, which would let the drinker live forever. This goal has not yet been achieved. However, the Disney Imagineers in the alchemy department are still diligently pursuing this goal so that Walt can be unfrozen and brought back to life.

    Another alchemy goal was to create a one-stop cure for every disease. The alchemists actually created such a panacea in the 16th Century. Their drink successfully cured all diseases with one swig of Alchemy Brand Granny’s Spring Tonic. Unfortunately, Big Pharma bought the patent to the elixir from Nostradamus in the 1500s. Big Pharma then promptly took Granny’s Spring Tonic off the market. The formula for Granny’s Tonic remains locked in a vault in Atlanta, alongside the secret recipe for KFC’s 11 herbs and spices and the name of the author who wrote the Book of Love.

    A lesser-known goal of alchemy was to create an “alkhest,” a universal solvent. Due to the mists of time, it is unclear what the alchemists were trying to dissolve with their alkhest. Scientists today think having a universal solvent would be a pretty groovy thing and continue to work on a modern alkhest. The only remaining descendants of the Medieval universal solvent are duct tape and the spork, which are now universally recognized as the greatest inventions in the history of man.

    Our Medieval pals also thought alchemy could be used to perfect the human soul from its rough-around-the-edges human frailties into the profound excellence of the character of all billionaires. This process involved the use of the Philosopher’s Stone to be rubbed up against the patient’s psyche by a Shaman trained in the dark arts of personal development. This aspect of alchemy survives today in the form of the self- help books at your local Barnes & Noble, psychiatry, psychology and psychotropic drugs designed to smooth down the quirks of individuality to conform to
    society’s expectations.

    There is a concept known as entropy, which essentially means that there is “an inevitable and steady deterioration of systems or societies.” Cosmologically speaking, entropy will make the universe expand over time until each star system flickers out isolated, alone and dark. Basically, things fall apart over time. Entropy has come to change our old friend alchemy, which used to turn bad stuff into good stuff. Now with reverse alchemy, good stuff turns into bad stuff. For example, consider The Donald’s proposed budget. His budget plan demonstrates reverse alchemy in which he magically turns Meals on Wheels, medical research and after school food programs into bullets and bombs.

    The moral of our story: Don’t get hungry. Don’t get sick. If you do, it’s your own darned fault, loser.

  • “Learn all you can from the mistakes of others. You won’t have time to make them all yourself.” Alfred Sheinwold said this; he was an American bridge wizard who helped develop a bidding system for the card game, and he was clearly wise about the human experience. None other than actress Angela Jolie was thinking along similar lines when she said, “If you ask people what they’ve always wanted to do, most people haven’t done it. That breaks my heart.” Then there is this profundity from the psychologist Carl Jung: “Nothing has a stronger influence psychologically on their environment and their children than the unlived life of the parent.”

    I thought about these quotations recently when I happened across one of those ubiquitous lists on the internet entitled the “Top 37 Things You’ll Regret When You’re Old.” Some resonated more than others, but each struck some chord. 

    Not traveling while you could. Time is as important here as money. Traveling is easier when you are younger and less encumbered, and considerably less pricy without a large family.

    Not learning another language. We Americans hardly ever do this because we do not have to, and it is a mistake.

    Remaining in a terrible relationshipand not quitting an awful occupation.No one ever regrets leaving these situations once he or she has stepped away. Most regret not getting out sooner.

    Neglecting to make physical wellness a need, including disregarding your teeth and not using sunscreen. Your doctor and your spouse have surely mentioned this one, and truth be told, once wellness goes, it is hard to get back.

    Letting yourself be defined by gender roles and letting yourself be defined by cultural expectations. Think about how much generations of men have missed by ceding childrearing to women and likewise what women missed by believing only men should follow career dreams. Happy and successful people define themselves.

    Not understanding how beautiful you were and are. A friend went through some family photographs recently and found one of herself as a young wife and mother. She burst into tears, having believed for decades that she had been fat, plain, and ungainly when she was actually slender and lovely.

    Not trying harder in school.For most of us, formal education occurs over a
    limited time. Not using that time well too often defines the rest of our lives intellectually and economically.

    Not listening to your folks’ advice.This one goes hand in hand with not trying in school. No one is going to love us more or care more about out futures than our families. Their advice is almost always in our best interests.

     Not investing enough energy into friends and family and not playing with your children enough. Our families and friends are the people who will walk through life with us, and nurturing those relationships enriches our lives in ways nothing else does. These are our longest lasting relationships and the ones that sustain us over time.

    Holding grudges,especially with those you love. See above.

    Thinking a lot about what other people think and refusing to let friendships run their course.Others do have opinions of us, but what we think of ourselves counts more. People come and go in our lives, so the only person who will take every step with us is us. Life will be more satisfying if we learn to love and respect ourselves and to enjoy our own company.

    Not volunteering enough. Volunteering is easier at some times of life than others, but nothing feels better than knowing we have improved the lives of others. Conversely, little feels worse than knowing we did not.

    Not stopping enough to appreciate the momentand not being grateful sooner.Life can be so full and busy that we forget to “live in the moment,” but it can be wonderful when we do. Gratitude seems a quality we gain with age, and the older I get, the happier I am to be here and to enjoy travel and those I love.

    So back to Sheinwold’s admonition to learn from the mistakes of others since we will not have time to make them all ourselves. Remember, too, that old saying that at the end of life, most of us regret not what we did, but what we did not do.

    I am trying hard and crossing my fingers not to feel that way when the time arrives.

  • 21ScholarDenise BrownDenise Brown

    Jack Britt

    Bowling

    Sophomore

    Brown is in the top 15 percent of her class with a 4.08 grade point average. She was chosen to the all-conference bowling team last fall.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    22ScholarDeAndreDe’Andre Swinson

    South View

    Wrestling

    Senior

    Swinson placed second in the state in his weight class in the recent individual wrestling championships, finishing 44-4 this season. He posted a 3.5 grade point average.

  • 20FootballBill sochovkaAfter a variety of changes in format and location, the annual Cumberland County Football Jamboree will return to its roots this fall.

    Vernon Aldridge, student activities director for the county schools, announced recently that the jamboree is headed back to high school fields, scheduled for a two-day run on Aug. 9-10 at Cape Fear High School and South View High School.

    The field will include 24 schools, a number of them from outside the Cape Fear region. Recent jamborees have been held at Fayetteville State with a field half the size of this year’s

    Aldridge has set an ambitious goal for the event, hoping to grow it into a major showcase for football in Cumberland County that will also help bring in money for the schools.

    “I was part of the original group that put on the first jamboree,’’ Aldridge said. “The last few years we were matching up county teams against one another. One of the things I got from the coaches was they wanted to scrimmage people they didn’t get an opportunity to scrimmage.’’

    Aldridge cast a wide net, sending an e-mail to every high school athletic director in the state. Response was overwhelming and he wound up having to turn schools away. He opted to go with 24 teams and the two-day format.

    The next step will be getting community support. “We’re looking for the business community to jump on board and help sponsor it,’’ Aldridge said. “We’d like to get to the point where we offer a $500 scholarship to each of the 24 schools. We’ll need the support of the business community to do that.’’

    Aldridge is working with a committee he created that includes football coaches, athletic directors and retired Pine Forest High School principal Cindy McCormic. He’s made no promises, but he’s working toward the goal of seeing the scholarship dream become a reality at this year’s jamboree.

    Coaches Jake Thomas of Cape Fear and Bill Sochovka of Pine Forest are both pleased with the direction Aldridge is trying to take the jamboree.

    “Having more out of county teams to come in I think will bring in more people,’’ Thomas said. “It will also help our teams to have more pride now that it’s Cumberland County vs. out of county teams.’’

    While the purpose of scrimmages for coaches is to help put a team together, Sochovka said they’ve also got to appreciate the need for the public to get a look at the teams.

    “It’s important to have that showcase,’’ Sochovka said. “We all need to understand that’s the main goal. There’s more to football than X’s and O’s. Vernon has a good plan in place and we have to embrace it.’’

    Here is the schedule for this year’s jamboree. There will be two scrimmages in progress during each session, with a pair of teams competing on either half of the field:

    Aug. 9, at Cape Fear

    6:30 p.m. – East Columbus vs. Farmville Central; Pfafftown Reagan vs. Overhills

    7:30 p.m. – Triton vs. E.E. Smith; Union Pines vs. Douglas Byrd

    8:30 p.m. – Richmond Senior vs. Cape Fear, West Johnston vs. Terry Sanford

    Aug. 10, at South View

    6:30 p.m. – Hoke County vs. Gray’s Creek, East Montgomery vs. Westover

    7:30 p.m. – Northern Nash vs. Pine Forest, Eastern Wayne vs. Jack Britt

    8:30 p.m. – Lee County vs. South View, Southeast Raleigh vs. Seventy-First.

  • 19HSBasketballThere’s a feeling of nervous anticipation for Cape Fear High School athletic director Matt McLean, like the coach who’s a little surprised to find his team holding a narrow lead headed into the fourth quarter of a game.

    The reason for McLean’s excitement is the Wells Fargo Cup points standings for the Mid-South 4-A Conference entering the spring sports season. The cup is awarded to the conference school with the best overall athletic program, based on points awarded for order of finish in all official conference sports.

    Cape Fear, which has closely pursued Jack Britt for the award the last two years, is ahead of the Buccaneers 66-61.5 entering the final months of the school year.

    Spring is traditionally a strong season for Cape Fear, with the softball and baseball teams leading the charge. But McLean is taking nothing for granted.

    “We’ve made a point since I’ve been here to push kids to participate in multiple sports,’’ McLean said. “A lot of our football players were involved in wrestling and basketball. That helped our winter sports.’’

    Cape Fear won an East Regional title in wrestling and the boys’ basketball team won the Holiday Classic basketball tournament for the first time in school history.

    But it was in the fall Cape Fear showed its biggest jump, led by the football team’s run to the state 4-A championship game. “We scored 41 points this fall,’’ McLean said. “Volleyball, soccer, football and cross country all earned more points than in the past. Those were big jumps for us.’’

    McLean’s goal for the end of the season is for Cape Fear to score at least 100 points in the Wells Fargo chase. That would be seven points up from the school’s previous high. “If we get to 100, we could live with that, whatever place it puts us in,’’ he said.

    Some of the school’s better athletes think the drive to succeed in all sports has helped increase both participation and enthusiasm.

    Chris Matthews, one of the stars of the football team, wrestled in the winter and now is competing for the tennis team. “You see somebody is successful and you’ve got more of an urge to join that organization,’’ Matthews said. “The future possibility of success has led to more people joining the team.’’

    Madeline Shook is a champion swimmer for the Colts who also ran cross country and is on the girls’ soccer team this spring.

    “I think coaching has improved,’’ she said. “There have been some new coaches come in and carry things along. A lot of the coaches stress playing different sports because it helps in different areas.’’

    “Even at the 4-A level, you need your best athletes participating in more than one sport,’’ McLean said.

    The focus for all the teams is to finish the spring strong. Shook said the keys to doing that are simple. “Keep a good attitude and be motivated,’’ she said.

  • 18WannaPlayOk. Confession.

    I used to hate Christian music. 

    Well, not hate... more like get sick of/bored with/tired of exponentially quickly. That’s hard to say for someone who now works in Christian Radio (and loves her job, by the way). 

    Christian music has typically been 5-7 years behind what’s currently trending on pop stations around the country. I just could not get past the fact that everything sounded the same. Every song was like the one before it, and I knew as soon as I heard one single note, even without hearing any lyrics, that it was a Christian song. They had a certain “sheen” to them. As someone who loved Jesus and music, this bothered me, so much so that I wouldn’t listen to a Christian radio station throughout my college years.

    However, in the last decade, Christian musicians have upped the ante, and dare I say Christian radio programmers. Don’t get me wrong – there have always been artists who have “pushed the envelope” - believe it or not, there was a time when Christian radio stations thought bands like Third Day were “too aggressive.” Crazy, right? We’ve come a long way, to say the least.

    I’m proud to be a part of an industry that isn’t striving to “keep up with the Jones’s,” but rather seeks to remain relevant – and is actually doing a pretty good job at it. Hey, its made me a convert. I love it. It’s family-friendly, relevant-sounding and Jesus-honoring – a triple whammy.

    I like to play this game I made up with folks who don’t particularly like Christian music. It doesn’t really have a name. I can’t come up with anything shorter than “What-Christian-Artist/Band-Sounds-Like-Your-Favorite-Artist/Band?” - it doesn’t really roll off the tongue, so I don’t think it will catch on, but I digress...

    Think you don’t like Christian music? Think you won’t like our station? Willing to try it out?

    Let’s play “What-Christian-Artist/Band-Sounds-Like-Your-Favorite-Artist/Band?” 

    Like Coldplay? Try Bryan and Katie Torwalt.

    Like Tupac? Try Lecrae.

    Like John Cougar Melancamp? Try John Tibbs.

    Like Michael Buble? Like Ed Sheeran? Wonder what they’d sound like together? Try David Dunn.

    Like Tori Kelly? Try Hollyn.

    Like Beyonce? Try Blanca.

    Like Mumford & Sons? Try Carrollton. 

    Like Paramore? Try Veridia.

    Like Chain Smokers? Try Joshua Micah.

    Like The Script? Try Unspoken.

    Like Maroon 5? Try Lincoln Brewster.

    Like Adele? Try Lauren Daigle.

    Like country music? Try Hillary Scott (from Lady Antebellum) or Micah Tyler.

    Like Switchfoot? Try Switchfoot. (That was just for giggles.)

    Now I’m not saying you will get a carbon copy of your favorite band – that would totally negate the first point I was trying to make here, that Christian music is able to contend with mainstream music in its originality and musical authenticity. However, the list goes on and on. The beauty of a Christian radio station is there’s something for everyone. Try Christian 107.3. You just might discover a new favorite. 

  • Everybody can pack up their stuff and go home. Comic book movies have officially peaked with Logan (137 minutes). This one is the benchmark, the film all other comic books are going to be measured by for years to come. Finally, a Wolverine movie that doesn’t suck out loud. I managed to avoid crying, though I admit I had to work for it. 

    17LoganSo, thank you Deadpool, for demonstrating that R rated comic book movies are box office gold. Thank you, James Mangold — the second Wolverine movie sucked only slightly less than the first Wolverine movie, but I realize you had to practice with Wolverine before you could make him awesome. Thank you, Hugh Jackman, because after 17 years with the character you went out on a high note (not that I believe you’re never going to play Wolverine again). Thank you, classically trained Shakespearean actor Patrick Stewart for never thinking you were too good for the X-Men when you were so clearly born to play the role of Professor X. Thank you Simon Kinberg, for wiping X-Men: The Last Stand out of the continuity in X-Men: Days of Future Past.

    There is only one glaring flaw, and I admit I loved Logan so much I didn’t see it. I like to think I would have eventually realized it when I sat down to write the review, but my husband got there first. Spoiler, by the way. Seriously. I mean it — this might ruin your enjoyment of the film. I am drawing this out, because I read so fast that I usually read the spoiler that follows the spoiler alert even when I don’t want to. Here it is. X-23 (Dafne Keen) is a clone of Logan, created by The Essex Corporation (Mr. Sinister!) using the sample of Wolverine’s blood obtained in the post-credits sequence of Age of Apocalypse. My husband proposed that, since her skeleton was coated with adamantium, when she hit her next growth spurt she was going to be an immovable force fighting against the adamantium’s unbreakable object. My theory? The scientists in charge left most of her skeleton free of the metal so she can still grow (as was explained in the source material), but since her hands and feet are both coated (areas of the body dense with joints), her continued growth is problematic. See kids — there is no comic book movie so realistically grounded that science can’t ruin. Science!

    If you skipped ahead once you read the Spoiler Alert, you might want to put the review down now. I can afford to burn words identifying minor plot holes because I don’t want to reveal too much of the plot — sometime it doesn’t matter, but watching Logan will be a purer, more visceral experience if you don’t know what you’re in for. If you’re already spoiled —  then you know Professor X isn’t doing so well. And when the most powerful mutant mind on the planet develops a brain disorder what do you do with him? Logan locks him up in a collapsed water tower and medicates the snot out of him. How is that not textbook elder abuse?

    This is crucial. I have been reading comics since I was six (my first comic was Uncanny X-Men 233) and studying sociology for the last 24 years or so, and it never occurred to me to ask what you do with mutants suffering from degenerative diseases that affect their ability to control their powers. Alzheimer’s, for instance, is not a mere fading away into past memories. It involves periods of rage. And we know in both the comics and film franchise, Professor X has more than a little bit of repressed anger, in addition to being a world class jerk at least 70 percent of the time. Hint: physical restraints and medication don’t offer a long-term solution to the problem, and every time Wolver-George and Professor Lenny got started on that boat they plan to buy I had visions of Charles Xavier going to that rabbit farm.

    By and large, the X-Universe is a brilliant place to hang out these days. Logan was frankly amazing, and Legion manages to consistently surpass the MCU television tie-ins (Yes. Even AKA Jessica Jones). I can’t wait for X-Men to tackle the Dark Phoenix saga again.

    Now playing at Patriot 14 + IMAX.

  • 15HarlemThe Harlem Globetrotters will perform Monday, March 27, at 7 p.m. at the Crown Coliseum. 

    Orlando El Gato Melendez and I had a conversation about their upcoming performance and life as a Globetrotter. 

    How does it feel to be the first Puerto Rican player for the Harlem Globetrotters? 

    It is something amazing. It is crazy because the first time I saw the Globetrotters was on Scooby Doo Saturday mornings. To go from there to growing up and watching basketball and becoming a Globetrotter is out of this world. Now I am going beyond just being the first Puerto Rican player, and I am representing all of the Hispanics and Latinos around the world. We are the best basketball team in the world, so for me, it is a privilege and honor to represent not just Puerto Rico but all Hispanics the right way and in a positive manner. 

    What is the process to become a Harlem Globetrotter?

    First, there is a recruiting process that a lot of other guys have gone through. In my case, I got recommended by a professional coach that I knew when I was playing professional basketball in Puerto Rico. We bumped into each other, and he asked me did I want to be a Globetrotter, and I said yes. I got the call to go to the tryouts and also had a complete full job interview. The guys interviewing you are former Globetrotters who are legends. They know everything about you and want to make sure you are a good person. 

    What should we expect when the Globetrotters come to the Crown March 27?

    We have been going for 91 years now, so you will see some of the old stuff which is stuff we remember when we were kids. We are going to bring young people to dance on the court. It is always fun to bring all of the family to a Globetrotters game. 

    What are some of the things that the Globetrotters do for children?       

    The best thing about being a Globetrotter is that lots of people do not know what we do outside of the court. We visit schools and hospitals around the nation and outside of the U.S. We have a program called the “ABCs of Bullying Prevention,” and we talk to kids in schools about how to deal with bullying in school, outside of school and social media. We have another program called “Smile Patrol,” and we visit different hospitals to give the kids smiles, our tricks, and jokes because they cannot attend the games. We love it! 

    Tell me one thing about yourself that people would be surprised to know.

    When I’m not playing basketball, I am an interior designer and DJ. These are things I always wanted to do when I was a kid. I always liked to draw and design things. I was always playing with Legos and building different things. The music part was always there for me because my grandpa had a nice collection of records. 

    For more information about the Globetrotters visit www.harlemglobetrotters.com. 

     For ticket information call 438-4100. 

  • 001COVERShaw Heights is a hot topic right now. There is legislation pending in Raleigh calling for its annexation. But is it the right thing to do for the city? For the citizens and landowners of Shaw Heights? Sharon Valentine and Jason Brady weigh in.

    I got a text the other day from someone I consider a “tuned in” citizen. Part of the text read like this: “… Danger! Shaw Heights sh#t storm on the horizon.”

    He was referring to the proposal by local legislators that Fayetteville annex the Shaw Heights and Julie Heights subdivisions.

    He is right. The mere mention of annexation or proposing the forced taking of land and making it part of Fayetteville is like rubbing salt on road rash. In this case, it’s akin to ripping off a scab and dousing it with rubbing alcohol. Ouch! Let it heal.

    For those new to the community or lived in a cave for the past decade, here’s the simplified back story on the complex issue of annexation.  From 1960 through 1983 Fayetteville could not annex “citified” areas into the city like other North Carolina towns. Local lawmakers and volunteer fire chiefs got the General Assembly to exempt Cumberland County towns from the 1959 statewide annexation law. That law said, “… what is urban should be municipal.” It allowed towns to annex without giving the people being annexed a say in the matter.

    So, Fayetteville lobbied the General Assembly to change the annexation exemption for Cumberland County. Even the daily newspaper’s editorial staff got on the bandwagon. Their persistence paid off, and the General Assembly, in 1983, gave Cumberland County towns authority to annex under the statewide law. At first, Fayetteville nibbled away at smaller annexations. From 1984 to 1988, Fayetteville annexed adjacent urban pockets, comprising 3,000 to 6,000 people.But the pendulum took an extreme swing the other way. The result: the Big Bang annexation of 2005. It scarfed up 27 square miles, 42,000 residents, and dragged them into the city.

    The pushback was huge. Court battles between Fayetteville and anti-annexation groups ensued. But only the more affluent Gates Four Country Club prevailed. Lawyers for both sides are still getting billable hours. The Big Bang ended political careers. And in 2011, the General Assembly said no more forced annexations in North Carolina, unless people living in those areas want to be annexed. So, it was a surprise that Rep. Elmer Floyd filed House Bill 109, which according to the General Assembly website says is “an act adding certain described property to the corporate limits of the City of Fayetteville.”

    If the Fayetteville City Council agrees, annexation would happen in 2018. But like the Shaw Heights and Julie Heights community, the City Council is divided. Council members are scheduled to go on the record on where they stand this Wednesday, March 22. The area comprises 630.89 acres of dilapidated houses and trailers speckled with some nicer, well-kept homes. Most of the houses were built right after World War II and during the Vietnam War. A 2008 county land use plan refers to the area as “showing age and decline.”

    Murchison Road borders the area on the east, Bragg Boulevard on the west, and Fort Bragg and the recently completed leg of I-295 on the north. To the south is Fayetteville. Some ask why it was left out of the 2005 Big Bang annexation? Some claim Fayetteville excluded Shaw Heights because the area wasn’t worth it. In other words, it would cost more to provide services than the area could produce in taxes. Former city manager Roger Stancil said the city did not annex Shaw Heights because the county could get water and sewer to the area through a grant from the Rural N.C. Center if the area was not annexed. It never happened.

    So, why annex now? Floyd, Fayetteville’s former Human Relations director, recently told a gathering of citizens that the 1,300 residents deserve enhanced services. Councilman Kirk DeViere says the area needs to be developed to city standards. The I-295 interchanges will make the area ripe for commercial development. Others say it’s a chance for the city to establish an attractive gateway for traffic coming off I-295. Still others see a less honorable motive. A few Republicans question whether the sudden interest in Shaw Heights and Julie Heights might be about adding more registered Democrats to the city voter rolls.

    Floyd, a Democrat, sponsored the bill. Fellow Democrats Reps. Billy Richardson and Marvin Lucas co-sponsored the bill. On the Senate side, Sen. Ben Clark, also a Democrat, filed the Senate’s version of the bill. Political watchers point to the past two mayoral non-partisan elections, Mayor Nat Robertson, a Republican, won his first election in 2013 over Democrat Val Applewhite by only 250 votes. In 2015, he won by about 673 votes. Adding another 500 registered Democrats could affect future city elections. Finally, some among those annexed in 2005 fear that the Shaw Heights annexation will affect the schedule and available money for getting PWC water and sewer.

    Mayor Robertson’s opposition centers on economics. He says the area consists of people who least can afford the taxes and fees that come with annexation. He says the services the area needs are available through the county. It’s the county that has failed those neighborhoods. Councilman Bill Crisp agrees. He objects to forced annexation, period. Crisp was among those who fought the City in court over the 2005 annexation before becoming a member of City Council.

    According to Robertson, the city projects the area will provide roughly $200,000 in annual revenues. The county’s projection is even less. But PWC’s cost to put water and sewer in the area will be $7 to $10 million. “The area has issues, but why does the city have to come to the rescue?” Robertson asked. Councilman Ted Mohn thinks he has a solution. It’s called extra territorial jurisdiction. It’s where the city has jurisdiction for law enforcement and development standards.

    In an email to fellow council members and city management, Mohn said the ETJ would protect the money for the Big Bang sewer construction. Also, ETJ would let the city provide incremental city services as budgets allow. The ETJ would start on July 1 and total annexation would happen in 2020. So far, “mums the word” on his proposal, Mohn said.

    — Jason Brady

    There is an adage: “everyone has a lobbyist except the poor.” And that theory will have been proven out with the fate of Shaw Heights and the decision of City Council to proceed with annexation. This painful reminder of political expediency and discrimination will test our political conscience and shine a light on the mayor and the council on what is more important — political careers or the common good.

    There should be no argument on moving ahead with the annexation because Shaw Height presents Fayetteville with a tremendous opportunity.  As we hurtle toward the development opportunities provided by the I-295 Loop at the Murchison Road exchange, Shaw Heights is Fayetteville’s new “Gateway.” Traffic patterns will direct visitors from I-95 and Spring Lake onto Murchison and into

    the Downtown with the baseball stadium, the museums and local attractions.  And as a lightly-populated rental area with open tracts of land, the economic forces could not be more aligned to solve problems associated with poverty and pivot to Fayetteville’s “new 2026 image.”

    But maybe not! It appears that neither the city or the county have moved since the 2008 county plan to update and plan for the growth that has been

    indicated on the maps since the initial approval of the loop. And let’s be honest, the attraction of private investment and its interest in the Shaw Heights potential is accelerating the need for the zoning, permitting and incentives that are imperative to good economic development and positive growth.

    Why has there not been ongoing discussions and planning over the past 10 years rather than the county and city in a “stare down” on who will take responsibility for convening the debates on the Shaw Height suburbs, particularly when it is a “win-win” for both the city and the county?

    While rumors of a commercial hotel being built and local developers looking at the numerous ways “to make a buck,” PWC is brooding over the size of sewer line pipes that would serve the present neighborhood rather than addressing a plan that would promote commercial development. And the road improvements on Shaw Mill Road in the NC Transportation Plan and the wetland area that would have to be addressed in zoning action are still a footnote. Where are our local boards and commissions that meet on a regular basis to look at issues that impact “good growth?”

    Certainly, cost is a huge consideration as well as the bonds that would have to finance certain municipal improvements. But it is time to begin to poke our heads out of our respective silos and see who is out there.  Developers will certainly have to pay part of the “freight” like sewer line hookups, compliance with the UDO, etc. if Shaw Heights is, in fact, part of Fayetteville.

    But isn’t this area part of the acreage being considered by the council for our large sports complex: soccer fields, baseball diamonds, tennis courts, a competitive swimming pool—all the things that attract teams and competition from around the state. And have we not already approved bonds to fund this complex in the recent Parks and Recreation Initiative?

    The bottom line is still that the least among us deserve acceptance and assistance as part of the total community, and turning our backs one more time (whatever the rationalization) is unacceptable.

    Is Fayetteville ready to be the community envisioned in the 2026 initiative?  If our elected officials cannot step up to the plate of annexation, then it is time to recruit a new team.  Fayetteville is losing two top talents of the council—Ted Mohn and Bobby Hurst.  And our “wise man” Bill Crisp is silent on his plans on running.  

    The deadline then falls on us — the residents, the taxpayers and the local supporters to find a mayor that puts purpose ahead of politics and a Council

    that serves in the “interest of the common good.” 

    — Sharon Valentine

  • 13AllAmericamOn March 25, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., the USO of North Carolina, Fort Bragg Center and the Downtown Alliance will host a fundraiser called the All-American Fayetteville Challenge to support their work assisting the local military members and their families. “There is a reason we do fundraising. We saw 135,000 service members and their families at two of our three centers last year. It takes a lot of resources to operate at this high level. We fundraise to keep our doors open and to continue operating at the high level that our military members expect,” Renee Lane the Sandhills Region Director of the USO of North Carolina said. 

    The All-American Fayetteville Challenge is essentially a giant scavenger hunt for teams of two. “It is a cross between the Amazing Race and a scavenger hunt. We are always looking for new ways to engage the public to support local military members. The USO of North Carolina is this conduit in the state and locally,” Lane said.

    Firstly, teams check in at Festival Park, which is where the last standing USO building was in Fayetteville. Then teams use a smartphone to access a webpage that guides them through the scavenger hunt. The hunt features landmarks and businesses in Downtown Fayetteville. At each key location downtown, the teams must complete a challenge and collect challenge tokens. Points will be tallied to complete the challenge and determine the winning teams. Winners will be announced at a light lunch at the Fayetteville Area Transportation Museum. The teams with the highest point tally win. First-, second- and third-place teams will receive gift baskets. 

    A fully-charged smartphone is a vital part of this adventure. It will allow participants to access the website connected to the event. This website details the key locations where challenges must be completed as well as restrooms and supporting businesses that can be visited to collect extra points. The website will also keep a digital tally of points that participants collect along the way. 

    Tickets to participate are $30 and can be purchased at 

    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/all-american-fayetteville-challenge-tickets-31423765328. Teams must be made up of two persons, and there is a limit of 100 teams. Tickets also include swag bags filled with items from various downtown businesses and sponsors. These bags will be collected at the initial check in and can also be used to collect items during the scavenger hunt. 

    Another fun way to explore the city is the All-American Historic Tours. The Downtown Alliance has partnered with S and S Carriage Rides to provide historic tours by horse-drawn carriage every month from March to November. Normally these historic tours are on the second Saturday, but this month, they have been moved to March 25 from 1 to 4 p.m. to help the city celebrate the All-American Weekend. 

    The 45-minute tours focus on Fayetteville’s early Colonial and Revolutionary War-era history. “The tours visit sites as early as Cool Springs Tavern, which was built in 1788. It is the oldest man-made structure in Fayetteville. They also see Liberty Point, which is where 55 patriots signed the Liberty Point Resolves and pledged their lives and fortunes to American independence. This happened a year before the Declaration of Independence,” said Hank Parfitt, an event organizer with the Downtown Alliance. 

    The departure point for the historical tours is 222 Hay St. Tickets are $25 per person, $20 with military ID and $15 for children under 12. For more information or to reserve tickets visit www.visitdowntownfayetteville.com or call (910)222-3382. Carriages can accommodate 10 to 12 people, and there will be four tours from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. 

  • 12GardenThis spring has been unusually fast in coming, which has caused gardeners to both wiggle their toes in anticipation and clutch their hearts for fear of a devastating freeze. 

    If this describes you, then you are most likely a deep-rooted lover of growing things and should attend the Master Gardener Spring Symposium 2017, organized by the Cumberland County Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Association. The event will be held Saturday, March 25, at the Cumberland County Agriculture Extension Center.

    The CCMGVA is made up of people who are truly passionate about gardening. Judy Dewar has been a volunteer with the organization for 13 years. She is currently the “chair, table and leg” for the Spring Symposium. She said she fell in love with gardening “100 years ago” in the backyard with her Dad – where he only let her do the weeding. 

    Sandra Williams, registrar for the Symposium, shared what she loves about CCMGVA: “I relish the knowledge of those that have been in the volunteer program for years … It is great to share our common (love) of making things grow successfully with our community.”

    Dewar, Williams and everyone involved in organizing the Symposium have selected speakers who share this genuine passion and have unique expertise and skills to share. Roger Mercer, Mike McGrath and Bryce Lane will speak, and Brienne Arthur will be present for a book signing.  

    Like Dewar, local guru Roger Mercer traces his love of gardening back to early experiences with his Dad. “We created beautiful gardens wherever we moved, and we lived in about 17 houses before I got out of high school,” he said. At the Symposium, Mercer will offer his extensive knowledge on day lilies and camellias as well as general gardening knowledge, using the Garden of Eden as his theme. “It’s about love. Gardens are a way of loving each other through shared experiences of natural beauty. We all carry our image of the Garden of Eden. It’s a place of peace, beauty and tranquility to be in … I think that’s why (it’s) such a powerful metaphor.” 

    Mercer cares for 6.5 acres and grows about a quarter of a million plants each year, including 2,000 of the best plants to grow specifically in the Cape Fear region. He is here for the community in his daily life, not just as a speaker at large events. He welcomes those who are interested in seeing his property to give him a call and set up a time to visit. “It’s kind of one of my mission in life to help people have prettier gardens,” he said. He means it.

    Organic gardening expert Mike McGrath will travel to Fayetteville from Philadelphia, where he hosts the nationally syndicated public radio show You Bet Your Garden. He is also the former editor-in-chief of Organic Gardening magazine, as well as the author of books on tomatoes, composts, seed collecting and kitchen gardening. He currently serves as the garden editor for WTOP News Radio in Washington, D.C., a position he has held for more than a decade. From 1993 to 1997, he appeared monthly as the garden expert for the Saturday morning edition of NBC’s The Today Show. McGrath will speak twice at the Symposium, with talks titled Everything You Know About Compost Is Wrong and Gardening on the Edge.

    Horticulturist Bryce Lane hosts and produces “In the Garden With Bryce Lane” on UNCTV, and has won two mid-south Emmy Awards for that work. With 30 years of teaching experience and numerous local, regional and national teaching awards under his belt, he is also a professor emeritus at NC State, and teaches courses for various organizations like the Raulston Arboretum. He has worked with CCMGVA for over 30 years of the 36 years he’s lived in North Carolina. “Gardeners are the happiest, friendliest people I know … I am a teacher at heart and therefore seek out opportunities to share my knowledge and enthusiasm for horticulture,” he said. 

    Brienne Arthur will be present for a book signing of her new book, “The Food Scape Revolution,” which describes how to create a beautiful, edible garden dispersed amongst your poppies and roses.

    This is the third year that members of CCMGVA have orchestrated a Spring Symposium, which is made possible by the Fayetteville PWC and 15 other generous community sponsors. Registration for the full day costs $50. Garden-related vendors and special garden interest groups will be available for browsing throughout the day. Attendees can also take a guided tour of the Master Gardener’s Demo Garden between sessions. The event is almost sold out! Register online at https://form.jotform.com/Mastergardener1/registration2017. 

  • 11BiblicallyAt Carolina College of Biblical Studies, we exist to disciple Christ-followers, through biblical higher education, for effective servant leadership. The question is often asked, “What’s that look like?” Recently, I sat down with graduate William Wallace to see how CCBS affected his life and find out what he’s doing since graduation. 

    Korver:Welcome William. How did you find out about CCBS?

    Wallace: I attend New Life Bible Church, and I found out my pastor went here in the 70s. I had been going to the church about five or six years... I liked the way he taught and it just always was kind of in the back of my mind. He taught the Bible very, very well; he was very confident in the way that he taught. Finally, I engaged him in conversation. He told me where he went to school and that’s what started it. One day I dropped by and enrolled in a “How to Study the Bible” class.

    Korver:You’re a veteran? Which branch of service and how many years?

    Wallace:I spent 25 years and 8 months in the United States Army. I came in 1990. I started off at Fort Bliss as a private, and I retired at Fort Bragg on Jan. 31 of this past year.

    Korver: From the time you enrolled at CCBS until you graduated, how long were you here?

    Wallace: It was almost five years … it was a little over four. It was, I guess, about the traditional amount of time, but it was kind of a tough mix in between doing CCBS and work.

    Korver: So, you were managing a full-time job — a career — and being almost a full-time student?

    Wallace: Early on, it started where I could only do classes in the evening, so I would do one or two classes. But as I got a little more comfortable and my job got a little bit more comfortable with allowing me time off, I started to do a few more classes in the evening. I was getting ready to retire, so the workload was beginning to decrease a little, so they began to give me a little bit of time off in the morning so I could do one class in the morning.

    Korver: Now I’m asking a hard question here — out of all the 60 or so classes you had at CCBS, which one affected you the most and how so?

    Wallace: Not a hard question... homiletics.

    Korver: Homiletics is…?

    Wallace: The study of how to preach. That was what I believe my calling was. That’s kind of what I wanted to do and once I took the first class, I knew it. I liked the structure of the class. I liked the blending of hermeneutics... the way the class was delivered was great. That was, by far, the most influential for me.

    Korver: And they affected you in the sense that you were better able to craft and deliver a sermon?

    Wallace: Absolutely. Before then [I was] just kind of self-taught... a lot of books had been read. But the ability to have some structure applied, timing, research methods. It helped a lot. It appealed to my military side, too, because the way the course was delivered was very structured.

    Korver: Since you graduated, how has God used what you learned here in the classroom in your ministry at the church or on Fort Bragg at your job?

    Wallace: Well at New Life Bible Church I’ve gotten the chance to assume some more responsibilities — I teach a New Life Bible Institute class. I teach a few more Bible study classes. It’s made me more confident. I would almost say it’s strengthened my relationship with Christ. It just gave me a confidence in God’s word — that it is in fact true, and it does in fact work. Because I believe our life is completely filled, and should be completely governed by Christ, it has helped me at work. It has given me more confidence at work. It has helped tremendously.

    Korver:Outstanding. Now you know this, higher education is not free. When you were a student here, how did your tuition get paid?

    Wallace:It was a mixture for me. The military was allowing soldiers to transfer their G.I. Bill to family members. I had done that already before I even started here. So, it was a mixture of tuition assistance and out-of-pocket. If I had to give it a percentage, about 40 percent of my complete time here was tuition assistance and the rest out-of-pocket.

    Korver: If you had to do it all over again, would you?

    Wallace: For me, Dr. Korver, I would probably stay on the same track. I don’t know if I was spiritually mature enough [before] to really have the “sticktoitiveness” that I had at the point when I started. I think for me, that point in time was great. I was active in a local church, I was at a different place financially in my life, spiritual maturity was strong. So, I think for me it was a good mix of time.

    Korver: Well, we’re really proud of you. Thanks for taking time to be with us today. God’s blessings to you. 

  • 09Fugitive Patrick GatsonPatrick Earl Gatson, 32, robbed a woman a month after he was released from prison in mid-February, said Fayetteville Police Lt. Todd Joyce. “He knocked her to the ground and snatched the woman’s purse,” Joyce said. Gatson was being sought by authorities for that robbery the night he was shot and killed by police. Joyce said the woman’s purse was found in a trash can at his apartment. Members of the FPD’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team went to Gatson’s home to arrest him for the robbery, said Interim Police Chief Anthony Kelly. He lived at a horseshoe-shaped apartment complex of three buildings on North Street. Gatson holed up in his apartment and told police he wasn’t going back to prison, officials said, and repeatedly threatened to kill any officer who approached him. 

    Kelly said Gatson was shot following an eight-hour standoff, “when the situation presented itself.” A special tactics officer had positioned himself in the attic of the apartment. He came down from the attic and found the fugitive in a closet of a bedroom. Kelly said the officer turned and ducked out of the way when he spotted the subject holding a rifle. Early reports were that Gatson chased the officer from the bedroom but did not fire at him. Kelly said two officers used “nonlethal weapons,” and a third fired his gun when the subject pointed the rifle at them. 

    However, the chief could not precisely describe the sequence of events, nor could he say which of the officers fired the fatal bullet. The SBI continues to interview the officers involved and view video footage of the body cameras worn by the 60 policemen on the scene, the chief said. An internal affairs investigation is being conducted in addition to the SBI probe. That is standard procedure in officer-involved incidents.

    The officers placed on administrative duty are Joseph Delpizzo, 44, Shawn Collins, 42 and Aaron Hunt, 28. Kelly said Delpizzo and Collins are 19-year veterans of the force. Hunt has been with the department for seven years. Police crisis negotiators and family members pleaded with Gatson repeatedly over the course of the eight-hour standoff. “We did everything in our power to end this peacefully,” said Capt. Darry Whitaker, one of the crisis negotiators.

    Residents of the apartment complex at the corner of North and Drake Streets were evacuated soon after the drama unfolded. T.C. Berrien Elementary School, which is next to the apartments, was locked down until school was dismissed about 2:30 p.m. Kelly said officers were careful not to take any aggressive action while school was in session. Residents returning home from work late in the afternoon could not enter the cordoned off area. A van arrived on the scene so residents and their children could get out of the cold. Police had hamburgers and fries brought to them from a fast food restaurant.

    Chief Kelly opened the news briefing last week saying he is praying for all those involved in “this unfortunate incident.”       

  • 08RapeClosureFayetteville Police have cleared an 11-year-old cold case. Nearly two dozen dated rape cases have been cleared by the Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit of the FPD’s Special Victims Bureau, said Lt. John Somerindyke. The department filed charges last week against a double murderer who’s serving a life sentence in state prison. Keith Devon Manuel, 40, is accused of raping the victim at her home near South Reilly and Cliffdale Roads on August 26, 2006. 

    “Manuel broke into the residence while the victim was inside,” said police spokesman Lt. Todd Joyce. Additional forensic testing not available at the time of the crime resulted in charges being filed. Manuel is charged with 1st-degree rape, 1st-degree sex offense, 1st-degree kidnapping and 1st-degree burglary. “Manuel was already in custody before these charges were taken out and is currently serving a life sentence in prison for the murder of Jessica Morgan and the murder of Alfreda S. Jones,” added Joyce. The double homicide occurred in the county and was investigated by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.

    “There are about 200 cases … reported between 1984 and 1999 that are still unresolved,” said  Somerindyke. He made that statement in the fall of 2015 and said they had “taken out warrants in 21 cold rape cases” since then. The unit began operating in early 2015. The department received a $363,000 federal grant two years ago to turn up the heat on accused rapists.           

  • 07FtBraggBusinessFairFort Bragg will host an Acquisition Forecast Open House Wednesday, March 28, at the Cumberland Hall Auditorium on the campus of Fayetteville Technical Community College. It will be held from 8 a.m. until noon. Fort Bragg contracting officers and staff will present and discuss their anticipated procurement needs and contracts for the remainder of federal fiscal year 2017, which ends Sept. 30. Additionally, the district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration and representatives of the General Services Administration will be on hand to provide program updates for attending business people. 

    “Any business that wants to do work for Fort Bragg or other bases should attend this event,” said Scott Dorney, executive director of the North Carolina Military Business Center. “This acquisition forecast provides a unique opportunity for business representatives to speak directly with contracting officials about upcoming projects, as well as the products and services that their businesses can provide to military installations in our state,” Dorney added. The event is free, but pre-registration is required. Because of seating restrictions, admission will be limited to the first 275 registrants to sign up. Two attendees per company may take part. Information and official online registration are available on the business center website: http://www.ncmbc.us/micc-fort-bragg-acquisition-forecast-open-house-march-29 or by phone at 910-678-0190 or 910-678-0049.

  • 06Red Light EnforcementThe City of Fayetteville is one of the few large cities in North Carolina to restore red-light cameras on city streets to prevent intersection traffic accidents. State law says net proceeds from the fines must go directly to the Cumberland County Board of Education. “Since it was executed in March 2015, the red-light camera program has provided approximately $1.1 million net to Cumberland County,” said Mayor Nat Robertson.

    “While the purpose of the red-light camera program is traffic safety, the money generated at these city intersections could go a long way to demonstrably improving both pedestrian safety and recreational facilities,” the mayor said in a letter to Board of Education Chairman Greg West. Currently, the school board puts the money in its general fund. It’s not the first time a member of City Council proposed asking the school system to earmark red-light camera funds for a special project. Mayor Pro Tem Mitch Colvin spoke of dedicating the money for the special needs of young children. City Council never acted on the idea. For that matter, it has never seriously discussed asking the school board to spend the fine funds in ways preferred by city government. Robertson disagrees: “The purpose of the letter to Chairman West was consistent with the thought of some councilmembers as we have previously discussed,” he said. 

    Councilman Kirk deViere, who ran against Robertson in the 2013 mayoral race, said Robertson’s letter to West was inappropriate because it did not represent a consensus of City Council. “This letter makes it sound like you have consensus from council when you stated ‘we request’ in the third paragraph of the letter,” said deViere. Robertson specifically asked that the school board “adopt a policy designating all future red-light camera proceeds to further the City’s efforts in the extension of sidewalks and enhancements to shared recreation facilities at schools located inside the city limits of Fayetteville.” His letter concludes, “I make this request on behalf of the entire City Council and look forward to your positive response.” West has not responded as far as we know. Robertson was surprised at deViere’s response to his request. “Honestly, I can’t speak on Kirk’s political motivations, but to me, there is no reason to compromise on doing the right thing for the people I represent,” Robertson said.

    Modern red-light camera systems are sophisticated and expensive. American Traffic Solutions contracts with Fayetteville to operate the growing number of covered intersections. Officials said it costs about $100,000 to construct a single video/still camera operation. Violators are fined $100, 30 percent of which goes to the company. The balance is paid directly to the school system. Violators receive letters which say in part. “Based upon images captured by the automated system, your vehicle was determined to have committed a red-light violation. As the vehicle owner, the Notice of Violation is mailed to you.” 

    There is an appeal process during which violators are shown still photos and persuasive videotape of the violations.

  • 05FayVA insigniaThe director of Fayetteville’s Veterans Affairs Medical Center says a critical performance audit on veteran wait times by the VA inspector general’s office was outdated and inaccurate. “The team reviewed a small sample of appointments from 2014,” said FVAMC Director Elizabeth Goolsby. “Discrepancies identified by the inspector general on patient wait times resulted from the IG’s use of a methodology that was inconsistent with VHA policies at the time of the audit,” she added. Goolsby responded to criticisms raised by U.S. Senators Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.). The Veterans Health Administration is the component of the Department of Veterans Affairs that implements the medical assistance program of the VA through the administration and operation of VA Medical Centers, Outpatient Clinics, Community Based Outpatient Clinics and VA Community Living Centers.

    Burr and Tillis sent a joint letter to Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin last week in response to what they called “a troubling inspector general report (released earlier this month) on veteran wait times.”  The letter said, in part, the senators were concerned that ”across the VA’s Mid-Atlantic Healthcare Network actual wait times were drastically different than what had been reported” by VA medical facilities in Asheville, Durham, Fayetteville, Salisbury and in Virginia. In their letter the senators said. “The IG found that facilities did not consistently conduct scheduler audits, and so we ask you to require that an individual … is responsible for ensuring that the required scheduling audits are completed as prescribed.” 

    Goolsby replied “All scheduling audits and follow-up training atthe Fayetteville Veterans Affairs Medical Center were compliant with VHA requirements.” She stated this in response to an inquiry from Up & Coming Weekly. 

    The actual IG report was dated January of this year but contained outdated findings. Goolsby noted that Burr and Tillis relied on the IG audit of a small sample taken three years ago which concluded “Veterans…deserve to be seen more quickly…and Congress, veterans, and the American public must be able to trust that the wait time information being provided by VA is accurate. That we, once again, cannot trust VA data is more than disappointing,” the Senators wrote. The letter was also signed by U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.), Mark Warner (D-Va.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Jon Tester (D-Mont.).

    Goolsby released current wait times: “We are pleased to say that VA’s most recent wait time data reveals as of Feb. 15, 2017, the average wait time for veterans to receive an appointment at the Fayetteville VAMC is 3.63 days for primary care; 14.88 for specialty care; and 5.45 for mental health; this is down from Dec. 15, 2014 figures of 29.02 days for primary care; 19.07 for specialty care; and 7.35 for mental health,” the director outlined. “Additionally, we offer same day service for primary care and mental health for veterans with urgent needs,” she concluded.  “Fayetteville VA remains committed to providing our Veterans high quality, safe patient care, in a timely manner. This is care these  veterans have justly earned,” Goolsby emphasized.

  • 04NewsDigestComputerized Traffic Signal System Coming to Fayetteville 

    A computerized traffic signal system is coming to Fayetteville, thanks to a $6.4 million contract awarded by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. It will replace the system destroyed by Hurricane Matthew flooding in October. The citywide project will update the signal system at approximately 275 intersections. Division Six Construction Engineer Randy Wise said the new system “will assist the City of Fayetteville and NCDOT to more quickly respond to issues and better coordinate the signal system timing.” Fulcher Electric of Fayetteville was awarded the contract. Work will begin as soon as April 3 and should be complete by Oct. 15, 2019.

    Solving Cybercrimes

    The Fayetteville Police Department has been awarded a $40,000 grant by the Governor’s Crime Commission in support of the department’s cybercrimes unit. The funds will be used to purchase equipment for forensic investigations involving digital devices. Updated software and hardware are needed to keep up with the ever-changing climate of today’s technology. The Fayetteville Police Department partners with the State Bureau of Investigation’s Computer Crimes Unit and its internet Crimes Against Children Program. “FPD’s Cyber Crimes Unit is a vital resource for … agencies in the local area,” said police spokesman Lt. Todd Joyce.

    Citywide Cleanup

    The annual Fayetteville Beautiful citywide cleanup is slated for Saturday, April 1, 2017. Volunteers are asked to arrive at the entrance to Cross Creek Park on Green Street between 8 and 9:30 a.m. Supplies will be distributed at that time. They include:  orange trash bags, T-shirts, gloves and bottled water. Residents who want to volunteer can sign up online on the interactive map at www.fayettevillebeautiful.com. 

    Medal of Honor Day Observance

     Fayetteville’s Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation is honoring three Medal of Honor recipients March 25, 2017, at 10 a.m. in the Yarborough-Bank Theater at the museum. State Rep. John Szoka (R-Cumberland) is the keynote speaker. This year’s highlighted recipients are PFC Charles Neilans DeGlopper, Private Joe Gandara and LTC Robert George Cole. DeGlopper posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions and sacrifice of life during the early stages of the Battle of Normandy in World War II. He was also the only World War II soldier from the 82nd Airborne Division to receive the award for action during the Normandy Campaign. Gandara, a member of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, was awarded the Medal of Honor in recognition of his heroic actions June 9, 1944, in Amfreville, France. With his unit pinned down, Gandara advanced alone toward the enemy position and destroyed three hostile machine gun positions before he was fatally wounded. Cole received the Medal of Honor for action above and beyond the call of duty June 11, 1944, in France. LTC Cole’s unit was pinned down by withering enemy fire. He charged on and led the remnants of his battalion across open territory to the enemy.

    Fayetteville Law Firm Expands

    The Richardson Firm, a Fayetteville-based law practice, announces the association of two new lawyers: attorneys Keischa Lovelace and Heather Rattelade. Lovelace comes to Fayetteville from Raleigh where she had her own practice. She focused on representing claimants in civil litigation matters, including workers’ compensation and Social Security disability. Before that Lovelace served as deputy commissioner and claims administration director for the North Carolina Industrial Commission. Lovelace earned her J.D. degree with honors from UNC-Chapel Hill. Before law school, she was a teacher in Wake County after graduating magna cum laude from N.C. State University.

    Rattelade earned her law degree at North Carolina Central University in 2008, but her experience began years before. She assisted capital defense teams as a mitigation specialist before and during law school. Rattelade began her career as an attorney with the Law Offices of Bruce T. Cunningham, before founding her own firm in 2010 to focus on fighting for individuals’ civil rights. “I decided to join The Richardson Firm because their philosophy is closely aligned with my mission to protect and promote vital constitutional and civil rights,” Rattelade said. She co-authored articles published in the North Carolina Central Law Review, and has given lectures on post-conviction investigations and flawed forensics at Duke Law School, Campbell Law School and North Carolina Central School of Law. “Keischa and Heather bring a wealth of experience to our firm,” said Attorney Billy Richardson. 

    Community Development Action Plan Update

    The 2017 Cumberland County Community Development Annual Action Plan is available for public review and comment at 10 locations around the county through April 13. Following the review period, a public hearing will be held at the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners meeting April 18 at 6:45 p.m. in Room 118 of the Courthouse. The action plan can be reviewed at these locations:

    ·   Community Development Office, 707 Executive Place

    ·   East Regional Branch Library, 4809 Clinton Road

    ·   Falcon Town Hall, 7156 Southwest St., Falcon

    ·   Godwin Town Hall, 4924 Markham St., Godwin

    ·   Hope Mills Branch Library, 3411 Golfview Rd., Hope Mills

    ·   Linden Town Hall, 9456 Academy St., Linden

    ·   North Regional Branch Library, 855 McArthur Rd., Fayetteville

    ·   Spring Lake Branch Library, 101 Laketree Blvd., Spring Lake

    ·   Stedman Town Hall, 5110 Front St., Stedman

    ·   Wade Town Hall, 7128 Main St., U.S. Highway 301 N., Wade

    Annual community development action plan updates address the priority needs of affordable, safe, decent housing to low-moderate income residents, the homeless, those at risk of becoming homeless and the special needs population. The draft plan can be seen at www.co.cumberland.nc.us/community_dev.aspx.

  • 03KarlOCAREThe Affordable Care Act, routinely referred to as Obamacare, was signed on March 23, 2010. Referring to the program, “Obamacare Summary” at Obamacare.net says, It was created “to make healthcare more affordable and easily accessible to a wider range of Americans.” Seven years later, Obamacare is failing terribly. Some describe it as imploding. Amazingly, many in America, including politicians and general citizens, are vehemently opposing Republican efforts to repeal and replace this legislation. Protests are raging across the nation. 

    One has to wonder how it can be that so many people want to keep in place a program that is not working anywhere near what was promised and is on the verge of total collapse. The possible explanations include, but are not limited to: individuals expecting society to provide health care for every citizen, no matter a person’s failure to act responsibly; citizens not understanding the perilous state of the program; the general entitlement mentality that has taken up residence in our country. Whatever the reason or reasons for this unfathomable demand by some to keep Obamacare in place, somebody needs to tell the whole truth about the danger it poses. 

    I contend that politicians do not tell the whole truth regarding Obamacare and what can reasonably be done by way of repealing and replacing it. The critical word in that statement is “reasonably.” This assessment is especially true of Republicans, but also falls at the feet of Democrats and independents. As is the case with so many challenging issues facing our nation, these politicians are so focused on winning re-election and holding onto power that they hesitate to speak any truth that jeopardizes re-election or retention of power. 

    Elected politicians and those who benefit from close ties to them speak to the “safe” talking points for repealing and replacing Obamacare. Some of these safe talking points follow:

    1. Contrary to President Obama’s promise, participants have not been able to routinely keep their doctor or their plan.

    2. Annual premium savings to families are not averaging $2,500, as was promised.

    3. Following from “Obamacare’s implosion” by Stephen Moore:

    a. “In 2017 about one in five Obamacare enrollees will have only one insurance plan to choose from. One third of counties have only one insurer. That’s a lot of choice and competition. It’s like what Henry Ford said about the Model T, you can have it in any color as long as it’s black. This contraction of the market is going to get worse in a hurry, which is why Hillary Clinton wants a ‘public option,’ which will soon be your only option.”

     b. “The few remaining Obamacare defenders meekly say that most people are not facing 22 percent premium hikes because most Americans are in employer plans. But those employer plans are starting to see the same rising price pressures.”

    c. “Instead of 24 million covered as promised, the number is half that, or 11.4 million. The vast majority of Americans who have gotten health insurance under the new law were dumped into Medicaid. This is a welfare program for people with very low incomes. Shouldn’t we define success in America when fewer, not more people are receiving welfare?”

    4. Businesses that have more than 50 full-time employees must provide health insurance for them. To avoid this requirement, some businesses are employing more part-time personnel and, thereby, avoiding the coverage requirement. This adversely impacts full-time employment rates and employee income.

    Those are some of the talking points that politicians and their surrogates will address because they are palatable to citizens. On the other hand, what follows are some of the not-so-palatable Obamacare considerations that are not addressed directly. Doing so gets to the whole truth:

    1. The mandate that every American purchase health insurance or pay a penalty unless they get an exemption is absolutely essential to Obamacare. Premiums from the healthy are needed in order keep premiums reasonable for the sick. 

    2. Among far too many, there is the conviction that health care is a right. Reference after reference states that nowhere in the Constitution is health care presented as a right. This “health care as a right” mindset should be factually challenged because allowing it to take even greater hold in the thinking of Americans further complicates successfully addressing the issue. The high hurdle in addressing the “health care as a right” issue is in the courts and legislators repeatedly stretching the Constitution to provide rights not stated therein. Regarding this matter, Gregory Curfman said this in an article titled, “King V. Burwell and a Right to Health Care:” “The Constitution itself does not stipulate a general right to health care, but a patchwork of rights to certain aspects of health care have emerged over time from both constitutional and statutory law.”

    3. As harsh as it might sound, open and honest discussion of fairness should be brought into the deliberations. Is it fair to Americans who act responsibly that they are made to financially support others who do not? There are those who, through no fault of their own, fall on hard times. I am not talking about them. Consider the person who, by their choosing, drops out of free public school, pursues no marketable skill, repeatedly makes destructive life choices and shows no effort to turn his or her life in a positive direction. Should taxpayers be required to provide health care for that person? 

    4. Governor Roy Cooper, D - North Carolina, is pushing for Medicaid expansion as allowed and promoted under Obamacare. Many states have done the expansion and, politically, doing so probably wins votes. However, I contend Stephen Moore, in the article, “Obamacare’s implosion,” tells the whole truth when he writes: “…Medicaid is such a bad insurance program — with many doctors and treatment centers refusing to take Medicaid enrollees — that the health results of those in the program are barely better than for those with no insurance at all.” 

    5. Mainstream media makes every effort to present Obamacare in a positive light by focusing on individuals who benefit from participation and giving full coverage to those who protest in favor of keeping the program. There must be much more visible telling of the stories of those caught in the implosion of Obamacare. An example is the situation of Leslie Kurtz, as told in an article by Tom Murphy and Meghan Hoyer, titled “What if there’s no affordable insurance to buy?”

    “Leslie Kurtz needed three plates, eight screws and a big assist from her insurer after breaking every bone in her ankle while white water rafting. Coverage she purchased through a public insurance exchange established by the federal health care law paid $65,000 toward surgery and the care she needed after the 2015 accident. But that protection may not exist next year because insurers have abandoned the Knoxville, Tennessee resident’s exchange. As of now, Kurtz has no future coverage options, and she is worried.”

    6. In the great press for all Americans to have access to health care, I hardly hear any mention of the doctor shortage faced by this nation, even before Obamacare, and now exacerbated by implementation of this program. The result is that we have more people seeking care from a pool of too few doctors. The result has to be doctors spending less time with patients, increased physician burnout and more than usual early retirements among doctors. This condition has to be addressed and made a factor in determining the direction of health care in America.

    The point of what is presented above is that Obamacare is “imploding,” while individuals and groups across America protest vociferously to keep the program in place. Congressional Democrats are contributing absolutely nothing to finding a way to put in place health care that works. Instead, they are fighting “tooth and nail” against Republican efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare. All of this opposition is given credibility in the thinking of many Americans because it is treated empathetically by mainstream media. This is a formula for creating a mess — and a mess is what we have in Obamacare.

    Correcting or cleaning up a mess requires confronting and responding to the whole truth of the situation. The call here is for people in positions of leadership to put aside boundless pursuit of political position and power … then tell the American people the whole truth about what is possible, reasonable and financially affordable by way of health care in this country. Some call for citizens to “speak truth to power.” This is one of many instances where people in positions of power need to speak the whole truth to citizens. 

  • 02ShawTo annex, or not to annex. 

    That is the question.

    With a respectful nod to William Shakespeare and his angst-ridden creation, Hamlet, to annex Shaw Heights or not is indeed the question staring Fayetteville City Council members in the face. We can only hope they will be less tortured about their issue than poor Hamletwas about his.

    The situation is this. Shaw Heights is an unincorporated neighborhood totally surrounded by the city of Fayetteville, running between Murchison Road and Bragg Boulevard.  It is poverty stricken, with only about 14 percent of the residences occupied by their owners and fully one-third of residences vacant, many in significant disrepair. In other words, Shaw Heights is an area that has tipped from residential and is ripe to become something else. 

    But what?

    That answer is unlikely to be anything positive unless Shaw Heights becomes part of the city of Fayetteville, receiving city services and the attentions of a professional city staff, both of which could promote development of a long-neglected area of greater Fayetteville. Shaw Heights has tremendous potential. It is on the border of a major new road system, paid for not by Fayetteville but by the state and federal governments. About 40,000 vehicles travel this roadway every day, moving easily between Fayetteville and Fort Bragg. This makes the area ripe for economic development, and, indeed, professional developers are already circling. Private sector investment in Shaw Heights could turn a down-on-its-heels ugly duckling into an economic swan.

    In addition, as residents moved away from Shaw Heights and nothing much replaced them, the area has become largely a blank canvas awaiting the next good — or bad — thing. Controlled development of the area will build both Fayetteville and Cumberland County’s tax bases and provide meaningful commercial and residential development as well as green space.

    Fayetteville’s City Council members continue to hem and haw about this annexation, citing concerns about North Carolina’s involuntary annexation provisions. Partisan politics may well be at play as well. Shaw Heights’ annexation is a major issue, but how it is playing out brings up a larger issue that Fayetteville residents talk about in private but one which is rarely raised publicly.

    Let’s call it the vision thing.

    Observers of government at all levels see this all the time. Some of those we elect to represent us have a clear picture of where they want our community/state/nation to go, and they pursue plans and policies to achieve their goals. Other elected officials are literally clueless. They have few pictures or plans to advance their communities. In many cases, their decision-making depends not on the merits of an issue but on other factors, first among them whether their decision would keep them in the good graces of their constituents. These elected officials may be very nice people. Most are, in fact, but they are not leaders.

    Without naming names, our community has a history of electing such folks, in part, because few others step up to the plate. Offering oneself for elective service, or any service that opens one up to public judgment and potential criticism, can be a scary prospect. Running for and serving in public office affects not just the person whose name is on the ballot or who prevails in an elective contest, but his or her family and friends as well. 

    Even so, I have wondered many times why so and so did not run for public office, and I have asked a number of people to do so. I have been turned down far more often than not for all sorts of reasons, including, “Why would I want to work with ‘those people?’” Many have expressed that they are too busy or already over-committed. My answer to that is if you want something done, ask a busy person to do it.

    Fayetteville City Council has the Shaw Heights annexation issue squarely on its plate with a vote looming. City residents — indeed the entire metropolitan area — can only hope they will put partisan and philosophical concerns aside. Allowing Shaw Heights to remain an island of blight surrounded by a city striving to move forward would be a disappointment to those who work for Fayetteville’s advancement and prosperity. It would be a decision that would hold back our city.

    Let’s encourage Fayetteville City Council members to be leaders with a vision and annex Shaw Heights for the good of our community.

  • 01PubI get tickled when someone makes the statement that newspapers (and print) are dead. Are you kidding me? Not only are newspapers alive, but in a community like Cumberland County where we now lack both a local TV station and daily newspaper, a local weekly community newspaper like Up & Coming Weekly shoulders the responsibility of reporting, promoting, branding and showcasing the Fayetteville community: A task I was born to do. Confucius once said: “…one who finds a job he loves will never work another day in their life.” I truly believe this. So, not only will we never deal in “fake news,” I can also assure you our media demise is not eminent. Community newspapers are not going anywhere any time soon. Local weekly newspapers like ours are doing exceptionally well nationally. After all, it wasn’t that long ago that everyone predicted that VCRs would kill movie theaters and that TV would make radio obsolete and the telephone would put the telegraph out of business. Well, the last time I looked we have yet to lose any of these forms of communication. I know what you’re thinking. Telegraph? Where is a telegraph? Hint: Western Union! I assure you, the printed word will be around for a long, long time. And with it, newspapers. 

    “Fake News” is still a serious problem, and the biggest, most notorious sources of fake news are brought to us courtesy of the internet. No doubt, the internet and social media are the poster children for fake news. No rules, no conscience. Just say anything at any time regardless of whether it has any validity or truth. Cell phones make it too easy to record audio or live stream video to communicate and educate, to make us happy and joyful and stir our national patriotic pride. Or, the same vehicles can be used to destroy innocent reputations, wreck someone’s businesses or perhaps start a senseless riot that costs American lives and tens of millions of dollars. Today, social media and the internet are like the wild, wild west and like so many things, they started out being benevolent and beneficial for mankind and then ended up inflicting harmful and toxic unintended consequences.

    Here’s the good news: Print media, and specifically newspapers, are going to experience a boon industry once people realize the only trustworthy news and information sources will come from locally-owned newspapers produced by people they know and trust. This is trending across the country and is precipitated by the large conglomerate newspaper holding companies buying up every daily and community newspaper they can find. This has created a hybrid of detached “cookie cutter” newspaper products void of compassion, ethics and journalistic integrity. 

    Successful community newspapers have reinvented themselves probably three or four times in the last eight years. They are owned by dedicated businessmen embracing and utilizing the internet and digital technology to keep their products effective and relevant. Trust. It’s all about trust. And that is the one thing community newspapers are delivering. However, if people want to know the truth, they must seek it out. This means they must make an exerted effort to find out what is going on in their communities and the world. People are turning away from the media because they do not trust it. When they turn away from the news, they are also turning away from their communities. They become oblivious to what is going on around them. That is, unless something becomes a major controversy, and even then, there is little evidence the truth will be sought out. Currently, we need to try to find real news and real truth and not allow someone else to speak on our behalf. We need to speak out boldly. Community newspapers are becoming the most effective way to do that. I have people every week email and call me saying, “Hey, Bill, you should write about this,” or “you should write about that.” My response is, “Hey, why don’t you write about it?” And there, my friend, is where community newspapers are making great headway in restoring readers’ confidence.  

    Up & Coming Weekly community newspaper is leading the charge. For 21 years, our news, views and opinions have been written by residents who feel strongly about the news and events taking place in our community. In addition to our “first-person” commentary, our writers’ names, photos and bios are attached to every article. This makes it personal. So, if you don’t agree with one of our local newspaper topics or writers, you have direct unabridged access to the source. Truth, honesty and credibility make community newspapers valuable to our society. They make readers want to know what’s going on in our community. After 21 years of publishing in Cumberland County, I know what makes our newspaper work – and it’s not how many papers we print. It’s who reads it! 

    I’ll conclude by saying there is a lot to be gained and enjoyed from reading local newspapers and engaging in the community. Don’t let the internet and social media “fake” you out.

  • 15ShawHeightsPWC will host its third Annual Power and Water Conservation Expo Friday, March 24, from 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. and Saturday, March 25, from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at SkyView on Hay Street in Downtown Fayetteville. 

    “This event does focus on conservation, and we have employees and conservation specialists that will be there,” said Carolyn Justice-Hinson, communications and community relations officer at PWC. “We have information about our incentive programs, conservation tools and basic information to help people understand their utility services.” Justice-Hinson added that they will be handing out items and helping people understand how to use them.   

    The educational mascots, Willy Water Drop and Wally Watt Watcher, will be on site for the expo. “Willy Water Drop is a water drop, and Wally Watt Watcher is a plug, and sometimes people confuse him with an old-timey cell phone,” said Justice-Hinson. “The kids and adults like them and everybody likes to take a selfie with them.” 

    Participants will learn ways to save on their energy and water bills, meet PWC linemen and receive a complimentary reusable tote bag with items like LED bulbs and tree seedlings. “Our linemen will have a miniature utility pole, and they will show you how they restore power,” said Justice-Hinson. “You can touch it, and they will let you help them so you can see what their job is all about.” Justice-Hinson added that there will also be information about PWC’s major projects such as the switch to LED streetlights and the advanced meters they started putting in three years ago. It gives people an opportunity to see this stuff up close and to ask questions from the employees that do this every day.               

    Another educational tool that will be distributed and discussed is the fat trapper. “The fat trappers are one of our most popular items,” said Justice-Hinson. “We run regular campaigns trying to make people aware that they should not pour grease and oil down the sewer system because once it gets there, it clogs up and causes backups which are bad for everybody.” 

    PWC is the largest electric municipal utility in the state of North Carolina. “While people sometimes do not always believe this, our rates are among the lowest in the area,” said Justice-Hinson. “We can show you some information on rates and how we compare to other local and regional providers.”      

    The expo is free and open to the public. Participants are encouraged to pay it forward and consider bringing nonperishable food items to donate to Second Harvest Food Bank. For more information visit www.faypwc.com or call 223-4009.                                

  • 164th fridayFayetteville’s next 4th Friday comes March 24, amidst (hopefully) warm weather and beautiful new signs of spring. This month’s free buffet of art-related events is themed “All-American Weekend Downtown.” 

    The Arts Council at 301 Hay St. will host the Ellington White Community Development Corporation’s third annual Art and Flowersexhibition from 7-9 p.m. The show will feature 2-D submissions that were selected from a national call for submissions, as well as live floral arrangements created in dialog with the 2-D art. The floral designers who created the arrangements come from Fayetteville, the Chapel Hill/Raleigh area and Wilmington. The evening will also feature live music by The 82d Airborne Division Band Woodwind Quintet. 

    Calvin Mims, executive director of Ellington White CDC, explained what he loves most about Art and Flowers. “It’s really exciting to see someone look at a work of visual art and then … use that as an interpretation for a live floral arrangement. We consider floral design a very unique art form, and of course paintings of botanical forms is something we’ve always appreciated. But bringing the two together at the start of spring is … absolutely wonderful.”

    The Arts Council also just released their annual Public Works call for submissions. Visit www.theartscouncil.com/ and click “Artist Opportunities” to learn more. 

    The Arts Council provides just one exciting piece of all that 4th Fridayhas to offer. Check out these other events!

    Gallery 116th at 116 Anderson St. is proud to present NightLife,the gallery’s first solo exhibition with Jonathon Lee Shannon. His work will be on display from 6 p.m. until midnight. The show consists of works Shannon created all over the U.S., with a focus on capturing night life. He has painted plein-air within bars, challenging himself to capture the light and movement of people even as he creatively reverses forms, swapping geometric forms into organic ones and vice versa. 

    Cape Fear Studios at 148 Maxwell St. presents the opening of Cats, Dogs & Ewe from 6-9 p.m. The show will feature pet-themed art.

    The Cumberland County Library at 300 Maiden Ln. will host Musician Roger Day from 7-8 p.m. as he opens the library’s Storytelling Festival with his newest show, Invincible. The show “encourages and empowers young super heroes everywhere to solve the problem and save the day by using the greatest super power of all: Imagination!” 

    Visit the Ellington-White Gallery at 113 Gillespie St. to view the continuing Cumberland County Art Educators exhibition from 7-9 p.m.

    Fascinate-U Children’s Museum at 116 Green St. wants to help you and your kids celebrate National Nutrition Month! Play at the museum for free from 7-9 p.m.

    Walk over to The Fayetteville Area Transportation Museum at 325 Franklin St. to view its ongoing Cumberland County Goes to War exhibit, which highlights our area’s civil war history at home and on the battlefield. Open 6-8:30 p.m.

    The Market House at 106 Hay St. will feature an educational exhibit upstairs, in addition to its permanent exhibit, A View from the Square: A History of Downtown Fayetteville. Visit from 6-10 p.m.

  • 26payton aldridgePayton Aldridge

    South View

    Softball

    Senior

    Aldridge plays volleyball and softball for the Tigers. She was all-conference in volleyball twice and once in softball entering her final season. She has a grade point average of 4.5.

     

     

     

     

    27Rithik Penmatcha

     Rithik Penmatcha

    Jack Birtt

    Tennis

    Sophomore

    Penmatcha is currently ranked second in his class at Jack Britt, with a 4.21 grade point average. In addition to playing tennis, he is also active in the Jack Britt Key Club.

  • 24Blake MaxwellBlake Maxwell is one of those fortunate people who’s had the chance to chase the dream of being a professional athlete. But in the back of his mind while he was doing it was the hope that one day he’d be able to give back to the community where he got his start.

    Now he’s on the second leg of his athletic journey. Maxwell, who spent seven years in the minor league system of the Boston Red Sox as a pitcher, is back in Cumberland County and working as head baseball coach at Douglas Byrd High School.

    A 2002 graduate of South View, Maxwell played under two of the greatest baseball figures in Cumberland County, the late Randy Ledford at South View and Tom Austin at Methodist University.

    Maxwell spent three years at Methodist before the Red Sox drafted him. He had stints with a number of Boston farm teams, the last two with Pawtucket in AAA, the last stop before the majors.

    When Maxwell finally realized a Major League career wasn’t going to happen, he returned to Methodist and finished work on a degree in physical education and health education. He coached briefly at UNC-Pembroke while getting an online masters in coaching and athletic administration from Concordia-Irvine.

    His first teaching job carried him all the way to Columbia, N.C., down east near the Outer Banks, but he soon found himself wanting to get back home. He reached out to former South View athletic director Ronnie Luck, who helped him land the baseball job at Byrd.

    Maxwell said baseball is baseball, no matter what level, and he’s applying one lesson he learned in the minor leagues to his practices here.

    “Giving 100 percent effort every day is the biggest thing,’’ he said. “Even when a guy isn’t a big-time prospect. If he busted his butt and worked hard every day, they found a way to get him on the field.’’

    Maxwell knows as a high school coach he’s not going to be blessed with super talent at every position. That’s why he’s convinced everyone has to work hard to improve. “It’s important to teach the fundamental side of the game,’’ he said. “Baserunning, bunting, running. It can help you win a game whether you are a superstar or a bunch of guys just out there playing.’’

    Jesse Dailey, a Byrd senior who pitches as well as plays shortstop and first base, said the team has responded well to Maxwell’s coaching. “We’re confident and we’ve got teamwork,’’ he said. “He’s indepth and detailed. It’s the little things. Throwing the ball and catching the ball.’’

    “I think we have a good team and I’m excited to see what we’re going to put out there,’’ Maxwell said. “We’ll show up to the park, no matter who we are playing.’’ 

  • 22Vernon AldridgeEarly returns from the recent N.C. High School Athletic Association Eastern Regional basketball tournament held at Fayetteville State’s Capel Arena and Methodist University’s Riddle Center, appear to be generally positive.

    Vernon Aldridge, student activities director for Cumberland County Schools, traveled back and forth between the two venues on championship Saturday and came away with a good impression.

    “The smaller gyms gave a bit more of an energetic atmosphere,’’ he said. “The only issue we had was at the Clinton game.’’

    Clinton’s powerful girls’ team, which won the 2-A regional title, drew a crowd that packed one side of the Methodist gym and actually had people seated on the floor. But there were apparently no major complaints despite the size of the crowd.

    Aldridge said the biggest crowd of the day came from Greene Central in the 2-A boys’ final. “They came with four or five busses,’’ Aldridge said. “Every seat was taken for that first game.’’

    Aside from the change of venues for the regional this year, the NCHSAA also made a change in tournament operations. In past years, retired county athletic directors Fred McDaniel from Cumberland County and Ronnie Chavis of Robeson County had served as the two site supervisors.

    This year, members of the NCHSAA central office staff, Tra Waters and Mark Dreibilbis, took over those responsibilities. Aldridge said the county mainly provided the NCHSAA with county personnel to work at the two venues.

    The county didn’t sign a long-term contract with the NCHSAA, and Aldridge said it will be up to the folks in Chapel Hill to decide whether the tournament will return to Fayetteville next year or move somewhere else.

    • Belated congratulations to veteran Pine Forest coach Jim Farthing, who was recognized in February with the naming of the gym at Pine Forest Middle School in his honor.

    Farthing coached there when it was still Pine Forest High School, before the current school building was constructed on Andrews Road.

    A number of his coaching peers and former players attended the ceremony in the middle school gym.

    • We reported a couple of issues ago that a controversial bill was working its way through the N.C. legislature that would give parents in North Carolina the power to overrule a doctor and allow their child to return to athletic competition in spite of a doctor’s diagnosis of a concussion.

    My friend Joe Sirera of the Greensboro News and Record recently reported that wiser heads have prevailed and that provision has been removed from the bill.

  • 21get outLike It Followsand The Witch, Get Out(103 minutes) is a thinking person’s horror film. More a psychological thriller than a straight up scarefest, it represents a welcome new peak in a genre characterized by some pretty trashy lows. It might seem odd for me, proud of the fact that I’ve been fed on a steady diet of sleaze, exploitation and video nasties since an early age, to notice that there have been some outstanding horror films released in the past year or two. But I didn’t just watch the trashy stuff, and, by the way, the best trashy stuff will have moments of brilliance. Go check out Turkey Shootaka Escape 2000if you don’t believe me. Heck, go check out a couple of Roger Corman films. 

    But I digress. Get Outis about more than just how scary rich, white people are. It is about identifying with an ordinary guy trapped into an uncomfortable weekend meeting his girlfriend’s parents. Of course the atmosphere is weird — it is always weird to meet the partner’s parents. The question is, how much weird behavior justifies calling it quits, when your special new girlfriend is in your corner, suffering with you? And at what point does weird become a red flag for the Texas Chain Saw family reunion? 

    The movie is hard to sum up without giving away crucial plot points. Chris (Daniel Kaluuya) leaves the city with his girlfriend, Rose (Allison Williams) to visit her parents Dean (Bradley Whitford) and Missy Armitage (Catherine Keener) on Wealthy Street in Superrich Town, USA. They don’t know he is black, but Rose assures him that her dad voted for Obama, so it’s all good. Chris has his doubts, and I wonder why Rose’s parents aren’t cyberstalking her social media enough to know who she was dating, as any reasonable parent would the minute their child leaves the house. Shoot, I had mine implanted with a miniature tracking device and small camera before we even left the hospital.

    The first meeting is every bit as awkward as expected. The perfect suburban house is maintained by two live-in black servants, Walter (Marcus Henderson) and Georgina (Betty Gabriel), who have smiles like the family in that classic Twilight Zone episode “It’s a Good Life.” Rose’s brother Jeremy (Caleb Landry Jones) is borderline ridiculous, and I wish he had been written with a little more subtlety. Over time, it becomes clear that, however the Armitage’s feel about Chris, they are friends with a bunch of racists who were raised in a barn. Remembering that Jordan Peele wrote this script, and probably drew on encounters he had in real life while dating and then marrying Chelsea Peretti, I wonder how much of the party scene was a word-for-word account of questions he had been asked at one time or another. 

    By the halfway point, it is clear that Chris is ready to cut the weekend short and head for the hills, which is when events go from bad to worse. You see, the entire time (spoiler) was (spoiler) and (spoiler)!  The characters keep the audience guessing right up until the final denouement, and if the big reveal wasn’t a surprise by then, at least it was satisfying.       

    Overall, after I suffered through Keanu, the Key and Peele film I really, truly wanted to like, I wasn’t looking forward to Get Out. Keanu was about a kitty and drug dealers and wacky misunderstandings and was horrifyingly bad; Get Outseemed poised for an equally catastrophic misfire. Then somebody in the PR department got their head on straight and delivered a second set of trailers that made me salivate with anticipation. For once, my high expectations were not disappointed. As I went into the theater, someone said, “Tell me how it is after you see it. I’ve heard it’s pretty good.” I replied, “I don’t need to see it. I already know it’s going to be awesome.” And I was right.

    Now playing at Patriot 14 + IMAX.

  • 20reynoldspriceSince 2000 North Carolina has grown from about 9.5 million people to well over 10 million, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. 

    Most of that growth is in our urban areas while many rural areas and small towns are losing people.

    These facts would not please the late Reynolds Price, the great writer and Duke professor, who died in 2010.

    He loved our small towns.

    Shortly before he died, he explained in Ardent Spirits that when he was a Rhodes Scholar in England and in his early teaching years at Duke, he reached back to his growing-up years in Macon, a town in rural Warren County. His experiences there helped him define who he was and gave him the setting for his first and best-known novel, A Long and Happy Life, published in 1962.

    Price got me thinking about the importance of small towns back in 1989 when he gave a talk about the importance of memories to good writing. Memories, he said, develop alongside the connections of extended families and stable surrounding communities.

    He brought home his point by saying, “That couldn’t happen if you moved every three years.”

    Here is what I write in response:

    Our memories are our treasures. They are who we are. Looking backwards, some of us see our parents, brothers, sisters, grandparents, cousins, longtime friends, teachers, preachers and the places we knew them — home, church, school, stores and fields. Those people and places of growing up define us. They are our anchors, our foundations, our roots. At least they are, if we have those memories — if we remember where we grew up.

    But fewer and fewer of us know where we are from. The average American moves every three years. You can’t let your roots grow too deep if you move that often.

    If you move every three years and live in a new neighborhood where everyone else is new, Price said, you are not going to have the same kind of memories as those who grew up in one place.

    Does it make a difference? I think it does. I can’t prove it, but look around at the people who are making a difference in North Carolina — the best business leaders, our best political leaders, our best teachers and writers.

    Don’t a disproportionate number of them come from small towns and farms?

    What explains their success in the development of leaders for the rest of us?

    Some big city snobs would say that these leaders have had to overcome their culturally deprived backgrounds. Look at the small towns, they say, and see nothing happening, backward schools, no theaters, no big libraries, no big-time sports.

    Nothing there? Nothing but the stable nurturing that creates the self-defining memories that Reynolds Price talked about.

    North Carolina’s small towns and rural communities are the state’s “people estuaries.”

    Estuaries are those protected brackish waters along our coast, which, with the marshes, swamps, and backwaters, are the most efficient producers of food in the state. They are a critical link in our food chain. We often think of those areas as underdeveloped swampland. But they are irreplaceable treasures where the richness and stability of life makes for one of Earth’s most productive ecosystems.

    Reynolds Price was right. Those nurturing memories that small towns make possible give people a sense of who they are. People who have a sense of who they are become better equipped to lead, which may explain why small towns are so successful in producing so many North Carolina leaders.ese small towns are our “people estuaries.”

  • 19Budget roy cooperRoy Cooper has just submitted his first budget proposal as governor of North Carolina. It is a political document — and I don’t mean that as an insult. Cooper is a Democrat facing Republican supermajorities in a state legislature that has more power than he does. So his budget plan is more about communicating his own policy priorities to the voters of North Carolina than it is about convincing GOP lawmakers to adopt his agenda.

    It is telling, then, that Cooper’s plan contains no tax hikes. In fact, he proposes a modest tax cut.

    Politically, this constitutes a crushing defeat for the left-wing politicians, activists, and interest groups who have spent the last six years attacking Republicans and conservatives for cutting state taxes too much.

    Put another way, progressives think North Carolina’s current taxes are too low — hundreds of millions of dollars a year too low, at least — to provide adequate funding for the state’s core public services. If Roy Cooper thought the Left’s position on this issue to be correct and wise, he could have proposed to roll back recent cuts in personal or corporate income taxes.

    Of course Republicans wouldn’t have complied. They believe, properly, that the state’s recent tax reductions and reforms have restored more power to North Carolinians to spend their own money as they see fit, while also making North Carolina a more attractive place to live, work, invest, and create new jobs. Before reform, our state ranked 41st in business tax climate, according to the Tax Foundation. Now, we rank 11th.

    Still, if he had wanted to, Cooper could have proposed to roll back some of these tax cuts, and used the additional revenue to fund a larger budget. He could have dared the Republican legislature to say no to his plan — to refuse to “invest” in education, infrastructure, and other programs, all because they wanted to preserve “tax cuts for the wealthy.”

    If the Left is to be believed, Cooper would not only have been correct on the merits but also greeted as a leader of the popular resistance to a GOP plutocracy. But, of course, the Left is not to be believed on this subject. With regard to the merits of the policy, progressives believe passionately that state tax burdens don’t hamper economic growth and that state spending boosts growth. But their belief is contrary to most empirical evidence and to common sense. Even if most North Carolinians don’t read economics journals or manage companies, they know intuitively that increasing the cost of doing business is unlikely to create jobs, and that taxpayers don’t get a good return on many of the dollars they already surrender to the government.

    As a political matter, Cooper knows that he doesn’t owe his narrow victory last November to voters who think North Carolina’s taxes are too low. He isn’t going to score policy wins in the coming months, or Democratic wins in the 2018 midterms, or reelection in 2020 by lurching leftward.

    Rejecting the Left’s advice on tax hikes wasn’t the governor’s only nod to fiscal reality. Although Cooper said on the campaign trail last fall that North Carolina had been saving too much, his budget would add $463 billion dollars to state savings accounts next year — $313 million to the rainy-day fund and $150 million to reduce the state’s unfunded liability for retiree health benefits.

    By making these observations, I don’t mean to suggest that the budget plan Cooper actually opted to send to the General Assembly deserves passage. It would spend too much — about $1 billion more next year in General Fund programs alone, and billions more if other funds are included in the calculation.

    Nevertheless, even most of Cooper’s imprudent spending increases in FY 2017-18 are for one-time expenses, not for ongoing obligations. As a political document, his budget signifies that there is a robust debate among North Carolina leaders about how much and where to cut taxes. Meanwhile, the Left is on the outside looking in, again.

  • 17stompEvery year the Givens Performing Arts Center brings a wide variety of world-renowned performances to North Carolina. Each season embraces artistic expression of every style. On March 21, the theater will host the unconventional percussion group STOMP. Then March 27, GPAC hosts the Russian National Ballet Theatre as they present Swan Lake. These are two widely respected and incredibly popular groups displaying talents that take years to cultivate. The styles, however, are drastically different. 

    STOMP started as a street performance created by Luke Cresswell and Steve McNicholas in the United Kingdom and has grown into an international sensation. Since their humble beginnings over 20 years ago, they have performed in more than 50 countries for over 24 million people. There are now four different productions across the globe. There is a permanent company in London, a production at the Orpheum Theatre in New York, a North American tour and a European tour. 

    The focus of STOMP is on percussion. However, the style of percussion is unique. The performers employ things like paint cans, hubcaps, plumbing fixtures and even kitchen sinks to create their energizing and complex beats. In addition to the aural intrigue of the performance, STOMP performers also use their unconventional household or industrial instruments to make visually exciting performances. They may employ synchronized Zippo lighters, brooms or tea cups to create an incredible show for the entire family.

    STOMP performances have received rave reviews. Despite the overall success they have already achieved, they are still learning and growing. For example, in this tour they will include two entirely new pieces. This constant innovation makes every performance as new and exciting as when the show first premiered. STOMP will be at the GPAC March 21 at 7:30 p.m. 

    The Russian National Ballet Company was founded in 1989 by Sergi Radchenko, who was a ballet star in the “Bolshoi Ballet.” The company very quickly made a name for itself at home and abroad because of the high quality of every aspect of the performance. The dancers are some of the best in the world. Additionally, the stunning scenery and costumes are designed with attention to detail. The company divides into smaller touring groups when they travel and often performs classic ballet masterpieces in communities that would not otherwise have such an opportunity to enjoy Russian classical ballet. 

    Swan Lake is one of the classical ballet masterpieces that the company performs. Swan Lake first debuted in 1877 and was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It is considered the “national ballet of Russia” by many. The story revolves around princess Odette who is turned into a swan by an evil sorcerer. The story has been adapted numerous times, but the Russian National Ballet Company will perform a more traditional version that the entire family can enjoy. It is a presentation of Russian culture and talent brought to North Carolina March 27 at 7:30 p.m. 

    Both performances bring critically acclaimed international culture and talent to North Carolina. The GPAC is providing a unique opportunity for the entire family to experience two very different artistic interpretations of music all within the month of March. Tickets for both shows can be purchased at http://purchase.tickets.com/buy/TicketPurchase?orgid=44991&schedule=list. 

  • 001COVERRape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County presents “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes” on Friday, March 24 at 7 p.m. at the Capitol Building on Hay Street. RCVCC offers free, confidential services to any person whose life has been affected by sexual violence. Services include a 24-hour Crisis Hotline; 24-hour emergency room responders; counseling; support groups; courtroom advocacy; community awareness; and an address confidentiality program.

    “The purpose of the walk is to have public awareness of sexual violence and how we can all come together and help prevent it,” said Ze Surratt II, certified victim practitioner and military liaison. 

    “We do it through men walking in red high-heeled shoes to get a feel for what it is like as a female for five minutes when we wear them for hours a day and be able to feel like they can contribute to conquering sexual violence by putting on these red high-heeled shoes.” Suratt added that they have been doing this event since 2010 and last year’s walk had the highest number of walkers, which consisted of over 300 men. 

    The walk is from the Market House to the AIT building. “We have had Chiefs of the Fire Department, Chiefs of Police, directors of Cape Fear, military men, district attorneys and other high influential people walking in heels to show their support to end sexual violence,” said Surratt. “Our reported number of sexual violence victims are over 400 per year.” Surratt added that the victims that come to them may not necessarily be the individuals that report to law enforcement and vice-versa. 

    “This event is so important for many reasons, first for the victims. Men from our community come out and take a stand against sexual violence – policemen, firemen, soldiers, politicians, community leaders, our neighbors and our friends are all out walking,” said RCVCC Executive Director Deanne Gerdes. “For a victim... that is priceless. They are in the crowd watching and cheering on the walkers! For my staff and advocates, we know we are not alone in preventing (sexual violence) and acknowledging and advocating for victims. Rape is such an ugly word, ugly thought. Raising money for the agency is hard. But this event is for the community to help us financially and to let victims know that we are here and we care.” 

    The victims are mainly females between the ages of 14-24. There are also a small number of male victims. “Our youngest victim was four months old and our oldest victim was 96 years old,” said Surratt. “We see a full range of individuals in Cumberland County and other counties.” Surratt added that most the time a rape is committed by someone that is known – even if it is the slightest acquaintance – and it is more likely to be someone the victim has encountered at least once in their life. It is usually someone the victim thought they knew well and felt comfortable with. 

    Rape is one of the most underreported crimes. “Think about the shame that goes along with this crime,” said Surratt. “The victim feels like that maybe they should have known better, they could’ve done better or somehow they could have prevented what happened to them.” Surratt added that because they take on that blame of what happened to them, a lot of victims will not come forward to report it. 

    The agency’s services are not contingent on a police report. You can call or walk into the agency and get help immediately free of charge. If you are a victim of rape or know someone who is, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE. Sponsors are needed for the event. Registration begins at 6 p.m. The fee is $20 to register for the walk and $5 to rent a pair of red high-heeled shoes. For more information, call 485-7273.

     

    An average 233,986 Americans age 12 and older are sexually assaulted each year.

    Every 2 minutes, someone in the U.S. is sexually assaulted.

    Who Are the Victims?

    1 out of every 6 American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime.  Among all victims, about nine out of ten are female.

    1 out of every 33 American men has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in his lifetime.  About 10 percent of all victims are male.

    Age

    Age of sexual assault victims: 

    15 percent are under age 12.

    29 percent are age 12-17

    44 percent are under age 18

    80 percent are under age 30

    Ages 12-34 are the highest risk years 

    Girls ages 16-19 are four times more likely than the general population to be victims of sexual assault. 

    Gender & Race

    Estimated persons raped in lifetime by gender and race: 

    Women

    17.7 percent of white women

    18.8 percent of African-American women

    6.8 percent of Asian / Pacific Islander women

    34.1 percent of American Indian / Alaskan Native women

    24.4 percent mixed race women

    14.6 percent of Hispanic women

    Men

    2.8 percent of white men

    3.3 percent of African-American men

    4.4 percent of mixed race men

    The sample size was too small to estimate for Asian/ Pacific Islander and American Indian / Alaskan Native men

    The Offenders

    Almost 2/3 of sexual assaults are committed by someone known to the victim.

    23 percent of rapists are an intimate

    3 percent are another relative

    38 percent are a friend or acquaintance

    31 percent are a stranger

    6 percent are unknown

    Only about 6 percent of rapists ever serve a day in jail. 

    The average age of an arrested rapist is 31 years old.

    0.6 percent are 17 years old or younger

    54.6 percent are 18 to 29 years old

    28.6 percent are 30 to 39 years old

    8.9 percent are 40 to 49 years old

    7.3 percent are 50 years old or older

    Marital status of arrested rapists

    22.1 percent are married

    1.2 percent are widowed

    28.5 percent are divorced

    6.2 percent are separated

    42 percent are never married

     

  • 15CarolinaBibleIn 1973, local pastor Dr. Bill Owens saw a need in the Christian community and acted on it. He opened the Cape Fear School of Theology because he wanted to make a difference, to find a way to give fellow Christians of all denominations the skills and understanding they needed to answer the call to service put forth in the Bible. Forty-three years later, the institution continues with this mission. It has undergone some name changes and recently expanded its facilities. On March 17, at 2 p.m. there will be a dedication service recognizing the new upgrades across the campus.

    From a single classroom with a handful of students to a state-of-the-art facility with accredited programs of study, Carolina College of Biblical Studies continues to touch lives and equip people to go out and fulfill their calling. “We are not just for pastors,” said CCBS Dean of Online Studies Dr. Chris Dickerson. “A lot of our students are lay leaders. They teach Sunday school. They have ministries that they develop and grow, or some just want a degree. Most of our students are lifelong learners. Students still take English, writing, math and other basic courses, but our focus is on the Bible. We teach the Old and New Testament and the history of the Bible as well as how to read and make sense of it. We also do book studies.”

    Dickerson went on the say that if someone believes the Bible is sacred, there is a greater degree of appreciation for it.  When people read the Bible, often it is from a modern American perspective. “But it was written 2,000 years ago in an eastern culture,” he said. “Part of what we do is try to teach it with those understandings. How would a Jew understand that same text 2,000 years ago? What were the current events of the time?  What were the manners? The customs? How did the culture work? The Bible means what it meant originally, and helping people understand that is what we do.” 

    It is especially rewarding to learn later how the college has impacted students’ lives and communities. CCBS students have gone on to build ministries all over the world, including Africa, Cambodia, Mexico and Columbia. “We don’t necessarily want numbers. We want impact,” said Dickerson.

    The dedication service on March 17 represents an exciting time for the college. It marks the completion of a $2 million renovation that has tripled the usable space on the campus. And it has been paid for in full. 

    “Our library tripled in space. Now we can expand it, too.  We have a legitimate first-class library. It will hold 18,000 volumes, and we are working to fill it up,” said Dickerson.  The new space hIt has small group meeting rooms and terminals.  It has fixed classrooms. “We have classes four times a day. With those times, plus added space, we can triple our enrollment and still have space. Our vision is to train men and women to be leaders and servants, and now we can help more people do that. Now, it looks like a college. It raises the bar a little bit and makes us look more reputable. We are not a fly by night place. We are an accredited college.”

    On-campus degrees include an Associate of Arts in Biblical Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies. Classes run for 11 weeks and are offered four times a year. Online courses include an Associate of Arts in Leadership and Ministry, a Bachelor of Arts in Leadership and Ministry, an Associate of Arts in Biblical Studies and a Bachelor of Arts in Biblical Studies. Online courses start every five weeks.

    CCBS also offers a tuition-free class to the community on how to study the Bible. The only cost to take the class is a $60 book fee. The tuition for this course is waived, although there is a book fee of $60. “We offer it on campus and online,” said Dickerson. “If we can train people to study the Bible and understand it, chances are it will make an impact on them and how they live their lives. That is our gift to the community. Now they understand how to read and appreciate and apply the Bible. “

    Prospective students are invited to reach out to CCBS at ccbs.edu, or by calling (910) 323-5614.  The college does host about eight “Preview Days” a year. People RSVP to come. It starts at 6 p.m. “We feed them dinner, there is a Q&A session and a presentation. We have a campus tour and sit in on half of a class,” said Dickerson. “Then the admissions team is there if they want to ask further questions. That is a neat way to learn about the college.”

  • 14coslogo 280greenStudents and teachers often have a unique relationship. When it’s good it can be magical. When it’s not, well… On March 24, the Cumberland Oratorio Singers in conjunction with the Campbellton Youth Chorus present The Student and the Teacher at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church.

    The concert features the works of Vaugh, Williams, a teacher at the Royal College of Music and his not so admiring student Benjamin Britten. While it is not unusual for composers to disparage one another, Britten never held back when he had an opportunity to criticize Williams. Williams was equally uncharitable regarding his student.

    While the two men were hard pressed to say a kind word about each other, in this concert, their works complement each other. “They complement each other thematically as British composers,” said Cumberland Oratorio Singers Director Michael Martin. “Past that, they have very different styles. That in itself, is refreshing and wonderful.” 

    The performance features well-known works from each composer, including Williams’ “Serenade to Music” and Britten’s “Rejoice in the Lamb.”

    Martin noted that the men lived very different lives and had different influences regarding why they wrote the music they did. “Vaughn Williams came into his being later in his life and tended to look to English folk songs for his inspiration. Britten showed musical brilliance at a much younger age and tended to write for the people that were performing the work. They are both incredibly important British composers and their intersection occurred at the Royal College of Music. Vaughn Williams was on the faculty; Britten was a student. Past that, they held strong opinions of each other, and not always positive.”
    As an organization, the Cumberland Oratorio Singers have three choirs under their umbrella: the COS, the Cross Creek Chorale, and the Campbellton Youth Chorus. Sometimes, they come together as a complete organization to present different material, and this is one of those moments. “In terms of the CYC being in this concert, I would like to believe that they, and the audience, will see that singing is truly a lifelong commodity,” said Martin. “Our mission includes that inference and we are thrilled to put it all in context in this performance.”

    Founded in the 2015/16 season, the Campbellton Youth Chorus is a relatively new component of the group Cumberland Oratorio Singers. It is made up of youth ages 9-14 regardless of school affiliation, ethnicity, socio-economic background or religion. The goal of the organization is to help participants and audience members develop a lifelong appreciation of and participation in great choral music. Members of the youth chorus get to work with a range of choral music, both sacred and secular. The group accepts members regardless of school affiliation, ethnicity, socio-economic background or religion. “Since we do not have the youth in every concert, it’s nice to have them do a part of the concert. This concert will actually feature each part of the organization equally, which is what is both special and great about this COS concert,” said Martin. “The COS represents our Fayetteville community. We have singers from all ages and all walks of life in this group. What drives their passion is choral music and they do it quite well. This has earned them the honor of being in the 2017 class of inductees into the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame.”

    The concert starts at 7:30 p.m. Visit http://singwithcos.org for more details.

  • 13Cape Fear Vineyard Winery Elizabethtown NC 5 main.1458076384The Cape Fear Vineyard and Winery is a new destination resort. It opened in the spring of 2016 in Elizabethtown. It combines all of the elegance and amenities of a beautiful resort with an element of refined agro-tourism from the winding grapevines that support the winery. The beautiful manicured gardens, lakeside amphitheater and pavilion make the area particularly suited to host stunning events of all kinds and weddings. March 19 is the perfect opportunity for the community to explore the Cape Fear Vineyard and Winery and enjoy the Champagne Bridal Showcase, which runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. “We are here to inform, enlighten and let the guests discover the ambiance of this extraordinary venue and its amazing diversity,” Executive Director Corky Chaple explained. 

    The Bridal Showcase is the perfect way to explore both vineyard and winery. It is designed to allow brides to explore everything the venue has to offer in the form of a fun and adventurous afternoon. There will be complimentary mimosas and horse-drawn carriage rides to show off the beautiful landscape, including one of the largest camellia exhibits in the state. Chaple invited attendees to “…explore the immaculately landscaped grounds with unique water features — discover the wonders of our private art collection — and meet our ‘critters’: mini ponies & llamas, majestic white swans and dazzling peacocks!” 

    Wedding-oriented vendors who are specifically invited to participate comprise another important aspect of the showcase. Cape Fear Vineyard and Winery carefully selected each vendor based on their exceptional work and impeccable reputations. Chaple said that interacting with vendors is one of the most valuable opportunities that the showcase has to offer. “Interview all of the vendors and learn from them” Chaple advised. “Let their long experience work for you — then compare and choose the one with whom you are most comfortable. Remember — they work for you!”

    Admission to the Champagne Bridal Showcase is free for everyone and includes complimentary gift bags. “The complimentary bags are a muted burlap reusable monogrammed tote filled with goodies provided by each vendor. The vendors are also donating prizes, which will be raffled off throughout the show,” Chaple said.

    There will also be a complimentary tasting of the estate wines. There is an idea in the culinary world that products reflect the soil and the environment in which they were cultivated. There is something truly incredible about enjoying a product while admiring the very landscape that nurtured it. The Cape Fear Vineyard and Winery embraces this idea. Guests are encouraged to enjoy estate wines while relaxing on the private lakefront cottage decks just a short walk from the vineyards. 

    The landscape, while stunning, is not all that this venue has to offer. There are also incredible amenities like the full-service restaurant. There is also the Gallery Ballroom that is uniquely decorated. It has, “Sparkling chandeliers made from wine barrels and hand-laid Tuscan stone walls infused with rich burnt pine logs that display an unparalleled eclectic collection of private artwork; artwork by masters like Dali and Picasso, as well as celebrities like Sir Paul McCartney and Janice Joplin. There’s also a multitude of memorabilia from stars including Elvis!” Chaple said. Visit www.capefearwinery.com for more information.

  • 12DINA 17When applying to be a Guest Conductor for the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, Dina Gilbert knew she wanted to honor those who serve. She wanted to center Fayetteville’s military community and dedicate the concert to Fort Bragg and all civil service members. The concert she will conduct on March 25, closing out FSO’s 2016-2017 season, is appropriately titled Heroes Among Us.

    The early stages of Gilbert’s journey towards conducting involved the military. At age 12, she started playing clarinet and joined the Cadet Program in her hometown of Saint-Georges de Beauce, Canada. In this program, she had her first chance to conduct marching bands and to participate in the International Festival of Quebec Military Music — through which she met military musicians from around the world. At age 18, she joined the Reserve in the Royal Canadian Air Force as a Cadet Instructor Cadre Officer, working to give youth the same opportunities she had, and having more opportunities to conduct throughout. 

    But she didn’t yet realize that conducting could be her full-time profession. She enrolled in an optional conducting class as she later pursued an Undergraduate degree in clarinet. It was there she met a professional orchestra conductor for the first time, Paolo Bellomia. “After a few classes, he said to me that I had an intuitive way of communicating music through gesture and he offered to give me private lessons. From that point on, I realized that I wanted to become a conductor... and that passion never left me since,” Gilbert said.

    Gilbert has now founded her own chamber orchestra, Ensemble Arkea; served for three seasons as assistant conductor of the Symphonic Orchestra of Montreal; and served as a guest conductor for orchestras throughout Canada, Europe and China. She made her US debut last year at the Eugene Symphony in Oregon. 

    The 2016-2017 season has been unique for the FSO, as they are in the process of finding a new permanent music conductor. To find this person, the FSO board has introduced a new guest conductor for each concert this season; Gilbert will be the 5th and last auditioning candidate. Fouad Fakhouri served in the position for 11 years and stepped down almost one year ago. “He took it from being a community orchestra to a professional orchestra,” Director of Artistic Operations and Marketing Julia Atkins said. So they want to make sure his replacement is truly excellent. “The board chose their favorite candidates and built a season around their unique talents and interests,” Atkins said. FSO President Christine Kastner spoke of her excitement about Gilbert’s approach: “We were so pleased that she had researched our area well enough to understand the significance of the military in our community and that she decided to program a concert that demonstrated that understanding,” she said.

    In preparing for Heroes Among Us, Gilbert combined many lenses of interpretation. She included Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 3,” often subtitled “Eroica,” which means “Heroic.” “The symphony is quite romantic in sound … there are so many ideals in it. You can feel that Beethoven wanted to write a piece about the kind of man who would contribute to history changing.” she said. Joshua Busman, PhD in musicology, professor at UNC Pembroke and “FSO Music Nerd,” agrees: “One of the primary things that I love about orchestral music is the way that it connects us to the past. Reading about the [French Revolution] might give you some idea of what was going on at the time, but listening to Beethoven’s Eroica … connects you to those moments in history in a profound and visceral way.” 

    But this isn’t just a concert of classical odes to heroism, timeless as they may be. Gilbert also asked her colleague Simon Leclerc, who is well known for composing music for films and pop artists, to arrange Ramin Djawadi’s Game of Thronestheme. “I wanted people who are less acquainted to classical music to realize that maybe they already do know and like classical music,” Gilbert said. Gilbert also asked Leclerc to compose a new piece in tribute to military members and the experiences they go through. “You can feel from the music (Leclerc created) the aspiration of the soldier and also the sad and the fearful moments … and how it is to come back and what you’re so blessed with after all the experiences.” 

    Gilbert has included other musical delights that you’ll have to attend to find out about! Tickets can be purchased at https://squareup.com/market/fayetteville-symphony-orchestra. They cost $10.28 for children and students, $22.43 for military members and senior citizens and $25.23 for adults. The show will be held at Huff Concert Hall of Methodist University on March 25, starting at 7:30 p.m. 

  • 13The Moore BuildingFayetteville’s historic Prince Charles Hotel may one day be brought back to life as a dynamic downtown centerpiece. For many years, the once-prosperous hospitality property has been anything but. Several attempts at repurposing the eight-story building have failed. A Durham developer, Prince Charles Holdings, believes it can breathe new life into the 90-year-old structure. It purchased the building and adjoining parking lot at auction in 2014 for $200,000. Michael Cohen, an advocate of historic preservation, is the lead investor for the project. 

    “I’m excited about the opportunity to bring one of Fayetteville’s most iconic buildings back to life and contribute to the revitalization process already underway in downtown Fayetteville,” Cohen said. He’s awaiting final approval from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for a low interest loan to begin the work of refurbishing the once proud hotel. The firm hopes to begin reconstruction this summer. 

    Fayetteville City Council believes the repurposed hotel building, along with an adjacent $33 million minor league baseball stadium, will be the economic catalyst for $100 million in economic investments on only nine acres of inner-city property. “That whole area around the hotel is going to be developed into retail and commercial space,” said Mayor Nat Robertson. “It will also include additional apartments and a hotel,” he added. Planning is nearing completion for construction of the stadium and the property around it.

    Almost unnoticed has been the redevelopment of a couple dozen heretofore vacant buildings in the downtown area. The first block of Person Street has come to life with historic updating. Along the south side of West Russell Street, smaller buildings have been repurposed into offices. Larger commercial buildings left vacant for decades have been restored, cleaned up and reoccupied. The Moore Building at 215 Williams Street has spawned investor interest in a once-impoverished section of town. It houses two or three small businesses and a large, open social hall. Down the street, at 159 Maxwell Street, the Greater Fayetteville Chamber occupies a building built as a warehouse more than a century ago. “It was put to many uses over the years, and before being occupied by the Chamber, it was Zimmerman Millwork and Cabinetry,” said City Historian Bruce Daws. 

    At 112-114 Gillespie, Street, Sherefe Mediterranean Restaurant used to be Fayetteville Drug Company before it closed many years ago. It was built in 1891, according to Daws. Historic tax credits assisted property owners in making financial investment that made these facilities useable once again. The investments were good for local government, too, since they enhanced the tax value of the properties. 

    Of particular interest, on Bragg Boulevard near W. Rowan Street just outside downtown, is a former gas station, which is now a used car lot. “It was built as a service station by the Rankin Family after World War II,” said Daws. Because of its historic significance, the N.C. Department of Transportation spared the building while demolishing everything around it to build the new Rowan Street bridges and realign Bragg Boulevard, Murchison Road and Rowan Street. “We hope to acquire the building and restore its historic significance,” said City Manager Doug Hewett. 

  • 11Charles Kimble 2Many career law enforcement officers have an ambition to make a chase to the top … to be a chief. Many local folks wondered why now retired Fayetteville Police Chief Harold Medlock would leave the Charlotte/Mecklenburg P.D. to come to Fayetteville. He was a Deputy Chief in the queen city and had twice as many officers under his command in his area of responsibility as there are in the Fayetteville Police Department. Yet Medlock applied for and was chosen to succeed Chief Tom Bergamine, who was a protégé of former Chief Ron Hansen. It was an opportunity for Medlock to finally make his way to the top. 

    Interim Fayetteville Police Chief Anthony Kelly, an assistant chief, has decided to toss his hat in the ring to succeed Medlock even though just a couple of weeks ago City Manager Doug Hewett launched a national search for the top cop’s job.  Many members of city council and senior commanders in the department hope Kelly will be selected. He’s a hometown man having grown up here. He got his degree at Fayetteville State University and knows the city inside and out. He’s been a policeman for 20 years. 

    Another top Fayetteville cop, Charles Kimble, has also climbed the law enforcement ladder of success. He was recently sworn in as Spring Lake’s Chief of Police. He succeeded Troy McDuffie, who had been chief of a smaller town, and before that served for years in the Fayetteville Police Department. There’s just something about the lure to be a chief. Like the others, Kimble has been in law enforcement almost all his adult life. He spent three years in the Army, and in 1991 joined the P.D. in Milwaukee, WI, his hometown. He spent four years on the force. Then he and his wife, Yon, came to Fort Bragg in 1995. She was then a recent college ROTC graduate with a commission in the Army. “I was able to join the Fayetteville Police Force as a lateral entry because Milwaukee’s standards at the time were higher than the F.P.D,” Kimble said. 

    Kimble rose through the ranks over 20 years to become an assistant chief. He regards the late Chief Tom McCarthy and Medlock as his mentors, and hopes to further develop community policing in Spring Lake. In 2015, Kimble left the F.P.D. to become Chief of Fayetteville State University’s Department of Police and Public Safety. He said he “wanted to return to urban policing” and applied for the Spring Lake chief’s post when McDuffie retired. One of his first goals “is to modernize internal operations of the department with emphasis on traffic and accident management and prevention.” Kimble says 60,000 cars travel through the NC 210/87 ‘split’ each day. He says massive construction projects along Bragg Boulevard should be completed in May or June. 

                           

  • Shaw Heights Annexation05Gregory St Church

    A growing chorus of Fayetteville City Council members is publicly opposing the annexation of Shaw Heights. So, how did the proposal get in the legislative hopper in Raleigh? “No one on council requested legislation which would allow the city to forcibly annex Shaw Heights,” said Mayor Nat Robertson. It turns out Rep. Elmer Floyd (Democrat - Cumberland County) sponsored the bill following a joint meeting between the local legislative delegation and city council. Robertson said Floyd took it upon himself without first speaking with individual council members. The mayor is one of at least three members who do not favor annexing the large, unincorporated doughnut hole off Shaw and Murchison Rds. It’s in the county, and Robertson wants to know why county government hasn’t paid more attention to the needs of the residents. “They have an inspections department; they have housing standards,” Robertson said. “How would the people benefit from annexation?” he asks. To be seriously considered in the state house of Representatives, Floyd’s local bill would need unanimous support of city council. He did not respond when asked for comments.

     

    06Rodney Scott Mug ShotAdditional Charges Against Serial Pedophile 

    Another victim of Rodney Scott has come forward to allege he was molested by the former school basketball coach. The youth is Scott’s eighth victim, police said. One hundred five additional charges have been filed against him, including 21 counts each of statutory sex offense against a child by a defendant who is at least six years older than the victim, sexual activity by a substitute parent, child abuse, crime against nature and taking indecent liberties with a child. Scott remains in the Cumberland County Detention Center. His total bond is now more than $21 million. The police department first became aware of Scott in May of last year. Detectives were informed of a sexual assault that occurred at a home on Vestal Avenue. The juvenile victim said Scott had sexually assaulted him. He was charged then with statutory sex offense with a child. Soon after that, the police department received dozens of calls from people with information about Scott. Until his arrest, he had earned a reputation as a pillar of his community. He was a substitute teacher for Cumberland County Schools. He became a Safe Schools Coordinator and volunteer assistant basketball coach at Pine Forest High School.  

    07Bill Cashwell SchoolFacebook Post Deserving of Special Note

    “So many awesome visitors in the house today at Elizabeth Cashwell (Elementary School)! They came to serve our students breakfast for national school breakfast week! City of Fayetteville Council Member Bill Crisp, Cumberland County Commissioner Jimmy Keefe, Mayor Nat Robertson, CEO of the United Way of Cumberland County Robert Hines, Bill Bowman, Publisher of Up & Coming Weekly, and many more! Also, a shoutout to our fab Principal Kim Robertson and Christina Osborne with her cafe crew for starting our students off right every day!”

     

     

     

     

     

     

    08InasmuchNew Operation Inasmuch Facility

    A new facility for homeless men has opened on Hillsboro Street across from Operation Inasmuch. It’s known as The Lodge and is described as a commercial grade, one-story dormitory-style building. “Our mission is to be an effective, efficient transformational program providing integrated services to meet the spiritual, physical, mental and emotional needs of the homeless and very low income,” said Executive Director Sue Byrd. The Lodge has 40 single metal beds, four of which are designed for special needs occupants. The building has five standard restrooms, two handicap-accessible restrooms and a laundry. It was built at the cost of nearly $500,000 in donated funds. Supervision is provided 24/7. An office for the police department’s liaison officer to the homeless is located in the shelter. For additional security, a real-time camera provides 360-degree coverage of the property and is monitored at police headquarters.

     

     

     

     

    09FayBusinessFayetteville Business & Professional League

    Building capacity and opportunity is the theme for 2017 among members of a reinvigorated Fayetteville Business & Professional League, now in its 49th year of service. League President Thaddeus “TJ” Jenkins spoke at a news conference announcing new directions for the league. “I hope to help and influence our community just as my mentor and past president, the late Floyd Shorter had done,” said Jenkins. He noted Booker T. Washington was a key proponent of African-American business and was one of the founders of the National Negro Business League. “We must not be overlooked for contract opportunities,” Jenkins declared. He said he wants to keep businesses connected and be better positioned to earn business with the City of Fayetteville. He noted that 48 percent of contracts with the city this fiscal year have gone to out of state businesses. Jenkins remarks were timely, as city council is putting emphasis on steering opportunities to local and minority companies. 

    10UWUnited Way and PWC

    The United Way of North Carolina has honored Fayetteville’s Public Works Commission with its Spirit of North Carolina Award for outstanding support of the United Way. The Spirit Award recognizes companies and their employees who demonstrate campaign excellence and community commitment. This is the 11th time since 2004 that PWC has won the award. In 2016, PWC employees pledged $113,985. A record high 99.1 percent of PWC’s 604 employees made contributions. United Way of Cumberland County funds 109 programs offered by 19 agencies.  PWC Senior Customer Programs Officer Mark Brown, Director of Financial Planning Rhonda Haskins and Budget Manager Rhonda Graham serve on the local United Way Board.

  • 04PWCFayetteville area businesses need to attend the Building Business Rally early next month for a shot at doing business with the Fayetteville Public Works Commission or other local government entities.

    For the second year, the PWC is hosting the Building Business Rally. This year it’s on Thursday, April 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the utility’s Operations Center, 955 Old Wilmington Road.

    The Building Business Rally gives local businesses a chance to see how PWC and local government agencies are planning to spend your money. And it will give them an opportunity to meet the people whobuy goods and services for those agencies.

    It’s a free event. But you have to be a local business that offers equipment, supplies or professional services. Or you have to be a prime contractor or subcontractor. Did I say it’s free?

    During this meet and greet drop-in event vendors can get an idea of what  supplies, equipment or services PWC and local government need. Others expected to attend include the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, Cumberland County Schools, N.C. Department of Transportation, N.C. Department of Administration, the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce and several other local agencies.

    The buyers for those agencies will give attendees information about how you sell to them. It’s government so there’s a registration process and oodles of paperwork, but it could be well worth it.

     

    For example, Carolyn Justice-Hinson, PWC’s spokeswoman, said, “We spend about $1.2 million locally a month.”

    The Building Business Rally is one of PWC’s initiatives that will help grow the local economy.  PWC hosted the first such event last July. Thirteen of the 35 businesses attending that event now do business with PWC. But Hinson isn’t sure if they were “first time” vendors or had done business with our Hometown Utility.

    Among PWC, city and county government, there’s about $600 million worth of projects on their respective to do lists for the next several years. 

    For instance, PWC is still churning away at building sewer and water mains down the middle of residential streets in the Big Bang Annexation area. 

    Then there’s overall upkeep of water and sewer facilities, and moving water and sewer pipes when the state highway department wants to widen a road. I’m sure the utility is still licking its wounds and making repairs from damages brought on by Hurricane Matthew.

    The city is getting ready to spend your tax dollars on more swimming pools, splash pads and other recreational amenities approved in last year’s $35 million bond referendum. And in case you haven’t heard, the city also is building a baseball stadium.

    I hope the city  continues work on storm drainage problems, fixing roads damaged by Hurricane Matthew and working on alleviating the frustrations of driving in Fayetteville traffic. There also is the construction of a new fire station on the horizon. Fayetteville is growing, folks.

    And I’m sure the cash-strapped county remains committed to working on its limited water and sewer projects in rural Cumberland County.

    Basically, there’s work to be had for construction-related companies and their suppliers. And for engineers, project managers, tree and vegetation removal companies and a host of other related jobs. The best part is that local businesses can get a shot at some of that business.

    But the only way to get a piece of the pie is to come attend the event on Thursday, April 6, and get your business registered to bid on upcoming opportunities. 

  • 03GreekThink your family situation is messy? Don’t waste your money on years of therapy. Read this column instead. The Greek gods had it worse than you, or even Clark Griswold when Cousin Eddie showed up uninvited for Christmas. When you see what was doing with the Greek gods, your own family will seem as normal as Leave it to Beaver. Let us take a walk down memory lane into the wonderful world of Greek mythology to visit our old friend Theseus and the innkeeper to the stars, Procrustes.

    Theseus had two daddies. But it’s not what you think. Daddy Number One was Aegeus the king of Athens who was married to the beautiful and frisky Aethra. One night Aegeus got drunk and made whoopee with Aethra. Being a bit of an insensitive male slob, Aegeus passed out afterwards. Aethra was not through partying for the night. She waded out to a nearby island and made whoopee with Daddy Number Two — Poseidon the Sea god. Aethra became pregnant with Theseus who had two daddies — Aegeus who was mortal and Poseidon who was immortal.

    Neither Aegeus nor Poseidon were stick around kind of daddies. They both abandoned Theseus to be raised by single mom Aethra. Once Theseus grew to manhood, Aethra told him about his daddy being King Aegeus and how to claim his rightful birthright. As part of the deal, Theseus had to move a big rock and take the sword and sandals that Aegeus had buried there to prove Aegeus was his baby daddy. Naturally, Theseus moved the rock and headed out to Athens with the sword and sandals. Unsurprisingly, there was going to be trouble on the road in the form of bad guys.

    The first bad hombre Thesueus met was Periphetes, whose weapon of choice was a big club he used to beat travelers into the mud. Theseus grabbed the club and smote Periphetes into a big puddle of bandit pulp. Next up was Sinis who hung out at the door to the Underworld. Sinis’ thing was to catch travelers and tie them between two bent pine trees. Sinus would then release the pine trees which would split the traveler into two more or less equal sections, causing them to expire. Theseus outsmarted Sinis, pulling the old switcheroo using the pine tree method on Sinus. To add insult to Sinis’ injury, Theseus impregnated Sinis’ daughter Perigune.

    Down the road a piece, Theseus ran into and fought a giant pig, the Crommyonian Sow.  We are talking big pigs. The Crommyonian Sow was pork enough to feed all of the N.C. State Fair attendees for ten years. Theseus enjoyed a pig picking and kept on moving towards Athens.

    Next on the road was a geriatric robber named Sciron who had a foot fetish. Sciron hung out on a narrow path that went along the side of a cliff overlooking the ocean. When a traveler came along the path, Sciron would not let him pass until the traveler had washed Sciron’s gnarly feet. As the traveler was bent over washing Sciron’s disgusting toes, Sciron would kick them off the cliff into the ocean far below. Once in the water the unfortunate traveler would become sushi and be eaten by a giant turtle. Naturally our man Theseus shoved Sciron off the cliff to become turtle food.

    The last guy Theseus met on the road to Athens was Procrustes the Stretcher with his iron bed. Procrustes was a seemingly friendly dude who invited travelers to spend the night at his place. Procrustes was the spiritual father of the Bates Motel where Norman Bates and his mom welcomed weary travelers in with gently smiling jaws. Procrustes’ quirk was that he wanted his guests to have a bed that fit them. If the bed was too short Procrustes would chop off the legs of the guest to make the guest fit the bed. If the bed was too long, Procrustes would pull out his Acme brand rack and stretch the guest to fit the bed. Theseus was hip to the evil plan. He forced Procrustes to lie on the bed himself and undergo the adjustment meant for travelers.

    Procrustes lives on in the concept of the Procrustean Bed which essentially holds that to get to the solution being sought, you change the facts to fit your desired end result. The Procrustean Bed theory is used by The Donald every day in the White House. The Procrustean Bed is now called Kellyanne’s Amazing Alternative Facts. Change the facts to reach the outcome you want. Meeting the Russians is not meeting the Russians. Obama not wire tapping Trump is Obama wiretapping Trump. Look! Over there! Squirrel!

    Now don’t you feel better about your own family?

  • 02FlotusAll the world is on pins and needles as President Trump’s domestic and foreign policies unfold. The Russians! Affordable Health Care replacement! Early morning Tweets accusing his predecessor of illegal wiretapping! Who can begin to imagine what might come next?

    Weighty matters aside, every new presidency brings with it change in all aspects of the White House. The areas traditionally focused on the First Lady are closely watched as well. While our new First Lady, Melania Trump, has been nowhere nearly as vocal or unpredictable as her husband, she is leaving observers guessing about what she will do and how she will do it.

    Her predecessor, Michelle Obama, was noted for her fashion choices. She wore young American designers and jump-started a few careers that are now booming. She made a point on important state occasions of wearing clothing designed by someone from the country being honored. She also made a point of wearing clothes available to the rest of us — sweaters from J. Crew and sundresses from Target, and she saw to it that her daughters did as well.

    Our new First Lady is a former model — usually with clothes on, but sometimes without, so it is understandable that fashionistas around the world are curious as to her White House style. Fashion enthusiasts may remember her Voguecover posing in her $100,000 wedding gown, but thus far in her husband’s presidency, she has favored monochromatic ensembles with high heels and long, flowing tresses. White and red seem to be favorite colors, though she did choose a Carolina blue suit for her husband’s inauguration. Another question is who will design Mrs. Trump’s First Lady wardrobe. American designers and fashion industry titans generally supported Hillary Clinton in 2016, and several even fundraised for her. That leaves open the questions of whether Mrs. Trump might hold a grudge and whether some in the industry will decline to work with her. 

    My guess and my hope is that everyone will do some metaphorical kissing and making up. America’s First Ladies, particularly Jacqueline Kennedy, Nancy Reagan and Michelle Obama, have been big boosters of the American fashion industry. As a beauty and a former model, Melania Trump is an ideal person for this particular responsibility. She is, after all, married to one of our nation’s most famous business tycoons, and she was entrepreneurial herself earlier in their marriage. As Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey sang so memorably in Cabaret, “money makes the world go round.”

    Then there is food.

    Former President Bill Clinton was famous for his fast food tastes, but he reformed and is now a vegan. President Trump has had no such epiphany. The New York Timesreports our new president’s favorite foods include Kentucky Fried chicken, McDonald’s, Diet Coke and meatloaf. He drinks no coffee, tea or alcohol.

     So what about White House entertaining, from casual and private to the ultimate in formality, a state dinner? President Trump has joked about doing away with them in favor of working lunches in order to make “better deals.” Will there be no wine in the White House, a la former President Jimmy Carter?

    The truth is no one really knows, because such planning is traditionally part of the unpaid First Lady’s job, and she is still in New York while their young son completes the school year. Michelle Obama was known for her White House vegetable garden with heirloom tomatoes both to serve at the White House and to promote her campaign for healthy eating. The New York Times reported last week that Mrs. Trump is keeping the garden, but she has not said much else about things in the kitchen. So, for the time being at least, the White House is operating much as it has for the last eight years, although it is known that Mrs. Trump supports eating lots of fruit and drinking lots of water.

    She has lots of history to borrow from if she chooses, ranging from Eleanor Roosevelt’s abandonment of things domestic to the point that guests ate before going to dinner at the White House because the food was so bad to Jacqueline Kennedy’s keenness for French wine and cuisine. In between, Mamie Eisenhower demanded thrifty use of leftovers, and later Ronald Reagan and George Bush the First introduced the nation to Jelly Bellies and pork rinds.

    Melania Trump is keeping the home fires burning in Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue, but there is no shortage of interest in what she will do once she takes up her volunteer responsibilities as First Lady. My guess is she is going to do exactly what her husband is doing. 

    She will be a first lady on her own terms, whatever they may be.

  • 01PubPenThe topic of last Saturday’s meeting of Cumberland County Citizens United focused on the communities of Shaw Heights and Julie Heights. The presentations, discussions and information provided were to assist Fayetteville and Cumberland County residents in determining whether these poor, scarcely populated, run-down and nearly forgotten pieces of Cumberland County geography were worthy of annexation into the City of Fayetteville. 

    Well, it was a very interesting and informative session with the pros and cons pretty much balancing each other out. For me, the highlight was the main presentation by District 8 City Councilman Ted Mohn. He was masterful in his explanation and delivery of what is a very important, intricate and delicate issue. The annexation question of Shaw Heights/Julie Heights showcased perfectly Mohn’s ability to analyze and articulate even the most complicated of issues. He recently announced he would not seek another term on the council. And that is unfortunate. Now, more than ever, the City needs his kind of insight and level-headed intelligence. 

    In addition to Mohn, there were others on hand providing helpful information and explanations. State Representative Elmer Floyd, who introduced the Shaw Heights annexation bill, was on hand and spoke of the bill’s intention to provide governmental consistency that would allow for greater fairness and opportunities for economic growth and development, moving Fayetteville/Cumberland County forward.

     Wade Fowler was also present to represent PWC and explained the intricacies and cost of adding water and sewer service to residential and commercial projects and the various finance options that may or may not be available in the near future. 

    City Councilman Bill Crisp was on hand. His position on the Shaw Heights annexation was muted. Even though Crisp is not a fan of forced annexation, he has made it clear he will not stand in the way of progress and will support whatever initiatives are recommended if they are in the best interest of Fayetteville residents. Fayetteville Mayor Nat Robertson feels pretty much the same way. He has empathy for the residents of Shaw and Julie Heights. He knows and understands their limited resources and he does not want to cause them undue financial or mental stress. Robertson takes his commitments and promises seriously. He has stood steadfast in opposition to forced annexation. This being said, I see no bigger advocate for the citizens of Shaw and Julie Heights and for whatever resources, plans or ideas that will enhance economic development, increase the tax base while enriching the lives of Fayetteville residents. There is so much potential in this area.  

    Conspicuously absent from this important conversation was anyone from Cumberland County. No Commissioners. Extremely disappointing from the point of view that a great opportunity does exist here with the issue to “annex or not annex” Shaw Heights. Think about it: When approaching Fayetteville from Spring Lake, this portion of Fayetteville and Cumberland County could be a beautiful – impressive – Gateway into Fayetteville. To me, it resembles a huge blank canvas waiting for a talented artist to engage in painting a creative Gateway masterpiece. And, on the artist’s paint palette are all the necessary resources to make it a reality, unobstructed. The only thing needed to make this
    a reality is cooperation. 

    Cooperation between the city and the county. Cooperation, communication and teamwork. Those elusive traits that serve as the fuel for progress. Fuel? Perhaps our local governments have been running on empty for way too long. This would explain our inability to retain our citizens, grow our tax base and attract new business and economic development.  I will close with this request: I implore our local leadership to use this Shaw Height situation as an opportunity to demonstrate to the citizens and taxpayers of this county that collectively you have the ability to “do the right things, for the right reasons” while demonstrating that not all things the city and county engage in have to be partisan or controversial. 

    With so many wonderful developments happening on the horizon, i.e. new parks and recreation enhancements, a baseball stadium, Civil War Education Center, a revitalized Downtown, the prospect of a performing arts center and the recent community-based initiative Vision 2026, we do not need any distractions. Distractions will only impede our progress, and progress is what we want to be all about. Thank you for reading U&CW. If you have a comment or opinion, feel free to email us or contact us on Facebook. We love hearing from our readers.

  • Mr. Bowman,

    Perhaps if you used a different word than “illegal,” you might find a little more compassion for people who are looking for a better way of life by coming to this country, founded on immigrants looking for a better way of life.

    Try using the word “undocumented.”  People are not “illegal” or “alien.”

    Think of undocumented people fleeing for their lives, having watched their families die in terror.

    Think of undocumented people who fear what will happen to their families if they are deported.

    Think of undocumented people who face certain death if they are deported.

    Think of undocumented people willing to cross the border to find work, work which many documented people in this country will not stoop to.

    Think of the word “privilege,” which you seem to forget. We have many privileges living in this country. We have many jobs that are filled with people who do not have privilege but are willing to work to live here.

    Try using different words.

    — Anne Smiley

     

    Mr. Bowman,

    This is a sore subject for me, Bill. Not to be a stick in the mud, but if something is against the law, the appropriate word is “illegal.” 

    My great grandparents came here seeking a better life, fleeing crushing poverty and crime in Eastern Europe — along with many others in desperate circumstances. They crossed a freaking ocean in the belly of an overcrowded ship to get here not knowing what would greet them on the shores of America. But they came anyhow, filled with hope and eager to assimilate. They showed up with a couple bucks, didn’t know a soul, didn’t know the language and had nowhere to go — like many of todays’s immigrants. The difference is, they did it legally and were able to build a life here without having to look over their shoulder or live in fear. 

    No one gave them money, food stamps, free medical care or a free college education for their trouble, either. They found work as laborers and coal miners and lived in tenement houses and ghettos. They worked hard and played by the rules, determined to give their children a better life, a future filled with possibilities and with hope.

    No one felt sorry for them and they didn’t expect anything from anyone. They latched onto every opportunity that came their way and worked hard to improve their lot. Eighty years later, I was the first member on that side of  family to graduate from college, where I worked three jobs to pay my way through and considered myself lucky to have that opportunity.

    We do have many privileges in this country. Privileges that my  grandfather, my dad, my uncle and my father-in-law defended as service members in the armed forces and that my husband is still defending at the expense of my marriage and my children’s relationship with their father — to ensure that people have the freedom to say whatever is on their mind.

    If someone has an issue with this country’s immigration policy, though, advocating to change the system would be more useful than suggesting we soften our words to make them less offensive. Calling somone “undocumented” instead of “illegal” does not change their circumstances, it only serves to make the person reading about it feel less guilty.

    — Stephanie Crider

     

    Mr. Bowman,

    My opinion is the only good reporter in the National Media is Sharyl Attkisson.  The recent article by Janice Burton puts her in the same category.  

    Paul Werner

  • 05RobertVanGeonsFinancil Services Firm Locates in Fayetteville

    eClerx Customer Operations announces immediate plans for a new delivery center to be located at 235 N. McPherson Church Road in Fayetteville. With more than 9,000 employees worldwide, this is the firm’s first delivery center in the US The company hopes to hire 40 employees by June 1, with additional growth projected over the next two years. eClerx Services Limited is a leading knowledge process outsourcing company providing middle/back office operations in support of over 30 Fortune 500 companies. It is headquartered in Mumbai, India, and supports a diverse global client base, including the world’s leading financial services, broadband, cable and telecom, e-commerce, industrial manufacturing and distribution, software, media and entertainment and travel companies. “Fayetteville boasts several appealing factors which we believe are critical to success, including a bustling local community with access to a diverse labor force that draws upon military families and local colleges, an overall low cost of living and reduced operating expenses,” the company said in a news release. “We are proud to have a globally engaged company like eClerx joining our local economy,” said Robert Van Geons, FCEDC President and CEO. “Projects like this wouldn’t be possible without the work of Fayetteville Technical Community College and support from the N.C. Community Colleges’ NCWorks program,” he added.

    06ShawcroftRdShawcroft Road Temporary Repairs Coming 

    Fayetteville City Council has appropriated $300,000 to make temporary repairs to Shawcroft Road on Fayetteville’s north side. It was heavily damaged when Hurricane Matthew blew out an underground culvert, causing the roadway to collapse. Shawcroft Road is the only entrance into the massive Kings Grant subdivision of 600 homes. District One City Councilwoman Kathy Jensen says 3,000 cars a day come and go along Shawcroft. A makeshift roadway connecting Farmers Road with Shawcroft on property owned by Cedar Falls Baptist Church was opened following the hurricane. City Engineer Gisselle Rodriguez says planning and design corners were cut, allowing permanent repairs to be made beginning in September. Needed construction materials won’t be available until then, said Rodriguez. In the meantime, a temporary culvert and road will be open from late April until mid-June. Then, Shawcroft Road will be closed again to make the permanent repairs. Officials haven’t decided yet whether to put in another culvert or a bridge.   

     

    07Carryn OwensKIA Navy Seal Honored by President Trump

    President Trump honored the widow of Navy Chief Petty Officer William “Ryan” Owens during his address to Congress last week. Many viewers might have wondered why the president referred to him as Senior Chief Owens. It had not been widely reported that the Navy Seal had been posthumously promoted to the enlisted rank of E-8, which is Senior Chief Petty Officer, commonly referred to as ‘senior chief.’ A posthumous promotion is an honorary advancement in rank of a person who is killed in combat. Owens was killed during a Jan. 28 raid against al-Qaida militants in Yemen. 

     

     

     

    08HumanTraffickOn-Going Human Trafficking Probe 

    Local and military authorities recently disrupted another human trafficking operation with the arrest of 10 subjects. The Cumberland County Sheriff’s Human Trafficking Unit conducted a joint operation with Fayetteville Police, Hope Mills Police and the Army’s Criminal Investigation Command. “The undercover operation took place in the vicinity of Eastern Boulevard and East Mountain Drive,” said sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Sean Swain. The sting was conducted “in an attempt to identify potential victims of human trafficking and persons engaged in illegal prostitution,” Swain added. The sheriff’s office said 10 men and women were charged with solicitation of prostitution: Steven Richard Hatley, 65, of Fayetteville; Brian Keith Paige, 53, of Hope Mills; Lenward Lewis Parker Jr., 35 of Spring Lake; Theodore Michael Boone, 47, of Fayetteville; Jordan Nicole West, 25,  of Spring Lake; Sandy Renee Jones, 42, of Lumberton; Milton Donnell McLaughlin, 53, of Raeford; Thomas Ashely McKoy, 64, of Clarkton; Patricia Lee Fancher, 46, of Lumberton;  and Joseph Shaw, 34, of Fayetteville. Shaw was also charged with possession of cocaine. Sheriff’s attorney Ronnie Mitchell said, “This fight and these investigations are conducted surreptitiously and clandestinely, over the course of a significant period of time.”  

     

    09PWCColor

    Matching Venders with Business

    The Fayetteville Public Works Commission will host its second Building Business Rally Thursday, April 6. Local business vendors are invited to take part in the rally. They’ll be able to meet with PWC utility representatives. The event is part of the Public Works Commission’s strategic initiatives designed to improve local vendor capacity and to engage those that would like to do business with PWC. “Commissioners are keenly motivated to build local business capacity,” said Chairwoman Evelyn Shaw. Purchasing representatives with the City of Fayetteville, County of Cumberland, County Schools, the North Carolina Departments of Transportation and Administration, Greater Fayetteville Chamber and other local agencies will also participate. The Building Business Rally is a drop-in event and will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the PWC Operations Center, 955 Old Wilmington Road.

     

    10ArtofCouponsThe Art of Couponing

    Cumberland County Cooperative Extension Service will present the Better Living Series workshop “Couponing and Grocery Saving Basics” March 17 from noon - 1:30 p.m. at the Charlie Rose Agri-Expo Center, 301 E. Mountain Dr., Fayetteville. WRAL TV-5’s Smart Shopper Fay Prosser will host the workshop to help teach the ins and outs of smart couponing and other cost-saving tips. Workshop registration is required. The $10 registration fee is due by March 14. For accommodations for persons with disabilities, contact Lisa Childers at (910) 321-6880 no later than five business days before the event.

  • 25Athlete1

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    David Perez-Benitez Cape Fear Soccer Senior

    Perez-Benitez was a member of Cape Fear’s soccer team last fall, which was second in the Mid-South 4-A Conference with a 17-4-2 record and advanced to the state 4-A playoffs. He has a grade point average of 5.0.

    26Athlete2

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Adrianne Stevens South View Swimming Junior

    Stevens was recognized as the MVP in the conference swim meet. She qualified for regionals where she swam a personal best of 1:01.60 in the 100-yard fly. She has a grade point average of 4.15.

  • 24TerrySanSoccerTerry Sanford’s girls’ soccer team made one of its deepest state playoff runs ever in 2015. So when the 2016 playoffs began and the Bulldogs were the top seed in the 3-A East, bigger and better things were expected.

    It didn’t happen. They lost in a penalty kick shootout to Wilson Hunt in only the second round. But don’t expect coach Karl Molnar and this year’s team to dwell on that fact.

    “Right now, I think we are looking at each other and saying this is a talented group,’’ Molnar said. “We better make something happen.’’

    Numbers tell a lot of the story for this year’s Bulldog team, which opened the 2017 season with a 9-0 rout of Cape Fear that included three goals from senior captain Gracey Lewis.

    Molnar has nine seniors and seven juniors on this year’s roster. “We’re pretty talented at every position,’’ he said. “I don’t know that I attack any better than I defend. We’re pretty solid across the board.’’

    Among the most solid players on the team is Lewis. Athletics is very much in her blood, as she’s the daughter of two veteran coaches, Randy Lewis and Dotty Lewis. Although neither coached soccer, both have plenty of wisdom about preparation and gamesmanship to share with their daughter.

    “She’s a very mature kid,’’ Molnar said. “She kind of looks and understands differently from most kids. And we’ve got a bunch of type A personalities around her that believe the same things she believes.’’

    Like her coach, Lewis said the loss to Wilson Hunt last year is already forgotten. “You’ve got to move on or you’re never going to move forward,’’ she said.

    The key to success for the Bulldogs this year, said Lewis, is staying healthy. “I think our starting lineup is going to be unreal,’’ she said. “We have a lot of speed and a lot of communication. We can possess the ball this year.’’

    Lewis said she will be keeping the advice of her parents in her head as she tries to make the Bulldogs a winner again. “They like to see me work hard at everything I do,’’ she said. “If you mess up, don’t give up, get the ball back.

    “They always told me for every shot you take you have to have amnesia and forget about it so you can make the next one.’’

    As a senior and a captain, Lewis said she feels more comfortable in the role of team leader. “I have halftime speeches going through my head on how we can improve,’’ she said. “I think it runs in the genes.’’

  • 23BothCoachesIt’s the eternal question for high school football programs when the time comes for a coaching change: Do you build from within, or reach outside the school to take your team in a different direction?

    For both Terry Sanford and Jack Britt, the decision was to hire someone with a link to the program.

    Terry Sanford picked Bruce McClelland, a 1988 Terry Sanford grad currently in his second stint as an assistant coach on the school’s staff.

    Britt also turned to an assistant, a man who was with the school a few years ago but will leave E.E. Smith to return to the Buccaneers, Brian Randolph. Randolph is a Douglas Byrd graduate and played for its legendary coach Bob Paroli during his years there.

    McClelland has an obvious advantage already being in the building at Terry Sanford and serving as offensive coordinator under former head coach Bryan Till, now at Richmond Senior.

    Routines are important for high school coaches, so McClelland said you don’t need to expect many changes for now. “We’ll have the whole staff but Coach Till,’’ McClelland said. “We’ll keep things familiar so we can add to it rather than reintroduce things.’’

    As offensive coordinator last year, and with quarterback Christian Jayne returning, the Bulldogs will figure to be one of the area’s most prolific passing teams. Defensively, McClelland plans to stress bringing the pressure to the opponent.

    One of the biggest concerns will be replacing Till’s leadership in the weight room to keep the Bulldog strength training program on track. 

    When the spring conditioning period begins in a few weeks, McClelland said his focus will be on developing linemen. “We want to see how much we’ve progressed from last year and put in the basics of our system to see how the kids react to that,’’ he said.

    Randolph is only the third football coach Britt has had since opening in 2000. He worked with both his predecessors, Richard Bailey and Brian Rimpf, and is excited for the great opportunity he has to build on the legacy at Jack Britt.

    His biggest concern is how soon he’ll be able to start work at Britt. He teaches a critical math course at E.E. Smith, so finding a way for him to transition to Britt before school’s end this year won’t be easy.

    When spring conditioning begins, he wants to focus on getting students who haven’t been playing football out for the team. “I want to let them know it’s a clean slate and we’re starting from fresh,’’ he said. “We want as many numbers as we can within the parameters of what we can do.’’

    Randolph wants to run a no-huddle, up-tempo offense. He’s not set on defense, except that he wants his team to be sound fundamentally. “There are no easy weeks,’’ he said. “The schedule is tough. No days off.’’ Britt will move into the Sandhills Athletic Conference and face traditional powers Richmond Senior and Scotland as well as some of the top teams from Cumberland County.

    He plans to borrow a lesson learned from his old high school coach, Paroli, and try to field a team that is mentally tough. “He loved to make practice harder than the game,’’ Randolph said of Paroli. “If you make practice hard, the game is easy.

    “We’re going to have fun. At the end of the day, winning games is more fun.’’

     

     

  • Man, I was pumped to see The LEGO Batman Movie (104 minutes). This movie was going to redeem all the crap-tastic DC Universe films I’ve suffered through. It would be funny yet edgy, I told myself. It would showcase some of that DC humor my DC-loving friends keep insisting abounds in the comics. It would be as righteously awesome as its predecessor, The LEGO Movie, with a different but equally catchy theme song. Less angst, more Batusi — like in the 60s. At the end of the day, perhaps the weight of my expectations dragged at the film, because, quite frankly, I was bored.

    21LegoBatmanreviewThe film is set after the events of The LEGO Moviein the LEGO version of Gotham. Joker (Zach Galifianakis) is trying to destroy the city while the Gotham Brain Trust runs in circles and I try to figure out why some young gun with sniper skills doesn’t just hang out on top of a tall building and wait for his moment to become the hero of Gotham by taking Joker out for good. Whoops. Was that too dark a comment in a review of a movie aimed at kids?

    The opening sequence is highly kinetic, leading to a face-off between Joker andBatman (Will Arnett). This scene, which sets up a dichotomy between being the love of Batman’s life and his arch nemesis had potential but fell flat in execution. Maybe due to Galifianakis’ complete lack of appeal? As far as I can tell, the slightest cameo by Galifianakis manages to ruin even good movies. He’s the worst.

    Anyway, Joker takes it personally and swears vengeance. Understandably, given the relative success rates of Joker vengeance plots, instead of quaking in his Batboots, Batman opts to swing by an orphanage and pass out Batswag in celebration of his latest victory, then return home to chow down on some Lobster Thermidor. The Lobster Thermidor keeps popping up, and I spent more time than I should have trying to figure out if it was some insider joke or comic book reference. By the way, after 20 minutes of searching, I know everything about Lobster Thermidor except why it was a central plot point in the film.

    To move the plot along, Batman attends the retirement party of Commissioner Gordon and falls in love with Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson), the new Commish. The Joker crashes the party along with all the villains from the classic sixties version of Batman, 1989’s Batman, Batman Returns, Batman: The Animated Series, Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Batman Forever, and The Batman Movie That Shall Not Be Named, and a whole lot of other Batman properties. Most notable? The Condiment King, who is, I swear, an actual Batman villain.

    The Joker surrenders and gift-wraps all the other villains for delivery to Barbara Gordon, changing Batman from a valued vigilante crucial to the safety of Gotham City into a rich poser who likes Bat-themed toys. It’s pretty funny, but that’s because I like it when cartoons make sad faces. Somewhere in there, Bruce Wayne manages to adopt Dick Grayson (Michael Cera). Perfect timing, because Batman needs a young and expendable acolyte to steal something that belongs to Superman (Channing Tatum).

    Overall, I got what I paid for. Batman, but in LEGO form! This was a decent follow-up to The LEGO Movie, the references to other Batman properties came fast and furious, and, unlike some Christopher Nolan Batman movies I could mention, the plot was both reasonably coherent and possessed internal logic. I wish the film had lived up to my expectations, but given the lofty nature of those expectations, perhaps disappointment was inevitable. P.S. I will not be watching The LEGO NINJAGO Movie. It looks stupid. 

    Now playing at Patriot 14 + IMAX.

  • 20FTCCDentalThe Dental Assisting curriculum at Fayetteville Technical Community College prepares individuals to assist a dentist and to to function as integral members of the dental team while performing chair-side, office and laboratory procedures. Students receive up-to-date training in the dental field from a CODA-accredited program. This means students who graduate from FTCC are considered DA II’s in the state of North Carolina and are eligible to perform some expanded functions in this state without paying for further training or certification. 

    Dental assisting is an exciting career that gives students a variety of options upon graduation. Those options include working in general dentistry or in a specialty field such as orthodontics, oral surgery or pediatrics, etc. Work is also available in administrative roles and through opportunities to work with dental vendors. Students who receive training in dental assisting receive the knowledge and flexibility to advance in the dental field. FTCC’s program covers instruments (general and specialty) and their functions, infection control policies and procedures, dental radiography, dental materials, dental sciences, anatomy and practice management. Students train on campus as well as through clinical rotations at dental offices in Fayetteville and the surrounding area. Rotation sites include general dentistry and specialty areas. The broad range of exposure also allows students to map out their career paths by finding their areas of interest. It also allows students the opportunity to experience different areas to facilitate mapping out their career paths and find their areas of interest. 

    As students move through their semesters at FTCC, they also prepare for the National Board examinations. Students have the option to take their exams in three sections: Infection Control, Radiation Health and Safety, and General Chairside, or students can opt to take all three exam components in one sitting. Once students pass all components, they are considered Certified Dental Assistants or CDAs, which is a national recognition. 

    Training to become a dental assistant is a one-year program that begins in the fall semester, with program completion the following summer. Most graduates have secured jobs before graduation and gained valuable hands-on experience from their clinical rotation sites. The job outlook for dental assisting shows that there will be growth in the field through at least 2024. The average salary for a North Carolina dental assistant is $38,720. Students who have advanced certification and training are more likely to have the best job prospects, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics.

    Students interested in dental assisting are encouraged to call 910-678-8574 or email walkers@faytechcc.edu. The application process for all health programs is open from Nov. 1 through Jan. 30. Financial aid is available for qualifying students. Students will need to apply to the college first and have all academic transcripts sent to FTCC for processing. We at FTCC are excited to help get you started on the path to your new career! We look forward to having you become part of the FTCC dental family. 

  • 19ShermansMarchThe Civil War is a defining moment in America’s history. One of the most important events in the Civil War was Sherman’s March. “Sherman’s March is captivating for two reasons: it eventually signaled the end of the war, which meant freedom for slaves; and it created a swath of destruction in the South, leaving families in a destitute state. Families who experienced Sherman’s March directly told their stories to each generation, up to this day. After more than 150 years, these stories continue to resonate with those families as part of the “Lost Cause,” and it’s worn as a badge of honor,” Leisa Greathouse, Curator of Education at the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex, explained. On March 12, at 2 p.m., the Museum of the Cape Fear will host a presentation about this topic by the award-winning Civil War author Col. Wade Sokolosky, U.S. Army, retired.

    Fayetteville has a particular connection to Sherman’s March. “Fayetteville was an attraction for Sherman because of the North Carolina Arsenal. After leaving Savannah and heading north through South Carolina, he had the potential of many objectives of where to go next. He was bringing his Total War Policy to North Carolina. He deliberately tried to fool the Confederates with which direction he would take, but he had his eyes set for Fayetteville to raze the arsenal. It was, after all, producing weapons for the Confederacy,” Greathouse said. “Fayetteville was the starting point for what would turn out to be a series of events that led to the end of the war in North Carolina.”

    Sokolosky is a 25-year veteran of the Army and a graduate of East Carolina University. He is considered one of the state’s experts on the 1865 Carolinas Campaign. He is well known for his book No Such Army Since the Days of Julius Caesar: Sherman’s Carolinas Campaign from Fayetteville to Averasboro, March 1865.There will be books available for purchase and an autograph session at this event. His presentation is entitled In the Path of Sherman’s March: The Final Days of the Fayetteville Arsenal. “Audience members will hear about some of the finer points regarding what happened in Fayetteville when it was occupied by the Union Army under Maj. Gen. William T. Sherman while simultaneously describing how the Confederate Army attempted to take a stand against Union forces at the Battle of Averasboro,” Greathouse said.

    One of the most compelling parts of Sokolosky’s work is his inclusion of first-hand accounts. “First-hand accounts give historians the best facts possible. First-hand accounts give voice to those who have come and gone before us. First-hand accounts can very often take away the guessing of what happened. First-hand accounts instill empathy,” Greathouse said. “But most of all, first-hand accounts make obscure events real. Whatever is in that first-hand account happened to a real person and not just a faceless name in a book.” For more information visit http://museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov. 

    The future of the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex continues along this Civil War theme. “The Museum of the Cape Fear is slated to become the North Carolina Civil War History Center,” Greathouse said.  “Fundraising efforts currently remain underway. Local organizers hope to break ground by 2020. The focus will be on the state-wide story of North Carolina and the Civil War, and will still include an exhibit on regional history. Historic Arsenal Park will be the setting for this one-of-a-kind attraction. Personal stories, previously uncollected, are now being sought to create exhibit content to tell a more complete and comprehensive story of North Carolina in the Civil War.”

  • 18JosalynsJogJosalyn Legg died five years ago. She was just 15 months old. “We don’t know why she passed away,” said Josalyn’s mom, Laura Legg. “You hear about Sudden Infant Death Syndrome but not Sudden Unexpected Death in Childhood. It is not as prevalent as SIDS, but when it does happen in children over 12 months, it’s called SUDC.

    To honor Josalyn’s memory, her parents Laura and Duane Legg organized a 5k run/1-mile walk. The Fifth Annual Josalyn’s Jog will be held on March 11 at the Medical Arts Building in Downtown Fayetteville. 

    “The year after Josalyn died, we decided to organize a run in her memory to raise money to build a playground and to support the SUDC Foundation,” said Legg. The SUDC Foundation “is dedicated to increasing the awareness of sudden unexpected deaths in childhood and funding crucial research to better understand and prevent these tragedies. We are the only organization worldwide devoted solely to the needs of families and professionals touched by unexpected/unexplained deaths of children,” according to SUDC.org.

    The family is trying to partner with the Cumberland County Parks and Recreation Department to build the playground. “I didn’t realize how expensive playgrounds are,” said Legg, noting that a medium-sized playground costs about $100,000.

    While the main event of the day is the 5k, there is also a 1k walk and activities the entire family will enjoy. The route is the flattest and fastest in Fayetteville, and the start time is a little later than most races. “We decided to start it at 10 a.m. so that people with little ones could still come out and participate in the race,” said Legg. “And even if you don’t want to be in the race, we have plenty of other things going on that will make it a fun day.”

    Guests can enjoy a rock climbing wall, face painting, a bounce house, food vendors and more.

    Several organizations, including local running clubs and churches come out to support the event. “Because it is a community event, a lot of people come together to make it possible,” said Legg. “You find out how many good people there are that want to come out and help.”

    This year, local schools are showing support as well. Students at Howard Hall have been training for this event, and Legg is expecting more than 100 students from the school to show up for the race. She noted that for many of the students it is their first 5k. Midway Middle School from Dunn is also planning to participate.

    Registration for the event is $25 for 1-mile participants and $30 for the 5k. Age groups are 10 and under; 11-14; 15-18; 19-24; 25-29; 30-34; 35-39; 40-44; 45-49; 50-54; 55-59; 60-64 and 65 and above. Race packet pickup and late registration are at La Cocina Mexican Restaurant in Hope Mills on March 10. Same-day registration closes at 9:45 a.m. on March 11. To register online, visit http://www.active.com and enter Josalyn’s Jog in the search bar. To learn more about Josalyn’s Jog, visit https://www.facebook.com/JosalynJog/?fref=photo.

  • 001COVERA lip sync battle, in its simplest form, involves people enthusiastically mouthing the words to popular songs. For the Child Advocacy Center’s Ultimate Lip Sync Showdown, members from many of our community’s influential organizations will lip sync, solo and in groups, dressed and acting as a variety of popular singers past and present. Guests to the event on March 25 will be seated at lushly decorated tables in the Crown Center Ballroom set with linen, fresh flowers and substantial hors d’oeuvres. 

    But the evening, which will begin at 6 p.m. for social hour and 7 p.m. for the show, is about so much more than entertainment. Lip sync-ers and attendees of the event will help to give unheard children a voice. Fayetteville’s Ultimate Lip Sync Showdown is the Child Advocacy Center’s spring fundraiser, replacing the previous and long-running American Girl Fashion Show fundraiser. 

    Roberta Humphries, executive director of the Child Advocacy Center since 2009, is no stranger to the nonprofit sector. She previously worked in leadership positions at the Cumberland County nonprofits United Way and Better Health.  But when the position with CAC opened, something was different — she knew this job was for her. “I have a real passion for wanting to help children who are victims of abuse. I had [been sexually abused as a child], so I’ve just always had a real passion for wanting to help other children. Because … it doesn’t have to define who you are, and it doesn’t have to define your life as you move forward. So when this position became available, it came at the right time, and I just felt like I could really give back to other kids.” 

    And she’s doing just that. CACs exist all over the world. Each is founded, owned and run independently, but may receive support from larger accrediting bodies like the National Children’s Alliance. All accredited CACs work with a multidisciplinary team of agencies in that community to create an integrated approach to meeting child abuse victims’ needs. Fayetteville’s CAC works with 19 community agencies, including all the county Police Departments, the DA’s office, CC Mental Health, CC Schools and Ft. Bragg Schools, Cape Fear Valley Health System, Womack Dept. of Social Services and more. 

    One way this integrated approach works is to ensure a child need only give their full testimony once. Previous to Robert “Bud” Cramer’s creation of the first CAC in Alabama in the late 80s, a child might have to repeat the story of their abuse as many as 15 times, with defense attorneys picking apart their words and pouncing on any (understandable) childlike inconsistencies — a horrific and re-traumatizing experience. By bringing all relevant agencies together into one child-friendly environment, the CAC eliminates this issue. 

    Also previous to the CAC’s establishment, children would have to travel to UNC-Chapel Hill or Duke for their medical evaluations and exams. By coordinating with our local medical care providers, the CAC can make the process more efficient for the family’s sake, talk directly to doctors and nurses about how to speak with and treat the children and enable children to be in a more familiar and comforting environment while being examined. 

    Fayetteville’s system, however, is unique from other CACs in one crucial way. Humphries explained that their system has hugely expanded its prevention component in the last nine to 10 years. Prevention training and education is not one of the core components required for accreditation, but the Fayetteville CAC has 76 partners in prevention. “Darkness to Light, one of our partner organizations in prevention, believes that this number is not just higher than any other CAC in North Carolina, but in the United States,” said Faith Boehmer, CAC Prevention/Volunteer Coordinator. 

    Humphries added: “CACs were founded to provide coordinated services to children that had been identified as already having been victimized. But the real goal would be for a child never to be victimized and to have a happy, healthy childhood from the beginning. If we can prevent [abuse] from happening, we can save a lot of children’s futures and also community dollars that go into putting the pieces back together.” 

    Every service the CAC provides comes at absolutely no cost to the family. This is made possible through events like their spring fundraiser, which makes up about 10 percent of their total income each year. The committee and some board members gathered last March to come up with an event that was popular, unique and that nobody else was doing in the community: lip sync! 

    Many CAC partner agencies will be represented at the Showdown, which is being organized by Julia Adkins, long-term chair of the American Girl Fashion Show. Cumberland County Schools’ Pre-K educators Wanda Wesley, Patricia Easton and Denise Dutcher will serenade the crowd as The Supremes. A group from the Fayetteville Police Department will perform as Cyndi Lauper, The Spice Girls, Beyoncé and Kelly Clarkson. Rainbow Pediatrics will bring the house down with a Glee mashup of “Hit Me With Your Best Shot.” Other performances to look out for include Rob Lowe as Prince, Roberta Humphries and her husband Paul as Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, and local theatre and musical star Cassandra Vallery as — ahem, herself. 

    Participants are more than happy to dress up and dance their hearts out in support of the CAC. Catalina Orrego, marketing and administrative assistant at Rainbow Pediatrics by day, will transform into an all-star Glee member on the evening of March 25. “The CAC is a great cause we’re really excited to support! It’s also been fun for us [Rainbow co-workers] to get to know each other on another level, practicing our routine and getting together outside of the work environment. We’ve all come together, and it’s been a real team effort,” Orrego said. 

    Peggy Smith, supervisor of Fayetteville PD’s Youth Services Unit, will perform with her co-workers as a number of strong female artists, from The Spice Girls to Beyoncé.  Smith shared that her peers appreciate how the CAC not only helps children who “suffer horrendous acts of violence and are often overlooked,” but also the police officers themselves. “The help that they provide to us is priceless, she said. “[Our unit] investigated over 1,000 cases last year involving children. … [The CAC helps us] get training that is needed and yearly strive to try to educate and [prevent child abuse]. The Child Advocacy Center needs the community’s support, and we are proud to help give back to them who are so often there for us.”

    Fayetteville First Lady Kim Robertson will help determine the winner for the night, with audience participation to determine the People’s Choice Award. Audience members can also boost their favorite group’s score by purchasing votes. The event will also feature a raffle ticket drawing for prizes of a 50-inch flat screen TV, an iPad mini and a Fitbit. Raffle tickets are available for purchase in advance or evening of for $5 each. A limited number of performance slots are still available! To learn about performing, or to purchase tickets, visit www.CACFayNC.org or call (901) 486-9700.  Regular tickets cost $50. VIP tickets cost $75 and reward guests with closer seating, more elaborate table decorations and a bottle of wine. 

    The CAC is located downtown at 222 Rowan Street. If you would like to support the work they do but cannot attend the Lip Sync Showdown at the Crown Center Ballroom on March 25, consider volunteering your time to do needed clerical work. You can also stop by the center and donate everyday items they need, such as individual snack items, comfort blankets and office supplies. “To see [the kids] laughing and smiling and realizing they’re not alone, to see them move forward and live happy lives, to see these kids be kids … that’s the best thing we see here,” Humphries said.

  • 16CFRTIntimateApparelIntimate Apparel is a show of visual and conceptual dichotomies that allow you to arrive at subtle, tender and painful conclusions for yourself. “It’s a play set in 1905 about who you’re not supposed to love and who perhaps you do anyway,” Director Khanisha Foster said. “There’s something dangerous and beautiful about that. A lot of what we explore in the play is what the rules of the time are versus what happens when people actually connect to each other.” 

    Upon arriving to Intimate’s first preview, I was immediately struck by the sweep of a deep, luxuriously red curtain on the right side of the stage. Nestled in front of the curtain were a red velvet chaise lounge, a stuffed red armchair and a grand piano. A chandelier dangled above the red carpet. These reds, arranged with powerful simplicity by Scenic Designer Josafath Reynoso and beautifully lit by David Castaneda, grabbed my eye first. 

    My gaze then wandered left, ascending a short wooden staircase to a shelf full of bolts of fabric, and then back down to the left side of the stage. Here, in the “rented room” of black seamstress Esther Mills (played stirringly by L.A. native Ashlee Olivia Jones), I saw a single desk with a sewing machine, lit by a single kerosene lamp. Grace Schmitz did a great job rounding out this bland visual impression with her costume design, dressing Esther in whites, browns and olive greens. 

    As the play unfolds, Esther never leaves the stage, weaving back and forth between her kindly if exasperating landlady, Michelle Walker’s Mrs. Dixon, and the red, rich world of Lauren Mae Shafer’s warm but ignorant Mrs. Van Buren. Mrs. Van Buren is a lonely Manhattan socialite who hires Esther to sew her beautiful undergarments that go ever-unseen by her aloof husband. Her relationship with Esther is illustrated by Foster’s skillful blocking: in at least half of their scenes, Mrs. Van Buren continuously stands up on and then steps down from a block of wood while Esther flutters around her, adjusting her lingerie. The visual seesaw seems to mimic Mrs. Van Buren’s conflicting awareness of her hierarchical place in relation to Esther and her genuine desire for friendship with her. 

    It is also on the “red” side of the stage that Esther visits her friend Mayme, a prostitute who sometimes lets herself dream of being a concert pianist. Alason Little is irresistibly fresh and funny, free-spirited and guarded as Mayme, and it is a treat to watch these two actresses connect onstage. 

    Once a week, Esther’s horizontal tread is broken by visits up the staircase to Mr. Marks, a Hasidic merchant of beautiful cloth played with an enchanting sincerity and quiet by Patrick Poole. It is here, among the bolts of carefully crafted cloth that Mr. Marks loves to show Esther, that the show finds its underlying heartbeat and most intimate moments. For their heartfelt but tentative friendship encapsulates the theme that Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Notage’s script weaves throughout: humans in relation to social structures that tell them who or what they can and can’t have intimacy with.

    There is a beautiful moment when Esther reaches out to touch Mr. Marks’ coat and he flinches away. “The color won’t rub off on you,” a flustered Esther quickly apologizes. “No, no…” Mr. Marks urges. He explains that he can’t be touched by anyone other than his relatives or future wife. “It is rabbinical law. Not mine,” he explains. I felt both respect and regret in his words.

    Beethovan Oden, who lives in New York, is convincing as George –  Esther’s letter-writing, long-distance marriage proposal – the outcome of which provides yet another thought-provoking juxtaposition.

    Director Khanisha Foster returns to CFRT for her third time to do Intimate Apparel. She had her directorial debut with The Bluest Eye in 2015, returning in 2016 to direct Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, which became CFRT’s highest grossing non-musical at that time. “I was thrilled to come back to the community,” she said. “It’s been a very loving process.” 

    Intimate Apparel runs through March 19. Visit www.cfrt.org or call (910) 323-4233 to purchase tickets.

  • 15TenTenorsThe TEN Tenors, Australian musical sensation that blends rock, pop and opera in dynamic live performances, first toured internationally on a European circuit in 2001. They sold 120,000 tickets in five days. They have now sold over 3.5 million concert tickets worldwide, produced six platinum and gold records, and performed alongside music legends such as Andrea Bocelli, Lionel Richie, Keith Urban and Christina Aguilera.

    And they are coming to the Crown Complex courtesy of Community Concerts on Saturday, March 18. The group will travel to Fayetteville as part of their 20th Anniversary World Tour, “The Power of TEN.” 

    “The Power of TEN” tour promises to demonstrate just that – how powerful ten tenors onstage can be, and why they’ve kept audiences enthusiastically returning for so many years. On this tour, The TEN transform popular rock and pop anthems with their distinctive “tenorial” renditions, bringing their trademark charisma and gorgeously arranged music to the stage. When asked about the song he is most excited to perform on tour, longest-serving member and musical director Paul Gelsumini said “…Simon and Garfunkel’s ‘The Boxer.’ This arrangement is remarkable and I could never sing it enough.”

     Virgilo Marino, who joined in 2016 as the group’s newest member, has performed in many internationally prestigious operatic capacities, from the Concorso Riccardo Zandonai in Italy to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 in Singapore. Florian Voss, who also joined The TEN in 2016, uses his skills not just to impress audiences, but also to empower others. His many credits include a partnership with non-profit organization The Broadway Dreams Foundation to help gifted young artists develop their musical abilities. “The [TEN family] is large and unique like the music and genres that we have covered. Members may come and go … but our style and presence [remains] true,” said Gelsumini.

    These impressive musicians also enjoy the little things about touring. Guitarist David Orr said, “I love to explore the new cities and find awesome venues to sit back and enjoy some live music!” Benjamin Keane, pianist, added that he loves “being able to live life as a local and do what the locals do” as he travels. 

    The show on March 18 will be preceded by a short induction ceremony for new members into The Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame. The Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame was founded by Community Concerts to honor those who have brought musical distinction to our community. Past winners of the prestigious award include Bo Thorp, long-term creative director and voice of the Cape Fear Regional Theater, and the late dance legend and ballet teacher Charlotte Blume. Community Concerts, founded in 1935, is an “all-volunteer, non-profit whose goal is to bring the finest in top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville.” 

    After The TEN Tenors concert, Community Concerts will hold its season finale on April 11, featuring the Broadway smash hit “RAIN: A Tribute to the Beatles.” Michael Fleishman, attractions director for Community Concerts, shared his excitement about the show on March 18: “If you think three or four tenors are great, wait until you see what TEN can do. Don’t miss this! It’s a show you’ll long remember.”

    Tickets to see The TEN range from $30 to $75.50 and are available in person at the Crown Box Office or online at www.CapeFearTix.com. The show will begin at 7:30 p.m. 

  • 14SecondChanceOne of the most famous plays in football history happened on New Year’s Day in the 1929 Rose Bowl. Georgia Tech was playing the University of California. A player for California by the name of Roy Riegals recovered a fumble but somehow got turned around and ran over 60 yards the wrong way. 

    A teammate by the name of Benny Lom caught Riegals and tackled him just before he crossed the goal line. A few plays later, California would attempt a punt deep in their end zone as a result of “wrong way Riegals” run, only to have the kick blocked with Georgia Tech scoring a safety. 

    Riegals’ mishap occurred in the first half. During halftime, Riegals settled into a corner, draped a blanket around his shoulders and cried like a baby. The locker room was uncharacteristically quiet that day. Just as halftime was coming to an end, California Coach Nibs Price looked at his team and said, “Men, the same team that played the first half will start the second.” 

    Everyone started out of the locker room except for Roy Riegals. The coach approached his broken player and said, “Roy, didn’t you hear me? The same team that played the first half will start the second.” Riegals looked up at his coach and with tears still streaming down his face said, “Coach, I can’t do it to save my life. I’ve ruined you. I’ve ruined the University of California. I’ve ruined myself. I couldn’t face the crowd in the stadium to save my life.”

    Coach Nibs Price reached out and put his hand on the shoulder of Riegals and simply said, “Roy get up and go on back. The game is only half over.” Riegals did get up and go back onto the field, and he played an outstanding second half of football against the Yellow Jackets of Georgia Tech. 

    Roy Riegals is a wonderful example of a second chance. Many would look back at the 1929 Rose Bowl game and say, “What a great coach.” And indeed, Coach Price was a great coach. And his encouragement to Riegals to go out and play the second half is a powerful lesson for overcoming setbacks. But greater still is when we make similar mistakes in life, and God says, “The game is only half over.” And He gives each of us a second chance in life.

    The story of the Bible is God’s second chance for a people who have been disobedient. Consider the story of Jonah. Jonah ran from God’s calling, and yet God gave him a second chance. The city of Nineveh was wicked and corrupt, and yet God gave them a second chance. The world today is rampant in disobedience to God and the Bible. But our God is a second chance God. But in our second chance, let’s play our hearts out for the Head Coach, Jesus Christ. 

    Paul writes in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Accept the free gift that Jesus offers, and live the rest of your life playing hard for Jesus, much like Riegals became known for in the second half of the Rose Bowl. Don’t quit, because God hasn’t quit on you!

  • 13WorkInjuriesHave you been injured at work?  Well, you are not alone.  

    In 2015, there were 2.9 million work-related injuries in our country with almost 70,000 reported work-related injuries in North Carolina.  For ten years, I worked at the North Carolina Industrial Commission, our state’s “court system” for workers’ compensation cases. Over those ten years, I found that people with work-related injuries face the most serious situation in their lives — they are sick, unable to work and are having financial difficulties. 

    When you are injured at work, there are a few things you should do. 

    1. Inform your employer about your injury immediately and in writing. 

    2. If you do not report your injury within thirty days of the injury, you could lose your rights to benefits.  Many employers have a form for you to complete.

    3. Seek medical treatment as soon as possible.  Your employer may send you to the doctor.  If not, use your health insurance to get medical treatment.

    4. Take care in how you describe your injury.  Not all work-related injuries are covered by workers’ compensation. 

    5. File your claim, or Form 18, with the Industrial Commission within two years.

    6. Consult an attorney for help.  

    7. You can also call the Industrial Commission Information Specialists at 1-800-688-8349 for information.  

    Workers’ compensation is complicated.  Follow these steps to avoid making a mistake which can cause a problem later in your claim.

  • 12NCVetsNorth Carolina legislators are considering a bill that would result in a significant tax break for disabled veterans living in the state. Rep. Nelson Dollar (R-Wake) is the primary sponsor of the measure. It would grant vets a 100 percent exemption from the payment of property taxes. As written, the bill is an unfunded mandate that would not provide cities and counties an offset for the loss of tax revenue.

    To qualify as a disabled veteran and be eligible for a homestead property tax exemption under North Carolina law, a person must meet certain criteria. The property owner must be a permanent North Carolina resident and legally own and occupy the residence. The property owner must be a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces and have a service-connected disability from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the veteran’s character of service at separation must have been honorable or under honorable conditions. The surviving spouse of a disabled veteran may also qualify for a tax exemption. The current disabled veteran homestead exemption is the first $45,000 of the assessed property value of one’s home. Dollar’s bill would increase the exemption to 100 percent of a home’s tax value. 

    Cumberland County would lose $2.77 million in annual revenue if the bill becomes law. The City of Fayetteville would lose $1.17 million. Both local governing bodies have discussed the consequences of the measure with local legislators. “It is my understanding that they are working on some language to fix the unfunded mandate implications of the bill,” said Rep. John Szoka (R-Cumberland). “I am in favor of recognizing the sacrifice … disabled veterans have given in the service of our country and I think that this would be a good public policy,” Szoka added. He clarified, however, that he does not favor passing unfunded mandates down to cities and counties. 

    “I’d prefer the exemption be done on state income tax rather than property tax,” said Rep. Billy Richardson (D-Cumberland). “That way it would spread the burden around statewide not just on the counties that would be heavily impacted by loss of property tax revenue,” Richardson added. “Cumberland County already does so much for veterans.” The measure is in a house committee presently. 

    Rep. Dollar did not respond to Up & Coming Weekly’s repeated requests for comment.

    Details of the property tax exemption and other services available to all veterans can be found at the Cumberland County Veterans Service Office at 301. E. Russell Street, adjacent to the courthouse. The office assists veterans and their dependents in obtaining benefits to which they are entitled by: submitting claims for benefits to the Department of Veterans Affairs; reviewing and following up on decisions of the VA for fairness and accuracy; and writing and submitting appeals to the Board of Veterans Appeals for disputed decisions. These services are always free to veterans and their dependents. Veterans services officers are available for one on one counseling Monday - Thursday 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and on Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.  

  • 11SalesTaxIt’s been awhile since Cumberland County Commissioners and Fayetteville City Council members have spoken with each other regarding the future of local sales tax receipts. Mayor Nat Robertson is disappointed. “The county is 30 days in default to start a joint discussion,” said Robertson at a council committee meeting. He was referring to an agreement reached last year that both boards would meet no later than January to begin discussions on a new sales tax distribution contract. The current interlocal agreement is in effect until June 30, 2019. It virtually extended a contract that has been in effect for about 15 years. The towns of Spring Lake, Hope Mills, Stedman, Wade, Falcon, Godwin and Eastover are also parties to the arrangement.  

    It provides that city and county elected officials begin negotiating a new sales tax distribution agreement no later than last month. Robertson said he hadn’t heard from Commission Chairman Glenn Adams. But in December, Adams proposed that a joint committee begin work on a new contract. City Council rejected the idea because it didn’t like the proposed membership composition. The city favors a working group of all involved so the issue can be resolved in six months. However, the four-member council committee offered no suggestion as to the working group’s makeup. Robertson, Mayor Pro Tem Mitch Colvin and councilmen Jim Arp and Kirk deViere serve on this new group put together by Robertson. 

    By law, county government has the authority to use one of two methods to distribute  sales tax receipts. The method currently in use tends to favor the municipalities. But all parties agreed to it. Fayetteville took in nearly 50,000 residents in the 2005 phase V annexation better known as the ‘big bang.’ Council agreed to rebate to the county 50 percent of sales tax proceeds from the annexed areas. There was no expiration date. Robertson says it’s long past time that agreement was phased out. The council committee agreed to the mayor’s idea, noting the agreement has cost the city $60 million in lost revenue. The proposal is that refunds to the county be phased out by 10 percent annually beginning in 2021. After 2029, the city would retain all tax proceeds from the annexed areas. 

    County government is considering adopting another method of revenue distribution using established tax districts. The entire county is Cumberland’s tax district. The city limit of Fayetteville is its district. However, most council members believe they have an advantage since the largest number of voters live in the city and smaller towns. And county commissioners would be reluctant to change the formula. “I’m a little disappointed that we haven’t started this conversation,” council committee member Jim Arp said. And now, complicating matters are lower property values this year, meaning all units of local government may have to adjust their property tax rates and/or cut services in order to reach revenue neutrality. Council awaits a response from the county.

  • 04NotMyFathersMy father is a registered Democrat in Macon County, North Carolina. My father is a retired union steward from Detroit. A man that defines “SCAB” much differently than those protesting at airports today. A man that believed his Democratic party supported the working man; those without a voice; those trying to live the American dream; the middle class; his family. This is a man that walked picket lines in Detroit. This is a man that served in the Air Force. This is man that loves his country! This is a man that voted for Barack Obama twice! 

    And this is a man proudly wearing his Make America Great Again hat today!

    I was raised by this man. I was raised to believe that the Democratic Party was the party of the people and that Republicans were rich old white men. I was raised to believe that voting was a privilege, but you had better know what you are voting for before you walk into that booth. I drove two hours in a blizzard to cast my first ballot — straight ticket Democrat. 

    As a college student, I protested with the Black Caucus at Michigan State University. As the co-president of my senior class, I planned to skip my graduation because of the Republican Governor speaking. When my father dropped me off at Michigan State, his advice was simply, “Do not get arrested at a protest.”

    So how did this father come to vote for Donald Trump? How did this daughter come to be a dyed-in-the-wool Republican? 

    Simply put, this is not my father’s Democratic party. This is not the party of the people. This is the party of the elite. This is not the party for the marginalized; rather, the party that oppresses our cities and minorities. This is not the party of those trying to live the American Dream. This is the party that keeps making the government bigger and more burdensome and the people smaller and weaker. The more people Democrats make dependent on the government, the more votes they secure. This is not the party of the middle class, but the party that expects the middle class to pay for those that live off the government. 

    There are many voters like my father who never considered a Republican. I think he may have voted for Ronald Reagan, but even hardcore Democrats could not bring themselves to vote for Carter. 

    Why did Donald Trump win over my father? Your father? Because he is giving the voiceless a voice. Why did lifelong Democrats vote for Trump? Why did they put aside the “yellow dog” during this election? Simply put, this Democratic Party is unrecognizable to those upon whose backs it was built!

    Why did Democrats still win in urban areas like Detroit, Chicago and even Fayetteville? Is the devil you know really better than the devil you don’t? On the campaign trail, then-candidate Trump asked urban voters, “What do you have to lose?” As a recovering Democrat, I ask: Has your party served you and your family? Are you better off today than eight years ago? Are your communities safer? Cleaner? Are your schools better?

    While we may not agree with how President Trump gets things done, we all know he will get things done. We elect our government officials to serve us! We don’t serve government! Isn’t it refreshing to see someone finally working in Washington?

    Michele Woodhouse is a successful medical sales representative and a conservative activist. She lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. 

  • 03OvercomingTemptationI confess to experiencing periods when I have to work at overcoming the temptation to quit. That is, just take life easy and invest no time or effort in trying to help make our nation a better place for others. In this state, life would simply consist of enjoying my wife and family, playing golf, traveling, and a listing of other activities that would be enjoyable. This temptation invades my thinking when I stop long enough to give attention to just some of the many happenings and conditions in our nation that escape reason. These happenings and conditions show us to be a nation that is far from what is required for a future that includes societal well-being and even a minimally acceptable standard of living for all our citizens. 

    The list of happenings and conditions that tempt me to quit seems endless, but allow me to share a few:

    1. Mainstream media in America has come to a point of bias that is unacceptable beyond description. Lincoln Chafee, former Democratic candidate for president, made this point emphatically. An Associated Press article titled, “Chafee blasts media over Trump ‘onslaught,’ metric coverage” said “… Lincoln Chafee defended Republican President Donald Trump Tuesday against a tiresome ‘full onslaught’ by the “mainstream media’ ….” Chafee made his comments while talking about his own difficulties with the media. However, having a Democrat give this assessment is weighty in supporting charges of media bias against President Trump in particular and conservative views in general. Further, one only has to look at mainstream media reports on TV or in print to see the bias. I watch Fox Newsa good bit, but also watch ABC, CBS, NBC and other mainstream outlets, while reading various print media. The bias is in your face. The headlines on Trump in our local newspaper, The Fayetteville Observer, reveal a bias that cannot be missed. They don’t simply give an indication as to what the article is about. No, opposition to and intent to adversely impact his presidency jump out at the reader. The same is the case across mainstream print media. What I see as pervasive in mainstream media is not journalism…it is presentation of opinions masquerading as simply reporting the facts. 

    2. Somebody, or some entity, hacked the Democratic National Committee (DNC) computer system and the email account of John Podesta, then-campaign chairman for Hillary Clinton. Information apparently gained through hacking was made public and proved to be a complication for Hillary Clinton and her 2016 presidential campaign. Even in February 2017, this story is still in the news and there are calls for Congressional investigations of the hacking. People are outraged. However, General (Ret.) Michael Flynn has a phone conversation with the Russian Ambassador to the U.S before Donald Trump’s inauguration; the FBI records the conversation and somebody leaks to the press that the call was made. Sanctions imposed on Russia by President Obama were discussed. Flynn, who had been appointed Trump’s National Security Advisor, told Vice President Pence that he did not discuss sanctions. Once the leak happened, President Trump asked Flynn to resign, and he did. Not surprisingly, the tremendous interest on the part of mainstream media and Democrats, along with some Republicans, is to find proof that this event shows some illegal or even questionable contact between the Trump administration and the Russians. There seems to be little or no outrage regarding the leaking of FBI information that should have been withheld from the public domain. Outrage at the Flynn leak should be compounded by Andrew C. McCarthy in an article titled, “Why Was the FBI Investigating General Flynn?” quoting The New York Times as follows:

    “Obama officials asked the FBI if a quid pro quo had been discussed on the call, and the answer came back no, according to one of the officials, who like others asked not to be named discussing delicate communications. The topic of sanctions came up, they were told, but there was no deal.”

    The targets of outrage are most often driven by political expediency and that is dangerous for America.

    3. Protests now seem to be an ever-present and overwhelming occurrence in the streets of America. What concerns me is that most of these protests do not appear to have a clear aim as to what is desired or even offer some plan for achieving an aim. For instance, people take to the streets screaming (regarding President Trump), “Not my president.” What do they aim to achieve and how is this action moving them toward the aim? Then various protests take on an element of violence through burning and looting, even shooting people. Add to this the attacks on and even killing of police officers. 

    4. Every indication is that, as a nation, we have lost the capacity to discuss the challenging issues of our time and work together to successfully address those issues. Consider what is happening in town hall meetings as I write this column the week of  Feb. 20. Members of Congress are holding these meetings with groups of their constituents to hear and discuss concerns while also disseminating information. Attendees are screaming at elected officials and are so disruptive that some meetings are being canceled. Even further, there are reports that some of the disruptors are part of an organized effort to cause chaos.

    5. The argument that we should be accepting of sanctuary cities baffles me beyond description. I cannot understand why anybody would support this policy. From an article by Michelle Ye Hee Lee titled, “What exactly are ‘sanctuary cities’ in immigration policy?”: “There’s no official definition of ‘sanctuary,’ but it generally refers to rules restricting state and local governments from alerting federal authorities about people who may be in the country illegally.”

    6. The highly visible opposition being voiced loudly (and often with total disrespect toward those on the other side of the issue) to efforts by President Trump to bring illegal immigration under control challenges reason. At the same time, many of the people calling for allowing illegal immigration to go unchecked are also screaming for greater investment in education, saving Obamacare (even though it is clearly a failed program), increased infrastructure spending, and on and on. Do they not understand the tremendous financial cost imposed on federal, state and local governments by illegal immigrants? 

    7. As a nation, we are almost $20 trillion in debt and still borrowing. Further, hardly anybody talks about unfunded liabilities that are estimated by some sources to be over $80 trillion. Unfunded liabilities are payments the federal government has promised for future disbursement, but sufficient funds have not been set aside to make those future payments. We just keep borrowing, spending, promising future benefits and not preparing for them.

    8. Finally, but more troubling than everything else on this list, we are a morally bankrupt nation that has just about completed total departure from the Judeo-Christian foundation on which a great nation was built. Look at what we have come to: An entitlement mentality abounds; same-sex marriage is routine and the law; the homosexual lifestyle is celebrated and promoted; our Constitution, based on changeless biblical principles, is treated as an “evolving” document; two-parent households with a traditional marriage are becoming the exception; living according to one’s faith in God is relegated to our homes and churches; and on it goes. 

    This is just a sampling of conditions and happenings that tempt me to quit, to give up. I know that I am not alone in dealing with this temptation. There are others like me. Confronting this temptation reminds me of my grandmother, Ma’ Bessie. When I was 6 or 7 years old, I remember her saying to me, “Karl, there are times when I just want to go out on the front porch and scream.” I watched Ma’ Bessie, with grace and calm, live through very difficult times and into her late 80s. I know how she did it. She built and maintained a strong faith relationship with God, whom our nation is deserting. There is no other way to keep going, to keep serving, to overcome the temptation to quit than Ma’ Bessie’s way. I choose Ma’ Bessie’s way and recommend it as the only way to overcome the temptation
    to quit. 

  • 02GluePresident Trump and I do not agree on much, but he was spot-on in his address to Congress last week, asserting openly that we are a nation divided. We are now red and blue, with only a tad of purple. Increasingly, we draw our lines in the sand and few of us step over “our” line. We all wave the flag, then take it home and lock our doors and our minds.

    The president is hardly alone in his assessment. Both talking heads and everyday Americans recognize that we have less and less in common with each other. We watch programs and read publications that reflect our worldviews right back to us. We gravitate toward and spend time with people who think the way we do and avoid those who do not.

    Everyone else becomes “the other.”

    Many factors contribute to our great divide. The roughly 325 million of us who call the United States home are more diverse than ever before, representing all races, ethnicities, religions and life experiences. Those of us in cities live differently than those of us in rural areas. Some of us are highly educated. Some of us are not. More distinct than any other factors, though, may be that we have so many choices that they isolate us. As we opt for choices that appeal to us, we are making it less likely that we will share common experiences with our fellow Americans.

    We are losing our “glue.”

    Public education has been a common denominator for Americans for almost two centuries. Most of us, wherever we live and whatever our family background, have attended public school. Our national mythology is replete with tales of the public school teacher who changed our lives, the terrors of middle school and high school and the pride of graduation. 

    Our public school glue, however, is drying up and crumbling. Increasingly, families are choosing other options  — independent schools, faith-based schools, charters, homeschooling. All of these are needed options in some cases, though they have issues just as public schools do. In addition, legislatures across the nation, including the North Carolina General Assembly, have slashed public school funding to the point that schools are recruiting international teachers because American students are choosing careers that provide them a professional income.

    Our religious glue is evaporating as well. While many Americans practice our faiths regularly and devoutly and think of our nation as faith-based, the reality is that the United States, like most of Western Europe, is increasingly secular. The Pew Research Center reported in 2015 that almost a quarter of Americans identify with no religion at all. The decline is in part because of millennials, what the survey calls “the least religious generation in American history,” but the decline includes Baby Boomers as well.

    For most of the 20th century, the United States maintained the military draft system, which was abolished after the widely unpopular and painful Vietnam conflict. That said, mandatory military service had its issues, but it also provided a common bond for Americans of all backgrounds. My father was a World War II veteran, who remained in contact with his fellow 30th Division comrades all his life. Most of them he would never have known without their common Army service. While we do not necessary feel this in our unique military community, the number of active duty military personnel today is 1.4 million men and women. They make up only 0.04 percent of all Americans. Many Americans do not know a single person who has served in our nation’s military. I have long believed and have written in support of national service for all young Americans. Military service is not appropriate for everyone, but all able young Americans could and should give a year of their lives to our nation in some form of service.

    Only a Pollyanna would argue that these national institutions are without troubles. It is also true that for most of our existence as the United States, they have provided common experiences that bind us as a nation. They, among other institutions, have been our glue. America would not have become great without them.

    In this era of division — of Americans spinning in  myriad not always intersecting directions, I believe that public education at all levels, religious faith whatever form it takes, and national service continue to have roles in binding us as a country. Surely, there are other, newer “glues” as well.

    Now, in this time of red-hot division, we must seek our common bonds, our glue. If we cannot — or do not, I fear that poet W. E. Yeats will be right…“the centre cannot hold.”

  • 01PubPen Spring LakeNo doubt about it! The inaugural Dr. Seuss Parade and Family Fun Day, which celebrated Read Across America and was held Saturday in Spring Lake, was a huge success. Tad Davis, Spring Lake’s town manager, was glowing with pride at the way the Spring Lake community turned out to support this significant reading and educational awareness celebration. Davis agreed that the organizing of the “first anything” is always a challenge, but, once the commitment was made and the foundation was laid, everyone was on board for making it a success and growing it year after year.  

    My personal “cat in the hat” is off to Kristy Sykes, owner of Kameo Events, who took the initiative to create and coordinate the Dr. Seuss Parade and Family Fun Day and the Dr. Seuss Dinner and a Book Birthday party that was held Thursday before the parade. She worked closely with Davis and Spring Lake Parks & Rec Manager Sam Jones with an end result that shows much future potential. One of Saturday’s highlights for me was meeting North Carolina’s first lady, Kristin Cooper, who served as the parade’s grand marshal. An avid supporter of teachers, literacy and education, her warm, enthusiastic and congenial personality fit perfectly into the excitement of the Dr. Seuss celebration. I was impressed. 

    For her to give up her Saturday to come to a Cumberland County municipality to bring attention to this worthy cause speaks volumes of her and Gov. Roy Cooper’s commitment to teachers, children and North Carolina education.  Even though she was welcomed graciously by Town Manager Tad Davis, Spring Lake Mayor Chris Rey, State Representative Marvin Lucas and Cumberland County Schools Superintendent Dr. Frank Till Jr. However, I was surprised and disappointed that more Fayetteville city and county elected officials and community business leaders were not on hand to meet Ms. Cooper and welcome her to Cumberland County. Especially those involved with the Cumberland County Democratic Party. Another glaring absence was that of the Cumberland County Association of Educators. It was rumored they were hosting another reading-related event in Fayetteville but attempts to find out the where and when were unsuccessful. In any case, they missed a perfect opportunity to showcase their organization and the community. So did the Spring Lake Chamber of Commerce, whose absence was conspicuous during both the parade and the Family Fun Day. 

    Local community events of this nature are, in most cases, sponsored and supported by the local Chamber of Commerce and affiliated businesses and organizations.  Well, thankfully, many Spring Lake businesses did step up to participate. The newly reopened Bragg Mutual Federal Credit Union led the way as the events title sponsor. Bill Drewry, Bragg Mutual’s marketing and development manager, was very pleased with the first-year outcome and turnout of over 3,000 attendees. “This is a very special event for us,”  he said. “And we are very excited about the first-year participation. This event was perfect for us because our credit union serves both Spring Lake businesses and families. The Town of Spring Lake has done a superb job supporting us here at the Credit Union and in making sure the Dr. Seuss Parade and Family Fun Day was a fun, exciting and successful family event. We’ll be back next year!”  

    But how do you measure the success of a first-time event like this? Do you consider the number of people attending? The number of marching bands or parade floats? How many cartoon character mascots are running around doing silly things? Or maybe the number of food trucks willing to set up in the parking lot? My point is that no doubt some people may have shown up Saturday morning with expectations and in anticipation of seeing something spectacular like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. And, I’m also sure some folks showed up not even aware of the Read Across America initiative or knowing what the Dr. Seuss connection to reading and education is all about. And I’m sure they were disappointed. To this, I say, “Too bad, so sad!” 

    Here is the reality of it: You measure the success of an event like this by the faces, smiles and laughter of the children themselves. This event was not conceived or designed to appease, please or impress adults. It is a program for children. Organizers wanted to showcase the community. They wanted children to have fun, read more, study more, be more loving and sensitive toward others, do good deeds and practice good character traits. Those who have the unappreciative audacity to be critical of the parade size or the number of participating costumed characters or parade floats just “don’t get it!” Period. 

    Again, Congratulations, Spring Lake. You did it!  Kristy Sykes, you da girl! Nice work on the event and a very, very special thank you for bringing North Carolina’s first lady, Kristin Cooper to our community. What an honor. So, like Bill Drewry said, “We’ll be back next year.”

    Thank you for reading our community newspaper.

  • PARKS AND REC BOND

    In nearly 50 years, Fayetteville voters have never approved a parks and recreation bond referendum — until now. Similar bond proposals have failed on at least four other occasions, as far back as 1969 and most recently in 2012. Three and a half years ago, a $45 million bond proposal never got off the ground. City Council deadlocked 5-5 in efforts to put a vote to the people. Twice in the 1980s and in 1969, voters rejected parks and recreation referenda by 4-1 margins. This year, 60 percent of the electorate turned out in favor of a $35 million referendum.

    The reason for success this time, many observers believe, is two-fold,. Primarily, opposition was impotent; and there were lessons learned from the most recent failure. 

    As for the opposition, one school of thought is that the naysayers, notably former City Council members Juanita Gonzalez and Val Applewhite, actually gave supporters a boost in the final two weeks of the campaign. Gonzalez has had a long-time political reputation for naysaying, which backfired as fence sitters hopped off on the side of supporting the bond referendum.

    Most importantly though, City Council reflected on the reasons why a proposed $45 million referendum failed to win majority council support three-and-a-half years ago. The centerpiece of the 2012 proposal was a multipurpose indoor pool, field house and senior center that carried a $45 million price tag. Ted Mohn, who had returned to City Council after a hiatus, along with several freshmen members, said that the cost and proposed location of the multipurpose facility were major obstacles then and should not be considered now. Last spring, Mohn broached the idea of another bond issue.

    The council eliminated the costly joint-use building and reduced the referendum to no more than $35 million. That number, as it turns out, made the difference with voters. If passed, it would increase the property tax rate by only $.0135, or roughly less than $20 a year for the average home owner. 

    Council did its due diligence over several months, decided on specific projects and locations for individual facilities and put together a well-thought out plan. Civic groups for and against the issue advertised their points of view. The city, by law, could not take a position. But it did launch a campaign urging people to vote. Local civic organizations, including the Chamber of Commerce, endorsed the issue the last few weeks before the March 15 primary date. The ballot also included a statewide capital projects bond issue. Both passed. 

  • 19

    Easter Sunday is a significant day on the Christian calendar. Easter Sunday will be celebrated on March 31, and many of those celebrations will feature some notable traditions.
    Some traditions are undoubtedly familiar to practicing Christians, while others might come as a surprise. As Easter approaches, faithful Christians and others intrigued by the holiday can consider these notable traditions from around the globe.
    Easter witches
    Witches are typically associated with Halloween, but they play a role in celebrating Easter in Finland. According to the Finland Promotion Board, Easter traditions in the northern European nation feature a mixture of religious references with customs related to the arrival of spring.
    It is not unheard of for young Finnish children, particularly girls, to dress up as Easter witches the Sunday before Easter and go from door to door requesting treats in exchange for offerings designed to drive away evil spirits. The FPB notes that it is even common for children in western Finland to don their witch outfits and roam on Easter Sunday.
    Fireworks in Florence
    The folk tradition of Scoppio del Carro "Explosion of the Cart" takes place in Florence, Italy. The Uffizi Gallery reports that this tradition can be traced to the First Crusade in 1099. During the first Easter in Jerusalem, Crusaders gave the blessed fire to the people as a symbol of purification.
    That custom has endured in Florence, where each Easter Sunday morning around 10 a.m. a candle is lit in the church of Santi Apostoli. That same candle is then used to light an antique cart loaded with fireworks, marking the beginning of a display that lasts around 20 minutes.
    The Carpets of Semana Santa
    Carpets might not be the first thing most Easter celebrants think of when pondering the holiday, but that might be the case for anyone who ever spent the holiday in Antigua, Guatemala. Guatemala's Semana Santa "Easter Festival" features detailed carpets of colored sawdust adorning a Good Friday processional route.
    Preparation for the colorful and stunning display begins months in advance as the intricate carpets require ample time to produce.
    Whips in the Czech Republic
    Among the more unique Easter traditions takes place each Easter Monday in the Czech Republic. In adherence to this tradition, known locally as pomlizka, boys, and sometimes men, gather willow branches and braid them together into whips.
    The whips are then decorated with ribbons before boys visit girls (or men visit women) whom they know and lightly tap them with the whips. The tradition is believed to bring women luck, vitality and fertility.
    These are just some of the unique traditions many Christians adhere to as part of their Easter celebrations.

  • 17

    College can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be expensive for you. The financial aid experts at Fayetteville Technical Community College will help you find a scholarship that is just right for you. The best thing about scholarships is that, unlike loans, you don’t have to pay back scholarship funds.
    Are you a North Carolina resident who doesn’t have enough money to pay for college? A scholarship from the Golden LEAF Foundation can help! It provides up to $2,250 per year to students living in one of the qualifying counties (listed on the application). You can use this scholarship to pay for tuition, books, child care, and even transportation to help you get to school and be able to focus on your classwork.
    Would you like to get paid to attend functions, events, and college celebrations? The prestigious Tom McLean Ambassadors Scholarship program allows students to represent FTCC on and off campus by serving as a student ambassador. Student ambassadors reflect a positive image and help share the good news about FTCC and how FTCC benefits students and the community. Throughout the journey, student ambassadors build positive relationships with community leaders, develop personal leadership skills, and experience unique opportunities that enhance personal growth. Student ambassadors must have excellent academic grades, submit a written essay and demonstrate exceptional communication skills during a panel interview. The scholarship amount awarded to each student ambassador is $1,300.
    Do you need a little help completing your degree? Apply for the Finish Line Grant if you have completed at least 50 percent of your coursework and are faced with a financial emergency that occurred through no fault of your own, which could impair your ability to continue your academic program. Students pursuing the Finish Line Grant may receive up to $1,000 to help them complete their academic training.
    Don’t enjoy filling out applications? FTCC’s Corporate and Continuing Education programs no longer require applications for some scholarships. These scholarships can be used for a wide variety of programs including welding, veterinary assistant, accounting clerk, medical billing, and more. Some courses can be completed online. Scholarships are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so it’s important not to delay in contacting FTCC’s continuing education staff.
    FTCC student Heather Aicher, also a recipient of the Malcolm Nickelson Memorial Scholarship, recently expressed her gratitude for how the FTCC Foundation helped her: “As the widow of an Army veteran, it has warmed my heart to encounter support from the military-connected community in places I hadn’t thought to look. This scholarship has enabled me to continue my education in the field of IT, which I will use to secure a career that can provide a sustainable wage to support the family in my husband’s absence.” Comments such as these expressed by Heather represent the reason the FTCC Foundation exists: to clear roadblocks along the pathway of education for students pursuing a better quality of life.
    Ready to learn more? Contact the FTCC Foundation today at 910-678-8441 or by email at foundation@faytechcc.edu. More information can be found at https://www.faytechcc.edu/scholarships or by visiting the campus at Harry F. Shaw Virtual College Center, Room 114, 2201 Hull Road.

  • 14

    With the spring season comes many things. From spring cleaning to camping, there are yearly things we all do throughout our daily lives. This year, like many before it, the local Masonic Temple Kindah Temple No. 62 is hosting its annual Spring Ceremonial.
    Happening April 13th, a fezzing ceremony and night of celebration for the individuals being honored will be taking place. Up & Coming Weekly was able to sit down with Assistant Rabban Adrian Davis and Oriental Guide Shakoor Mitchner to learn more about the local temple, the masonic lodge, fezzing, and other exciting things about the pseudo-secretive nature of the Freemasons and Shriners.
    The Kinda Temple No. 62’s Spring Ceremonial is a great opportunity to support the local Masonic Temple and meet the people involved in many community projects. The temple is itself deeply involved in community outreach projects and events on a regular basis.
    Charity, fundraising, and youth engagement are some of the core tenets found in the basis of membership at the local temple and in most Freemason temples and Shriner lodges. One such event is the PTSD Awareness Motorcycle event the group has coming up on June 8th, with the proceeds going back to the Wounded Warrior Project.
    “We also sponsor Ferguson-Easley Elementary School and work with the kids year-round with mentorship programs, easter egg hunts, Halloween trick or treats, and scholarships at the end of the year. We also sponsor young gentlemen and ladies on how to begin their journey through adolescence and present themselves in a way that garners respect and makes them feel confident.”
    The Freemasons and Shriners pride themselves on being an organization focused on the continual improvement of the community. Through determined and focused efforts, the groups curate their members and offer developmental opportunities to one another in the pursuit of accumulating the skills, knowledge, and resources to fund and execute plans both large-scale and local to implement positive change within their communities. But how can someone get involved with their local temple?
    “There are qualifications any individual must meet to join. There are important things to learn. Like any organization they need to understand the foundation of that group that they’re choosing to be a part of, what we do, the different groups within our local temple, and to let them get a feel for who they’ll be around and understand why these individuals set their feet in the community and strive to better things.”
    Those being honored can have their fezzes donned by their friends, family, wives, or other loved ones. You may have noticed that we have yet to mention who exactly is being fezzed.
    This is intentional, as the identities of those being fezzed at the Spring Ceremonial will remain hidden until the night of celebration to all but those directly involved in their leadership and individual training; a way to entice the local community to find out for themselves who they’ve deemed to have done the necessary community and self-work to earn the honor of donning their fez.
    However, Davis and Mitchner were able to tell U&CW that ten individuals will be receiving their fezzes at the ceremony and they believe they were confident in presenting the best they have to offer to the community regarding the individuals being fezzed.
    “When it comes to this Spring Ceremonial, to me it’s like a once-in-a-lifetime celebration. It’s like graduating high school; you only get one time to do so. There are certain elements in life where achievements are met and goals are set for someone, and those moments are a great thing. But within all of it, you can have all the different organizations, but with us, it is about what ‘you’ can bring with you. We aren’t just a ‘goody boys club.’ Everyone pays their dues in giving back. Quality over quantity is a frequent motto,” said Mitchner.
    The pair invite the community out to this year’s Spring Ceremonial and fezzing at Kindah Temple No. 62 with the great pleasure of presenting their newest Shriners. Tickets start at $20 and are available through Assistant Rabban Adrian Davis or Oriental Guide Shakoor Mitchner.
    To attend please call them at 910-587-3434 or 910-760-1136. The dress code is business casual, and the festivities will run from 8 p.m. to midnight. Clifford Duell Masonic Lodge #756, where the event is taking place, is located at 2860 Village Drive.
    For more on how to get involved, reach out to Assistant Rabban Adrian Davis or Oriental Guide Shakoor Mitchner for more information.

  • 12a

    Depicting a recognizable subject in a painting can evoke pleasure or even comfort for the viewer – we are familiar with the objects, figure or place. We perceptually experience a landscape when the artist captures the nuance of light, shadow and the size of objects diminishing in scale as they recede into the background.
    In the new exhibition at Gallery 208, we do not have a memory of a locale or a familiar place to experience. Instead, we are able to view the unfamiliar. Beyond Surface: Abstractions by Kellie Perkins, opening April 2, is a body of work by an artist who has created accessible places and spaces for us to experience.
    Instead of being constrained by the conventions and expectations of representational art, Perkins creates new forms and ideas about the potential of painting to be a new experience for the viewer. Unlike representational works in which we are limited to a place in time, Perkins creates a world of potential for us to embark on.
    Unlike small works which can often limit our sense of the possible, the large scale of Perkins paintings is integral to the spatial experience. In the painting titled Storm, 36” x 36,” the artist has created an abstracted space, the color red illuminates small white areas of the background and are suppressed by lavender and shades of blue.
    The formal elements of shape, movement and rhythm enable the viewer to move through the lavenders and blues on a yellow-orange brush mark.
    The beauty of abstract works is the opposite of figurative works, it does not tell us a narrative story. Suppose we allow ourselves to leave the familiar world of the representational and experience the classical tradition of abstract expressionism.
    In that case, we are open to the artist’s conveyed meaning and emotion using mark marking, color, line, shape and texture. While a story is not represented literally, the artist's style and approach convey a sense of an inner world and perspective.
    Fantasy Falls, a 36” x 48” painting, is the only work in the exhibit that alludes to something identifiable. The artist has created a work in which the blue sound of falling water evokes a waterfall in front of something mammoth resembling a rock formation. The brilliance of the painting is subtle and similar to the way Cezanne was able to capture movement and stillness at the same time.
    Fantasy Falls is mesmerizing. Created with muted colors, bold and visible brushstrokes we can sense the abstracted rock formation against an endless blue sky. In the composition, the flattened rocks are stacked and serve to anchor, and emphasize the solidity and stillness of the form, while a sense of balance and stability exists in the work.
    In the blues and neutrals of the painted mark, the artist uses repetition of line to symbolize falling water and a sense of flattened movement over time. The flatness of the water pushes the rock formation into the background, staging us to sense the subject in different states of being. We see the opaque flatness, but our experiences remind us of the transparency of water.
    Whisper from the Past is a small work; the 18” x 24” painting exudes something different than the majority of works in the exhibit. With less dramatic mark-making, we can float in a poetic, abstracted and manifested12b place of rest in time.
    Contrasts of warm and cool colors swirl in movement around the perimeters of a central lavender space. The painting evokes activity and calm in mood, the lavender space shape is able to dominate amidst the swirls and movement. Again, in Perkins fashion, we experience the preferred - among turmoil a place of rest still exists.
    Perkins was influenced by her training in fabricated metal sculpture during her undergraduate degree in metals from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
    It was not until her study of painting during her master’s degree in art education that the artist investigated the potential of painting.
    Experience in metal fabrication is evident in the works. The artist does not investigate volume but sees shapes and repeated patterns; constructing different textures on a flattened surface to create depth.
    Similar to Cezanne, a dichotomy exists in the work. The background in metal fabrication enables the artist to experiment with different painting surfaces, transitioning into a painterly approach.
    Perkins shared her influences and style of painting by saying the following: “By studying the works of Pat Steir, Sam Gilliam, Fiona Rae, Gerhard Richter, and Hans Hofmann, I formulated a strong foundation in the painting process.”
    “Artistically, I render the unique physical nature of paint and provocatively mix colors to create a layered nomadic space on my canvases. This space resonates with my visual texture and mark-making along with my intricate treatment of the surface, using both traditional and nontraditional tools to invent marks in a multitude of layers.
    These layers evolve into intense visual textures through the spontaneous application of paint, the push/pull of deep space, the form that evokes content, and the essence of the living, breathing artwork which compels the viewer’s involvement.”
    Perkins explains how the “ancillary painting process produces my emotionally compelling expressive qualities in my paintings; a mark is not just a brush stroke, a squeegee pull, a palette knife scraping, or a painterly drip of liquid, but a creative, cogent, and personal stimulus, which evokes the viewer’s involvement in my work as an integral part of each person’s response.”
    While representational art is popular among the public, visiting Beyond Surface: Abstractions by Kellie Perkins, is an accessible opportunity to experience the emotional and aesthetic appeal of an untethered and unlimited reaction to the unknown made known. It is as if we are on a break from what is seen to the sensuality of the unseen.
    Perkins preferred to spend her career as an art educator in the Cumberland County public school system. The exhibit is an example of a dedicated and award-winning educator who remained a producing artist. We have the opportunity to see the results of her dedication to remaining an artist who explores the promise of the arts to express states of being in ways we can explore and enjoy effortlessly.
    Practicing her style, Perkins successfully creates an otherworldliness through color and composition and the absence of recognizable form. We see shape and color first to pull us into space. The absence of recognizable forms creates a detachment from the natural world.
    12cDynamic compositions, often using diagonal lines and asymmetrical shapes, initiate a sense of movement and energy that is not grounded in the natural world.
    Even seeing the smaller works, like Spiratic, visitors will leave the gallery feeling refreshed for not being tethered to the world; instead challenging our perception of reality.
    Unexpected proportions in the paintings also challenge our sense of the relevance of scale and contribute to the feeling of being unleashed.
    The public is invited to attend the opening of Beyond Surface: Abstractions by Kellie Perkins on Tuesday, April 2, between 5:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. At 6 p.m. the artist will give a short talk about the exhibit.
    Gallery 208 is located at the headquarters of Up and Coming Weekly, at 208 Rowan Street in Fayetteville.
    *Visitors should know there is plenty of parking behind the gallery. For anyone who cannot attend the opening, the exhibit will remain up until June 24. Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. For information call 910-484-6200.

  • 11This April 13, local automotive detailing shop Flawless Touch Detailing will be celebrating the move to its new location at 250 West Russell Street, Suite 102.
    Owner Stanley Jacobs started his business to be a mobile car detailing service that would drive out to their customers on appointment. However, after he started his business, he focused on stabilizing his company by developing its headquarters location at the main shop. With the continual growth and success of his brand, Jacobs expressed his want to bring back and re-implement this mobile detailing service for the Fayetteville and Cumberland County area.
    “People really like being in the comfort of their own home. You can call your barber to come cut your hair. Think of how great it would be to just relax at home while somebody comes and cleans your car. That’d be awesome, I’d love that,” Jacobs said. “People still come in, but a lot of people miss the mobile. I want to get back to that.”
    Dealership corrections and repairs can be costly, but auto detailing services offer a cheaper and more specialized service for automotive care and maintenance.
    Jacobs credits his current expertise with auto detailing to his time spent working at a car dealership when he first moved to Fayetteville from Lumberton. While Flawless Touch offers ceramic coating, paint protection and window detailing as well, Jacobs says the foundation of car cleaning is paramount to properly developing the fundamentals for professional and expert automotive detailing.
    “We do a lot of interior details. That’s definitely what I started with. A lot of these up-and-coming people, they want to go straight into paint correction and ceramic coating, because ‘Oh that’s the big one.’ But if you don’t know how to clean a car, you don’t have any business touching the paint. That is when mistakes start to happen. There are a lot of bad things that can go wrong with a paint correction. When I started off, that’s all I did: clean dirty cars,” expressed Jacobs.
    The main thing Jacobs believes sets him and his business apart is their commitment to customer service. Having a vast resume with multiple vocations, Jacobs says his belief in the importance of customer service is directly linked to his personal experience over the years.
    “The way I try to stand out is customer service,” Jacobs said. “I do believe that the customer is always right. A lot of people don’t believe in that anymore; they’ve gotten away from that. Most jobs I’ve worked all dealt with customer service in some way. I’ve worked for Orkin, Walmart, and been a cable man, so I know how to deal with customers. Sometimes you can’t please everybody, but still, that doesn’t give me the right to lash out at a customer. They’re a paying customer, and I’ll always try to work with them to get them exactly what they paid for.”
    Jacobs warned readers to steer clear of the do-it-yourself videos and clips found on social media on the internet. He stressed the importance of always vetting who you’re getting your information from, and ensure it’s a legitimate professional in the automotive industry.
    The grand reopening event will be taking place at the shop’s new location on West Russell St. While normally open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the celebration will start at 1 p.m. and go on into the night, finally ending at 8 p.m. Jacobs said there will be music, cool cars to look at, vendors, free t-shirts, cornhole and food trucks. For more information about the grand reopening, vendor spots, or car display, please visit the Flawless Touch Detailing website at https://flawlesstouchdetailingnc.com/or call 910-987-8093.

  • 10The folks at Cape Fear Regional Theatre know a good hit when it happens. For The Play That Goes Wrong, however, it was in the people on social media asking them to extend the multiple sold-out shows and the general community’s question about more showtimes for the play that made them know they had a hit on their hands. So, naturally, they decided that the show had to return — The Play That Goes Wrong, again.
    “It was our highest attended play in the history of the theatre,” Ashley Owen, the Marketing Director for Cape Fear Regional Theatre, said.
    The members of Cape Fear Regional Theatre are gearing up for a large renovation and Owen said the fly system that The Play That Goes Wrong requires wouldn’t be possible for another two years. They knew, she said, it had to be brought back before the renovations, which explains the closeness of the return of the production to its original run.
    “There is no way we can do this show not in our own setting,” she said.
    The Play That Goes Wrong is about a play, The Murder of Haversham Manor, going from “bad to utterly disastrous” and gives the comedic vibes of Gene Wilder with accident-prone actors and a corpse that has a hard time remembering to play dead. The show will hinge on comedic timing.
    As far as actors are concerned, most of the original cast was able to return for the second run of the play. Just two actors had conflicts and had to be recast. And although this is the second run, Director Laura Josepher said the show will include plenty of subtle changes the cast and crew have been fine-tuning.
    “They are still finding new things,” she said. “It is different. It feels a little bit different.”
    The theatre admins had to apply for the rights to do the production the first time around and had to place new applications in to get the rights for this second run. Thankfully, Owen said, they were approved. They hope the community will come back and experience new laughs and maybe some of the magic from the first run as well.
    “I would encourage people who saw it before to come again and bring people,” Josepher said.
    For Josepher, she feels like comedy shows like this one get influenced by people coming together and being able to laugh together.
    “It’s really cathartic. I see it every day and it still makes me laugh,” she said. Josepher has previously admitted that farce is hard. “It’s such specific timing. The world is a tough place that [it’s nice to have] an evening of just laughing.”
    Tickets are on sale at CFRT.org, or call the box office at 910-323-4234. The show will run until April 7th. It will include military and teacher appreciation nights.

  • 9The annual Brothers for Brothers event hosted by the pub Charlie Mike’s will have many firsts this year for their poker run scheduled for April 20 at noon.
    Tracy Guthrie, media rep and owner of Charlie Mike’s, said this poker run is open to anyone. Participants can register the morning of, with any vehicle they wish.
    The event honors fallen brothers of the United States Army Special Forces, also known as The Green Berets.
    But this year, for the first time in the run, two honorees will be recognized. The first is SFC Lance S. Cornett United States Army Special Operations Command. The second is SFC Roberto C. Skelt, 3rd Special Forces Group.
    Because the establishment has a wall of fallen Green Berets, usually customers suggest from that wall who should be honored. And Guthrie said fallen sisters are not forgotten either. Proceeds will go to the Special Forces Charitable Trust. SFCT provides meaningful and sustainable support to families of Green Berets through its 501(c)(3) charitable status. Programs and services designed to enhance the well-being and health of both Special Forces soldiers and their families are supported by the SFCT.
    The second first this year, is that proceeds will also be divvied up between SFCT and a military-based organization called Memorial 3 Gun. Memorial 3 Gun Foundation’s mission is to remember, honor, and memorialize fallen Special Operations soldiers through the world of competitive shooting.
    Their desire is that families of fallen heroes know they are not alone during and after tragedy.
    The annual event will continue to raffle off guns (participants must have a gun permit to receive these), knives and other various items. Guthrie said Mission BBQ will cater the food. It’s a community event too. She said many Fayetteville businesses are involved with this poker run.
    Veterinarians, pet stores, and grooming stores are involved to raffle off animal baskets with gift certificates for pet lovers. Other giveaways are pool table lights, a golf bag filled with gift certificates to various golf courses, a Yeti cooler filled with adult beverages and handmade canes.
    “It is an all-around good time with a solid history behind it,” Guthrie said.
    In the beginning
    The Brothers for Brothers event first started in 2009 by the original owner of Charlie Mike’s, Michelle Curtis. The first run was for Mitchell Young, a 7th group communications sergeant. Guthrie said it is her understanding that his wife Robin had the idea.
    Michelle continued the poker run as a way to donate all the proceeds to various organizations that support the community.
    In 2016, Iris Hash owned the bar.
    “All the money made was then donated to the SFCT,” said Guthrie. “It has continued that way.”
    As a finale to the day, Charlie Mike’s will be welcoming back those who completed the 222 mile Let’s Ruck It Out trip from Fayetteville to Camp Lejeune and back.
    For more information regarding the Brothers For Brothers Poker Run, visit https://bit.ly/3THFYME.

  • 8

    From the dining facilities to the late-night diners, culinary artists, cooks, chefs, and casual connoisseurs alike rejoice. Fayetteville Technical Community College is developing a program for veterans ending their military service and those interested in starting their own food based business. FTCC and Fort Liberty Army personnel have come together to create the “Chefs to Soldier; Soldier to Chefs” program.
    Charles Bullard, program and culinary instructor, said, “Sgt. First Class Brown and my department head Sabrina Santucci were the first ones to make contact. They came out to help showcase the culinary students' skills and in turn, the students get an opportunity to show their talents. It’s a growing partnership we’ve been working on to pool more resources and time into young students, or older students, that might want to consider a military career and those who get out of the armed forces.”
    When leaving the military, many individuals regularly face challenges reintegrating into the civilian lifestyle. Whether that be in redeveloping social connections or choosing their next vocation, veterans face the unique challenge of having to recreate a semblance of normalcy in their everyday lives. Programs like the “Chefs to Soldiers; Soldier to Chefs” create more opportunities and pathways for veterans new and old to re-enter the workforce with a renewed vigor and skillset.
    Aimed at facilitating the pathway between joining and leaving the military, this new program will act as a jumping-off point for people who are looking to develop a new skillset to make a career in the culinary arts. On the military side of the coin, Sgt. First Class Brown, from the Providers’ Café at Fort Liberty, has come together with the administration and instructors at FTCC to facilitate the transition people make when leaving the military. The new programs allow veterans, especially individuals within the 92G MOS (Cook and Culinary Specialists), to have a pathway to obtaining higher education and career certification within the food industry.
    “Through chance, communication, and similar interests, we’re trying to make sure that both sides of the path have ample opportunities to access the other side and know what options are available to them,” Bullard expressed.
    The program also allows civilians interested in serving their country through military service the opportunity to develop skills and training for a new vocation within the armed forces. The curriculum allows those talented in the kitchen to get a foundational knowledge of standard practices in the industry, kitchen and food safety certifications, and what to expect should they choose to enlist in the armed forces or in the civilian sector if they’re currently transitioning. Depending on their certifications and experience, credits for early developmental courses could be counted as part of the education requirements as well.
    Bullard invites those interested in the culinary arts as a career on the civilian side or the military to come out and talk to an advisor or instructor to get involved with the course and program. For more information about the program, you can visit www.faytechcc.edu or call 910-500-0089. For active duty military and veterans looking for guidance in their transitional period, please visit FTCC’s website page at https://www.faytechcc.edu/military-veterans/veterans-services/ready-to-transition/ . Alternatively, transitioning service members can also call 910-486-3626 or email Pendy Eldridge at transtech@faytechcc.edu.

  • 7aOn behalf of the City of Fayetteville, Cool Spring Downtown District is pleased to announce the return of the third annual Juneteenth Jubilee: Their Wildest Dreams.
    The Juneteenth Jubilee will kick off in the heart of downtown on Saturday June 15 with a full-day celebration in Festival Park from 1p.m. to 9 p.m. featuring nationally touring headliners, local performance acts, food trucks, small-businesses and corporate vendors, artists/artisans, history, games and other entertainment for the whole family.
    Organizers are excited to announce the musical talent for this year’s celebration. The opening headliner is two-time Grammy nominated Pierce Freelon.
    Freelon's critically acclaimed work has been featured on the TODAY Show, NPR, Billboard, Rolling Stone, Parents Magazine and the PBS Kids animated series’ Alma’s Way and Work it Out Wombats! He founded Blackspace, a digital maker space offering teens free programming rooted in Afrofuturism. He is also the co-creator and talent of the PBS Kids podcast “Jamming on the Job '' and has written two children's picture books with Little Brown. Most recently, Pierce was GRAMMY nominated alongside his mother, jazz singer Nnenna Freelon, for their first family album together, AnceStars.
    The marquee headliner this year is Skip Marley. The maternal grandson of Bob Marley, Skip Marley is part of the legendary reggae family that also includes his mother, Cedella, and uncles Ziggy, Stephen, and Damian Marley, yet his own sound adds touches of contemporary pop, rap, and rock forms.
    In 2016, Skip debuted on the family's Island-distributed Tuff Gong label with the ballad "Cry to Me." After he signed with Island Records proper, he debuted on the label with the dramatic, pop-oriented anthem "Lions."
    A week later, Katy Perry released "Chained to the Rhythm," a collaboration with Skip, and the two performed it at the 59th Annual Grammy Awards. The single quickly became a Top Ten pop hit in several countries.
    In 2020, Skip enlisted Rick Ross and Ari Lennox for the track "Make Me Feel," which, along with other contemporaneous singles, was included in his debut EP, "Higher Place," which was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Reggae Album. That same year, Skip was also nominated for an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding New Artist.
    The City of Fayetteville is the title sponsor of the Juneteenth Jubilee. In 2021, when Juneteenth was made a federal holiday, the City voted to make it an official holiday, as well as contract with CSDD to curate a. new celebration here in Downtown Fayetteville.
    “Juneteenth event is about commemorating a pivotal moment in history; and affirming our commitment to diversity, equality and community,” says City of Fayetteville Mayor, Mitch Colvin. “It’s an opportunity for us to7b reflect on our past, celebrate progress and unite in our ongoing journey towards a more inclusive and equitable future.”
    CSDD’s Director of Special Projects, Ashanti Bennett, shares the spirit for this year’s event: “When I first started thinking about this year’s Jubilee, the phrase 'we are our ancestors’ wildest dreams' kept catching in my head. I look around at the accomplishments of Black Americans across the country and the globe, not to mention the inspiring excellence right here in Fayetteville, the barriers that we continue to break, the leadership and advancement of the culture, and the joy we continue to express even in the face of turmoil.
    "I can’t help but reflect on the wonder and pride that our ancestors would feel if they could see us now. Current events both here and around the globe are so tumultuous; for this year’s celebration, we truly want to lean into a vibe of joy and uplifting positivity.”
    In addition to all the fun in the park, the Can-Do Coldwell Trolley will return to offer festival-goers a chance to take an educational tour focused on the history of Juneteenth and black history here in Fayetteville, curated in partnership with local historians from Fayetteville State University.
    The current list of confirmed Juneteenth Jubilee event sponsors includes ABC-11, Healy Wholesale Company, Inc., Beasley Media Group, and Cape Fear Valley Health System, with additional sponsorships pending. To learn more about becoming a Juneteenth Jubilee sponsor, please email Bianca Shoneman, CSDD President/CEO at bianca@coolspringfay.org.
    One of CSDD’s stated objectives with Juneteenth Jubilee is to showcase Black culture through Black artists, performers, and Black-owned small businesses. For more information or vendor application links, please visit CSDD's website at visitdowntownfayetteville.com. Visitors and residents of Cumberland County may follow Cool Spring Downtown District’s efforts and announcements on their website at visitdowntownfayetteville.com, as well as CSDD’s social media on Facebook at @CoolSpringFAY.org or @downtownfayetteville, or on Instagram at @coolspringdowntowndistrict or @downtownfay.

  • 6Carolina Journal’s first post-primary survey is out. It shows our state’s 2024 general elections will be, as usual, quite competitive.
    That’s not to say North Carolina’s electorate is perfectly purple. It’s not. All other things being equal, Republicans enjoy a modest edge statewide of a few percentage points. As John Locke Foundation analyst Andy Jackson points out, GOP candidates won 46 of the 74 statewide contests held from 2012 to 2022, or 62%.
    It’s with that context in mind that I offer these findings from the latest CJ Poll of 600 likely voters, conducted on March 6 and 7. It shows Donald Trump leading Joe Biden 45% to 40% in North Carolina. Similarly, GOP gubernatorial nominee Mark Robinson currently leads Democrat Josh Stein 44% to 39%.
    In generic-ballot tests, Republicans enjoy six-point advantages for both state legislature and U.S. House. And in three Council of State races, the GOP nominees have sizable leads in the early going: Luke Farley (42%) over Braxton Winston (35%) for labor commissioner, Brad Briner (43%) over Wesley Harris (37%) for state treasurer, and Mike Causey (43%) over Natasha Marcus (37%) for insurance commissioner.
    On the other hand, three other statewide races are closer to neck-and-neck, with the Republicans at 41% and the Democrats at 39%. They are, respectively, Dan Bishop vs. Jeff Jackson for attorney general, Jefferson Griffin vs. Allison Riggs for state supreme court, and Michelle Morrow vs. Democrat Mo Green for state superintendent of public instruction.
    I gave you the percentage of respondents, not just the point spread, to emphasize that all these races remain competitive! That’s because many voters have yet to commit to either major party’s candidates. Even in the highest-profile contests, for president and governor, they constitute about 15% of the sample — and remember, these are likely voters, not just registered voters.
    Some told CJ’s polling partner Cygnal that they were truly undecided. Other voters said they were planning to vote for someone else. When it comes right down to it, some of these ambivalent North Carolinians will, in fact, stay home this fall. Others may follow through on their third-party preference, although I doubt it will be the 9% currently saying that for president. The rest will swing R or D.
    When “experts” tell you swing voters don’t exist anymore, that modern politics is all about turning out partisan bases, you should discount their opinions — at least for our state. North Carolinians know late-deciders and split-ticket voters still matter because we have eyes. We see that Roy Cooper won the gubernatorial elections in 2016 and 2020 — as Josh Stein did for attorney general those years — even as Trump was winning the state’s electoral votes.
    Interestingly, across the 11 states that once formed the Confederacy, Democrats currently hold just four statewide offices comparable to North Carolina’s Council of State. Actually, scratch that. The four Southern Democrats in question aren’t just comparable to our Council of State. They are on our Council of State: Cooper, Stein, Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, and State Auditor Jessica Holmes (who was appointed after Democrat Beth Woods resigned and will be on your ballot this fall).
    Democrats routinely win some state races here by finding ways to appeal to our small, but often decisive, group of swings. In their write-up of the new CJ Poll, Cygnal described the state of play as follows. North Carolina’s GOP base comprises 41% of likely voters. The Democratic base is 38%. The remaining 21% are “Persuadables.” They tilt Republican in generic races but are willing to support Democratic politicians they perceive as sensible or effective. For example, two-thirds of Persuadables disapprove of President Biden’s job performance but a similar number approve of Cooper’s.
    I used to describe North Carolina’s true political color as magenta. But then I spent more time researching colors — I live to serve you, the reader — and discovered another purplish shade that’s more red than blue. It’s just the right fit.
    It’s called “flirt.”

    Editor’s note: John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member. His latest books, Mountain Folk and Forest Folk, combine epic fantasy with early American history (FolkloreCycle.com).

  • 5Hey kids, your first shot of heroin is free. Those were the good old days. You had to go to some grimy dangerous corner to get your heroin.
    The rough beast of Sports gambling after slouching towards the NC General Assembly has been legally born.
    Just in time for March Madness basketball, you can now bet on sports events from the comfort of your easy chair. Want to double or deplete your kid’s college fund? Bet on whether the guy on the foul line will hit both ends of the one-and-one.
    Unless you have been living under a rock, you can’t have missed the constant ads from Draft Kings, Caesar’s Sports Book, ESPN Bet, FanDuel, and multiple other gambling platforms who promise to transfer your money to a faraway casino.
    We just enjoyed the Ides of March. Remember when our old buddy Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon River? He had his army outside of Rome where legally it was supposed to remain.
    He changed the rules and marched into Rome replacing the Republic with the Empire. The General Assembly changed the rules so the nose of the camel of sports gambling is inside NC’s tent.
    Can NC Education Casinos be far behind? Any bad habit the General Assembly wants to justify for more tax revenue and personal political contributions can be rationalized by saying “It’s for the children.”
    Consider the cleverly named NC Education Lottery for instance. Who is against education?
    More state-sanctioned gambling for everyone.
    Proponents pushed the bill by saying, “Other states are doing it, why shouldn’t we?”
    Remember when Mom said, “If all the other kids were jumping off the roof, would you jump too?” The last one into the betting pool is a rotten egg.
    Some of the gambling money is supposed to go to state and local athletic programs. Seems a worthy cause. Don’t the ends always justify the means? Portable ethics are useful when it comes to money for politicians. Ethically sourced free-range gambling has hatched in NC.
    “How shall the Sports Books entice people into their parlor?” said the Spider to the Fly.
    Like a drug pusher to a new addict, give them the first shot free. Sports Books have come up with a groovy variation of the first shot is free for gambling for potential newbie gambling addicts.
    Ponder the Get Rich Quick scheme of “bonus bets.” Instead of opening a vein to inject heroin, the newbie opens an account with the Sports Book funded by any number of fun and exciting methods such as direct deposit of cash from your bank account, credit card, debit card, or just sending money to your Sports Betting account.
    Borrow money from your 401K to send to the Sports Book. Bad idea. You will pay taxes and penalties, but if you hit it big you will be on easy street. What could go wrong?
    Want free money? Open a betting account, then bet a measly $5 to get $150 in bonus bets. Yowza! Sounds great.
    Even if you lose your $5 bet you still get the $150 in bonus bets. It’s like you won $150 from those dummies at the Sports Book. Another casino offers you a 20% bonus bet match if you deposit $1600 in your betting account. That’s $320 of bonus bets.
    Now you have almost $2000 in your account to bet. What a great return on your investment.
    How can the casinos do this? It’s because they can do math. If you keep betting, ultimately you will lose, and they will win.
    Like everything that sounds too good to be true, there is a catch. You can’t withdraw any of your gifted bonus bets in cash.
    It’s limited money, you can’t spend it on food or shelter. You can only spend it at the Sports Book company store by betting within 7 days or it vanishes.
    Bet Now!
    Maybe you will win lots more. Wouldn’t that be exciting? But maybe you won’t. You may win a gambling habit you can’t break.
    Send your money to Vlad the 401K Impaler in Las Vegas.
    If he does his job, he will keep you betting until you are up to your ears in debt. He will whisper sweet nothings and drip bonus bets into your account. Let the Casino Vampires suck your finances dry. If you can’t go to the casinos, the casinos will come to your smartphone. Count Dracula of Sports Booksylvania loves fresh blood.
    Some people, once they use heroin, keep using it despite the grief it causes.
    Likewise, some people, once they start phone betting on sports, keep betting despite the grief it causes.
    The kids’ college fund gone? Bank accounts emptied? Credit cards maxed out? Cash advances cashed out? Depressed? Anxious? Can’t sleep?
    Here is a way to get it back. Double down on your bets. Chase your losses.
    Borrow money from friends and relatives. The Sports Book may give you more bonus bets to keep you betting.
    They will love you long time until you are broke. Then they send the collection agencies after you.

  • 4Fayetteville needs the Dogwood Festival.
    Unfortunately, it has fallen victim to a community that lacks proactive municipal leadership and embraces an apathetic philosophy that sees little value in community involvement or commitment. How does a successful 42-year-old community-wide family festival that attracts over 300,000 attendees over a two-and-a-half-day weekend, go from being recognized as North Carolina’s most outstanding, award-winning outdoor festival, to a debt-ridden shadow of its previous self with its future hanging in the balance?
    Well, it's not that difficult when municipal leadership ignores the need to preserve Fayetteville traditions that once celebrated, showcased, and defined the Fayetteville community, its citizens, art, and culture.
    My involvement with the Dogwood Festival goes back to the Sunday on the Square days of the early eighties, and the Cow Chip Bingo fundraisers of the nineties. This was a time when elected officials from Fayetteville and Cumberland County joined prominent residents, business leaders, the Chamber of Commerce, and civic organizations like the Kiwanis Clubs and came together for what was recognized as the grandest social event of the year.
    This was a time when it was an honor to be asked to serve on the Dogwood Festival Committee, and a privilege to be working as a Festival volunteer. Now, the future of the Dogwood Festival is in jeopardy.
    Fayetteville city officials generously and needlessly wasted $20,000 of taxpayers' money on an out-of-state consulting company to find out what’s ailing the Dogwood Festival and to make recommendations on how their situation can be remedied to again produce a successful fun family festival. Well, in the future, the City (and County) may want to consider another solution when faced with a perplexing problem or they are in search of advice.
    Of course, this recommendation only works BEFORE spending thousands of dollars on out-of-town consultants who are unfamiliar with our unique community. When faced with a difficult decision or complex problem Fayetteville’s elected officials need to treat themselves to breakfast at JK’s Deli, MaryBills Café, Fireside, Zorba’s, or Lindy’s restaurants, and while enjoying their breakfast they should engage in a conversation with local Fayetteville patrons and hear what they have to say about important community issues. Ask them for their ideas and insights.
    Without a doubt, their input and insights would be far more accurate and honest than any outside consulting source. And it this information would be FREE! In the case of the Dogwood Festival, Fayetteville residents would gladly provide honest, valid information and common-sense solutions and recommendations on how to rejuvenate and operate the festival. This information would be much more credible than any of the high-priced, out-of-town consultants who only provide costly generic boilerplate propositions. Many residents suspect that elected officials hire consultants as a convenient way to shed their responsibilities, hide their ignorance of complex issues, and “pass the buck” to avoid making tough decisions they don’t want to take responsibility for.
    Hiring consultants is the perfect vehicle for allowing them to skirt their sworn oath responsibilities.
    Every consultant has a “strategic plan” in their bag. Fayetteville’s City Hall houses dozens upon dozens of “strategic plans” that have been hatched over the past three decades. I can pretty much assure you each of them heralds the same content as pertains to the mission of
    1. Defining who we are as a community.
    2. Identify the community assets.
    3. Establishing our BRAND, and
    4. Market and promote the community to enhance our image and BRAND.
    Sound familiar?
    Well, I’ll conclude this message with a reminder to the Mayor and members of the Fayetteville City Council. We have already defined our community and accomplished many of the goals of these strategic plans over a decade ago, and we did it with only six words: Fayetteville and Cumberland County is a community of History, Heroes, and a Hometown Feeling. That’s a pretty definitive statement and I challenge any outside consultant to do better at any price.
    Kudos to Board Members Jackie Tuckey and Andrew Porter for their hard work and dedication to the Dogwood Festival which has lacked a full-time paid executive director for nearly a year. They know how important this event is to promoting the community, and especially Fayetteville’s Downtown District.
    Note to consultants: Moving the Dogwood Festival out of Downtown Fayetteville is a non-starter. This year, the event is scheduled for the weekend of April 26th – 28th. We will be there, and we hope to see you there celebrating our History, Heroes, and Hometown Feeling!
    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly community newspaper.

  • 296745339 2843173609160875 2396867419178439648 nThe Veterans Empowering Veterans 1st Annual Craft Fair will be held March 23, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
    The Veterans Empowering Veterans organization is helping put on a fundraiser featuring local crafters, artists and veterans to support homeless veterans and those in need within the community.

    Being hosted at The Palace off Clinton Road, the event will be a chance for those interested in aiding the fight against homelessness for veterans to meet some of the people affected by it and give back to those who took the oath to serve their country against all enemies foreign and domestic.

    “It’s a fundraiser by Veterans Empowering Veterans. The organization works within Cumberland County helping homeless and low-income veterans. We assist with everything from housing to clothing and food, to resumes and finding jobs,” said Christina Elder about the fundraising event.

    The event will have concessions and liaisons for Veterans Empowering Veterans for attendees, organizers and veterans alike. The community is encouraged to reach out and help with the event.

    Elder also spoke about the fundraiser’s purpose in how it aims to support their goal within the community. “We’re hoping to raise money to keep the programs we already have in place going. We offer a lot of services to veterans in the community - helping find housing and employment- we have group sessions for them, host various events throughout the year, as well as hygiene aid. Any money that we’re able to raise through this craft fair will help in sustaining those programs throughout the next year.”

    Vendors and artists who would like to be at the event in an official capacity are invited to reach out to event organizers via phone at 910-223-3213 or 910-237-4257 to get involved. Tables are starting at $75, and vendors will be able to keep all profits made from their sales at the fundraiser.

    All proceeds from donations, concessions and money raised through the event will go directly to help support local veterans in need throughout the greater Cumberland County area. It is important now more than ever that we come together as a community to support one another when we are in need or at our lowest.

    The Veterans Empowering Veterans 1st Annual Craft Fair is a wonderful opportunity to engage with local veterans suffering in the community and to understand more about their problems and what they need to recover.

    Attendees can support the growth of the community by supporting its most vulnerable peoples in their trying times.

    If you or a loved one has been in the armed forces, Veterans Empowering Veterans invites you to come out to the event as a show of support for others who may be suffering from experiences you can help with.

    Veterans Empowering Veterans organizer Beth Koraska ended by stressing the importance of coming out to support and donate at this year’s upcoming fundraiser, “Anybody who served their country should never be homeless or in a position where they are in need in the community. Veterans Empowering Veterans tries to do everything they can to negate those adverse conditions.”

    The event will take place on March 23 at The Palace Catering and Event Center, 1418 Clinton Rd.

  • 430103237 902907334959071 4233079400881963715 nThe Gilbert Theater is indeed back for another production. The season is NOT over and this production is sure to intrigue audiences. The latest musical production to hit the community theater stage is Assassins.

    A far cry from musical productions such as Cats, Assassins takes musical theater and spins it on its head with a darkly fascinating concept and arguably some of the most complicated music written for a musical. Shows started March 8th, and will run every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until March 24th. Show times are Friday at 8 p.m. only, Saturday, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday, at 2 p.m. only.

    Assassins is based on the book written by John Weidman and adapted into a musical by Stephen Sondheim. A musical production unlike any other, Assassins tells the tale of nine men and women who have made an impact on history by trying and failing or successfully assassinating an American President.

    At its surface, a comedy peeled back to bare bones, Assassins is a social commentary on what drives the extreme in America and leads one to kill the leader of the “free world.”

    Marie Lowe is at the director's helm of this season’s production of Assassins. An active member of the theater community here in Fayetteville for a decade, this is Lowe’s first time directing a musical.

    “I’m very pleased to be doing it. Assassins is a much beloved, kind of cult hit with musical theater people and Sondheim people… it’s very rarely produced, although this is the second time the Gilbert is doing it… I anticipate people really enjoying it because this cast is fantastic. It’s hard to do Assassins unless you have really good people because Sondheim is known for particularly technically difficult music… we got all the people, it’s really delightful,” Lowe said of her musical directorial debut.

    Not a theater to not prepare for a production, the Gilbert Theater was able to bring in a musical director for the first three weeks of rehearsals.

    “Everyone learned their music and now we are just putting it on stage and it’s going to be fantastic,” Lowe said.

    Artistic Director Larry Carlisle, who has managed a successful season of amazingly diverse shows, is no musical expert but his knack for finding the right directors and musical directors has paid off this season, with the Rocky Horror Show being a brilliant success last fall.

    “Generally, with musicals, I try to stay pretty hands-off… this one is pretty awesome… mostly I just try to let the director and music director do their thing because I know I can’t really offer anything of usefulness,” Carlisle said.

    Assassins takes place in a carnival-like purgatory and John Wilkes Booth is the leader of the band of successful and unsuccessful assassins. The cast has put in the work, with some taking method acting to a new level, such as Chris Walker and Molly Malone.

    “I’m concerned the audience will like the cast too much. They are all so good, but they are playing people who are not lovable and who are not so good. They are doing a good job of trying to bring some of that into it as well,” director Lowe said of the casting for Assassins.

    With a talented cast and an equally talented director, Assassins is a can’t-miss musical production. Tickets to the show can be found on the Gilbert Theater's website, https://www.gilberttheater.com/2023-2024-season/.

  • pexels gabriel lara 3657559Coming to the Crown Complex this April 12 to 14, The All American Tattoo Convention promises to be a spectacle of art, craftsmanship, and excitement. Come see amazing tattoos and their artists, get tattooed, or learn about the theories and science that goes into tattoo coloring with “Mohawk” Jesse Yunker.

    The convention is sponsored by companies both local and national. World Famous Ink, Ghost Tattoo Company, Veteran ink, and TrueFitGym are just some of the companies helping to support the event. Being the main event and helping in their own way are the artists themselves. With over 260 artists said to be in attendance, the convention will be filled with talented individuals.

    Artists like Ray Durham, Cory Wright, and Michaela Morin will be available for on-location appointments if you wish to get your next tattoo done at the convention. Afterwards, shop around with vendors set up at the convention center, or grab a bite at one of the food trucks that will be present.

    If you prefer appreciating the art of tattooing on others rather than yourself, the convention will also be hosting multiple tattoo contests every day throughout the duration of the event. On Friday the contests will start with large and small color tattoos, moving on to best-stylized tattoos with themes like military and American pride, and ending with the tattoo of the day.

    Saturday will start with color tattoos large and small. The competitions for the day will then consist of another round of size-based black and grey tattoos which will also be judged. Afterward, the next phase of Saturday’s competitions will consist of a second round of differently stylized tattoos ranging from neotraditional to watercolor.

    Finally, the contests will end with the best individual location art pieces, the best male and female tattoos, and the tattoo of the day. Sunday caps things off with the final round of color and black and white tattoos, a final round of stylized tattoos featuring comic heroes, anime, and Disney themes, and for the finale, the event will announce the final tattoo of the day and the illustrious Best in Show tattoo for the convention.
    The main seminar planned for the convention is one with “Mohawk” Jesse Yunker. His seminar will cover color theory and composition as it relates to tattooing and art. Color theory itself focuses on the relationships between color and the emotional reactions, conscious or unconscious, they elicit in us.
    Effectively blending the desired style, design, artistic principles, color, unique individual dermatology, and overall composition for the client are the hallmarks of an excellent tattoo artist. Being able to peer into the mindset of a long-time tattoo artist and learn the design principles they utilize to create their works of art is something any aspiring artist or tattooist can appreciate.

    After the seminar, Yunker will be hosting a Q&A for all attendees of the seminar. The seminar will be on the first day of the convention, Friday, and last for two to three hours starting at 11 a.m. Admission for the seminar is $250 with a promised swag bag for all attendees made by Yunker himself.

    Also planned is The All American Tattoo Convention’s 2024 Miss All American Pin-Up contest. The contest will take place on the main event stage at the expo center on April 13 at 2 p.m.. The All American Tattoo Convention staff recommends that contestants come earlier the day of to make sure everything is ready to go for the 2 p.m. start time. There will be a $500 cash prize for first place, a $100 cash prize for second place, and a $50 cash prize for third place in the contest. All participants will get an All American Tattoo Convention tote bag and American Tattoo Society gift card. Registration is $25 and the online form can be found at https://allamericantattooconvention.com/miss-all-american-pin-up-contest/ . Those with questions, concerns, or interest in the event can contact the organizers at allamericantattooconvention@gmail.com.

    From local tattoo artists, to national talents, The All American Tattoo Convention brings together both artists and connoisseurs for a weekend of appreciation for the art of tattooing.

    The local community is invited to come out in support of their favorite artist, learn about the principles of art through color theory, show off their tattoos in the pin-up contest, get a tattoo, or just shop around and look at all the interesting ways people choose to decorate their bodies through tattooing.

    For those interested in attending the convention, tickets can be purchased at the door or online through their website at https://allamericantattooconvention.com/buy-tickets/ . Single day passes are available for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Interested guests can also buy two variants of three-day passes for the convention.

    The regular three-day pass is 43 dollars in advance with an increased price at the door. The V.I.P three day pass starts at $62 pre-purchase, increasing to $72 at the door based on availability, and includes a special V.I.P badge, convention swag bag, meet and greet signature poster with a pen for the show, access to the V.I.P meet and greet with T.V. tattoo artists on Saturday at 10 a.m. in the Crown Ballroom, and an All American Tattoo Convention t-shirt. All tickets will be available for a $5 military discount for qualifying individuals.

    Artists and vendors interested in setting up a booth at the convention must register in advance via the convention’s website application. For more information and where to submit your application, please visit https://allamericantattooconvention.com/for-exhibitors/interested-in-a-booth/

  • pexels photo 3369102Friends,
    Under President Biden’s failed leadership, the State of the Union is in crisis. He can try to convince the American people his policies are working, but after his address last week, one thing is clear — they’re not buying it.

    Over the past three years, Americans have experienced one crisis after another. From the catastrophic open border, skyrocketing prices fueled by inflation, to surging violent crime, to weakness on the world stage, President Biden has made our country less prosperous and less safe.

    Since President Biden took office, folks in our region and across America are paying more for everything. His reckless spending and anti-energy policies have led to historic inflation, soaring gas prices, and higher interest rates, making it more expensive for people just to buy the basics. Mortgage rates have also doubled, skyrocketing the cost of purchasing a home and putting the American dream of homeownership out of reach for more families.

    This crisis has left many families drowning in credit card debt. Many people have had to take second or third jobs to make ends meet. Hardworking Americans are suffering because of President Biden’s failures, and they’ve had enough.

    President Biden’s open border policies and disregard for our immigration laws have created the worst border crisis in U.S. history, turning every community into a border community.

    Under the Biden Administration, there have been roughly 8.7 million illegal crossings nationwide, including over 340 individuals on the terrorist watch list. Countless innocent lives have been tragically lost to fentanyl poisoning and criminal violence at the hands of people here illegally.

    Just a few weeks ago, Laken Riley, a Georgia college nursing student, was brutally murdered by an illegal migrant who’d been paroled and released into our country after crossing the border illegally in 2022.
    The crisis at our border is a catastrophe of the President’s own design, and he could fix it today with a stroke of a pen, but he refuses to act. Meanwhile, House Republicans passed a bill to stop the flow of illegal migrants and secure America’s borders.

    We won’t stop fighting to secure America’s borders and protect our communities.

    While President Biden continues to dodge responsibility and ignore the suffering his policies have caused, House Republicans are fighting to hold him accountable and restore our country’s greatness once again.

    Rest assured, I will not stop working to ensure a better future for you and your family.

    Until Next Time.

  • Easter EggLooking for some fun and exciting Easter events to enjoy with your family and friends in Fayetteville? Well, you're in luck!

    The local community has a plethora of activities to make this Easter truly memorable. So, gather your loved ones and head out to Fayetteville this Easter. With a wide range of local events to choose from, you're guaranteed to have a fantastic time filled with laughter, joy, and plenty of Easter cheer.

    March 20th to 30th- Photos with the Easter Bunny at The Cross Creek Mall (various times)
    910-868-7668 https://tinyurl.com/4b7m43w9

    March 23- Easter Dash at Highland Baptist Church 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
    910-425-5305 https://tinyurl.com/4at5umh5

    March 23- Easter Egg Hunt at Lafayette Baptist Church 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
    910-425-1306 https://tinyurl.com/m9jt5aw7

    March 23- Community Easter Event at Hope Mills Methodist Church 1 p.m. to
    4 p.m.
    910-425-0108 https://tinyurl.com/mr3ukkhc

    March 23- A Jolly Holiday Tea with Mary Poppins & Mr. Easter Bunny at HanMarie's Performing Arts & Events 10 a.m. to noon
    https://tinyurl.com/2benf5zh

    March 23, 24 & 30- Pictures with the Easter Bunny at Green Side Up Garden & Gift Center 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
    910-323-2000 https://tinyurl.com/c5jvsp59

    March 23- Kegs & Eggs at Dirtbag Ales Brewery & Taproom 9 a.m.
    910-426-2537 https://tinyurl.com/fzs5t3ea

    March 23- Crossroads Easter Egg Hunt Extravaganza at Crossroads Church 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. 910-366-3869 https://tinyurl.com/nhb3td5t

    March 23- Easter Egg Hunt at East Regional Library 10 a.m.-11 a.m.
    910-483-7727 ext. 1403 https://tinyurl.com/y9bbmwbp

    March 26- Toddler Story Time: Easter is Here! at Spring Lake Community Library
    10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
    910-483-7727 ext. 1459 https://tinyurl.com/4t5j5ses

    March 26- Preschool Story Time: Easter is Here! at Spring Lake Community Library
    11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
    910-483-7727 ext. 1459 https://tinyurl.com/2c95jbua

    March 28- Preschool Story Time: Easter at East Regional Library 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
    910-483-7727 ext. 1403 https://tinyurl.com/2j4mcmen

    March 30- Easter Egg Hunt at Bravery Kids Gym 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
    910-779-0623 https://tinyurl.com/mvhma5fu

    March 30- Hoppin' Around Downtown at Downtown Fayetteville noon to 3 p.m.
    https://tinyurl.com/5a6abmzx

    March 30- Epicenter Church and the Woodpeckers Hop at the Ballpark at Segra Stadium, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
    https://www.hopattheballpark.com/

    April 7- Easter Egg Hunt at Mclaughlin Park 2 p.m.
    https://tinyurl.com/

  • 431745359 810268211144742 772912400294229527 nThe 10th Annual Power and Water Conservation Expo will be held on March 22 at Skyview on Hay Street. Hosted by Fayetteville’s PWC, the event will focus on educating the local community on PWC’s goals and services.

    From 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., the Skyview on Hay Street will be bustling with booths, demonstrations and PWC employees who will help you better understand your local utility company.

    “You get to see lineman demonstrations, you get to talk to customer programs, customer service, you can bring your bill and we can talk to you about your bill and your usage. We’ll have conservation giveaways; LED lightbulbs, shower timers; things to help customers save time and money. You can also sign up to have the portal for your bill and e-bill,” said Alexandra Hasapis, PWC.

    Focused on the conservation of water and electricity in our area, the expo plans to have local professionals guide attendees through the process of more efficiently using the city’s allotted water and electricity. This is not only to lower utility bills but also to avoid the overuse of these limited resources in the community. Educating the community on how to avoid wasteful use and helping to better manage what is already used is crucial to sustaining the quality of lifestyle the city and its inhabitants are used to.
    Another focus is pipes in homes. The Fayetteville PWC will also be handing out what they call “fat trappers” at the event as part of their “Cease the Grease” initiative.

    “Cease the Grease” aims to cut down on the potential stoppages, back-ups, and clogs caused by improper waste disposal of congealed fluids and solids such as grease, fat, lard, and more. These “fat trappers” will work as secondary disposal methods that can be reused as an alternative to pouring your grease down the drain. This small preventative measure has a significant impact on a home’s plumbing system and can help avoid a costly call for pipe replacement, repairs or cleaning.

    “We’ll also have grease traps, or fat trappers at the event for attendees. You know, everyone has a grease can at their house. These are cans with reusable bags in them, and we give those out to customers for free if they need them,” explained Hasapis.

    A day of fun, education and conservation is planned for the whole family. Fayetteville’s PWC invites the entire community out to learn more about what they can do for their homes, utility bills, and the future of the city’s resources.

    Children are welcome at the event and are encouraged to engage with the presentations to further their understanding of the importance of conservation and how the things they use every day are designed, developed, and implemented so that they may have a better understanding of the world around them.

    The event will take place on Friday, March 22nd, at Skyview on Hay, located at 121 Hay Street. For more information, please visit the event page at https://www.faypwc.com/Pwc-Expo/ or view the Fayetteville PWC’s homepage at https://www.faypwc.com/ for more ways you can take control of your utility usage.

  • Chamber Welcomes Jay ElliotThe Greater Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce proudly welcomes back one of its own, Jay Elliot, as he returns to his hometown to serve the local business and military communities.

    As a Fayetteville native with deep roots and ties to the community on both sides of the family tree, Jay is excited to be back in his hometown. In 2013, he graduated from Pine Forest Senior High and subsequently from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a double major in Peace, War, and Defense, and American History.

    After spending some time living and working out of the state, he chose to return home in 2019 to make a life here in our great All-America city.

    His faith and large family — especially his wonderful wife, Kayla — are the driving forces in his life. He’s passionate about local and international politics, an avid supporter of the military community, and a lover of all things outdoors ­— especially baseball (Go Woodpeckers!).

    He’s excited for the opportunity to work with the Greater Fayetteville Chamber in support of the local business community and eager to create a positive impact!

    Thrilled for the opportunity to work with the Greater Fayetteville Chamber, Jay is eager to leverage his skills and passion to support local businesses and drive positive change within the community.
    "We are delighted to welcome Jay Elliot back to Fayetteville and to the Greater Fayetteville Chamber team," said Chamber President, Nat

    Robertson. "Jay's dedication to our community, combined with his diverse experiences and passion for fostering growth, will undoubtedly make a significant impact. We look forward to working together to promote business development and prosperity in Fayetteville."

    For inquiries or further information, please contact Robyn E. Pitt, M.A., Marketing & Communications Director, Greater Fayetteville Chamber at 910-224-4843 ext. 4 or at Marketing@faybiz.com.

    About the Greater Fayetteville Chamber

    The Greater Fayetteville Chamber has been serving Fayetteville and Cumberland County since 1899.
    With a vision to build a prosperous and resilient community through business leadership, the Greater Fayetteville Chamber serves to grow a healthy business community through advocacy of business-friendly public policy, the fostering of diverse innovative business initiatives, through strong collaborative partnership and by delivering valuable programs and services to its members.

    The Greater Fayetteville hosts over 100 events per year including monthly Business after Hours, Chamber Coffee Clubs and Business Networking Breakfasts, ribbon cuttings, regular business meetings and educational opportunities and more. Visit FayBiz.com.

  • VFW Post 670The VFW 670’s Vietnam Veterans Lunch will be a celebration and remembrance of the men and women who fought and gave their lives in the Vietnam War. On March 28, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., the Rodolfo P. Hernandez VFW Post 670 is hosting its annual Vietnam war veterans’ lunch.

    Event organizer and Post Quartermaster Amelia Smith welcomes the community to come out in support of local Vietnam veterans and show them the care and appreciation they deserve. The luncheon is open to the public, but it is advised to reserve a spot in advance to ensure everyone can be accommodated. Smith eagerly requests female veterans or their families to come out and share their stories and experiences with their fellow servicemembers and the community.

    “I do like to focus on the women because I don’t think enough female veterans get recognized. Every time we think of the Vietnam War, we think of men, which is understandable. But there were a lot of women there that played their roles and supported the men,” said Smith.

    Also planned is a ceremony performed by the Fort Liberty Honor Guard to pay respects to the veterans of foreign wars and those still serving. Fayetteville Sound will be singing the national anthem, and the North Carolina Rolling Thunder’s first chapter will be performing a recognition ceremony for those lost and missing in action.

    Smith went on to talk about some of the speakers they had coming this year.
    “This year, we’ve got a retired, female, Native American captain that will be out here speaking. We have a couple of other ladies from the Vietnam Veterans of America Organization coming out as well.”

    Up & Coming Weekly encourages the community to come out to support our Vietnam veterans and their local VFW post. For more information on the event and to RSVP, please reach out to Amelia Smith at 910-709-8306. To get involved with your local Veterans of Foreign Wars post please visit the VFW Post 670’s website at https://vfw670.org/di/vfw/v2/default.asp . To join your local VFW online, visit https://vfw670.org/di/vfw/v2/default.asp?pid=72054 . Membership requirements are listed below.

    There are three qualifiers for membership in the VFW, as set out in the National Bylaws. An individual must meet all three to become a member. They are as follows:

    1. Citizenship – must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. National.

    2. Honorable Service – must have served in the Armed Forces of the United States and either received a discharge of Honorable or General (Under Honorable Conditions) or be currently serving.

    3. Service in a war, campaign, or expedition on foreign soil or in hostile waters*. This can be proven by any of the following:

    • An authorized campaign medal (see a full list of qualifying medals and badges)

    • Receipt of Hostile Fire Pay or Imminent Danger Pay (verified by a military pay statement)

    • Service in Korea for 30 consecutive or 60 non-consecutive days

    This information is usually available through a veteran’s DD-214. If other information is needed or if a veteran’s DD-214 is not complete, they can contact the National Personnel Records Center online or at 314-801-0800 to request more information.

  • 100 1454“Be Bold. Be Fearless. Be the Heroine. “ -Acharya Shunya

    Her Spirit addresses the spirituality for women business owners. One of the questions is, how can a woman create and convey self-love and self-acceptance? Camy Kennedy, Intuitive Life and Business Coach provides guidance, “The biggest thing when you are not spiritually connected, you are very conditioned to the outside world. When you reach the state of calm, grounded, and centered, you will make better decisions. Perfectionism, people-pleasing, and imposter syndrome are challenges for women. Perfectionism is trying to make everything look good and perfect before marketing or selling yourself. People pleasing is trying to make everyone like us. There will be some people for me and some people not for me. That is okay. Imposter syndrome is the feeling of not being good enough. Every human being has this wound. You are complete and whole. Imposter syndrome is a symptom of risk-taking. The biggest thing is being able to trust yourself. You can tap into your divine, feminine power separate from men. If you can have a baby, you can run a business,” shares Camy Kennedy.

    The HerImpact Brunch was held on March 5, 2024, at the Greek Hellenic Center, Fayetteville. “As we come together to commemorate International Women’s Day, we are reminded of the remarkable progress women have made in the pursuit of equality. And yet we recognize the challenges that still are ahead. Today we affirm our collective dedication to breaking down barriers, challenging stereotypes, and creating a more inclusive and equitable world for all,” said Rebecca Jackson, HERWEEK, cofounder and emcee.
    Women in Power is a partnering organization with NCCEED. This organization has donated $10,000 in 2023 and doubled the amount in 2024. The donations are based on proceeds from the Affair to Remember Annual Runway Extravaganza.

    “We are giving away over $30,000 today for Women in Business: HERPITCH. Everyone in here today is helping HER WEEK along. We have over seventy women that have walked the stage,” shared Kathy Jensen, District 1, Fayetteville, Mayor Pro Tem, and Founder of Women in Power.

    Amy Privette Perko, executive director, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, inspired as the keynote speaker about the impact of Title IX on her career, “My own experience in sports would have never happened without Title IX in my life and the opportunities I have been given. When in 1983, I was offered a scholarship to play at Wake Forest, I never could have dreamed that I would have the career that I did. But thinking back, my success came from the help of another core lesson. It is one of my favorite quotes, that 'small things done consistently over time lead to big results.'”

    Title IX in 1972 was a game-changing legislation for women in the sports and the sports industry.

    One of Cumberland County’s trendsetters in Women in Sports is Michelle Skinner, General Manager, Fayetteville Woodpeckers. “One of the things I like about working in sports is that whether you are on the field or off the field, it is a team atmosphere. I have been in the baseball industry for over fifteen years. Two of the biggest struggles are representation and equal opportunity. There have been a lot of improvements. It is great to see young boys and men wearing female athletes’ jerseys. Bring your seat to the table. Build your network and make connections. Women in Baseball has a great networking group. There is room to grow.”

    The Athena Award is one of the stellar moments of the HERImpact Brunch. The Athena Award recognizes “women who demonstrate excellence in professional leadership, community service and mentorship,” according to Athena International. Tammy Thurman, Piedmont Natural Gas, Senior Manager for community relations, and local government presented the award to Stacey Buckner for her organization, Off-Road Outreach. It is a mobile service that transports homeless veterans and provides laundry services, food, clothing, mobile showers, and assistance for applications concerning housing and VA benefits. Other nominees for the award were Tonette Sheree Johnson and Stephanie Brown Kegler.

    “I cannot thank you all enough. The work in the community is not done without powerful women like you here. It is about improvement; it is about taking each and every one of our stories and making it a testimony and doing good in a great community because all of you beautiful trailblazing ladies out there,” said Buckner

    Stacey Buckner’s response to receiving the Athena Award inspired remarks by Suzy Hrabovsky, NCCEED executive director, “The power of supporting each other is amazing. We do not do it enough. Stacey just showed that up here. She is absolutely amazing, when we come together and support each other, we grow. Instead of holding each other back.”

  • 282691386 380622700702983 3388829373428250416 nSave the date for the upcoming Let's Walk It Out event scheduled for April 11-20. In the ongoing battle against veteran suicide, Let's Walk It Out - 222 Mile Ruck March Inc. stands as a non-profit corporation committed to dismantling the stigma surrounding post-traumatic stress and suicide. The organization's mission is clear: prevent veteran suicide through a public health approach, fostering collaboration, awareness, and intervention. At the core of Let's Walk It Out's philosophy is the recognition that those who have served, including military, Veterans, Law Enforcement, and First Responders, often bear burdens that can lead to silent struggles. While physical pain may find relief through rest and medication, emotional anguish poses a more complex challenge.

    The Let's Walk It Out march, a grueling 222-mile journey from Fayetteville to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina and back, aims to mirror the mental strain experienced by our nation's silent heroes.
    It is a symbolic testament that, despite the indelible marks left by a life of service, no hero should face their struggles alone.

    In a recent interview, JP Cervantes, the organizer of LWO notes, "Sometimes the deepest scars are the ones we can't see. Recognizing physical injuries is one thing, but spotting the emotional aftermath of trauma in someone we care about can be much harder."335491624 885381529419793 1288324462054555454 n

    The march's physical demands are intentional, pushing participants to their limits while encouraging a deeper understanding of the emotional toll often endured silently.

    Despite these challenges, LWO emphasizes the importance of seeking help for emotional distress, affirming that the organization shall not be held liable for any injuries, accidents, or fatalities resulting from the ruck march. Ryan Oldenburg, a devoted member and participant of LWO shared a poignant experience from the march.

    A young girl handed him a gratitude note saying, "Thank you for what you're doing because I had those ideas in the past." This decisive encounter underscores the march's profound impact, fostering a connection that transcends the physical challenges.

    LWO invites everyone to be part of the solution as a testament to their commitment. The organization collaborates with Red 7 Tees to offer high-quality merchandise, including hoodies, t-shirts, hats, silkies, and tanks, all designed to raise awareness and support the cause. Visit https://letswalkitout.red7tees.com/ to contribute to the mission.

    Interested participants are welcomed with open arms. While registration is not mandatory, a signed liability waiver is required for participation. Service dogs are permitted, with their owners responsible for their care. No animals are allowed in LWO’s vehicles.

    LWO is not just an event; it's a community-driven initiative focused on mental health mindfulness. To get further details and express interest, contact Kristin, the logistics coordinator, at kristin@letswalkitout.org. Your involvement in LWO is more than an act of participation, it's a decisive step towards breaking the silence surrounding mental health issues and preventing veteran suicide. Join the mission, support the cause, and let's walk it out together.

    LWO extends support beyond the march itself. The organization prominently features the NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE, reinforcing that no one is alone.

    Individuals are encouraged to seek help, with the lifeline available 24/7 at 988 or 1-800-273-8255. Additionally, the website offers a live chat option for those who prefer an alternative means of support: https://www.letswalkitout.org/

  • longlogo1The Show must go on!

    Or, in this case, The Festival christened “Dogwood.”

    For the past 42 years, having accumulated dozens of state awards and imprinting in the memories of thousands of families, The Dogwood Festival has become the signature event for Fayetteville. Longstanding food vendors, craft artists, and entertainers look forward to this rite of Spring, not to mention city natives, children, transplants, visitors, and the military among us.

    The Dogwood Board of Directors is rising to the challenge this year, despite the somewhat late start in the planning. As is tradition, the Festival will span the last weekend in April from Friday the 26 to Saturday the 27 to the finale on Sunday, the 28.

    There will be a Midway featuring a Ferris wheel and all the elements of a carnival. A Kids’ Zone will again be present with games and rides.

    The footprint of activity will be the same as in previous years, encompassing Hay St to Ray Avenue to Maiden Lane to Festival Park itself.

    Volunteers are in high demand. What a great way to experience the music, the laughter, and the community spirit by serving as an ambassador for the city.

    Leave a message at the Dogwood office @ (910) 323-1934 if you have volunteer interest. Meanwhile, keep reading Up & Coming Weekly for Dogwood highlights and the eventual Dogwood Festival edition on April 24 with the activity map and music line-up.

  • JoAnn Adams at NC Civil Rights Trail Ceremony Standing in Front of Civil Rights Marker Courtesy of Rep Charles SmithListening to JoAnn Adams of Fayetteville share stories about African American history in the community rekindled stories of historic landmarks and once-thriving black neighborhoods in Fayetteville. The writer felt like a kid during story time, sitting in a crossed-legged style while listening intently to the storytelling of Fayetteville's rooted African American history. The only thing lacking was a blanket and a warm cup of tea.

    Those stories deserve to be highlighted, as each city has its own story—from the community's unsung heroes to prominent historical sites.

    "Marker tells the stories of people, places, and things at a time that were relevant to that time. It lays dormant until somebody comes along and decides to bring it back to the forefront," Adams stated.
    Adams also highlighted, "If you don't know your history, you will not connect to your past."

    Fayetteville has an African American Heritage Trail for visitors to explore the African American history of Fayetteville, Cumberland County. According to the DistiNCtly Fayetteville website, the trail comprises 18 historical markers. The first marker begins at DistiNCtly Fayetteville at 245 Person Street and runs through Fayetteville State University.

    The African American Heritage Tour leads tourists on a scavenger hunt through the city, exploring historic places and landmarks. The Trail stimulates education as tourists can learn about the city's early history, including the slavery era, free black enterprise, religion, education institutions, and much more.

    Other historical stops include Fifer's Grave, Evans Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church named after Methodist Preacher Henry Evans, Saint Ann Catholic Church, Cross Creek Cemetery (Brookside), Saint Joseph's Episcopal Church, Orange Street School, E.E. Smith Monument, Martin Luther King, Jr. Park, Sandhills Family Heritage Center, Bethel AME Zion Church, Simon Temple A.M.E. Zion Church, Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex, Airborne and Special Operations Museum, Fayetteville History Museum, and the Market House.Close up of Henry Evans Historical Marker Photo Credit Tracey Morrison

    The historical markers also detail the legacy of prominent community figures who had ties to Fayetteville, such as Charles W. Chesnutt (essayist, political activist, and lawyer), Hiram R. Revels (the first African American to serve in US Congress), Lewis Leary (African American harnessmaker), and Omar Ibn Said (Islamic Scholar and Slave Narratives Author).

    A much richer African American history was revealed as the city of Fayetteville was inducted onto the North Carolina Civil Rights Trail, highlighting the city's 1963 protest to segregation thanks to community trailblazers like Adams.

    Known for her research on the city's African American history, Adams pushed for the city to apply for the NC Civil Rights Trail through an initiative led by the NC African American Heritage Commission with funding from the William G. Pomeroy Foundation.

    According to Adams, Mayor Mitch Colvin expressed interest in the initiative after she presented the historic marker program during a city council meeting, three-four years ago. The initiative was later executed by the city's Special Project Manager, Brook Redding, who worked closely with Adams and other community stakeholders.

    Adams was happy with the city's emphasis on not forgetting the past and promoting community revitalization and preservation of the community's African American heritage. Last year, Adams was present for the unveiling of the NC Civil Rights Trail Marker. She stood side by side with former city councilwoman Shakeyla Ingram, who recognized her advocacy for pushing for a civil rights marker.
    She believes citizens should always remember the rich history that exists right here in Fayetteville, especially for future generations.

    "It's important for people, especially young people, to know that their history just didn't start the moment they were born. They had ancestors, and their history is important because it helps build self-esteem to know where you came from, how strong your ancestors were, and how they made their lives much better," she stated.

    According to the Fayetteville Business Journal, revitalizing the African American Heritage Trail will include new signage and discoveries connecting with the Big Cross Creek Trail, Little Cross Creek Trail, Linear Park Trail, and others.

    The African American Heritage Trail is a great educational adventure that not only memorializes history but also maintains our sense of community by remembering the contributions of African American leaders in Fayetteville-Cumberland County.

    The trail is free and accessible to the public. For additional information on the trail, visitors can go to www.distinctlyfayettevillenc.com or visit the tourism information center in person during their hours of operation, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

  • 337405489 769856624762509 4443576833324362330 nCalling all men in the Fayetteville and Cumberland County area! Now is the time to give back, raise awareness, and have a whole lot of fun doing it.

    Walk Awhile is back for its 14th year in downtown Fayetteville on March 22nd at 6 p.m. Line-up will start at Capital Encore Academy, located at 126 Hay Street and participants will walk from Capital to the steps of Segra Stadium. For those unfamiliar with Walk Awhile, it’s an event presented by the Phoenix Center of Fayetteville to bring awareness to domestic and sexual violence. This is a downsized and localized version of Walk a Mile in Her Shoes, an international awareness event.

    Deanne Gerdes, Executive Director said, “Walk a Mile in Her Shoes is an international event. When we brought it to Fayetteville 14 years ago, we changed it to Walk Awhile in Her Shoes. I was not sure I could convince my closest friends to walk an entire mile! We wanted an event for a family to be involved in, or coworkers to participate together in the event. We wanted conversations about violence against women to happen, and of course to raise money for victims we serve …There is an old saying: ‘You can't understand another person's experience until you've walked a mile in their shoes.’ To get people listening, learning, and talking, we have asked men to do just that. We have 200 pairs of red high heel shoes that men can throw on walk and walk a few blocks down Hay Street and show that they take a stand against violence.” Gerdes has been with the Phoenix Center for almost 15 years (the anniversary is next month!) and has played an integral part in the longevity and success of the event.

    Fourth Friday will set the perfect stage to bring visibility to often underreported issues for women. While awareness of domestic and sexual violence is important every day of the year, the coinciding of Women’s History Month and Fourth Friday increases the visibility of this event tenfold.

    Those interested in registering for the event can do so up until the event starts by calling the office at 910-485-7273. Those who register early can come by the office at 517 Ramsey Street and try on a pair of heels before the big day.

    As any veteran heel wearer will advise, “Make sure they are comfortable.”

    This event not only brings awareness but also shows victims that their community supports them.
    “It’s important to show victims that we support them. Although you probably won’t know who they are, they will be among the walkers, volunteers, and spectators; you may not see them, but they will see you, and that’s the most important part of this walk,” said Gerdes of the importance of the event.

    The Phoenix Center is an important part of our community. Gerdes explained what their role in Fayetteville is.

    “The Phoenix Center provides services to victims of domestic and sexual violence. We offer a 24-hour crisis line, you can file for a domestic violence protective order in our office, and we advocate in the emergency room and in the courthouse for victims. We have support groups and we refer to mental health professionals. We work hard. We hear the worst that happens to people. Especially to women, and we advocate the best we can and the next day to do it all over again. So come out Friday, share a few laughs, thank the advocates for all their hard work, and take a stand with us.”

  • N2403P04001CParty nominations for North Carolina’s 2024 elections are, for the most part, decided. Just four races remain to be settled in runoffs on May 14. So, would you say you’re generally satisfied or dissatisfied with our primaries this year?

    Here’s my answer to the question: I’m deeply disappointed. It’s not that all the candidates I favored lost their primaries.

    Many of my picks were, in fact, successful. My principal concern about the 2024 cycle so far is its remarkable — and dangerous — lack of substance.

    I don’t expect campaigns for county commissioner, state legislature, Congress, or president to consist of Socratic dialogues or PowerPoint presentations. Resumes matter. Personalities matter. Rapport with average voters matters. And as long as politicians have competed for power, they’ve slung mud. Ancient Greek and Roman orators used to call each other the foulest of names.

    But as I watched our political primaries unfold this year, I was struck by the shallowness of the discourse about such momentous issues as learning losses during COVID, deadly wars in the Middle East and Ukraine, and, especially, the fiscal recklessness of the federal government.

    After decades of largely theoretical debates about the federal debt, Americans are rapidly approaching the moment in which massive federal deficits will trigger a series of painful decisions.

    There will be automatic cuts to Social Security and Medicare benefits. Or Congress will enact massive tax increases. Or the Federal Reserve will attempt to monetize the debt, fueling new and devastating rounds of inflation.

    Paul Winfree, a former White House aide who now runs the Economic Policy Innovation Center, puts the matter starkly in a new report. Over the next 15 years, he writes, scheduled federal deficits will largely exhaust America’s “fiscal space” — our capacity to finance public debt without great economic harm.
    Politicians of all stripes offer stock “answers” to this problem that no longer make any sense, if they ever did. For example, while faster economic growth would make it easier to accommodate future borrowing, we cannot simply grow our way out of the federal debt. It’s too big. Washington will have to spend a lot less than currently projected, particularly on health programs, to bring the budget anywhere close to balance.

    Nor is it possible to make much a dent in the problem by taxing the wealthy more. Federal deficits are running about 6% of the gross domestic product and will rise to 10% by mid-century. According to Manhattan Institute fiscal analyst Brian Riedl, hiking taxes on wealthy Americans — those earning in excess of $400,00 annually, let’s say — can increase federal revenue no more than 2% of GDP, and probably closer to 1% using realistic expectations.

    “Most of America’s income is earned by the non-wealthy,” Riedl wrote, “and, like Scandinavia and most of Europe, the U.S. will need to tax those families considerably to meet any ambitious revenue needs.”
    Although candidates for federal office have the greatest responsibility to explain how they’d tackle the problem — a responsibility that, with few exceptions, they’ve shirked — even candidates for state and local office in North Carolina aren’t really off the hook. Federal aid (which you can properly think of as federal borrowing) currently finances nearly as much of the state budget as state taxes do. It also makes up a sizable share of local budgets.

    What happens if (or, more likely, when) future presidents and Congresses opt to close federal deficits in part by cutting back on aid to states and localities?

    For example, North Carolina just expanded our Medicaid program under the terms of the Affordable Care Act, which reimburses previously ineligible people — mostly childless, able-bodied adults — at a much higher rate than, say, poor children or the severely disabled.

    It is very likely that future federal policymakers will resolve this bizarre disparity by slashing federal funds for Medicaid. How will North Carolina policymakers make up the difference?

    I wish these and other weighty issues had been front and center during the primaries. They weren’t.

    Editor’s note: John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member. His latest books, Mountain Folk and Forest Folk, combine epic fantasy with early American history (FolkloreCycle.com).

  • pexels tara winstead 8850712It is halfway over now, but in some ways, it is just beginning.

    We pretty much know who is going to be on our general election ballots in November, and the few races still undecided will be over shortly after a handful of runoff elections, or “second primaries,” as we call them in North Carolina. That means the time has arrived for careful thought and research into candidates—what positions they take on issues that are important to us and what kind of human beings they are—before we cast our final votes in November.

    Knee-jerk reactions to candidates for whatever reasons are inappropriate, shortsighted, foolish, and, ultimately, dangerous to ourselves, our families, and everyone else.

    There is little question that American democracy is on the line in November. The Harvard political scientists who wrote 2018’s stunning How Democracies Die have a new book out, Tyranny of the Minority, and if what they assert does not scare your socks off, then you are not paying attention.

    Professors Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt argue that our nation has always been an experiment in democracy, evolving since its inception, and now reaching the point of becoming one of the few multi-racial democracies in history. This possibility, they write, has birthed an authoritarian reaction, some even say backlash, that has the potential to rip us apart at the seams. The scholars propose several governmental changes, some already embraced by other world democracies, to reform our political system. They make the case that we have done so in the past, notably after the Civil War. In true book jacket fashion, they assert that “we are at a crossroads: America will either become a multiracial democracy or cease to be a democracy at all.”

    Those are terrifying words, and if nothing else, they should impel voters to look closely at political candidates at all levels, especially for our top jobs. Do the people running respect democracy and the judgment of the American people, or do they believe they alone are suitable for the positions they seek? Do they call others names? Do they see our complex nation and world in black and white terms or do they understand that there are few, if any, easy answers to the problems that face us?

    Our individual lives are complicated, and issues facing our nation are both pressing and dangerous. Levitsky and Ziblatt, like millions of other Americans, see the 2024 general election as a turning point. The United States can either stand up to those who fear a multi-racial, multi-cultural democracy or we can give up on a democratic ideal in favor of some authoritarian form of government. The final stage of our toxic political polarization leaves little room for anything else.

    As a Baby Boomer, the results of the 2024 elections, however they turn out, are unlikely to affect me and my generation profoundly, as we are heading for greener pastures. But elective choices made in 2024 will certainly affect the lives of my children and grandchildren, which, in fact, does scare my socks off. Millions of Americans feel the same way.

    Elections do have consequences. When we enter the voting booth, we would all do well to think not about our own angers and disappointments but about the futures of those we love.

  • pexels pixabay 257385 1The Gilbert Theater is indeed back for another production. The season is NOT over and this production is sure to intrigue audiences. The latest musical production to hit the community theater stage is Assassins. A far cry from musical productions such as Cats, Assassins takes musical theater and spins it on its head with a darkly fascinating concept and arguably some of the most complicated music written for a musical. Shows started March 8th, and will run every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday until March 24th. Show times are Friday at 8 p.m. only, Saturday, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday, at 2 p.m. only.

    Assassins is based on the book written by John Weidman and adapted into a musical by Stephen Sondheim. A musical production unlike any other, Assassins tells the tale of nine men and women who have made an impact on history by trying and failing or successfully assassinating an American President. At its surface, a comedy peeled back to bare bones, Assassinsis a social commentary on what drives the extreme in America and leads one to kill the leader of the “free world.”

    Marie Lowe is at the director's helm of this season’s production of Assassins. An active member of the theater community here in Fayetteville for a decade, this is Lowe’s first time directing a musical.

    I’m very pleased to be doing it. Assassins is a much beloved, kind of cult hit with musical theater people and Sondheim people… it’s very rarely produced, although this is the second time the Gilbert is doing it… I anticipate people really enjoying it because this cast is fantastic. It’s hard to do Assassins unless you have really good people because Sondheim is known for particularly technically difficult music… we got all the people, it’s really delightful,” Lowe said of her musical directorial debut.

    Not a theater to not prepare for a production, the Gilbert Theater was able to bring in a musical director for the first three weeks of rehearsals.

    Everyone learned their music and now we are just putting it on stage and it’s going to be fantastic,” Lowe said.

    Artist Director Larry Carlisle, who has managed a successful season of amazingly diverse shows, is no musical expert but his knack for finding the right directors and musical directors has paid off this season, with the Rocky Horror Show being a brilliant success last fall.   “Generally, with musicals, I try to stay pretty hands-off… this one is pretty awesome… mostly I just try to let the director and music director do their thing because I know I can’t really offer anything of usefulness,” Carlisle said.

    Assassins takes place in a carnival-like purgatory and John Wilkes Booth is the leader of the band of successful and unsuccessful assassins. The cast has put in the work, with some taking method acting to a new level, such as Chris Walker and Molly Malone. 

    “I’m concerned the audience will like the cast too much. They are all so good, but they are playing people who are not lovable and who are not so good. They are doing a good job of trying to bring some of that into it as well,” director Lowe said of the casting for Assassins.

    With a talented cast and an equally talented director, Assassins is a can’t-miss musical production. Tickets to the show can be found on the Gilbert Theaters website, https://www.gilberttheater.com/2023-2024-season/.

  • 348477294 630379735650972 5408602955979712263 nThe Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra and the Fayetteville Symphony Youth Orchestra will be joining forces for their annual Side-by-Side concert on Sunday, March 24 at 2:30 p.m. This exceptional event allows the FSYO to showcase their talent alongside world-class musicians.

    The primary goal of the Fayetteville Symphony Youth Orchestra is to enrich music education for young musicians in the wider Fayetteville region. This is achieved by offering high-quality training, valuable ensemble playing experiences, and distinctive performance opportunities.

    It's important to note that the FSYO is not limited to a single orchestra, but rather consists of five diverse ensembles. These ensembles provide orchestral training through weekly rehearsals.

    By participating in the FSYO, students have the chance to expand their musical education beyond private lessons and school ensembles. They become valued members of a team, collaborating with a variety of talented young musicians.

    The Youth Orchestra, under the guidance of Tim Parsons and Kristin Stiteler, is designed for skilled musicians who are proficient in one of the following instruments: violin, viola, cello, double bass, flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, French horn, trumpet, trombone, tuba, and percussion. Participants must be between the ages of 11 and 21.

    The FSYO takes part in three concerts throughout the year, and the Side-by-Side concert on March 24th is one of them. This performance will showcase Sergei Prokofiev's renowned composition, "Peter and the Wolf." The storyteller recounts a captivating tale for children, while the orchestra brings it to life by utilizing a variety of instruments to portray each character through a unique musical theme.

    This particular piece is widely recognized as Prokofiev's most frequently performed work, and over the years, it has played a crucial role in introducing countless young listeners to the world of classical music, while also helping them develop an appreciation for the distinct sounds produced by different orchestral instruments.

    The Side-by-Side concert will take place at Huff Concert Hall on the Methodist University Campus. The concert is open to the public and free with no tickets needed. For more information on this event visit: https://rb.gy/jgsetp.

    For more information on the Fayetteville Symphony Youth Orchestra visit:
    https://www.fayettevillesymphony.org/youth-orchestra/.

  • pexels ellie burgin 3345860Fayetteville Technical Community College is pleased to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the highly successful Funeral Services Education Program.

    Since 1974, FTCC has trained students for rewarding careers in the funeral services industry. A great deal has changed in the half-century since those first students entered the program, but the core values of the program remain unchanged. The faculty, staff and students involved with this program are dedicated to helping people through some of the most difficult times most of us will ever experience.

    Today, FTCC has the only funeral service program in North Carolina, but students from Richmond, Randolph, Vance Granville and Robeson community colleges now have the ability to earn academic credits from FTCC’s Funeral Service program, thanks to a unique partnership. Students travel from all over the state and the nation to study and learn industry-specific skills under the watchful eye of FTCC’s award-winning faculty—all licensed funeral service professionals. Students enjoy a well-rounded education in history, law, psychology, sociology, ethics, science, and funeral home operations.

    Students may pursue the six-semester associate degree in Funeral Service Education, which includes courses in both funeral home operations and embalming sciences, or the three-semester N.C. Funeral Director Diploma Program, which focuses exclusively on funeral directing operations and management.

    The majority of the program’s coursework can now be completed online, although some face-to-face coursework is required in embalming, restorative arts, and funeral service tasks. Students who already work in a funeral home may be allowed to complete a work-based learning option in lieu of attending the on-campus embalming lab.

    Graduates of the curriculum, upon passing the national exams and completing an internship in a funeral home, will be qualified for employment as embalmers and/or funeral directors. The current median salary for funeral directors in North Carolina is $65,000 per year.

    The United States Department of Labor reports strong growth in the Funeral Services industry and good job prospects for new graduates of accredited Funeral Service Education Programs, like the one at FTCC.
    When student Nicole Henderson entered the Funeral Services Program at FTCC, she was concerned that she would be unable to balance her duties as a wife, a mother of three children, and a full-time employee. Nicole recently explained that her fears melted away almost instantly when she was greeted with “pure confidence” from her instructors at FTCC.

    Nicole says, “I didn’t just earn a degree; I earned a whole new life.” She now enjoys a highly rewarding career as a funeral director at Reeves Funeral Home in Hope Mills. Nicole beams with pride when she calls her former instructors and “they treat me like a colleague.”

    Are you ready to reimagine your future? If so, your next chapter starts at FTCC! Please contact us today. FTCC’s Funeral Services Education faculty are eager to help you take the next step on your path to success. The department chair is James Bullard, and he can be reached at bullardja@faytechcc.edu. His office is located at Cumberland Hall, Room 311-B, 2215 Hull Rd. or you can call 910-678-8301.

    The full-time faculty includes David Brooks, Trey Herring and Rachel Dinehart, and the adjunct faculty includes David Hall, James Peterson, Patricia Burns, Tawanna Johnson and Ferell Mowell.

  • 419394740 727136919515092 8295957284046724940 nGet ready to immerse yourself in the vibrant tapestry of America's Indigenous cultures at the BraveNation Powwow and Gathering.

    Set for Saturday, March 23, in the Jones Athletic Center at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, this event promises an enriching experience that celebrates the rich history and culture of Indigenous peoples. With over 140 dancers, 7 drum groups, and various art, food and information vendors, attendees will have the unique opportunity to witness the enduring legacy and future of Indigenous communities firsthand.

    History and significance of Powwows

    Powwows hold a deep-rooted place within the fabric of Indigenous cultures, functioning as pivotal communal events that underscore the profound connections between tribes, their traditions, and the natural world. Originating as celebratory gatherings, powwows were instrumental in reinforcing social bonds, marking the passage of seasons, and commemorating significant milestones or achievements within the community.

    These events offered a sacred space for storytelling, the sharing of wisdom, and the performance of dances that were believed to bridge the human world with the spiritual realm.

    As centuries passed, powwows evolved, becoming more than just social or ceremonial gatherings; they transformed into vital custodians of Indigenous heritage, ensuring the transmission of ancient customs, languages, and beliefs to new generations.

    In contemporary times, they continue to play an essential role in the cultural life of Indigenous peoples, adapting to incorporate modern influences while steadfastly preserving the essence of ancestral traditions.

    Through the rhythmic beats of drums that echo ancestors' heartbeats and the intricate dance steps that trace the contours of sacred narratives, powwows like the BraveNation gathering act as vivid expressions of Indigenous identity, resilience and unity.

    These events not only honor the past but also pave the way for future generations to connect with their heritage in a world that is rapidly changing, thus maintaining the vitality and relevance of Indigenous cultures in today's society.

    The importance of the BraveNation Powwow at UNC Pembroke

    At its core, the BraveNation Powwow stands as a poignant celebration of the resilience and vibrancy inherent in Indigenous culture. Located at UNC Pembroke — a place with roots deeply embedded in American Indian education — this powwow acts as a vital conduit, linking the university's foundational mission with its contemporary pursuit of honoring and elevating Indigenous heritage.

    This event encapsulates more than just a gathering; it embodies a powerful statement of cultural endurance and pride. By hosting this powwow, UNC Pembroke not only acknowledges its unique history but also underscores its commitment to fostering an environment where the traditions and values of Indigenous cultures are not merely observed but are actively revered and integrated into the community fabric.

    BraveNation Powwow & Gathering Event Details

    Doors will open to the public at 10 a.m. and grand entry is at noon.
    Admission prices are as follows:
    • $5 for adults,
    •$3 for elders (60+) and ages 7-18,
    • Free for children 6 and under and UNCP students, faculty and staff with a UNCP ID
    • $3 for non-UNCP college student admission with college ID

    Debit card and/or cash in exact change is preferred for paying for admission.

     

    Dancer and Drum Registration

    Dancer registration will be open from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Each dancer and drummer will pay the general admission fee of $5 and be allowed entry into one competition.

    Prize money will be awarded to the 1st place winner in the drum contest and first, second and third place dancers in four age categories. More information on that can be found here: https://tinyurl.com/2pcrskns

    Commemorative T-Shirt

    There will be a commemorative t-shirt available for purchase at the powwow. Sizes range from adult SM-4XL for $15 to youth XS-L for $10. The shirt will feature UNCP’s mascot, the red-tailed hawk, and traditional Southeastern American Indian motifs. This year's shirt was designed by Karen Bird (Lumbee).

    Directions to UNCP, Map of Campus, and Parking

    The event will take place in the Jones Athletic Center at UNC Pembroke. The address is 176 University Drive, Pembroke, NC 28372.
    • Directions to UNCP: www.uncp.edu/about/directions
    • Map of Campus: www.uncp.edu/about/campus-map
    • Google Maps – Jones Center: https://maps.app.goo.gl/oXZ6mS1aqSEWDFji8
    • Parking is free and located at the main entrance to the Jones Athletic Center.

    How to Participate in the BraveNation Powwow

    As spectators, attendees can delve into the captivating world of Indigenous performances, absorbing the rhythmic dances and soul-stirring music that define the powwow experience. The visual feast of traditional regalia and the immersive soundscape provide a profound connection to Indigenous traditions and stories.

    For those seeking a more interactive role, volunteering presents a meaningful opportunity to contribute to the event’s success. Volunteers play a crucial part in the powwow, assisting with various aspects of the gathering, from setting up the venue to facilitating the day's activities.

    This not only supports the event’s smooth operation but also offers volunteers a unique vantage point to experience and understand the cultural significance behind the powwow’s elements. If you are interested in volunteering you can register here: https://tinyurl.com/yc4ejcwx.

    If you would like to donate, tax-deductible gifts are accepted. Gifts can be made online at www.uncp.edu/give/powwow2024 or mailed to The UNCP Foundation, PO Box 1510, Pembroke, NC 28372. Checks should be made out to The UNCP Foundation with Powwow noted in the memo line.

    Supporting Indigenous Cultures Beyond the Powwow

    Engagement with Indigenous cultures shouldn't end as the last drumbeat fades at the BraveNation Powwow.
    There are myriad ways to carry forward the spirit of understanding, respect, and celebration experienced at the event. Education plays a pivotal role; taking the time to learn about the diverse histories, challenges, and achievements of Indigenous peoples can illuminate past injustices and highlight paths toward reconciliation and mutual respect.

    Such knowledge empowers individuals to engage in informed dialogue and advocacy for Indigenous rights and sovereignty.

    Supporting Indigenous-led organizations offers a direct avenue to contribute to the flourishing of these communities. Whether it involves donating to causes that protect Indigenous lands, support education and cultural preservation, or advocate for policy change, every action counts. Additionally, purchasing from Indigenous artisans and businesses not only supports economic development but also helps in keeping traditional crafts and knowledge alive.

    Participation in cultural events and supporting Indigenous media are other significant ways to stay engaged. Films, books and music produced by Indigenous creators open windows to understanding diverse perspectives and narratives, enriching the cultural landscape for all.
    By integrating these practices into daily life, the respect and admiration fostered at the powwow can evolve into a sustained commitment to supporting and uplifting Indigenous cultures. This ongoing engagement not only honors the richness of these communities but also contributes to a more inclusive and equitable society.

    Should you need any additional information on any aspect of the BraveNation Powwow & Gathering feel free to use the options below:

    • Visit uncp.edu/powwow
    • Email powwow@uncp.edu
    • Call 910.775.4663
    • Facebook: BraveNation Powwow and Gathering at UNC Pembroke

  • nat robertson CEO and PresWhat a difference a year makes! Every vibrant municipality needs a successful Chamber of Commerce. I have written countless articles about the amazing opportunities available in Fayetteville and Cumberland County for businesses, organizations, and entrepreneurs if only we had more competent and engaged civic, business, and governmental leadership. Effective leaders are defined by their work ethic, integrity, and active and ongoing engagement in the community.

    Below I have published a letter that Brian Pearce, Chairman of the Board of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce sent to their nearly 800 members reviewing the first 12 months of the Chamber’s performance and progress. The letter congratulates overwhelmingly Nat Robertson, Fayetteville’s former mayor and current Chamber President/CEO on his achievements and overall stellar performance. This letter is the near-perfect example at the type of aggressive and dedicated leadership needed to propel businesses and the Fayetteville community into a state of profitability and respectability in the 21st century.

     

     

     

     

    Dear Greater Fayetteville Chamber Members,

    As we turn the pages of our collective journey, it is with immense pride and a profound sense of community spirit that we commemorate a significant milestone - the one-year anniversary of Mr. Nat Robertson's tenure as CEO of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber. In the span of a year, Nat has not only embodied the values and vision that our Chamber stands for but has also propelled us toward new heights with unwavering dedication, innovative strategies, and a deep commitment to fostering business growth and prosperity in our beloved City and County.

    Under Nat's leadership, our Chamber has experienced remarkable achievements and milestones. His strategic vision has paved the way for enhanced member services, expanded networking opportunities, and impactful advocacy efforts that have not only benefited our business community but also reinforced the economic foundation of Fayetteville and the area. His approachable leadership style and open-door policy have fostered a culture of inclusivity, collaboration, and shared purpose among our members, staff, and the wider community.

    Nat's tenure has been marked by significant initiatives aimed at addressing the needs of our diverse membership, from small businesses to large corporations. His commitment to leveraging technology for better engagement, education programs, and promoting sustainable business practices reflects his forward-thinking approach to chamber leadership. Moreover, his efforts in strengthening partnerships with local government, educational institutions, and other stakeholders have been instrumental in creating a more business-friendly environment in our area.

    As we celebrate this milestone, we also look forward to the continued journey under Nat's leadership. The roadmap ahead is filled with ambitious plans and exciting prospects that promise to elevate our Chamber and our community to even greater heights. We are confident that with Nat at the helm, supported by our dynamic team and you, our valued members, the Greater Fayetteville Chamber will continue to thrive and make a lasting impact in our region.

    On behalf of the Board of Directors and the entire Chamber staff, I extend our heartfelt congratulations to Nat Robertson for a successful year as CEO. We are incredibly grateful for your leadership, vision, and unwavering dedication to our Chamber and community. Here's to many more years of success, growth, and achievements together!

    Thank you, each and every one of you, for your continued support and commitment to the Greater Fayetteville Chamber. Together, we are making a difference in Fayetteville, and it is a privilege to embark on this journey with you all.

    Warmest regards,
    Brian Pearce
    Chairman of the Board, Greater Fayetteville Chamber

     

    To add substance and details to Pearce's letter for a better understanding for our readers, I have taken the liberty of documenting a few of the Chamber's achievements under Robertson’s leadership that Pearce refers to.

    Robertson’s success during this past year is the near-perfect example of how putting the right person, in the right place, at the right time, produces the right results.

    Robertson's Chamber of Commerce achievements:

    • Recruited 300+ new Chamber members.
    • Organized and Executed five (5) successful and “Sold Out” Business/Community events.
    • Created and staffed the Consumer Protection Division.
    • Revitalized the Military and Governmental Affairs committees.
    Revised ENGAGE Magazine as the Chamber's Official Business Journal.
    • Created: The quarterly Non-denominational Chamber Prayer Breakfast
    • Implement bi-monthly member Success Seminars and Speaker Series.
    • Assembled an enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and talented staff.

    Looking Ahead

    In Robertson’s own words, “…. I’m excited about the opportunities that lie ahead for the Chamber and the Fayetteville community. I am confident in our ability to continue making a meaningful impact for our members and the Fayetteville area. The Chamber team remains committed to delivering even more value to our members, fostering a dynamic business environment, and contributing to Fayetteville's economy and overall success.”

    The successes of Nat Robertson in revitalizing the Chamber reflect the trust and leadership support he has received from the Chamber Board of Directors, his ability to recognize Fayetteville's potential, and his vision and talent for organizing and motivating a team of staffers and volunteers that also grasp the vision of supporting and nurturing healthy and dynamic businesses and organizations for the betterment of the entire Fayetteville and Cumberland County community.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • IMG 8110It was all a scam. Those ads at the back of comic books in the Way Back Times. Back when comics were a dime, then 12 cents, then 15 cents. Initially, the ads were a source of juvenile dreams. Once upon a time, I believed X-ray specs worked. The ad was awesome, featuring a leering guy with lightning coming out of his glasses. He enjoyed “a hilarious optical illusion” of seeing through a Lady Person’s clothing. The ad promised you could look at your hands to see the bones underneath the skin. What 13-year-old boy wouldn’t want to have such an amazing scientific invention? Honor House sold a pair of these wonder glasses for only $1 plus 25 cents shipping. With a name like Honor House, it had to be true. I ordered a pair. Alas, it was not true. The glasses did not allow you to look at the bones in your hands or beneath Milady’s clothing. Lightning did not zap out of your eyes when you looked through them. What a major gyp.

    I blame the lack of truth on the pernicious influence of Madison Avenue. Surely a fine company like Honor House would not knowingly submit false advertising to a candid world. Don Draper had to be behind these misleading ads. As a newly minted teenager, I followed Samuel Coleridge’s theory to have a willing suspension of disbelief. I believed the ads. As Bloody Mary sang in South Pacific, “If you don’t have a dream/ How you gonna have a dream come true?” The ads were the stuff that dreams were made of.

    There were many wonders advertised at the back of the comic books. For $1.50 you could get a phony arm cast complete with a sling. It looked like the real thing and would fit teenagers or adults. For a buck you could get a “Mr. Baldy Bigshot Skin Head Wig.” When you put it on “you will look several years older and get a million laughs.” Fortunately, I saved a dollar and obtained a natural skin head look courtesy of my maternal grandfather’s gene pool. You want funny? Get a pack of Onion Gum for 20 cents. It looks like normal gum but tastes like onions. Give a stick to your friends and watch the hilarity as they spit it out.

    An all-time favorite that did work was the “Joy Buzzer.” You hid a secret buzzer in the palm of your hand. Then shake hands with an unsuspecting buddy. He will jump six feet in the air when the buzzer goes off, surprising him and entertaining you. Imagine the fun you could have with your own tube of $1 fake Vampire blood. “You never know when a Vampire will strike! Be ready with this realistic-looking Vampire blood and watch the girls swoon.” Like the chronically swooning Miss Pittypat Hamilton in “Gone with the Wind,” back in the ‘60s female teenage persons were more loving swoonful. Fake Vampire blood was just the thing to set them off.

    Another classic gag was the tiny voice throwing instrument you hid inside your mouth. It came with instructions on how to become a ventriloquist. You can “throw your voice into trucks, behind doors, everywhere. Fool teachers, friends, and family.” What could be cooler? The ad featured a worker carrying a big box on his back with a voice coming out of the box yelling “Help! Let me out! Help!” Hours of hijinks ensue. Pro tip: This did not work.

    For 50 cents you could get a real boomerang for target throwing. Guaranteed that “In case you miss, it comes right back to you, and Bingo! You are all set to fire again. More fun than a barrel of monkeys.” I could never get the boomerang to come back. I would throw it and it just hit the ground. It was considerably less fun than a barrel of monkeys. I was never quite sure how much fun a barrel of monkeys might be. Was the top on the barrel and the monkeys were confined inside?

    If there was no top of the barrel, the monkeys would just climb out of the barrel leaving you to chase them down. That didn’t really seem like much fun either. Monkeys in a barrel is a pretty low bar for fun. Chasing monkeys was probably more fun than throwing a curved flat stick and then picking it off the ground.

    Yelp Review: Don’t buy a boomerang.

    The boomerang craze did spawn a great Australian song in 1962 called “My Boomerang Won’t Come Back” by the late great Charlie Drake. I could identify with the Mac, the hero of the song. Mac lamented “I’m a big disgrace to the Aborigine race/ My boomerang won’t come back.” Bigly sad.

    Have we learned anything of use today? Once again, almost nothing. But if it saves one person fifty cents on a faulty boomerang it is worth it. As Marvin Gaye once sang: “Believe half of what you see/ Son, and none of what you hear.”

    That goes double for anything contained in this column.

  • 20240305 0644020On March 5th, Fort Liberty's Provider's Cafe took part in the Philip A. Connelly army-wide competition between dining facilities.

    Every day, their team of 92G (Cook and Culinary) soldiers prepared and honed their teamwork, talents, and organization in preparation for Tuesday's competition. Beginning at 5 a.m., the soldiers arrived and began their preparation for the day's event. Shortly after, Sgt. First Class Brown ran the troops through their morning formation and gave them an inspiring speech about their dedication, efforts thus far, and drive to prove that they were the best 92G the Army had to offer.

    "I want them to enjoy themselves. This is their profession; this is what they do. This is culinary arts. It is an opportunity to show what they can do. But for them, it's just another day. They are always putting their best foot forward trying to be the best version of themselves and improve,” said Lt. Vuylsteke.

    The morning started with breakfast and it was truly something to see. Fresh squeezed juice from pineapples, celery, and cucumbers was made available to all soldiers at the beginning of the line going through the facility. The well-known omelet station, scratch-made biscuits and carbs were at the beginning as is common in “warrior restaurants,” as they are coming to be called.
    However, these were different.

    Time, care and effort went into every step of the process the team at the Provider's Cafe took to ensure the highest quality food was made available to the soldiers who would be eating there.

    Throughout the line, talk of their highly regarded French toast was abundant. There were sweet potato pancakes, fresh fruits, fresh yogurts, and a variety of cereals also present that far outdid the standard at most other warrior restaurants throughout the Army.

    The shift lead and first cook of the team, Staff Sgt. Johnson and Sgt. McCrae, attributed their continual success to their communication and effective teamwork that ensured every member of their team knew their jobs and how to execute their roles. Their success depended on them supporting one another throughout the competition and daily process.

    "Teamwork and making sure everyone did their jobs, but also picking each other up and helping," said Sgt. McCrae on his perspective on their what has led them to their current reputation for excellence. "But we do that on the daily. We came together and worked together to achieve that goal."

    Lunchtime was where the team was able to really shine. The main courses being prime rib and fresh grilled chicken, the team outdid themselves in both their preparation and presentation of the menu items for that day's meal.

    The item that stole the show was undoubtedly the red velvet cake made by Spc. De La Cruz. The dessert item was so delicious, even the competition graders couldn't help but have another piece.

    Overall, the team of 92G at the Provider's Cafe excelled in their craft and was able to provide the highest quality of service and nutrition available to the soldiers who chose to eat there. This standard is one they exemplify daily, and their achievement as one of six finalists in the competition is evidence of that.

    The winner won't be announced until later; however, they will be strong contenders for first place amongst the entire Army for their commitment to the tenets of the military, and their dedication to their craft as culinary artists.

  • downloadFloyd Properties is celebrating its 73rd year of building new homes and neighborhoods in the Cumberland and surrounding counties. We are very pleased to offer our customers many options to have the home of their Dreams.

    These new home neighborhoods are exceptional in location, design, amenities and livability. The floor plans we are offering feature wide open living areas with the kitchen, family room and dining with no walls, creating a sense of grand and spacious living.

    Our most popular homes have two story family rooms with large glass doors and multiple levels of windows. Open, expansive, boundless, splendid and even gorgeous and majestic are words we are striving for in these houses.

    The kitchens have features the family chef would appreciate and bathrooms that are bright with large windows, full glass shower enclosures, rain shower heads with dramatic open ceramic showers and beautiful bathtubs with ceramic tile all around the sides. The master bedroom closets are all wood custom designed and built.

    Pot fillers, electric car charging stations, farm sinks, laminate and hardwood floors, custom designer hand railings, coffered ceilings, wainscoting, dramatic upscale inside trim, chair railing, large crown molding, enlarged base moldings, larger window and door casing and entry way accents, large design created columns and archway dramatic design enhance the magnificent impact of these features in each home.

    An important part of our vision is to provide our customers locations in the North, South, East and West regions of our local area. The neighborhoods we offer our homes in are as important as the homes themselves. Walking trails, fishing ponds, nature trails, parks, playground equipment, mail stations and beautiful entrances are crucial to making our neighborhoods livable, walkable, safe and outstanding places to live close to shopping, schools and recreational activities.

    Saddlebrook is our Southern Pines location on a wonderful golf course at Longleaf Country Club. Fairfield Farms is located on the North side of Fayetteville at the 295 exit, Cape Fear Crossings is near Cape Fear High School next to the Carter blueberry farm, Legacy and Westhaven are located in the Jack Britt school district next to Harris Teeter on Stoney Point Road and Kingston is a new neighborhood opening in 2025 located West near the new aquatic and recreational center in Hoke County near the hospital, shopping and schools.

    Call us today at 910-423-6700 to visit one of our FIVE STAR locations in and around our community.

  • pexels caleb oquendo 2927080Music is often referred to as the universal language. Every culture across the world has a musical tradition all its own.

    This international quality of music was something Fayetteville State University piano professor Dr. Amanda Virelles had a vision to celebrate in our own community, where so many different countries are represented.

    Dr. Virelles was inspired by Fayetteville’s annual International Folk Festival and the celebration of rich traditions of culture in all its forms that it brought together. She began to imagine a similar festival that focused on music.

    In 2023 FSU, with grant funding from the Arts Council of Fayetteville-Cumberland County, hosted a multi-day, multi-venue festival. In April of 2024, the 2nd Annual International Music Festival will bring together a variety of musicians to share the musical traditions of their countries of origin.

    The festival will kick off on April 4 at 11 a.m. at Seabrook Auditorium on FSU’s campus, with a concert presented by FSU music faculty. The concert will include music by international and American composers. Following the Opening Concert, April 4-7 will be filled with concerts and events aimed at sharing music from around the world.

    The festival will host several concerts at the Cumberland County Library Headquarters and in The Arts Council Gallery on Hay Street. Slated to perform are musicians originally from Uruguay, Cuba, Venezuela, Columbia, Czech Republic, Brazil, Korea, Russia, Ukraine, Argentina and Peru.

    In addition to the concerts, there is an International Faculty/Student Fair on April 5 at 10 a.m. in the Randolph Jones Student Center at FSU, which will feature displays, performances and demonstrations for guests to explore. It will be an interactive and educational event.

    In addition to the benefits of cultural celebration for the entire community, this festival also presents a unique learning opportunity for FSU music students.

    As Dr. Virelles explains, the opportunity to travel to another country to learn music is a valuable one, but one that is not available to all students. This festival is an opportunity to “bring the work [of artists from around the world] to the students.”

    Students will not only listen to the artists perform but will have the chance to learn from them directly. After the Faculty/Student Fair on April 5, there will be lectures and masterclasses presented by many of the featured performers.

    Students will not only have the chance to be exposed to a variety of music but to learn directly from those musicians.

    The Festival is made possible by funding from The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County and the work of a committee comprised of FSU faculty, staff, and students: Amanda Virelles, Jerrita Waters, Joseph Spearman, Sondra Martin, Jeremy Fiebig, Deborah Vazquez, Shawn McNeill, Zahra Shekarkhar, Shane Booth, and Brittany Fuller.

    Anyone in the community is invited to attend the events of the International Music Festival, and many events are free of charge. See below for a full breakdown of events, locations, and prices:

    April 4:

    11 a.m. Opening Concert-FSU Music Faculty at Seabrook Auditorium, FSU $10
    4 p.m.-Duo Guitiano & Friends at Seabrook Auditorium, FSU FREE
    7 p.m.-Carlos Feller, flute; Mary Chung, piano at Seabrook Auditorium, FSU FREE

    April 5:

    10 a.m.-International Faculty/Student Fair at Rudolph Jones Student Center, FSU FREE
    4 p.m.-Julian Croatto, guitar; Alma Coefman, flute at Arts Council Gallery FREE
    7 p.m.-Milan Rericha, clarinet; Kristina Henckel, piano at Seabrook Auditorium, FSU $10

    April 6:

    11 a.m.-Gonzalo Aguilar, piano; Rodrigo Quintana, violin at Cumberland County Library Headquarters FREE
    4 p.m.-Marcos Machado, double bass at Cumberland County Library Headquarters FREE
    7 p.m.-Night at the Opera Theatre at Seabrook Auditorium, FSU $10

    April 7:

    5 p.m.-Festival Closing Concert featuring Cuban opera star Eglise Gutierrez at Seabrook Auditorium, FSU $10

     

    To purchase tickets, visit the following site: https://www.etix.com/ticket/v/4386/seabrook-auditorium-fayetteville-state-university?performance_id=48277453&country=US&language=en

    All events are free to Fayetteville State University students.

  • pexels italo melo 2356140In a poignant celebration of faith and unity, Fort Liberty will host a sunrise service on March 31 at the Main Post Parade Field. This unique event will see nine chapels from Fort Liberty converging into a single worship experience, symbolizing the collective spirit of the military community as they come together to celebrate Easter.

    This event welcomes all, urging attendees to bring their chairs and linger after the service for light refreshments. The atmosphere is not just one of solemn reverence but a coming together of diverse Christian denominations within the military community.

    Chaplain Col. James Foster, a key organizer of the event, expressed his enthusiasm for the Easter season, stating, "I am excited to celebrate the Easter season because it unites Christians together to recognize the Resurrection of Christ and what He offers to give to those who place their trust in Him, and that we too will live with Him eternally."

    This sentiment captures the essence of the event – a celebration of unity and faith within the military community.

    As attendees gather on this hallowed ground, the words of Matthew 28:1-10 and Mark 16:1-8, embedded in the ceremony, will resonate. These scriptures, encapsulating the account of the Resurrection, serve as the foundation of the Easter celebration. In Matthew, the angel proclaims, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said."
    In his gospel, Mark describes the awe and fear that gripped the women at the empty tomb, with the angel instructing them, "Don't be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him."

    These verses encapsulate the core message of Easter – the triumph of life over death, of hope over despair. As the military community at Fort Liberty comes together to observe this sacred sunrise service, these words will guide the reflections and prayers, fostering a collective sense of gratitude and renewal.
    Access to Fort Liberty is a prerequisite for attendance, ensuring the security and cohesion of the event. Those interested in joining can obtain a visitor pass by visiting https://bit.ly/3wN2g72. The process is streamlined, and free parking is available for all attendees.

    The event signifies the spiritual bonding within the military community and serves as a reminder of the sacrifices made by service members. The Main Post Parade Field, a stage for various military ceremonies, now witnesses a different kind of ceremony — one that transcends divisions, denominations, and ranks.

    Fort Liberty, a bastion of discipline and order, will momentarily transform into a space where the shared faith of the military community takes center stage. This sunrise service acknowledges the spiritual resilience that sustains service members through the challenges they face in the line of duty. "All are welcome" is the resounding call, and as the Main Post Parade Field becomes a tapestry of diverse uniforms, a sense of camaraderie prevails. The sunrise, symbolic of a new day and a fresh beginning, aligns seamlessly with the themes of Easter – a celebration of rebirth, redemption, and the unwavering hope that unites Christians worldwide.

    The sunrise service at Fort Liberty promises a unique Easter celebration and a testament to the enduring spirit of faith within the military community. It is a reminder that the shared commitment to faith provides a foundation for unity and resilience regardless of differences or duty stations. So, as the first light of dawn breaks over Fort Liberty, it will illuminate not only the Parade Field but also the collective spirit of the military community, bound together by the timeless message of Easter – the triumph of life, the promise of hope, and the enduring power of faith.

    As attendees disperse to their respective chapels, continuing services allow for a more intimate and focused exploration of the Easter message within the individual faith communities. The various chapels, each with a unique ambiance and tradition, offer a meaningful extension of the sunrise service, fostering a deeper connection with the Resurrection theme.

    The chapels are spread strategically across Fort Liberty, providing convenient locations for service members and their families to continue their Easter observance. The timing of the services is designed to accommodate various schedules, ensuring that all military community members can participate and experience the spiritual enrichment that Easter brings. For more information about any of the services offered, please call the Religious Support Office at 910-396-1121 or visit http://www.liberty.army.mil/
    Here are the details for the post-sunrise services:

    All American Chapel
    Sun 10 a.m. Sunday School
    Sun 11 a.m. Worship Service** Live Stream
    Thu 6 p.m. Men's Bible Study (Spanish) 2nd and 4th Thu

    Airborne Artillery Memorial Chapel
    Sun 10:30 a.m. HolyTrinity Anglican
    Sun 11:45 a.m. Anglican Sunday School

    JFK Memorial Chapel
    Sun 10 a.m. Bible Study
    Sun 11 a.m. Faith Community Fellowship
    Tue 12 p.m. Protestant Bible Study

    Pope Chapel
    Sun 9:30 a.m. Worship Service
    Sun 10:30 a.m. Sunday School
    Wed 6 p.m. Bible Study

    Gordon Elementary
    Sun 10 a.m. Linden Oaks Fellowship

    Main Post Chapel
    Sun 10 a.m. Worship Service
    Sun 11 a.m. Bible Study

    Womack Chapel
    Sun 9 a.m. Worship Service
    Tue 12 p.m. Bible Study

    Smith Lake MWR Park
    Sun 10 a.m. Outdoor Life Church (May-Nov.) Live Stream
    Sun. 11 a.m. Winter Hours
    (Dec.-April)

    Wood Memorial Chapel
    Sun 9:45 a.m. Sunday School
    Sun 11 a.m. Gospel Service Live Stream
    Tue 6:30 p.m. Virtual Bible Study

  • FRA 3"No competitions, just commas." That is the mindset behind the upcoming Future Rich Aunties Business Conference, which is set to take place from April 11th to April 13th here in Fayetteville. Hosted by local business owner Sylvia Glanton, the event aims to educate interested individuals on business strategies and propagate success and collaboration between entrepreneurs.

    The 2nd Annual Future Rich Aunties Business Conference will continue with its stated purpose of connecting like-minded individuals with experienced business owners to aid in securing prosperity for our city's local business environment.

    The Future Rich Aunties Business Conference will seek to conglomerate and compile business owners' knowledge in different sectors to help better guide themselves and create a future of sustainable success for aspiring business owners and entrepreneurs alike.

    "My thought process here coming back to Fayetteville from Atlanta was noticing there wasn't that same sense of ‘togetherness.’ When I was in Atlanta, I was exposed to people driving Rolls Royce, G-wagons, and new Mercedes, and they were black people. I didn't see that growing up in Fayetteville. So I wanted to create the Future Rich Aunties to bring that here. Our three pillars are innovation, technology and operations,” Glanton said.

    With these stated goals in mind, Glanton and her associates have redoubled their efforts in organizing and creating an event that will be both entertaining and educational.

    "The purpose of the event is to create a space where women can relate to one another. Traditionally, women couldn't be in this space. But now we are in this place, and we have common ground as wives, mothers, students, teachers. We want to educate and empower,” said Glanton.

    The conference begins on April 11 with a seminar on the strategies and methods used by successful local business owners that they have utilized to grow their businesses and achieve financial freedom through entrepreneurship.

    Amber Little will be the main speaker and guide the audience through her mindset and approach to business and continued sustainability.

    Afterward, there will be a networking break for those in attendance before the night ends with closing remarks in preparation for the next day.

    On April 12, the morning will start at 8:30 a.m. at the I-Fit fitness center for a workout with those attending. Next, the event will move to Blissful Alchemists for two more seminars from Charlene Richardson on government contracting and Amber Little on marketing advertising and content creation before breaking for a 1 p.m. lunch at Pierro's Italian Bistro on Hay Street.

    Then, it's back to Blissful Alchemists for the final two seminars of the day, presented by Tamiko Matthews and Sylvia Glanton herself, on real estate investment and business operations, respectively.
    This is where the event will end for those who have purchased general admission tickets. However, those who have purchased VIP admission to the event will then move to The Loft for an evening of relaxation, massages, catering, and conversation until 10 p.m.

    The event will conclude on April 13 with a day full of excitement. From meetings with vendors and sponsors to a fashion show, the event will be filled with networking opportunities, awards, and a talk on business financial essentials before closing out with a message from Glanton.

    "Our long-term goal for Future Rich Aunties, after this event, is to convert it over to a non-profit so we can give back to those in the network and community who are business owners. We want to be able to create grants, get access to funding for those people and partner with the city. That's my five-year strategic plan for Future Rich Aunties,” she said.

    For more information on the event, purchasing tickets, and vendor/sponsorship applications, please visit the Future Rich Aunties website at https://www.futurerichaunties.com. Glanton looks forward to meeting all in attendance and promises it will be well worth the time and investment.

    General admission tickets are $299, and VIP tickets cost $599. Tickets can be purchased on the website.

  • pexels tom swinnen 752535Get ready for a delightful musical interlude during your lunch break. On Thursday, March 14th at noon, the Arts Council of Fayetteville will be hosting a captivating Lunchtime Chamber Music Concert: Songs Without Words.

    The Camellia Chamber Music Project is set to showcase the talents of Carlos Castilla (guitar), Megan Kenny (violin), and Holland Phillips (viola), all local artists. They will be presenting an exciting program of instrumental chamber music that draws inspiration from vocal literature.

    The program, known as "Songs Without Words," will showcase compositions by Brahms, Schubert, Manuel de Falla and Johann Kaspar Mertz. This captivating program of chamber music will include unique adaptations of vocal pieces that have never been experienced before.

    Get ready to be enthralled by this extraordinary collection of instrumental music. The primary goal of the Camellia Chamber Music Project is to offer and endorse live chamber music shows in Fayetteville and the neighboring communities.

    Their objective is to captivate and motivate the audience by presenting a diverse repertoire of chamber music through live performances and educational initiatives.

    The project strives to introduce audiences to the beauty and intricacy of chamber music while fostering an appreciation for this art form.

    Through their performances and outreach efforts, they aim to inspire and engage individuals of all ages in the joy of chamber music. To learn more about them and their upcoming events, follow them on Facebook at https://rb.gy/trl7i1.

    The Lunchtime Chamber Music Concert: Songs Without Words performance is free and open to the public and is supported by a grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County and the North Carolina Arts Council. Learn more at https://rb.gy/wjmdh9, by calling 910-323-1776, or by visiting the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County at 301 Hay St.

  • i love balloons opening pictureFayetteville is the proud home of several women-owned businesses. March is Women’s History Month, a perfect time to highlight some of those businesses. Ta’Tianna Bonilla, lovingly known locally as the Balloon Lady and a Spring Lake native, has added herself to the long list of women business owners in the city with the opening of her store. I Love Balloons is located at 2622 Hope Mills Road Suite 112, open Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Saturday by Appointment Only.

    Normally, balloon art is reserved for special occasions and requires placing an order early. Bonilla is bringing the craft of balloon art to everyday life. The concept is unique and one that she hopes will be successful and provide customers with an experience.

    “I wanted to do something outside of the normal. I wanted to display balloon art. You can always run to Party City, Family Dollar, and even Dollar Tree to purchase balloons. We don’t have many places where you can purchase balloon art. I want my customers to feel like they are walking through an exhibit of Balloons. I want to be able to provide more than just a regular helium bundle of balloons. I want you to have an experience,” Bonilla said of why she chose to open her store.

    Bonilla has been working with balloons for the majority of her life.

    “I’ve literally loved balloons since I was a child. I remember always saying ‘I Love Balloons’ in high school and I had them taped to my bedroom wall. A simple balloon can really change the whole room. Balloons can bring happiness to any situation. No matter the age or gender, balloons will always bring a smile to someone’s face. I love making people happy and bringing smiles. That’s the reason why I picked this field. I love balloons and I know others do too,” she said.

    The Balloon Lady didn’t actually get her start until tragedy struck a friend.

    She explained, “I was asked to decorate my friend's son's gravesite. He was only 3 years old when he passed. I decided to try this balloon column and at the time it wasn’t the greatest. Everyone loved it! The balloons really brought that family so many smiles just based off that single balloon column. Even during a very sad time, balloons brought joy smiles and comfort.”

    There are big plans for I Love Balloons. Bonilla, a faithful Christian and proud member of True Vine Ministries, has faith that her business is destined to prosper and as a savvy business owner, has a plan for the expansion of the business.

    “The long-term goal for my business is to become a balloon distributor. Within the next 3 to 5 years, I would love to have a warehouse and we can distribute balloons throughout the whole world. I want to be able to set my family up for generational wealth. My family has been the backbone of my business … Mom, Xavier, Corrisa, Chisa, Angel, Ebony … When other balloon artists think of balloons for their business I want them to think of my company. I’m 35 so I know I won’t be able to twist balloons for the rest of my life but I can be the balloon plug worldwide,” she said. For now, The Balloon Lady is excited about stepping into a brick-and-mortar and serving a community she cares for.

    “Being a woman in business is absolutely amazing. I took my leap of faith and left my job 3 years ago this July. I remember talking to some of my higher-ups and explaining what I wanted to do. I know they thought ‘this lady is crazy leaving her job to do balloons!’ So to open my store was a dream. I can’t even to begin to explain. I’m a black woman from Spring Lake who went to Spring Lake Middle School and I own a balloon shop. I have clients that range from the single mother doing their children’s first birthday parties to Mr. Rick Hendricks's automotive corporate location in Charlotte, North Carolina. God has been absolutely amazing when it comes to blessing this Christian woman-owned business,” Bonilla said.
    For more information on I Love Balloons visit their Facebook page,

    https://www.facebook.com/BalloonLadyTati, and remember “There’s always an occasion to order balloons.”

  • jesus tomb location conceptMany churches in the area are providing sunrise services to commemorate Easter, which falls on Sunday, March 31st. This religious holiday is being celebrated by numerous congregations as they gather early in the morning to worship.

    Joining together at dawn, believers come together to witness the beauty of the sunrise while reflecting on the significance of this sacred day. These sunrise services offer a unique and spiritual way to start Easter Sunday, allowing individuals to connect with their faith and embrace the joy and hope that Easter brings.

    Rogers & Breece Funeral Home
    500 Ramsey-7 a.m. A light breakfast will be served after the service. 910-483-2191

    The Fayetteville Church
    1700 Elliot Farm Rd-6:45 a.m. Followed by Easter Sunday Service and egg hunt. 910-488-4999

    Tabernacle Baptist Church
    2701 Gillis Hill Rd-7:30 a.m.-Breakfast immediately after at the church. tbcrockfish@gmail.com

    Faymount Baptist Church
    3663 Cumberland Rd-6:45 a.m. Followed by breakfast. 910-425-7108

    Haymount United Methodist Church: 7:00 a.m., 1700 Fort Bragg Road.

    Massey Hill Baptist Church
    1027 Southern Ave-6:30 a.m. Followed by Easter Breakfast. 910-323-0808

    Raeford United Methodist Church
    308 N. Main Street, Raeford- 7 a.m. Followed by breakfast. 910-875-2111

    River Community Church
    777 Elliot Bridge Rd-6:45 a.m. 910-867-4968

    St. James Lutheran Church
    1424 Morganton Rd-7 a.m. Followed by breakfast. 910-484-8052

  • pexels juan pablo serrano arenas 1587830St. Patrick's Day presents the perfect opportunity to try authentic Irish cuisine as well as foods and beverages that have become associated strictly with the holiday (like green beer). It is likely someone you know will be cooking corned beef and cabbage this St. Patrick's Day. But what if you are among those who just doesn't fancy the salted and pickled flavoring of this familiar favorite?

    "Zesty Braised Beef with New Potatoes" isn't exactly corned beef, but it can be a worthy alternative. It is warm, filling, and flavorful, and can be just the thing to eat on a chilly March day. What's more, this rich beef can pair well with a dark stout like Guinness. Enjoy this recipe, courtesy of "The Healthy Slow Cooker" (Robert Rose) by Judith Finlayson.

    Zesty Braised Beef with New Potatoes, Serves 8

    Ingredients:
    2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
    2 ounces chunk pancetta, preferably hot pancetta, diced
    2 pounds trimmed stewing beef, cut into 1-inch cubes and patted dry
    2 onions, finely chopped
    4 cloves garlic, minced
    1 teaspoon dried thyme
    1/2 teaspoon sea salt
    1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
    1/2 cup dry white wine
    2 cups chicken stock
    2 pounds small new potatoes, scrubbed and thinly sliced (about 30 tiny ones)
    1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, dissolved in 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
    1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves.

    Method:
    1. In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring, until nicely browned, about 3 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware (3.5 to 5 quart sized).
    2. Add beef to skillet, in batches, and cook, stirring until browned, about 4 minutes per batch. Transfer to stoneware as completed.
    3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic, thyme, salt and peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add wine, bring to a boil and boil, stirring and scraping up brown bits from the bottom of the pan for 2 minutes. Add stock and potatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer for 2 minutes.
    4. Transfer to stoneware. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, until potatoes are tender. Stir in cayenne solution. Cover and cook on high for 10 minutes.

    Transfer to a server dish and garnish with parsley. Serve with a big platter of roasted carrots.

  • 402021386 750735427099064 9111799098436826850 nPickleball, once a relatively unknown sport, has skyrocketed in popularity in recent years. What started as a casual backyard game has now transformed into a full-fledged sport with its own leagues, tournaments, and even professional players. The growth of pickleball as a sport can be attributed to several factors.

    First and foremost, pickleball is incredibly accessible. Unlike other sports that require expensive equipment or specialized facilities, all you need to play pickleball is a paddle, a ball, and a net. This affordability factor has made it easy for people of all ages and backgrounds to pick up the sport and give it a try. Additionally, pickleball can be played on any flat surface, both indoors and outdoors, making it even more accessible to communities around the world.

    The ease of learning pickleball is yet another reason for its popularity. The rules of the game are simple and straightforward, making it easy for beginners to grasp the basics in no time. Also, the social aspect of pickleball cannot be overlooked. With its smaller court size and slower pace compared to other racket sports, pickleball encourages interaction and camaraderie among players.

    FTCC unveiled five brand new outdoor, lighted pickleball courts that officially opened in November 2023 and are sure to attract players from far and wide. They have permanent lines and nets. This means that players can enjoy a hassle-free game without the need to constantly set up and take down equipment. Lights allow the game to be enjoyed day or night. With FTCC's new pickleball courts, the sport is set to become even more accessible to the local community. Whether a seasoned player looking for some friendly competition or a beginner eager to learn the ropes, these courts offer the perfect setting for honing your skills.

    The FTCC Foundation is organizing the inaugural pickleball competition on the recently constructed illuminated pickleball courts situated at the FTCC campus on Saturday, March 23. This tournament will follow a round-robin format and will accommodate up to 96 participants, competing in men's, women's, and mixed doubles categories. Players have the option to participate alongside a teammate or be assigned one.

    The skill levels for the tournament will range from 2.5 (Beginner) to 3.5 (Intermediate). Players under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian during the tournament. The matches will be played to a score of 11, with a requirement to win by 2 points. Each player will have a minimum of 3 games guaranteed. The playoff games will be played to a score of 15, with a requirement to win by 1 point.

    Each participant will be given a protective cover for their paddle. The teams that secure the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd positions in each event will be awarded a medal.

    The courts will be open for players to warm up 15 minutes before each division starts.
    The funds raised from the competition will be used to support scholarships and programs for students at FTCC.

    Players have the option to participate in either one or two events. The initial event costs $35, while the second event requires a fee of $15 per individual. Participants are required to sign up beforehand. To register visit: https://one.bidpal.net/2024ftccpickleball/welcome. For more information, contact FTCC Foundation at 910-678-8441 or foundation@faytechcc.edu.

    The schedule for the tournament will be:
    Women’s Doubles – 9:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
    Mixed Doubles – 11:45 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
    Men’s Doubles – 2:30 p.m. – 4:45 p.m.

    The tournament will take place at Fayetteville Technical Community College, 2201 Hull Rd. If there is inclement weather, a rain date will be announced.

    Fayetteville Technical Community College has recognized the growing popularity of pickleball and decided to offer pickleball classes for all skill levels. Whether you're a beginner looking to learn the basics or an advanced player aiming to refine your skills, FTCC has got you covered.

    The next beginner class starts on March 9. For more information visit: http://tinyurl.com/356jv9f4. So grab a paddle, hit the court, and get ready to experience the thrill of pickleball at FTCC!

  • pexels laura tancredi 7084074St. Patrick's Day is a widely celebrated holiday that originated in Ireland but has since gained popularity around the world, especially in America. This festive occasion, which falls on March 17th every year, is a time for people to come together and celebrate Irish culture, heritage, and of course, the patron saint of Ireland, St. Patrick himself. The holiday is marked by parades, parties, and a sea of green. What sets St. Patrick's Day apart from other holidays is its universal appeal. You don't have to be Irish to join in the fun; everyone is welcome to partake in the festivities.

    The Origin of St. Patrick’s Day

    In Ireland, St. Patrick's Day has been observed for centuries as a religious feast day to commemorate the arrival of Christianity in the country. It was traditionally a more solemn occasion, with families attending church services and participating in quiet celebrations. However, over time, it has evolved into a more exuberant affair with lively parades and festivities taking place across the country.

    This holiday is named after St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, who is said to have brought Christianity to the country in the 5th century. St. Patrick's Day is celebrated on March 17th, which is believed to be the date of his death.

    St. Patrick is a figure shrouded in mystery and legend. Born in the late 4th century in Roman Britain, he was captured by Irish pirates and brought to Ireland as a slave. It was during his time in captivity that he found solace in his faith and became deeply devoted to Christianity. After escaping and returning to his homeland, he felt a calling to return to Ireland and spread the message of Christianity to the pagan population.

    St. Patrick's mission in Ireland was not an easy one. He faced opposition from local chieftains and druids who were resistant to the new religion. However, through his perseverance and unwavering faith, he was able to convert many people to Christianity and establish churches and monasteries throughout the country. His legacy lives on today.

    St. Patrick's Day traditions and symbols

    One of the most iconic symbols of St. Patrick's Day is the shamrock, which is a three-leafed clover. According to legend, St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the concept of the Holy Trinity to the Irish people. Today, wearing or displaying a shamrock on St. Patrick's Day is a way to show your Irish pride.

    The leprechaun is another key symbol of St. Patrick's Day. These mischievous little creatures are said to be shoemakers who guard pots of gold at the end of rainbows. Leprechauns are often depicted wearing green hats and coats, adding to the association between this color and the holiday itself.

    Of course, the tradition that stands out the most is the practice of wearing green on St. Patrick's Day. Green has long been associated with Ireland, known as the "Emerald Isle" due to its lush green landscapes. Wearing green on this day is not only a sign of celebration but also a way to show pride in Irish heritage. Those who fail to wear green on St. Patrick's Day may face playful pinches from fellow revelers as a reminder to join in on the festivities.

    Mark your calendars and get ready to embrace the spirit of St. Patrick's Day! Whether you're in Ireland or America, this holiday offers an opportunity to immerse yourself in a rich cultural tradition while having a fantastic time with friends and loved ones.

    Two fantastic community gatherings that you won't want to miss during the St. Patrick's Day festivities:

    March 15-March 17:

    St. Patrick's Day Weekend at Dirtbag Ales Brewery & Taproom, 5435 Corporation Dr, Hope Mills

    Enjoy new beer releases, green beer, special St. Patrick's Day swag available for purchase, food trucks and live music. For more information visit, http://tinyurl.com/4ecmz8c6

    March 16-17:

    Irish You Would Downtown Fayetteville 2024

    Get ready for a downtown Bar Crawl. Each participating business will have free swag and goodies while supplies last. To see the participating locations visit http://tinyurl.com/ymtec6fj

    March 17:

    St. Patrick’s Day Celebration at Paddy’s Irish Pub, 2608 Raeford Rd, Fayetteville.
    Paddy's will have Comedy and a DJ in the Church side and live music, including Paddy & Bill, on the pub side. Also enjoy drink specials, a selfie station, party favors, treats and food. For more information visit, http://tinyurl.com/db372d2k.

  • oscarThe Oscars are coming up! According to the Academy of Motion Picture and Sciences website, the story of why their most coveted trophy is called the Oscar comes from Academy librarian and event executive director Margaret Herrick who thought the statue resembled her Uncle Oscar. The name stuck. The Academy Awards are the most prestigious honor given during the year of Filmmaking with the first awards given in 1929. Best Picture has always been the top prize. Here are this year’s nominees and my favorites.

    AMERICAN FICTION starring Jeffery Wright, Sterling K Brown, Tracee Ellis Ross and Erika Alexander tells the story of Monk (Wright), a frustrated novelist who is fed up with the establishment that profits from Black entertainment. To prove his point, he uses a pen name to write an outlandish book of his own which propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain. This film is hilarious and powerful. I’m so glad that it is nominated so that it gets noticed by more audiences.

    ANATOMY OF A FALL is directed by French filmmaker Justine Triet, the only female nominated for Best Director this year. The film centers around a woman who is suspected of her husband's murder and their blind son who faces a moral dilemma as the sole witness. This is not just a courtroom drama. It is a powerful story about the legal system itself and the mystery that follows a relationship and family. With its twists and turns through storytelling, it’s no surprise that it is nominated as well as its talented director.

    BARBIE, directed beautifully by Greta Gerwig. Beautifully. Margot Robbie plays Barbie while Ryan Gosling plays her Ken. Barbie and Ken get a chance to go to the real world where they soon discover the joys and perils of living among humans. Many people I have talked to who haven't seen the film are surprised when I tell them that this film is not a children’s film, it is for an older generation that grew up with Barbie as a symbol.

    Barbie learns what it means to be a person and not just a perfect plastic doll. This film honors women and I love that for women all over. To add, the business side of me knows that this was a great move on Mattel, the maker of Barbie, in showing their new stances on womanhood.

    THE HOLDOVERS stars Paul Giamatti and Da'Vine Joy Randolph. Giamatti plays a curmudgeonly instructor at a prep school who remains on campus during Christmas break to sit with a handful of adventurous students with nowhere to go. He soon forms a bond with a smart but damaged boy, and with the school's head cook (Randolph) who has her own recent tragedy. The film is sweet and heartbreaking at the same time. Giamatti and Randolph make this film worth watching with their award-winning performances. Do not be surprised if there is a trophy in Randolph’s hand come Oscar night.

    KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON, joins the list of many masterpieces directed by Martin Scorsese. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Lily Gladstone and Robert De Niro. Love crosses paths with the worst betrayal in this story of Mollie Burkhart (Gladstone) and her husband (DiCaprio). Based on the best-selling novel, Bukhart is a member of the Osage Nation, who tries to save her community from a spree of murders fueled by oil and greed. This is an important American film that centers around the formation of the FBI. Lily Gladstone gives a “sure to win” performance.

    Bradley Cooper follows up his directing debut of A Star Is Born with the masterfully done MAESTRO. The film stars Cooper and Carey Mulligan. On the verge of securing a golden opportunity, American conductor Leonard Bernstein begins a rollercoaster-like relationship with actress Felicia Montealegre, upturning their lives. Maestro touches on who we think we are meant to be professionally and privately and who we really are.

    This film is beautiful and a must-see for any musical theatre fan. This is one of my personal favorites of the year. Up until seeing Oppenheimer, I believed that Maestro would take most of the awards. Steven Speilberg, Martin Scorese and Cooper produced the film.

    OPPENHEIMER, Christopher Nolan's masterpiece, centers around J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) and his struggles of working on the top-secret Manhattan Project. Oppenheimer and a team of scientists spend years developing and designing the atomic bomb. Their work comes to fruition on July 16, 1945, as they witness the world's first nuclear explosion, forever changing the course of history. With stunning visual effects, photography and sound, Nolan doesn’t hold back. Nolan’s previous films including Batman trilogy, Inception and Interstellar have prepared him for this mature part of his career.
    Murphy, Emily Blunt and Robert Downey Jr all give close to perfect performances. Murphy and Downey will win Oscars for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor as well as Nolan for Best Director. Nolan gives us his best both in storytelling and visual effects. This is his year.

    Celine Song’s PAST LIVES tells the story of Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, who are wrest apart after Nora's family emigrates from South Korea. Decades later, they are reunited for one fateful week as they confront destiny, love and the choices that make a life. Song shows us the struggle of relationships that are separated by forces not in our control. Past Lives is a great lesson of humanity in a small independent film. This film is an important one, but was not one of my favorites on the Oscar list. Speaking of favorites…

    Yorgos Lanthimos, director of The Favourite, The Lobster and The Killing of a Sacred Deer brings us POOR THINGS starring Emma Stone as a woman brought back to life by a scientist played by Willem Dafoe. Stone’s character runs off with a lawyer (Mark Ruffalo) on a whirlwind adventure across the continents of the Old World. Free from the prejudices of her times, she grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation.

    I love Poor Things. It gives us a glimpse of the realization of how hard the world is through the eyes of a misunderstood, childlike creature. It is our generation's Frankenstein. But please don’t think for one second that it is scary. It is rather hilarious. Stone is amazing in this picture. I am rooting for her to win Best Actress every time she is nominated.

    Lanthimos is such an original and bold filmmaker, using fish-eye lenses and mixing a few modern-futuristic elements in a period piece. I love his use of black and white while also using bright colors.

    THE ZONE OF INTEREST. This is the most important film of the year with Oppenheimer very close. From English director Jonathan Glazer, the film centers around Rudolf Höss, the head of the horrid Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz, and his wife, Hedwig. As they strive to build a dream life for their family in a house and garden next to the camp, we can only see the horrors of the camp from the top of the walls. Most films we see of the Holocaust period are shot black & white or gloomy. Glazer shows us the irony of bright colors.

    The Nazis are living the perfect life on the backs of slaves right next door and it's disturbing. Another element very noticeable is the use of sound. This film should win for Best Sound because without it, much like the music in Jaws, you don’t “see” the full effect. The sound makes this film even more powerful and heartbreaking than it already is. This film shows us how easily we can normalize our lives when there is suffering happening right under our noses. The Zone of Interest will win Best International Picture, an award given to films not made in the United States.

    Even though this writer feels that Zone of Interest should win Best Picture of the year for its global importance, historical warning and above all its original filmmaking, Oppenheimer will more than likely win for many of the same reasons. As said before, Oppenheimer is Nolan’s masterpiece and has won every other major picture award this year. The film has a very defining story of America.

    The 96th Academy Awards will take place on Sunday, March 10th at 7 p.m. on ABC. Check your streaming apps and check Cameo Art House Theatre movie listings for possible reshowings
    of the nominees.

  • 52835258900 4c61ac819a kThe well-loved and long-awaited All American Races return on March 23.

    After virtual marathons during the pandemic, the All American Races were opened back up to in-person races last year with an excitingly large turnout. For 2024, Fort Liberty is hosting a 5k and a half marathon with hopes of surpassing last year’s participants and community participation.

    Unlike typical marathons that send you through cities or countryside, the All American Races send you past historical landmarks all on Fort Liberty, most notably the 82nd Airborne Division War Memorial Museum. Runners are offered unique courses to showcase Fort Liberty’s infrastructure and facilities that have been carefully curated since the start of Fort Liberty’s All American Races in 2014. They’ve kept their dream of keeping the community happy and healthy through all the races they’ve done in the past decade.

    To help encourage new participants and experienced runners alike, all runners will receive a t-shirt, race bib, custom race medal, and a beer/beverage of their choice. After the race, there will be a bounce house for the children to enjoy along with all the entertainment and post-race activities planned. Not only will the kids have something to enjoy, but everyone can enjoy snacks and performances from the 82nd Airborne Division Rock Band.

    These races serve as a wonderful celebration of personal accomplishments and a great opportunity for the surrounding community to get involved and work together toward a shared goal.

    Amanda Cahill, the Special Events/Run Cell Coordinator for Fort Liberty’s Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, is excited to hold another in-person marathon after being virtual.
    “It’s been great getting the community back together, having the atmosphere, and everyone coming to support and have a great time at the event. It’s been amazing,” she said. “Something that we’re bringing back this year is the Memorial Mile. That is a mile that's lined with soldiers' photos and American flags along the course to honor our fallen service members. We do this in collaboration with the Survivor Outreach Program. We believe it's important to pay tribute to our fallen soldiers and remember their sacrifice. That's always something really cool that's on the route to see. They’ll also pass by the JFK Special Warfare Museum.”

    When asked about volunteer opportunities, Cahill responded, “We always love volunteers. We encourage people to come out and volunteer. We have different positions at the start and finish line, they can help pass out medals at the end, and we have water and food at the end that they can help pass out. On the courses, we have our water stations where they can help pass out water. That’s always a great help and we’re always looking for volunteers. If you just want to come out and support and not run, we encourage people to come and cheer on our runners.”

    No need to worry if you can’t make it to this event, Fort Liberty holds an annual Ten-Miler in November and a Family Fun Run that starts in April along with Mud Runs!

    Running is monumental for good physical health —

    strengthening your heart, creating stronger bones and joints, and improving sleep quality. Who wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to run a marathon? Though it seems daunting at first, running a marathon can show you just how capable you are and help set tangible goals.

    On top of being great for physical well-being, running marathons is wonderful for maintaining a healthy mental landscape. Running in general increases endorphins and leaves you feeling accomplished and happy. Runners often see improvements in their mood, self-esteem, and overall health and endurance. Now imagine those great benefits mixed with the pride and excitement of completing a race as a team and community. Numerous studies even show that running, specifically long-distance like a marathon, can increase your life span from all the amazing work it does for your heart.

    The half marathon will start at 7 a.m. and is $75 for active duty or retired military personnel and $85 for civilians. All runners who complete it within the allotted 4-hour period will receive a finisher medal. Half marathon participants must be 16 years of age or older.

    Both races will award the top three men, women, and wheelchair athletes along with age group and team awards. The award ceremony will be at 9 a.m. on race day. Both the 5k and a half marathon are set to start and end at the Main Post Parade Field in Fort Liberty.

    The All-American 5k race will begin at 7:20 a.m. The registration fee for active duty or retired military members is $30, and $40 for civilians. The 5k race is open to walkers and strollers, and children in strollers can participate free of charge but will not receive a medal or t-shirt unless they are registered runners.

    Runners can come as early as 6 a.m. on race day. The National Anthem will play at 6:52 a.m. Be prepared for major road closures starting at 5 a.m. Parking will be located at Womack Army Medical Center for all runners, spectators, and volunteers.

    To participate, runners can register online or attend the packet pick-up in person. All registered runners will receive a packet that contains a race bib, participant shirt, and a tag to get you a free beer or drink of the runner’s choosing. Packet pick-up will be held on March 22 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the Iron Mike Conference Center on Fort Liberty. If you are unable to pick up your packet, you can have someone get it for you if they have a copy of your valid Government-issued ID.

    If you are unable to pick up your award on race day, it will be mailed to your home address within 30 days after the final results are posted. Keep in mind that runner packets cannot be delivered.
    If you’re a civilian looking to get on post, you can acquire a visitor’s pass at https://bit.ly/4adczjd.

    For more information, race routes, volunteer opportunities, and/or to register, visit https://liberty.armymwr.com/programs/all-american-races 

  • Puffs square larger logo“A baby. His parents: dead. But he lives. He is the boy who lives. He has a scar. On his forehead. Shaped like…you know. You get it? You are familiar with this boy? Well. Forget about him. This story isn’t about him,” the narrator begins in the opening of Puffs or Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic. You all know the story of Harry Potter and the house of Gryffindor, but do you know the story of Wayne and the Puffs?

    Puffs, written by Matt Cox, is a comical spoof about children attempting to survive seven years of magic school at Hogwarts. It draws from both the books and movies and the Puffs, inspired by the under-appreciated house Hufflepuff, are a group of kind-hearted, devoted misfits who harbor a fondness for badgers. This brilliant and innovative play never fails to provide a moment of laughter, offering a fresh perspective on a well-known journey.

    New Fire Theatre is scheduled to showcase the One Act Edition of Young Wizards of Puffs on March 21, 22 and 23. New Fire Theatre is a part of the Capitol Encore Academy High School. The high school of The Capitol Encore Academy opened in August 2022, located at 200 Mason Street. Brian Adam Kline, also the high school’s theater teacher, serves as the artistic director of the theater company.

    Kline started out at the Capitol Encore Academy Elementary School as the theater teacher and founded the Chameleon Children’s Theatre before moving to the high school. He has also done children's theater with Cape Fear Regional Theatre, Sweet Tea Shakespeare and co-founded the Glee and Gate education programs at the Gilbert Theater.

    New Fire Theatre Company started doing shows last year and is now in its second season. This year the theater has already performed She Kills Monsters and Peter Pan. Kline shares his hopes for the theater and the kids involved.

    “All of my actors and backstage artists are very intelligent, talented and shaping to be really good people. I want the theater to be a place for them to continue to be really great artists in their craft, school and community. The community should keep an eye on the boldness coming out of our space; think black box teen theater.”

    Puffs is an ideal choice for a teenage theater company that operates in a black box setting. The number of actors in the cast can be adjusted. This production features a versatile ensemble cast, with a small group of main characters and the remaining actors taking on multiple roles. New Fire Theatre has a cast of eleven, all of whom attend the Capitol Encore High School.

    This performance will require all participants to utilize a considerable amount of imagination in devising various technical elements, such as a bird that appears out of nowhere, a floating feather, and seemingly self-opening doors. Puffs will truly test the creativity of any technician and present an enjoyable yet challenging task. The crew for the production also consists of high school students, including the stage manager, assistant stage manager, and tech.

    Kline, up until now, has directed all the plays performed by New Fire Theatre. For Puffs, he decided to collaborate with Marc de la Concha. When asked why he decided to bring someone else in to direct, Kline said, “I have wanted to work with Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s Marc de la Concha for years and when we talked about Puffs, it was a perfect fit for Marc to be our first guest artist. He's a great director, actor and friend.”

    Concha has been the Director of Education at CFRT for almost five years. He can also be found on the stage acting in many of CRFT's mainstage productions, The Addams Family, The Musical being the most recent. He also shares Kline’s enthusiasm for working on Puffs together.

    “Mr. Kline and I have wanted to collaborate on a project for quite some time. When he announced Puffs in the season, we both knew this was that project.”

    Concha seems to be the perfect guest director for Puffs being a big Harry Potter fan himself.

    “I love the rich and immersive world and all of its magical elements and compelling characters, each with their own strengths, flaws, and personal struggles. Additionally, the themes of friendship, loyalty, the battle between good and evil, the impact of choices, and the importance of standing up for what is right have always rang true with me.”

    But he also believes that Puffs is a great play and story all on its own as well.

    “Puffs is not just a hilarious parody of all things Harry Potter. It is a play that is full of heart. The characters are all fully realized and go through difficult journeys. They deal with death, personal identity, relationships, and what it means to feel insignificant in the world at large. Something any of us can relate to, no matter what house we are sorted into.”

    New Fire Theatre has plans for the rest of their second season that will include James and the Giant Peach and the Dragon Film Festival, both in May. For more details on those two events be sure to follow them on facebook at: http://tinyurl.com/mu9p8yzc

    Don’t miss Puffs on March 21, 22 & 23 at 6 p.m. at The Capitol Encore High School located at 200 Mason Street. Tickets can be purchased at: http://tinyurl.com/yrhjds24

  • 327582358 1319859165250784 2095127310160679743 n“The stark beauty of the winter landscape and peacefulness can spark creativity and imagination in a way that other seasons cannot. The starkness of the cold can bring clarity and focus to the creative process, while the quiet of the season can encourage introspection and contemplation,” SurferToday.com
    Cape Fear Studios’ mission is to “involve, educate, and enrich Cumberland County and surrounding areas with the opportunity to create and view art,” according to the Cape Fear Studios website.

    Cape Fear Studios and Gallery announces the Annual Cabin Fever Exhibit for 2024. The exhibit will feature emerging and professional artists over the age of eighteen. The artists will present works in the mediums of acrylic, oil, watercolor, painting, hand-crafted wood art, hand-crafted jewelry, fiber, decoupage, photography, pottery, glass artworks and drawing from mixed media. The original art pieces are for sale to the public.

    “It is not art you are buying from an artist/maker, you are buying more than an object or painting: you are buying hundreds of hours of failures and experimentation. You are buying days, weeks, and months of pure joy. You are not buying a thing, you are buying a piece of the heart, part of the soul, a moment of someone’s life. Most importantly, you are buying the artist more time to do something they are enthusiastic about,” said Shelly Corbett, photographer.

    The Cabin Fever Exhibit enhances the community on the micro, meso and macro levels. The artists can view innovative and creative techniques among various mediums and build relationships with other artists. The public can experience enhanced perspectives, ideas, and values concerning reality.
    “It is a good opportunity to see what other artists are doing. It is beginning to form a relationship with the art community. People enjoy it. We usually have a good turnout. The people are being creative at home. It is an opportunity to share one’s work. We enjoy doing community exhibits a couple of times a year,” shares Pandy Autry, Cape Fear Studios and Gallery Board President.

    Have a Zen experience at the Cape Fear Studios and Gallery’s Cabin Fever Exhibit. The exhibit runs until March 15. The voting for the People’s Choice Award began February 23, and will remain open for the duration of the exhibit.

    The winners will be announced on Facebook and Instagram at https://www.facebook.com/capefearstudios and https://www.instragram.com/capefearstudios. Cape Fear Studios and Gallery is located at 148 Maxwell Street. Admission to the Cabin Fever Exhibit is free.
    Cabin Fever information is available by email at artgallery@capefearstudios.com. Their phone number is 910-433-2986.

  • 428659327 122127738476112511 5523587366368536206 nFollow the Spectrum, An Autism Awareness Event will be held April 20 at Dick’s Sporting Goods in the Freedom Town Center. This event is a Super-Hero themed, family-friendly day, with kid activities, food trucks, information booths and vendors. Vendor registration is available on the website, Follow the Spectrum, https://www.followthe spectrum2024.com/

    The proceeds for this event will provide financial support for the children and families of The School of Hope, located at 111 Burn Street. The School of Hope was founded by Amy and Rob Sparks.

    “In June of 2011, after losing our son, Jared, we knew that this is what we had to do, and we knew that Jared would want us to help as many people as possible with autism as we could. That was a promise that could not be broken, a promise to our son Jared,” they said.

    One in every hundred children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum disorder. Autism prevalence has increased one-hundred and seventy-eight percent since 2000. Four times as many boys are diagnosed with Autism as girls. The cost of caring for autistic Americans can increase to four-hundred and sixty-one billion dollars by 2025, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    North Carolina has a prevalence rate of Autism higher than the national average, with one in fifty-two children diagnosed with Autism, according to Steve Zauderer, Cross River Therapy. The Autism Society of Cumberland County, The Shinelight, and The School of Hope are organizations addressing the autistic population within Cumberland County.

    The School of Hope serves students from kindergarten to 8th grade with mild to moderate diagnosis of autism according to The School of Hope Story website.

    “Autism often has an impact on education and employment issues. In addition, demands on the families providing care and support can be significant. Societal attitudes and level of support are crucial factors determining the quality of life of people with autism,” according to the World Health Organization.

    “Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurological and developmental disorder that affects how people interact with others, community, learn how to learn and behave. Although it can be diagnosed at any age, it is described as a developmental disorder because the symptoms generally appear in the first two years. It is known as a spectrum because of the wide variation in the type and severity of symptoms people experience,” according to the National Institute of Mental Health

    Coach Elaine Hall shares, “it takes a village to raise a child. It takes a child with autism to raise the consciousness of the village.”

    Be a Super-Hero and choose to become a vendor, financial supporter, or a life-long learner seeking insights into Autism Spectrum Disorder. For more information, contact Follow the Spectrum, Autism Awareness of Fayetteville through their website at https://followthespectrum2024.com.

  • pexels laura james 6098057When it comes to regulating nurses, North Carolina is in an increasingly exclusive club. Unfortunately, the cost of our club membership far exceeds any benefits.

    In most states, nurse practitioners and other advanced-practice nurses have significant authority to treat patients without being subject to the authority of a physician. In Virginia, for example, they enjoy what is called full practice authority thanks to a 2018 reform bill. In other states, nurse autonomy is a bit more limited. Consider the case of Kentucky. While nurses there don’t yet have full practice authority, they can administer certain drugs on their own after four years of collaboration with a doctor.

    Only 15 states satisfy neither condition. Their advanced-practice nurses have little autonomy. North Carolina is one of them.

    During last year’s debate about Medicaid expansion, the original position of Senate leader Phil Berger and his colleagues was to give nurses more freedom to treat their patients without the costly supervision of physicians. Along with reducing the power of hospital monopolies, scope-of-practice reform was intended to increase the supply of medical care and thus put downward pressure on prices.

    Gov. Roy Cooper and the North Carolina House agreed to relax some state constraints on hospital competition. They rebuffed the Senate on scope-of-practice reform. That’s why our state continues to be one of the few that unwisely denies nurses full practice authority.

    In this case, the house majority has it right. When nurses are fully empowered to provide all the services for which they are trained, costs go down and patients receive either equivalent or better care than they did before. A 2021 study published in the journal Health Economics found no evidence that relaxing scope-of-practice laws had an adverse effect on services delivered.

    It concluded that allowing nurse practitioners to operate “without physician oversight could reduce health care spending without harming patients.”

    For a 2019 study in the Journal of Nursing Regulation, scholars from Columbia University, St. Francis University, and the University of Pittsburgh looked specifically at the effects of the policy on Medicaid recipients. They found that outpatient costs were 17% lower and prescription costs 11% lower in states where nurses enjoy full practice authority.

    What about the effects on the caregivers themselves? A recent study in Nursing Outlook focuses on New York State’s adoption of full practice authority in 2015. The authors found “significantly better work environments” for nurse practitioners after the policy change.

    “There is a growing body of evidence about the impact of nurse practitioner work environment on the quality of care and patient outcomes,” they wrote. “Thus, removing scope-of-practice restrictions on nurse practitioners may also lead to better care and patient outcomes.”

    Physician organizations and other opponents of reform argue that without doctor supervision, advanced-practice nurses will make too many mistakes and misdiagnose serious conditions. In theory, this is possible. In practice, it’s not a persuasive objection. While tragic cases certainly occur — regardless of whether a physician owns or takes a financial cut of a nurse’s practice — the medical and financial benefits of reform appear to far outweigh the downsides.

    Otherwise, the relevant research would find that scope-of-practice reform was followed by marked declines in patient outcomes. They’d find the short-term savings from providing primary care in independent nursing practices were overwhelmed by the long-term costs of treating misdiagnosed patients, including expensive hospital stays and lifelong disabilities.

    That’s not what a preponderance of the studies show, however. Scope-of-practice reform confers net benefits. That’s why New York lawmakers adopted the policy in 2015. That’s why Virginia lawmakers adopted it in 2018. That’s why 35 states have less restrictive nursing regulations than North Carolina does.

    When the General Assembly reconvenes this spring, lawmakers ought to rectify last year’s mistake of leaving scope-of-practice reform out of the Medicaid deal. By expanding taxpayer-funded health care, they set the stage for a surge in demand for medical services. Unless they take additional steps to free up supply so it can meet that demand, prices will soar.

    Editor’s Note: John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member. His latest books, Mountain Folk and Forest Folk, combine epic fantasy with early American history (FolkloreCycle.com).

  • Lefty Driesell V sign Coach Lefty Driesell died on February 17.

    He coached successful basketball teams at Davidson, Maryland, James Madison, and Georgia State.

    I wanted to honor him now, but I have written so many columns about him, I thought it might be a better idea to let him speak for himself.

    I can do this now thanks to my friend, the late Julian Pleasants, who was a history professor at the University of Florida. Pleasants specialized in interviewing important people about their lives and careers.
    Pleasants and I spent almost two days a few years ago recording hours and hours of Lefty’s recollections.

    So, in honor of Lefty and Julian, I’m sharing a few of those stories.

    In 1960, in his first game as a college coach, Lefty’s Davidson team beat top-ranked Wake Forest. Lefty shared his feeling that it might have been time to quit:

    “Because I had a great record in high school. I was ninety-nine and fourteen, if you look up my record in high school, and so then I win my first college game. I told my wife Joyce I may as well quit. I was just teasing, I guess, but I sort of felt like it. I said I know I can coach now in college.”

    Instead of quitting, he set about recruiting and now has a bag full of stories including one about future great Don Davidson.

    “I really got along with his dad good, and his mother too, and so they brought him down for a visit and he liked it and we signed him because I told him–this is just like a little joke–I told him, I said, ‘Don, you go to Ohio State,–or some of the other people that were recruiting him–and they’ll put your name on the back of the jersey.’ I said, ‘I’m going to put your name on the front of everybody on the team.’”

    His recruiting success brought his team national attention, and his fans wanted Davidson to play top-ranked Duke.

    Driesell explained how Duke was persuaded to come to the Charlotte Coliseum to play Davidson in 1963.
    “Oh, yeah. So, I called Vic [Bubas the Duke coach] up. See now, everybody plays guaranteed games, which I despise, but this wasn’t that kind of guaranteed game. We were playing the number two team in the country, and I said, ‘Vic, we’ll give you ten thousand dollars. I’ll send you the check today and you can give it to Eddie Cameron [Duke’s athletic director] or whatever.” So, I told some of [the big Davidson supporters] in Charlotte.

    “They wrote me a check for ten thousand dollars, and I sent it to Vic, and I said, ‘Now this is upfront. You’re going to get fifty percent of the gate if we fill it up, and I said, ‘I know we’re going to fill it up, there’s going to be eleven thousand, six hundred, sixty-six people there at fifteen dollars a head,’–or whatever it was–‘but I mean something happens and we don’t fill it up, you’ve got ten [thousand dollars]. So, he said, ‘okay.’ That was the first game we ever played in the Charlotte Coliseum.

    “Art Heyman played and Jeff Mullins and Jay Buckley. They had a great team. In fact, Art Heyman, who was, I think, probably one of the best players that ever played in the ACC. He was an animal. So, I think the score was tied or something or maybe we were up. No, we must have been up. So, he was dribbling the ball up the court for the winning basket and Barry Teague came up behind him and stole the ball like that, and Heyman: ‘He got me! He fouled me! He fouled me!’ I mean they didn’t call a foul, but Barry went to the free throw line later on and locked it up with a couple free throws.”

    Davidson won 72-69.

    Lefty told many more great stories.

    Editor’s Note: D.G. Martin, a retired lawyer, served as UNC-System’s vice president for public affairs and hosted PBS-NC’s North Carolina Bookwatch.

  • pexels jonathan petersson 399635Have you noticed the price of gas lately?

    Across our region, prices are up nearly 10 cents a gallon. This is the last thing families need who are already struggling to make ends meet.

    Unfortunately, President Biden and extreme Washington Democrats have continued to pursue an America-last energy policy.

    Under Biden’s presidency, we have seen how our national security continues to be put on the backburner by the President’s war on American energy. Recently, the Administration announced they would be imposing a ban on issuing permits for liquefied natural gas exports.

    This is yet another ploy to cave to climate activists over our own energy security, weakening the national security of the United States and our allies, discouraging investments in natural gas production, jeopardizing good-paying jobs, and empowering foreign adversaries like Russia.

    We must ensure the President cannot play politics with our energy security. That is why last week, we passed the Unlocking our Domestic LNG Potential Act of 2024 (H.R. 7176) to hold the President accountable and reverse this blockade.

    Like their America-last energy policies, the Biden Administration’s disastrous open borders have also continued to pose a threat to our national security. As your Congressman, I will not sit idly by as the Administration exacerbates this crisis and will ensure there are consequences.

    Month after month, the crisis at our border continues to get worse due to the disastrous immigration policies of the Biden Administration.

    Under Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas’ watch, there have been around 8.5 million illegal crossings at our Southern border, in addition to more than 1.7 million known “gotaways.” Even more concerning, over 169 people on the terrorist watch list have illegally entered the United States.

    This has posed a grave risk to our national security and threatened the safety of not just border communities, but every community.

    Secretary Mayorkas has one core obligation: to protect the homeland. Unfortunately, throughout his tenure, Secretary Mayorkas has willfully ignored U.S. immigration laws and intentionally disregarded his duty to keep our country safe and secure the border.

    If Secretary Mayorkas truly wanted to take action to stop this chaos, he would start enforcing our immigration laws and orders already enacted by Congress and President Trump.

    Yet, he has made it clear he has no intention to begin complying with our laws and regaining operational control of our border. Worse, Secretary Mayorkas has repeatedly testified falsely that the border is “secure” — a blatant attempt to mislead Congress, breaching the American people’s trust.

    That is why we held him accountable by exercising our Constitutional duty and voting to impeach him.
    Energy security and border security are national security. While the situation facing our country seems bleak, I’m focused on ways to unleash American energy, secure our border, and stop the Biden Administration from further threatening the safety of our homeland and our energy independence.

    Rest assured, I will not stop fighting for the best interests of you and your family.

    Until Next Time.

  • 19bTradition features prominently in Holy Week celebrations. The week leading up to Easter Sunday, Holy Week, is a sacred time for faithful Christians. The Stations of the Cross are one of the traditions that many Christians feel bolsters their faith and brings them closer to God.

    What are the Stations of the Cross? According to Catholic Online, the Stations of the Cross are a 14-step devotion that commemorates Jesus Christ’s last day on Earth as a man. Each of the 14 stations focus on a specific event of Jesus’ last day.

    Where can the Stations of the Cross be found? Stations of the Cross are typically found in churches. Many times the Stations adorn the interior wall of a church, and Catholic Online notes they’re often depicted using small icons or images.
    Some churches with sizable exterior grounds may arrange larger Stations along footpaths in yards or gardens on the premises.

    When do people pray the Stations of the Cross? Lent is the most common time to pray the Stations of the Cross, and some churches hold weekly prayer sessions on Wednesdays and Fridays during this time of year, often with midday and evening prayer.

    The Stations of the Cross are an important Easter tradition that shed light on Jesus’ resurrection. Individuals interested in praying the Stations of the Cross are urged to contact a
    local church so they can engage in this moving Christian tradition.

    The Stations of the Cross are an important Easter tradition for many Christians. According to Catholic Online, the 14 Stations of the Cross are:

    • 1. Jesus is condemned to death
    • 2. Jesus carries the cross
    • 3. Jesus falls for the first time
    • 4. Jesus meets with His Mother
    • 5. Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus
      carry the cross
    • 6. Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
    • 7. Jesus falls a second time
    • 8. Jesus meets the women of
      Jerusalem
    • 9. Jesus falls a third time
    • 10. Jesus’ clothes are taken away
    • 11. Jesus is nailed to the cross
    • 12. Jesus dies on the cross
    • 13. The body of Jesus is taken
      down from the cross
    • 14. Jesus is laid in the tomb
  • 19a Easter Sunday is often described as the holiest day on the Christian calendar. A day when Christians across the globe commemorate and celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Easter Sunday is the culmination of the Lenten season of sacrifice.

    Easter Sunday comes on the heels of Holy Week, which is the most sacred week in the liturgical year in Christianity. Holy Week consists of various days that have their own special significance in the minds and hearts of Christians.

    Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week. Trinity College at the University of Melbourne notes that Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, where He was greeted with crowds that enthusiastically waved palm branches. In commemoration of that entry and greeting, Christians receive palm branches or palm crosses during Palm Sunday Mass.

    Holy Wednesday Once known as “Spy Wednesday,” Holy Wednesday focuses on the darkness of Holy Week and is meant to symbolize the abandonment of Jesus by His disciples. The religious service of Tenebrae, which is a Latin word meaning “darkness” or “shadows,” is typically observed during Holy Wednesday services.

    Maundy Thursday commemorates the Washing of the Feet (Maundy) and the Last Supper. The Last Supper is the final meal Jesus shared with his apostles prior to His crucifixion. Christian scriptures indicate that, during the Last Supper, Jesus predicted His betrayal by one of the apostles present at the meal. It was also during the Last Supper when Jesus foretells that Peter will deny knowing Him three times before the next morning. Trinity College notes that Maundy Thursday reminds Christians of the new commandment that Jesus gave His disciples. That commandment was to love others as Jesus has loved them.

    Good Friday commemorates the trial of Jesus, His subsequent sentence of death, His torture, the crucifixion and burial. Non-Christians may wonder why a day commemorating such events would be characterized as “good,” but Trinity College notes that, in this sense, the word “good” is meant to connote something “holy” or “pious.”

    Holy Saturday marks the conclusion of Holy Week. Celebrations of Holy Saturday typically include a late-night Easter Vigil service that involves a liturgy and ultimately the celebration of the Eucharist. The two-part celebration is designed to commemorate the emergence from darkness into the light that is the Eucharist.

    Holy Week is a significant period for Christians across the globe that commemorates many of the events that preceded the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

  • 18If you are focusing on a healthy diet, it is hard not to think about sugar. You do not have to cut out sugar altogether. The key to a healthy sugar intake is to know the difference between natural and refined sugar.

    Natural sugar is sugar that occurs in a food source without additives. Naturally recurring sugar is found in food such as dairy products, fruit or carbohydrates. When we think of sugar our first thought includes fruit, but natural sugar occurs in starchy vegetables, brown rice, whole grain pasta and cheese.

    Refined or processed sugar should be limited. It includes sugar-enhanced products such as candy, cookies, sodas and smoothies.

    According to dietary sources, the daily consumption amount of sugar for a 2,000-calorie diet is 37 grams for men and 25 grams for women. This translates into six teaspoons for women and eight for men.

    Added sugar is not in food naturally and is added in products that include soda, yogurt, smoothies, candies and cakes. The problem with added sugar is the increased calories without nutritional benefits. Almost half of the added sugar in the daily diet comes from sweetened beverages, sodas and fruit drinks. Added sugar can also be found in the ingredients on food labels and some of them include brown sugar, corn syrup, sugar, syrup and molasses. Foods with added sugar should be eaten in moderation.

    While sugar is not considered to be carcinogenic (cancer-causing), over-consumption of sugar and processed added sugar can add additional caloric intake which contributes to obesity. Obesity is considered a primary risk factor for cancer. There is no evidence that sugar makes cancer cells grow faster. Sugar stimulates the production of fatty acids in the liver. With digestion, fatty acids can contribute to compounds that trigger inflammation. There can be occurrences that cause inflammation such as fatigue, weight gain and body pain to name a few.

    The overabundance of sugar can have long-term effects on the body which can include obesity, tooth decay and diabetes. Tooth decay is frequently caused by sugar because bacteria that cause cavities use sugar as a catalyst. Drinking sugary drinks adds a lot of calories but does not result in feeling full. Candy, cookies, cakes, other processed sweets, and sodas can contain approximately 30 grams of added sugar which is over the recommendation for daily consumption.

    Artificial sweeteners may seem healthier because they do not contain sugar but they are more likely to make you hungrier and eat more throughout the day. The worst artificial sweeteners are sucralose, aspartame, and saccharin because the sugar substitutes are manufactured in a lab. Other sweeteners to avoid include high fructose corn syrup, brown rice syrup and agave.

    The best alternative sweeteners are honey, coconut sugar and maple syrup. Honey is a healthy alternative because the liquid is made from bees visiting flowering plants.

    Raw unpasteurized honey contains trace amounts of B vitamin and the minerals, iron, manganese and potassium.

    Another benefit is that the taste is sweeter with a lesser addition to satisfy the taste buds.

    Maple syrup comes from the sap of maple trees and adds antioxidants of trace amounts of manganese and zinc. Coconut sugar is made by boiling down and dehydrating the sap of coconut palm flowers.

    Drinks containing high volumes of sugar are Mountain Dew (20 ounces or 18 and one-half teaspoons of sugar), Icee (74 grams), Coke (65 grams), sweet tea (42 grams).

    Live, love life and enjoy sugar in moderation.

  • 17It can be tempting to think that bugs simply disappear in the cooler months. The truth is that many bug species have evolved to survive all year long, sometimes hiding in the warm nooks and crannies in and around homes. Others go into a hibernation-like state.

    “Bugs can be a lot smarter and more resilient than you may realize. Even if you don’t see household pests right now, some may still be waiting in your home for those first warm days to signal them to become active, search for food and find a mate,” says Emma Klingman, senior products research at Zevo, a maker of pest control products with naturally-inspired ingredients you can feel good about.

    To prep your home for bug season and outsmart pests, follow these steps:

    Tidy up: Household pests love snacking just as much as people do, but you don’t need to play host to them. After meals, wipe down tables, counters and other kitchen surfaces. Be sure to regularly sweep and vacuum crumbs, as well as mop up to eliminate sticky food residue. Keep a tightly-fitting lid on your garbage bin, and rinse cans and jars before recycling them.

    Be ready: Even an immaculate home will face pest problems at some point. That’s why it is important to have tools on hand to catch a problem early, before it becomes a much bigger one. Some sprays target and shut down biological pathways found in insects, not in people or pets.

    Likewise, some traps use a UV and blue light system to attract and capture flying insects, and they have a discreet design that can serve as a bouncer at your home’s entry points. It’s also smart to use these traps in potential problem areas, such as near trash cans and fruit bowls and near toilet bowls and drains.

    Safeguard the yard: Defending your yard from pesky pests will not only improve the comfort of your home’s outdoor spaces, it will help prevent insects from finding their way indoors. Be sure to eliminate standing water by properly tending to your lawn and by periodically clearing downspouts of debris. Any water feature in your garden should use running water. If you have a patio or deck, consider screening it in. If you don’t love the look of screened walls, installing ceiling fans can be an effective alternative. Run the fans whenever you entertain to deter unwanted guests, such as mosquitos, from crashing the party.

    Of course, it’s always a good idea to apply bug repellent when spending time outdoors. Find a formula that will be easy to use, such as products with a pump spray, aerosol or lotion options. Many products will offer several hours of protection from mosquitoes and ticks and are lightweight, odorless and not sticky.

    For more tips and information, visit https://zevoinsect.com.

    “As we usher in gorgeous spring weather, it can be an especially challenging time of year to keep bugs at bay at home. But with the right tools and strategies, you can help prevent and combat infestations as they arise,” says Klingman.

  • 15b The Easter Bunny has arrived at his Bunny Garden inside Cross Creek Mall. He's dressed in his springtime best and ready to visit with children of all ages.

    Visits with the Bunny are always free. Photo packages are available to choose from should you want a picture to celebrate the season.

    Bunny visitors will also receive a fun coloring sheet perfect for decorating your fridge.

    To make it even more memorable, Cross Creek Mall will host fun weekly garden parties on Wednesday evenings from 4 to 7 p.m. On March 29 wand April 5, visitors can get photos taken with the Easter Bunny, enjoy free face painting, free balloon creations, and meet and greet with some of the Easter Bunny's friends, like Tinkerbell and her fairy friends.

    On April 3, family pets are invited to join Pet Photo Night. From pups to feline friends and everyone in between, the Bunny welcomes all. All pets must be on a leash or in a carrier.
    The Bunny Garden is located inside the Food Court and is open Monday through Saturday, 11 a.m. until 8 p.m., and Sundays from noon until 6 p.m. Extended hours will be offered on Friday, April 7 and Saturday, April 8. Please note that Cross Creek Mall will be closed on Easter Sunday.

    For more information, visit https://www.crosscreekmall.com/store/easter_bunnys_garden.

  • 15a If you or someone you know is into decked-out motorcycles, memorable entertainment, and good vibes, then you don’t want to miss the Annual Memorial Ride and Dedication Event at the Crown Complex presented by North Carolina Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association 15-1.

    The Association consists of members from all branches of the United States Armed Forces who ride motorcycles as a hobby. Their mission is to support those who have defended our country and our freedoms.

    Members of the NC Combat Veteran Motorcycle Association focus on helping veteran care facilities provide a warm meal, clothing, shelter and guidance, or simply saying “Thank You” and “Welcome Home.”

    The Memorial Ride and Dedication Event is a three day event starting on April 7 and ending on April 9. Tickets range from $10-$45.50.

    On the first day of the event, there will be a social from 5 to 9 p.m. following the Marksmen hockey game. On the 8th, there will be an all-day event with a dedication ride (all vehicles welcome to attend) and a small memorial service, Pro Wrestling Matches, and more. Guests can expect to dig in on tasty local food and drinks. There will be a live band, a gift raffle, and a firearms raffle.

    On Sunday, the NC Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association will have breakfast, a small worship service, vendors, a bike/vehicle blessing, and, of course, a visit with the Easter Bunny for pictures and egg hunts.

    To purchase tickets, visit http://memorialdedication2023.cvma15-1.net/index.php.

  • 14Easter is steeped in both religious and secular traditions. Each year on Easter Sunday, many families feast on ham or lamb. Hot cross buns may be served as morning treats. And faithful Christians may dress up in their Sunday best to attend religious services.

    Easter egg hunts are another time-honored component of this festive occasion. According to History.com, the Easter bunny and his eggs may initially have been derived from stories about an egg-laying hare introduced to Americans by German settlers during the 1700s. Children would make nests and the hare would leave behind colored eggs.

    Children often relish in the idea of scouring their homes and yards in search of brightly-hued plastic or hard-boiled eggs. A little planning on the part of Easter egg hunt organizers can make this festive tradition even more fun.

    Set the date: If Easter egg hunts are more than just family affairs and involve neighborhood searches or hunts with a close knit group of friends, it may be smart to schedule in the days before Easter. This helps ensure that a good crowd will be available. Hunts on Easter itself may not get as many participants because celebrants could be at church or celebrating privately.

    Gather supplies early. Easter decorations and plastic eggs sell out rather quickly, so it’s wise to stock up on items as soon as they reach store shelves. If you’ll be using real eggs, consider boiling and coloring the eggs in the days before the egg hunt so you won’t feel a time crunch. Simply store the dyed eggs in the refrigerator until ready for use. Color around six to 12 eggs per participant.

    Designate a search area. Aim for a relatively private spot for the egg hunt. A park may seem like a good idea, but people who were not included in the egg count could wander in. If you use a public space, rope off an area where the eggs will be hidden. In addition, have a backup plan if the weather will not cooperate. School gymnasiums, libraries or church recreational centers are some potential indoor options.

    Have pails at the ready. Some children will forget to bring a basket. Therefore, have extra, inexpensive pails or buckets on hand. Sturdy gift bags also work in a pinch.

    Keep ages in mind when hiding eggs. Avoid choosing hiding spots that can be dangerous or prove too difficult for kids to find the eggs. Prior to hiding eggs, count how many you have, which will help to ensure all eggs were actually collected later on. Next, identify hiding spots that will work for various ages. For example, toddlers will need conspicuous spots and older children more challenging nooks and crannies. A map of where every egg is hidden can help as well. Real eggs may not matter outdoors since wildlife could simply dine on any undiscovered eggs. However, plastic eggs are not good for the environment and every attempt should be made to collect them all.

    Send children out in stages. Let the youngest kids go first, and then group each search team by ascending age. This helps make sure the older kids won’t simply snatch up the more easily found eggs.

    Reward with prizes. Be sure each child has some sort of takeaway prize. However, it’s fine to reward the best egg hunter with a more substantial prize.

    Gather and celebrate. Encourage guests to bring a small dish to contribute. After the hunt, everyone can gather to enjoy some refreshments.

  • 13The Fayetteville Dinner Theatre will be kicking off the third season of the Gates Four Summer Concert Series with a spring preview concert featuring The Highwaymen Live.

    The Highwaymen were an American country music supergroup. The band was comprised of artists Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Kris Kristofferson.

    Between 1985 and 1995, the group recorded three major label albums as The Highwaymen. The group stopped performing in the late 1990s, which inspired tribute bands to start performing.

    The Highwaymen Live travels around the world to give a 90-minute performance featuring some of the classic hits.
    This country music tribute show is full of upbeat, honky-tonk hits like “Ring of Fire,” “On the Road Again” and “Good Ol’ Boys,” the theme song from “The Dukes of Hazzard” television show.

    “This is the biggest show that the Fayetteville Dinner Theatre has ever undertaken and basically it's because of the uniqueness and the quality of the show,” said Bill Bowman, Fayetteville Dinner Theatre producer and Up & Coming Weekly Publisher.

    “What the people can expect is a deep, wonderful, enjoyable time. Listen to the music of three of America’s famous outlaw music legends Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings.”

    One of the performers, Mark Gagnon, has ties to Fayetteville. He is a former Airborne Ranger and Special Forces soldier. He was stationed at Fort Bragg in 1990. He retired in 2005 and stayed in the area to raise his family.

    “I’m looking forward to it. That was my home for 30 years, and I only live an hour away. My son that we raised in Fayetteville still lives there because now he's stationed at Fort Bragg. So my son and his wife and my grandchildren... they live in Fayetteville,” Gagnon told Up & Coming Weekly.

    “It started off as an expensive hobby of performing television contests. I was just chasing contests and what have you,” Gagnon said. “And then, in 2008, I segued into performing as Johnny Cash and started getting hired and paid for it.”

    Gagnon joined The Highwaymen Live last year perfomirng as Cash. He says that tribute bands, like The Highwaymen, have a huge interest because seeing these songs performed live is not an experience everyone will have.

    “Well, you have artists such as Johnny Cash or Roy Orbison and Elvis Presley that have passed on. So no one is ever going to see another live performance from some of these people,” Gagnon said. “We are keeping the music alive of these legends from the actual Highwaymen.”

    Gagnon said that at their last concert in California, they performed to a sold-out crowd and have been seeing more sold-out shows.

    “This is a nationally recognized tribute band that has traveled coast to coast. Extremely successful. I have researched them as a matter of fact, I have actually gone and saw the show before I committed to bring it to Fayetteville and it is absolutely amazing. In 10 minutes you will think that you are sitting in the same room with Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash or Waylon Jennings. I’m not talking about costumes, wigs and makeup. I’m talking about the real thing,” Bowman said.

    The local band Rivermist will be opening for The Highwaymen. Rivermist has been nominated for a CAMMY (Carolina Beach Music Academy) award in 2022 and was named the 2021 “Vocal Group of the Year” by the CCMA. Rivermist will have a 30-minute acoustic set prior to the main performance.

    “So it’s going to be a big Fayetteville experience. We’re very pleased to be able to present it out at Gates Four Golf & Country Club as part of our Fayetteville Dinner Theatre series,” Bowman said. The Highwaymen shows will serve as the kick-off for this year’s Summer Concert Series.

    General admission starts at $65 a ticket. VIP tickets and tables are available as well. All tickets include the show, heavy hors d’oeuvres, Cape Fear Vineyard & Winery wine and bourbon tasting, and door prizes. There is open seating for the shows. There will be two performances. The first will be on April 7, and the second performance will be on April 8. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The hors d’oeuvres and the wine and bourbon tasting will begin at 6 p.m.

    The concerts start at 7:30 p.m. on both of their respective nights and will be at the Gates Four Ballroom. To buy tickets, and to learn more about the Fayetteville Dinner Theatre, go to https://www.fayettevilledinnertheatre.com/ or call 910-391-3859.

    Summer Concert Series

    This year will mark the third annual Gates Four Summer Concert Series. This series of concerts will present all concerts outdoors at the Gates Four Golf & Country Club Pavilion.
    The Concert Series includes a variety of musical acts, from tribute bands to local original music. The official kickoff to the summer concert series will be on May 12 with Autumn Tyde and Fayetteville Performing Arts Hall of Famer Doyle Wood.

    The confirmed performers for the other concerts for the summer of 2023 include Kids in America June 2, Stephen Freeman as Elvis on July 7, Gary Lowder & Smokin’ Hot on Aug. 4. Rivermist will finish up the series on Sept. 1.

    Summer Concert Series concerts are free to the public with an option to buy VIP seats.

  • 11bSecretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III on March 22 unveiled a comprehensive plan aimed at improving the lives of our dedicated military force and their families.

    The new plan consists of six additional actions that address essential needs in education, childcare, parental leave and career advancement. The Department of Defense is committed to working with Congress and other stakeholders to ensure the successful implementation of these measures.

    Secretary Austin is directing the implementation of the following:

    Universal Prekindergarten at DoD Education Activity (DoDEA) Schools: The DoD is collaborating with Congress to secure funding for universal prekindergarten at DoDEA schools. The program is set to undergo a phased implementation over a five-year period, providing high-quality early education for military children.

    Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) for Service Members: To alleviate financial pressure on service members with dependents, the DoD will enable access to Dependent Care FSAs, allowing them to set aside up to $5,000 in pretax income through payroll deductions for eligible dependent care expenses.

    New Military Parental Leave Benefits: The DoD is actively promoting new parental leave benefits that provide 12 weeks of paid, non-chargeable leave to service members welcoming a child into their family through birth, adoption, or long-term foster-care placement. This initiative supports the well-being and work-life balance of our military families.

    Improvements to the Exceptional Family Member Program (EFMP): The DoD is committed to enhancing the EFMP to better support the unique needs of exceptional military families. Further improvements and streamlined processes will ensure that these families receive the necessary resources and assistance.

    Expanded Spouse Eligibility for My Career Advancement Account (MyCAA) Financial Assistance: To support career advancement for military spouses, eligibility for MyCAA financial assistance will be expanded to E-6 and O-3 ranks. This program provides up to $4,000 in aid for obtaining a license, certificate, or associate degree.

    Portability and Best Practices for Professional Licenses: The DoD will continue efforts to make professional licenses portable for military families, working with states to encourage sharing of licensure best practices and approval of occupational licensure compacts. This initiative aims to reduce barriers to employment for military spouses.

    Secretary Austin is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for our military force and their families through these new measures. The DoD will collaborate with Congress and state partners to ensure the successful implementation and ongoing support of these initiatives.

    The memorandum on Strengthening Our Support to Service Members and Their Families can be found at https://media.defense.gov/2023/Mar/22/2003184739/-1/-1/1/strengthening-our-support-to-service-members-and-their-families.PDF.

  • 11aUnited Way of Cumberland County announced March 22 that Fayetteville PWC has been awarded the 2022 Spirit of North Carolina for building momentum and sustainability through engaged leadership and employees.

    Fayetteville PWC has modeled a dedication to community service through their fundraising, volunteer and advocacy efforts. This is the 17th year in a row they have received an award for their outstanding dedication to United Way and the community.

    Carolyn Justice–Hinson, the PWC Communications/Community Relations Officer, also won the United Way Community Ambassador award. This is the first year this award has been presented. She received this honor for all the hard work she has dedicated to helping spread United Way’s name and mission not only within her organization but into the community.

    Justice-Hinson currently serves on the board and chaired their Over the Edge fundraiser held on March 11.
    United Way of North Carolina’s annual Spirit of North Carolina Award celebrates organizations and individuals for their exemplary partnership demonstrated through fundraising and volunteer efforts, outstanding leadership, and creative team building.

    Additionally, organizations focusing on DEI values and individuals who are champions of United Way were also celebrated. United Way of North Carolina recognized 74 winners representing 17 local United Ways at three regional events.

    “The Spirit of North Carolina Awards shine a light on our incredible partners, who are supporting United Way’s work and helping us achieve our goals,” said Melissa Reid, Director of Resource Development for United Way of Cumberland County. “Congratulations to all the winners who have collectively made a huge impact in the lives of our neighbors across the state.”

    Fayetteville PWC and Justice-Hinson were recognized for keeping the spirit of United Way within their organization all year long and not just at campaign time. They run the most successful workplace campaign in the county, they volunteer throughout the year and donate water to events. This year, they even held a meal packing event as their United Way kickoff where they packed 35,000 meal packets which went to help local families.

    “We are honored to have Fayetteville PWC and Carolyn Justice–Hinson as key stakeholders for a shared future where every North Carolinian thrives and reaches their full potential,” said Amy Navejas, Executive Director for United Way of Cumberland County.

    For more information about the Spirit of North Carolina Award and a complete list of winners, visit unitedwaync.org/spirit-north-carolina-award-winners.

    United Way of Cumberland County improves lives by mobilizing the caring power of communities around the world to advance the common good. United Way of Cumberland County strives to advance the common good by focusing on the building blocks for a good life: education, financial stability, health and critical basic needs. At United Way, we recognize that lasting changes are achieved by addressing the underlying causes of problems. United Way partners with other nonprofit agencies to improve lives in Cumberland County.

  • 10Governor Roy Cooper allowed two bills, H.B. 40, Anti-Rioting, and S.B. 53, Hotel Safety, to become law without his signature.

    The Prevent Rioting and Civil Disorder bill would make rioting a felony if it resulted in over $2,500 worth of property damage, involved dangerous weapons or substances, or resulted in someone’s death. It would also make assaulting a police officer or emergency personnel a felony.

    The previous version of the bill was met with strong opposition from Democrats and social justice advocates, who called it racist and intended to muzzle the exercise of First Amendment rights.
    Cooper’s statement in a press release shows that he begrudgingly let it become law.

    “I acknowledge that changes were made to modify this legislation’s effect after my veto of a similar bill last year,” he said. “Property damage and violence are already illegal and my continuing concerns about the erosion of the First Amendment and the disparate impacts on communities of color will prevent me from signing this legislation.”

    All Republicans voted in favor of the bill. In contrast, 16 out of 17 Democratic senators voted against the bill — the sole Democratic senator who supported H.B. 40 was Sen. Mary Wills Bode, D-Granville.
    In the state House, one of the lead sponsors of the bill is Rep. Shelly Willingham, D-Edgecombe. Willingham, a former law enforcement officer, supported the bill despite opposition from most in his party.
    Legislators have renewed their push for the bill this year because of millions of dollars in property damage in Raleigh and across North Carolina during 2020 protests after the death of George Floyd.

    “Nearly three years after violent protests devastated communities and businesses in North Carolina, I am pleased that this bipartisan legislation will finally become law,” said House Speaker Tim Moore in a statement issued Friday afternoon.

    “While the First Amendment guarantees the right to peacefully protest, those who hijack otherwise peaceful demonstrations to cause chaos and destruction in our communities must be held accountable, and law enforcement must have our support to do just that. This bill has had bipartisan support since it was first introduced, and our communities will be safer now that this bill will finally become law,” said Moore.

    Cooper also had mixed feelings about the Hotel Safety bill and explained his reasoning for not signing it.

    “This bill was given broad support in the legislature and there are potential positive modifications being discussed by legislators,” he remarked. “However, safe housing is sometimes only available from temporary shelter such as hotels, and I remain concerned that this bill will legalize unfair treatment for those who need protection, and this will prevent me from signing it.”

    Cooper vetoed similar legislation in 2021. This go around, the House voted 83-29 for the legislation, and it passed in the Senate last month by a 28-16 vote.

    S.B. 53 states that landlord-tenant rules, which make it more difficult to remove an occupant, don’t apply when a person is staying at a hotel, motel, or RV park for fewer than 90 consecutive days.

    The rules normally apply for home and apartment renters, sometimes requiring legal action to complete evictions. The North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association also supported the measure.

    Editor's note: Alex Baltzegar contributed to this article.

  • 9aFort Bragg will officially redesignate to Fort Liberty in a ceremony on June 2. The name Liberty honors the heroism, sacrifices, and values of the soldiers, service members, civilians and families who live and serve on the installation. According to a media release, Fort Bragg officials view this as the next chapter in the installation's history and look forward to honoring the stories of military heroes from every generation and walk of life.

    A little over a year ago the community was asked to help find a name that would represent the values and characteristics that would have significance for everyone. Many distinguished members from the surrounding area participated and helped make this decision.

    The name Fort Liberty was not chosen at random. The word conveys the aspiration of all who serve and has special significance to Fort Bragg units and the surrounding community.9b

    For many, the idea that any other name would replace Fort Bragg would mean losing a part of who we have been, who we are, and who we will be in the future when the nation calls.

    Those who served on the Naming Commission for Fort Bragg struggled to agree on one name from the more than 50 Medal of Honor recipients who could capture and encompass the scope and spirit of this installation. Each of them is just as deserving as the other.

    What resonated among the Commission and community members was the desire to name the installation not after a single person, but a value or characteristic that would have significance for everyone.

    A Gold Star mother stood up and said, “We are never going to agree. There are too many people. My son gave his life for liberty.”

    And everyone said … Liberty!

  • 8Fort Bragg, located in North Carolina, is more than just a military installation. It is a symbol of pride and heritage for many service members and their families.

    The name Fort Bragg has become a part of the sub-culture in the United States of service members who fought for it, and they see it as a valuable piece of their culture that is being taken away.

    The All-American Division, based at Fort Bragg, is known for its history of overcoming cultural and racial boundaries, transcending history and racism. For those who have served and continue to serve at Fort Bragg, the name has become a symbol of that history and a banner of multi-cultural acceptance across generations.

    While the name Fort Bragg has roots in the history of the Confederacy, it has also taken on a new meaning over time. It has become a part of the military culture, and changing it can feel like erasing a part of that culture. Service members and their families have a real and present connection to the base and the name, and it is important to understand and respect that connection.

    The issue of changing the name to Fort Liberty is complex, and it is understandable that some service members and their families may feel a sense of loss or even anger at the change. It is important to listen to their concerns and to acknowledge the significance of the name Fort Bragg to their culture and history. While the change may be considered for progress and growth, it is important to do so in a way that is respectful and considerate of those who have served and continue to serve at the base.

    In conclusion, Fort Bragg has become a symbol of acceptance and pride for many service members and their families, and changing it can feel like erasing a part of their culture. It is important to acknowledge and respect that connection while also recognizing the need for progress and growth. Any change should be done in a way that is respectful and considerate of the military sub-culture and the sacrifices of those who have served and continue to serve.

  • 6One of the most discriminatory laws on North Carolina’s books is the pistol purchase permit system, which was first implemented in 1919.

    To summarize, before purchasing a handgun in the Tar Heel state, one must first obtain permission from the local sheriff in the form of a pistol purchase permit. Frustratingly, the many who don’t go through this process fail to realize this requirement is entirely redundant and prone to abuse, which is supported by both historical evidence and modern examples.

    Many who oppose the repeal of this permit program no doubt fail to recognize that the background check performed by state sheriffs is completely duplicative, a pro-forma exercise. Even after someone acquires a pistol purchase permit, gun dealers can still perform a background check every single time a transaction is initiated.

    Even more damning, the current permitting law was contrived during one of the most divisive periods in our state, not to mention, the entire South’s history — that being the Jim Crow era. Yes, the permitting system was originally devised to restrict those whom the government did not want to acquire handguns. We even have historical state newspaper clippings from the early 20th century that confirm the overwhelmingly disproportionate number of white to Black applicants who were granted these permits.

    Unfortunately, the purchase permit system is still having a “Jim Crow effect” to this day. According to UNC School of Law’s North Carolina Law Review, Black citizens in one of North Carolina’s largest counties are still denied purchase permits three times more often than white citizens.

    Furthermore, the COVID shutdowns gave anti-gun sheriffs an excuse that made obtaining purchase permits nearly impossible. The delays due to concerns about “stopping the spread” and minimizing large gatherings caused massive backlogs and waits, prompting lawsuits from Gun Owners of America and Grass Roots North Carolina.

    Thankfully, due to the efforts of Tar Heel gun owners and lawmakers dedicated to restoring the rights of their citizens, an end to this duplicative and discriminatory policy is on the horizon.
    With bipartisan support, both chambers of the General Assembly have passed legislation (SB 41) to not only repeal the pistol purchase permit system, but also close a “loophole” for church carry.

    While no law prohibits firearms in houses of worship in North Carolina, many churches also have established private schools on their property. Due to the presence of the school, the entire property is statutorily classified as a “gun-free” zone. SB 41 will close this loophole and restore the right to carry firearms in churches when school is not in session.

    Personally, I am a graduate of a private Christian school, a firearms instructor, and a volunteer church security team member. Keeping churches and schools safe is near and dear to my heart. My experience shows that removing this “defense free” prohibition from churches will make would-be mass shooters think twice before attacking, considering they could meet an armed resistance.

    Ironically, Gov. Roy Cooper, a man who claims to be committed to ending racial discrimination and the remnants of the state’s racist past, is expected to veto S.B. 41, just as he vetoed similar legislation two years ago. Instead of regurgitating the partisan talking points and arguments unsupported by logic and fact, he should save himself more embarrassment and allow S.B. 41 to become law, with or without his signature.

    Regardless of the governor’s final move, lawmakers and activists are confident that the General Assembly is prepared and capable to override a veto on this legislation, and yes, in a bipartisan fashion.
    North Carolina doesn’t need a century-old Jim Crow law still on the books. It’s time for it to go.

    Editor’s note: Jordan Stein is the Southeast Region Director for Gun Owners of America and a certified firearms instructor.

  • 5Earlier this month, Americans — all except for those living in Arizona, Hawaii and several American territories —“leapt forward” an hour in time to follow what we call Daylight Savings Time.

    The rest of us continued doing what we have been doing for almost exactly 105 years. We changed the time of day, and will do so again in the fall, largely to suit commercial interests which may or may not align with our own.

    Benjamin Franklin, a man of both great learning and original ideas, suggested Daylight Savings Time in 1784 as a way to conserve candles for the same reason we turn off lights and appliances we are not using today.

    It was not officially adopted anywhere until the 20th century when parts of Canada and some European nations tried it, and the United States jumped on the bandwagon in 1918.
    The idea was to give people more daylight hours for work, especially farm laborers, and it has since morphed into more daylight time for shopping, golfing and other commercial activities.

    Increasingly, though, we Americans are telling pollsters we have had enough of time changing — that we are no longer interested in “springing forward” or “falling back.” Poll findings differ, of course, but most of them report at least half of us have had enough.

    The problem is that we have not agreed on which time system to adopt and stick to, permanent standard time (known in our neck of the woods Eastern Standard Time or EST) or the relatively newer DST.
    Permanent standard time advocates argue that it is more in synch with natural movements of the sun and with the human body’s inner clock, often referred to as our circadian rhythm. Daylight, they say, wakes us up naturally, and earlier sunset allows us to sleep longer and better. DST, they contend, upends our inner clocks, making us more prone to serious health conditions like obesity, metabolic problems, cardiovascular issues, and depression just to name a few problems no one wants.

    Despite these arguments, permanent DST has its fans, many of whom say such a switch would be a boon to most Americans who are more productive during sunlight. They also promote Franklin’s candle argument, updated to electricity, of course, and contend daylight deters crime and promotes greater road safety.

    As in so many situations, we can find a poll or an argument to support most any point of view, but the reality is no one really knows. What we do know, though, is that Americans are ready to stop time’s semi annual time hopping.

    A number of states have already adopted permanent DST and are awaiting federal blessings. Hawaii, Arizona and several territories are already in permanent standard time, but there is no national consensus.
    If I were Queen of America, I would wave my magic wand, and we would all be on standard time, which appears to be a human construct developed over eons to suit the human body’s need for both sun and rest.

    That said, I could also live with DST if it prevailed.

    Our neighbor, Mexico, saw the light late last year and abandoned DST and all the switching of clocks, apparently saying good riddance.

    The point for me and millions of other Americans is that we pick one system of time for our nation and stick to it. We have had enough springing and falling.

  • 4 No one is more excited about former Fayetteville Mayor Nat Robertson being named the new Chamber of Commerce president than I. Finally, we will have someone at the helm who knows business but, more importantly, knows the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community.

    For far too long, Chamber leadership has focused on social and community-related issues unrelated to the business community. This has caused our Chamber organization to lose credibility, effectiveness, members and money.

    Robertson has an excellent opportunity to turn the Chamber’s sinking ship around and steer it into a port where it can receive much-needed repair and rehabilitation. No doubt, Robertson is qualified and can do the job. Still, it will take dedicated hard work, a competent staff, talented and expert committee volunteers, and an engaged board of directors to convince local business owners that change is coming.

    To this end, Roberston has wasted no time in this quest to rehabilitate the Chamber and make it valuable and relevant to the business community. He is working on shoring up his support staff, including the recent hiring of Chamber veteran Jenny Proctor. Proctor was the Director of Operations at the Chamber for seven years when she left in 2020 to pursue other endeavors. She has returned as Chief Financial Officer to assist Roberston in the Chamber turn-around.

    No doubt about it, Proctor will be a considerable asset since she has Chamber experience and an extensive administrative background, and years of management and accounting expertise.
    Every successful and thriving community has a strong Chamber of Commerce. With the growth we are experiencing in Fayetteville and Cumberland County, we must have an organization that focuses on its members and produces programs, initiatives and events advantageous to Chamber members and supporting sponsors and partners.

    Chamber leadership must have a clear vision of the future and recognize opportunities that will catalyze a vibrant and robust business community. Equally important, an effective and influential Chamber must have the fortitude to represent local businesses and advocate for business-friendly public policies.

    With new leadership and a common sense approach, there may be another opportunity for the Chamber to take advantage of. A week ago, the board of directors of Distinctly Fayetteville, formally known as the Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, abruptly disengaged their Interim President and number two staffer.

    The reason for their dismissal is still unclear and may never come to light considering Fayetteville leadership's reluctance and resistance to transparency. Nonetheless, an effective CVB is equally essential to a community as the Chamber of Commerce.

    Our CVB, located on Person Street, is in a high-profile and convenient location, making it recognizable and accessible to visitors, guests and residents. In contrast, our Chamber of Commerce is located in the obscured halls of the Festival Park building on Ray Ave. Its location is neither easily recognizable nor accessible to businesses, visitors, guests and residents.

    This writer believes a Chamber location should be highly visible, easily accessible, and located in the economic hub of the business community. I have heard our Chamber is entertaining moving to the Bronco Square Center on Murchinson Road across from Fayetteville State University. This is a lovely commercial complex, and even though the Chamber would add prestige and credibility to the Center, it fails drastically when fulfilling the Chamber’s mission of serving its business members and residents since that location is neither highly visible, easily recognizable, nor conveniently accessible to businesses, visitors, guests or residents.

    Here comes the opportunity: With all the changes at Distinctly Fayetteville, it would be advantageous to all Fayetteville and Cumberland County concerns if the Chamber of Commerce was housed in the same location as the CVB. From my perspective, it would be a win-win consolidation that would yield many benefits to our community by taking advantage of basic economies of scale.

    Pairing these two organizations would be a tour de force for marketing and promoting the Fayetteville community. It makes sense to take advantage of this opportunity. Then again, traditionally, Fayetteville and Cumberland County leadership seem to “never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity.”

    Congratulations to Nat Robertson, our new Chamber of Commerce CEO, and to Jenny Proctor, a hearty welcome back. You can count on our support.

    Thanks for reading the Up & Coming Weekly newspaper.

  • vet with cat and dog The Cumberland County Department of Public Health will hold a “Vax Your Pet, Vax Yourself” clinic from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 1 at the Health Department, 1235 Ramsey St.

    Rabies vaccinations will cost $5 per pet. COVID-19 and flu vaccines will be free, according to a county news release.

    Organizations will distribute free items and information about programs and services. The Cumberland County Public Library, Department of Social Services, Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) and the Public Health education team will participate, among others.

    Barber Kings barbershop will offer free haircuts.

    Pre-paid cards worth $10 to grocery and retail stores will be distributed to the first 35 people who receive a COVID-19 vaccine, flu vaccine, or STD test. In addition, $100 pre-paid cards will be raffled every hour.

    The clinic is sponsored in part by the Cornelia “Neill” Bullock Wilkins Charitable Endowment Fund for Health of the Cumberland Community Foundation.
    North Carolina law requires the owners of dogs and cats over 4 months old to be vaccinated against rabies. The pets must receive two rabies vaccinations one year apart, then one vaccination every three years thereafter. Owners are subject to a $100 civil penalty for noncomdpliance.

    Pet owners are asked to keep dogs leashed and cats in separate carriers or boxes or left in a vehicle with the air conditioning on.

    Payment will be by cash only, and exact change of $5 is requested for the vaccination fee.

    Flu and COVID vaccinations

    Flu shots will be free to everyone regardless of insurance status. A registration form and a copy of insurance cards, when applicable, is required. The insurance company will be billed. Children 18 and younger can receive a free flu vaccine.

    The Department of Public Health administers Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccinations, including monovalent (original) and bivalent (fall boosters) vaccines. Vaccines will be free regardless of insurance status.

    The health department also will offer an express clinic for sexually transmitted disease testing. Confidential tests for HIV, gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and other STDs will be provided free of charge.

    For more information about Cumberland County Department of Public Health programs, visit www.cumberlandcountync.gov/departments/public-health.

  • welcome to Spring Lake The Spring Lake Board of Aldermen will hear a financial report presented by the N.C. Local Government Commission at its work session March 27.
    The meeting will be at 6 p.m. in the Grady Howard Conference Toom of the municipal complex.

    David Erwin, the town’s finance officer and accounting and financial management adviser for the N.C. Department of the State Treasurer, is expected to

    give the financial summary for the period ending Feb. 28.
    The board last received a midyear budget report in January from Erwin that noted higher expenditures attributed to paying contracted financial staff.
    Board members questioned invoices paid for the auditing firm Greg Isley CPA, including mileage, meals and hotel expenses and said the town needs to hire a permanent financial staff.

    Also on the agenda for Monday is a discussion of the per-capita contribution to the Mid-Carolina Council of Governments and the return on that investment.

    The town paid $2,871 for fiscal year 2022-23, which equals 24 cents for every resident, according to the 2010 census population of 11,964.
    Alderwoman Sona Cooper said she added a discussion of those fees to the agenda because the board needs to make sure it is monitoring expenditures across the board.

    On Friday, Cooper said she was not sure if the amount paid was correct and she was considering removing the item from the agenda until there was more information.

    The Mid-Carolina Regional Council offers services to municipalities in Cumberland, Harnett and Sampson counties. Assistance includes management consultation; short-term staffing; budgeting and capital planning assistance; human resources; grants administration; strategic planning and retreats; and training for elected and appointed officials, according to its website.

    The council also offers services for planning, zoning administration, subdivision review, project management and general technical assistance.
    Samantha Wullenwaber, deputy executive director of the council, was the interim town manager of Spring Lake from March to December 2021. She also was the budget officer, finance officer and a secondary check-signer for the town.

    She began working with the Mid-Carolina Regional Council on Dec. 3 and continued serving as interim town manager through an interlocal agreement among the council, the town and the Local Government Commission.

    On March 3, Mid-Carolina submitted a notice of termination of town manager services effective April 3. On March 17, town officials chose to terminate the services early without a public vote.

    Wullenwaber worked with the Local Government Commission as it took financial control of Spring Lake in October 2021 and was lauded in an audit report released the same day she was terminated as providing a more detailed financial report than what the town ultimately submitted.

    The board is also expected to go into closed session on matters of attorney-client privilege and personnel.

    The board also is in the process of interviewing candidates to be a permanent town manager. Fire Chief Jason Williams has served as interim town manager for several months. Williams will return to his job as fire chief after when a town manager is hired.

    Interviews for the job are ongoing.

  • 5 How does this impact you?

    That’s the question I ask myself before considering every bill I introduce, cosponsor, or vote on as your Congressman.

    With our new Republican majority in place, we have hit the ground running this year — and we will not slow down. From stopping soft-on-crime policies, defending the Second Amendment with my Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act, protecting our strategic oil reserves, standing up to socialism and the Chinese Communist Party’s use of a spy balloon over U.S. territory, and voting to end COVID-19 vaccine mandates — House Republicans have delivered results for you and families across the country.

    Following a productive work week, I returned to Washington last week where we built on this work with more than a dozen hearings to hold the Biden administration accountable on issues including the origins of COVID-19 and the botched withdrawal from Afghanistan.

    Last week we also advanced my HALT Fentanyl Act, one important stop to keep fentanyl out of our communities and away from our children. The fentanyl crisis has only gotten worse due to the open border policies of the Biden administration, as thousands of pounds of fentanyl continue to pour into our country every month. No parent should have to endure the loss of their child to fentanyl poisoning or overdose, and

    I'm proud to support North Carolinians who turn loss into advocacy, such as Matthew's Choice out of Sanford.

    My bill now advances to the full Energy and Commerce committee before heading to the House floor. With a record amount of drug overdose deaths and fentanyl poisonings occurring right here in North Carolina, putting an end to the lethal amounts of drugs and fentanyl present in our communities is a priority.

    I was also honored to introduce bipartisan legislation to secure a statue of the late Reverend Billy Graham to represent our state. I will continue to work with my colleagues to place this once-in-a-generation faith leader in the U.S. Capitol.

    Last week, I also continued my work to improve our nation’s pandemic preparedness and response. During the last pandemic, our nation learned there are many things we can improve in our preparedness for Public Health Emergencies. Congress has to reauthorize the law that governs our response this fall. As the lead Republican on this effort, I released a Request for Information from stakeholders and citizens across the country on how the U.S. can be better prepared when taking on future emergencies. I look forward to reviewing the information submitted and leading bipartisan discussions of how we can improve our nation’s response efforts.

    To close out the month of February, I introduced a resolution supporting the designation of February 28 as "Rare Disease Day." I have long worked to improve access to treatments and therapies for Americans who are affected by rare diseases.

    Working with my colleagues to advance common sense solutions is part of my commitment to you as your Congressman. I will never stop fighting for you, our community, and our nation.

  • 4Full Disclosure: I'm not a fan of City Councilman Mario Benavente. Over the years, his actions and behavior have defined his persona as a self-indulgent opportunist. Benavente is a remarkably intelligent and knowledgable young man, very capable of analyzing complex situations and articulating them along with common sense solutions. Hopefully, he will use these God-given talents for the greater good of the Fayetteville community.

    I must give credit where credit is due. Benavente’s recent comment about extending the City Council members terms to four years are right on the mark: “It’s crucial that if we want to make such a drastic change to the way that this city operates that it once again goes to the vote of the people and should not rely simply on City Council to benefit themselves by changing the rules to give themselves more time.”

    Journalist Bill Kirby, Jr. and former Councilman Ted Mohn both speak out about the prospect of changing city elected officials' term limits along with the true intentions of District 6 Councilman Derrick Thompson.
    I agree wholeheartedly with Ted Mohn’s assessment of Thompson in his comparison to the late honorable District 6 representative Bill Crisp. Thompson definitely is no Bill Crisp. And, the same can be said of former District 6 representative Chris Davis, who also failed to live up to the reputation of Bill Crisp’s dedication, commitment to duty, and concern for all of Fayetteville’s residents. Both are extreme disappointments.

    Read on. Kirby and Mohn say it best. Enjoy. And, thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly community newspaper.

    Bill Kirby Jr.: City councilman says change in term length is a decision for residents alone

    By Bill Kirby Jr.

    If a new Fayetteville City Council member cannot get up to speed on long-term strategic planning for the city, then that City Council member should not be on the council. But that’s freshman Councilman Derrick Thompson’s position in hoping to change council member terms from two years to staggered four-year terms.

    “I think it’s crucial that if we want to make such a drastic change to the way that this city operates that it once again goes to the vote of the people and should not rely simply on City Council to benefit themselves by changing the rules to give themselves more time,” says Mario Benavente, also a freshman councilman. And well said, councilman.

    Benavente has support from Kathy Keefe Jensen, who says her north Fayetteville residents are fine with two-year terms.

    The council, by vote of Mayor Mitch Colvin, Mayor Pro Tem Johnny Dawkins and council members D.J. Haire, Shakeyla Ingram, Courtney Banks-McLaughlin, Brenda McNair, Deno Hondros and Thompson, has called for a public hearing in the council chamber on April 10 to hear how you feel about it.

    A chamber of 15 to 20 people speaking at a public hearing does not speak for this city, and neither does a mayor, a mayor pro tem and six council members. City residents estimated at 208,000 do, and the truth is less than three quarters of them even take the time to vote.
    • • •
    Councilman Derrick Thompson says he is not a “politician” and only trying to save the city money and do what is best for the city when it comes to staggered, four-year council terms. Former council member Ted Mohn begs to differ, and the former mayor pro tem doesn’t mince his words.

    Ted Mohn Begs to Differ

    “Derrick Thompson is nothing like a Bill Crisp in D6,” Mohn says in an email referencing the late District 6 councilman who served six two-year council terms before stepping down in 2017 because of declining health.

    “Derrick Thompson appears simply as an arrogant, self-serving politician. Bill Crisp was often quoted saying that while he was elected in District 6, his beat was the entire city of Fayetteville. Derrick Thompson is a typical politician pandering to his specific council district. Derrick Thompson's narrow-minded views of not wanting this on the ballot is a total disgrace to Bill Crisp's legacy.”

    Those who agree with Thompson, you can be assured, would beg to differ with Mohn. William Crisp died at age 81 on July 28, 2021.

    Editor’s note: Bill Kirby’s column appeared on www.cityviewnc.com/ March 17. For background on the proposal to extend City Council term limits, read the article written by CityView Today's Ben Sessoms in the March 15 issue of Up & Coming Weekly or online at https://www.upandcomingweekly.com/local-news-briefs/9614-city-council-sets-public-hearing-on-extending-length-of-election-terms.

  • 8“What about the children?”

    This was arguably the most frequently posed question by critics in the years prior to state-level marijuana legalization. Many legalization opponents presumed that legalizing cannabis for adults would lead to an increase in marijuana use among teens. But 10 years following the first states’ decisions to legalize, data conclusively shows that these fears were unfounded.
    For example, recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined that the percentage of high schoolers who report having used cannabis over the past 30 days actually fell from 23% in 2011 to 16% in 2021.

    Likewise, the percentage of teens who acknowledge having ever tried cannabis has similarly declined. These downward trends coincide with the period when over 20 U.S. states legalized cannabis use by adults.
    Those states have experienced similar declines in underage use. According to the findings of a 2020 study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health, the adoption of state-level legalization laws “predicted a small significant decline in the level of marijuana use among [youth] users.”

    Another study published in JAMA Pediatrics similarly concluded: “Marijuana use among youth may actually decline after legalization for recreational purposes,” since “it is more difficult for teenagers to obtain marijuana as drug dealers are replaced by licensed dispensaries that require proof of age.”

    In fact, data from California, Colorado, and other legal states confirms that licensed cannabis retailers seldom if ever sell marijuana products to customers who lack proper ID.
    Data published last year in the Journal of Safety Research reported that in California, where the adult-use market has been legally regulated since 2016, “there was 100% compliance with the ID policy to keep underage patrons from purchasing marijuana directly from licensed outlets.”

    In short, states’ real-world experience with marijuana legalization affirms that these policies can be implemented in a way that provides regulated access for adults while simultaneously limiting youth access and misuse.

    That’s one among many of the reasons why public support for adult-use cannabis legalization has risen dramatically over the past decade and remains at record highs.

    To date, not a single state that has implemented legalization has reversed course. That’s because these policies are working largely as politicians and voters intended — and because they are preferable to marijuana prohibition.

    Ultimately, common sense regulation allowing for the legal, licensed commercial production and sale of cannabis best addresses adult consumers’ demand while keeping marijuana products largely out of the hands of young people.

    By contrast, the continued criminalization of cannabis only compounds the public safety risks posed to young people and others by the unregulated marketplace.

    Editor’s note: Paul Armentano is the Deputy Director of NORML, the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, and the co-author of the book "Marijuana is Safer: So Why Are We Driving People to Drink?" This op-ed was released by OtherWords.org, run by the Institute for Policy Studies.

  • 9EPA Administrator Michael Regan announced a National Primary Drinking Water Regulation at a press conference in Wilmington on March 14. The regulation applies to six PFAS (Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) also known as “forever chemicals” that can be found in drinking water.

    Regan told a crowd at UNC Wilmington, “EPA is proposing the first ever national standard to protect communities from PFAS in drinking water.”

    The proposed plan, which won’t be completed until later this year, will have the largest impact on public water utilities. Utilities will be required to constantly monitor for the six PFAS which include PFOA and PFOS as individual contaminants, and PFHxS, PFNA, PFBS, and GenX as a mixture. Notifications to the public of PFAS levels and a reduction of contamination if levels exceed the standards are also required.
    NCDEQ Secretary Elizabeth Biser who also spoke at the announcement noted that the North Carolina DEQ Action Strategy for PFAS which was released in June of last year has the department already working on PFAS contamination with water utilities and municipalities.

    “The state is taking a whole department approach for PFAS. Under our Action Strategy, our approach is to research, regulate, or remediate,” Biser said. “We focus on protecting communities through research and identifying where PFAS contamination exists.”

    North Carolina was at the center of national attention in 2017 when the Wilmington Star-News ran a story about GenX in the Lower Cape Fear River Basin. GenX is a chemical used to make Teflon, firefighting foam, solar panels, and other products according to a report from the John Locke Foundation. The chemical made its way into the Cape Fear River in Bladen County at the Chemours Fayetteville Works plant.

    EPA Compound Chat

    “Dr. Knappe, an engineering professor at North Carolina State, and his students were conducting water sampling in the Cape Fear River when they discovered the presence of a toxic chemical compound known as GenX,” EPA Administrator Regan continued. “Chemours, a chemical manufacturing company in Fayetteville, had been deliberately polluting the air and water with these chemicals for decades.”

    Unlike prior advisories from EPA about PFAS and drinking water, the new proposed regulations come with enforceable metrics.

    “EPA is proposing to establish legally enforceable levels for six PFAS known to occur in drinking water,” Regan said.
    Currently, each state is left to handle its own regulations and enforcement. In North Carolina, DEQ has a consent order with Chemours and Cape Fear River Watch which requires the chemical maker to reduce their PFAS emission by 99.9%.

    “Long-term exposure to certain types of PFAS have been linked to serious illnesses, including cancer, liver damage, and high cholesterol,” Regan said. However, the health effects of PFAS are still largely unknown.

    “We anticipate that when fully implemented, this rule will prevent thousands of deaths and reduce tens of thousands of serious PFAS related illnesses.,” Regan said.

    A public hearing on the proposed rule is set for May 4. The public comment period will open following the proposed rule publishing in the Federal Register. Public comments can be provided at that time at www.regulations.gov under Docket ID: EPA-HQ-OW-2022-0114.

  • 17An annual wellness exam with a health care provider is important for everyone, but especially for older adults. As we age, we are more likely to develop chronic health conditions, according to Dr. J.B. Sobel, chief medical officer for Cigna Medicare.

    An annual wellness exam can help detect potential health issues early so they can be addressed before they worsen, he added.

    “By meeting with your primary care provider early in the year, you can highlight the things that are important to you, and work together to develop a plan for your care for the year ahead,” Sobel said.
    A number of annual check-ups are available at no extra cost to those with Medicare. They include a “Welcome to Medicare” visit for customers who have just reached Medicare eligibility and an “Annual Wellness Exam” for existing customers. Many Medicare Advantage plans offer more extensive annual visits at no extra cost.

    Each annual exam may be a little different. Regardless of the type, Sobel offers the following tips to ensure you get the most from your visit.
    Prepare. Before you go, write down anything you’d like to discuss with your health care provider, including changes to your health over the past year. Bring your prescription and over-the-counter medications with you. Ask plenty of questions and take notes. You might even want to take along a family member, trusted friend or caregiver to ensure you understand everything your provider has shared.

    Be open and honest. It’s tempting to make things look rosier than they are when talking to your health care provider, but minimizing what you are feeling can lead to an incorrect diagnosis or prescription. Speak openly about unhealthy habits, like smoking or lack of exercise. Being honest is the only way your health care provider can help you reach your goals.

    Mind mental health. Your emotional health impacts your physical health. Many people think depression is a natural part of aging, but it doesn’t have to be. Talk to your doctor if you are feeling sad, anxious or hopeless. Treatments, such as talk therapy, medication or both, may be covered by Medicare.

    Monitor medications. Adults age 65 and older tend to take more medications than other age groups, increasing the risk for adverse reactions, such as cognitive impairment and falls. It’s a good idea to take your medications to your annual wellness exam and discuss any potential problems or side effects you’re experiencing. Don’t forget about over-the-counter drugs, vitamins or nutritional supplements you take.

    Schedule screenings and get vaccines. There are a number of important health screenings and vaccines that you may need depending on your age and gender, such as colon cancer screening, bone density test, mammogram, flu shot or COVID-19 immunization. Ask your provider about the screenings and vaccines you’ve had already and schedule any you need as soon as possible. You may even be able to do that before you leave the office.

    Also, don’t forget to visit your eye doctor and dentist. These visits are covered by many Medicare Advantage plans as well. Find out more at www.cignamedicare.com.

    “You wouldn’t drive your vehicle without proper preventive maintenance, so please don’t ignore preventive maintenance for your most prized possession — your health,” Sobel said. “An annual wellness exam is a great place to start!”

  • 15The Fort Bragg All American Races, featuring a half marathon and a 5K, are returning to an in-person format for 2023.

    For the past three years the races were made virtual due to the pandemic and on-going deployments.

    This year, participants will be able to come together on March 25 on the installation as both the half marathon and the 5K start and end at the Main Post Parade Field on Fort Bragg. The start time for the half marathon is 7 a.m., followed by the 5K start at 7:30 a.m. Half marathoners will have four hours to complete the race.

    Post-race activities include entertainment from the 82nd Airborne Division Band, military equipment displays, bounce houses, beer and food trucks.

    Formally nicknamed “Mike to Mike,” the half marathon race used to start in downtown Fayetteville at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Iron Mike Statue and end next to the Iron Mike Statue on Fort Bragg. In an effort to bring the community together, the event is open to the public and the route will showcase the beauty and history of the installation.

    Registration is available online at https://bragg.armymwr.com/programs/all-american-races. Military half marathon pricing is $75 and $85 for civilian participants. Pricing for the 5K is $30 for military and $35 for civilian. Every registered runner will receive an All American Races participant T-shirt, race bib and a custom race medal.

    Competitors have the chance in earning top three male, female and wheelchair athlete awards, as well as age group awards. Participants must be 16 years of age or older for the half marathon and the 5K is open to all ages. The 5K is walker and stroller friendly, but dogs are not allowed.

    For more information call 910-396-6991 or 910-643-4600 or visit https://bragg.armymwr.com/programs/all-american-races

  • 18Scams and fraud are more deceiving these days, reaching you in more ways than ever before. The FTC reported 2.8 million fraud reports from consumers in 2021 alone, with reported fraud losses increasing 70% from 2020 and more than $5.8 million.

    Identity theft protection expert Carrie Kerskie says being aware of what new cyber and phone fraud trends to look out for is your biggest defense against unwanted fraud.

    “The more that we can get this information out there the better,” Kerskie recently told T-Mobile Stories, “Unfortunately when it comes to technology, privacy and identity theft, the same old advice that was given 10, 15 years ago is still the gospel of what you’re supposed to do. And that is outdated. None of it works. It’s not true, it’s not relevant anymore.”

    Scammers have expanded from targeting consumers with only traditional email and phone calls. The most recent trending scams are occurring using person-to-person payment platforms or P2P, remote access software and even public Wi-Fi.

    Kerskie says the most desirable accounts to criminals include bank accounts, mobile phone accounts, credit card accounts and Amazon accounts. Now, with P2P payment platforms, criminals can get access to your bank account and use it to transfer money within moments.

    The latest tactic that concerns Kerskie is using remote access software to gain access to everything on your computer without having to directly ask you for things like your social security number, bank account or credit card number.

    While many workers use remote access software safely from their companies’ IT departments, criminals are also using this software in their scams.

    Criminals also try to access your information in settings like coffee shops or libraries using public Wi-Fi. A laptop or smartphone using public Wi-Fi can easily fall victim to scams. An easy fix is to use your smartphone’s wireless data and hotspot to help keep your personal information secure.

    Kerskie says there are ways to keep scammers and fraud at bay.

    Prioritize Privacy: Kerskie says, if it’s easy for you, it’s easy for a criminal. Privacy means having strong and unique passwords with a minimum of 12 characters, and for pins using random numbers and taking advantage of extra security. Enabling multi-factor authentication on your various apps and accounts will also protect yourself from potential threats.

    Use Available Resources: Take advantage of the free anti-fraud safeguards offered by your mobile carrier. In the case of T-Mobile's Scam Shield, services include enhanced caller ID, scam ID and blocking, which flags suspicious calls and gives customers the option of blocking those numbers. Additionally, customers can get a free second number to keep their personal number personal, or even change their primary number completely.

    Validate or Eliminate: Whatever potential threat you come across via email, text message, letter or even a phone call, try to validate the information. If you cannot confirm the information is true or confirm the senders’ validity, throw it away, block the phone number or email address and report it as spam or junk mail.

    As potential cyber threats and fraud evolve, it’s important to understand how they work. Doing so will help you stay safeguarded and protected.

  • 13“Motownphilly’s back again!” for one special evening at the Crown Theatre.

    Legendary R&B group Boyz II Men will take to the stage Saturday, April 1 at 7:30 p.m. in a concert Fayetteville fans aren’t likely to forget. With their multi-octave vocals and universal themes on loss, love and family, the generational appeal of Boyz II Men is solidified by those who remember their hits from the early 90s and newer listeners who’ve come to know them as the genre-crossing elder statesmen of R&B they are today.

    In a career spanning over three decades, Boyz II Men, known for their distinctive vocal harmonies, is considered the best-selling R&B group of all time. With hits like “End of the Road,” “A Song for Mama,” and “On Bended Knee,” Boyz II Men, over the years, has spent a combined 50 weeks in the top spot on the Billboard Music Charts, a distinction shared only with the likes of Rhianna, The Beatles, Drake and Elvis — to name a few.

    The Beginning

    Formed in 1985 at the Philadelphia High School for the Creative and Performing Arts, Boyz II Men was discovered by Michael Bivins of New Edition and then signed to Motown records.
    The label, which touted stars such as Diana Ross and the Jackson 5, found true star power in the young quartet, consisting of Nathan Morris, Shawn Stockman, Wanya Morris, and Michael McCrary, who would go on to release six albums together.

    In a move to bring R&B music back into the mainstream as it had been 20 years prior, Boyz II Men was successful in moving the traditional “Motown Sound” to less traditional audiences. Berry Gordy Jr., the founder of Motown Records, hailed them as a group “that could have been as much a part of the original Motown as it is the current company.”

    Following the departure of McCrary in 2003 due to health concerns, Boyz II Men continued as a trio, releasing another seven albums between 2004 and 2017. Today, the group continues to tour and collaborate with other artists across all genres. In 2019 the R&B group was nominated for a Country Music Award for their work with country music artist Brett Young. That same year, Boyz II Men collaborated with Charlie Puth on the well-received “If You Leave Me Now” and opened for Bruno Mars on his 24K Magic Tour, creating new fans along the way.

    The “hip hop doo-wop,” which marked their earlier sound under the direction of Michael Bivins and his group Bell Biv Devoe, gave way to the soulful ballads and skillful a capella which skyrocketed them to stardom in the early to mid-90s. Blending pop, soul, hop-hop and elements of gospel, the Boyz II Men brand was synonymous with talent and cross-over appeal. With over 64 million records sold, four Grammy wins, nine American Music Awards, three Billboard Awards, nine Soul Train Awards, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and a successful Las Vegas residency, Boyz II Men are, to this day, considered the gold standard in music entertainment.

    As one of the most successful and visible R&B groups of the 90s, Boyz II Men is a model of industry excellence that has heavily influenced mega-stars like Beyonce, Usher and Justin Timberlake. Often dressed in their trademark jeans, sweater vests, and collared shirts, Boyz II Men has achieved and maintained astounding longevity without losing touch with their roots or fans.

    For all their time in the spotlight, the group has managed to sidestep the more unsavory aspects of fame that have overtaken the careers of many of their contemporaries. They’ve maintained an image of wholesomeness, class and likability which speaks to their universal appeal — they just seem like really nice guys.

    Beyond the Stage

    In the years since their debut album, “Cooleyhighharmony,” hit the airwaves, Boyz II Men has also succeeded in sectors beyond the stage.

    In 2020, the band launched a line of wines, appropriately called Harmony Wines, which feature grapes grown with Boyz II Men’s smooth, rich music playing in the background. In addition to their entrepreneurial pursuits, the band also runs a charity called Boyz II Men House which “lends support to individuals and organizations that focus on improving quality of life and helping to unlock human potential, while contributing to the health and vitality of those less fortunate,” according to a concert press release.

    It’s then fitting that The Boyz II Men concert event is part of the 87th season of Community Concerts, Fayetteville’s oldest arts organization.

    Community Concerts

    Started in 1935, Community Concerts’ chief objective is to bring “the finest in top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville.” Originally, Community Concerts endeavored to bring in more serious artists, such as dueling pianists, classical musicians, and operettas. Around 30 years ago, generational shifts moved the needle toward popular music, which has proven to be a successful transition.

    After the massive success of pop trio The Letterman, Community Concerts moved from then-Methodist College to the Crown Theatre, where it remains to this day. Since its initial foray into more contemporary music, the Crown stage has hosted artists such as Tony Bennett, Olivia Newton-John, and Kenny Rogers. Most recently, Community Concert hosted 70s sensation Earth Wind & Fire last October and superstar country music group Alabama in December.

    Michael Fleishmann, Community Concerts’ long-term Attractions Director, spoke about the organization’s efforts to enrich the community.

    “This has become a very well-respected arts organization,” he shared with Up & Coming Weekly. “We try to be very diverse. We’ve done rock, country, Broadway, comedians, even magicians — we try to appeal to all ages and genders."

    One exciting element of the Boyz II Men concert is the return of the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame, created by Community Concerts in 2008. It has been on hiatus since the rise of COVID-19 three years ago.
    The Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame honors those who have brought “musical distinction to the community.” Honorees include the owner of Daxwood Records, Doyle Wood, and the 82nd Airborne All-American Chorus.

    A season, which typically takes 5-6 months to put together, is an effort Fleishmann is proud to be a part of, citing the city’s consistent support of art and artists within the community.

    “Fayetteville really has a lot of wonderful art opportunities,” he commented. “Community Concerts has been very fortunate; the community and city have supported us for years, for generations. There are people who come to our shows who have been with us for 30 years.”

    Ultimately, no matter who comes to the stage, the community and the people who live here are the real stars of the show.

    “It’s all about doing something nice for Fayetteville,” Fleishmann admitted. “We do it for the community.”

    Tickets for the Boyz II Men Concert range from $59-$139 and are selling out fast. To purchase, visit https://www.crowncomplexnc.com/events/detail/boz-ii-men.

  • 6Want something new to worry about? Don’t have enough on your mind to keep you awake at 3 a.m.? Bored pondering the possible collapse of the banking system courtesy of the Silicon Valley Bank canary in the financial coal mine?

    If you thought the “Cocaine Bear” was dangerous, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Instead of counting sheep, try counting Super Pigs.

    The Canadian Super Pigs are coming. The Super Pigs have discovered the source of BBQ. They are not happy. Vengeance is mine, saith the Super Pigs. Porcine awareness of Southerners’ fondness for The Holy Grub, BBQ, has triggered an army of revenge seeking Super Pigs heading south from Canada.

    Unsure what a Super Pig is? Allow me to elucidate about the origin of the species. Super Pigs are the intellectually gifted porcine version of ChatGPT Artificial Intelligence. No less an authority than Field and Stream magazine as quoted in Popular Mechanics lays out what is happening in the wonderful world of wild pigs. Naturally it involves man messing around with Mother Nature. As the old Chiffon margarine ad used to say: “It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature.”

    Our usually polite neighbors to the north created this exciting new problem. About 20 years ago, Canadian farmers got the bright idea to cross breed wild boars with regular industrial farm pigs to produce bigger pigs that could better tolerate cold temperatures. What they got were Super Pigs, who, like Yogi Bear, were bigger and smarter than the average pig.

    All was well until the price of pork dropped. Canadian farmers were left with a bunch of hybrid savvy large pigs they could not sell for a profit. Like Tesla cars, not all of the implications of breeding Super Pigs were carefully considered. Instead of continuing to feed their Super Pigs, the farmers decided to let them run free into the Canadian wilderness.

    Super Pigs in the wild do what Super Pigs in captivity do when the cable vision goes out. They make whoopee with other Super Pigs producing more herds of Super Pigs. Fun fact: a herd of pigs is called a Sounder. This factoid may come in handy if you are ever on “Jeopardy” and the category is Animal Herds.

    As Super Pigs were fertile and multiplied, they began to move South without going through U.S. Immigration and Naturalization procedures. They are now in the great states of Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota and Michigan according to Field and Stream.

    A spokesman for the Canadian Wild Pig Research Project (I am not making this up) said: “That they can survive in such a cold climate is one of the big surprises of this issue. Wild hogs feed on anything. They gobble up tons and tons of goslings and ducklings in the spring. They can take down a white tail deer, even an adult.”

    If you see a Super Pig there is even a Canadian website to report sightings at “Squeal on Pigs”.
    Unfortunately for humanity, Super Pigs have an excellent military leader named Colonel Pigasus leading their infiltration south into the U.S. Like Colonel Walter Kurtz in the movie “Apocalypse Now,” Colonel Pigasus is “out there operating without any decent restraint, totally beyond the pale of any acceptable conduct. And he is still in the field commanding troops of Super Pigs.”

    Field and Stream reports the Super Pigs have learned to avoid hunters by becoming nocturnal. The Sounders have learned when to “disperse making them harder to locate or change their patterns and retreat into forests and wet lands.”

    These are no ordinary porkers. They are the Practical Pig on too many steroids. You would not like them when they are angry. Roid rage in a Super Pig is double plus ungood.
    In the fight against the spread of Super Pigs, Canada has come up with a top secret defensive weapon Code Name: Judas Pig. Canadian Mountie Dudley DoRight and his troops catch Super Pigs and strap GPS monitors on them. Using the Catch-and-Release model used so successfully by INS at the border with Mexico, Judas Pigs are then released back into the wild.

    Judas Pigs, using their superior intellect, will link up with the marauding free range Sounders. This allows Dudley DoRight to follow the GPS signal to track the Sounders. Once the Sounders are located, they are terminated with extreme prejudice. To protect Dudley from PETA and social media attacks, his mission does not exist and will never exist.

    So, what have we learned today? Once again, not much, but something. Mother Nature will not be mocked. Baby pigs are proof that a lady pig looks good to a boy pig. Genetic engineering of wild boars and domestic pigs can lead to a shortage of BBQ.

    You had better go to the Carthage International Airport Pik & Pig café as soon as possible because the Super Pigs are on their way. You never miss the BBQ until the Super Pigs come by.

  • 16The Fayetteville Technical Community College Foundation is proud to present its 3rd Annual Trojan Fit 5K Color Run on April 22.

    The event will take place at FTCC's Fayetteville campus with two different routes to accommodate all who want to participate. There will be a full 5K route for the more “color-tastic” runners and a slightly shorter route for strollers, bikers, and walkers.

    This community 5K was created to include everyone and to have fun.

    Participating in the event as a runner or walker costs $35.00, including the Annual Trojan Fit 5K Color Run Shirt. Participants can register, pay online and even explore the website for the race map and additional information. The map gives a visual of the path and labels where the color and drink stations will be located.

    This race is truly created for everyone in mind to participate and support in their personal way. For those who do not want to run but still wish to participate, you can register as a sponsor and donate.
    The race will also host various local vendors and the FTCC campus clubs. This is a great way to see what is locally available in Fayetteville and what FTCC students do for their campus community.

    The Trojan Fit 5K Color Run is a huge campus event requiring a lot of support and coordination from faculty and staff. If you want to help support the Trojan Fit 5K team, you can also sign up to volunteer.
    Volunteers will have various jobs, such as working water stations, checking-in, working color stations, and so much more.

    The purposes of FTCC’s Foundation are (1) To raise money from private sources to build up the FTCC Foundation financial base, (2) To manage the collection, investment, and distribution of private gifts for FTCC students, faculty, and staff, (3) And to provide meaningful programs and services to FTCC alumni and friends by managing an effective alumni program.16a

    The FTCC Foundation, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) organization, and all donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

    Providing a donation to FTCC Foundation means an opportunity to make a positive difference for qualifying students who are trying to improve their quality of life through education.

    We hope you will come out to FTCC’s beautiful Fayetteville campus to support your local community and students of Fayetteville Technical Community College by participating in the 3rd Annual Trojan Fit 5K Color

    Run! It’s a great way for everyone to enjoy outdoors on a spring day, to meet new friends, and to contribute in a positive way to the community by helping FTCC students.

    For more information, please visit www.faytechcc.edu/foundation-events/, email foundation@faytechcc.edu, or call 910-678-8441.

  • 11bMarch is Women’s History Month. This year's theme, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” acknowledges the pioneering women, past and present, as important contributors to the achievements of the military services and civilian workforce, stated Gilbert R. Cisneros Jr., Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness in a memorandum.

    “We recognize the accomplishments of women in the department and their contributions to national security which helps maximize the department’s warfighting capabilities,” he stated, providing examples:
    These women and their stories represent the many untold stories in DOD of women who took on mission-critical assignments and advanced as leaders in the military, research, science, technology, engineering and mathematics, he stated.11a

    “The department celebrates their collective victories which strengthen our workforce because we can leverage their unique experiences, perspectives and expertise in support of our mission. In addition, they inspire future generations of young women from all backgrounds who desire to be a part of the department and share in its mission,” Cisneros stated.

    In 1971, women made up just 1% of the military services. Ten years later, it was 8.5%

    However, women at that time were not allowed to serve in combat military occupational specialties like infantry, artillery and combat aviation.

    As of Oct. 2022, there were 231,147 women who made up around 18% of the department’s active duty force and all jobs have opened to them in recent years. Also, about 33% of DOD civilians are women.
    In the Coast Guard, as of Jan. 31, there were 6,220 active duty women out of about 41,000 total members.

    11c In 1987, Congress declared March as National Women’s History Month in perpetuity. A special presidential proclamation is issued every year which honors their extraordinary achievements to include those who have or are serving in the armed forces.

    Although there were instances of women serving in the military in every U.S. war, it wasn't until World War I when policy allowed them to serve in non-combat jobs to free up men to fight. Altogether, about 34,000 women served during World War II in the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. The Army only allowed women to serve as nurses.

    With the end of the war on Nov. 11, 1918, women in all military branches were demobilized except for some Army and Navy nurses. During World War II, the military once again faced a manpower shortage as they had in World War I. The services began accepting women who served in the Women's Army Corps; the Navy’s Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, more commonly known as WAVES; the Marine Corps Women's Reserve; and the Coast Guard Women’s Reserve.

    The acronym for the Coast Guard Women’s Reserve, interestingly, is SPAR, which stands for Semper Paratus — Always Ready. In June 1948 President Harry S. Truman signed the Women’s Armed Service Integration Act allowing women to receive regular permanent status in the armed forces, which by then included the Air Force.

    In addition to Women's History Month, there’s also International Women’s Day, which is celebrated March 8 of each year. In a statement on that day, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III noted that DOD “recognizes the tremendous, enduring contributions that women soldiers, sailors, Marines, airmen, guardians and civilian employees have made in service to our country.”

    From America’s first days, women have made profound sacrifices. They have made innovative contributions to national security and blazed trails for future generations, Auston said.11d

    Since the Revolutionary War, more than 3 million women have served, even before the military fully recognized their service, he noted.

    “Though the Department has made significant progress to break down stubborn barriers for women in the U.S. military, we know that we still have more to do to promote inclusion and well-being and to give all our teammates the opportunity to rise to their full potential,” Austin stated.

    “I am personally committed to this vital work. To ensure that we continue to have the strongest fighting force in the world, we must draw on the full power of all our people,” he added.

  • 14aFayetteville PWC will host its premiere free and annual Power & Water Conservation Expo, allowing individuals and families to learn about conservation and how to save on their utility bills.

    The Power & Water Conservation Expo is on Friday, March 24, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at SkyView on Hay in downtown Fayetteville, located at 121 Hay Street. The event is open to all, and admission is free.

    The event will feature a variety of experts from PWC. The Expo is an excellent opportunity for PWC customers to speak with customer service representatives in person instead of on the phone; they can help answer your questions.

    Those in attendance can learn about PWC’s incentive programs, such as how attendees can benefit from the federal income tax credits by making their homes more energy efficient. That helps the environment while reducing energy costs by talking to an incentive program specialist who could help you save money.

    PWC linemen will also be present for those in attendance to meet and answer questions about what they do.

    The Watershed staff will also be available to explain how your drinking water quality is protected. Further, according to a representative from Fayetteville PWC, job seekers should also attend the Expo because a representative will be available to discuss the various job opportunities at PWC.

    There will be free give-away boxes filled with conservation goodies, including LED bulbs, that will be available for those in attendance to take home. The first 500 in attendance will receive a free tote bag.

    Attendees can also pick up a ‘Fat Trapper’ to help ‘Cease the Grease,’ and learn how to properly dispose of fats and oils to help prevent clogging pipes.14b

    According to the PWC website, the ‘Fat Trapper’ is a plastic unit with a foil-lined bag to pour your fat and grease in. PWC customers can register to win a $100 credit on their bill.

    The family-friendly expo will also have a ‘Kids Korner’ with fun activities for children to learn about conservation.

    The expo is an opportunity for customers looking to learn, grow and conserve. So mark your calendar for Friday, March 24, and attend the PWC’s 9th annual Power & Water Conservation Expo.
    For more information, visit https://www.faypwc.com/pwc-expo/ or call 910-223-4009.

  • 12d On Saturday, March 11, at around 1:30 in the afternoon: I was brave.

    Now, it’s not something for which I plan to make a full-time habit, but it's nice to know it’s in there somewhere.

    When I was offered an opportunity to go “Over the Edge” for United Way of Cumberland County, I’ll be honest — I did not want to. Despite the wonderful work United Way does for our community by funding initiatives and connecting people to vital resources for the betterment of their lives, writing a check seemed like a better plan than rappelling down a 50-foot building.12a

    The “Over The Edge” fundraiser called upon people in the community to help United Way of Cumberland County reach their goal of $140,000 by raising money for the opportunity to rappel down the Cape Fear Valley Medical Arts Center in downtown Fayetteville. Fun, right?

    Initially, blind excitement edged out my well-documented fear of heights and general lack of athletic skill. However, as the days ticked closer, I had some doubts. My focus became less and less “this is going to be so awesome!” to “how do I get out of this?”

    I went over every conceivable possibility of disaster. Sure, 50 feet may not seem like much, but for me, they may have well asked me to rappel from the moon. Two hours before my check-in time, I embodied the phrase “green around the gills.” A slow-moving dread made every step toward the brightly canopied kiosk not only difficult but painful. Still, with anxiety beating in my throat like a heart, I stepped up and signed in.

    So, why bother? Great question, and the answer is twofold: one, I believe in what United Way is doing for Cumberland County, and two, I recently had a birthday.
    While I won’t provide an exact number, chiefly because seeing it in print will make me cry, I can confidently say I’m old enough to remember hearing the Backstreet Boys’ debut single on the radio but young 12benough to reboot my own router. The point is the older I get, the more determined I am to do the things that scare me.

    As a mother, I want my kids to see me at my most amazing, and as a wife, I want to remind my husband what a rockstar he married. Most of all, I just wanted to say to myself: yeah, you were scared, but you did it anyway.

    And I’m so glad I did. The experience itself, despite weeks of worry, was phenomenal and went more smoothly than I could have imagined.

    Upon entering the building, I was helped into my gear immediately by a very patient man who didn’t seem to mind my minute-to-minute pivot between nervous laughter and hyperventilation. He was thorough, checked everything twice, and when I was properly rigged, sent me to another gentleman for a final check. I can honestly say this reduced my overall fear by about 40%.

    My journey to the roof by way of 24 stairs was a long one, each step bringing me closer to an experience I wasn’t sure I could handle. But I’d made a commitment to United Way and a commitment to myself — turning back was not an option.

    It was a beautiful day, a bit cold but clear, and it felt comforting to stand in the sunshine to await my fate. After a short but effective lesson on how to use my gear, which ropes and levers to pull, and the many, many built-in safety features to keep me from plummeting to the earth, it was my turn.

    Gulp.

    I was helped to the edge of the roof, heels dangling over nothing, and panic ran through me like a current. Though I’d practiced sitting back in my harness and trusting it to hold me earlier in the week, it was nothing compared to taking that first step off the ledge.12c

    Downtown Fayetteville is beautiful from 50 feet up in the air.

    After that initial cautious step of faith, I had a little time to appreciate the view of our beautiful city. As I made my way down, I realized how silly I’d been. The lesson, though brief, helped me feel safe and confident as I scaled down the Medical Arts building with an agility akin to Spider-Man (I hope) and amongst the cheers calling for me to “go, girl!” I could hear my family urging me on from below. At that moment, I felt like flying.

    Now, safely on the ground, I look back at the experience with no small measure of pride. I did a scary thing, and I survived. I need to keep that in mind. After all, to date, I’ve belly danced, shot 70 feet in the air over a fan, and made a valiant attempt to “hoist” myself through aerial rings (in front of people), none of which I’d ever thought I’d do.

    It’s important to remember I’ve been brave before.

    Editor’s note: Donations for the United Way of Cumberland County Over the Edge campaign can be made until April 11 at https://give.overtheedge.events/ote-UWCumberlandCounty?ref=sh_7BzjN7_ab_9JPwHafblln9JPwHafblln

     

  • CCS Hill left and Lloyd right Cumberland County Schools Superintendent Marvin Connelly Jr. has added two educators to his leadership team.
    The Board of Education approved the administrative appointments on March 14., according to a news release.

    Mellotta B. Hill was named chief academic officer.

    Hill earned a bachelor of science degree in elementary education at East Carolina University in 1993; a master of school administration degree from Fayetteville State University in 2003; and a doctor of education in educational leadership from Fayetteville State University in 2014.

    Hill started her career as a fourth-grade teacher in Pitt County Schools. She moved to CCS and taught at Ferguson-Easley Elementary School. Since then, she has worked in numerous capacities, including North Carolina Principal Fellows intern; assistant principal and principal; assistant superintendent of K-12 instructional programs.

    Jennifer L. Lloyd was named director of professional development.

    Lloyd earned a bachelor of science degree in elementary education from Pittsburg State University in 2001 and a master of science degree in education with a specialization in reading and literacy from Capella University in 2019.

    An educator for more than 20 years, she began teaching third-graders in 2002 at Pocalla Springs Elementary School in Sumter, South Carolina. She relocated to CCS as a remediation tutor and then an instructional coach at J.W. Seabrook Elementary School. Lloyd joined the Central Services staff as grants management coordinator, K-5 English language arts curriculum specialist, and instructional programs coordinator.

  • Hope MIlls TOwn Hall The architect for the John W. Hodges Public Safety Center will ask for more than $1 million to finish the project when the town board meets Monday night, March 20.

    Scott Garner says a budget amendment in the amount of $1,172,250 will cover the remainder of the building.
    The Board of Commissioners will meet at 7 p.m. in Town Hall.

    “The additional budget covers the Phase 1, survey and title insurance for the new parking lot portion, interest on the construction loan extension, and additional furniture and change orders, …” says town Finance Director Drew Holland in a memo to interim Town Manager Chancer Mclaughlin.

    “We have reduced the budget amounts for building lease and miscellaneous, allocating $22,500 of the interest income we have received. A majority of the budget amendment is showing the remaining contingency of $730,426. This will allow the total project budget for USDA financing to equal the $17 million cap we set at the beginning of the project,” wrote Holland.

    The town’s staff recommends approving the budget amendment.

    In other business, a public hearing is scheduled on a contiguous annexation of 8.11 acres at Waldo’s Beach and Camden roads.

    Also, the board will hear a rezoning case that would change 15.11 acres from R7.5 single-family residential to CP2 planned service and retail classification. The property is at 7050 Rockfish Road. The request was submitted on behalf of Crosspoint Church, owner of the property.

    Anyone who wishes to speak during the public-comment period is asked to sign up 15 minutes before the start of the meeting and to limit comments to three minutes.

    Under new business, the town will consider setting a public hearing at 7 p.m. April 3 on the proposed annexation of land contiguous with the town limits. The 8.23-acre property belongs to Bridgeport Homes and is near the intersection of Hunting Ridge and Rockfish roads.

  • cumberland county logo The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners on Monday, March 20 is scheduled to consider an agreement between the county and all its municipalities on how they will share sales tax revenue for the next two years.

    Former County Manager Amy Cannon late last year warned the commissioners that the deadline to submit a request to the N.C. General Assembly to change the way tax revenue is distributed would be in April. County administrators presented the board an option of moving to the ad valorem method, which means distribution based on the proportion of the total tax levy each entity accounts for. That method would provide more revenue for the county.

    The county currently distributes sales tax revenue on a per capita basis, but it has an interlocal agreement with the municipalities to share the growth in tax revenue on a 40%-60% basis, with the county receiving 40% of the growth revenue.

    The issue is on the board’s consent agenda for its meeting scheduled at 6:45 p.m. Monday in Room 118 of the Cumberland County Courthouse. The item was not on the agenda at a meeting earlier this month when topics are considered for future board meetings. Items on the consent agenda of regular board meetings typically bypass discussion or debate. However, one commissioner may ask to have an item taken off the consent agenda for discussion.

    That request is voted on by the full board.

    The distribution method among the county and its municipalities was discussed Feb. 3 by members of the Cumberland County Mayors Coalition, according to Brian Haney, assistant county manager and spokesman for Cumberland County.

    “During this meeting, members of the Mayors Coalition expressed their concerns regarding the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners potentially voting to change the sales tax distribution method from per capita to ad valorem,” Haney wrote in an email to explain how the decision came about.

    CityView requested a copy of the minutes of the coalition’s meeting from the town of Eastover, whose staff was responsible for the minutes of that meeting.

    The Eastover town clerk has not responded to that request.

    According to Cumberland County’s website, the coalition consists of the mayors of Eastover, Falcon, Fayetteville, Godwin, Hope Mills, Linden, Spring Lake, Stedman and Wade. The chair of the county commissioners also is a coalition member. The coalition meets quarterly at varying locations.

    The current sales tax agreement was agreed upon and signed by all coalition members in 2003 and expires on June 30. If no agreement is reached and the county changes to the ad valorem distribution method, it could mean significant loss of sales tax revenue for the municipalities.

    The county had offered an agreement that delays the change to ad valorem taxation until June 2025, but Cumberland County would receive 100% of any growth revenue. The agreement had to be approved by all municipalities before March 15 or the county would have proceeded with the move to the ad valorem formula.

    On Feb. 3, Chairwoman Toni Stewart, a member of the coalition, and Vice Chairman Glenn Adams, along with county administrators, attended the Mayors Coalition meeting. Stewart was presented with an initial agreement proposing the renewal of the existing agreement for five years under the same terms.

    “This renewal had been approved by all municipal boards but was done without consultation or discussion with the Board of Commissioners or county staff,” according to Haney.

    Stewart and Adams met with the chair and vice chair of the Mayors Coalition and asked that they provide an alternative proposal to the five-year extension, according to Haney.

    On Feb. 17, the county board received a letter from the Mayors Coalition stating that the “request to continue the current agreement for five years is negotiable” and that the municipalities “will support continuing current dollar amounts with the county receiving all the growth for a shorter amount of time to allow the municipalities to prepare for the loss of revenue,” according to Haney.

    Stewart on Feb. 24 sent a letter to Mayors Coalition Chair Jackie Warner with a proposed amendment to the distribution agreement that addresses concerns raised by the Mayors Coalition while also taking into account the county’s needs. Haney said.

    The amendment provides a transition period for implementing the ad valorem distribution of revenue, extending the agreement through June 30, 2025, with 100% of growth revenue during this period going to the county. The chairwoman requested that all municipalities adopt the agreement by March 15 since the Board of Commissioners must vote on any changes to the sales tax distribution method in April, according to Haney.

    Since the agreement was adopted by all municipalities, the county will delay changing to the ad valorem distribution method until July 1, 2025. This would coincide with the implementation of the 2025 property reappraisal. Had the new agreement not been adopted, the commissioners would have voted on the ad valorem distribution method in 2023.

    “At the direction of the Board of Commissioners, the county attorney drafted a new sales tax agreement with a two-year term and a provision that the county would receive 100% of sales tax growth,” according to a memo to the board from then-interim County Manager Renee Paschal.

    “The agreement also puts the municipalities on notice that the Board of Commissioners intends to adopt the ad valorem distribution method effective July 1, 2025. The agreement was sent to all municipalities in Cumberland County with a due date of March 15, 2023. All municipalities have approved the attached agreement,” Paschal states in her memorandum to the board.

    She recommended that the board vote to approve the interlocal sales tax agreement effective July 1 this year through June 30, 2025.

    Other consent agenda items

    Also slated for approval are the fiscal 2024 health insurance plan changes and a request for $350,000 for restoration of the historic Orange Street School.

    Presentation

    The board will hear a presentation on the fiscal 2022 compliance audit by a representative of Cherry Bekaert LLP, the county’s external auditor.
    April Adams, a partner with Cherry Bekaert, is scheduled to present results of the audit, which was completed on March 9. The separate financial audit results were presented at the board’s Jan. 17 meeting, when the commissioners approved an audit contract extension through March 31 to allow time to complete the compliance audit.

    There were two findings reported related to the Emergency Rental Assistance Program:

    The county could not provide supporting documentation of the quality reviews for 54 of the 60 case files selected.

    In one out of 60 cases audited, the supporting documentation of the rent payment in arrears did not properly support the amount of payment made.

    In other business, the board will consider a proposed schedule for fiscal year 2024 budget work sessions and public hearing.

  • WarZone cov Author and filmmaker Kevin P. Duffus will speak about attacks by German U-boats on Allied forces during World War II off North Carolina’s coast in a lecture this week at Fayetteville Technical Community College.

    The lecture is scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, March 23 in the Tony Rand Student Center, 2220 Hull Road.

    The talk is part of FTCC's Community History Lecture Series and is free and open to the public. HIS War Zone 11x17 page 001 259x400

    Duffus is the author of the book “War Zone: WWII Off the North Carolina Coast,” on which the lecture will be based.

    Duffus has written five other books and produced four documentary films on maritime history topics, including shipwrecks and lighthouses as well as the German U-boat attacks off North Carolina’s coast in 1942.

  • online post boutiqueFayetteville’s first and only size-inclusive boutique, 2313 Glitter Ave., will have its grand opening on Saturday, March 25, at 1009 Marlborough Road in Fayetteville from 11 am to 4 pm.

    Carrying sizes ranging from small to 3X in nearly every clothing item, the boutique encourages women of all shapes and sizes to “Wear the Whatever.”

    Customers can look forward to gift-with-purchase swag bags, a personalized claw clip station, doorbusters, and giveaways on opening day. Spacious dressing rooms, inclusive swimwear, jewelry, shoes, and more await.

    Originally an online boutique, customers can still shop 24/7 on the app and arrange local pick-up at 310 Blount St. in Downtown Fayetteville.

    For more information visit join the VIP Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/2313GlitterAveVIP

  • 15 Fayetteville’s hottest new bar is coming to town, but only for a limited time.

    From March 23 to April 9, patrons can pull up a seat, tip their hat to the man behind the bar and listen to the sounds of “local color” unfold all around them.
    Though it can’t be found on any map, revelers must look no further than the Cape Fear Regional Theater stage to find the city’s latest watering hole.

    “Welcome To Arroyo’s!” is Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s newest production that will take the audience on a music-driven journey through New York’s Lower East Side as a brother and sister struggle under the weight of their shared grief and grapple with the complexity of identity.

    Using hip-hop to weave an intricate tapestry, “Welcome to Arroyo’s!” is a “celebration of New York, hip-hop music and culture,” explained the play’s director, José Zayas.

    “It takes place at a particular time in New York when things were changing.”

    Originally written by Kristoffer Diaz in 2010, “Welcome To Arroyo’s!” is a coming-of-age comedy-drama that focuses on a Puerto Rican family, siblings Alejandro and Molly Arroyo, in the wake of their mother’s death.

    Struggling in the aftermath of this tragedy, each must confront the intricacies of grief and the people that come into their lives to help make sense of it.

    “I think this show will bring audiences a sense of hope,” actor Jarét Benét, who plays Officer Derek in the production, shared with Up & Coming Weekly.

    “Whenever you lose someone close to you, it can take a long time to get over that, but whenever someone passes on, someone new always comes along. I think what the audience will take from that is none of us is struggling alone,” he said.

    As the play focuses heavily on Puerto Rican identity, presenting a cast that remained faithful to the playwright’s intentions and message was paramount to Puerto Rican-born Zayas as a director.

    “It was very important to be as authentic as possible,” Zayas admitted. “There’s so many levels of identity to take into account. When you’re casting, you hope to be able to stay true to those rhythms and nuances of culture.”

    For actors Jesse Muñoz and Alondra Belén, who play Alejandro and Molly, the magnitude of telling Latinx stories can’t be overstated as both share a homeland or cultural similarities to the characters they’ll portray on stage.

    “These characters were born and raised in the Bronx; I was born and raised in Puerto Rico — my first language is Spanish,” shared Belén. “There are just so many cultural backgrounds to consider; we really want this to be an authentic experience.”

    “Welcome to Arroyo’s!” was originally scheduled to run during the 2020 season. Due to lingering concerns about COVID-19, the production was pared down to a virtual reading, where Ashley Owen, CFRT’s Marketing Director, fell in love.

    “This is one of the funniest plays I've ever listened to or watched,” Owen shared. “It’s a joyful play and would make a great adult night out. This play is so much fun, and that's what people need. If you’re 18-55, this is going to be your jam,” she joked.

    In addition to the play’s universal themes and unique premise, “Welcome To Arroyo’s!” brings Hispanic stories, relationships and struggles to a space they’re not often seen — the theater.

    “The Hispanic population is one of the fastest growing in North Carolina,” Owen explained. “It’s a part of our city that we recognize and see. We wanted to put on a play for people not used to seeing themselves on stage.”

    To bring home the feel of a neighborhood bar, seating for the play will take place right on stage. For those with a fear of interactive performances, there’s no need to worry — the audience won’t be called upon to participate. However, CFRT still hopes to fully engage audiences in this performance with a slew of exciting touches and special events.

    The “bar” in Arroyo’s will be a fully functioning concession stand where the audience can grab a drink before the show and enjoy one of the many activities scheduled for opening week.

    • Thursday, March 23: District House of Taps will be in-house to host a complimentary beer-tasting before dress rehearsal.
    • Friday, March 24: Guests can enjoy some pre-show hip-hop trivia.
    • Opening Night, March 25: Fayetteville Latin Dance will teach a few Latin dance moves from 6:30 to 7:15 p.m.
    • Military Appreciation Night, March 29: Along with 25% discounted tickets for military personnel, a signature drink tasting featuring an Arroyo’s-themed drink will be revealed.
    • Educator Appreciation Night, March 31: Educators will receive a 25% discounted ticket.

    “Welcome to Arroyo’s!” is PG-13 and contains some adult language and themes. Tickets are $15-$28 and can be purchased on the theatre website https://www.cfrt.org/.
    Cape Fear Regional Theatre is located at 1209 Hay Street.

  • 4 During the early stage of the COVID crisis in 2020, my daily commute got super easy. Then it got scary hard.

    While my staff and I worked from home for a few weeks, we soon concluded that some of our tasks could only be performed effectively in the office. So we resumed normal operations, albeit with some precautions.

    At first, my springtime commutes from southern Wake County to my Raleigh office were delightful. The highways I traversed were lightly
    traveled.

    Then the speed demons took over. Whether they had always been would-be racecar drivers, or were just tempted into it by wide-open roads, I can’t say. But as early as seven in the morning, I regularly encountered motorists traveling 15 miles-per-hour or more above the speed limit on Raleigh’s Beltline and elsewhere, often dodging and weaving around slower-moving cars like mine as if they were playing some video game.

    In many cases I witnessed two or more drivers clearly racing each other, oblivious to or unconcerned about the lives and property put at risk by their recklessness.
    Today, almost three years later, I still witness the same behavior once or twice a week — only now the traffic is heavier and the hazards far greater.

    Are bad driving habits fostered during pandemic lockdowns the sole reason North Carolina’s roads are becoming less safe? No.

    After falling fairly consistently since the late 1960s, highway deaths per capita started rising about a decade ago. From 2011 to 2021, they went up 33%. More than half of that increase, however, happened over just two years: 2020 and 2021.

    Although the number of people killed in car crashes in North Carolina in 2021 was the highest since 1973, we are a more populous state with more drivers on the road.

    Despite the recent increase, our death rates remain far below the carnage of the 1960s and early 1970s. Our vehicles are better designed and maintained. Most of us wear seatbelts. Laws against drunk driving are clearer and more consistently enforced.

    Moreover, while North Carolina’s recent uptick is worrisome — and our rate of 1.45 deaths per 100 million miles traveled is higher than the national average (1.34) — some of our nearby states are worse off, including Tennessee (1.59), Florida (1.60), West Virginia (1.66), Kentucky (1.68) and especially South Carolina (1.97).

    In other words, there’s nothing unique about the recent increase in reckless driving on North Carolina’s roads and streets. It’s a broader phenomenon.

    Nevertheless, we clearly have a serious problem. In most columns about such a problem, the author would conclude with a list of recommended policy changes to “fix” it. I’m not going to do that.

    For one thing, it’s not clear to me that our current laws against speeding and reckless driving are inadequate, though I’m open to the possibility that we may need to hire and deploy more police officers and state troopers to enforce them. As New York police administrator John Hall observed in a 2021 Manhattan Institute paper, there is “considerable evidence that police traffic enforcement reduces crash injuries and fatalities.” (Hall also argued that increased use of automated enforcement such as traffic cameras won’t do as much to help, because there isn’t as much of a signal to passing motorists to slow down and because officers are more likely to detect and deter misbehavior such as late-night racing.)

    Nor do I think North Carolina’s current messaging on highway safety necessarily needs an upgrade. The Governor’s Highway Safety Program, housed within DOT and ably directed by Mark Ezzell, already operates a range of awareness campaigns such as Booze It & Lose It and Speed a Little, Lose a Lot.

    Rather than pinning our hopes primarily on legislation, I think all of us should accept a share of responsibility for combating the problem.
    Let’s teach our young people to take driving seriously, control their tempers, and stow their devices. Let’s set a good example. Let’s show we know our roads aren’t racetracks.

    Editor’s note: John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member. His latest books, Mountain Folk and Forest Folk, combine epic fantasy with early American history (FolkloreCycle.com).

  • 8b The Fayetteville City Council voted during a work session March 6 to hold a public hearing on whether to extend the length of council members’ terms from two years to four years.

    Council members and the mayor are currently elected every two years. If the proposed change is approved, council members would serve staggered, four-year terms, meaning some seats would be on the ballot one year and others in the next election.

    The mayor would still be elected every two years. The changes would apply only to future elections. The terms of current council members would stay at two years.

    Two council members, Mario Benavente and Kathy Jensen, voted against proceeding with the measure. The date of the public hearing has not been determined.

    Council member Derrick Thompson presented the measure to the City Council. He said four-year terms would help with long-term planning and decrease the risk of abrupt changes in the council makeup.

    “We run the risk of having a new board every election cycle, including the mayor,” Thompson said. “This will cause havoc for a city this size, if that was to happen.”

    The council’s action only puts the issue before the public for feedback at a hearing. The City Council would then decide whether to extend the length of the terms.
    In 2018, the issue was put before voters in a referendum, and nearly 65% of voters rejected the measure.

    When Benavente asked Monday why the council couldn’t put the proposed change on the ballot in another referendum, Thompson said, “Because we don’t have to.”
    Thompson said that the public hearing would give city residents a chance to have their say on the proposal.

    “Everybody will have an input on how we move forward,” Thompson said.

    He said he could fill City Hall with people from his district who would support the plan, but he added that he wants to hear from people who live in other districts. Jensen, who opposed the measure, said constituents in her district are against term extensions.
    “I know what my district has told me over and over again, so I'm not going to be able to support this,” Jensen said.

  • 19 Last time I wrote about honeybees. I've learned more I want to share, beginning with where the term “Queen Bee” comes from.

    She is truly a queen. Her court as I call it has a 24-hour royal service. Bees do not sleep, and the average bee produces one and one/half teaspoons of honey in a lifetime. Honey comes from the nectar of flowering plants and bees gather pollen and perform the vital service of pollinating fruit, vegetables and other types of plants in our food chain.

    Honey is as old as written history and sacred writings in Egypt and India. Cave paintings in Spain have depictions dating back to 7,000 B.C. and fossils date back about 150 million years. Honey was considered valuable and often used as a form of currency, tribute or offering. In Germany, the peasants paid their feudal lords with beeswax and honey.

    The earliest recorded beekeepers were found in the sun temple near Cairo and were often symbolized as royalty. Honey cakes were often baked by the Egyptians and Greeks as offerings to the gods.
    Honey is the first sweetener known to man. Bears love honey but it isn’t just for the sweetness. They raid beehives in search of honey and will consume the bees, and larvae, which adds protein to their diet. The hives satisfy their sweet tooth with a quick meal of vitamins and minerals. Honey also has a presence in Christianity with the use of beeswax for church candles. There are also mentions of honey in the Bible.

    John the Baptist was said to have survived off of wild honey and locusts in the dessert. Samson ate honey out of a skull of a lion carcass. Jacob sent his sons with gifts of spice, balm, honey and myrrh with pistachio nuts, and almonds for the Pharoah of Egypt. The armies of Israel found honey but were instructed not to eat it by the order of King Saul, so they would not be distracted.

    A very poignant reference is when God spoke to Moses through the burning bush with the promise to deliver his people to a good and spacious land flowing with milk and honey. However, this could also be viewed as a figurative as well as literal description of the Promised Land.

    Bees were thought to have special powers and were found on many emblems such as those of Pope Urban VIII, a sign of the King of Lower Egypt during the First Dynasty, Napoleons’ flag and robe, the symbol of the Greek goddess Artemis, and the emblem of Eros and Cupid.

    There are about 320 varieties of honey that vary in color and taste, odor and flavor because of the plants the bees visit. Honey contains mostly sugar and a mix of amino acids, minerals, vitamins, zinc and antioxidants. It is also a natural sweetener, and anti-inflammatory agent. It is used to treat coughs, burns and wounds for healing. Local honey is beneficial for allergies.

    There is a difference between raw and regular honey. Raw honey comes directly from the honeycomb but, today, honey purchased in grocery stores is processed thru pasteurization which involves heating. During pasteurization, additional sugar may be added.

    Raw honey comes from the honeycomb. The beekeeper will filter the honey to remove debris of pollen and beeswax. Because it is not pasteurized it may appear cloudy or opaque, but it is still safe to eat.
    Honey contains about 80% sugar and can be a good substitute for people with diabetes. Keep in mind that although healthy it contains 64 calories per tablespoon.

    Live, love life and honey.

  • 6 Almost every day each of us has opportunities to learn something new. This past Monday’s [Feb. 27] Fayetteville City Council meeting was such an experience for me.
    I learned why the [Mayor Mitch] Colvin administration is so very much against electing council members by the city rather than a multitude of so-called districts.

    If the City Council were elected citywide the current cabal of racist, politically corrupt members would be out of office.

    There would be people in those positions who would be expected to consider the welfare and benefit of the city rather than their own political interests.
    The case of the PWC Commission position would be decided on the qualifications of the candidates rather than race or political connection.

    After the original six candidates for the PWC position were announced, a lifelong Fayettevillian told me at a civic organization meeting that I should tell Joe Hallatschek to not waste his time, that former Councilman Davis would be chosen for the position.

    I asked why he thought that. He said it was the way politics are done in this town.

    Full disclosure: Joe Hallatschek is my son-in-law. I know his character and his technical qualifications for the job. A probable majority of the City Council knows that too.

    But that’s not the way they voted. Joe is a West Point graduate, an Eagle Scout and a solid rock for me as I struggled through the loss of my wife of 64 years.

    As Bill Bowman said in his editorial Actions speak louder than words: “That behavior speaks volumes to the leadership they are NOT providing... the Council lacks integrity, intelligence and common sense... I see bias, racism and good ole boy politics taking precedence over what is right and good for the citizens of Fayetteville. Fayetteville deserves better.”

    The city has a lot going for it that is being wasted. A beautiful baseball stadium, the Airborne and Special Operations Museum, the coming Civil War and Reconstruction History Center, the Dogwood Festival, Methodist University and hundreds of very committed citizens who want the best for our community.

    As long as Colvin and company have political control of our city we won’t get what is the best. Just more of the same shenanigans and self-serving acts.

    We are in desperate need of more and better investigative reporting. With elections coming in November we need to spread the word about what is happening in city government.

    Let’s encourage more people to get involved and question their so-called representatives. We do deserve better.

    —Pat King, Fayetteville

    Editor’s note: The referenced Publisher's Pen by Bill Bowman ran in the March 1 issue. It can be found at https://www.upandcomingweekly.com/views/9578-mayor-actions-speak-louder-than-words

  • 9 SAN DIEGO — Petty Officer 2nd Class Yasmine Jackson, a native of Fayetteville, North Carolina, is one of more than 5,000 sailors serving aboard the self-contained mobile airport, USS Carl Vinson.
    Equipped with a full flight deck and more than 60 aircraft including attack fighter jets and helicopters, aircraft carriers are one of the largest warships in the world.

    Jackson graduated from Jack Britt High School in 2011 and joined the Navy six years ago.

    “I joined the Navy to travel and see the world,” said Jackson. “My relatives, as well as my father, served in the military and it was important for me to follow in their footsteps.”

    Skills and values learned in the Navy are similar to those found in Fayetteville.

    “I grew up in a military town where I was exposed to diversity and people from all different walks of life,” said Jackson. “Working and living with people from all different backgrounds and points of view is what makes this Navy great.”

    Aircraft carriers are the centerpiece of America’s Naval forces. For more than 100 years, they have projected power, sustained sea control, bolstered deterrence, provided humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, and maintained enduring commitments worldwide.

    According to Navy officials, aircraft carriers are versatile and have unique mission capabilities that make them a more strategic asset for the Navy than fixed-site bases. They are often the first response in a global cruise because of their ability to operate freely in international waters anywhere on the world’s ocean.

    In addition, no other weapon system can deploy and operate forward with a full-sized, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier’s speed, endurance, agility and the combat capability of its air wing.
    This year commemorates 50 years of women flying in the U.S. Navy. In 1973, the first eight women began flight school in Pensacola. One year later six of them, known as “The First Six,” earned their “Wings of Gold.”

    Over the past 50 years, the Navy has expanded its roles for women to lead and serve globally, and today women aviators project power from the sea in every type of Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard aircraft.

    According to Navy officials, our Nation and our Navy is stronger because of their service.

    With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to trained sailors and a strong Navy.

    “Our mission remains timeless — to provide our fellow citizens with nothing less than the very best Navy: fully combat ready at all times, focused on warfighting excellence, and committed to superior leadership at every single level,” said Adm. Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations. “This is our calling. And I cannot imagine a calling more worthy.”

    As a member of the Navy, Jackson is part of a world-class organization focused on maintaining maritime dominance, strengthening partnerships, increasing competitive warfighting capabilities and sustaining combat-ready forces in support of the National Defense Strategy.

    “The Navy is the global force at sea protecting not only American interests, but also supporting our allies and democracy across the globe,” said Jackson. “We ensure travel and trade are able to continue safely on a daily basis.”

    Jackson has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

    “Finishing our 2022 seven-month deployment successfully during COVID, as well as climbing to the rank of petty officer second class, have been my proudest accomplishments in the Navy,” said Jackson.

    As Jackson and other sailors continue to perform missions, they take pride in serving their country in the United States Navy.

    “Serving in the Navy is something that people should be proud to say they have done and gives others a role model to look up to,” said Jackson. “It is a rewarding experience that gives you unmeasurable skills and stories that you can take with you anywhere you go.”

    Jackson is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.

    “I would like to thank my family and friends who have supported me while I have been away and took care of things back at home,” added Jackson. “The friends and family I have made while serving have also been a huge support for getting through the hard days.”

  • PWC logo The cost of electricity, water and sewer services are going up for Fayetteville residents.

    The Public Works Commission on March 8 approved rate increases that will go into effect in May. The estimated increase in the monthly costs for a typical family will be $12.97.
    PWC has said inflation made the rate increases necessary, CityView reported.

    At previous PWC meetings, staff members cited the increased cost of water treatment and electric transformers and higher costs related to annexation in recent years.
    The rate increases are the first decision made by newly appointed PWC Treasurer Chris Davis, who was sworn in by Mayor Mitch Colvin at the beginning of Wednesday’s meeting.

    “I’m just glad to be a part of a team. I’ve been able to watch it from the sideline for years,” said Davis, a former Fayetteville City Council member.

    “It is a dynamic team, an amazing team, and I’m just proud to be part of it.”

    The appointment to PWC took several months as the City Council, the body that decides who is appointed, did not come to a majority agreement until earlier this month at a council meeting.
    PWC Chair Ronna Garrett said she understands the appointment process, even though it took some time for this decision.

    “People are very passionate and care about where they live, and sometimes it’s frustrating when you have passionate voices who have an opposing view of what you might think is the proper thing,” Garrett said.

    “But I know one thing is for certain: This board, myself, this team, the city, all want one thing, and that’s for the greater good of this community.”

  • 5 In February, the North Carolina Democratic Party’s state executive committee elected 25-year-old Anderson Clayton state party chair.

    How and why this young woman beat the incumbent who had the support of Gov. Roy Cooper are important and interesting questions for another day.

    But the more important question for today is: what does she do now?

    What can she do to mobilize the state’s Democratic voters whose candidates’ poor performances in the recent gubernatorial and state legislative races were disheartening?

    She might find a useful example in the actions of a Republican, Thom Tillis. Although Tillis is currently a U.S. Senator, in 2010 he was a recently elected member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. His only prior political experience was a term on the Cornelius town board.

    Realizing that so long as his party was in the minority he would have little influence, he went to work, driving across the state to identify and recruit candidates to run as Republicans in the upcoming elections, raising money to support those candidates, inspiring and training them. His tireless work, helped by national trends that favored Republicans, brought about victories for enough Republicans to change control of the North Carolina House of Representatives.

    In 2011, the House elected Tillis speaker.

    What do Tillis’s experiences mean to Ms. Clayton?

    She should consider taking a personal role, as Tillis did, in recruiting, training and finding financial support for candidates of her party, being careful not to let conflicts within the party diminish her efforts.

    Several important state political figures have given and gained valuable experiences as state party chair.
    In 1985, Raleigh attorney Wade Smith served as Democratic Party chair. On his travels throughout North Carolina, he used his well-tuned trial lawyer skills to recruit and mobilize. He told stories, sang songs, and used humor to bring the audiences together before making his “support the party” pitch.

    At the end of his meetings, he always said something like “We don’t want to get rid of all Republicans. We want to preserve at least one to put in a museum for history’s sake.”

    David Price retired in January as a member of Congress representing North Carolina’s Fourth District. Prior to his election to Congress in 1980 he had served as chair of the state Democratic Party. He learned how to deal with the state’s major political figures and how to show them his strengths. His state party leadership experience helped prepare him for his first congressional campaign.

    Former Congressman Bill Cobey, who coincidently lost to Price in the 1986 congressional elections, served as state Republican Party chair between 1999 and 2003. He reminded me that a party chair cannot simply travel, raise money, and motivate voters. The party chair may have a fractious organization to bring together as well as fundraising responsibilities and various complicated projects to manage. For instance, under his leadership, the party purchased a new headquarters building.

    Robin Hayes represented the Eighth congressional district between 1999 and 2009. From 2011 to 2013, and from 2016 to 2019, he was chair of the Republican Party. In 2019 he was accused in a bribery scheme and later convicted of lying to the FBI. President Donald Trump pardoned Hayes on January 20, 2020. The matter showed there can be a thin line in the work of public officials between properly serving public constituencies and bribery.

    Chairs of both parties have brought a variety of strengths and weaknesses to the job. But the youth that the 25-year-old Clayton brings could make possible a fresh and positive approach that could change the party for the better. Or, her lack of experience-honed judgment could lead to detrimental decisions and actions that could plague the party for a long time.

    For the sake of all North Carolinians, we should hope her tenure will inspire all citizens of our state to take a role in politics and participate in positive and constructive ways.

    Editor’s note: D.G. Martin, a retired lawyer, served as UNC-System’s vice president for public affairs and hosted PBS-NC’s North Carolina Bookwatch.

  • 13aIf you’ve been in the Fayetteville community a while, your heart probably smiled when you heard the news about professional basketball coming back to Fayetteville. The city has a unique relationship with basketball. We have legendary players and coaches, active professional players, overseas superstars, you name it. Though the city is filled with talent in every corner, and fans eager to see basketball being played, the hoop city hasn’t had a professional basketball team in over 16 years.

    In 2001, the Fayetteville Patriots launched its opening season and were one of eight franchises in the National Basketball Development League. The team held games in the Crown Complex arena, where the games were full of entertainment and great basketball. The Patriots won the semifinals in their 2002-2003 season. The franchise lasted a total of five seasons, bringing the organization to a close in 2006.

    Fans have been awaiting a return of professional basketball since then. Sources around the city have been buzzin’ with rumors about another team forming in the city for the past couple of years, and in January of 2022 the Fayetteville Stingers announced that they will be forming a team under The Basketball League.

    The Fayetteville Stingers organization is spearheaded by the team marketing owner Ken Bishop and General Manager Ray Phillips who are both Philadelphia natives. Both have coaching and leadership experience in their communities. Since announcing the team, and hiring all-star coaching duo Don Gardner and Robert Brickey, they’ve been on a mission to create opportunities and build a solid foundation here within the community.

    In an interview with sports podcaster Tiras Ray, of “Say what Say it again,” Bishop explained why he chose Fayetteville when picking a city. He said “you guys have a lot of history here, to not have a team in one of the most polarizing sports (basketball) was a head scratcher to me, like why is this not happening? I did my research more on the community and something inside of me just said ‘Make this Happen!’”

    After reaching out to Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin about bringing the team to Fayetteville, Bishop and Phillips began to set their plans in motion. After the hiring of Brickey and Gardner, the four have been able to be on the same wavelength with similar expectations for the organization.

    In the podcast, Bishop and Brickey agreed that a goal is to bring a winning aspect to the game, for the team and entertainment wise for local audiences. “We want everybody to have fun, this is a game that can take you places. We all have the same goals, make it the playoffs, compete at a high level, and keep taking things to the next level for the community.”13b

    Also in the podcast, when asked why he chose the name Fayetteville Stingers, Bishop says “it was a play on the basketball teams that are already here in the state of North Carolina. Charlotte has the Hornets, the G-league team is named the Swarm, let’s play off the history.”

    Since establishing the Stingers, the managers and coaches have hosted a series of combines, training camps, clinics and try outs to build their staff and roster for the opening season, which has already begun. Most of the staff and players are Fayetteville natives or a part of the community in Cumberland County.

    Phillips recognizes that the city is a gold mine of talent from all walks of life. “It’s our job as an organization, as the Stingers and representing the TBL to give people a second chance at something they love to do and that’s not just on the basketball court, that’s off the basketball court as well,” Phillips says.

    The Stingers decided to keep the organization as local as possible. They have intern partnerships with Fayetteville State University and Methodist University. Giving students opportunities and work experience in different fields within the basketball world is beneficial to the organization and the community.

    The Stingers also kept their combines local and accepted players in the Fayetteville, Hope Mills and surrounding areas. The roster being mostly Fayetteville natives is extremely important for the next generation of basketball players to see, especially on a professional level.

    While also playing their games in the historic Crown Complex and staffing their organization with key figures of the community, it’s clear to see the Stingers are dedicated to the city of Fayetteville.
    With the community on their side, along with a dynamite coaching staff and roster, the Fayetteville Stingers are underway in their opening season.

    Their next home game will be played this Friday, March 17, at the Crown Complex arena, starting at 7:30 p.m. Don’t miss the chance to see and support the newest basketball here in our city.
    Single game tickets are available at the box office and on Ticketmaster.com. You can also check out season pass options on the team website https://fayettevillestingers.com/.

     

    13c Up & Coming Weekly sat down with General Manager Ray Phillips to discuss his role with the Stingers and what the organization is bringing to the city of Fayetteville.

    “My favorite part of being the General Manager of the Fayetteville Stingers is being able to have an impact of the lives of these young men, and the staff members that come through. It gives me a chance to impart my wisdom and knowledge, but most importantly a listening ear.”

    Phillips notices that a lot of times in the Black and brown community, guys don’t have a chance to express themselves to other men. He says, “we’re constantly told to man up or that we’re being too soft, nobody cares about what you have to say. But I want to be that ear because I do care and love you, even if I don’t know you. I want to hear what you have to say.”

    With the responsibility of a team and the lives of the staff and players, communication is key and an important foundation in Phillip’s role in the organization. As General Manager, he is the right-hand man to every staff member and oversees everyone from the Dance and Media teams to the players.

    His role also consists of handling team partnerships and representing the organization during media interactions and promotion. Though he wears many hats, Phillips said he feels that his most important role is to build a great relationship with the community.

    Back in January, in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, the Stingers were able to adopt B Street in downtown Fayetteville. Phillips took 12 young men, walked down B Street and voluntarily did a trash pickup.
    He says, “It’s important for the people in the community to see us out there, because without those people, we’re nothing.”

  • 18 Even as they ride out inflationary pressures, supply chain disruptions and economic uncertainty, women owners and executives of small and mid-size majority-women-owned businesses have an optimistic outlook about the near-term future of their businesses, according to a recent survey.

    The PNC Bank survey found that women business owner expectations for their own companies remain strong, with 41% feeling highly optimistic — up from 29% in the fall of 2020 but down from 67% in the fall of 2021 — while the share of those feeling pessimistic has held constant at just 1%.

    The survey also indicated that more than eight in 10 women business owners are very confident about their future success and nearly half say it comes from their own hard work and drive. Similarly, 79% are very satisfied with their role as a business owner or leader compared to 67% of men business owners.

    “We are seeing a new pattern of self-empowerment among women business owners that is very encouraging,” said Beth Marcello, director of PNC Women’s Business Development. “Their own hard work to survive the pandemic is the source of their confidence and optimism today.”

    The survey suggests that women have a take charge, can-do attitude. When it was difficult to find employees, 49% of women business owners versus one-third of men business owners say that they or their managers stepped in to cover open staff hours themselves.

    “For the first time, we have evidence of increased financial confidence among women business owners. They are two times more likely than men to say they’re considering a new loan or line of credit to support business growth,” said Marcello. “They are monitoring their cash position and have a cash reserve, but they’re investing excess cash rather than stockpiling it; they are continuing to leverage the increased efficiency of the digital financial tools they migrated to during the pandemic; and they are confidently increasing pricing as the economy allows for it.”

    While women business owners have concerns about inflation, profitability and the supply chain, they believe they’re prepared for these challenges.
    Women business owners also intend to maintain or expand on policies they initiated during the pandemic, including allowing flexible work arrangements (48%), increasing compensation (38%) and implementing employee health or safety enhancements (33%).

    Women business owners are more likely than men business owners to adopt Corporate Social Responsibility policies or practices, including gender pay equity (34% vs. 9%) and diversity and inclusion (29% vs. 14%).

    These disparities could be an indication of why fewer women business owners (30%) than men business owners (43%) are finding it harder to hire new staff compared to six months ago.
    Identifying and addressing challenges faced by women financial decision makers is a component of PNC’s Project 257: Accelerating Women’s Financial Equality, an initiative to help close the 257-year economic gender gap. More information about these efforts as well as helpful resources for women financial decision makers can be found at pnc.com/women.

    While the pandemic created new economic challenges, many with lasting effects, women business owners largely overcame these obstacles, taking away lessons that have inspired their optimism and confidence today.

  • 16 Join the Cumberland Choral Arts for their upcoming concert, “Got Ear Candy?” Friday, March 24 at Jack Britt High School, beginning at 7:30 p.m.

    “Ear candy is that music we love to hear and sing over and over again,” explained Sandy Cage, alto and President of the Board of Directors for Cumberland Choral Arts. “The harmonies really stand out in the pieces we’ll be singing, and we’re having such a good time rehearsing them.”

    With a run-time of around 90 minutes with intermission, the family-friendly performance will feature about 20 octavos or small pieces of choral music, many of which were chosen by members of the choir. Under the direction of Dr. Michael Martin and Assistant Director, Amy Stovall, concert-goers will be treated to a mix of songs, styles and genres that promise a little something for everyone.

    In addition to CCA, attendees will also hear performances by the Campbellton Youth Chorus, directed by Sarah Szopinski; Cross Creek Chorale; and the Jack Britt High School Chorus, led by Richard Butler. With piano accompaniment provided by Susan Eissle, the evening promises to be a showcase of the enormous talent found here in Cumberland County.

    The concert, sponsored in part by community donations and a grant from the Arts Council, is a passionate tribute to the art of music and the magic it can often create.
    Founded in 1991, the Cumberland Choral Arts is “dedicated to bringing classical choral works to the greater Cumberland County area,” according to their website. The choir, now over 100 voices strong, continues to grow and is always on the lookout for new members.

    “We’re always excited to have more people join our group,” Cage offered. “We’re a community choir; anyone who wants to sing can sing — no auditions necessary. We’re thrilled we’ve reached 100, and we’re excited to keep growing.”

    The same invitation extends to Cumberland County’s next generation of singers. The Campbellton Youth Choir, with over 30 members, wishes to open its doors to even more youth in the community who have the urge to sing. “Children can join the youth choir at no cost,” Cage explained. “It’s important to create that space for any child that wants to sing in a group — it’s just us making sure we do what we can to encourage the future of choral music.”

    Tickets for “Got Ear Candy?” are $15 for general admission and $5 for students. For those wanting to purchase their tickets early, visit https://www.cumberlandchoralarts.org/. Tickets will also be sold at the door.

    “This is so exciting for us,” Cage shared thoughtfully on behalf of CCA. “Music is so universal — it’s the heartbeat of a thriving community. Music brings us all together, makes us feel good, and makes us smile and clap our hands. It takes our memories back in time to when we first heard a song that moved us — anybody that loves music should definitely come.”
    Jack Britt High School is located at 7403 Rockfish Rd.

    For more information about Cumberland Choral Arts and its affiliated programs, visit https://www.cumberlandchoralarts.org/.

  • 11 Methodist University’s Black Student Union has come a long way — in both reach and impact — during its eight years of existence. So much so that the organization has expanded to both undergraduate and graduate students.

    The University is home to more than a hundred student organizations including the Black Student Union, which was originally formed in 2015 with the purpose of creating a community among Black MU students.
    Sophomore TiyeNandi Alexander, a Nursing major, recently took the reigns as student president of the Black Student Union, a position that has helped her grow as a person in the past year or so.

    “Normally, I would keep to myself a lot. But in my freshman year, the former president and vice president of the Black Student Union came up to me and took me under their wing,” Alexander said. “I started coming to events and meetings. Eventually, they trusted me to carry on the legacy of the Black Student Union.”

    MU’s Black Student Union regularly hosts dozens of events and discussions throughout the year including information tables, poetry slams, movie nights, powder puff football games, spirit week and much more. Currently, more than 50 students are members of the Black Student Union.

    Although young in age, the Black Student Union has helped provide an important voice during discussions of how to make Methodist University a more inclusive place — helping the University rank No. 1 as the most diverse university in North Carolina.

    “It’s important to have representation and inclusivity because we are a minority off and on campus,” she said. “We want to create a brotherhood and sisterhood while offering a safe space for Black students to feel like they belong. We want to help them feel like we have people who are like them in their ideas and their culture.”

    While the undergraduate chapter has been in place since 2015, the graduate chapter of the Black Student Union is newly born. Tajze Johnson, a Doctor of Occupational Therapy student who is expected to graduate in 2024, started the graduate chapter after he noticed the need for better Black representation. 11a

    “The occupational therapy field is predominantly made up of Caucasian women. When I came to MU’s Occupational Therapy program, it was eye-opening to see that there were other Black people in the program with me,” said Johnson, who is the inaugural president of the chapter.

    “However, I noticed there wasn’t clear space to have a conversation about it, so we created this graduate chapter. We simply wanted to create a place where African-American graduate students could go so they don’t ever feel like they don’t belong.”

    While most of the original participants are from the Occupational Therapy program, Johnson wants to make it clear that the graduate chapter of the Black Student Union is open to all students from graduate programs — including MU’s Physician Assistant, Business Administration, Physical Therapy and other programs.

    Although new, the graduate chapter of the Black Student Union is active. In the last month, the organization helped to host a presentation by Dr. Khalilah Johnson — an assistant professor of Occupational Science at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. The following week, the graduate chapter held a meet-and-greet.

    While Johnson hopes to organize more events and workshops throughout the year, he said the bigger purpose is to leave a steady organization behind for future Black graduate students.

    “I want to help build a foundation for the next cohorts to come,” he said.

    “Hopefully, when they come in, there will already be a strong organization in place so they immediately have a community they feel like they can bond with.”
    To stay up-to-date on all MU events, visit https://www.methodist.edu/events/.

    About Methodist University
    Methodist University is an independent, four-year institution of higher education with approximately 2,000 students from across the U.S. and more than 50 countries.
    MU offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs (including doctoral-level options) on campus and online. MU has been named the “No. 1, Most Diverse University in North Carolina,” one of 10 “Must-Watch Universities in North America,” features more than 100 student clubs and organizations, plus 20 NCAA intercollegiate sports (with nearly 40 team national championships).
    To learn more about Methodist University, visit www.methodist.edu.

  • 8cCumberland County residents can view a virtual public meeting on the future of the Ann Street Landfill at www.cumberlandcountync.gov/annstreetplan.

    The county is seeking feedback on the plan to extend the life of the landfill and asking residents to voice any concerns they have about it, according to a release from the county government.
    The virtual meeting will be available until March 17.

    Comments may be provided on the website, by emailing annstreetlandfill@cumberlandcountync.gov, by calling 910-505-9334, or through standard mail at 698 Ann St., according to the news release.

    The Ann Street Landfill, which has operated at its current site since 1980, will reach capacity in just seven years, the release said. Before then, the county must plan for waste disposal beyond 2030.
    County leaders have concluded that building a transfer station at the landfill is the most feasible short-term solution, the news release said.

    The county is seeking feedback from neighboring residents and businesses and the greater Cumberland County community, the release said. The feedback will help identify strategies to reduce the impact on the neighborhood.

    The project website also includes a Frequently Asked Questions section, Alternative Disposal Analysis Report, Environmental Justice Report, information on how a landfill operates and the County’s ongoing efforts to Reimagine Ann Street Landfill and Solid Waste in Cumberland County.

  • Good VibrationsNeed a place to reassess your physical, mental and spiritual health? The 3rd Annual Good Vibrationz: Metaphysical & Holistic Wellness Expo is back in Fayetteville and is the place to be if you are interested in connecting with open-minded people. The expo will take place at the Crown Expo from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. on March 18.

     Ayreka Plowden, the owner of Aje Noire Creations and creator of the wellness expo, says this is one of her favorite events to put together. This will be the first year Plowden has organized this event by herself. Her husband, who was her partner in this event, passed away last year. She tells Up & Coming Weekly she is doing this event in honor of her late husband.

    “I'm not doing this primarily for myself. I'm doing it for those that are participating and for those that are coming. Because there's a reason why those people that chose to participate, not just to earn money and to bring awareness to their business, but because somebody needs what they have,” Plowden said.

    “I tell people that I have not actually made any money off of my events and I've eaten a lot of cost hosting these events. But to me, they are worth it because I've heard nothing but great things from people that have participated as well as people that have a tent.”

    This year, there will be over 20 metaphysical and holistic vendors. Each vendor will have a chance to present what they offer to everyone on the main stage. For those who are interested in a particular vendor after their presentation, they can check out their tent.

    There will also be a sound bath session, a collective guided meditation, nutrition specialists, and more. Plowden says this will be a family-friendly event and all are welcome.

    “I'm trying to have something specifically towards children there. So that way the kids can have a space of their own to learn about ways to maintain healthier food options, things of that nature, kind of trying to incorporate the same thing for the adults. They understand a lot more than we give them credit for. That's why they say little kids are sponges because they absorb information. Why not give them good information to absorb?”

    Plowden says that anyone coming to the event for the first time should have an open mind.

    “Be open to not know everything. Not expecting everything to be what you're expecting it to be, but to come with an open mind and know that you're coming here because there's something here that you need or something that you need to hear. And these people are going to be able to either point you in the right direction of where you need to go or offer you a service that may be able to get you to the point that you are trying to get to. Just know that everything and everyone is connected somehow,” Plowden said.

    Tickets are $12 for General Admission and $6 for children ages five to 12. Anyone below the age of 5 can enter for free. Tickets can be bought at https://bit.ly/3JqV3xe.

  • Inasmuch2Fayetteville Area Operation Inasmuch invites the local community to their annual Bread ‘N Bowls event March 30. The fundraising effort includes a meal and offers a raffle to win a new car.

    The event raises funds for the nonprofit which provides meals and services to people who are homeless or struggling.
    Bread ‘N Bowls will take place from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church at 701 Westmont Drive in Fayetteville.

    What is FAOIAM?

    In 1995, several churches in the city came together to serve the community for Blitz Days. Blitz Days happened two times a year to help folks re-roof houses, build wheelchair ramps all over the city and more.

    Blitz Days still occur, but after years of doing it, churches wanted this on a regular basis — not just a few times a year. This is the part of FAOIAM which is for men, women and children.

    In 2006, more than 60 churches, civic groups and businesses in the area started serving breakfast to the homeless Mondays through Fridays. These organizations formed the Fayetteville Area Operation Inasmuch. In 2022 they served their 300,000th breakfast.

    After forming, they noticed the growing need to serve the homeless and hungry. The organization purchased land and housing to provide housing for the homeless. They started offering case management services as well.many bowls

    The Able-Life Program

    This is a program within FAO IAM where homeless men who may have dealt with job loss, health issues, divorce, mental illness, substance abuse or a felony record get resources to transform their lives.

    In 2017, the 40-bed Lodge became available. The Lodge is integral to the Able-Life Program.

    According to Craig Morrison, executive director of the organization, the Lodge is a safe space for homeless men to get training and treatment to get back on their feet. It’s housing that’s available for more than 90 days.

    That is a rarity when it comes to emergency housing.

    “Folks don’t get into difficult situations overnight,” Morrison said. “It’s really hard to get out of a situation overnight. Emergency shelters typically do 90 days. How do you climb out? A year in the Lodge gets folks connected to resources usually in that year.”

    He added that the Lodge is the space for the men to get stability, coping skills, life skills, certifications, get a job and save their own money for their own transportation. That’s year one.

    From there they may transition to one of the homes on Frink Street that the organization owns. They can stay there for two years for a total of three years of housing. Residency requirements include employment, sobriety and upholding a code of conduct.

    The Main Event

    FAOIAM has two fundraisers each year and the Bread ‘N Bowls event on March 30 is their main fundraiser.

    “We love serving folks. We want to give the opportunity to meet the community,” Morrison said.
    At Bread ‘N Bowls, people get a bread bowl meal with a choice of chili or cheesy potato soup with a brownie and a drink for $15. For $25, you can get a ceramic, hand-painted bowl with your meal.

    There will be a drive-through option for food. Free delivery is available for individuals (or companies) who place an order for 10 or more bowls.
    Morrison said the bowls are painted by people who come to the free breakfast meals offered at FAOIAM.

    The Brand New Car

    During Bread ‘N Bowls, Valley Auto World is teaming up with FAOIAM on a raffle for a brand new car. Valley Auto World is known for their inventory of Volkswagens and BMWs.

    The raffle is part of the fundraising effort for the nonprofit. A single entry ticket is $125. Individuals can buy as many tickets as they want; however, only 1,500 tickets will be sold in total.

    The winner picks a car with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of up to $50,000. If it is over that cost, the winner pays the difference. For example, if the car is $25,000 they receive the car for free. If they choose a car that is $51,000, the winner has to pay $1,000 for the car.

    The winner is responsible for all taxes, delivery costs, dealer fees, and any options he or she may choose above the vehicle’s manufacturer’s suggested retail price greater than $50,000.

    View the website for the official raffle rules at www.faoiam.org/car-raffle-2023/ and to purchase your ticket.
    For more information about Bread ‘N Bowls, services available at Operation Inasmuch or to volunteer, visit https://www.faoiam.org/.

    Operation Inasmuch is a Christian nonprofit organization. Since 2007, they have served homeless and struggling people a hot, nourishing breakfast each week-day morning. After breakfast, they provide a variety of human, health and educational services tailored to the needs of the homeless community. (Photos courtesy Fayetteville Area Operation Inasmuch)

  • Pitt sad cowboy IMG 4904Are you troubled? Confused? Drinking too much? Your Magic Eight Ball lost its Mojo? No worries. You have come to the right page. Today we explore the wonderful world of country music wherein one can find the answers to life’s mysteries.

    I have been listening to country music so you don’t have to. Our country station has a rotation of about 15 songs that repeat endlessly. Within those songs, lies the wisdom of the ages.

    The songs focus on economics, lost and found love, pickup trucks, and drinking. Ponder the immortal lyrics of Merle Haggard who sang: “It’s a big job just getting by with nine kids and a wife/ But I’ve been a working man dang near all my life.” Merle is not complaining. He gets up and goes to work. He is not concerned about his feelings. He just wants to feed his family.

    A current song examines money troubles with the lines: “If the Devil danced in empty pockets/ He’d have a ball in mine.” Another song combines the Protestant work ethic with parental love, pointing out that “Hard work won’t kill you but her Daddy will.” A chronologically gifted worker sings: “I ain’t old/ I’ve just been used rough.”

    Country music offers sound advice regarding love. Lost love is a most favored topic: “In the corner of my mind stands a juke box/ It’s playing all my favorite memories.” Another ditty goes: “It’s a little too late/ She’s a little too gone/ She’s a little too right/ I’m a little too wrong.”

    Another poor fellow: “Lost my wife and my girlfriend somewhere along the way/ Amarillo by morning.” A footloose lovelorn dude sings: “There’s just one place I haven’t gone/ I’ve moved everywhere but on.”

    Country singers are resilient, a fellow who lost his wife sings: “I ain’t got to see my ex-future Mother-in-Law anymore.” A gent who is fed up with the ladies and romantic issues sings: “The only BS I need is Beer and Sunshine.” Hit the beach!

    It’s not just men who lose love. Ladies feel heartache too. One lady person sings: “I got a heart like a truck/ It’s been dragged through the muck/ Runs on dreams and gasoline.” The lady has been knocked down but she pops back up. Another gal reminds her errant boyfriend that: “I’m every thing she is and every thing she ain’t.”

    Truck references abound. One guy sings: “Got your picture up in my new pickup truck.”
    Another fellow has to sell his pickup because it housed too many memories of his lost baby doll. He sings: “I need a new truck/ I need one she ain’t climbed up in/ That ain’t played her favorite song/ Need some glass we ain’t fogged up/ That her bare feet ain’t been on.”

    A vigilante truck song is “Wait in the Truck.” A driver picks up a battered woman hitch hiking in the rain. He finds out where the old boyfriend lives and drives there to shoot him. He tells her to “Wait in the truck/ Well, I knocked and knocked and no one came/ So I kicked in his double wide door/ I let the hammer drop before he got/ To that 12 gauge he was reaching for.” She comes to visit him in prison from time to time so it’s a happy ending for everyone except the dead guy.

    New found love brings happier days: “Last night you took my breath away/ And I ain’t found it yet.” Another song deals with lust delicately: “Your body makes me weak/ You are a Mozart between the sheets.” A gentleman swaddled in the coils of new love sings: ‘I thought of love as a prison/ A place I did not want to be/ I’m guilty of love in the first degree.” Touching.

    A guy with a new gal sings: “Every time you kiss me/ It’s like sunshine and whiskey.”

    Another guy uses a great pickup line: “I can take the blue out of your brown eyes.” A one-night stand is saluted: “By the dark of the moon/ There’s a fire in the night.” Occasionally love reaches the point he wants to get married so he sings: “You name the babies/ I’ll name the dogs.” Touching romanticism.

    Alcohol is big in country music. One fellow sings about his gal when she gets a snootful: “Tequila makes her clothes fall off.” Another guy who is a dumpee sings: “Here I go again/ I’m drinking one/ I’m drinking two/ I got my heartache medication/ Tear drops turn into bubbles.”

    A wife whose husband has a drinking problem sings: “Whiskey, if you were a woman/ I’d drive you from his tangled mind for good.” Unfortunately, whiskey wins out.

    It is generally acknowledged that the perfect country song was written by Steve Goodman and sung by the Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy, David Allen Coe with the immortal lyrics: “I was drunk the day my Mama got out of prison/ And I went to pick her up in the rain/ But before I could get to the station in my pickup truck/ She got ran over by a damned old train.”

    Sadder words have never been warbled. Mr. Goodman, I salute you.

    Country music lyrics share the wisdom of the ages: love, loss, trucks, dogs, and evidently, inebriation. (Hand-drawn illustration by Pitt Dickey)

  • practice by lindaAs part of the Cape Fear Valley Health System, downtown Fayetteville’s Medical Arts Center is best-known as Highsmith Rainey’s physical therapy department.

    However, on Mar. 11, it’ll be remembered as the first building in this area to host the United Way of Cumberland County’s inaugural Over the Edge fundraiser, in which participants rappel one of its 50-foot-walls.

    “This is the first year that United Way has had this event,” said United Way of Cumberland County Fundraiser Chairwoman Carolyn Justice-Hinson. And it’s the only fundraiser of “its kind in Fayetteville [and] Cumberland County.”

    Over the Edge is a peer-to-peer fundraiser where participants raise $1,000 to rappel or have somebody else rappel the Medical Arts Center.
    The United Way of Cumberland County intends to raise $140,000 during the event “to improve the quality of lives in Cumberland County by addressing basic human needs,” per UWCC’s mission statement.

    Historically, United Way has raised money via workplace campaigns and other types of donations. Over the Edge is a new fundraising avenue for the organization.

    “United Way is a term that people have probably heard their entire life, but not everybody may understand [it],” Justice-Hinson said. “[United Way] is an umbrella program that raises money to support community programs.”

    In fact, United Way is currently supporting 14 programs in Fayetteville and Cumberland County with partner agencies that impact 300,000 people a year, she added.

    Donor contributions go to making sure children (K-12) succeed in school; supporting adult financial self-sufficiency and employment preparedness; access to welfare and awareness education; and providing emergency food, shelter and other needs.
    United Way has served Fayetteville and Cumberland County for approximately 80 years.

    “While United Way is a national brand, every United Way is local to their own community,” Justice-Hinson said. “We have our own board, and we’re funding programs and addressing issues that matter to our community.”

    Even though it may be too late to enter the fundraiser, it’s still worth the trip downtown to see 50 people and local celebrities such as local officials and entrepreneurs Fizzy Friends and 2022 NC Governors Volunteer Medallion Award winner Stacey Buckner go over the edge.

    You can donate money to the UWCC during the event. If you can’t make it, you can donate online at www.unitedway-cc.networkforgood.com.

    “People might say [the Medical Arts Center] isn’t a very tall building,” Justice-Hinson said. “It’s tall for us, because it’s our first time, and it’s been a challenge finding a building that meets the criteria to be able to do this.”

    Remember that some businesses are raising money for the bosses to rappel the Medical Arts Center. You can learn more about the Over the Edge fundraiser at unitedway-cc.org/over-the-edge-fundraiser.

    “We are so grateful to Cape Fear Valley, who owns the Medical Arts Building... and, we’re happy they’ve partnered with us and allowed us to use the building for this event,” Justice-Hinson said

    Aside from rappelling, there will be cornhole and food and vendors’ tents, not to mention all of the interesting restaurants and entertainment venues that downtown Fayetteville has to offer within walking distance of the Medical Arts Center.

    “[The UWCC] thought this was the perfect fit for Fayetteville [and] Cumberland County,” Justice-Hinson said. “You know, being the home of Fort Bragg, this [fundraiser] is adventurous [and] tied” in to the area’s airborne tradition.

    Over the Edge is a Canadian “adventure experience company with a passion for positive impact” that’s been operating in the United States since 2008.

    “Over the Edge continues its commitment to help non-profits and charities meet their fundraising goals with our unique adventure experience,” said Over the Edge founder and CEO Paul Griffith.

    Over the Edge “is one of these events [that] when you look at who’s participating, who it’s supporting, it’s another example of how Fayetteville comes together for a great cause,” Justice-Hinson said

    The Medical Arts Center is located on the corner at 101 Robeson Street, directly from Highsmith Rainey Hospital and across Hay Street from the Airborne and Special Operations Museum.

    Over the Edge begins at 9 a.m. and lasts until 4 p.m. Ten to 15 people will rappel per hour starting at 10 a.m.

    Some of the participants who are signed up for the Over the Edge challenge took part in practice rappel sessions at Triangle Rock Club on Raeford Road. (Photo by Linda McAlister)

  • Press Conference 1Methodist University and Cape Fear Valley Health are partnering to open a four-year medical school that will welcome students in July 2026.

    The Center for Medical Education and Neuroscience at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center will house the new medical school with a focus on providing better medical care for rural and underserved populations and diversifying the physician workforce in the area, officials said Feb. 27 at a news conference to announce the initiative.

    Methodist University President Stanley T. Wearden said the partnership fits perfectly with the university’s service-oriented mission and Cape Fear Valley Health’s long-standing history of health care.

    “A medical school will be a tremendous asset to Fayetteville, Cumberland County and the region,” said Wearden.

    He said Fayetteville is positioned to attract health care professionals in new areas of specialization.

    “While we have many excellent health care professionals in this community, we nonetheless have a shortage, which is a microcosm of a national shortage.

    There's a tremendous need, and we are in the prime spot to meet it,” said Wearden.
    Wearden said a national shortage of health care workers is predicted by 2034 and that to meet the need, 30 to 40 medical schools would need to open.

    “This partnership is a tremendous opportunity for our institution to engage with Cape Fear Valley Health to address the shortage of health care professionals, particularly in rural areas, and to improve the quality of health care delivery, which will enrich the local community and beyond,” said Wearden.

    In addition, he said, a new medical school will attract businesses, taxpayers and homebuyers to the region.

    “It will elevate the economic well-being of this region,” said Wearden.

    He said a study commissioned by the hospital found that a new medical school could bring more than $750 million in economic impact to the community in the first 10 years.

    “If you add that to the $88.5 million annual economic impact that Methodist University already brings, that will be a powerful economic stimulus. We are the right partners,” said Wearden.

    Cape Fear Valley CEO Michael Nagowski said the health system could not be prouder than to partner with Methodist University.
    Nagowski said the university educates nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists and others who take jobs at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center.

    With this partnership, that long-standing history will not only continue but expand.
    Nagowski said the medical school also is important to the wellness of the community, addressing the physician shortage and providing an economic engine to make the region a better place to live.

    “The data is very clear. Wherever there are academic medical centers partnering with universities, the overall health of the population continues to improve,” said Nagowski. “This will also make Cape Fear Valley a better hospital than it is today, whether it be with our 350 residents, our almost 120 students already completing their third- and fourth-year programs, and now a full-fledged four-year medical school right here in Fayetteville. We will provide an outstanding medical school.”

    Nagowski recognized Dr. Rakesh Gupta as a link between the two organizations. Gupta is chairman of the Methodist University board of trustees and a former chairman of the Cape Fear Valley Hospital board.

    Gupta said the new medical school will be transformational.

    “This will be a change of trajectory for all students in all spheres of education at Methodist, for students who at large come to this community from all over the country. We will remember this day for a long time to come,” said Gupta. “This will truly put us on the map.”

    Several city and county elected officials at the news conference said they are excited about what this means to the community.
    City Councilwoman Kathy Jensen, who represents the district in North Fayetteville that includes Methodist University, said she is ready to see green and gold — the university’s colors — spread throughout the city.

    “It’s going to be great to see green and gold not just on the north side of town but expanded. The regional collaboration is great for not just Methodist University but [a] transformation for our city and county,” said Jensen.

    Cumberland County Commissioner Marshall Faircloth, who served as chairman of the medical school subcommittee, said the plan is an economic boost.

    “This will be the game changer we have been looking for over the next seven to eight years as it builds out. It will have great implications for our future. In one of the communities I visited, when the medical school came in, the economy took off,” said Faircloth.

    Dr. Hershey Bell, vice president of the medical education program at Cape Fear Valley Health, agreed.
    Bell said before the news conference that he has been working to get the pieces of the puzzle together and get the medical school ready for accreditation.

    “When a medical school comes to town, it transforms the community in a way that you can never go back to before and it’s only for the better for everyone. Economically, for patient care, for the quality of education, it’s an amazing way for us to make a statement to the people of this community that great things are coming,” said Bell.

    The medical school hopes to enroll 80 students in the first class and expand to 120 students over time. Classes will begin in 2026 pending approval by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.

    Dr. Stanley T. Wearden, president of Methodist University (right) and Mike Nagowski, CEO of Cape Fear Valley Health, spoke at a press conference in the McLean Health Sciences Building at Methodist University to announce a partnership to open a new medical school. (Photo courtesy Methodist University Marketing & Communications)

  • Rotary youth 1Eighteen Cumberland County high school students, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Fayetteville, participated in Rotary International’s District 7730’s annual Rotary Youth Leadership Conference Jan. 27-29 at the Trinity Center in Pine Knoll Shores, North Carolina.

    Rotary Youth Leadership Awards is an intensive leadership experience organized by Rotary clubs and districts where high school students develop skills as a leader while having fun and making connections.

    The Fayetteville students joined 53 other students from Rotary District 7730, to connect with Rotary and community leaders, build communication and problem-solving skills, and learn strategies for becoming a dynamic leader in their school and community.

    Students also participated in a food packing service project with Rise Against Hunger.

    “In a world that’s ever changing at a moment's notice, we are proud to sponsor 18 students’ admission to the Rotary Youth Leadership Awards program,” said Brandon Price, President of the Fayetteville Rotary.

    “These students learn real life skills that will enable them to become the future leaders our communities desperately need. Learning how to communicate and the ability to problem solve are under appreciated skills students are taught, along with helping them to discover strategies for becoming a dynamic leader in their schools and communities.”

    Fayetteville students represented Cross Creek Early College High School, Cumberland International Early College, E.E. Smith High School, Gray’s Creek High School, Jack Britt High School and Massey Hill Classical High School.

    “RYLA gave me the opportunity to meet several other like-minded individuals,” said Stella Martyak, a Junior at Massey Hill Classical High School and RYLA attendee.

    “This experience will help me greatly in the future. I learned new leadership skills that I can now bring back to my school and share with other leaders. The skills I learned will help me be a better leader and person wherever life may take me.”

    Léora Desgranges, a French exchange student, was also one of the Fayetteville students who attended. Desgranges attends Jack Britt High School and is living in Fayetteville as part of the Rotary International's Exchange Student program.

    “I chose to attend RYLA because as the exchange student of the District 7730, it’s another opportunity offered by Rotary,” said Desgranges.

    “What’s more I wanted to meet new people and to know more about leadership skills.”

    The Fayetteville Rotary Club annually coordinates the selection of local students for RYLA and pays the full expense for the students to attend.
    Following RYLA, the students attend weekly Fayetteville Rotary meetings, and share their experience with Rotary Club members.
    Mary Ledford, a Senior at Gray’s Creek High School and two-time RYLA participant, shared her experience at the Feb. 23 Rotary Club meeting.

    “This experience was one that has left a great impression on my leadership skills, my community awareness and my network of like-minded, service-oriented students,” she said.

    “RYLA rejuvenates students who already have service-oriented minds to be inventive and brave in their endeavors in their community,” said Ledford.
    Rotary Club of Fayetteville

    “We are very proud of this initiative and the work done by those to make it happen,” said Price.

    “The Fayetteville Rotary Club has been a group of community and business leaders for more than 100 years. Supporting initiatives like RYLA ensures our club, our schools, and our communities continue to thrive with well-rounded talented leaders.”

    The Fayetteville Rotary Club, established in 1920, is a member of Rotary International District 7730. The district includes 50 clubs from 15 counties in Southeastern North Carolina dedicated to providing Service Above Self.

    Rotary District 7730 is a member of Rotary International, an organization of over 1.4 million business and professional folks worldwide who are collectively committed to doing good in the world with its pressing humanitarian challenges.

    For more information visit https://fayettevillerotaryclub.org/.

    Fayetteville Rotary Club sponsored 18 Youth Leadership Awards delegates to attend the annual leadership conference in Pine Knolls Shores. The conference helps build communication and problem-solving skills and teaches strategies for becoming dynamic leaders in the community. (Photo courtesy Fayetteville Rotary Club)

  • RepHudsonRibbonCutting It’s been a busy start to the year under a new Republican majority in the U.S. House. Yet last week, it sure was good to be home.

    It’s so important to travel across this district and hear from you about issues facing our community and nation. One thing is for sure — Washington needs more common sense and less government bureaucracy. Each week, I try to bring some of that North Carolina wisdom back to our nation’s capital.

    In order to best address the challenges you and our communities are facing, I stayed busy over the work period and held roundtable discussions with elected officials and folks across our district.

    In Asheboro, I met with the Mayor, County Manager, members of the Randolph County Board of Commissioners, and the Randolph County Chamber of Commerce. We discussed economic development in the area, needs of our towns and county, and projects I can fight for in Washington.

    These discussions included water and sewer issues impacting portions of Randolph and Chatham County, and the necessary funding needed to further expand the Asheboro Regional Airport. We also discussed the recent substation attacks in Moore and Randolph Counties and the need to increase security and resiliency measures for our energy infrastructure. My family lost power like so many others in Moore County and I want to stop similar attacks from happening again.

    In our discussion, I listened to our local leaders and shared my ideas.

    In addition, I visited with our local 9-1-1 telecommunicators at Randolph County Emergency Services Center to learn first-hand about the critical role they play as lifelines between you and first responders when an emergency strikes. As the co-chair of the Congressional NextGen 9-1-1 Caucus, I am actively working on bipartisan legislation to update our nation’s 9-1-1 infrastructure.

    I was honored to recently receive the Leadership in Legislative Service Award from the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials International for leading these efforts. It is a privilege to be the voice in Congress supporting our dedicated telecommunicators, medical professionals and law enforcement. I will continue working to provide them the resources and tools they need to keep you and your family safe.

    In Sanford, I met with members of the Sanford Area Growth Alliance to discuss the recent economic growth in Sanford and Lee County and future economic opportunities for the region. In order to sustain and increase economic growth in our community — we must ensure a strong labor force with the tools and training they need to get a good job. Good news: We’re ahead of the game.

    The Growth Alliance shared with me the great work Central Carolina Community College has done to partner with Caterpillar to establish the Caterpillar Clayton Apprenticeship Program designed to continue developing a talented pipeline of skilled employees.

    This highly competitive program provides high school students the opportunity to take classes while also working as a part-time Caterpillar employee, developing skills for a career immediately after graduation.

    We also discussed major infrastructure projects that would increase accessibility across Lee County, including the potential expansion of current Highway 421 to Interstate-685 that would run from Greensboro all the way to Wilmington.

    Finally in Moore County, I’m excited to share that we opened our new flagship district office in Southern Pines.
    I am happy to now call Southern Pines home for both this new office and my family. Thank you to all the local elected officials, community leaders, members of local law enforcement and residents from across Moore County who helped us celebrate our grand opening. Renee, Lane, and I are thankful for the warm welcome from the community and are excited to be here for a very long time.

    The dedicated staff in our new district office in Southern Pines is here to serve you. Whether it’s requesting a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol, providing assistance with federal agencies such as the Social Security Administration or the VA, making service academy nominations, or even helping with federal grants. I am committed to helping you cut through government bureaucracy.

    My goal is to continue to provide you with high quality constituent service and be accessible to hear your needs, thoughts and concerns on key issues facing our community and nation.

    As Fort Bragg’s Congressman, helping our active duty military, their families and veterans deal with the Department of Defense and the VA is especially important, as many military families call Moore County and our district home.

    In addition to the new office in Southern Pines, my office in Fayetteville will remain open and available to serve folks across the region. To find out our exact office locations and office hours, please visit Hudson.house.gov or call us at 910-910-1924.

    Responsive constituent services, accessibility and a focus on policies that give you and your family a better tomorrow is my mission. Stop by our new office to say hello, we would love to see you. Now as I head back to Washington this week, rest assured I’ll be bringing your wisdom, and some Cheerwine back with me.

    Congressman Richard Hudson cuts the ribbon on his new district office in Southern Pines. Rep. Hudson's office in Fayetteville will remain open.
    (Photo courtesy Rep. Richard Hudson)

  • web cloud The cloud is ubiquitous. It is pervasive. It is everywhere. It is here. And it is staying. If you have ever used a computer connected to the internet, you’ve used the cloud.

    Once a novel term used as a metaphor for the internet, it is now a household term used by the seasoned and the young. It is often used to describe where your data lives, where you work, where you play, and/or where you study. With such a large-scale adoption comes extensive employment opportunities in the cloud space.

    If you have ever used the storage services provided by Apple, you’ve enjoyed the benefits of the cloud by having your pictures off loaded from your phone to free up space and back them up online, in the cloud.

    But, what is the cloud? It is a collection of computers working together to store your data on remote servers or offer apps, services and resources online for pretty much any project or activity you can conceive of. Examples of cloud services include Yahoo mail, office productivity tools available via Microsoft 365 and Adobe products for your creative self.

    Some benefits of using the cloud for both small and large organizations include data security, ability to access your data and apps from anywhere, data analysis capabilities, backups, scalability, flexibility, and resiliency, along with reduced IT, business and operating expenses. Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure are the top two cloud service providers. They each offer over 200 services to help you build, run and manage applications across a variety of boundaries including on-premises, in the cloud, or a hybrid environment.

    Opportunities abound in the cloud space. But to take advantage of them, you need the proper training and/or industry certifications — you need two out of three things to get a job in information technology: education, experience and industry certifications.

    A four-year college degree is not essential; a certificate in cloud computing, networking or security will suffice.

    Alternatively, an associate degree from a two-year college, such as FTCC, is a sound option as you will pick up some academic certificates along the way and get a lot of valuable hands-on exposure.

    Industry certifications are credentials you earn by passing an exam that is typically administered by a third party such as Pearson VUE. The AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner (CLF-C01) and Microsoft Azure Fundamentals (AZ-900) are examples of cloud certifications sponsored by AWS and Microsoft respectively.

    FTCC has a Pearson VUE testing center at the Fayetteville campus that proctors a vast and wide variety of industry certification exams.

    If you only have one of the three (education, experience or industry certification), it may be a bit more difficult to land an opportunity, but not impossible.
    Having two out of three dramatically improves your chances and will certainly help you earn an excellent salary (averaging between $50 and 65,000) for an entry-level position.

    Having all three means there’s a very good chance you’ll land an opportunity that pays an excellent salary (six figures not uncommon).

    If you are looking for a career change or want to turbo-charge your earning potential in the exciting field of cloud computing, FTCC is your smart choice.
    To learn more, visit www.faytechcc.edu/.

  • 2023 Bunkers All Star Reading ProgramReady, set, read!

    It’s that time again for kids, grades K-5, to get lost in a great book as the Woodpeckers return for their second annual “Bunker’s All Star Reading Program.”

    The challenge is on for children in Cumberland and surrounding counties, beginning Monday, March 13. Participants are encouraged to read for at least 20 minutes daily, five times weekly for four weeks, to win big prizes for themselves and their school.

    Using a special bookmark to keep track of their progress, once students reach a “home run,” they can exchange their tracker at the Truist Box Office at Segra Stadium for a free ticket to one of two home games: Friday, April 28 or Sunday, April 30.

    Additionally, students can bring up to ten family members to purchase a $9 discounted ticket for that day’s game.

    Students who complete the challenge will be invited to walk around the field in a Pre-Grame Parade before each of the two designated games to celebrate their awesome reading achievement.

    “This is our way to promote reading and academic success in children K-5,” Landrey Young, the Woodpeckers’ Community and Media Relations Manager, told Up & Coming Weekly.

    New to the program this year is the addition of home-schooled families, a change the Woodpeckers are “really excited” to implement.
    According to North Carolinians For Home Education, as of the 2021-22 school year, there are over 5,000 registered home-schools between Cumberland and Harnett counties, with numbers growing steadily every year. A move to include this largely overlooked population ensures that outreach initiatives truly serve everyone in the community.

    In addition to rewarding students for their hard work, the Woodpeckers have also included an incentive for participating schools this year. Students must include the name of their school in addition to their name and grade when turning in their bookmarks.

    The top three schools with the highest redemption rate will receive a cash donation to their library courtesy of the Woodpeckers Foundation.

    Several schools have already signed up for the program. Of the 20,000 bookmarks reserved for the event, fewer than 1000 remain as the calendar inches closer to the official start date. Students who already have their trackers are encouraged to start their reading adventure now — no need to wait.

    The “Bunker’s All Start Reading Program” aligns with the community presence the Woodpeckers have built since they arrived in Fayetteville. School drives, family fun days and a calendar full of activities geared toward the children of Cumberland County gives insight into what the sports organization truly values outside of winning games.

    “We are really dedicated to the youth and youth sports in our area,” Young said. “We want kids to be excited about reading, help support their schools, and it gives us an opportunity to become more connected to schools in the area.”

    For more information about the program or to sign up, email Landrey Young at lyoung@astros.com by Friday, March 10.

  • selling your businessAs a business owner, you have likely spent hours, days, months or even longer agonizing over whether to sell your business.

    While in a perfect world the hard part would be over, the reality is that making the decision to sell is simply the first step in a complicated process.
    Fortunately, there are ways to simplify the experience. To start, it’s a good idea to have a checklist of what steps to expect.

    While each business may be different, when it comes to selling a business, the basic preparation will be the same.

    It can also be helpful to have a seasoned business broker or advisor to aid and support you in the sale. Business advisors have the experience and know-how to navigate the sale of your business, making the experience easier on you and maximizing your return.

    Step 1 — Determine your reason for selling

    People decide to sell their businesses for a variety of reasons. Some may do so because they are ready to retire and leave the working world. A serious illness or death may require someone to step away from their business. Others may need a way to extricate themselves from a partnership dispute. Some simply become bored and decide to seek out new opportunities and challenges in their work life.

    Whether you are considering selling for these reasons or others, the decision to sell a business is personal but should be acknowledged.

    Step 2 — Confer with experienced professionals

    Perhaps the single most important step of all, in terms of making the sale of your business easier, is selecting an experienced business advisor to guide you through the sale process.

    A business broker or advisor can help you get everything in order while screening qualified buyers and ensuring you get the highest possible price for your company, all while keeping the sale as quiet as possible to avoid upsetting your employees, vendors, and clients.
    Best of all, an advisor frees up your time so you can continue to keep your business up and running.

    Step 3 — Organize your finances and properly package your business for sale

    Part of the assistance provided by an experienced advisor is connecting you to other professionals who can help you organize your business’ financials for the upcoming sale.

    It’s important for you to understand the financial position of your business, which requires knowledge of financial statements, projections, and key metrics for your industry, such as:

    • What’s the company’s relative growth in gross sales and net income?
    • What adjustments need to be made to normalize earnings?
    • Do you own or lease the property where your business is located?
    • What is the customer base and do you have any concentration issues?
    • What about the value of the tangible and intangible property?
    • What equipment and inventory will be included in the sale?
    • Are there any outstanding liabilities or legal issues?
    • Who are your key suppliers and vendors?

    Answers to these questions are needed, as well as ensuring your books are in order. Do you have your latest tax documents? You may want to consider an independent audit of your financials just to be certain.

    Step 4 — Understand the value of your business

    To sell your business, you need to understand how much it is worth. Remember valuation is an art, not a science.
    Multiple factors will come into play as you determine what your company is worth such as the business’s financial health, industry trends, the current market demand, and the location of your company.

    Step 5 – Confidently market your business

    The final step in selling your business is to get the word out albeit confidentially. But successfully marketing a company for sale has many nuances.
    Business advisors are experts at creating competition for your business thanks to our ability to advertise your business to our worldwide network.
    They have access to thousands of buyers, and we spend more money on advertising than anyone in our industry.
    Selling a business can be an exciting but long and stressful time. Seek out a business advisor who can help you navigate the challenge.

    Editor’s note: Ashley Kelsey is a Business Broker at Transworld Business Advisors of Eastern North Carolina. For more information call 910-302-6447 or visit www.transworldeast.com.

    Photo: Deciding to sell a business is only the first step in a complicated process. Seek out a business advisor who can help navigate the process and maximize your return.

  • Hope MIlls TOwn Hall The town board will consider changing the format for electing a mayor and town commissioners to provide for staggered four-year terms when it meets Monday, March 6.

    Currently, those officials are elected every two years. The board will vote on whether to alter the town charter to have elections for four-year, staggered terms with elections held in odd-numbered years.

    The board will meet at 7 p.m. in City Hall.

    At its last meeting, the board opened the floor to allow anyone to speak for or against the proposed change. No one spoke in favor of staggered terms; two residents voiced opposition to the new term structure as well as allowing the commissioners to approve changing the charter themselves.

    The matter could be put to a vote of town residents if enough of them sign a petition to call a referendum. At least 10% of the town’s registered voters must sign the petition to force a vote.
    The last time the town considered changing terms, voters decided to keep terms at two years.

    Annexation decision

    The board of commissioners also will hold a hearing on a contiguous annexation of 1.2 acres at 3808 Park Garden court.
    Residents are invited to speak for or against the annexation during the public-comment period. Speakers must register with the town clerk at least 15 minutes before the start of the meeting and are asked to limit their comments to three minutes.

    The board also will consider the Sales Tax Interlocal Agreement.

    The Cumberland County Commissioners announced the county’s intention to change the way sales tax revenue is distributed from per-capita, or per person, to ad-valorem, or according to property value, according to the agenda set by Chancer McLaughlin, the interim town manager.

    The Cumberland County Mayors Coalition, which includes Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner as vice chair, asked the county to grant a five-year extension of the current agreement, but the plan was rejected.

    According to a new proposal presented by the county, the agreement has been extended once in 2019.

    According to Cumberland County’s website, the mayors of Eastover, Falcon, Fayetteville, Godwin, Hope Mills, Linden, Spring Lake, Stedman and Wade and the chairman of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners make up the Cumberland County Mayors Coalition. The coalition meets quarterly.

    The current sales tax agreement, which was signed in 2003, expires on June 30. That could result in a loss of about $1.9 million in sales tax revenue for the town in the first fiscal year, according to the memo. That would likely increase taxes for Hope Mills residents.

    The county has offered an agreement that delays the change to ad-valorem taxation until June 2025, but Cumberland County would receive 100% of any growth.
    The agreement must be approved by all municipalities before March 15 or the county will proceed with the move to ad-valorem taxation.

    The interlocal agreement extension must be signed by people representing the municipalities of Fayetteville, Hope Mills, Stedman, Spring Lake, Wade, Falcon, Godwin, Linden, and Eastover and the county.

    The Hope Mills Board of Commissioners is expected to discuss Cumberland County’s proposal at Monday’s board meeting.

  • cliffdale library Copy Branches of the Cumberland County Public Library will be closed on select Wednesdays in March and April for one-day staff training, according to a news release.

    Library users will still be able to access materials online, renew book checkouts and drop off returned books.

    The dates and locations of staff training closings are:

    • March 8: Cliffdale Regional Library, 6882 Cliffdale Road, and West Regional Library, 7469 Century Circle.
    • March 15: Headquarters Library, 300 Maiden Lane.
    • March 22: North Regional Library, 855 McArthur Road, and Bordeaux Branch, 3711 Village Drive.
    • March 29: East Regional Library, 4809 Clinton Road, and Hope Mills Branch, 3411 Golfview Road, Hope Mills.
    • April 12: Spring Lake Branch, 101 Laketree Blvd., Spring Lake.

    All other locations will remain open. Book drops at closed locations will be available for return of library materials, the release said.
    For more information call 910-483-7727 or visit www.cumberlandcountync.gov/library.

  • NWS Tornado Warning Cumberland County is preparing for severe weather Thursday afternoon as several areas in North Carolina prepare for damaging winds.

    Cumberland County is under a tornado watch until 8 p.m. This means that conditions are favorable for tornadoes to form. 

    A severe thunderstorm warning is also in effect for Cumberland this afternoon. Winds could gust up to 60 mph in those areas, according to the National Weather Center. Residents should expect to see some damage to roofs, siding and trees from the wind.

    For residents on Fort Bragg, Corvias Property Management sent out an email saying that all outdoor furniture, toys, trashcans and other items should be brought inside or properly secured. 

    Cumberland County Schools have announced that all after-school activities are canceled this afternoon. Prime Time parents are encouraged to pick up their students no later than 4 p.m. today.

  • Wanted Vehicles Detectives with the Fayetteville Police Department’s Homicide Unit are looking for two vehicles that were present during the shooting at the Baymont Ramada on March 19. Three men died during the shooting and three others were injured. Police have determined the shooting occurred during a confrontation between the Hells Angels, Red Devils, Infamous Ryders and La Familia motorcycle gang organizations.

    The vehicles of interest are a Ford Raptor pickup truck displaying NC registration plate 81D5DV, and a Jeep Patriot SUV displaying NC registration plate RDP1513. The rear window of the Jeep was shot out during the incident.

    Two people have been arrested in connection to the shooting. They were arrested for an aggravated assault that happened at the Exxon off 1717 Owen Drive. The assault was between rival gang members which resulted in serious injuries to the victim. The assault happened hours before the shooting at the Baymont Ramada.

    The two men were each charged with Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury and Felony Conspiracy. 26-year-old Dalton Emmanuel Laperriere is out on a $5000 unsecured bond and his next pre-trial date is April 12. 49-year-old Kerry Helms Lawing is out on a $25,000.00 secured bond and will be back in court on April 13.

    Anyone with information regarding the location of these vehicles is asked to contact Detective R. Vernon at (910) 729-2525 or Crimestoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477). Crimestoppers information can also be submitted electronically, by visiting http://fay-nccrimestoppers.org and completing the anonymous online tip sheet.

  • Voting Pexels Pic Shakita Norman lives in Wake County, works, pays taxes and has five children in public school. She told a three-judge, Superior Court panel in August 2021 that she wants a voice in North Carolina’s democracy.

    But, like more than 56,000 other North Carolinians, she is being held in limbo as yet another election begins, waiting to see whether she will have the right to vote.

    On Monday, those judges declared the North Carolina law governing when the state restores the right to vote to people previously convicted of felonies to be racist and in violation of the Free Elections and Equal Protections clauses of the state constitution.

    “North Carolina’s elections do not faithfully ascertain the will of the people when such an enormous number of people living in communities across the State — over 56,000 individuals — are prohibited from voting,” wrote Judges Lisa Bell and Keith Gregory, who ruled in a 2-1 majority opinion.

    Disenfranchisement does not advance a valid state interest, the judges wrote, and in fact, harms the state by preventing equal access to the vote.

    “Denial of the franchise to persons on felony supervision harms individuals, families and communities for years even after such supervision ends,” the judges wrote.

    But legal confusion and a pending appeal by state legislative leaders, House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, and Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, may still keep those residents off the voter rolls.

    The N.C. State Board of Elections cited confusion from a previous court order made during a preliminary stage in the case when it told county boards to keep voter registration requests from people on probation, parole or post-release supervision in an incomplete queue while lawyers seek clarification from the courts.

    Neither Moore’s nor Berger’s offices replied to questions for this story, and their private attorney did not respond to a voicemail. But that attorney notified the Department of Justice, which formerly represented the legislators and still represents the Board of Elections, that the legislators intend to appeal.

    Still, the groups suing to change the law announced that they are out helping people who, under Monday’s ruling, are newly enfranchised.

    “We’re not casually treating it as, ‘Well, I’ll go register to vote,’” said Dennis Gaddy, a plaintiff in the case and the executive director of the Community Success Initiative, which helps people reenter society after incarceration. “We’re having a sit-down, face-to-face conversation.”

    The situation is confusing, but there’s also a possible opportunity, Gaddy said.

    In August 2021, when the same judges issued a preliminary injunction allowing the same group of people to vote, legislative defendants appealed, and higher courts blocked the injunction. But still, the higher courts allowed the people who had already registered to stay on the voter rolls.

    Even if the Court of Appeals blocks Monday’s ruling, Gaddy said there’s a chance the people who requested voter registration between now and then could be allowed to vote.

    146 years of discrimination
    In 1876, white North Carolinians amended the state Constitution and included a felony disenfranchisement clause that said no one convicted of a felony will have the right to vote until the state restores that right. The next year, the state legislature put a law in place describing how the right to vote is restored.

    Monday’s opinion, 146 years later, said both the amendment and the implementing law target Black North Carolinians with racial intent. The judges also concluded that racial intent survives today, taking a disproportionate amount of political power away from Black communities across the state.

    North Carolina’s three Black legislators in 1973 tried to give people a full reinstatement of rights upon release from jail or prison. But those efforts were watered down by their 167 white counterparts, the judges found.

    Lawyers for the state Department of Justice agreed that the 1876 laws were racially motivated, but the 1973 rewrite was not, and therefore the current law should be valid. Judges Bell and Gregory disagreed.

    “The legislature cannot purge through the mere passage of time an impermissibly racially discriminatory intent,” they wrote.

    Definition of racial disparity
    More white than Black people reside in North Carolina, more white people are in prison, and more white people are on post-release supervision. But the percentage of white people drops at each stage, and the percentage of Black people goes up, meaning that Black people are more harmed by disenfranchisement relative to the total population.

    “African American men are 9.2% of the voting-age population, but 36.6% of those denied the franchise,” according to the majority opinion.

    “In comparison, White people comprise 72% of the voting-age population, but only 52% of those denied the franchise. These numbers are the very definition of a racial disparity.”

    Both the sheer scope of disenfranchisement and the racial disparity violate the state constitution, Bell and Gregory wrote. They pointed to the 2018 elections, which showed “16 different county elections where the margin of victory in the election was less than the number of people denied the franchise due to felony supervision in that county.”

    In several of those elections, the number of disenfranchised voters was several times greater than the margin of an election, such as in Beaufort County, where 457 people were denied the vote under the law and 63 votes decided a Board of Commissioners race. Of those disenfranchised could-be voters, 253 were Black.

    “Denial of the franchise to people on felony supervision reduces political opportunity and the quality of representation across entire communities in North Carolina,” according to the majority opinion.

    The order describes a standard legal test showing the state could keep its disenfranchisement law if it served a legitimate government purpose. But, the judges decided, defendants “failed to introduce any evidence” that the law “serves any valid state interest today.”

    The dissent, and consequences of an appeal
    Bell is an unaffiliated judge based in Mecklenburg County, and Gregory is a Democratic judge based in Wake. Judge John Dunlow, Republican from Granville, dissented.

    In his opinion, the plaintiffs wanted to challenge the constitutional provision that takes the right to vote away from people convicted of felonies, not the law that describes how they get it back. This is in line with defendants’ arguments.

    Should the appellate court back that argument, the plaintiffs’ only recourse would be to change the implementing law through an act of the legislature, the same one attempted in 1973.

    Dunlow also disagreed with the majority opinion on how the Free Elections Clause is applied to elections.

    All the judges agree that the clause’s purpose is to “faithfully ascertain the will of the people.” But where Bell and Gregory define “the people” as all North Carolina citizens, Dunlow has a narrower vision.

    “The people whose will is to be faithfully ascertained are the persons who are lawfully permitted to vote in North Carolina elections,” Dunlow wrote.

    Both majority and dissenting opinions help higher courts review a case. The Court of Appeals is controlled 10-5 by Republican judges. Though the state Supreme Court is currently 4-3 Democrats to Republicans, two Democratic seats are up for election in 2022 and the court may flip.

    Dunlow’s dissent, if picked up by higher courts, could significantly limit the state constitutional protections against discriminatory voting laws.

  • Spring Lake In a 5-1 vote, the Spring Lake Board of Aldermen decided to revise the prayer policy to be more inclusive and compliant with federal law. However, the invocation will still be a part of government meetings.

    “This is simply a policy change to put us in compliance,” said Mayor Kia Anthony. “We want to make sure we are being inclusive.”

    The board says they never intended to remove prayer from their agenda.

    The Mayor proposed a “non-sectarian” prayer that “does not revote any one religion, so we are not showing favoritism to any one religion over the another.”

    “My whole goal is to keep us in compliance, it is not to remove God from our meetings. That is not the intent,” Anthony said.

    “We want to make sure we’re covered because, as a unit of government, we have to abide by certain rules,” said Alderwoman Sona Cooper.

    The board cites a 2017 publication from the University of North Carolina School of Government, which states that a state court identified four practices that violate the Constitution. These practices are: only board members deliver the prayer; the board members are all of the same religion’ there is no opportunity for other faiths to be represented; and the board meeting occurs in the intimate setting of a local government meeting.

    The board uses information from an excerpt from the University of North Carolina School of Government that stated meetings during meetings “violates the Constitution.”

    Alderman Marvin Lackman disagreed with creating a new prayer policy.

    “I’m a proud Christian, and people elected me to represent them,” he said. “I stand firm in my beliefs. I stand firm for the people of Spring Lake. I am firm against this.”

    The Aldermen also unanimously removed the mask mandate from town facilities and swore in new Interim Town Manager Joe Durham from Wake County.

  • Originally published by The 19th.

    For more than two decades, Kim Hunt was constantly on the move. Alongside her husband, now a retired Navy officer, Hunt moved 16 times across the United States and Europe. The couple had two daughters — pregnancies that were planned around whether her husband was on shore duty or sea duty — but they knew many other active-duty service members who struggled to conceive at all. 

    Now, as associate director of research and training at Blue Star Families, a nonprofit founded in 2009 by military spouses, Hunt helps create, collect and analyze the largest annual military lifestyle survey

    For the first time, the survey included specific questions to better understand family-building challenges among National Guardsmen, Reserve service members, veterans and their families. Hunt said that for several years, respondents would fill in open-ended questions with concerns about their families. 

    “And the more we researched, the more we realized there was not really good quantitative data,” Hunt said. “There’s a lot of stories, which are very important, but there wasn’t this sort of handle on how deep this goes.” 

    And when she saw the results, Hunt said she was surprised by just how deep it went: More than two-thirds of respondents said they had faced a family-building challenge at some point in their lives. And nearly half said military service, specifically, hindered their desired number of children or desired time between births. 

    “We had 1,600 people willing to share their stories, and it was very humbling because they’re such personal stories,” Hunt said. “And so many people said that they just gave up finally, just stopped trying.” 

    The final survey results include more than 8,000 members of the military community. The answers revealed widespread struggles: Women and LGBTQ+ service members were nearly twice as likely to mention family-building challenges, including tracking ovulation, taking hormone-based medication, trying in vitro fertilization or navigating adoption processes while continually moving across state lines. Some voiced concerns about the impact pregnancy might have on their careers. Active-duty service members are generally 17 to 40 years old, about the same range as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) definition of “women of childbearing age.” 

    “Pregnancy and postpartum recovery time affects a woman’s chances of promotion,” an active-duty Air Force service member wrote anonymously in her response. “Obligations of motherhood and military service commitment limit how many children I felt like I could have.”

    Meagan Whalen, the deputy communications director of With Honor, a nonprofit organization led by veterans that focuses on electing veterans into public service, said the military community tends to remain silent on these kinds of personal challenges. 

    “We in the military community have a mindset of facing challenges and rising to the occasion,” said Whalen, who grew up in a military family, constantly being uprooted. “I think this report will be really reaffirming for them and validating what they’ve experienced throughout their military service. And it’s so valuable in getting information out to the public, letting the civilian world into these nuances.” 

    Many respondents described inadequate medical coverage for fertility-related treatments, financial difficulties or undue stress on relationships. But the most common obstacle to growing their families was “military commitments” and an “unstable military lifestyle.” Long deployments, especially during wartime, took their toll and left fewer chances for couples to try conceiving. The CDC defines “infertility” as the inability to get pregnant after at least one year of unprotected sex. However, meeting that criteria and accessing potential treatment is nearly impossible for many military families, who are often separated for months at a time. 

    “We did IVF out of pocket and lost twins,” an active-duty Army spouse wrote. “We had to pay a loan for three years after. If we were able to afford the unlimited tries, we would have a baby together. Him being gone a lot is also a factor.” 

    One Army veteran said: “We were beginning our third attempt at IVF when I was notified that I was deploying … By the time I returned from deployment, I was 46 and my wife was 43, and we determined that we had lost our last opportunity.” 

    Another Reserve service member said she and her partner delayed having children together for a decade while they were both on active duty. When they ended up having children, they made sure the births were “very close together to be able to have them while we were stationed together.” But the only way they were able to stay together, she added, was for her to transfer to the reserves. 

    Another highly cited challenge was expensive out-of-pocket costs due to a lack of health insurance coverage. TRICARE, the health care program of the U.S. Department of Defense Military Health System, does not cover assisted reproduction. (In the civilian world, most states don’t require private insurers to provide infertility benefits). More than 10 percent of respondents with out-of-pocket expenses said they spent more than $35,000; 42 percent spent over $5,000; and nearly 70 percent spent at least $500. 

    “We tried to conceive for three years before finally becoming pregnant on our fourth round of IVF,” an active-duty Air Force spouse wrote in response to the survey. “The military and TRICARE paid for none of it. We spent most of the money we had saved for a house down payment, around $40,000 in total.”

    Another active-duty Air Force spouse said she and her spouse paid $800 for sperm, $200 for shipment and $300 for an IUI procedure each time they tried for a child. It took them five tries.

    More than 10 percent of active-duty respondents said family-building challenges are one of the main reasons they’d leave the military. Members of Congress, including military veterans, are currently working on legislation related to military benefits, mental health, spousal employment, time away from family and pay and health care for dependents. Rep. Chrissy Houlahan recently spearheaded the passage of the Military Moms Matter Act to improve postpartum care for military families. Reps. Seth Moulton and Mariannette Miller-Meeks pushed for the passage of The Brandon Act, which strengthened mental health support for service members. And Rep. Jackie Speier penned a letter, signed by more than 140 of her Democratic colleagues, to urge the secretary of defense to eliminate for service members copays for contraceptive care.

    “This is a time in which our veterans in Congress can make a distinctive difference,” Whalen said. “They aren’t just reading these numbers. They’ve experienced or have served with those who did, and they understand those unique challenges that military personnel, families and veterans go through.”

  • Bible As we head toward Easter, you’re bound to see a big-production movie (or at least a listing) that seems remarkably like a story you heard. Maybe you heard it in Sunday School or heard it told during one of the countless sermons preached about when God parted the Red Sea to allow the people of Israel to escape the Egyptians who had long enslaved them.

    On-screen or off, the imagery is striking and worthy of all the mentions we can give it; God’s faithfulness to his people is amazing!

    But why were the Israelites enslaved in the first place? You can trace that throughout Israel’s history leading to that parting of that sea, but more specifically to Joseph – as in the ‘coat of many colors’ son of Jacob, whose name God eventually changed to Israel.

    Joseph is the one who was thrown into a pit and then sold into slavery by his jealous brothers, and the one whose trials, tribulations and rise to a place of prominence in Egypt are all told within the pages of the very first book of the Bible: Genesis.

    The book details how Joseph trusted God through his enslavement, betrayal and situations that would leave most of us in utter despair. It details how in a wild turn of events, he becomes the very one who saves his father and the descendants of his 11 brothers when Joseph’s homeland is dying during a devastating famine.

    Even after all they did to him, Joseph helps his brothers and their enormous tribes, which leads them all to relocate to Egypt. They flourish and become productive, growing in both stature and number, and eventually, there’s a change of power in Egypt. The new king wasn’t fond of foreigners thriving in his kingdom, so he enslaved the Israelites – this continued and worsened over more than 400 years.

    So yes, God parting the waters to allow them to march out unharmed under the leadership of Moses (that’s another story) is a big deal and worthy of every telling.

    But there are so many points worth making along the way.

    The Bible is rich with stories of pain and struggle, forgiveness and redemption, and when we study it all in context, we begin to understand God’s love for us in all-new ways.

    From the table of contents in the front to the maps in the back, reading and gleaning truth from the Bible is worth your while. And just like this story about the Israelites marching out of a 430-year captivity through a sea which parted to allow them to cross on dry land, and then comes crashing in on the army chasing them, there are many pieces to every story.

    So, take time to study the Bible.

    Don’t miss a moment. Don’t look past a hero or a healing because if you miss a piece, you just might miss the point.

  • In my last column, I wrote about the Mediterranean diet. Nutrition trends are popular and frequently discussed topics. There are as many opinions on the best diet as there are a variety of diets. The industry has taken an active approach in marketing to us to impact the way we eat. Marketed products come in the form of vitamins, powders, planned meals and drinks. Specialized diets have become so popular that it is not unusual to see diet-related options on restaurant menus. In the long run, proper nutrition depends on individual consumption and how our bodies respond to nutrition interventions. Lifestyle, current health, and genetics also significantly impact how we react to a diet. Two people of the same age, sex, height and weight will respond differently to the amount of weight loss in the same period and see weight loss in different areas of their bodies.

    I am not suggesting that you go on the Paleo diet, but it is an interesting subject. Enthusiasts of the Paleo diet believe it is the healthiest way to eat because it works with your genetics, resulting in more energy and keeping you lean and strong. The Paleo diet has a heavy focus on protein consumption. It is considered a caveman diet or a stone-age diet consisting of foods thought to be eaten by humans in the Paleolithic era, dating approximately 2.5 million to ten thousand years ago. The significant difference in eating during this time was the food was obtained by hunting, gathering fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds. When farming emerged, foods that became part of our diets included dairy products and legumes. Advocates of the diet believed that the addition of legumes and dairy products resulted in obesity and heart problems.

    Preferred Paleo foods are vegetables, fruit, nuts, seeds, wild game, grass-fed lean meat, fish rich in Omega 3 fatty acids and olive and walnut oils. People on the Paleo diet are advised to drink lots of water, black coffee or green tea. Foods to avoid are grains, legumes, dairy products, sugar, salt and potatoes. Some examples of a Paleo menu: Breakfast — smoothies with a combination of kale or spinach, banana, apple and almond milk or scrambled eggs with sauteed spinach, grilled tomatoes and pumpkin seeds. Lunch — mixed salad greens, fried sea bass, pumpkin seeds and olive oil dressing or roasted chicken with mixed greens, tomatoes and olive oil dressing. Dinner — roasted chicken stuffed with carrots and fresh rosemary or baked salmon with roasted asparagus.

    The Paleo diet emphasizes fruit, vegetables, animal proteins, nuts and olive oil. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes fruit, vegetables, whole grain products, nuts, seeds, olive oil, fish and less consumption of meat products.

    A safe approach to weight loss involves losing one to two pounds per week. Fad diets that cause a large amount of weight loss in a short time are not sustainable.

    A healthy approach to dieting includes a combination of diet and exercise. While going on a quick-fix diet for a special occasion or trying a friend’s diet can be tempting, the bottom line is that a sustainable lifestyle with good eating habits will result in a healthier you. Avoid processed foods, sugary drinks, saturated fats and sweets.

    Take your time selecting a diet and educating yourself or see a qualified nutritionist for meal plans. Live, love life with health and diet.

  • USASOC Last week, Fort Bragg ranges were busy playing host to an elite group of local, national and international special operators. Annually, Fort Bragg sets the stage for U.S. Special Operations Command Sniper Competition (USASOC). The event is created with great attention to detail and secrecy by the Special Forces Sniper School Instructors (SFSC) from the United States Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. Each competition and each event are different, keeping highly trained competitors on their toes.

    This is the 13th time the competition has been held. In the wake of COVID, the event has had to shift and adapt. Last year, fewer teams competed, and the French team was the only international partner able to attend. During the 2020 competition, the USASOC Sniper Competition was held entirely in-house, with soldiers already at Fort Bragg representing the different Special Forces Groups and special operations elements.

    21 teams were in attendance to compete; six of the teams were international, including teams from Ireland, France, Italy, Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland,
    Non-descript white, gray and silver government issue vans ferried soldiers and their equipment between events on precise timelines. Six minutes to here, eight minutes there. Upon arrival at any given range, competition organizers provided each team with relevant details of the challenge before them. The teams collected the appropriate weaponry and scopes, bundled out of their vans and were given one minute to ask the SFSC instructor in charge questions.

    On Tuesday, March 22, a white van rolled up to Range 61 with a two-person team from the U.S. Marine Corps 3rd Raider Unit. One team member climbed to the first floor of a six-floor structure facing a long-range, and the other situated himself in the back of a Humvee next to the building. Each in the prone position. Spotters stood at scopes to check their accuracy and the instructor in charge handed the operator on the first-floor platform a tile with one of eight possible images. The team member in the Humvee, who played spotter for this event, was given a key with all eight images and each image corresponding to a specific target shape and color.

    The soldier in the Humvee has a carbine, the other a long gun or sniper rifle.

    "… background, there are several shapes," called the soldier on the platform. "On the background is a large five-pointed star."

    "Yup," the soldier in the Humvee confirmed.

    "Inside of that is a large circle, inside of the circle is a square inside of the square is hexagon… an octagon, inside of the square is an octagon, and then inside the octagon is an orange circle with a blue border," the soldier on the platform said.

    "Alright, it's going to be a green piece of steel. It's literally just a vertical … a green two-by-four," the soldier in the Humvee said.

    "Got it."

    The soldier on the platform lines up the shot, accounts for the distance and wind and pulls the trigger.

    "Miss," calls the spotter.

    And another tile is given to the soldier on the platform. This continues until the team's time has run out. The Marine Raiders praised the challenge, loaded up and headed to their next event.

    Each event is designed to test the team's marksmanship and ability to communicate and work as a team.

    On Range 62, the next event tested the teams on their ability to shoot at "known distances."

    "A big problem with shooting is wind," explained SFSC Instructor Rick Cuza.

    He explained that the targets were placed 500 to 800 meters out. Each bank of targets had been small, medium and large targets of about the same height but not the same width. The targets range in the number of points they are worth; more for smaller targets less for the larger ones.

    "They have to decide based on the distance and what they see the conditions which target they are going to shoot," Cuza said.

    At another event, soldiers from the 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne) completed an event designed to test their ability to discriminate between their targets, deciding which targets are threats and which are not.

    Organizers staged this event in an urban setting with targets placed between 385 meters and 650 meters. The team was positioned in a room on an upper floor of a building shooting out of a window. The teams would need to use their scopes to determine if objects near their targets were weapons, indicating they were a threat.

    Command Sgt. Maj. Chuy Almonte, 2nd Battalion, 2nd Special Warfare Group believes the event does not simply measure marksmanship; the events measure a soldier's ability to perform under stress.

    "It's really about to be able to problem-solve … managing your stress," Almonte said.

    Almonte says that the competition is of value beyond measuring skills; that it lays a foundation of communication and collaboration and facilitates the sharing of knowledge with international partners.

    This is important from a perspective of personal experience, Almonte explained.

    While deployed in Afghanistan, Almonte worked on a firebase in a "very kinetic area during a very kinetic time." They needed help and were supported by a group of Czech Republic special forces. They built a strong relationship.

    "We brought a lot of white space to that region … we went from a 500-meter freedom of movement to an almost 10 kilometers freedom of movement," Almonte said. "Because of that partnership with the Czech soldiers."

    Further down the line, while working on a different problem set based in Africa, that relationship was again a benefit.

    "Focused in a totally different content and area of the world, but because of our previous relationship together, we were basically able to pick up where we left off," Almonte said.

    The events culminated in a banquet Friday, March 26, where the event's winners were recognized. A USASOC team for Fort Bragg took first place, France second, and 20th Special Forces Group (Airborne) third. Ireland was disqualified during the competition for a negligent discharge.

  • Citys Mural By the time Jermaine "JP" Powell finishes a state-of-the-art mural where the I-295 Overpass crosses North Ramsey Street, motorists traveling into and outside the Fayetteville city limits will admire the attractive scenic design on both sides of the underpass.

    Without words, the mural will speak to ways in which the City of Fayetteville recognizes and supports the ways in which the arts can enrich a community. People may wonder why it took so long to have such an attractive mural painted. That's where my inside story begins.

    If you take time to drive past the early phases of the mural being painted, you will be able to see the stages that take place to create a very large mural titled We Are Fayetteville: Legacy and Future.

    So why is it important to know the process as the artist begins working – you can drive by and enjoy it when it's completed? In short, you will see why the mural looks the way it does; and you may be surprised at the logistics of a project of this scale.

    Factors include but are not limited to finding sources to support the project, planning, leadership knowledgeable about the arts, countless hours of coordinating with individuals, committees, agencies and groups, and of course, finding the right artist for the task.

    The I-295 and Ramsey Street Corridor Project started in 2017/2018 when the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County (Arts Council) applied for and received partial funding from the National Endowments for the Arts.

    Over the next few years, the project was paused several times due to budgetary concerns and the ability to receive approval for the work. COVID restrictions and people working remotely further delayed coordination with organizations.

    In early 2020, Michelle Horn and I were contracted to coordinate the mural project. Michelle and I had worked together coordinating the Veterans Park Project, we work well together, and both bring varied expertise and strengths.

    Bob Pinson, interim president/CEO of the Arts Council, and his staff worked closely with us to carry out many of the administrative details, interfacing with Michael Gibson and Tim Johnson with the Fayetteville/Cumberland Parks and Recreation Department (and too many others to list), NC DOT representatives and suppliers.

    So, the planning begins. Before launching the project with a nationwide "request for proposals (RFP)," an advisory board of individuals in the visual arts/architecture was created. Coordinators met with members of the City's Revitalization Committee to determine themes. Finally, the coordinators and Pinson met with a group of citizens to discuss themes they believed best represented the north side of Fayetteville.
    Now the RFP could be published, initializing a national search for submissions by artists. Artists sent their resumes and examples of mural designs using themes from the meetings: "diversity, agricultural past, forward-thinking, a pleasant and fun place to live and work and the colors of green and gold... since Methodist University and Pine Forest High School anchor this area."

    North Carolina Department of Transportation owns the bridge and the concrete surface on each side of the abutment that will be painted. If the design was going to be approved, the process first had to meet the detailed guidelines of the NCDOT Aesthetics Committee from planning to pre-approved paint for the project.

    The preliminary guidelines had been met: (1) a good location for a mural and a design that is not distracting, (2) the coordinators provided the engagement and expertise required, (3) the community was engaged early in the process, (4) a five-step process of selecting an artist was used, and (5), the RFP went to as many national websites as possible for the search to be inclusive and diverse regardless of race, color, national origin, sex or age."

    After the June 2020 deadline for artists to submit their ideas, the coordinators selected the top three artists based on resume, design and if they were suited for such a large project. The members of the Advisory Committee chose the artist in a blind selection process (blind selection means the committee did not see the names of artists or where they lived – only viewed prior murals by an artist and ideations for this project).

    Two of the finalists included an Italian artist creating murals in the US and a muralist living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Through the blind selection process, the advisory committee selected a third artist: Jermaine "JP" Powell, an artist living in Fuquay Varina, North Carolina!

    The decision was overwhelmingly unanimous. Powell, a mixed-media fine artist and mural artist living in North Carolina, is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute, located in Brooklyn, New York. He was selected for the project due to his strong design skills, creative use of patterns and textures, and his uplifting and positive approach to subjects in prior murals and content.

    By August 2020, Powell, the coordinators and Pinson had met with residents, and they discussed the piece's themes with the artist. Residents shared what they valued in their part of the community.

    Over the next few months, the artist worked with coordinators and advisory committee members, revising and presenting his drafts for approval.

    By March 2021, the design was approved by the city's Public Art Committee, Revitalization and Corridor Committee and Fayetteville City Council.

    A year later, this month, after many COVID-related delays, the project is starting. Unexpected delays included the length of time it took for two NC DOT Aesthetic Committees to review the approved design and paint being used, COVID and Zoom meetings, approved paints on backorder finally arriving and weather preventing priming of the walls. Finally, Powell has begun laying the foundation of the design on the walls.

    During the delays, meetings on the project continued with the coordinators, Powell, Arts Council staff, and staff from Fayetteville City Parks and Recreation. Discussions included logistics of the site, equipment and supplies. A small team of volunteer assistants was selected, met and were briefed on safety standards at the location and the practice of working with the artist.

    Everyone who has participated in the project is excited to have Powell as the artist and share a mural we know the community will find pleasing and attractive.
    The mural, like other public art projects, will add enormous value to the cultural, aesthetic and economic vitality of our community. State-of-the-art projects contribute to our identity as a community, foster community pride, and enhance the quality of life for the residents.

    The entire mural process has been documented and archived at the Arts Council as a resource for future projects. The Arts Council marketing team is creating a video to share when the mural is complete. Visit http://www.wearethearts.com/295mural for more information.


    Photo Credit: Location for a new mural at the intersection of I-295 and north Ramsey Street. Depending on weather conditions, the murals are expected to be completed by the end of June. Photo courtesy of the City of Fayetteville.

  • Artists for Austism April is Autism Awareness Month, and “Jammin’” Jon Kiebon knows what Fayetteville needs to kick it off in high style. The first annual Artists for Autism Awareness benefit concert will take place at the Fayetteville Bakery and Cafe on Saturday, April 3, from 12 to 5 p.m.

    Formerly called Jammin’ Jon’s Rocking for Autism Awareness, the event was conceived in 2012 on the boardwalk of Rockaway Beach in New York and inspired by his daughter, Gail, who was diagnosed on the spectrum before age two.

    Kiebon, a New York musician heavily inspired by the work of Frank Zappa, saw a concert as an opportunity to bring more visibility to people on the spectrum and fundraise for important causes.

    “The autism community can be so fragmented, and people are so leery of one another. This event is about raising awareness for autism, available resources to those on the spectrum, and bringing the community together.”

    In search of affordable housing amidst the uncertainty of the pandemic, Jammin’ Jon found his way to Fayetteville by chance, then quickly found his tribe in business owner Franco Webb and local spoken-word artist “Little Niecie.”

    What began as a discussion between sets at the open-mic nights hosted by Webb’s Fayetteville Bakery and Cafe would eventually become the blueprint for April’s concert.

    Little Niecie, who also has a child on the spectrum, is incredibly passionate about this project, taking on the co-coordinator role.

    At her suggestion, the concert will keep its origins as a fundraising event, with 100% of its proceeds going to Cumberland County special education teachers.

    “Special-Ed teachers go through so much and pay for so much out of pocket. So we’ve teamed up with School Tools,” another business based in Fayetteville, “to ensure these teachers get what they need.”

    Niecie’s involvement also stems from a place a bit closer to home. Like Jon, she wants to be an agent of awareness regarding autism.

    “People tend to think of autism in one scope; this event is an opportunity to educate the community about what autism is and what it can be. We also want people to have fun at an awesome family event.”

    In that vein, Artists for Autism Awareness has plenty to offer.

    The 1-hour open mic stage will give local artists, many of whom are on the spectrum themselves, an opportunity to shine. In addition, performers can look forward to an awards ceremony at the end of the set, presented by “Little Niecie” herself.

    Attendees can pursue various vendor booths selling everything from woodcraft, wreaths, and jewelry to children’s books and poetry.

    Information booths for veterans and those with disabilities will be on-site to offer more information on available resources in the community.

    Complete with food trucks, a raffle, and plenty of activities for kids in attendance, the Artists for Autism Awareness is an event for anyone and everyone.

    Not forgetting its roots as a musical festival, the main stage has quite a show for those in attendance.

    Several local musicians, such as Fat Freddy’s Cat and Kevin Taylor, to name just a few, will be there to rock the crowd.

    By no means a local, but proud to now call Fayetteville his home, Jammin’ Jon will also take the stage to give back to a community for which he is so grateful.

    “This is surreal,” Jon says reflectively of the event, “this is much bigger than what I did in Rockaway; I never had anything like this.”

  • Ad Nothing says the start of Summer like free music, food, a cold drink and an opportunity for fun and entertainment on a Friday night. On April 1, the Gates Four Summer Concert Series will kick off with the Throwback Collaboration Band.

    This will be the second year the Gates Four Summer Concert Series will be held. Bill Bowman, the publisher of Up & Coming Weekly and sponsor of the Gates Four Summer Concert Series, says he is very excited to bring this event back to the community, especially in the Hope
    Mills area.

    "It was very successful last year as a first-time event, and this year we're actually extending it for one month. So we're going to add a concert. And it's going to run from April through September," Bowman said.

    The Summer Concert Series will present all concerts outdoors at the Gates Four Golf and Country Club Pavilion. The Concert Series includes a variety of musical acts, from a Lynyrd Skynyrd cover band to R&B.

    The first concert features headliners, the Throwback Collaboration Band (TCB). This seven-person band has been performing together since 2016, and they are all local to Fayetteville. The band members consist of A.D. Thomas, Mark “Duce” Thomas, Michael Counts, Larry Ludgood, Moshe Haire, Richard Bradford and Sybil Pinkney. Their music group shares a strong passion for playing R&B and smooth jazz. According to the band, their goal is to help keep the old-school funk alive.

    The next concert on June 26 will be the Heart Breaker, which will present a Heart-Led Zeppelin Tribute. June 3 picks up with Mostley Crue, a Motley Crue tribute band. On July 1, the concert series will host the versatile and local musicians Rivermist. The concert on August 5 will promise an all-female tribute to the rock band AC/DC. Shoot To Thrill is based out of Raleigh and tours all along the East Coast.

    The grand finale of the Summer Concert Series on September 2 is set to showcase the ultimate tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd. Tuesday's Gone, a band formed in 2005 in Raleigh, has dedicated itself to reproducing the original sound of what they call "one of the greatest and most legendary bands of all time."

    For the premiere of the concert series, Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner, as well as other local political names such as Rep. Diane Wheatly and Rep. John Szoka, will be at Gates Four on April 1 to help officially kick off the Summer Concert Series in Hope Mills by doing a red ribbon cutting.

    The gates open at 5 p.m. Starting at 6 p.m., a pre-entertainment show will start with local acoustic musician Judah Marshall.

    The concert will officially kick off at 7:30 p.m. with TCB. Individuals and families are invited to bring their chairs and blankets to enjoy the outdoor show.

    An afterparty will kick off at 10 p.m. The afterparty will take place at Sand Trap Sports Lounge, in Fayetteville on Purdue Street, and is free to attend. The afterparty will feature raffles, door prizes and more. Proceeds will support the Kidsville News Literacy and Education Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit whose mission is to improve literacy, education and character development among America's young children by supporting various early literacy and learning-based initiatives nationwide.

    Unlike last year, this year's concert series is free to attend. Food and beverages will be available for purchase and provided by Gates Four. There is an opportunity to buy VIP tickets and tables. VIP Concert Tickets are $65 per person, and each ticket entitles you to the concert, table seating inside the Pavilion and includes food, beer, wine and other beverages.

    VIP Tickets can be bought at https://www.fayettevilledinnertheatre.com/tickets/ or by calling 910-391-3859.

  • Hotels Very few people know that my first career out of the Army, in 1970, was in the hospitality industry. My degree, earned in the Army's Project Transition Program, was in hotel/motel management. And fortunately, my first job was with Pinehurst, Inc. I was a hotel management intern at their elegant and historic Carolina Hotel in the village of Pinehurst. I worked under and with the industry's most experienced and dedicated hospitality professionals. From bell hopping to the front desk to housekeeping, night auditing and food and beverage, I learned from the best. At twenty-one years old, I was eager to learn the craft and even keener to immerse myself in a satisfying career dedicated to making people feel welcomed, comfortable and happy.

    It's a colossal transition from hotel management and hospitality to newspaper publishing, and there were several other experiences and careers in-between. However, I learned one thing for sure, the rules and principles they taught me in the hospitality industry apply to every aspect of work and life I have experienced since then. This is why I have dedicated the past 26 years to showcasing and accentuating the Fayetteville community.
    When I created the Up & Coming Weekly newspaper in 1996, the Fayetteville community had no shortage of warm and welcoming residents, arts and culture, dedicated and involved business professionals or municipal leadership. What the Fayetteville community did lack was somewhat of an enigma to me, and that was an advocate for the city. In the absence of sufficient media, a dedicated local TV and radio station, the marketing and promotion of the uniquely friendly nature of our diverse Fayetteville community was lost. Filling that void became our mantra and, ultimately, our business philosophy. The rest is history. So, you may be asking what all this information has to do with apartments and hotels. Much.

    It is commendable that Jordan Jones of Prince Charles Holdings LLC and the city have agreed to build over 200 apartments above the $17 million-plus Hay Street Parking deck. The deck without the elevator! Residential apartments may seem like a good alternative after the Hyatt hotel, and office building didn't materialize. I do not think it is the best alternative because of all the hard work the Arts Council, Cool Spring Downtown District, Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Alliance and many others are doing to enhance historic downtown Fayetteville. Everyone wants to make downtown Fayetteville a thriving destination and a successful environment for local businesses, organizations and guests. With a background in the hospitality industry and after spending decades traveling for business, I can say, without a doubt, a first-class 3.5 or 4-star property located downtown would create a tourist and economical tour de force for Fayetteville and the downtown business community. The Exit 49, Skibo Road and Cross Creek Mall areas have good businesses; however, they are not in downtown Fayetteville. People wanting to experience the heart of our city want to stay in the heart of our city. Visitors, guests and travelers spending the night on the city's perimeter are reluctant to venture downtown and instead seek out more convenient restaurants or entertainment venues. However, if they stayed in the heart of historic downtown Fayetteville, the entire city would become their dining, entertainment and fun destination. I'm convinced that quality properties like Hyatt, Courtyard, Fairfield, Hilton or Hampton Inns would do exceptionally well while drawing travelers off I-95 and providing guests and visitors a favorable and hospitable impression of our community. Local downtown businesses and city and county agencies would support such a venture because a quality hotel would provide lodging and meeting space convenient to both city and county offices. A quality downtown hotel would be a win-win for the local downtown businesses, the city and the county government, the Airborne and Special Operations Museum, the Woodpeckers, the Arts Council and citizens. The apartments are good, but a quality downtown hotel would make historic downtown Fayetteville even better.

    I'll close by sharing this: On July 29, seven Harley Davidson motorcycle riders (and one BMW) will be leaving Fayetteville and traveling to Sturgis, South Dakota, a distance of 1850 miles. Our itinerary includes spending the night in hotels in downtown Charleston, West Virginia, downtown Cleveland, Ohio, downtown Ludington, Michigan, downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin and downtown Deadwood, South Dakota. We are not the exception to the rule of travel enjoyment. Without a quality hotel, downtown Fayetteville deprives itself of a substantial economic opportunity by neglecting to provide the facility and amenities this market
    demands.

    In closing, if you know of any local hotel or business entrepreneurs who agree with this assessment, have them contact me. After I retire from the newspaper business, I will gladly come and manage their hotel for them. Full disclosure, I was never very good at housekeeping!

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • We Americans take great pride in our Constitutional right to free speech. It is, after all, the very first amendment we made to our Constitution in our clarifying Bill of Rights in 1791. The First Amendment protects us from government restrictions on our speech, but it is widely interpreted as a right to voice our thoughts in public. We cherish it, in part, because other nations do not have such a guarantee for their people, a sad reality on full display during Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

    So, it is not surprising that a recent editorial in the New York Times with the headline America has a free speech problem" caught my attention. The Times' editorial board describes our problem this way. "For all the tolerance and enlightenment that modern society claims, Americans are losing hold of a fundamental right as citizens of a free country: the right to speak their minds and voice their opinions in public without fear of being shamed or shunned... the old lesson of 'think before you speak' has given way to the new lesson of 'speak at your peril.'"

    The Times lays much of the blame for this dangerous situation on the vicious ideological war between the right and left of our political system, with one side pretending "cancel culture" does not exist and the other side attacking rapid societal change with laws banning books and censoring some discussions in schools and colleges.

    What's more, the newspaper has teamed with Siena College to poll on this issue. Here are some of its questions … be honest with yourself as you read them!

    • Over the past year, have you held your tongue because you were concerned about retaliation or harsh criticism?
    • Over the past year, have you retaliated against or harshly criticized another person because of something he or she said?
    • How much of a problem is it that some Americans do not exercise their freedom of speech in everyday situations out of fear of retaliation or harsh criticism?

    No matter how you responded personally, 55% of those polled said they had indeed held their tongues, more women than men and slightly more Republicans than Democrats. Fewer, 22%, reported that they had done the retaliating, more younger folks and more liberals than conservatives.

    And, not surprisingly, fully 84% believe fear of retaliation for expressing one's opinions is a "very serious" or "somewhat serious" problem. Nearly half said they feel less free to talk about politics now than they did ten years ago.

    Millions of us are worried about this, and with good reason.

    Living in a free society requires respectful communication, not the free-flowing, often incorrect and false and/or unattributed vitriol on various social media platforms. Large numbers of us read, believe and disseminate misinformation, and disinformation is damaging our nation.

    We cannot communicate with — much less understand — each other if we do not respect each other's right to express our opinions, no matter how much we might disagree with those opinions. If we are honest with ourselves, most of us identify with one political side.

    At this time in our nation's history, few of us actually have open minds. Conversion is not the point.

    The point, the concern, the danger is that we have lost the will and the ability to communicate respectfully when we disagree with each other. We see each other not as fellow Americans with differing points of view but as enemies.

    If that is true, we have squandered our precious right to free speech.

    Therefore, we have canceled each other and our precious First Amendment right.

  • Market House The Market House was a major topic of discussion during Fayetteville’s City Council meeting Monday night and will continue to be for the next few months.

    The U.S. Department of Justice, which held two workshop meetings with 80 members of the community in October and January, presented a final report to the Council.

    Dion Lyons, a specialist from the DOJ who oversaw the two meetings, says these meetings were different than his usual City-SPIRIT workshops. This was because a decision was already made by the City to repurpose the Market House so the groups that met could not talk about demolition or moving the Market House. Instead, they discussed topics surrounding structural modification, art exhibits and themed events.

    “Both groups want to see the Market House as a symbol of education. They want the true comprehensive story of the history of the Market House to be told. Both groups want to see the Market House handicap accessible and ADA compliant. They want to see vibrant displays of art that connect Market House visitors with activities that promote positive emotional responses and insight. It would feature various genres of art that represent African-American culture and history, as well as an alternate space that is representative of Fayetteville. There were recommendations to enclose the arches to allow the structure to be secured once the proposed solutions are implemented," a spokeswoman for the Human-Rights Commission told the council.

    The goal of the DOJ report and the Human-Relations Commission was for the council to approve the report so the commission can go back and create a more detailed plan on which suggestions took the highest priority and create detailed plans on how to fulfill the suggestions.

    “We've narrowed down the community's input into a set of sort of action plans and recommendations for city council,” Lyons said. “Instead of reconvening all 80 or more citizens who participated, we would now go forward with the recommendations that we have and a subcommittee on a subcommittee of those same 80 people now represented by five from the first group in October and five from the second group in January. Those would be the people on the committee now tasked to work with the City Council to implement the plans that they came up with.”

    However, many council members felt that not enough community input was allowed for the DOJ meetings. The meetings were not open to the public, and the number of people allowed in the meetings was limited because of COVID-19. The people involved in the decisions were also chosen by the Fayetteville-Cumberland Human Rights Commission.

    Councilmember Courtney Banks-Mclaughlin motioned for the council’s staff to open these discussions back up to the public in order to receive more input about the repurposing of the Market House. That motion was approved 9 to 1, with Councilmember Johnny Dawkins voting against it.

    Fencing to come down
    The City Council also voted Monday night to take down the fence surrounding the Market House.

    The fence was put up around the Market House shortly after rioters set fire to the building following protests in May of 2020. City Manager Doug Hewett says the repairs are completed and it was up to the council to decide whether or not to keep the fencing up.

    "We're having open dialog on how to deal with it with the citizens of Fayetteville and we trying to hear back from them because it is a sticky, sticky subject,” Councilmember D.J. Haire said. “But I just don't see where the need to continue to have it surrounded with the temporary fence with all of the work has been done and the improvements has been done and the fence doesn't make it look any better.”

    Councilmember Antonio Jones said that he believes the fence is divisive and this is the right time to take it down.

    “At some point we have to trust the community to do the right thing, just like some would trust them to do the wrong thing,” Jones said.

    The motion passed nine to one, with Councilmember Banks-McLaughlin voting against.

    The City Manager said that the fence wouldn’t come down immediately, but would probably happen within the month.

    “We would probably want to make sure we gave notice so that we had made everyone aware and probably several days for that. We would need to remove the fencing, clean up, probably brush and sweep the area,” Hewitt said.

  • The water is safe at Fort Bragg, according to officials during a town hall last week. The virtual town hall addressed the concerns of possible water contamination and illness that have been rumored online.

    Col. Scott Pence, Fort Bragg Garrison Commander, hosted a town hall alongside Steve Wykel Director of Public Works, Audrey Oxendine from Public Works, LTC Teresa Pearce from Public Health and LTC Easter Strayer from the post’s Veterinary Clinic on Friday afternoon to answer questions from Fort Bragg residents.

    “Fort Bragg Garrison takes these issues seriously and an investigation is ongoing,” said Col. Scott Pence, Fort Bragg Garrison Commander. “The health and welfare of the Soldiers and their families are our number one priority.”

    The American States Utility Services routinely tests 70 different sites across Fort Bragg. The samples are used to test for bacteria and fecal matter present in the water. Based on recent concerns of possible, the garrison commander ordered additional samples this week, which have all come back negative.

    “We’ve never had an actual true positive sample where we had to do a boil water notice, but if we did have a sample come back positive for bacteria they immediately notify that location,” said Oxendine. “We resample upstream and downstream of that location, and then if it is positive, we issue a boil water notice.”

    Pence says what sickness is being seen on the installation is Norovirus. Norovirus is a very contagious virus that causes vomiting and diarrhea, according to the CDC. Fort Bragg says there has been a small number of norovirus cases reported in the area.

    Pearce stresses the importance of washing your hands and cleaning your home to help prevent this virus. She says the virus is very contagious and usually spreads within the household and from person to person.

    Since Norovirus spreads among children, Fort Bragg Schools and Child Development Centers have been notified of the concerns and to take extra precautions such as proper hand-washing, according to Pence.

  • Spring Lake Following a State Auditor's Office report about the misappropriation of funds in Spring Lake, the Local Government Commission (LGC) will officially step in to avoid payment processing problems.

    Following the release of the audit report, Interim Town Manager Samantha Wullenwaber was fired by the city. According to the LGC, Wullenwaber had the authority to sign checks and her abrupt dismissal left the town with limited options to perform that function.

    During a special meeting on Wednesday, March 23, the LGC voted to retain David Erwin as the town's finance officer and appointed Tiffany Anderson and Susan McCullen as deputy finance officers. All three are State and Local Government Finance Division employees. Erwin was retained as account signatory. Anderson and McCullen also were named account signatories. These appointees should ensure that checks go out on time.

    The Board of Alderman held their own closed session meeting the following night. While the board took no formal action and nothing was voted on, a new interim town manager was announced. The board agreed to hire Joe Durham from Joe Durham and Associates.

    Additionally, Spring Lake's town attorney, Jonathan Charleston, submitted his resignation on Wednesday, March 23.

    According to the LGC, in Charleston's letter to Spring Lake Mayor Kia Anthony, he expressed appreciation for the opportunity to work with the board.

    "While we have worked with the town through several challenges, we believe now is a good time to transition to new counsel," Charleston's letter stated, as recounted by the LGC.

    Charleston has provided a 30-day notice, but he said he "can accommodate a sooner departure with the town's express consent," according to the LGC.

  • Residents in rural Cumberland County with limited access to high-speed broadband internet may have more options in the coming years due to local and state funding through the American Rescue Plan Act.

    The county Board of Commissioners approved $1 million in local ARPA funding Monday to partner with Brightspeed, an internet service provider headquartered in Charlotte.

    Cumberland County received $65 million from ARPA, federal legislation passed last year to combat the public health and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    To fund the needed infrastructure, Brightspeed is applying to the N.C. Department of Information Technology for a Growing Rural Economies with Access to Technology, or GREAT, grant, which is also funded through ARPA money allocated to the state.

    GREAT, which started in 2018 before the pandemic, was redesigned for 2022 to incorporate $350 million from the federal dollars.

    ISPs, like Brightspeed, can apply for the GREAT grant. If accepted, ISPs can receive up to $4 million.

    The ISP, as dictated from state legislation in 2018 that started GREAT, must match that grant anywhere from 35%-50%.

    However, ISPs can partner with counties, such as Cumberland, to request local ARPA dollars to be used as part of the required matching funds.

    “That is a big focus of the way that this particular state legislation is written,” said Angela Bailey, director of the broadband infrastructure office at NCDIT. “To encourage partnerships with counties so that we’re leveraging both the state ARPA dollars and the local ARPA dollars.”

    At the meeting Monday, County Manager Amy Cannon told commissioners that Brightspeed plans to bring high-speed fiber access to 2,017 residences and businesses.

    The company estimates the total cost of the project to be $7.5 million, costing about $3,700 per location.

    If accepted into the GREAT grant program, Brightspeed and Cumberland County would invest $2.5 million and $1 million, respectively, as the company has applied for the maximum grant amount of $4 million.

    The application period for the $350 million in the grant program began Jan. 31 and will end April 4.

    NCDIT will begin assessing applications after that date.

    Brightspeed is the second company in recent months to announce expansion of its fiber network into Cumberland County.

    Metronet, a fiber internet company based in Indiana, launched its fiber network in the county earlier this month, Carolina Public Press reported.

    The company is investing $70 million of its own money into the new infrastructure. According to the county and the city of Fayetteville, neither is spending any money on the project.

    The city’s Public Works Commission, however, is investing $1.7 million in the construction.

    Metronet has announced plans to expand to parts of rural Cumberland, including the small towns of Falcon, Godwin, Linden and Stedman.

    Brightspeed has not been in contact with the PWC, a spokesperson with PWC said.

    Requirements of the GREAT program
    To be eligible for the GREAT grant that Brightspeed is pursuing, the funds must be used to build eligible infrastructure in economically distressed counties or rural census tracts with limited broadband access in other counties.

    The state defines eligible counties as the first and second of the N.C. Department of Commerce’s three-tiered county system, with tier one being defined as the most economically disadvantaged. Cumberland is among the tier one counties.

    Brightspeed’s construction plan for its fiber network includes many rural parts of Cumberland, stretching from Gray’s Creek through the Rockfish Road area in Hope Mills to the Hoke County line, Cannon said. The coverage area will also go from Wade to the Harnett County line, she said.

    The purpose of the GREAT grant program is to serve rural communities like these as it often isn’t profitable for ISPs to build infrastructure in remote areas, Bailey said.

    “(The program) essentially incentivizes private-sector providers, broadband providers, to build into areas of the state that are unserved with broadband service,” she said.

    NCDIT defines unserved as locations with no access to internet service with speeds of at least 25 megabytes per second download and 3 megabytes per second upload.

    While more than 99% of Cumberland County has access to that level of service, according to data from NCDIT, most of that is centered in Fayetteville.

    Less than 10% of the entire county has access to fiber internet service, which typically offers speeds well above the state’s minimum threshold.

    A Brightspeed spokesperson said in an email to Carolina Public Press that the company offers speeds up to 1 gigabyte per second upload and download, which is about 1,000 megabytes.

    During the GREAT grant program’s vetting process, NCDIT will administer scores to applicants that account for how fast the service is, how many unserved locations there are in the project and the cost of construction, among other things.

    Applicants with the highest scores, based on available funding, will be accepted into the program.

    After the application phase, accepted ISPs will have a two-year window to complete construction, though a Brightspeed spokesperson said the company would anticipate the project in Cumberland to be finished before that window lapses.

    After construction, NCDIT will continue to monitor the ISP’s service to ensure deployed speeds are maintained as part of the grant requirements, Bailey said.

    As a federal requirement of ARPA, ISPs must also participate in the affordable connectivity program, which requires that households at 200% or below the federal poverty level receive certain discounts on internet service.

    GREAT prior to ARPA
    Prior to ARPA, the GREAT grant program operated initially with $10 million from the state. In the years after, it received $15 million annually.

    The first ISPs accepted into the program completed construction last summer.

    According to NCDIT, the program throughout its history has awarded over $55 million to ISPs to expand broadband service to over 40,000 residences and businesses in North Carolina.

  • Cumberland County Courthouse Last Friday, Cumberland County filed a lawsuit against Chemours and DuPont chemical companies, accusing the companies of causing severe groundwater contamination in the county.

    The law firm companies, Crueger Dickinson L.L.C. and Baron & Budd, P.C., filed the lawsuit on behalf of Cumberland County.

    DuPont has had a chemical facility in Cumberland County dating back to the 1960s. In the 1980s, DuPont started discharging a chemical known as PFOA into the Cape Fear River. PFOA was a type of PFAS chemical, also known as a "forever chemical" because they do not naturally break down and accumulate in the environment and the blood and organs of people and animals. In 2005, PFOA was phased out after the Environmental Protection Agency penalized DuPont for failing to report information about its risk to human health and the environment. In 2009, the company began using a substitute known as GenX, another type of PFAS substance, claiming it was safer. However, the E.P.A. has since said that GenX exposure is associated with an increased risk of health problems in animal studies, including issues in the kidney, liver, immune system and others. Additionally, it can increase the risk of cancer.

    Chemours promised in 2017 to capture, remove and safely dispose of the contaminants in the drinking water source.

    In October 2020, North Carolina filed a lawsuit against DuPont and Chemours, alleging they were aware of the health threats associated with GenX. North Carolina officials announced in August that Chemours had exceeded limits on how much GenX it's Fayetteville factory was emitting and fined them $300,000 for the violations.

    The Complaint alleges that the companies discharged these toxic chemicals into the air, groundwater, and surface water for decades.

    "These companies have used the environment surrounding the Fayetteville Works facility as a dumping ground for hundreds of chemicals while assuring the E.P.A. and state agencies that they were doing no such thing," the Complaint alleges.

    According to the county, these chemicals have been detected at two elementary schools and have impacted thousands of Cumberland County residents who use groundwater wells as their sole water source.

    Up & Coming Weekly has reached out to the Chemours Company F.C., L.L.C., DuPont de Nemours, Inc., and Corteva, Inc. about the lawsuit but has not heard back.

  • Fort Bragg A visit from the 10th Marines Field Artillery Regiment at Fort Bragg will mean a larger than usual presence of loud explosions and artillery fire.

    The Marines will be conducting their semi-annual field artillery section certifications, command-post exercise, and live-fire training, Operation Rolling Thunder, March 24 through April 10. The field artillery live fire portion of the exercise starts on March 28. The 10th Marines will fire significant amounts of M777 Howitzer 155mm ammunition from twenty different M777 Howitzers, which can be associated with loud explosions and reverberations upon detonation.

     At the same time, field artillery units from the 82nd Airborne Division and the 18th Field Artillery Brigade will conduct live-fire training resulting in additional loud explosions and reverberations.

    “The training conducted at Fort Bragg is necessary to help maintain the 10th Marine Regiment’s readiness,” said Sharilyn Wells, Fort Bragg spokesperson. “We ask the communities surrounding Fort Bragg to be understanding while they are here training.”

    According to Wells, all field artillery units will comply with existing requirements that prohibit them from massing fires larger than battalion size between 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. daily or from firing during the hours of 10 a.m. to noon on Sundays.

  • IMG 0854 The Gilbert Theater, "Theater with a Pulse," brings "Othello," a tale of love, envy, betrayal and race to its stage from March 25 to April 10.

    The Gilbert is an award-winning community theater located in the heart of downtown Fayetteville, founded in 1994 by Lynn Pryer. Now in its 28th season, the theater prides itself on bringing a diverse selection of topics, tastes and artistic styles to the stage.

    "Othello" tells the story of Venetian general Othello, a nobleman of Black Moorish descent. Othello struggles to hold on to his reputation, his secret marriage to Desdemona and his military career at the hands of Iago, a scheming, lower-ranked soldier driven by jealousy.

    Written around 1604, Othello tackles themes that co-directors Lawrence Carlisle III and Montgomery Sutton believe still resonates with audiences today.

    "This play is about something that at its heart is universal," said Carlisle, who is also artistic director at the Gilbert Theater.

    While the idea of Shakespeare may seem intimidating for some, Sutton's adaptation is designed to be accessible, bridging the gulf between classical works like Shakespeare and modern-day audiences.
    The production will be modern, with the characters dressed in everyday clothing. Sutton wants the characters to be "incredibly recognizable" to the people in the audience.
    The play will unfold as a "psychological thriller," with the run time cut to 90 minutes and one intermission.

    "We've taken fine-grit sandpaper to this play and made it smooth and aerodynamic."

    "The goal," Sutton explains, "is to tell a story simply and clearly," Carlisle echoes the sentiment, expressing his deep appreciation for this play. He feels it is one of Shakespeare's "most focused and straightforward works."

    "We've trimmed a lot of fat off the language," Sutton explains. "It's still rich; it's still heightened; it's still Shakespeare, but with nothing extraneous."

    Ultimately, Carlisle and Sutton want theatergoers to feel connected. Engagement is a word that comes up a lot when speaking about the play's production and their hopes for the audience.

    "I want people to walk away really connecting with questions the play asks about human nature, what it means to be a villain, and what culpability we have for our actions," Sutton said. "Come ready to have your assumptions challenged."

    Carlisle invites the audience to come and truly experience theater, stating that "live theater is a much more visceral experience than other forms of entertainment."

    "I want people to come to enjoy live theater, enjoy the show, and come away with more appreciation for Shakespeare," Carlisle said. “If you don't like Shakespeare or feel you don't understand Shakespeare — this is the show to see."

    While online ticket purchases are recommended, the box office will be open one and a half hours prior to the show's start.

    General admission tickets are $18; discount tickets for first responders, military, students, and seniors are also available. Tickets can be purchased at www.gilberttheater.com. For more information, call 910- 678-7186.

  • Monster Truckz Crown Thumbnail ea5e6f03f8 Truckz! Truckz! And more Truckz are headed to Fayetteville's Crown Complex Arena from March 25 to March 27.

    "This is a thrill-show featuring highly trained professionals, so first and foremost, we want to tell people: do not try this at home," said Ariel Valeires, on-site manager for Monster Truckz Extreme.

    The show offers a variety of "gravity-defying" acts to shock and amaze, emphasizing a "high-octane" experience.

    "Most people have heard of monster trucks, but we have so much more than that. We have a human cannonball. Our show is very fast, high speed, high energy and high risk," Valeires said.

    This event aims to bring spectacle and awe to its audience, focusing on fun that's appropriate for all ages.

    "We want to offer our audience a good time with their family, the whole family, which is entertainment that's hard to come by nowadays. We want to entertain people aged 0-110," Valeires said.

    The show will be packed with opportunities for kids to learn, engage and play with the gigantic machines right there on site.
    The Monster Truckz Pit Party is a free pre-show at the Monster Truckz event where kids can take pictures and snag the drivers' autographs. Additionally, attendees can learn about the physics and mechanics behind the incredible vehicles before seeing them in action.

    Visitors are encouraged to arrive early, as "The Pit" takes place two hours before the show. During this time, young attendees can visit the "Kids Zone," an area complete with rides on a real monster truck, a gigantic slide, face-painting and a bounce house.

    The show runs from February to December each year and performs in a different city each week with no weeks off. It's an incredible commitment for the drivers, performers and support staff.
    But for Valeires, the long weeks on the road are worth it.

    "For me, the best part of the show is to see the same look of excitement on thousands of faces all at the same time," Valeires said. "Most people have only ever seen monster trucks on TV, so they're not prepared for just how loud it is. Seeing all those faces when the engines start is hard to describe. You have to see it to believe it."

    The event will be held outdoors, and Valeires has some advice for attendees.

    "Honestly, this is an outdoor performance where we perform rain or shine. So check the weather before you come and dress accordingly. If it might rain—bring an umbrella. Be prepared for a very loud show. You're about to experience something you've never seen before."

    Showtimes are Friday, March 25, at 7 p.m., Saturday, March 26, at 2 and 7 p.m., and Sunday, March 27, at 2 p.m.

    The Crown Complex Arena is located at 1960 Coliseum Dr. For more information and tickets, visit: www.monstertruckz.com.

  • pitt What's in a name? Would a Viking by any other name smell as sweet? This is the musical question America is asking itself right now. Well lucky you, my two gentle readers, today's assault on world literature will answer that question as we look at my favorite Viking, the inimitable Ivar the Boneless. What? You say you have never heard of Ivar the Boneless? For shame. Allow me to correct that gap in your knowledge of Norsemen.

    Ivar was a real person. His full name was Ivar Ragnarsson, but his buddies called him Ivar the Boneless. He strode the Earth in the middle of the 9th Century, raising heck wherever he went. His daddy was King Ragnar Lodbrok. Like many Kings, Ragnar had issues. On Ragnar's wedding night, his bride Aslaug told him that their son would be born boneless unless he waited three nights to consummate their marriage. Ragnar, being hot to trot, chose not to wait.

    Living up to Asluag's prophecy, legend says Ivar was born without bones. Scientists guess that Ivar might have had osteogenesis imperfecta, a terrible condition of brittle bones that break frequently. Some Norse experts think that Ivar's nickname was a Viking joke. They propose that Ivar was actually a giant. His buddies called him Boneless like calling a 300-pound man "Tiny." The actual truth is lost in the fog of time. In any event, history has called him Ivar the Boneless forevermore.

    Ivar's daddy, King Ragnar, came to a bad end. After losing a battle to King Aella of North Umbria, Ragnar got tossed into a pit of poisonous snakes, dying a venomous death. His death did not sit well with Ivar and his brothers, who then invaded Britain to kick some Northumbrian backside in 865 A.D.

    As the story goes, Ivar the Boneless was carried into battles on a shield smiting his enemies with his sword or piercing them with arrows from his longbow. After winning a battle, Viking warlords enjoyed being carried around on the shields of the defeated enemy just to rub it in. The same phenomenon occurred when Tar Heel fans went to Franklin Street to celebrate the recent defeat of Dook at Coach K's last home game and beatification. That loss caused Coach K to emulate Lesley Gore's great song, "It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to." But I digress, back to Ivar.

    Ivar was a wild man in battle. He got to be known as a Berserker. Berserkers were Viking warriors who went absolutely bananas when the blood lust was lusting. Historians say the term came from the Vikings' habit of wearing a bearskin into battle. "Ber" means bear, and "Serker" means coat in Viking talk. Watch out; you just learned something new that was old. After Ivar whipped King Aella in battle, he subjected him to a gooey and painful death called the "blood eagle." As this is a family newspaper, I shall spare you the gruesome details of the "blood eagle," but you can look it up on Mr. Google if you are curious. Ivar apparently died about 873 A.D. of a "sudden and horrible disease," according to Irish records. An English researcher claims that the bones of a nine-foot-tall Viking found in Ireland might be the remains of Ivar. If Ivar were nine feet tall, that could explain his silly nickname. At this point, we say goodbye to Ivar but continue to consider some colorful Viking names.

    The Vikings' twisted sense of humor shows up in many of their names. When they weren't robbing monasteries or despoiling virgins, Vikings spent a lot of time like the former guy making up nicknames. Shakespeare may have stolen his lines from Ivar's berserking band of brothers when he had Henry V say: "We few, we happy few, we band of brothers/ For he today that sheds his blood with me/ Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile."

    Ponder the names of Ivar's buddies: Eric Bloodaxe, Gunnstein Berserk-Killer, Olaf the Witch Breaker, Harald Wartooth, Thoriir the Troll Buster, Sigurd Snake in the Eye, Sweyn Forkbeard, Asbjorn Muscle of Orastead, Hilf the Castrator of Horses, Sigurd the Stout, Ljot the Unwashed, Tryggvi the Pretender and last but not least Eystein Foul-Fart. Who would want to meet any of this vile group in hand-to-hand combat?

    Being duly sensitive to today's current woke culture, one can only imagine the humiliation and smell shaming visited upon poor old Eystein Foul-Fart. Eystein was probably suffering from some gastrointestinal disorder that caused him to become socially isolated and sustain great mental anguish. The sorrow and the pity. I can only liken his suffering to that of a worker named Leon. I was once in a restaurant restroom and noticed a defacing of the sign that says, "Employees must wash their hands after every visit."

    Some insensitive lout had singled out poor Leon on said sign. The lout had written in ink below the printed "Employees must wash their hands" "Especially Leon."

    Eystein and Leon were brothers who suffered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. The horror. The horror. Can't we all just get along?

  • Clue Social Media Posts 9 Jennifer Newman, Marc de la Concha and Jock Brocki sit around a plain table at Cape Fear Regional Theatre. They talk like they are involved in a rapid-fire improv. The jokes fly back and forth, and the three actors seem to build off one another's comments, moving through the quips as if they were planned. In just a couple of days, the trio will brave a dark and stormy night, a moving stage and a murder. They will come as Miss Scarlet,

    Wadsworth and Mr. Boddy, respectively. They are just three of the actors in the upcoming musical "Clue: On Stage."

    "As soon as I heard they were doing 'Clue,' I immediately started researching everything I possibly could on Miss Scarlett. I thought if I could get this, I would cry," Newman said.

    "We missed the crying part," Brocki quickly quipped. The three actors immediately laughed. The rapport they have with each other is palpable and engaging.

    The play is an adaptation of the 1985 movie "Clue," directed by Jonathan Lynn and starring Tim Curry.

    Newman said she loved the movie and, of course, the "confident, sexy" Miss Scarlet. While she idolized the confidence that Miss Scarlet had and went into the audition with the goal of landing the part, every actor has to take their roles in a "different direction."

    "I feel like you have to give at least some nods to the classics … I don't think anyone could be the exact character they saw in the movie. It's important to give an audience a new take on all these characters," Newman said.

    Newman and De la Concha are local actors, and Brocki is a self-proclaimed, semi-retired actor living in the Triangle area. De la Concha is also the Director of Education for Cape Fear Regional Theatre.
    Brocki jokes that De la Concha didn't even need to audition for Wadsworth.

    "I had to do a little bit of an audition," De la Concha said.

    Brocki laughed and gave a playful eye roll. Picking up on his humor, and having a naturally happy-go-lucky demeanor, De la Concha added, "I knew just a little bit before."

    De la Concha plays Wadsworth, the same role played by Curry in "Clue," the motion picture. When De la Concha speaks about Curry, he remarks on the iconic nature of his depiction of the character and a sort of mixture of both excitement and intimidation about playing this part.

    "I'm no Tim Curry. He's amazing, but you want to pay respect to something that is so iconic but bring a new take to it," he said.
    Something the three actors can agree on without hesitation, the true magic and finesse of the play, is the fast-paced conversation that takes place between the ten actors in the production and quick movements requiring precision.

    "You can't mess up the details. The characters go over everything with a fine-tooth comb so you can't mess it up," De la Concha said.

    "No pressure," Newman said while laughing.

    The stage and set for this production are multi-layered; Brocki helped with the construction. It will have many hidden doors and rooms, and, according to Brocki, the set itself will have a lot of movement — not just the actors.

    "For an audience, there's a lot of eye candy," Brocki said.

    The show's director, Mary Catherine Burke, wants the audience to feel like they are a part of the board game. The actors will be almost surrounded on three sides by their audience at many points.

    "Things are sliding and moving … the audience will feel like they are in the game with us," De la Concha said.

    With all the movement, the actors admit that because the show is a murder mystery, they have to make sure the movements are precise. The audience is supposed to want to figure out the murder alongside the characters, so the recreation of scenes and details matters. The finer details, Newman said, are the hardest part.

    "It's hard to make sure you are where you need to be when you need to be there," she paused before continuing, "in heels."

    "I don't have heels," Brocki laughed.

    "I guess I could if it was part of the costume," De la Concha said.

    The three performers stop for a second, look at one another then share another giggle.
    The music for the show will be original to this production. There will be a lot of sound cues for the actors, and the music, the actors promise, will be a large part of the show and its mounting suspense. The theater hired Los Angeles producer David Abbinant to create the music and sound cues for the play.

    "There's an entire scene with no lines. It's basically like a dance number in a play," Newman said.

    "Clue: On Stage" will be made up of 11 actors. It will be about 90 minutes in length and offer no intermission. Within five minutes of the start of the show, the audience will be able to see all the actors on stage together.

    The key to the performance was keeping it going at a fast pace, just like the original movie.

    "The cast is together most of the evening. They are so suspicious of one another they want to stay together, so they don't get murdered," De la Concha said.

    De la Concha said this show will not be a run of the mill one direction show. The actors will be surrounded on three sides by the audience — an intentional involvement that differs from regular plays at the theatre.

    "We say you are in the game. You are in it with us," he said.

    The actors share a few laughs about the start of rehearsal, including De la Concha telling his fellow cast members that they would all have to play his Golden Girls' version of the Clue board game at some point.
    During the first rehearsal, they recalled, Burke asked each of them to talk about their favorite games growing up. Brocki said marbles. De la Concha said Nintendo. Newman loved Monopoly. She's competitive, she said.

    "I like Monopoly, Risk … anything that requires complete domination," Newman laughed.

    "Okay, Miss Scarlett," De la Concha chuckled.

    "That's why she was cast," Brocki added.

    The quick jokes and back-forth of their conversation is just a little peek into the chemistry that the crowd can expect on the stage during "Clue: On Stage." This sort of chemistry and connection is what De la Concha said was the easiest part of putting this particular play together. The play requires its actors to have fun and be involved in a lot of conversation and physical comedy.

    "We did this play merely because it's fun. It's engaging. It takes your mind off of what happened that day. All you can think about is who did it," said Ashley Owen, Marketing Director for Cape Fear Regional Theatre.

    "Clue: On Stage" will run from March 24 through April 10. Tickets are $15 to $25. Military and educator discounts are available during special Military Appreciation and Educator Appreciation nights.
    The show is rated PG for parental guidance. It contains mild and comedic themes of violence and adult humor.

  • pub pen There are two new attractions at the zoo where we display all the critters and culprits in North Carolina state and local politics. The two latest arrivals to our political zoo are the Fayetteville Observer (FO)/Opinion Editor Myron Pitts and the Public Policy Polling (PPP). The Fayetteville Observer recently asked the few readers they have left what their thoughts were on Gov. Roy Cooper’s surprise endorsement of former Democratic City Councilmember Val Applewhite over current District 19 Sen. Kirk deViere. The Public Policy Polling (PPP) joins the FO/Pitts for hastily rushing out a survey showing Applewhite with a substantial double-digit lead over deViere in the Senate District 19 Democratic Party primary. It’s all happening at the zoo!

    The FO has seldom asked a question to which they didn’t already have the answer; their response is usually already set and ready to go to press. Some of their news coverage and editorial writings are so outlandish that Gannett (owner of FO) has begun putting disclaimers on their editorials:

    OPINION. This piece expresses the views of its author(s), separate from those of this publication.

    What? How can this be when the newspaper publication itself employs the writer? It may be that declining FO revenue, loss of subscriptions and reader pushback could have warranted and precipitated Gannett’s action. CYA.

    Next, to earn their spot at the zoo, the PPP is a Democratic organization operating out of Raleigh. PPP has used questions, in this writer's opinion, designed to sway and influence public opinion. The recent poll produced by PPP for Applewhite's campaign deserves an “F” and has been deemed “very much worthless” by a local political commentator.
    Cooper and his celebrated-fifteen-minutes-of-fame endorsement of Applewhite have unnerved and embarrassed his party. Even prominent members of the Democratic Party are asking, “… What was he thinking?”

    Cooper has exposed just how nasty, retaliatory, impulsive and mindless the Democratic Party is when someone doesn’t tow the Democratic line.

    On May 17, the Democratic primary will be the ultimate answer to whether Cooper impacted the election outcome beyond demeaning the integrity of North Carolina politics in general. Even though District 19 is a three-way race between Applewhite, deViere, and retired Judge Ed Donaldson, all eyes will be on Applewhite and deViere. No one can predict the outcome at this point. However, we know this: As a former Councilmember, Applewhite’s vexed and argumentative personality did little for the City of Fayetteville citizens and even less for her community and constituents. And, she indeed did nothing to bring $413 million to Fayetteville and Cumberland County to enhance our quality of life.

    We urge our readers to become “election intelligent.” Know the candidates and what they stand for, and vote in every election.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

    OPINION. This piece expresses the views of its author, not separate from those of the publisher.

  • Cumberland County Courthouse Facing a crucial decision about benefits for employees, Cumberland County is going to ask its workers for their perspective.

    Cumberland County will survey its employees in the coming weeks to see whether they prefer higher premiums with lower deductibles, or vice versa, as part of the upcoming fiscal year’s health insurance plan.

    The Board of Commissioners on Monday unanimously approved taking $2 million from the county’s general fund to keep premiums and deductibles the same as last year as a way to keep high and rising health care costs in check for employees.

    Before finalizing those rates, though, commissioners want to see what workers prefer.

    Commissioner Jimmy Keefe, who objected to not lowering deductibles at a previous meeting, introduced the idea of a survey Monday.

    “I’m not asking for any additional money, but possibly paying a higher premium to get a lower deductible,” he said.

    Oftentimes, Keefe said, employees are unable to pay the high deductibles, resulting in letters and calls from collection agencies.

    “It’s just a revolving door of pain and suffering,” he said.

    The current deductible for individuals, under the county’s plan through Blue Cross Blue Shield, is $2,000. For employees and their families, it’s $6,000.

    The monthly premium for a standard wellness plan is $21 for individuals and $296 for families.

    How premiums impact deductibles
    Cumberland Finance Director Vicki Evans said key differences exist between premiums and deductibles that prevent an exact offset in increases and decreases to either.

    “The premiums give the county upfront money because that’s being deducted from the employees’ pay every pay period, but the deductible is on the back end,” she said.

    Most employees are far from likely to pay the full deductible, as that requires receiving that much health care in a given year.

    “Many of our employees, they never meet (the deductible),” Evans said. “They go to primary care visits only during the year. Primary care visits are only subject to copays. There’s no real impact on the people who may be paying more for a premium without additional benefit.”

    To determine the effect of a higher premium on the deductible, Evans said, the county’s insurance broker will need to run figures that account for a collective claims history among employees.

    According to a presentation to the county during its previous meeting, annual paid claims rose to over $22 million, an increase of 21.5%.

    Evans said she expects to have the survey results ready to present to the commissioners by their second meeting next month on April 18.

    Rising health care costs
    Before the board’s agreement, Cumberland was projected to have a $4.38 million deficit in health care costs for the upcoming year, according to the county.

    Beyond the $2 million from the general fund, the board agreed to raise employer contributions as part of next year’s budget to make up the rest of the costs.

    Last year, before the increase in paid claims, the board had planned to decrease deductibles by $1,000, but rising costs rendered that financially impossible.

    “It’s just not good news,” Chairman Glenn Adams said at a previous meeting upon hearing the news.

    “A benefit isn’t a benefit if you can’t afford to pay it.”

    To keep the cost of that benefit the same for now, the board decided to invest the $2 million.

    But those costs could keep increasing.

    “The county is continuing to monitor health insurance cost trends on a monthly basis,” an emailed statement from the county said.

    “Trends are showing health insurance costs are rising. However, each year the broker will evaluate and determine feasibility of various deductible amounts.”

    County keeps health reimbursement plan
    In an attempt to keep health costs low for workers, the board also decided to keep in place the health reimbursement account for employees.

    The HRA, which was established last year, allows employees, once they go over the $1,000 deductible mark, to apply for reimbursement of health costs up to $1,000.

    The broker, however, didn’t recommend renewal, as it costs the county $7,000 per month in administration costs.

    “This isn’t the traditional way to handle deductibles but is a way the board could help members in managing health insurance costs,” county officials said.


     Photo Credit: The Cumberland County Courthouse in Fayetteville houses meetings of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners. Melissa Sue Gerrits / Carolina Public Press

  • Some North Carolina counties taking state-allocated rental aid may have to use local funds to disburse it, as fees used to fund that process are lower than what was allowed with previous allocations due to a different set of rules.

    The state’s relief comes from the $46 billion Congress approved through federal stimulus. The assistance was created to curb evictions due to widespread income loss at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    This was split into two rounds of relief: one from the December 2020 stimulus and the other from the American Rescue Plan Act in March 2021.

    Portions of that went to the state government and North Carolina’s 12 most populous counties — Buncombe, Cabarrus, Cumberland, Durham, Forsyth, Gaston, Guilford, Johnston, Mecklenburg, New Hanover, Union and Wake.

    To allow for state and local governments to pay for the disbursement of this aid, the U.S. Treasury allowed for 10% of the funds in the first round of relief to be used for administration.

    For the second round of assistance, that increased to 15%.

    The state government’s over $1 billion in rent relief, however, was limited to a lower percentage.

    In Senate Bill 172 from last year, the state legislature divided portions of its allocation to those same 12 counties, but it limited administration fees to just 5%.

    For some counties, that lower rate may not cover disbursement costs. If the county decides to take the money, any additional expenses may have to be paid for with local dollars.

    Cumberland County, for instance, is set to receive more than $31 million in rent aid from the state, but the administration fee won’t be enough to cover the salaries of its rent relief staff, according to county officials.

    Of the 25 positions that Cumberland has listed for applications, three will be funded by the Department of Social Services budget, each at an annual salary of nearly $32,000.

    But additional dollars from the county may be needed. County officials said in an email that it hasn’t determined whether enough DSS money is available to cover the salaries.

    Cumberland’s rental assistance program was previously administered by Innovative Emergency Management, but the private company said the lower fee was not enough to cover its costs going forward, Carolina Public Press previously reported.

    DSS is set to take over the program as the county Board of Commissioners, by unanimous vote, unofficially approved having Social Services handle administration at a previous meeting.

    At Monday’s meeting, the board will vote on whether to finalize the move.

    ‘An expensive program to run’
    Buncombe was one of the counties that took rental aid from the state.

    To disburse the money, county dollars are being used due to the limitations of the 5% administrative fee, said Phillip Hardin, Buncombe County’s economic services director.

    “At the end of the day, it’s an expensive program to run,” he said. “It’s a very labor-intensive program with a lot of work involved.”

    That work involves processing applications to ensure the tenants meet aid requirements. Staff members must work with applicants to verify that they earn 80% or less of the area median income and that they lost income due to the pandemic.

    “We’ve used county dollars for certain to offset,” Hardin said.

    “We’re using staff who work in programs that have revenue attached to them, such as food assistance and Medicaid.”

    That’s not necessarily universal across the state. Hardin said it depends on the county.

    “Counties pay different amounts,” Hardin said. “We pay fairly well in Buncombe, versus maybe another county that doesn’t pay and have benefits like we do.”

    According to the job listings for Cumberland, DSS will offer benefits to those who take the positions.

    Cumberland DSS Director Heather Skeens said in an email that the salaries are equivalent to current DSS positions.

    Despite the decrease in administration funding from the state, Hardin said that the efficiency and the speed of the program in Buncombe have not been affected.

    The fee limitation will not impact the performance of Cumberland’s program either, Skeens said.

    Shift to housing stability services
    While the state allocations are limited to a 5% administrative fee, an additional 5% in housing stability services is allowed. That funding can include, among other things, paying staff to speak with and obtain documentation from landlords. The money can be used on social workers who attend court to assist tenants with an eviction case.

    Mecklenburg County contracted DreamKey Partners to administer the county’s rental aid. Erin Barbee, the company’s chief strategy officer, said the fee limitations forced the firm to reduce staff and lean more into its application software.

    “When we were told that it was changing from 10% to 5%, we needed to shift pretty quickly,” she said. “We were already in conversation about how we could use technology to our advantage and reduce people power, because our program was driven by people power, and it was efficient, but it needed to have more efficiencies.”

    The fee changes forced existing staff away from administrative duties, Barbee said.

    “We put more people into the housing stability services, which gave us the ability to serve those on the ground in the courthouses,” she said. “It was a shift, but I would say it was a good one. We weren’t thinking in that manner before.

    “It’s hard to be upset about the change when it was a positive outcome for us.”

    While the limitations of the state legislation led DreamKey to invest in housing stability services, they were allowed beforehand at a higher rate.

    Both rounds of the direct federal allocation allowed 10% in housing stability. That’s on top of the respective 10% and 15% in administrative fees in the first two runs of relief.

    With that flexibility, Cumberland’s previous administrator, Innovative Emergency Management, used the maximum 25% of the aid at one point for administration and housing stability, Carolina Public Press previously reported.

    In Buncombe County, Hardin said he preferred the previous rate.

    “I would hope that they would have kept it at what Treasury kept it at,” he said.

    Cumberland will use the housing stability funds to pay case managers to work on the ground with landlords and renters, obtaining documentation when necessary from each, while also assisting tenants in court in preventing evictions, when appropriate, Skeens said.

  • sheriff earl buttler Former Cumberland County Sheriff Earl "Moose" Butler passed away on Sunday, March 20, according to a news release from the Sheriff's Office.

    The 84-year-old man passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, according to the press release.

    Butler served as Sheriff of Cumberland County for 22 years, from 1994 to 2016. Prior to being elected as sheriff, Butler worked as a district supervisor with the North Carolina Department of Probation and Parole. He was one of the longest-serving Sheriffs in North Carolina.

    Prior to working in law enforcement, Butler was a football player who went on to play for UNC and eventually the Pittsburgh Steelers.

    In 2019, the Sheriff’s Training Center was renamed in honor of Earl R. Butler. Wright was the one to submit that nomination.

    “Building dedications should be done while someone is alive so they can appreciate it, like we appreciate them," Wright said at the time.

    In 2021, the name of Princeton Street in the Massey Hill community was changed to Moose Butler Lane in honor of Butler. Butler grew up in the Massey Hill neighborhood.

    A Public Viewing will be held on Wednesday, March 23 at Rogers and Breece Funeral Home, 500 Ramsey Street Fayetteville, from 5:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. A Celebration of Sheriff Earl R. Butler's Life Services will be on Thursday, March 24, at 2 p.m. at Massey Hill Baptist Church. There is limited seating. The interment will follow with a private graveside service.

    The family requests that memorials be made to Falcon Children's Home 7569 N. West Street Falcon, NC 28342 and the UNC Lineberger Cancer Center 123 W. Franklin Street, Suite 510, Chapel Hill, NC 27516.

    COMMUNITY REACTS

    County Commissioner Chairman Glenn Adams has ordered all flags at County facilities to be lowered to half-staff in honor of Moose. The flags will remain at half-staff until Butler's funeral.

    "On behalf of Cumberland County, I send our deepest condolences to the Butler family. We have lost a gentle giant of a man. First and foremost, Sheriff Butler cared about people. He was a fair and just man who thought about the whole county and how to make it the best place to live for everyone. We will miss him," Adams said in a press release.

    Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin also gave his condolences to the Butler family in a statement.

    "Today, many hearts of our community are saddened by the passing of Former Sheriff Earl Moose Butler. Sheriff Butler contributed tremendously to the safety and security of our community with his decades of public service. We are rarely given an opportunity to work with a true servant like Moose Butler. Our thoughts and prayers are with Sheriff Butler’s family and loved ones."

    Governor Roy Cooper tweeted that Butler was a strong friend and leader.

    "Sheriff Moose Butler was a true public servant who worked diligently to protect the health & safety of the people of Cumberland County. I’m grateful for our decades of friendship, his strong leadership across our state and the real difference he made in the lives of so many," Cooper said.

    Cumberland County Schools will comply with the order to fly flags at half staff in concert with other Cumberland County facilities until Butler's Celebration of Life on Thursday.

    "We were saddened to learn that former Cumberland County Sheriff Earl "Moose" Butler passed away on Sunday, March 20, 2022. A distinguished alumnus of Massey Hill High School and tremendous public servant, Sheriff Butler was instrumental in expanding the School Resource Officer (SRO) program in Cumberland County Schools. We extend our heartfelt sympathy and prayers to the Butler family during this challenging time," Superintendent Dr. Marvin Connelly, Jr. said.

    "The passing of former Cumberland County Sheriff Early Ray "Moose" Butler is a terrible loss to our community. Sheriff Butler was a legend in Cumberland County; as kind as he was strong, as fair as he was tough. During his 22-year tenure as Cumberland County's chief law enforcement officer, Sheriff Butler oversaw many of the positive changes in effect today. In many ways, he set the standard for modern policing in this state and left a legacy that will live long after him. Dion and I mourn with the family and friends of Sheriff Butler as well as the Cumberland County Sheriff's Department during this difficult time," Sen. Ben Clark's statement read.

  • Smith The Cumberland County Sheriff's Office Special Victims' Unit has arrested a former Cape Fear High School teacher on child-sex charges.

    31-year-old William Landon Smith of Wade County was arrested Friday, March 18 on 29 Warrants with a total of 56 charges. Smith was arrested for 27 counts of 1st-Degree Sex Exploitation of a Minor, 28 Counts of Indecent Liberties with a Student, and one count of Secretly Using or Installing a Photographic Imaging Device to Arouse or Gratify Sexual Desire.

    The Sheriff's Office states that Smith was communicating with victims through social media apps such as Snapchat. One of the known accounts he was using was "Landonology90" user qunyt57f5Rf with Snapchat code 704087.

    Sheriff Ennis Wright requests that all parents, guardians, and custodians monitor their children's social media accounts and educate them about internet safety.

    “It is essential to know who is communicating with your children. Predators are not everywhere, but they may be anywhere," Wright said.

    Smith is currently at the Cumberland County Detention Center on a $425,000.00 secure bond. His first appearance is set for 2:30 p.m. on Monday, March 21 at the Cumberland County Detention Center.

    Detectives have not identified all the victims that had contact with Smith. Anyone with information is requested to contact Detective S. Odenwelder at 910-677-5477 or CrimeStoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477). Crimestoppers' information may also be submitted electronically by visiting http://fay-nccrimestoppers.org.

  • FPD Homicide Fayetteville Police are looking into a shooting investigation Saturday evening that has left three men dead and three people with injuries.

    Officers arrived at the parking lot of the Baymont Ramada off Own Drive around 8:51 p.m. following reports of a shooting.

    42-year-old William Franklin Davis Sr. of Fayetteville was pronounced dead at the scene. Keith Allan Dickey, 37, of Lumber Bridge, and Donald Dillenbeck, 49, of Vestal, New York, died later at the hospital, according to FPD.

    The three other people who were shot are being treated at a local hospital.

    Detectives have determined the shooting. Police have determined the shooting occurred during a confrontation between the Hells Angels, Red Devils, Infamous Ryders and La Familia motorcycle gang organizations.

    Detectives are reviewing hundreds of hours of private security camera footage, license plate reader data, and city-owned cameras. Witnesses or anyone with specific information is asked to contact Detective R. Vernon at (910) 729-2525 or Crimestoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477). Crimestoppers information can also be submitted electronically, by visiting http://fay-nccrimestoppers.org

  • 05 FOrt Bragg sign The Naming Commission has narrowed down the list of new names for nine military installations, including Fort Bragg.

    The renaming of Fort Bragg comes after the U.S. Congress voted to mandate that Fort Bragg and eight other military installations named after Confederate figures or sympathizers be renamed. Fort Bragg was named after Confederate General Braxton Bragg.

    Fort Bragg's leadership has held several town halls on and off-post to receive input from servicemembers and local citizens about the renaming process.

    The Naming Commission said it received more than 34,000 submissions for new names and narrowed it down to 87 names. Some of those names do have connections to Fort Bragg and were some of the suggestions received by Fort Bragg's leadership. The commission does state that while a final selection for each post is still pending, the scope of consideration is now focused on these names:

    • Sgt. 1st Class William Bryant, a 5th Special Forces Group soldier who received a Medal of Honor after being killed in Vietnam in 1969.
      Master Sergeant Raul Perez "Roy" Benavidez, a 5th Special Forces Group soldier who received the Medal of Honor for a series of brave actions during the Vietnam War in 1968.
    • Lt. General James Gavin was the third Commanding General of the 82nd Airborne Division during World War II. He was nicknamed "The Jumping General" because he practiced taking part in combat jumps with the paratroopers under his command.
    • Master Sgt. Gary Gordon and Sgt. First Class Randy Shughart was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during the Battle of Mogadishu in October 1993. Gordon and Shughart were stationed at Fort Bragg before being deployed to Somalia. Gordon Elementary School in Linden Oaks, Harnett County, was named in Gordon's honor.
    • Capt. Kimberly Hampton was the first female military pilot in United States history to be shot down and killed as a result of hostile fire. She was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg before becoming the commander of Delta Troop, 1st Squadron, 17th Cavalry Regiment prior to the unit's deployment to Iraq in 2003. Hampton was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Air Medal, and Purple Heart.
    • Sgt. 1st Class Lawrence Joel of the 1st Battalion 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade was awarded the Silver Star and Medal of Honor for his actions in South Vietnam aiding his fellow Soldiers during an ambush by a Viet Kong battalion. Fort Bragg's Lawrence Joel Health and Dental Clinic is named after him.
    • Lieutenant General (Ret.) Hal Moore and his wife Julia Moore helped prompt the U.S. Army to set up survivor support networks and casualty notification teams consisting of uniformed officers, which are still in use. The two were married at Fort Bragg while Hal Moore was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division. Throughout his career, he became a jumpmaster with over 300 jumps. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism at the Battle Ia Drang during the Vietnam War.
    • Gen. Roscoe Robinson, Jr. was the first African-American commander of the 82nd Airborne Division and the first African-American officer to reach the rank of four-star general. Robinson served in the Korean War and received a Bronze Star for his actions in his early career.
    • Gen. Matthew Ridgway fought with distinction during World War II while directly helping create the foundation of the first airborne corps.
    • Cpl. Rodolfo Perez "Rudy" Hernandez received the Medal of Honor for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity above the call of duty for his actions during the Korean War.
    • Gen. Omar N. Bradley oversaw the U.S. military policymaking in the Korean War. The Bradley Fighting vehicles were named after Gen. Bradley and known as a key armored vehicle for the U.S. military.

    One name missing that was popular with Fayetteville, and Fort Bragg locals were Brig. Gen. Edward S. Bragg, the cousin of Braxton Bragg. In the Civil War, Edward Bragg served in the Union Army and served four terms in the U.S. House of Representatives representing Wisconsin. Later, he was United States Minister to Mexico during the presidency of Grover Cleveland and consul-general to the Republic of Cuba and British Hong Kong under President Theodore Roosevelt.

    The full list can be seen here.

    The commission has until Oct. 1 to submit a name-change proposal to the House Armed Services Committee and Senate Armed Services Committee in response to the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act.

    "It's important that the names we recommend for these installations appropriately reflect the courage, values and sacrifices of our diverse military men and women," retired Navy Adm. Michelle Howard said, the chair of The Naming Commission. "We also are considering the local and regional significance of names and their potential to inspire and motivate our service members."

  • The Office of the State Auditor has released its final report into allegations of the misuse of funds in Spring Lake.

    The state auditor found that Spring Lake’s former accounting technician used at least $430,112 of town funds for personal use, at least $36,400 in cash was found to be missing from daily deposits, town employees spent $102,877 of town funds on questionable credit card purchases, the town overpaid the former economic development director $9,900, town officials failed to safeguard town vehicles and the town board did not maintain closed session meeting minutes for some meetings held during 2019 and 2020.

    Findings from this investigation are being referred to the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the State Bureau of Investigation to determine if there is sufficient evidence to pursue criminal charges related to the misappropriation of public funds.

    The state auditor’s key recommendations include the recommendation that the board consider seeking legal action against the former accounting technician, the board should ensure adherence to procedures governing financial operations designed to prevent and detect missing cash in the daily cash collection process, the current finance director should ensure that the procedures to prevent and detect missing cash in the daily cash collection process are being followed, the finance director should ensure monthly bank reconciliations are completed timely and accurately, the revenue supervisor should reconcile the collections reports to the deposit slips to ensure all monies collected are deposited into the town’s bank account, the board should establish a comprehensive policy for credit card usage that includes requirements such as itemized receipts for purchases, a documented town purpose for purchases, validation that the purchases were included in the town’s budget, review of all credit card documentation (including receipts and the documented business purpose) before approval of payment and finally the town should seek reimbursement for any amount of the overpayment not yet repaid by the former economic development director.

    In a response from Spring Lake Mayor, Kia Anthony, to the state auditor, Anthony states that the Board of Alderman accepts the findings and recommendations contained in the report and will commit to working with the North Carolina Local Government Commission as well as the Office of State Auditor’s to address the underlying basis for each finding.

    “We have carefully reviewed the report and discussed the same with representatives of the NC Local Government Commission. From the board’s review of the report, we have concluded that a significant focus of the report involves (1) fraudulent conduct relating to the town’s former finance director/accounting technician who used her position to override the town’s systems of internal control for personal gain and (2) other internal control and compliance breakdowns,” Anthony’s letter stated.

    However, the state auditor said that Spring Lake has made several statements that “obscure an issue, mislead the reader and minimize the importance of the Office of State Auditor’s findings and recommendations.”

    The state auditor required Spring Lake to explain the corrective action it plans to take. The report states that while the town agreed with the findings in the report, the town's response did not include the required details. Without those details, the auditor states it will be difficult for the town and other stakeholders to monitor if corrective actions are being implemented and to ensure those responsible are held accountable.

    The Local Government Commission’s Director, State and Local Government Finance Division Sharon Edmuson wrote to the state auditor agreeing that the town’s response was not detailed enough.

    “It does not include target completion dates for corrective action, nor does it include enough specifics about necessary changes in processes, procedures and policies. The submitted response does not indicate which town staff position is specifically for each corrective action and refers to a town audit committee that currently has no members.” Edmundson said in her letter. “We do not believe the submitted response meets your requirements for a complete response.”
    The state auditor also states in her report that if the town had followed their recommendations from the 2016 Investigative Report about questionable purchases, the issues found in the current investigation may not have occurred.

    Following an emergency board meeting Thursday morning that was an entirely closed session due to personnel matters, Anthony held a press release regarding the findings.

    “The breadth and seriousness of the misconduct discovered is astonishing. This misconduct is particularly troubling because of the unique position of trust that finance and accounting professionals and senior personnel hold within local government,” Anthony said. “The findings in the report demand that those responsible be severely punished for their wrongdoing and that the board puts in place measures designed to prevent its recurrence. The board expects that everyone involved in misappropriating the town’s resources will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

    Anthony goes on to say she is disappointed and surprised by the response of the state auditor and Local Government Commission contained in the report.
    Anthony also points out that members have been appointed to serve on the Audit Committee earlier this week and former Wake County Manager to assist the board in identifying strong candidates for the roles of town manager and finance director.

    Spring Lake’s finances were seized by state authorities in Oct. 2021 after the town had a $1 million loan that had not been reported to state officials. The majority of the Board of Alderman serving at that time are no longer on the board.

  • Two men have been arrested for the murder of a 24-year-old last year.

    Bryan T. Love was shot and killed at the Zaxby's on 2166 Skibo Road on Feb. 20, 2021. According to police, Love was shot in the chest in the parking lot of the restaurant.

    On March 9, Fayetteville Police arrested 32-year-old Andrew Seidel and 32-year-old Marcus Small for the First Degree Murder of Love. They both were also charged with Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon, Felony Conspiracy, Attempted First Degree Murder, and Discharge a Weapon into Occupied Property. Small was arrested at the Cumberland County Courthouse by the United States Marshalls Service. Seidel was served on the warrants at the Cumberland County Jail while in jail for unrelated charges.

    Both are not eligible for bond. They will both appear in court for a pre-trial hearing on March 30.

  • pexels tembela bohle 1089930 Walking around Downtown Fayetteville with an open container of alcohol in specially designated districts may be a possibility in the future. Following the recently passed House Bill 890, the Cool Spring Downtown District is researching how Fayetteville could benefit from a social district, which would allow open container alcoholic beverages purchased within the social district confines.

    The Cool Spring Downtown District, Senator Kirk deViere, Mayor Mitch Colvin, Councilmember Shakeyla Ingram, other elected officials, and several downtown business owners were invited to hear a presentation from the North Carolina Downtown Development Association about the bill and [possible implementation in Fayetteville.
    House Bill 890 allows cities to create open-container districts for alcohol. For this to happen, the governing body of a local governmental unit may make a designated social district that contains a common area where people can drink alcoholic beverages; the alcoholic beverage must be purchased from an ABC licensed business from within the social district. People cannot bring their drinks to the district, and they cannot carry drinks outside the district.

    To establish a social district, seven things are required: signage must be installed at the boundaries of the district, all drinks must be in clearly labeled non-glass containers that are under 16 oz, the local government must pass a local ordinance that establishes the boundaries of the district along with days/hours that are approved for open-container alcohol, and that map and district plan must be submitted to the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission.

    When looking at Fayetteville, the most prominent problem presenters were concerned with was establishing the district and its boundaries.

    "I think one of Fayetteville's biggest challenges is going to be where you put the signs and where you put the boundaries just because you do have such a wide streetscape. I think figuring out where you want to put those signs is probably going to be important," said Jason Epleym, president, Benchmark Planning.

    A Social District's potential problems could include littering, public intoxication, and illegal filling of containers from 'personal bottles.' However, the biggest problem Ray Gibbs, executive director, Forward High Point, has seen from these social districts has been a lack of participation.

    "It's not something that's going to be right for every city. It's not a magic solution. And as we always say in downtown development, there is no magic solution," Gibbs said. "But, you know, if you put one in effect and only one or two of your bars, restaurants, or pubs participate, is there really enough to do it and makes sense?"

    Bianca Shoneman, president and CEO, Cool Spring Downtown District, said that the next step is to send out a survey to get feedback to see if establishing a social district is something Fayetteville residents and business owners want in their downtown area.

    "As a collective, we want to make sure that property owners, elected officials, residents and of course, our community at large are all behind this effort because downtown is the heart of the city, and we should have a concerted effort to move us forward and generally have consensus from the community before coming out ahead," Shoneman said. "We are looking to do this likely sometime – if we do feel like it's ready to move forward – by ordinance sometime in late summer, early fall."

  • pexels ella olsson 1640777 1 Weight loss is often a primary reason people join a fitness center or start exercising. A healthy weight loss goal is to lose one-to-two pounds per week for long-term sustainability. A drastic weight loss approach with a caloric intake of four hundred to eight hundred calories per day can be non-sustainable. With this type of approach, you will likely regain weight within six months or less. A good diet with exercise can help you lose weight and maintain your weight loss goals.

    Anyone can slash their caloric intake and lose weight, but is this weight loss a plan you will continue to follow? Educating yourself about nutrition-related dieting options empowers you to make good decisions about food consumption for health and wellness. Choosing a weight loss plan can be overwhelming with all the available commercial programs and apps because no one diet fits all. Take your time to research a plan or app that will work for you. Two diets surface when I read health and fitness articles: the Mediterranean and Paleo diet.

    The Mediterranean diet emphasizes fruit, vegetables, seafood, and grains -in moderation. The Paleo diet features an abundance of meat, seafood, poultry with fresh vegetables and fruit. While I am not suggesting that you try either of these diets, I think the Mediterranean diet is an interesting read for this column. It became popular in the fifties and sixties when Ancel Keys and his colleagues studied relationships between diet and coronary heart disease in Greece, Spain, Italy, Finland, Japan and South Africa.They found that the diets in Italy and Greece had the lowest risk of developing heart disease. In general, people in these countries enjoy long lives with low rates of chronic disease.

    The lifestyle in these countries also embraces regular physical activity and leisurely meals with friends and family. The question is, why is this diet so effective?

    The Mediterranean diet encompasses many fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fish, olive oil, nuts and seeds. It is a heart-healthy eating plan that incorporates cooking methods and flavors of the region. The diet is rich in fiber, protein, and Omega -3 fats and allows for a modest amount of carbs. The preferred beverages on this diet are coffee, tea, water and an occasional red wine. It encourages fewer eggs, red meat, white meat, sweets, refined grains, processed foods, sweetened beverages and unhealthy oils.

    Research has shown that this type of diet can reduce your risk of diabetes, cancer, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, metabolic syndrome and heart disease. People in these countries enjoy long lives with low rates of chronic disease. The reason is that the diet has fewer foods high in fat, salt and sugar. The result is weight loss, reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and less inflammation in the body. Studies also suggest that this diet promotes good gut health and healthy aging. Below are menu choices for breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack. Breakfast: Grilled tomatoes on whole-wheat toast, yogurt with fruit or kale and butternut squash frittata. Lunch: Mixed green salad with olives and cherry tomatoes (oil and vinegar dressing) or whole-grain sandwich with hummus, vegetables, or chickpea salad. Dinner: Whole–grain pizza with grilled vegetables or broiled salmon with brown rice and vegetables. Snack: Hummus with red bell peppers. Look for my next column, which will feature details on the Paleo diet. Live, love life with healthy eating and exercise.

  • Whoever said "politics is a circus" wasn't far from wrong. And every circus has a ringmaster and a lion tamer that shout and crack their whips demanding compliance from those they dominate. North Carolina's Governor Roy Cooper indeed fills both these positions in Raleigh's political circus. Cooper's recent, unprecedented and outlandish endorsement of former Fayetteville City Councilwoman Val Applewhite to challenge and unseat District 19 Democrat Senator Kirk deViere shocked both Republican and Democratic citizens. But, it's Cooper's circus. He is the ringmaster, and he calls all the shots.

    There is little doubt that Cooper's action is retaliation toward deViere for working across the political aisles with Republicans on local and statewide policies and initiatives. Initiatives and policies that ultimately would benefit his District 19 constituents and all the residents of North Carolina. In other words, deViere was doing his job. He was doing what the people of District 19 elected him to do. From these tasks and principles, he did not waver. Ringmaster Cooper punished deViere for not adhering to strict Democratic Party mandates, policies and philosophies. Cooper's actions are a near-perfect example of just how ruthless, corrupt and unforgiving the game of politics can be at all levels.

    Sen. deViere and the Cumberland County delegation, Sen. Ben Clark, State Reps. John Szoka, Diane Wheatley, Billy Richardson, and Marvin Lucus all worked diligently and "across the aisle" to do everything they could for the citizens of Fayetteville and Cumberland County. The result was an unprecedented $413 million infusion into our community to enhance our quality of life and positively impact our community for decades to come.
    In a recent phone conversation with Sen. deViere, I reminded him that "no good deed goes unpunished." In this writer's opinion, Cooper's endorsement of Applewhite indicates his circus may be on the verge of transforming into a zoo. This being the case, every citizen of Fayetteville and Cumberland County needs to be aware of the situation and know who's who in the zoo.

    I urge you to do your due diligence on each candidate. Learn who the candidates are, what they stand for, what they have accomplished or what they plan to accomplish if elected. One of the main reasons quality leadership has diminished in Fayetteville and Cumberland County during the last decade is because candidates have figured out how to be elected, but they have no knowledge of the office they are elected to or what is expected of them.

    Their lack of knowledge and experience has created a significant deficit in our planning and future vision for the entire community.
    Over the years, Senator deViere and I have disagreed on many issues, but never has it been personal. I have always admired people with a solid work ethic who are not afraid to stand up and fight for their principles regardless of political affiliations. Hardcore and complex politics often make this difficult.

    Gov. Cooper and Val Applewhite have done very little for Fayetteville and Cumberland County citizens. Neither Cooper nor Applewhite contributed to bringing $413 million to our community. The upcoming elections will be vital to the ultimate success of Fayetteville and Cumberland County. During this election period, everyone needs to be aware of who's who in the zoo. Our community has great potential, and collectively, we have identified faltering leadership in the mayor's office, city council and the county commission. We are the only ones who can change this, and we do not want to elect more of the same. Vote. But vote from a position of knowledge. Vote on the candidates based on their ability to serve our community with dignity, honor and integrity. Fayetteville and Cumberland County are wonderful communities with tremendous potential. We must

    elect honest and talented leaders who will take advantage of our assets and will not abuse the positions entrusted to them. I'll leave you with this.
    It's all up to us and not hard to do,
    Run the circus out of town,
    And you will disassemble the zoo!
    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.
    (My apologies to Dr. Seuss.)

  • IMG 1995 Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 670 have scheduled a new event. Their Spring Fling with The Embers featuring Craig Woolard will be held on March 20, from 4 to 7 p.m. at VFW Post 670.
    The Embers were formed in 1958 by Bobby Tomlinson and Jackie Gore.

    "[The Embers] were one of the first integrated bands that had a Black saxophone player," said Craig Woolard, lead singer and featured artist of The Embers. "They recorded their first album live from the North Carolina State University student union."

    Being in the group was an excellent experience for Woolard.

    "The band opened a nightclub in Raleigh, opened a nightclub in Atlantic Beach, drove nice Cadillacs and it was big time for me," Woolard said.
    Woolard dreamed of performing early on in life.

    "I am from... Washington, North Carolina, and we would go to Atlantic Beach, and that is when I first heard about The Embers," said Woolard. "I was a musician, and I would look at the stage and wish that one day I could be on the stage performing too."

    The Embers laid the foundation for Beach Music in the Carolinas, Virginia, the Gulf Coast region and the beaches. The current band members are Gerald Davis, bass player; Jody Bundy, keyboards; Wayne Free, drummer; Jeff Grimes, guitar; Bob Nantz, trombone; Stephen Pachuta, trumpet; and Craig Woolard, lead vocals. They are supported by sound, lights and setup crew members Julio Eubanks and Bob Blair.
    Woolard feels his bandmates are very talented and enjoys performing with them.

    "Gerald [on bass] and I joined The Embers the same day in November of 1976," said Woolard. "He is easily one of those influential musicians in my life."
    The Embers have recorded numerous albums and single releases that span decades. Some of their greatest hits include "Far Away Places," "I Love Beach Music," "Solitaire," "What You Do To Me" and "Cool Me Out," to name a few.

    Woolard has also had independent success as well.

    "I have had several hits that include 'Love Don't Come No Stronger Than Yours and Mine' and 'I've Got A Feeling We'll Be Seeing Each Other Again,'" said Woolard.

    The Embers' awards and accomplishments include induction into the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame, the South Carolina Rhythm and Blues Hall of Fame, the South Carolina Beach Music Hall of Fame, the honor of carrying the moniker of North Carolina's Official Ambassadors of Music, military coins of excellence for their distinguished service, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine Award and the Group of the Year Award.

    "I have won Male Vocalist of the Year at the Carolina Beach Music Awards and Entertainer of the Year many times, so much so that I retired myself from it," said Woolard. "When you win the first few times, everybody applauds, but when you win 15 times, you might get some boos, so I figured I needed to quit while I was ahead."

    Some of the band's most significant accomplishments include playing at former President Bill Clinton's Inaugural Party, playing for an ambassador at his home in Ottawa, Canada, and being sponsored by Anheuser-Busch.

    "It was a big deal to get sponsored by the national company, Anheuser-Busch, in the 80s, and they picked up our song "I Love Beach Music" and turned it into "I Love Budweiser," so people all over the country were getting to hear that," said Woolard. "They would fly us to different places to play at their conventions in New York City, Chicago, Palm Springs and Hawaii."

    Touring is one of the band's favorite things to do, and they have traveled the world extensively, averaging 250 shows a year.

    "When COVID-19 hit, everything was shut down," said Woolard. "Everybody sat around and adjusted as best as we could. I was fortunate because, in January 2020, the owner of a radio station asked me if I would be interested in doing radio, so I gave it a try and every Sunday night from 6 to 11 p.m. was the Craig Woolard Show."

    The radio position helped Woolard through the pandemic.

    "I got the radio job because the Lord knew what was going to happen, so he looked out for me and carried me through," said Woolard.

    The Embers hold an annual cruise during the Christmas holidays, and about 300 of their fans show up to the party.

    "It is called the 'Making Waves Cruise,' and it is something that I started during my time away from The Embers," said Woolard. "I had my own band, The Craig Woolard Band, and I started the Making Waves Cruise, and when those guys who were in charge called me back, it became the 'Making Waves Cruise' with The Embers."

    He added, "We have been doing this cruise for at least 15 years until the pandemic hit."

    "Right now we are working on a destination instead of a cruise because of the pandemic and you just don't know what is going to happen," said Woolard.

    Future projects for the group involve recording an album.

    "Every Christmas, we release a Christmas album to go along with the Christmas show because we do the show the whole month of December all the way up to Christmas Eve," said Woolard.

    "I am happy to be able to do what I am doing, and I don't have a problem keeping my spirits up," said Woolard. "If I have got to sing the same songs every night, then I have to find a way to make that interesting, and the way that I do it is to listen and see how well I can sing that song a little better than I did the last time."

    The Embers are looking forward to playing good music at the Spring Fling.

    "The audience can expect the most entertaining and professional performance that we can possibly muster," said Woolard. "You cannot rest on your laurels, and you have to make people a believer every time that you play."

    The Spring Fling will feature food trucks, vendors, music and more in addition to The Embers.

    The Spring Fling is free from noon to 4 p.m. and the concert is open to the public.

    After 4 p.m., tickets cost is $10 to $15 and can be purchased at the door and online at https://theticketing.co/events/theembersatvfwpost670.
    Sponsors, food trucks and vendors are still needed.

    Interested trucks and vendors are asked to call/text 910-779-8425 or email agoraproductionsmc@gmail.com.

  • labour2017 Residents in Fayetteville and the region have the unique opportunity to experience an uncommon type of artform by visual artist Marcela Casals — a performance work titled in-bitween. Casals, who lived in Fayetteville for many years and now resides in the New York City area, was invited to participate in the 2021-2022 Fine Art Series at Fayetteville State University in the Department of Performing and Fine Arts.

    Before Marcela Casals decided to complete a degree in sculpture and ceramics at FSU, she was a well-known actor and director at the Gilbert Theatre in Fayetteville. By 2017 Casals had completed the visual art degree in sculpture and ceramics at FSU, a Post Baccalaureate degree at the Maryland Institute College of Art, and a Master of Fine Arts at the School of Arts in New York. After graduation, she remained in New York as a performance artist.

    Casals has created an immersive sculpture installation in Rosenthal Gallery to perform in-bitween on two different days: March 18th and 19th. The event is free and a reception to meet the artist will follow the March 19th performance from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Ellington White Contemporary Gallery on Gillespie Street in downtown Fayetteville.

    Before leaving Fayetteville, Casals was invited to create a sculpture installation in the west gallery at the Arts Council of Fayetteville in 2013. The paper and fabric used in the installation titled woodforeststream became her signature materials. From descending sculptural forms to sculptural projections, Casals utilizes neutral and/or black/white paper or fabric to express content. Using easily accessible materials Casals inspires meaning from a minimal approach in her performances and accumulation as mass in her sculptures.

    in-bitween, reveals Casals’ underlying preoccupation with the characteristics of opposites: restraint and gravity, limitation and abundance, weight and weightlessness, culture and nonculture, lastly, language and the voiceless. After the performance, the immersive sculpture installation remains in place until April 8, 2022, for visitors to Rosenthal Gallery to experience — the video recording of in-bitween will play on a large monitor.

    In talking about the content for in-bitween Casals shared her experiences with language as “innate and foreign, a bridge and a barrier. After arriving with my parents in NYC from Buenos Aires at the age of nine, not speaking a word of English … in a years’ time I spoke it fluently. Time passed and I only spoke Spanish with my parents. By the time of my adulthood, my parents returned to Argentina and visited me regularly in the United States. Visiting them regularly, I noticed my mother language was stunted. When my parents passed and not having spoken Spanish for two years, I came to experience a sense of loss. I was no longer from my birthplace and not 100% from where I grew up…my experience with language, that everyday sound defines this middle space I inhabit: not from there, not from here, in-bitween.”

    Visitors to in-bitween performance do not need to know Casals' idea behind the sculpture and performance, they can experience whatever their sensibilities respond to during the event. Knowing the artist’s intent before visiting the gallery could give visitors insight and perhaps influence a new and surprisingly pleasing experience.

    Visitors do not have to stay the entire time of the performance; they can quietly come and go during either of the performances. The five-hour March 19th performance is durational. Instead of performing for the complete five hours, the artist will take short breaks, then re-enter the performance.

    A master class is scheduled for the art students — the public is welcome to attend. The artist will briefly talk about the history of performance art and how theatre and being a trained studio artist has influenced her style.

    Instead of the master class, visitors can go to this YouTube link prior to coming to the gallery for in-bitween: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsO9K3twk3E

    As an actor, Casals has a long list of memorable theater performances over the years. Since becoming a visual artist, her list of achievements continues to grow. While an art student in 2011, Casals was one of the artists who participated in the “500 Hands” North Carolina Veterans Park, in Fayetteville, NC. Like the other artists, Casals was assigned and traveled to 12 counties in North Carolina to cast the hands of veterans and their supporters for Veterans Park.

    Some of her installations and performances includes the following: “Intrusion” Installation, Projecto áce, Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2013; “Is That A Gun In Your Pocket” Studio 10, Brooklyn NY Performance, 2017; “Labour” Performance/Installation — SVA Open Studios, 2017; and 2020 “Parabola-Parable” Language-Mother Tongue, The Immigrant Artists Biennial, NYC Performance.

  • Market House The Market House in downtown Fayetteville has been a focus of local dissension long before any of us reading this column drew breath, and sometimes the buzz has been louder than at other times. Since the 2020 unrest following the murder of Fayetteville native George Floyd in Minneapolis, the buzz has accelerated to the point that an arsonist tried to set the building afire. However, he managed to burn only his clothes. Calls to demolish the Market House reached Fayetteville City Council and resulted in the Council deciding to “repurpose” the building, but it is unclear what that means at this point.

    The Market House was constructed following the great fire of 1831, which consumed its predecessor, the State House, where North Carolina ratified the US Constitution and chartered the nation’s first public university, the University of North Carolina. It was what its name implies for most of its existence, a community market for local goods and produce with town hall facilities on the upper floor. In more recent years, the market function fell away, and the second story has been used as a library, an art museum, a history museum and offices for various organizations. Over time, it became an official symbol of the city of Fayetteville, a logo of sorts. It is one of 40 National Historic Landmarks in North Carolina and the only one in Cumberland County.

    It is also a place where enslaved human beings were sold as chattel.

    Stop for a moment. Let that historical reality sink in.

    It is also a place where enslaved human beings were sold as chattel.

    In downtown Fayetteville in an open arcaded building, a place near which many residents now enjoy an outdoor meal, a visit to nearby parks, attend church or take in a movie at an art-house theater, human beings were sold to the highest bidder.

    Families were likely parted, perhaps for eternity. A plaque to honor and in memory of those enslaved people was authorized by Fayetteville City Council in 1989 now resides permanently on the ground level of the Market House. It acknowledges the building’s excruciating history but can do nothing to change it.

    So the question looms on and large. What is the fate of the Market House in the 21st century?

    Presumably, the Council’s decision to repurpose the building means it will not be demolished. Still, calls for its destruction continue, and as with any elected body responsive to public sentiment, that decision can be changed. It should not be.

    Tearing down a building because atrocities occurred there does not erase them. It may even make such acts more difficult to remember if the place where they happened exists only in memory.

    This is why Germany retained its horrendous concentration camps — so people will never forget what happened in them.

    That said, what should the Market House be? Should it stand in place or be moved, if that is even possible? How should it be used, if used at all?

    These are the complex and emotional questions facing Fayetteville's City Council.

    I do not envy its members this decision, but the timing has landed it squarely in their laps.

    Americans from coast to coast and elsewhere are grappling with our nation’s history of and, sadly, continuing racism. Millions of individuals and thousands of communities are struggling with our collective pasts and painful presents. We are looking into personal and national mirrors and must reckon with what we see.

    Whatever the fate of the nearly 200-year-old Market House is to be, it should be decided now. As difficult as this decision will be, Fayetteville City Council must not be allowed, as politicians say, to “kick this can down the road.”

    The decision is this Council’s, and the time is now.

  • dg martin Going blind. Is there any way it could be a good thing?

    Frank Bruni asks this question in his new book, “The Beauty of Dusk.”

    Bruni, one of the great writers to move to North Carolina recently, is an opinion writer for The New York Times, author of bestselling books, and is now a professor of public policy at Duke University.

    One day in 2017, Bruni woke up to find something wrong with an eye. He could barely see anything in that eye. Reading and driving became problematic. Doctors told him a stroke had destroyed the nerves that connected the eye and the brain.

    The damage was permanent, and there was a 40 percent chance something similar would happen to the other eye. If it did, he would be, for all practical purposes, totally blind.

    How Bruni dealt with life afterwards, is the story of his book.

    He sought out people who have been similarly handicapped: blind, deaf, injured limbs, crippling diseases. He found that many have learned to live with their situations and have refused to be defeated.

    As he told me recently, “I decided to put on my journalist hat and interviewed to try to learn from people who had been confronted with serious physical and medical challenges” and learn “how they navigated those, and what they learned from them.”

    He wanted to avail himself of that wisdom. So, he said, “That's the story of the book.”

    The stories he collected are impressive and inspirational.

    He wrote about an English travel writer, James Holman, who notwithstanding his blindness, Bruni told me, “was perhaps the most famous travel writer of his day.”

    “When he wrote about the places, to the extent that he described them visually, it was through other people's accounts.

    “But, there was still so much available to him, the smells of a place, the sounds of a place, the legends of a place. And it's a really interesting lesson in how much is still available to us when a portion of our lives is taken away. There are still many portions of our lives, many, many perspectives and aspects left.”

    Bruni writes about David Tatel, a blind U.S. Court of Appeals judge who, rather than focusing on all the negatives of his blindness, celebrates his luck at having gone blind “at a point in human progress when technology was so sophisticated and could come to the rescue in many situations.”

    When Bruni told the judge that he was impressed with him and “our species’ unfathomable nimbleness,” the judge “smiled and with his whole face, then said something that echoed in my thoughts for the rest of that evening and echoes there still. ‘Starfish can regrow limbs,’ he said. ‘But that’s nothing compared to what human beings can do.’”

    Bruni was inspired by others, such as a blind dancer, a blind painter, a blind gallerist, a blind architect, all showing the powerful ability of humans to adapt even better than the starfish.

    From these many other people facing up to lost physical abilities Bruni learned that there were upsides to these downsides and the struggles that go with them.

    Instead of asking, “Why me?” Bruni asks, “Why not me?”

    “Why should any of us be spared struggle, when struggle is a condition more universal than comfort, than satiation, than peace, maybe than love? Should we even be calling or thinking of it as struggle, which connotes an exertion beyond the usual, a deviation from the norm?”

    He told me that we are dealt a set of cards in this life. Some are really good, some not.

    “You have no control over what that hand of cards is going to be, but you have enormous control over how you play them. That's a lesson that was really hammered home to me as I dealt with vision loss.”

    That lesson, Bruni thinks, is one all of us should learn.

  • Jeremy Camp 88888357 5056 BF65 D602525ABDE67D9A 88d3c098 5056 bf65 d61e46a6dfe9bb3c We often sing along with songs we hear on the radio (or our favorite digital platform) without much thought of the road down which they were written.

    Other times, though, we hear a song and just know there's a story tucked away in the lyrics.

    The latter would likely be the case with contemporary Christian singer-songwriter Jeremy Camp's "I Still Believe."

    A popular single from his first major-label full-length album in 2003, Camp wrote the song after the death of his first wife, Melissa.

    The song helped propel Jeremy Camp's career, whose name is now well-known to Christian music fans.

    At the very beginning of the pandemic, a full-length movie based on the story behind the song was due to release on March 13, 2020, only to find there were few to no theaters open to the public — seemingly derailing the plans for the impact of "I Still Believe the Movie."

    Undeterred, the film was released immediately on digital and streaming platforms to great acclaim.

    And nearly two decades into his musical career, fans were quickly able to connect with the man behind the artistry and the story of God's faithfulness to the singer.

    Camp's career highlights now include over 30 number one Christian radio hits, American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers songwriter awards, and back-to-back Gospel Music Association Dove Awards for Best Male Vocalist.

    Fayetteville will get all of that and much more when the "I Still Believe Tour" lands in the Crown Theatre on Saturday, March 19th.

    Appropriately named, the "I Still Believe Tour" features Riley Clemmons, a young Christian songstress whose infectious pop singles have earned her the respect, admiration and tens of millions of plays on radio and digital platforms since her 2018 debut.

    Canada-native Jordan St. Cyr rounds out the lineup for the evening, which promises to be one of the best Christian music shows of the year.

    Longtime fans of Jeremy Camp know they can count on an evening that is both high energy and reflective.

    Jeremy has a solid foundation as an artist and is an adept storyteller whose songs quickly point to God and the truth of his strength.

    With a twenty-year string of hits songs under his hat, the evening will be filled with exciting surprises for some and sing-along memories for others.

    Without a doubt, everyone will leave knowing they have been both encouraged and entertained.

    Doors open at 6 p.m., and the concert begins at 7 p.m. at Fayetteville's Crown Theatre on Saturday, March 19th. To purchase tickets, visit crowncomplexnc.com.

     

  • FACVB logo As one of the fastest-changing industries, tourism continues to be a primary engine of economic health in the entire country.

    That applies here in Fayetteville/Cumberland County as well. The Fayetteville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (FACVB) recently initiated a tourism research project that will serve as the foundation for the Strategic Marketing and Media Planning for 2022 and beyond.

    The FACVB sought to highlight tourism's impact on the area through this project. By partnering with the Greater Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce and the Cool Spring Downtown District, the Foundational Tourism Research Project delivered insights from three different scopes of work: Stakeholder Study, Scout Report and Tourism Market Study.

    The Stakeholder Study provided tourism insights from local stakeholders and explored the community's awareness of the three organizations. The information gathered from this effort will help optimize community assets and the community tourism brand.

    The Scout Report provided real-time data (cell phone signals) and was able to show the geographic distribution of Fayetteville's visitors from outside of Cumberland County. The data helped identify the markets with the most significant opportunity and will help measure the performance by each market year over year.

    The third element of the research project, the Tourism Market Study, targeted regional travelers to assess and measure sentiment, brand health, visitor profile and barriers to visitation.
    The purpose of the study was to amplify the core of the regional marketplace by measuring Fayetteville/Cumberland County's brand health as a destination and comparing it to other regional destinations of similar size and scope.

    The research summary included impressive numbers regarding tourism's economic health and its impact on the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community. The average leisure visitor spends $877 a visit, and the average business visitor party spends $502 during their stay. Even the Visiting Family/Relatives sector spends $489 during a visit.

    "The Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties" was prepared for Visit NC by the U.S. Travel Association for 2019, and the below data was presented to FACVB:
    • Cumberland County's travel and tourism industry employs 4,820 people with a payroll totaling nearly $116 million.
    • Travel spending generates $44.598 million in local and state taxes.
    • Travel to Cumberland County is worth $601 million to our local economy, translating to a tax savings of $134.14 per county resident.
    • Cumberland County ranks tenth out of North Carolina's 100 counties in economic impact from tourism.

    Everyone in the community can contribute to the continuation of the area's growth and shape the tourism industry in Cumberland County. The FACVB works alongside the community, hospitality partners and community leaders to further increase tourism and position Fayetteville/Cumberland County as a destination.

    The FACVB extends an invitation to all to visit the Welcome Center, where they can learn more about the FACVB goals and mission as they represent Fayetteville/Cumberland County as the tourism marketing arm of the community for conventions, meetings, sporting events and leisure travel.

    The research in its entirety can be found on the FACVB website at VisitFayettevilleNC.com/about-us/research.

  • Murchison Townhouses With more than 5,000 pending applications from rent-burdened households, Cumberland County is expected to take over administration of its pandemic rental assistance program next month.

    The county and the city of Fayetteville pooled their federal rental aid to form the Fayetteville Cumberland Rental Assistance Program, or RAP, last June.

    The program was initially funded with two rounds of federal rental aid, one from the December 2020 COVID-19 stimulus package and the other from the American Rescue Plan Act. In total, RAP received over $18 million in direct federal aid.

    The funds are for low-income tenants who have fallen behind on rent due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Renters are eligible for up to 12 months in past due rent and three months in future rent.

    The city and county had previously contracted administration to Innovative Emergency Management, a private company based in Morrisville in Wake County.

    But IEM decided not to renew past the depletion of the program’s current funding. In an emailed statement to Carolina Public Press, the company said its decision was due, in part, to restrictions the N.C. General Assembly placed on the next $17 million.

    During the first two rounds of assistance, IEM said, the company fronted $13 million, at no additional cost to the city or county, to get the program up and running. Fayetteville and Cumberland later reimbursed that spending.

    IEM officials said they also decided not to renew as more upfront spending would have been required.

    “IEM is committed to stabilizing housing and is proud to have been a part of the city of Fayetteville’s and Cumberland County’s COVID-19 recovery efforts,” company officials said.

    Reduced administrative fees
    From both rounds of federal assistance combined, North Carolina’s state government received over $1 billion in rental aid.

    Most of that was used for North Carolina’s own statewide rental assistance effort, the Housing Opportunities and Prevention of Evictions program.

    Portions of it, however, were allocated to the state’s most populous counties, Cumberland among them, as part of state legislation last year, Senate Bill 172.

    In that legislation, Cumberland was allocated more than $31 million, $17 million of which will be disbursed by the county’s Department of Social Services after IEM finishes administering the last of the current funds.

    The law also reduces administrative fees to 5%, down from the 10% in the U.S. Treasury guidelines for state and local governments.

    IEM said this reduction would render the company unable to cover the cost of disbursement, which, the company said, includes call center and case management services, among others.

    To begin administering the aid, DSS Director Heath Skeens told the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners at its monthly agenda meeting last week that DSS would need to hire 25 temporary workers.

    In a statement emailed to Carolina Public Press, Cumberland officials said all positions except for three would be funded with administration fees.

    It hasn’t been determined whether additional county funds will be needed to fund the remaining three positions or whether the DSS budget can handle it, officials said.

    Skeens said she hopes to have the positions filled by March 28.

    The Board of Commissioners voted 5-0 in support of having DSS take over RAP’s administration. Commissioners Michael Boose and Charles Evans were not present for the vote.

    The action will be on the consent agenda for Monday’s board meeting.

    IEM said the company is working with DSS in the transition.

    “IEM and the county are working together to pivot program administration to DSS,” company officials said. “IEM is working with DSS to provide the necessary training and resources to support a successful handoff.”

    Pending applications
    Due to depleting funds, RAP halted applications to the program in January.

    As of last week, 5,165 applications were pending. About 180 applicants will be sent checks in the next two weeks from the remaining $1.3 million in the last round of assistance directly from the federal government, IEM said.

    DSS expects to begin processing the remaining applications as the agency begins going through the next $17 million from the state, Skeens said.

    “Our plan is to begin to process those applications as quickly as possible, to identify and to ensure that we are distributing the money to those in need, as quickly as we can,” Skeens said. “But again, there are 5,100 applications, and that is not going to happen in 30 days. It’s going to take some time.”

    Cumberland officials said it remains to be seen when applications will reopen.

    “We are unsure when and if the portal will be opened for new applications,” an email from the county said. “That will depend on if there is any money left.”

    The next $17 million in funding will be depleted by the 5,100 pending applications, they said.

    So far in the program, 2,631 households in Cumberland County have received aid. Each family has received an average payout of about $5,200.

    Out of the federal aid received, Cumberland County officials said $1.3 million was remaining as of last Thursday, and IEM expects to send that money to landlords and tenants within the next two weeks.

    That’s the last 7% from the first two rounds of federal rent aid as IEM has disbursed 93%.

  • melvin Nyrell Melvin, a filed candidate for the Fayetteville mayoral race, has decided to drop out of the contested race to run for a spot on the Cumberland County Board of Education.

    In a public statement, Melvin says that while he was running for mayor, he found himself at multiple school board meetings and saw parents ignored by the school board.

    "I have seen parents left outside and refused the right to speak. I have seen parents ignored and shrugged off. I have done my best to speak on their behalf. They have contacted me. I have been thanked and encouraged by them. I have been told they did not feel heard until I spoke up for them," Melvin said. "I set out to serve God and help the citizens of Fayetteville. In doing so, I have found parents being denied the right to be actively involved in how and what their children are taught just because they are taught in public schools. The board of education is designed to serve parents and children while balancing their serves to teachers and staff. I believe they need help to do that again."

    He is looking to run for the At-Large seat during the general election on Nov. 8. The filing deadline for this election is Aug. 5.

    He says he believes the Mayor's Office will end up with proper leadership and spoke highly of mayorial candidate Freddie Delacruz.

    Mayor Mitch Colvin, the incumbent candidate, will be running again for a third term in the upcoming primary elections. There are now four candidates who will be running against him. The candidates who filed for mayor are Clifton L. Johnson, Franco Webb, Antoine J. Miner and Delacruz.

  • Metronet Metronet, a leading 100 percent fiber optic internet provider, officially launched its network in Cumberland County. This expansion of internet services would allow for more innovation and entrepreneurship.

    “Our future-proof network has proven valuable to the cities we partner with, and we are excited to bring that opportunity to Fayetteville,” said Dave Heimbach, Metronet President and Chief Operating Officer. “Metronet is proud to support the CORE Innovation Center by providing 1 Gigabit of upload and download speeds for the next five years. Our services will allow local entrepreneurs to kick-start their businesses and promote further economic growth for the city."

    The celebratory ‘lighting” of the Cumberland County network took place at the CORE Innovation Center adjacent to FCEDC Offices. The CORE is a unique military and technology-focused accelerator offering rentable private offices, demonstration space, conference rooms and a rooftop reception space, overlooking downtown Fayetteville.

    “Advanced world-class internet access is an essential component of innovation. This connectivity is crucial for military and technological innovation, which the CORE accelerator space was developed to support,” said North Carolina Representative John Szoka. “We are thankful that Metronet is now delivering gigabit speeds to drive digital transformation within our local community, boosting the efficiency of our businesses and the productivity of our people.”

    Metronet's network across Cumberland County is under construction. When complete, the network will cover Cumberland County, including Fayetteville, Hope Mills, Linden, Wade, Stedman, Godwin, Eastover, Falcon, and Spring Lake. This build-out will also provide service to portions of Hoke County, such as the communities of Raeford and Rockfish. 

    Metronet expects that all planned areas will receive access within two years, with customers in initial construction areas now eligible for Metronet services. Those who would like to learn more about the construction process can visit construction.metronetinc.com to see the progress throughout their community.

    Cumberland County Commission Chairman Glenn Adams shared, “More than ever, our citizens are relying on fast internet to work, learn and engage. Deploying a high-speed and affordable telecommunications service is critical to help bridge the digital divide.”

    “Metronet’s infrastructure is a vital advancement for our community,” Mayor Mitch Colvin said in a press release. “We’re thrilled to become the next ‘Gigabit City.’ We also need to thank the Fayetteville Public Works Commission for their active collaboration and support in facilitating the construction process. We are grateful that Metronet chose Fayetteville and Cumberland County for their first North Carolina deployment and welcome them to our community.”

    Metronet is currently hiring for several positions in sales and operations. Individuals who are interested in joining the Metronet team can visit metronetinc.com/careers to search for positions and submit applications.

  • Valley Pavilion expansion Cape Fear Valley Medical Center will be adding two new floors on top of the Valley Pavilion section. This expansion, worth $110 million, will add 100 beds - 40 of which will be designed as ICU beds - 187 full-time positions and two rooftop helipads.

    CEO Michael Nagowski said this expansion has been an anticipated part of the health system’s long-term planning, and that the health system has been saving funds in preparation for this.

    “We recognized that we need this expansion to meet the growing needs of our community, and to provide meaningful assistance to reduce delays in our Emergency Department,” Nagowski said. “We expect that this will dramatically improve wait times in the ER.”

    The rooftop helipads were designed specifically to help emergencies, specifically because of the short distance from Fort Bragg. Currently, the hospital’s helipad is located on the front lawn.

    “Our plan is that one of the helipads will be structured to accept Blackhawk helicopters,” said Nagowski. “We want to make sure we have complete readiness if it was needed, because of our proximity to Fort Bragg.”

    The construction is expected to start in the fall and will be completed in the fall of 2024. Little Diversified Architectural Consulting and Rodgers Builders, Inc. were chosen to do the construction because they wouldn't shut down or close the entrance of the hospital or the ER while building the two stories.

    “It was a major consideration because we need to be adding onto this facility while it’s occupied,” Nagowski said. “During different phases of construction, there may be some traffic pattern adjustments around our entrances, but they will remain open. We don’t expect the project to affect traffic on Owen Drive or Village Drive at all.”

    This is the first major expansion since 2008 when the five-story Valley Pavilion opened. That expansion added 132 Acute Care beds to the hospital’s capacity, as well as new adult and pediatric Emergency Departments, Heart & Vascular Center, Bariatric Center, Women’s Pavilion, Surgical Pavilion, and Imaging department. Not counting Behavioral Health beds, the medical center currently has 524 Acute Care beds and 78 Rehabilitation beds.

  • Cumberland County School Board approved a reassignment plan for students at T.C. Berrien Elementary school Tuesday evening.

    The board voted on Plan A, which would divide the 178 students that attend T.C. Berrien Elementary School amongst Ferguson-Easley Elementary and Lucile Soulders Elementary school.

    According to Cumberland County Schools, Lucile Souders currently has 284 students with a building capacity of 400 students. This plan would add 52 students to Lucile Souders. Ferguson-Easley Elementary currently has 195 students, with a building capacity of 396 students. The reassignment plan would add 126 students to Ferguson-Easley.

    CCS Plan A WEB

    The approved plan will create the least amount of movement for students, as only those who normally attend T.C. Berrien are affected by the reassignment, according to the district.

    The district says the furthest distance that students would have to travel is 2.9 miles, compared with 9.9 miles currently to W. T. Brown Elementary.

    Some of the board members had concerns about changes in diversity and economic index for these reassignment plans. For Lucile Souders, the economic index would go down to 4.8 and 2.7 for Ferguson Easley.

    The board approved the closure of T.C. Berrien Elementary school unanimously, it will close at the end of the school year.

  • faith Beginning on Wednesday evening, March 16 and continuing until nightfall on March 17 is the Jewish holiday of Purim. (For religious purposes, Jewish days run from sunset to sundown.) Purim is the celebration of the survival of the Jews in ancient Persia, from the wicked plot of Haman, as described in the biblical “Book of Esther.”

    Perhaps the most unusual thing about this book is that it is in the Hebrew Bible of the Jews (as well as in the Old Testament of Christian scriptures) despite the fact that God is never mentioned. The book does seem to allude to God, or at least cosmic forces, acting behind the scenes, but God is never mentioned explicitly. Indeed, the rabbis in antiquity who determined which writings were sacred enough to be included officially in the Hebrew Bible they were formalizing vigorously debated the issue of its inclusion before deciding it should make the cut.

    Perhaps the reason it ultimately prevailed is precisely because God is only found there implicitly. Understandably, we would like to have obvious, incontrovertible and palpable proof of the existence of God and what God wants from us. A burning bush or the splitting of a sea might be nice. It would definitely help make our lives more certain and assured. But that’s not the nature of the daily experience for most of us.

    Faith is the recognition that there is more to our lives and the world around us than we can access directly. And this truth is found beyond the sphere of religion. How do you feel – not just infer, but feel - the care, concern or love of another human being? How do actors sense the energy of an audience in a silent, dark theater with bright stage lights in their eyes? How do we know when a sound or a sight is beautiful? How do we recognize, if we are truly honest with ourselves, whether we have acted morally or not?

    None of these are merely part of the realm of our ordinary five senses. They are not within the empirical processes with which we analyze and incorporate overt information. And yet, we all know with certainty that those intangible experiences are real. Even the ultra-rational skeptics among us live their lives, as a practical matter, as if they are genuine realities. As my doctoral studies in religious philosophy would acknowledge, there are ways to account for all of this in formal ways. But that’s not what’s important for our daily lives.

    What matters is that we open ourselves up to what is greater than ourselves and beyond what is overtly apparent to us. Our lives can be enriched by recognizing, like the “Book of Esther,” there is always much more present in our lives, contributing to them than simply the superficial. Whether in the realm of the Divine, cosmos or humanity, let us appreciate the powerful omnipresence that is just beyond the veil of our senses.

  • Walter E Dellinger III The tributes that rolled in when North Carolina lawyer Walter Dellinger died Feb. 16 were testimony that he was one of the nation’s great lawyers of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. He was 80.

    In an Associated Press article, North Carolina native Jonathan Drew wrote that Dellinger’s career “marked him as one of the legal giants of our era. Many remembered — and justly celebrated — him as a brilliant and prolific scholar, a titan of the Supreme Court bar, an inspiring teacher and mentor to generations of bright proteges now in elected office, federal and state government, and on the bench.

    “He was also a government lawyer whose advice was important to both Bill Clinton and Barack Obama. Key officials in the Biden White House sought his advice almost literally until the day he died.”

    His son, Hampton, recently confirmed by the U.S. Senate as an assistant attorney general in the Biden administration’s Justice Department, gave this tribute to his dad, “Walter lived a wonderful and extraordinary life. He had many loves, first among them his wife Anne but also the State and University of North Carolina, the law and the rule of law, and American democracy.”

    Several years ago I talked to Dellinger for a short North Carolina Bookwatch program recorded at Carolina Meadows in Chapel Hill, where he was living. He was working on a chapter of a memoir to be titled “Balcony Reserved for White Spectators.”
    He explained his early awareness of the unfairness of the social system in his hometown Charlotte. In the late 1950s he was working on a construction site “where only whites could be carpenters and the black men were all laborers paid $1 an hour. As I was a temporary kid, I was assigned as a laborer. I was like the token white labor on this crew.

    “What was interesting and dramatic for me was that the best carpenter by far was one of the African American men who was a laborer. He got paid as a laborer no matter what he was doing. So whenever there was a very difficult challenge to the carpentry, the on-site supervisor would ask David to take on the challenge.

    “But if anybody from company headquarters arrived on the scene, I was sometimes a lookout, David had to put down his carpentry tools. He could be an expert but couldn't be caught breaking the rigid rules. That gives you a sense of how rigid the system was.”

    Dellinger remembered his love of Black music and listening to WGIV, the Black radio station in Charlotte. “I listened to the gospel hour faithfully. They had a contest to see who could first identify a gospel song, and I knew immediately from the first three bars it was ‘Ride on King Jesus.’

    “The prize was a one-year subscription to Ebony magazine, which in the segregated South was a whole different world, particularly the advertisements where no people of color were ever in mainstream media.”
    Dellinger’s love of music led him to try to attend the Black concerts and dances at Park Center in downtown Charlotte. There is where he encountered the sign.

    He explained, “In Charlotte dances that were for African Americans [they]had a balcony reserved for white spectators, so it's sort of both literal and metaphorical the notion that I was only a spectator from the balcony on what was happening with race in the South, watching what was happening in the Black community.”

    After four years at UNC-Chapel Hill, three years at Yale Law School, and two years teaching at the University of Mississippi Law School, Dellinger was never “only a spectator” again.

    He lived and died in the middle of our country’s struggle to eliminate the unfairness the carpenter David experienced and the legacy of the customs that put Dellinger in the balcony at Park Center dances.

  • beach music fesitval 2The Fayetteville Beach Music Festival is returning after being on a hiatus for several years. The day-long festival will be bringing beach music and family fun later this month.

    The festival is a fundraiser for the Karen Chandler Trust - a local non-profit charity that started over 20 years ago. KCT helps support local cancer patients that are currently undergoing treatment. That support ranges from helping with car rides to treatments and doctor's appointments to paying off utility bills, car payments, mortgages and rents.

    "We have given over one million dollars away to cancer patients," Mike Chandler, a founding member of KCT, said. "99.9% of all the funds raised go to cancer patients."

    Chandler helped form the Karen Chandler Trust in honor of his late sister. Karen Chandler, a mother of two and a local musician, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Local musicians held a benefit concert to raise money to help pay off medical bills while she was fighting against cancer. After she passed away in 1999 at age 44, the leftover money was used to form the KCT.

    In 2021, the KCT raised and distributed close to $150,000 to Cumberland County cancer patients.

    The benefit concerts were a tradition for many years and helped continue to raise money, but they were phased out a few years ago. Mike Chandler decided it was time to bring back the music component to fundraise, and he wants to make sure it sticks this time.

    "We are going to try and do this as an annual event. I tried to bring it back down to a local level. I wanted to bring that back," Chandler said.

    All proceeds from the festival go directly to KCT and that money will be distributed to people in the community who need it.

    To qualify to receive help from the KCT, a cancer patient must be a resident of Cumberland County and have a letter from a social worker or a medical provider confirming cancer treatment.

    The festival will take place at Dirtbag Ales Brewery & Taproom. Chandler says he is excited to have the music festival at Dirtbag Ales as they offer plenty of parking, space, and shade, allowing everyone to pull a lawn chair up and enjoy the day.

    For Shannon Loper, the operations manager and event and marketing coordinator at Dirtbag Ales Brewery, supporting KCT as the venue for the Beach Music Festival was a no-brainer for Dirtbag Ales. The non-profit helped Loper's parents when their neighborhood put in a new sewer system, and they received an unexpected bill for a $5,000 connection fee.

    "My dad was in stage four pancreatic cancer, and obviously, cancer ruins your credit if you're not fortunate. And they did not have the money," Loper said. "PWC began repossession proceedings on my parent's house, and the Karen Chandler Trust came in and paid their $5,000 utility bill."

    All festival performers have a personal connection with the KCT, and all are local musicians. Rivermist will kick off the festival at 1 p.m. Classic Soul takes the stage at 2:15 p.m. The Martin Davis Band featuring a founding member of The Embers, Jackie Gore, will begin their performance at 3:45 p.m. Finally, the Chairmen of the Board will close out the fundraiser with their performance starting at 5:30 p.m.

    The festival will be a family-friendly affair with games, sponsor tables and bounce houses for kids. Food will also be available for purchase. The food trucks currently confirmed for the festival are Smokey's BBQ, R Burger, Ragin Rooster and 32 Degrees Ice Cream.

    "People can bring their kids, their dogs, their lawn chairs and come on out and enjoy it," Chandler told Up & Coming Weekly.

    Chandler's goal is to have anywhere from two thousand to four thousand people attend the festival.

    "Our goal is to raise $40,000," Chandler said.

    The event is being sponsored in part by Cape Fear Valley Hospital and Dragon's Lair Comics.

    The festival will take place on March 27. Gates will open at noon, and the music will start at 1 p.m. The Beach Music Festival will run until 7 p.m. General Admission to the festival is $20, and children under 12 get in for free.
    Tickets can be purchased at
    www.eventbrite.com/e/karen-chandler-trust-beach-music-festival-tickets-272318210097.

    For more information about the Karen Chandler Trust, whether to donate or volunteer, call 910-578-3382 or visit their website, karenchandlertrust.com.

  • elections Filing is closed for the May 2022 primaries and candidates are ready to start campaigning all over Cumberland County. Many of the races are contested — both locally and state-wide.

    CITY AND COUNTY SEATS
    FAYETTEVILLE MAYOR
    Mayor Mitch Colvin, the incumbent candidate, will be running again for a third term. There are five candidates who will be running against him. The candidates who filed for mayor are Clifton L. Johnson, Freddie Delacruz, Franco Webb, Nyrell Melvin and Antoine J. Miner.

    CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 1
    Kathy Jensen, the incumbent candidate, will be running again for her fourth term. She is being challenged by Jose Alex Rodriquez and William Milbourne III.

    CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 2
    Shakeyla Ingram, the incumbent candidate, will be running against three other candidates. She is being challenged by Janene Ackles, Joseph Dewberry, James Peterson and former councilmember Tyrone Williams.

    CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 3
    Antonio Jones, the incumbent candidate who was recently appointed to the city council seat in December, will be running against four candidates - John Zimmerman, Mario Benavente, Kurin Keys and Bill Ayerbe.

    CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 4
    D.J. Haire, the incumbent candidate, will be running for his eleventh term in City Council. He is being challenged by Thomas C. Green and William Grantham.

    CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 5
    Johnny Dawkins, the incumbent candidate, will be facing only one other candidate at the polls. The challenger is Frederick G. LaChance III.

    CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 6
    Christopher Davis, the current seat holder, will be leaving his office at Fayetteville City Council in order to run for the North Carolina House of Representatives. His seat is being contested by Joy Marie Potts, Leigh Howard, Peter Pappas and Derrick Thompson.

    CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 7
    Larry Wright, the incumbent candidate, will be running for his fourth term. He is being challenged by Myahtaeyarra Warren and Brenda McNair.

    CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 8
    Courtney Banks-McLaughlin, the incumbent candidate, will be running for her second term. She is being challenged by one other candidate - Michael Pinkston.

    CITY COUNCIL DISTRICT 9
    Yvonne Kinston, the incumbent candidate, will be running for her second term. She is being challenged by John Czajkowski, Sonya Renita Massey and Deno Hondros.

    COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AT-LARGE
    There are two at-large commissioner seats open for the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners.
    For the Democratic Ballot, there are six candidates running for the seats. Those candidates are current Commissioner Larry Lancaster, former Commissioner Marshall Faircloth, Veronica B. Jones, Ronald Pittman, Jackie Paul-Ray and Paul Taylor.
    For the Republican Ballot, State Rep. John Szoka and Ron Ross will be running.

    COUNTY SHERIFF
    Ennis Wright, the incumbent sheriff, has filed for re-election. He is being challenged by Democrat Lester A. Lowe. Whoever comes out in the primary election will run against Republican Candidate LaRue Windham in the general election in November.

    N.C. HOUSE OF
    REPRESENTATIVES
    DISTRICT 42
    On the Democratic ballot, incumbent Rep. Marvin Lucas is being challenged by Naveed Aziz. Whoever comes out in the primary election will run against Republican Candidate Gloria Carrasco in the general election in November.

    DISTRICT 43
    On the Democratic ballot, there are three candidates. Former State Rep. Elmer Floyd, Prince Christian and Kimberly Hardy will be running against each other.
    On the Republican ballot, incumbent Rep. Diane Wheatley is being challenged by Clarence W. Goins, Jr.

    DISTRICT 44
    On the Democratic ballot, there are two candidates running for this seat - Charles Smith and Terry L. Johnson Sr.

    DISTRICT 45
    On the Democratic ballot, there are three candidates running against each other - Fayetteville City Councilmember Chris Davis, Keith Byrd and Frances Jackson. Whoever comes out in the primary election will run against Republican Candidate Susan Chapman in the general election in November.

    STATE SENATE
    DISTRICT 19
    On the Democratic ballot, incumbent State Sen. Kirk DeViere is being challenged by former Fayetteville City Councilwoman Val Applewhite and Ed Donaldson.
    On the Republican ballot, former State Sen. Wesley Meredith will be running against Dennis Britt.

    U.S. CONGRESS
    CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 7
    On the Democratic Ballot, there are four candidates running for the U.S. Representative seat. Those candidates include Cumberland County Commissioner Charles Evans, Charles Graham, Steve Miller and Yushonda Midgette.
    On the Republican Ballot, there are two candidates running. U.S. Rep. David Rouzer will be facing off Max Southworth-Beckwith.

    CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 9
    On the Republican Ballot, there are four candidates running for the seat - U.S. Rep. Richard Hudson, Jen Bucardo, Mike Andriani and Francisco Rios.
    Whoever comes out in the primary election will run against Democratic Candidate State Sen. Ben Clark in the general election in November.

    The Cumberland County Board of Elections is currently looking for poll workers for the primary elections. Poll worker training starts in late March. Poll workers will be paid $25 for training and $130 for election day.

    Registered Cumberland County voters who are interested should contact Mitzie Roberts at 910-321-6603 or mcroberts@co.cumberland.nc.us.

    Early voting for the primaries begins on April 28 and ends on May 14 at 3 p.m.

    Voters can start requesting their absentee ballots on March 28. The last day to apply for absentee ballots by mail is on May 10.

    Absentee ballots must be hand delivered to the Board of Elections on May 17 by 5 p.m. If being sent by mail, absentee ballots must be postmarked and received no later than the third day after the election.

    The Primary Election is scheduled for May 17.
    Registered voters may locate their precinct on the Board of Elections website at www.cumberlandcountync.gov/elections.

  • Pitt Congratulations, gentle readers, you have survived the Rona. You have lived long enough to see the return of that most wonderful time of the year: America's favorite event, your stomach's highlight of the year, the social event that welcomes sweet springtime: The Annual Cape Fear Kiwanis Pancake Festival.

    Yes, friends and neighbors, once again, it's time to put on a happy face, plus the old feed bag and come on down to Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church conveniently located at 614 Oakridge Ave. in historic Haymount.

    This is the 48th Annual Pancake Festival put on by the Cape Fear Kiwanis. For a mere $6, you can shake off the demons of winter and the isolation of quarantines to indulge in all the pancakes and sausage that you dare to eat. All proceeds go right back into our community for various civic groups and activities. You can eat all the pancakes you like without guilt, knowing you are contributing to Cumberland County's good causes.

    During last year's bout with the Rona, the Pancake Festival only had to do drive-through orders. However, as the Rona seems to be receding into the rear-view mirror, the Pancake Festival returns to dine in and carry out.

    Dine-in and have breakfast with your friends, neighbors and total strangers who are all in excellent moods due to a collective sugar high. As we are unable to keep them out and frankly welcome their money, you will get to see local politicians of all stripes working the crowd. It is a sight to see, not to be missed.

    Here is a listing of some of the local beneficiaries of past Pancake Festivals. Bringing Up Grades, Better Health of Cumberland County, Boys & Girls Club of Cumberland County, Cape Fear Valley NICU, The Care Clinic, Catholic Charities, Dolly Parton Imagination Library, EE Smith High School Mentoring Program, Child Advocacy Center, Friends of the Cumberland County Library, Habitat for Humanity, Homeworks, five local high school Key Clubs, Lewis Chapel Builders Club, New Parent Support Diaper Program at Fort Bragg, Operation Inasmuch, Police Activity League, Safe Kids, Salvation Army, College Scholarships to four local students annually, Second Harvest Food Bank, Urban Ministry, USO, Vision Resource Center and the Westminster Church Eyeglass Program have all received grants from the Cape Fear Kiwanis Club.

    At about this time, you are probably asking yourself, "Self, what is the origin story of pancakes and some pancake factoids to dazzle my friends?" Funny, you should ask that question as the rest of the column will deal with pancakes' back story.

    Mr. Google knows the answer. None other than Ms. Betty Crocker has a history of the pancake out on the interwebs. According to Ms. Crocker, the first mention of pancakes shows up in about 600 B.C. when a Greek poet named Cratinus mentioned pancakes in a poem. In case you are in Greece and want pancakes for breakfast, ask for 'Tiganites.' You will get them with honey and walnuts. During the Middle Ages, the first three pancakes in the batch had religious significance. The three were marked with a cross and not eaten to ward off evil spirits. Evil spirits could be scared by pancakes back then. Not sure that pancakes would work now against Putin in Ukraine, but it might be worth a try.

    William Shakespeare liked pancakes as he wrote about them in his play As You Like It when Touchstone said: "a certain knight that swore by his honor they were good pancakes and swore by his honor that the mustard was naught, Now I'll stand to it, the pancakes were naught, and the mustard was good."

    The Kiwanis guarantee their pancakes will be good and totally without mustard unless you bring your own yellow condiment. Why anyone would want to put mustard on their pancakes is beyond the scope of this column. As the King of Siam once said: "It is a puzzlement."

    Some other pancake factoids: Maple syrup which graces many pancakes, was originally discovered by the Algonquin Indians. The world's biggest pancake, cooked in 1994, was 49.3 feet in diameter and estimated to contain two million calories.

    The National Geographic reports that an analysis of starch grains on grinding tools from 30,000 years ago meant that Stone Age cuisine may have included pancakes made from cattails and ferns.

    The most flips of a pancake in two minutes were 349 times by a cook named Dean Gould in England in 1995. Southerners eat the most pancakes of any group of Americans. We proudly consume 32.5% of all of America's pancakes. If you have ever driven through Myrtle Beach, you know that Highway 17 is awash with more Pancake Houses than you can shake a stick at if you were so inclined to shake such a stick at that particular type of building.

    Allow me to end with the Kiwanis' motto: "Kiwanis is a global organization of volunteers dedicated to improving the world, one child and one community at a time."

    It is your civic duty to come out, buy and eat some patriotic pancakes. If you come hungry, you will leave happy.

    The annual Kiwanis Pancake Festival returns on March 11, from 7 a.m. to noon.

  • pub pen 3 9 Finally, we are scheduled to have a primary election on May 17. Candidate filings have faced inconvenient delays because of lawsuits over the establishment of congressional districts. These districts are also used in county and municipal elections and were redrawn using information from the 2020 Census. So, let the games (primaries) begin!

    It's been a long time since this community has seen so much activity and enthusiasm toward local elections. The many residents who have filed to serve public offices in Fayetteville and Cumberland County reflect this enthusiasm. Every one of them should be commended for their willingness to step up and be a public servant. This enthusiastic participation speaks volumes about what residents think of the City of Fayetteville and Cumberland County's leadership. And, by the candidates' turnout, these folks are not giving our current public servants very high marks in leadership. Just the opposite. Citizens are frustrated and discouraged by the way our local governments are run. Dissatisfaction runs the gamut. Our local governments lack transparency in handling the allegations of incompetence and mismanagement leveled against Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins. And the reluctance of the City Council to call for an independent external investigation of former councilwoman Tisha Waddell's allegations against the mayor and several sitting council members. Suppose there is, in fact, no truth to these allegations, as Mayor Mitch Colvin contends. Then why resist the call for an independent external investigation? An independent external inquiry into Waddell's allegations would provide proof, reassurance and closure for the citizens of Fayetteville. Residents are not happy with the way current leadership is running this community, and they are losing trust and confidence in them every day and for a good reason.

    The citizens of Fayetteville and Cumberland County love and care about this community, and they witness daily what our collective elected officials choose to ignore.

    The downtown encampments filled with people without homes are seen daily by city and county elected officials, staff members and employees without acknowledgment. People are homesteading under trees in our center city and camping out in our downtown parking lots using our trees and fence posts to hang their laundry and trash bags.

    In addition, we have a homicide rate that makes us competitive for the title of murder capital of North Carolina and one of the deadliest cities in the country. But, we boast a lower rate of petty crimes. The amount of trash and litter on our streets is beginning to speak volumes about people's lack of respect for our community.

    Yes, the election period is short. Yes, candidates seeking office must work fast and hard to raise money and name recognition. And, yes, most of the incumbents have a huge advantage. I doubt any challengers will displace Mitch Colvin or many of the other city and county officials.

    However, the sheer number of candidates running for office indicates that people are not happy with the current leadership. And, those new folks who manage to win have the opportunity to provide a new and fresh leadership style that could help assure honest governance to city and county residents.

    Review the candidates carefully and do your due diligence. Because, ultimately, in the end, we will end up with the kind of leadership we deserve.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • CC Logo The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners met Monday morning to startling news — there are currently 733 children in foster care in the County — the highest number for an individual county in North Carolina. Another concerning number commissioners learned, or a number that should be larger was that Cumberland County only has 51 foster families.

    Delores Long, the assistant director of Social Services, told the board that out of the 733 children who are in foster care, 275 have been placed out of county and 42 were placed out of the state.

    “So you can see with the number of children we have out of county and out of state, there’s truly a need for foster families within Cumberland County,” Long told the commissioners.

    When asked what could possibly be the cause for the high number of foster children, Long said it largely has to do with having a large military installation in the county.

    “We have a lot of families who come here and they do not necessarily have direct, natural support here in the community. So that has the tendency to increase the number of times children have to enter foster care because they lack the natural supports in the community to prevent it,” Long said.

    The Department of Social Services is collaborating with the county for a “Not Perfect…Just Willing” campaign. This campaign aims to create more awareness for families and adults in Cumberland County to take an interest in being a foster family. The goal for Long is to raise the number of foster families from 51 to 115.

    The campaign will kick off on March 26 at the “Vax Your Vet, Vax Yourself 2.0” event.

    “To be a foster parent, you don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be willing,” Loren Bymer, the Deputy Public Information Director, said. “Our goal is to increase foster families within Cumberland County so we don’t have to send anyone outside our county.”

  • 7080462 Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III ordered 500 more U.S. service members to be deployed. 300 of those troops will come from Fort Bragg.

    The troops from Fort Bragg will form a modular ammunition ordnance company, according to Pentagon spokesperson John Kirby. They will be heading to Germany to provide additional logistic support to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division already on the ground.

    Kirby said the movement is temporary and the added personnel are being positioned “to help reinforce and bolster deterrence and defense capabilities of the NATO alliance."

    "[We're] going to adjust our posture continuously as the conditions require. And as has noted before, we are not and will not send forces into Ukraine," Kirby said.

    Additional service members will also be coming from Fort Stewart, Georgia.


    Photo Credit: U.S. Army Paratroopers assigned to the 3rd Brigade Combat, 82nd Airborne Division prepare to train with their Polish Allies at a sniper range in Nowa Deba, Poland, March 3, 2022. The 82nd Airborne Division, based at Fort Bragg, N.C., has been deployed to Poland as part of the strong and unremitting commitment to our NATO Allies and to deter aggression. (Photo by Sgt. Catessa Palone)

  • fayetteville logo 1024x585 Down payment assistance for first-time homebuyers could be coming to Fayetteville city employees soon.

    The City Council voted unanimously Monday to have officials look into expanding its existing Good Neighbor Homebuyer Loan Program to include all eligible city employees.

    When the program first started in 2019, the $20,000 down payment assistance was only offered to police officers.

    The council also asked officials to increase that assistance amount to $30,000 to account for rising home prices.

    As of January, the latest available data, the typical sales price for an existing single-family home in Fayetteville was $189,450, according to Longleaf Pine Realtors.

    That’s an increase of over 11% from January 2021.

    Some ZIP codes in Fayetteville, such as 28314, 28306 and 28304, saw increases approaching 20%. ZIP codes 28305 and 28312 — which both saw an increase of around 30% — have median sale prices for existing single-family homes at $243,000 and $304,504, respectively.

    “There’s been a serious appreciation of housing costs,” Mayor Mitch Colvin said at Monday’s City Council meeting, advocating for the assistance increase. “Houses are competitive … instead of it being one offer or two offers, it’s 10 offers. In order to really put them in the game, they have to put an increased down payment with the way prices have gone up.”

    The program is funded through $400,000 from the city’s general fund and from a $50,000 donation from First Horizon Bank.

    Fayetteville’s economic and community development director, Chris Cauley, said in an interview before the meeting that the program incentivizes positive community aspects in two key ways.

    “It’s about that community-oriented policing that is so important to achieve,” Cauley said. “And then it is also about relief — turning the tide from rental to homeownership. That’s one of the challenges with struggling neighborhoods. Someone’s grandmother passes away, and the grandchildren are in another state, and so they just rent the house out until they can’t rent the house anymore. That’s how a lot of neighborhoods decline over time.

    “It’s really in the city’s interest and the community’s overall to help promote positive property ownership and homeownership from a generational wealth standpoint, from a community safety standpoint and just from preservation of property tax values in those neighborhoods, keeping those neighborhoods intact.”
    If the City Council approves a presented plan to expand the program in the coming weeks, eligible city employees can apply for the assistance as soon as April, Cauley said.

    Who is eligible?
    If the program is expanded, city employees can apply for assistance if they meet certain criteria.

    Employees must have worked for the city for at least a year and received a “meets expectations” in their most recent evaluation.

    They must also be a first-time homebuyer, which the city considers as anyone who is purchasing the property, will live in the house as a primary residence and has had no ownership, sole or joint, in a residential property in the three years prior to the date of purchase.

    There are also income limitations.
    Employees and their families must have an annual household income at or below 140% of the area median income.
    In Fayetteville, that’s $58,000 for a single person, and it’s $65,700, $73,400 and $81,100, respectively, for household sizes of two, three and four people.

    Eligible city employees could purchase a home through the program only in certain neighborhoods.
    As it currently exists, the program is limited to homes in the Central Campbellton neighborhood and the Murchinson Road Corridor.

    The City Council also voted to have officials look into expanding that to four other neighborhoods — Massey HIll Community, Bonnie Doone, 71st District Community and Deep Creek.

    “They all revolve around low-income census tract areas, areas that in some programs we call hard to develop,” Cauley said. “If we’re really looking to try to create homeownership and tip the scale in our redevelopment areas, from renters to homeowners, then this is a really great program to do it.”

    How the program works
    The down payment assistance will come in the form of a five-year depreciating loan.

    That means the amount owed, in the case that the city employee decides to sell, will decrease by 20% every year over a five-year period.

    At the end of the five years, the loan, which is given at zero percent, will be considered paid in full.

    Since this is considered to be a forgivable loan by the Internal Revenue Service, employees will also have to pay taxes on the assistance since it would be considered part of their annual compensation.

    That taxable income will be spread out of the five-year period of the loan.

    Homebuyer education class
    Another part of the program’s expansion is the addition of a homebuyer education class.

    Since the program started in late 2019, Cauley said about a half dozen police officers have inquired about the program, but none have purchased a home through it.

    Cauley said that the primary reason based on feedback was that officers didn’t feel they were ready to buy a home.

    A homebuyer education class, Cauley said, could address that issue.

    “Folks just are not ready to be first-time homeowners and have been renters essentially their whole life,” he said. “Their parents could have been renters their whole life, and buying a house is a serious thing. And it’s also complicated. We wanted to put together a first-time homebuyer education class as a component of this.”

    Cauley said the city would find a certified housing counselor who would teach the potential homeowners how to navigate the homebuying process from finding a lender and real estate agent to finding a home in their price range.

    The class would also teach them how to take on the new responsibilities that come with owning a home.

    Council member Antonio Jones, who is also a real estate agent, supports this addition to the program.

    “There’s a lot that goes into buying a home, going from renting to buying,” Jones said. “The classes would definitely be beneficial because it prepares them for things that they may not have originally thought about or had to deal with on the rental side.”

    Why not others in the city?
    During Monday’s meeting, council member Shakeyla Ingram inquired about adding other occupations outside the city payroll to the program, specifically teachers and firefighters.

    Cauley said in response that significant changes would need to be made to expand the program in that fashion.

    “The legalities of that are very different than us funding our own employees,” Cauley said. “This essentially becomes the base of their compensation.”

    He also said hurdles exist to funding assistance for people who are not low income.

    “We’re very limited in what we can do outside of that moderate income for housing,” Cauley said. “That’s not to say that we couldn’t, but that would need to really be a separate council direction for us to go work on something like that.”

  • Rep. John Szoka Headshot North Carolina Representative John Szoka has filed to run for the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners At-Large seat.

    Szoka told Up & Coming Weekly that after five terms of representing North Carolina's 45th District in the state's House of Representatives, he believes it is time to come back to the county level.

    "I bring that knowledge of who I can talk to in state government to make things happen in a positive manner for our county," Szoka said. "I think more people need to go to this state first and then come back to the county one elected. I think I'll be able to help the county move forward in a faster way, perhaps than it's been."

    The biggest issues that Szoka wants to tackle, if elected, are bringing water and sewer systems to the whole county and dealing with the Grays Creek PMPA-infected water.

    "I've worked very hard on those at the state level trying to get resolution and working to get water, to clean water to the residents of Grays Creek. But really, that's a county issue," Szoka said. "So one of my priorities as a county commissioner will be to get the county commission to more than just talk about getting water out there, but actually taking effective steps to make it happen.

    He previously was running for the Congressional District 4 seat before the redistricting lawsuits were filed and the North Carolina Supreme Court drew new maps in late February. He opposed the new congressional map as it separated Fort Bragg and the Sandhills area. The new district Szoka would run for, if he wanted to go to the U.S. House of Representatives, would have been District 9, however, Rep. Richard Hudson is already running for the seat and he did not want to run against Hudson. 

    North Carolina Rep. Diane Wheatley said that Szoka's knowledge and relationships he has gained in the state legislature as well as his experience in finance and his personal work ethic will make him an outstanding member of the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners. Wheatley and Szoka worked together in the state's House of Representatives as well as on the Cumberland County Legislative Delegation.

    "We are very fortunate that John Szoka has decided to run for County Commissioner," Wheatley told Up & Coming Weekly. "I look forward to working with John to help improve the lives of the citizens of Cumberland County."

    Other people running for the at-large seat include Commissioner Larry Lancaster, Marshall Faircloth, Jackie Paul-Ray, Paul Taylor, Veronica B. Jones, and Ron Ross.

  • Doggy Photo Cumberland County Animal Services announced that they have shown significant progress in helping the animals of Cumberland County over the last decade.

    In 2012, ten years ago, the shelter was only able to save 10% of cats and 44% of dogs that entered the facility. In 2021, the department saved more than 60% of cats and 84% of dogs.

    Some of the services that helped increase the number of animals saved included microchip scanners, adoption and the Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Return program.

    “We have made great strides in ensuring that more animals are adopted from our shelter and establishing relationships with dozens of animal rescue groups to allow them to take animals from our shelter for placement,” said Animal Services Director Elaine Smith. 

    With the microchip scanners, many lost pets could be reunited with their owners without having to be admitted to the animal shelter.

    Adoptions have also increased over the past four years due to many events, both at the shelter and around the community. Adoption fees were also reduced, which helped in getting more animals adopted.

    The Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate and Return program, implemented in 2019, has sterilized nearly 1,800 cats. Animal Services says this has helped prevent more than 11,500 kittens from entering the community. Residents can trap feral cats and bring them to the shelter, where the cats are sterilized and vaccinated before being returned to where they were trapped. 

    “We need people in the community to help us by adopting pets, by reporting animal abuse, and by volunteering at our shelter,” Smith added. “This is not something we can do alone.”

    Animal Services is hosting a mobile adoption event on Saturday, March 5 at the Petsmart off Ramsey Street. The event will start at 10 a.m. 

    To see animals available for adoption and learn more about volunteer opportunities at Cumberland County Animal Services, visit cumberlandcountync.gov/departments/animal-services-group/animal-services or call 910-321-6852.

  • 05 FOrt Bragg sign Fort Bragg has lifted the indoor face mask mandate for all vaccinated individuals.

    According to new Defense Department guidance, indoor mask requirements will not be required for installations in counties where the CDC COVID-19 Community Level is considered to be medium.

    Previously, all individuals, regardless of vaccination status, were required to wear a face mask inside. Now only unvaccinated members are required to wear a face mask when indoors.

    Womack Army Medical Center, the Fort Bragg Intrepid Spirit Center, Fayetteville Rehabilitation Center, Fort Bragg Blood Donor Center, Fort Bragg pharmacies, the pharmacy annex and all Fort Bragg dental facilities will still be requiring face masks.

  • Woodpeckers Release Party The Fayetteville Woodpeckers will be kicking off their 2022 season in April with a game on April 8 in Kannapolis, but will quickly be returning home to Segra Stadium on April 12 to go against the Salem Red Sox team.

    Single-game tickets for the first half of the season will be available for purchase starting on March 12. The Woodpeckers will be hosting a ticket release party from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on March 12 at Segra Stadium. Plenty of activities are scheduled for the ticket release party. Families can play catch in the outfield, take some swings in the batting cages, or enjoy the Kids Zone. They will also have a variety of prizes that can be won and food available for purchase. Fans can also gear up for the 2022 season by browsing and buying new merchandise in The Birds’ Nest Team Store.

    Tickets can be purchased online starting March 14 at 9 a.m. Tickets for the home games in July, August and September will be available for purchase in May.

     For more information on ticket purchases, call the Woodpeckers front office at 910-339-1989 or visit www.fayettevillewoodpeckers.com.

    Minor League Spring Training officially started on Feb. 28 at the Astros Spring Training complex in West Palm Beach, FL.

     

  • faith 3 2 There are only a handful of contacts on my phone I’ve added photos to. And when Jeff’s picture popped up on a recent Saturday evening, I was excited to get the call.

    We became quick friends after meeting nearly 20 years ago and have shared meals, prayers and conversations through some of the highest and lowest points of life during that time. I have several friends who attend the church Jeff pastors just outside town, about 30-miles from my home on the other side of town, and though he’s a good teacher and leader, the drive has always been enough to keep me in a church a little closer to home.

    I can honestly say I don’t remember why Jeff called that night. Like any good friend, the conversations typically go down several roads, and we’re more likely to stop when one of us reaches home, work or the checkout line than arrive at the end of the conversation. One thing we share is a particular affection for contemporary Christian music. Not just what’s out today; we often cite bands, songs and artists who found a place in the collective heart of Christian culture across several decades.

    On this recent Saturday night, when Jeff called, I had just finished listening to a YouTube recording of an album that took me back to a time shortly after I began my journey with Christ. It was a live album from the group Mylon LeFevre & Broken Heart – a ‘too-many-guitars-to-count’ Christian rock band from the 1980s. At the time, the music drew me in; as a new Christian, rock music spoke to me from a place I understood. But there was something else about the live recording. Somewhere near the end of the concert, the band fell into this simple groove, and Mylon began to speak. In his slow, southern drawl, he talked about the importance of opening and reading the Bible. He continued talking about his relationship with God – a God with whom he had frequent conversations. I may not have realized it at the time, but this would become instrumental in my walk of faith. I had listened to that album – and Mylon’s message – so many times back then that the thought of knowing and becoming so familiar with God by reading His word, praying and listening became a foundation in my life.

    As I unfolded that memory for Pastor Jeff in our phone call, I said, “…that’s why it’s so important to tell our story. There’s always someone listening that understands the language.” Not missing a beat, Jeff told me he was getting the men in his church to be more engaged with one another and invited me to speak at an upcoming breakfast.

    When the morning came, I left early enough that the sun was in my eyes nearly the whole way. I grew agitated as I squinted to see traffic lights and lane markings, but then, as I turned north and the sun was off to the side, there was a line from a song stuck in my head from church a few days earlier: “Your mercies are new … as surely as the morning comes.” My agitation quickly faded into thankfulness in that moment. God’s goodness and faithfulness have carried me through good and bad times, and it’s still that familiarity I learned when Mylon shared his story in a language I understood, which led me to and keeps me in a place of trusting God through all of it. The transformation continues daily. This is the story I’ll tell.

  • Fitness There are two tests that fitness professionals often use to check the state of exertion in a group class setting or when personal training. The two tests are the Talk Test and the Borg Rating RPE (Rate of Perceived Exertion). Both tests are easy to learn and helpful when determining your level of exercise intensity.

    Have you ever heard a fitness instructor or personal trainer ask how you are doing? If you have heard that question, the trainer or instructor is looking for an audible response showing your exercise level. The basis of this measure is that the harder you work, the more breathless you become. The technical term is Ventilatory Threshold or (VT1). If you are exercising at a light-to-moderate intensity and can talk comfortably, you are below VT1 intensity. As you increase exercise, your breathing frequency rises, your blood lactate accumulates faster and talking becomes increasingly limited. Test results range from VT1, moderate intensity, to VT2, the highest exercise intensity.

    The average person exercising is not looking for VT2 sustainability and can recognize when they have reached their maximum output and decrease their intensity. Being aware of how you are breathing is a good sign. An example would be walking or jogging while talking with a friend. Your conversation flows at a comfortable pace. Your terrain begins to change slightly, and now you are approaching a small hill or incline. Talking becomes a little more challenging, but you are not taxed to complete sentences. The slope you are on has become a tough hill or picked up your pace. Your small talk at this point becomes more difficult, and your conversation is becoming limited to a few, one or no words.

    If you are working out by yourself and you know you can sing along with the song you are listening to, you are at a moderate or lower pace. That song gets harder to sing as you progress, and your level intensifies. You are at your max when you can only listen and cannot sing along.

    It does not take the direction of an exercise professional to know when you are reaching your maximum. Another scale for monitoring a level of exercise intensity is the Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE). The scale level rates from 0 to 10, with 0 at nothing and 10 at intense exertion. A person exercising at a level 3 or 4 would be considered a moderate-intensity rate. A seven on the scale would be just above your VT1 and considered strong. It is a subjective way to quantify your overall feelings and sensations while exercising. As you exercise, you may begin to sweat or feel a difference in your breathing, and as intensity increases, you may start to experience fatigue.

    A doctor may recommend that you use the RPE versus your heart rate because certain medications can cause functional and structural changes in the cardiorespiratory system and could affect a person’s maximum heart rate. Being aware of how your body reacts to exercise is essential to know what feels good and what does not and can help avoid injuries. As you become familiar with both scales, it will help you assess your intensity levels. Knowing when to increase and decrease your level of intensity will be a valuable tool in improving your overall fitness. Live, love life with health and movement.

  • Something ominous and ugly is active in our nation once again, and it is vicious.

    It is not new. In fact, it was birthed before we were a nation and stems from our nation’s original sin, slavery. It is something we have been loath to talk about publicly for nearly half a century. However, events and personalities in recent years have loosened tongues, and now some among us are once again showcasing America’s hideous underbelly. They are demonstrating — and in some instances with great pride — American racism.

    Some people — we know not who—have kicked off 2022 by making bomb threats to historically black colleges and universities in at least 11 states and Washington, DC. Just last month, both Fayetteville State and Winston-Salem State Universities received bomb threats on the same day. No explosive devices were found on either campus, though FSU did suspend operations while officers from local, state and federal law enforcement agencies investigated. It is important to remember that these colleges and universities operate to educate students with the same purpose as all other institutions of higher learning.

    Bomb threats against HBCUs are hardly the only racist behaviors currently directed at minorities in the United States. Hate crimes against Black people have increased by 40% since 2019, according to FBI data and by a horrifying 70% against people of Asian heritage over the same period. Anti-Semitic hate crimes have also risen, though not as dramatically; such offenses account for nearly 60% of religiously motivated hate crimes. If this is not shocking enough, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland says that many hate crimes are never reported at all, so hate crimes are under-counted.

    Historians have yet to define this hateful period in our history. Still, chances are they will eventually write about segments of the American population that fear change from life as they have known it.
    After the American Civil War, elements against change expressed themselves through the Ku Klux Klan and other fear-mongering organizations, through Jim Crow laws intended to disenfranchise African Americans, and, more recently, through private schools known as segregation academies and the John Birch Society and other such organizations. Such groups promote a highly sanitized version of American history in which our darker behaviors and beliefs were and are rarely mentioned. If some aspect of our past or current reality does not jive with their worldview, it did not exist.
    We live in a pluralistic society with a highly mobile population, which is not going to change. Like all history, it will continue to evolve, whether some of us like it or not. The America that some people idealize never really existed, so there is nothing to which to return. We can only move forward.

    When FSU shut down for the bomb scare, leaving its men’s and women’s basketball teams adrift with nowhere to play their visiting Claflin University opponents that evening on Senior Night, FSU Chancellor Darrell Allison reached out to Methodist University. Within hours, the Broncos and their visitors and fans of both teams were in the MU arena playing ball and cheering on the teams. Said Allison to those in the arena, “If the motive [of the bomb threat] was to send a message of hate based on race, those responsible lost, they lost in a big way. What evil and hatred would like to do to cause division only made us stronger in greater unity.”

  • Dismas Charities The North Carolina Court of Appeals published a decision Tuesday deciding that the City of Fayetteville should have approved Dismas Charities' permit request to build a halfway house in Downtown Fayetteville.

    Dismas Charities Inc., of Louisville, Kentucky, wanted to build a 14,339 square foot, 100-bed halfway house for federal prisoners at 901-905 Cain Road. Dismas Charities is a private company contracted by the Federal Bureau of Prisons to operate residential reentry centers. The BOP has the authority to place inmates in reentry halfway houses to serve the remainder of their sentences which it says is normally six months to a year. If built as proposed, the Cain Road institution would have been the company’s largest center.

    However, the City of Fayetteville denied the permit by a 5-4 vote based on its conclusion that Dismas did not meet its burden of production to show that its use met a certain standard in the City’s ordinance which requires a showing that the special use sought “allows for the protection of property values and the ability of neighboring lands to develop the uses permitted in the zoning district.”

    The firm appealed, and on Sept. 3, 2020, Superior Court Judge Mary Ann Tally affirmed the city council’s decision.

    However, the appeals court concluded that the superior court should have conducted a de novo review, rather than applying the whole record test, to determine whether Dismas met its burden of production. Based on the appeals court's de novo review, Dismas did meet its burden of production. The court found that there was no competent, material, substantial evidence offered to counter Dismas’ evidence. Therefore the Court decided that the City Council was required to approve Dismas’ permit application.

    "Accordingly, we reverse the decision of the superior court and remand with instructions to remand to the City Council to approve Dismas’ permit request," the appeals court opinion read.

  • Fort Bragg experienced phone outages between Monday and Wednesday, but all lines appear to be operational now.

    "Throughout the outage, the emergency 9-1-1 system was operational, and most personnel on post were able to telephone other on-post personnel. Additionally, staff members on base were able to use alternate means of communication such as Microsoft Teams and mobile phones to continue to meet mission requirements," according to a spokesperson from the 7th Signal Command.

    Womack Army Medical Center was one of the buildings on base that was having phone issues, causing issues for patients to make appointments, fill in prescriptions, and call the nurse line. However, phone lines are back up at Womack and are functioning.


    This article was updated on March 3 at 1 p.m.

  • Fayetteville New SignsA newly redesigned city seal won’t be official quite yet.

    The City Council unanimously voted Monday to delay documenting a description of the new design in favor of making slight changes.
    In late December, the council incorporated the new seal as an official insignia for the council, to be used for official Fayetteville documents, ceremonies and other uses.

    If not delayed, Monday’s vote would have changed an ordinance to alter the official description of the city seal to describe the new one, which shows the image of a star with the text “CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE NORTH CAROLINA” surrounding it.

    Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Jensen made a motion to return the city seal to the design team to possibly remove the “CITY OF” text.

    The old seal contained an image of downtown’s Market House, a controversial landmark that saw demonstrations during 2020’s George Floyd protests due to its early history. While the site at the original city center had many uses for political meetings and conducting business transactions, this sometimes included slave trades.

    Protests lead to future changes to Market House

    In the days after Floyd, an unarmed Black man, was killed by a Minneapolis police officer in late May 2020, protests around the Market House escalated. Two people set fire to the landmark in an unsuccessful attempt to destroy it. Damage from the fire and sprinklers has been repaired, and the arson suspects have been charged.

    Protests continued around the landmark throughout the summer of 2020, with calls for police reform.

    In the aftermath of the protests, not only did the council vote to change the seal but considered relocating the Market House entirely last April.

    However, the relocation, priced at $2 million, proved too costly for the council to approve, according to minutes from the meeting.

    Instead, the council voted 9-1 to direct city officials to make plans for repurposing the landmark.

    Council member Courtney Banks-McLaughlin voted against the plan. Earlier in the meeting, she moved to relocate the Market House, but the action failed when no other council member made a required seconding motion.

    The repurposing of the landmark entails many options such as widening the occupied space to overtake the center roundabout lane or reclaiming the square entirely.

    This enlarged space could accommodate art exhibits that display Black history, according to a presentation to the council. There could also be vendors each month, with a focus on Black farmers, entrepreneurs and artists.

    As a part of that vote in April, the council tasked the city’s Human Relations Commission to engage with citizens to determine how to repurpose the Market House.

    The council has also sought guidance from the U.S. Department of Justice. A DOJ report is expected to be presented to the council in the coming months.

    Currently, the inner traffic circle around the landmark contains a mural that reads “Black Lives Matter End Racism Now.”

  • pexels anna shvets 3786126 Masks are now optional on school buses for Cumberland County Schools. This comes as new guidance was passed from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to recommend masks but not require them.

    Shirley Bolden, the director of CCS Health Services, shared this information as part of a COVID-19 update during the Student Support Services Committee meeting today.

    Bolden reinstated that COVID-19 policies are still in place to include screening, physical distancing, encouraging virtual meetings, utilizing isolation rooms, recommending masking.

    The Cumberland County School district has partnered with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and MAKO Medical to provide free screening for students and employees. Students and staff can register for weekly testing at their school. Participation in the MAKO testing is voluntary and requires registration through MAKO. To learn more and register, visit the district's COVID-19 Testing for Students and Employees webpage.

  • Spring Lake Logo The Spring Lake Board of Aldermen met Tuesday evening, Feb. 28, to discuss the town's finances.

    Susan McCullen, director of the Fiscal Management Section of the Local Government Commission, gave an update and answered some of the Aldermen's questions on the town's financial plan.

    Last year, the Local Government Commission took control of the town's finances after investigations were launched involving missing money and concerns about budget deficits. As a result, Spring Lake has a fiscal accountability agreement with the Local Government Commission, an enhanced monitoring strategy they use to monitor the town's finances.

    According to McCullen, Spring Lake still has a fiscal accountability agreement and has not established an exit strategy. An exit strategy would include a plan for the board, the manager and the finance staff to regain control of finances.

    "We need to just spend a little bit more time with it," said McCullen. "There is still some work that has to be done."

    According to McCullen, she foresees the town entering its exit strategy plan sometime in the summer.

    The Board of Aldermen also heard from Devin Newton from Cumberland County Community Development, who spoke about several entitlement grants and programs from Housing and Urban Development. Some of the programs are for housing rehabs, rental rehabs, first-time homebuyers and affordable housing development.

    Interim Town Manager Samantha Wullenwaber discussed the fiscal budget for 2022 – 2023 and the monthly financial report.

    "We're right on where we should be which is great," she said. "The town hasn't operated in the plus in a long time and it's good to see."

  • 16 Back up Darrell T Allison Headshot Edited 1024x741Who runs the university? What university are you asking about? Well, for example, Fayetteville State University, one of the 17 institutions that are part of the University of North Carolina, now known as the UNC System.

    Clearly, the recently appointed chancellor of FSU, Darrell Allison, is the leader of that institution. But others share his authority. Allison reports to FSU’s board of trustees, a group of 13 that includes the student body president and other members appointed by the legislature and the UNC System’s board of governors. But Allison reports directly and primarily to the president of the UNC System who has the power, subject to concurrence from the board of governors, to fire the
    chancellor.

    If Allison has a single boss, it is the university president. But if you ask any chancellor he or she will tell you multiple people and groups must be pleased or the chancellor’s job is in jeopardy. He or she must also work with the institution’s trustees.

    It is complicated enough already, but other constituents must be pleased. Near the top of the list is the institution’s faculty. Unhappy students can also bring a chancellor down. So can passionate fans of the university’s athletic teams. Donors and alumni groups can feel that the chancellor is their employee and should listen to their directions.

    All these interests and groups present potential problems for every new chancellor. Wise ones will understand that while you cannot always please everyone, you must always take care to minimize friction and consider different opinions that relate to the university.

    What is really tragic is for the situation to be poisoned from the beginning, but that is what has happened to Chancellor Allison. From the time his appointment was announced, opposition and concerns about his lack of experience in higher education and the process of his appointment arose from the faculty senate, the school’s alumni association, and the student government association’s president.

    Previously, Allison served as a trustee at his alma mater, North Carolina Central University, and as a member of the system’s Board of Governors where he chaired its committee on Historically Minority-Serving Institutions. In 2018, Allison became the national director of State Teams and Political Strategy for the American Federation for Children, an organization that promotes school choice and was once led by Betsy DeVos.

    From the beginning of the UNC System in the early 1970s, chancellors’ selection followed this procedure, taken from a UNC-Chapel Hill document describing the process: The chair of the university’s Board of Trustees, will oversee the search committee to find the new chancellor. Committee members represent the University’s Board of Trustees, faculty, staff, students and alumni. Community members will be able to provide input throughout the process. The committee will make recommendations to the full Board of Trustees, which will vote on candidates to recommend to the UNC System president who will then recommend a candidate to the UNC Board of Governors, which will elect the new chancellor.

    This traditional process assured that every constituency would have some voice in the selection process even though it would be the president who made the final recommendation to the system’s board. This process was changed last year essentially to provide the president with the power to ignore the campus search process unilaterally and select any person to recommend to the Board of Governors.

    The university president has every reason to seek a chancellor who will be a good partner. But it is a mistake not to bring into the selection process representatives of other groups the chancellor must serve.

    As almost 50 years of university history has shown, a collaborative search process can find a person who will be the president’s strong partner without inflaming the kind of opposition that now faces Chancellor Allison.

  • 03 Easter article picEaster is the most significant date on the calendar for Christians across the globe. A celebration of the belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, Easter serves as the foundation of the Christian faith. So it’s no surprise that a day as significant as Easter is steeped in such incredible tradition.

    Explaining Holy Week

    Known as Holy Week, the week preceding Easter begins with Palm Sunday and ends with Holy Saturday, the day preceding Easter Sunday. Holy Week commemorates different events that unfolded over the final days of Jesus Christ’s life.
    According to Catholic Online, Palm Sunday celebrates the entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. On the day of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, residents laid palms before him, which is why palms are distributed to the Christian faithful each year during Palm Sunday Mass. Palms are blessed at Mass, and many Christians turn their palms into crosses upon arriving home. The palms are eventually returned to the church, where they are burned, and the ashes of the palms are then used during the following year’s Ash Wednesday services.

    Holy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, when Jesus celebrated the Passover feast with his disciples. In the story of Jesus Christ, the night of the Last Supper was the same night that Jesus was betrayed by his disciple, Judas.

    Good Friday commemorates the trial, punishment and crucifixion of Christ. Though the official presiding over the trial of Jesus, Pontius Pilate, found no evidence of Jesus’ guilt in relation to the charges filed against him, he ultimately agreed to Christ’s crucifixion anyway in an effort to appease the crowd and avoid a riot. As a result, Christ was stripped, flogged and crowned with thorns before being made to carry his cross through the streets to the place where he was ultimately crucified. On Good Friday, the tabernacle inside Catholic churches is left empty to symbolize that Christ is departed.

    The final day of Holy Week, Holy Saturday, is a day to remember that Christ descended into hell, where he preached the gospel and opened the way to heaven.

    What is the “good news”?

    The term “good news” is often used by Christians in reference to their faith. Good news is at the heart of Christianity, and it has both symbolic and literal meaning in reference to the New Testament. According to the online biblical reference Bible Odyssey, “good news” is the literal translation of the Greek word “euangelion.” It also can be interchanged with gospel, which is “good spiel” or “godspel,” which means good news.

    New Testament authors offer that the good news means the salvation and liberation from sin and estrangement from God.

    The Apostle Paul summarized the gospel, and in turn the good news, in this way: Now, brothers and sisters, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve.

    Christians believe Christ’s death symbolizes the ultimate sacrifice and paved the way for Jesus' resurrection. The death and resurrection — proving that there would be life after death for the faithful — became the core tenet of the Christian faith. Everyone who accepts the gospel and has faith in God will receive salvation in the Kingdom of Heaven. Easter highlights the good news in its most potent form.

    Easter celebrations in the era of social distancing

    Holidays have been celebrated differently since the outbreak of COVID-19. Celebrations and social distancing may be challenging, but it’s possible for people to safely celebrate Easter with their loved ones. Though it might not be the same as attending church services in person together as a family, watching virtual services together can allow families to engage with their faith alongside one another.

    An outdoor brunch provides another way for families to gather this Easter without compromising their health.
    Host an egg hunt in the backyard. The Easter egg hunt is one tradition that need not be sacrificed during the pandemic. Easter egg hunts traditionally take place outdoors, and children can wear masks like many are already doing when going to school or participating in sports and other extracurricular activities.

    Families spending the day with only those in their own households can watch a movie that commemorates their Christian faith. Various films are set around Easter, including the classic “The Greatest Story Ever Told” (1965) starring Max von Sydow and Claude Rains and the more recent “Risen” (2016), which focuses on efforts by a Roman military tribune named Clavius (Joseph Fiennes) who is tasked with investigating what happened to Jesus Christ’s body after the Crucifixion.

    Families can embrace some old and new traditions as they celebrate Easter in the era of social distancing.

  • 02 Easter kidsSeveral businesses and area churches have events scheduled to boost your Easter weekend. From egg hunts to pictures with the Easter bunny, you won’t want to miss these opportunities for fun.

    Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Tap Room are having an Easter Egg Hunt on April 3. Pictures with the Easter Bunny start at 10 a.m., and the egg hunts start at different times based on children’s age. The egg hunt for those 5 and under starts at 9 a.m.; the egg hunt for 6 to 10-year-olds starts at 10 a.m.; for 11-year-olds and up, the egg hunt starts at 11 a.m. To find tickets go to www.dirtbagales.com or visit the events page on Facebook.

    Take the family out on April 4 to Huske Hardware located downtown for a nice brunch. Their Simply Southern Easter Brunch will offer Signature Salmon and Huske Benedicts, Steak and Eggs, Biscuits and House Sausage Gravy, Country Fried Steak and Eggs, Chicken and Waffles, and other dining favorites. Huske Hardware will be hosting brunch from 9 a.m. until
    2 p.m.

    For a family day filled with fun, eggs and paintball, visit Black Ops Paintball of Fayetteville on April 4 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. participants can grab a rental and scour our fields for eggs with discount codes, free stuff and candy.

    On April 3 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Fort Bragg Harley Davidson will host an Easter Egg Hunt every hour beginning at 11 a.m. The Bucaneros will be working the grill with free hamburgers and hot dogs. Fort Bragg Harley Davidson is located at 3950 Sycamore Dairy Road.

    Also on April 3, Temple Baptist Church will hold an Easter Egg Hunt for kids in Pre-K up to 5th Grade. They promise thousands of eggs ready to be found. They will have three egg hunts separated by age. In addition to toys and candy, they will have golden eggs with tickets for prizes to be given away after the last egg hunt. The fun begins at 11 a.m. for registration; 11:15 a.m. for the Pre-K egg hunt; 11:30 a.m. for the K-2nd grade egg hunt; 11:45 a.m. for the 3rd-5th grade egg hunt; prizes and giveaways start at noon. This event is completely outdoors. Masks are not required but social distancing is encouraged. For questions contact Pastor Trent at 910-991-6807 or trent@templebaptistfay.com

    King’s Grant will also be holding their Easter Egg Hunt on April 3 from 2-4 p.m. at 347 Shawcroft Road in Fayetteville.

    Green Side Up will be hosting their Fairy Garden Workshop on April 3 from 10-11:30 a.m. For the $25 fee, each fairy garden comes with 3 plants, soil and a container. All participants will receive 15% off on their purchases. Register early because only 10 spots are available. Spots and tables will be socially distanced with only 2 people at each table.

  • 01 Holy BibleMany local churches are back to in-person services for Easter. Most will require attendees to wear masks and practice social distancing. For information on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services, check the church websites or call for more information.

    Below is a listing of some local Easter Sunday services scheduled for April 4.

    Crossview Alliance Church, 2306 Fort Bragg Road, 910-484-6070. There will be a drive-in service at 9:30 a.m. where people will remain in their cars. We will conduct this worship service from the steps of the church using outdoor speakers to broadcast into the parking lot. This service will not be live streamed. The message, entitled “He is Alive!” will examine the hope that we can have because Christ conquered death and the grave.
    https://thecrossview.church/welcome

    Fayetteville Christian Church, 4308 Rosehill Road, 910-822-2402. Join us Sunday at 10:30 a.m. for streaming service https://loveservereach.online.church.
    First Presbyterian Church, 102 Ann St., 910-483-0121. An Outdoor Easter Worship Service will be held at 11 a.m. in person and live streaming. Bring a chair.
    http://www.firstprez.com/

    Haymount United Methodist Church, 1700 Fort Bragg Road, 910-484-0181. Sunrise Service in the courtyard begins at 6:30 a.m. Services at 9:45 and 11 a.m. in person and live streamed.
    https://haymountumc.com/.

    Hay Street United Methodist Church, 320 Hay Street, 910-483-2343. Contemporary Praise Service starts at 8:50 a.m. in the gym and the Traditional Service starts at 11:00 a.m. in the sanctuary. https://www.haystreetchurch.org/

    Manna Church, join us in person at Manna Live or online at Manna Online to celebrate the events of Passion Week. On April 4, services will be held at all sites and online https://fayftbragg.manna.church/sermons/live. For speciic times and locations, check the website.

    Northwood Temple Church, 4250 Ramsey St., 910-488-7474, info@northwoodtemple.org. The Easter production this year, My Mountain, is a retelling of the story of Caleb, one of the twelve spies, sent into the land of Canaan before the Israelites. Four performances are planned: Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m., Saturday at 3:30 p.m., Easter Sunday at 6:30 p.m.
    http://northwoodtemple.org/

    Saint Ann Catholic Church, 357 N. Cool Spring St., 910-483-3216, www.stanncatholicchurch.org. Mass scheduled at 8:30 and 11 a.m.

    St. John’s Episcopal Church, 302 Green St., 910-483-7405, www.stjohnsnc.org. Service held in the Sanctuary at 10:30 a.m.

    Snyder Memorial Baptist Church, 701 Westmont Drive, 910-484-3191, www.snydermbc.com/. Worship will be at 9 a.m. in the Fellowship Hall; 11 a.m. for worship with orchestra in the Sanctuary.

    True Vine Ministries, 5315 Morganton Road, 910-867-6762 or 910-867-3611, www.truevinenc.com/

    Join Village Baptist Church for Easter at The Village, 906 S. McPherson Church Road, 910-678-7178. Services will be in person and online at 8:30, 9:30, 11 a.m. www.thevillagebc.church/easter

  • 15 A Sinister Cabaret 01The Fayetteville Dinner Theatre is back after a pandemic hiatus and ready to kick off their season with the fun and entertaining musical Mystery Dinner Theatre production of "A Sinister Cabaret: Love Letters/ Sleight of Hand." Formally known as the Bordeaux Dinner Theater before its demise in the mid-1980s, Fayetteville Dinner Theatre has been reintroduced to the Fayetteville and Cumberland County community by local businessman, entrepreneur, and Up & Coming Weekly newspaper publisher Bill Bowman.

    The FDT's first production was in 2016, with "A Southern Girl's Got To Have It" written and directed by local Fayetteville playwright Elaine Alexander. It was the overwhelming success of this production that motivated Bowman to create a totally "new and unique dinner theatre experience for Fayetteville and Cumberland County audiences."

    With the FDT celebrating its fifth year with the production of "A Sinister Cabaret," Bowman follows through with his strategy of utilizing local creative writers and talented actors to create a unique and enjoyable evening of dinner theatre.

    "A Sinister Cabaret: Love Letters/ Sleight of Hand" is written and directed by Fayetteville resident Dr. Gail Morfesis. No stranger to the local arts and cultural community, Dr. Morfesis has a doctorate in music, voice, and theater.

    Dr. Morfesis is very active in the Fayetteville arts community as a singer, performer and ardent volunteer. She has directed many shows with the Gilbert Theater and at Fayetteville Technical Community College. Talented and with a penchant for mischievous humor, Morfesis has created her unique style and format for her original plays.

    One of the more exciting aspects of "A Sinister Cabaret" is that it is never the same show twice. The music, dancing and comedy stay the same; however, the "whodunit" is a mystery. And this is how Morfesis intended it to be. She enjoys writing what she describes "as fun, interactive comedy." There are other unique aspects of this dinner theatre production. In the show, Morfesis also plays one of the leading characters, Francis Maximillian.

    Fayetteville actress Tabitha Humphrey, who plays Percy Barker, actually created the character she is portraying. She described her audition with Morfesis as open and unique. She was instructed to come prepared to audition with a love song rather than reading lines from the script. Once she was cast, Humphrey was given the creative opportunity to express herself and assist in creating the character and how she impacts the murder mystery plot.

    "Dr. Gail gave us creative freedom of our characters while she maintained creative control," said Humphrey. She added that she enjoyed working with the cast and the acting and improvisation became much easier once she got to know everyone and became familiar with their characters.

    Leading actor Jim Smith, who plays Sylvester Sly Fox, said, "this play is a mystery with several different plots within the main characters, and is very intriguing. It's a mystery as to how they play ends and how all the ladies feel about my character." Smith did not want to give too much away about his character but is excited to be a part of the cast and production.

    Interactive shows like "A Sinister Cabaret" are becoming common in the dinner theatre scene. Bowman said, "People are looking for fun and entertaining things to do in these trying times. They need some relief from the tensions caused by their jobs, or lack of, racial unrest, riots, pandemics, lockdowns, vaccines, social distancing restrictions, and Zoom meetings.”

    “The timing for this comedy is perfect, and we are expecting a great response and turnout. Celebrating one year of COVID restrictions, you can bet people are ready to ditch the lockdowns and get out of their houses in search of some fun and wholesome entertainment. And that is what the Fayetteville Dinner Theatre is all about. What better to celebrate than with a show that's fun and showcases a local playwright and local actors? Besides, it's about time that people seeking good dinner theatre venues don't have to travel to Charlotte, Raleigh, Winston Salem, or Greensboro for quality entertainment."

    In addition to "A Southern Girl's Got To Have It," the Fayetteville Dinner Theatre has produced "M is for Mullet," "The Fantastiks," and "HamLIT." The May 2020 FDT show that was canceled due to COVID-19 was titled "Mark Twain Himself," starring Richard Garey from Hannibal, Missouri. Garey owns his own Playhouse in Hannibal and is a Samuel Clement scholar. His performances are known for their authenticity.

    Garey brings Mark Twain to life, and Bowman hopes the FDT will be able to reschedule his performance in the fall. It is a show the entire Fayetteville and Cumberland County community will appreciate and enjoy from an entertainment and historical point of view.

    The Fayetteville Dinner Theatre is all about having a unique theatre and dining experience. The FDT prides itself on focusing on the “wow” factor. Every evening starts with a Preshow Welcome Reception hosted by Gates Four Country Club. It includes a wine tasting followed by the show and a three-course meal prepared especially for the FDT audiences. There are gifts, door prizes and a dessert bar set up during the intermission. After the show, the FDT hosts a Meet and Greet with the actors and actresses.

    Gates Four Golf & Country Club is the home of the Fayetteville Dinner Theatre. It is a gated community located in western Cumberland County near Hope Mills. Gates Four is known for its beautiful residential neighborhoods, quaint country landscapes, and its challenging 18-hole golf course.

    The FDT performance of "A Sinister Cabaret: Love Letters/Sleight of Hand" will hit the center stage on Friday, April 9, and Saturday, April 10. Tickets and reservations may be made online at www.fayettevilledinnertheatre.com.

    The Preshow Welcome Reception begins at 6:00 p.m. Dinner and the performance begins at 7:00 p.m. Open seating with social distancing practices will be in place. Tickets are $75 per person with discounts available for active duty military, seniors 65+ and Gates Four members and residents. Parties of six or eight may purchase VIP tables.

    For more information about tickets or how your business or organization can exclusively sponsor a FDT production, contact the Box Office at 910-391-3859 or email bbowman@upandcomingweekly.com. Partial proceeds from the FDT show will benefit Cumberland County education through the Kidsville News! Literacy and Education Foundation, a (501c3), provides reading and educational resources for local children and teachers.

  • 14 dollar sign and graphGov. Roy Cooper introduced a $55.9 billion budget proposal on March 24 that includes many of the goals he’s had since taking office. But this time he claims they’re needed due to the COVID pandemic.

    These goals include expanding Medicaid, borrowing $4.7 billion for infrastructure projects, and pushing state agencies to look at issues through a “justice and equity lens.” All told, Cooper would hike spending by 11.6% over what was budgeted this year in the 2021-22 fiscal year.

    “We’ll put this pandemic behind us sooner rather than later. With the right investments, we can ensure our state roars back, creating opportunity for all of our people, not just those at the top,” Cooper said during a news conference outlining his budget proposal. “This is the time to find opportunity in crisis.”

    Republicans, however, criticized the governor’s budget for spending too wildly, especially with the state’s fiscal future still uncertain.

    While Cooper would hike spending virtually across the board, his budget includes two major spending programs with eye-popping numbers.

    Cooper’s budget again includes expanding Medicaid, a top policy priority since taking office. Medicaid expansion would offer government-paid health insurance to some 600,000 working-age adults without children. The federal government and the state would share the costs, which would reach $500 million for North Carolina.

    Cooper said Medicaid expansion was more pressing this year because many North Carolinians lost their jobs during the pandemic, and thus their employer-sponsored health insurance.

    “We must get health care to more working people, and the best way to do that is expand Medicaid,” Cooper said.

    Another major spending program would be a $4.7 billion bond package for infrastructure projects, the bulk of which would be in K-12 public schools and the state’s colleges and universities.

    “Interest rates have never been lower, and our state needs the boost,” Cooper said.

    Voters would need to approve the bond proposal, and bonds would be issued over a period of years. Interest rates have already begun to rise as the federal government has pumped trillions into the economy.

    Other proposals in Cooper’s budget include reinstating the Earned Income Tax Credit, a refundable tax benefit for low-income workers; a 10% pay raise for teachers, plus a $2,000 bonus; a minimum wage of $15 per hour for school system employees; $100 million in clean energy spending; creating an Office of Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity Affairs in the Department of Public Instruction; and eliminating Opportunity Scholarships, a program that helps low-income families attend private schools.

    “Instead of giving parents and families that opportunity to find the best educational option for their children, Governor Cooper is doubling down on cutting funding for scholarships that provide families those needed resources," said Mike Long, president of Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina.

    Sen. Brent Jackson, R-Sampson, one of the Senate’s chief budget writers, said he was concerned with the high levels of spending and borrowing in the governor’s proposal.

    “We don’t want to return to an era of rollercoaster-style budgets with huge spikes in the boom years followed by huge cuts in the lean years,” he said in a statement.
    House leadership distanced themselves from the proposal, as well.

    “While there are a number of shared priorities funded in the governor’s budget proposal, North Carolina lawmakers will remain vigilant in our responsible financial management of the state and avoid irresponsible decisions that have harmed taxpayers in the past,” House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, said in a statement.

    Jackson and Moore said they’re committed to working with the governor to find compromise and pass a budget. Cooper vetoed the last biennial budget, meaning North Carolina has spent the past two years largely operating on the 2017 spending plan.

  • 13 American Flag horizontal copyA bill introduced by House Majority Leader John Bell, R-Wayne, is meant to help improve crisis intervention and services for veterans suffering from mental health and substance abuse issues.

    House Bill 370, No Veteran Left Behind Act, creates a pilot program for several military and veteran heavy counties in North Carolina to improve and expand training for local law enforcement and first responders, a news release says. It focuses on dealing with veteran-specific crisis intervention, suicide prevention, and available resources at the Department of Veterans Affairs, including Brunswick, Craven, Cumberland, Onslow, Union and Wayne counties.

    “More than 100,000 active duty service members and over 600,000 veterans call North Carolina home,” Bell said. “Our veterans and their families face unique challenges, especially those on active duty. After talking with veteran advocates, law enforcement and local leaders, we believe the No Veteran Left Behind Act will help address an important need in our state by providing local law enforcement with additional training to assist veterans in need.”

    Other bill sponsors are House Speaker Tim Moore, R-Cleveland, Rep. George Cleveland, R-Onslow, and Rep. Charlie Miller, R-Brunswick.
    “North Carolina is the proud home to hundreds of thousands of veterans and their families who served the United States in our Armed Forces and face unique challenges in this pandemic recovery,” said Moore in a statement.

    “The No Veteran Left Behind Act will benefit not just North Carolina veterans in pilot counties, but their communities and local leaders, as well. We are committed to identifying statewide needs through this initiative that will help more military families succeed in our state.”

    The training will be administered through The Independence Fund Inc., a North Carolina-based nonprofit dedicated to improving the lives of veterans and their families. Under the bill, the release says, The Independence Fund will partner with state and local governments to assess each county’s initial response to veterans in crises and conclude with an updated data collection process map developed.

    Cleveland said the bill is important for military heavy areas such as Onslow County, which is home to Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune.
    “As a retired Marine and the representative of a district with tens of thousands of active duty service members and veterans, I believe this legislation will help our local law enforcement and first responders better support veterans and military families,” Cleveland said.

    The No Veteran Left Behind Act also has the support of local sheriffs, who will be included in the pilot program, including Craven County Sheriff Chip Hughes, who said he believes it will help them better meet the needs of the many veterans and active duty service members in their county.

  • 12 cooper podiumMore than a year after the COVID-19 pandemic brought North Carolina to a screeching halt, Gov. Roy Cooper shows no sign of relinquishing the sweeping and open-ended emergency powers he has claimed under state law.

    The General Assembly is now trying once again to clarify exactly what a governor should have the power to do on his own during a state of emergency — and how long “emergencies” should be able
    to last.

    A new bill that would rewrite the state’s Emergency Management Act advanced through a House Judiciary committee this week. It now sits in the House Rules Committee.

    North Carolina’s current law allows the governor to declare a state of emergency at any time, and it does not end until the governor declares it over. During such a period, the governor has broad powers to regulate gatherings, close schools, shutter businesses, or mandate evacuations.

    The law appears to require Council of State concurrence for some of these powers, but when Cooper was challenged last summer over several of his executive orders, a judge ruled that North Carolina’s governor can make these decisions unilaterally

    Under House Bill 264, a state of emergency would end within seven days unless the Council of State authorizes it to last longer. The Council of State would then need to vote to continue the state of emergency every 30 days.

    The governor would also need Council of State approval to exercise most of the powers to prohibit and restrict activity and business.

    “A year ago, when the shutdown order was entered, most people in our state didn’t believe that the governor had the ability to shut our entire state down. Most people assumed there were at least some form of checks and balances on that sort of measure,” said Destin Hall, R-Caldwell, when the bill was first introduced.

    “Our state is going to face other emergencies in the future. We’ve got to build public trust in an emergency situation. The way we do that, try to take the politics out of it, is through a deliberative process. This bill would give us that deliberative process.”

    The Council of State is made up of the independently elected statewide officials under the state constitution, including the lieutenant governor, state auditor, state treasurer, and secretary of state. Notably, the bill does not include new legislative oversight.

    Other states have taken up similar bills as the coronavirus has shone a light on the shortcomings of most state emergency laws, which historically have been used primarily during hurricanes or other natural disasters.

    New York’s state legislature, for example, passed a law this month requiring more oversight of its governor’s emergency powers.

    In North Carolina, Cooper would need to sign this new emergency powers bill for it to go into effect. This is unlikely. Over the past year, Cooper has vetoed any effort to rein in his control.

    Instead, he has preferred to go it alone — something General Assembly leaders have noted.

    “The current law that granted these emergency powers was simply not written for today’s challenges,” Rep. John Bell, R-Wayne, said when the bill was first introduced. “There needs to be more bipartisan input and checks and balances. There is no unilateral rule in a constitutional republic.”

  • 11 Socially distanced classroom 3Cumberland County Schools will transition to Plan A beginning Monday, April 12. The Cumberland County Board of Education approved the changeover during a recent special meeting. Under Plan A, all students will be eligible to attend class in person on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday of each week. Wellness Wednesday will be an independent remote learning day for all students so school buildings can be cleaned.

    School-based virtual learning options remain open to students. Plan A does not require schools to reduce the usual number of students in the classroom. Social distancing is not required on school buses. CCS will continue the process of temperature screening students and others who enter school buildings.

    Social distancing protocols will be in effect inside schools and visitor limitations remain in effect. Students, faculty members and staff must wear masks or face coverings in school and on school buses.

    All families had the opportunity of deciding if their children would transition to Plan A or switch to full-time virtual learning. Families of students who are currently participating in full-time virtual learning which did not complete preference forms prior to the deadline, will remain remote through May 2021. Students enrolled in virtual academies are not eligible to transfer to other schools in the district at this time and will remain at the virtual academies through May.

    School pupils began returning to class earlier this month. They were divided into two groups. Some attended school on Monday and Tuesday. Others returned to classrooms on Thursday and Friday. Schools Superintendent Marvin Connelly Jr., acknowledged the time and effort that has been spent making students' return a “safe and healthy one.” Dedicated employees “have worked around the clock to prepare for a hybrid teaching and learning model,” he said. “And we cannot forget the work of our staff members who are making sure we’re prepared to operate safely, effectively and efficiently."

    Students, for their part, likely have lost months of learning as they return to classrooms. Most kids yearn for social connection with their peers and teachers, and the pandemic has caused many of them to fall behind. Some lack internet access at home and have resorted to finding nearby school buses outfitted with high-speed Wi-Fi. Cumberland County schools have discontinued the process because buses are on the road again. Lacking access to in-person schooling can also put some children at risk of going without meals or spending increased time with abusive relatives.

    Remote learning has exacerbated the institutional harms that were already being inflicted on many families.

    Virtual schooling could have a silver lining though: some children may end up being more resilient on the other side of the pandemic. Navigating uncertainty, maintaining hope for the future, and relying on community resources to overcome challenges are skills some youngsters could be developing.

    For many students, learning from home can also be healthier than in-person schooling. Deepening their bond with parents, for instance, sets foundations for trust and empathy.

  • 10 Fayetteville Beautiful logoPublic registration for the Fayetteville Beautiful community cleanup event begins soon. Fayetteville residents and non-residents can participate. The event is scheduled for Saturday, April 17. This year there are some changes because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants and event organizers should wear masks and practice social distancing. On the day of the event participants are asked to drive into the marked entrance at Hay St. and Hurley Way to receive trash bags, fliers and water. Event organizers and participants should wear masks during the supply pick up and community cleanup event. Interested people can register online at www.fayettevillebeautiful.com. Scroll down to the active map, select a cleanup location, and click “Register.” Group representatives should include the number of volunteers that will
    participate.

  • 09 food giveawayAlliance Health, Hope4NC, Noonday Kitchen and Mercy Chefs will host a food giveaway to address food insecurity in Cumberland County on April 13 from 8 a.m. until noon at the John D. Fuller Recreation Center, 6627 Old Bunce Road in Fayetteville. This event is open to all Alliance members as well as the community. Community members who are picking up one or two boxes can just show up at the event. Community partners who are seeking bulk packaging are asked to pre-register at http://bit.ly/foodboxpickup.
    USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service is partnering with national, regional and local food distributors who have been impacted by COVID-19. This partnership purchases fresh produce, dairy and meat products from American producers. Distributors package these products into family-sized boxes, then transport them to food banks, community and faith-based organizations, and other non-profits serving Americans in need.

  • 08 veteran vaccineMilitary veterans, their spouses and caregivers will be able to receive coronavirus vaccines through the Department of Veterans Affairs once doses are made available, under legislation finalized by Congress. Veterans Affairs leaders supported the move, saying they did not want to turn away any veteran from receiving the shot if they were available. But under current rules, department medical centers were permitted to administer vaccines only to veterans already eligible for VA health care services, and for certain caregivers registered in VA support programs. That totals just under 7 million individuals. Under the new bill, that number is expected to jump to more than 20 million. It will make vaccines available “to all veterans, veteran spouses, caregivers... and Department of Veterans Affairs recipients to the extent that such vaccines are available.”

  • 04 Pinwheel KitApril is Child Abuse Prevention Month and for the past 11 years our community has honored children by planting blue pinwheels in honor of child abuse prevention. The pinwheel represents the bright future that every child deserves.

    The Child Advocacy Center received a total of 876 reports of child abuse during FY 19/20, a 20% increase over FY 18/19. Currently, we are continuing to see those numbers increase as well. For the period July 1 until December 31, 2020, the CAC received a total of 521 reports of suspected abuse, up 29% from the same period in 2019.

    This has been a difficult year on so many levels due to the pandemic. COVID-19 has brought about so many changes, as well as uncertainty. These challenges have brought about more time at home, more time on electronic devices and less time being able to safely socialize with friends in general. Until last week, children in our community had not been inside a classroom since March 13, 2020.
    Jeanne Allert, CEO and Founder of The Samaritan Women, in Baltimore, Maryland, presented a webinar about Victimology: Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking. She shared that professionals are already discussing the impact the pandemic may have on children and families once children begin to re-engage in a more traditional school schedule. Educators account for 50% of reports of child abuse.

    April is also a time to look forward – a time to be a part of ensuring that every child has a bright future. All children deserve to grow up in loving, stable and stimulating environments, in their home, church, school and in the community. Most of all, we want childhood to be a time when children no longer live in fear.

    This year, we want more than ever to have a significant presence with pinwheels heavily displayed throughout our community. We want to cohesively and prominently show that our community supports children. April is an ideal time for our community to reflect and to recognize the children who have been victimized through the pain of abuse — physical, emotional and/or sexual.

    At the CAC, our vision is a community where children feel safe, nurtured and loved. April is a time to remind us that no matter the challenges, to include a global pandemic, we face as individuals, caring for all our children must always be our priority.

    You can join us in promoting healthy childhoods for our children. You can purchase a pinwheel garden kit (24 pinwheels and a yard sign) for $40 or a Pinwheel Vase (eight pinwheels in a vase with ribbon) for $15. Visit our website CACFayNC.org to place your order. Once you plant your garden of pinwheels or display your pinwheel vase, tag us on your social media, include the following hashtags – #passthepinwheel, #cacfayncpinwheels2021, #pinwheelsforprevention

    During the month of April, the CAC will be hosting “Read-Along Story Times” on Tuesday of each week. We will be reading books that talk about body safety, boundaries and how to say no when the child feels uncomfortable. You can view these on the CAC’s Facebook & Instagram pages or on our website CACFayNC.org.

    These are great opportunities to talk with your child about appropriate touching and setting boundaries. Research has shown, it is better to start teaching children about body safety when they are young and to continue throughout their childhood. It is never too late to begin.

    This April and throughout the year, let’s all join together to provide help, hope and healing to children who have been victimized by abuse. Join us in creating a community (and beyond) where children feel safe to run and play, where all children feel love and accepted versus living in fear.

    We hope to see blue pinwheels spinning in the sun and throughout our community this April reminding us all that EACH child deserves a happy childhood.

    Community members can join CAC for a virtual Pinwheel Planting at noon on April 1 on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CACFayNC. To learn more about how you can participate, please check out the Facebook page, the website or call 910-486-9700. For more information about April and Child Abuse Prevention, including how to become involved in prevention, follow CAC on social media or visit the website www.CACFayNC.org. Happy Pinwheel Planting!

  • 07 IMG 6382Hey you! Is the world too much with you? Reality got you down? Tired of putting up with stuff? Like Joe in “Showboat,” are you “tired of living but scared of dying”?

    Congratulations, you have come to the right place. As the emcee in “Cabaret” said, “Leave your troubles outside. In here life is beautiful. The girls are beautiful. Even the orchestra is beautiful.” Today’s lesson will be how to be happy. If this sounds a bit Polly Anna-ish, or even if you don’t know who Polly Anna was, take a chance any way, read the rest of this stain on world literature. Either you will be glad you did or you will waste three minutes of your life which you might have squandered on something equally trivial. The choice is yours, read on MacDuff or turn the page.

    Let us begin with our old friend Alice in Wonderland. She has the formula for happiness in the face of adversity. Jefferson Airplane suggested to “Go Ask Alice/ I think she’ll know.” Turns out the Airplane was correct. Alice reveals how to be a cockeyed optimist in her Chapter entitled “Pig & Pepper.” Learn how Alice turns limes into margaritas. Alice is lost in the woods when she comes upon a house. She sees a fish dressed as a footman go to the house to knock on the door. The door is answered by a footman who has the head of a frog. A lesser mortal might have quietly backed into the woods as mutated footmen seldom bode well for the casual observer. Alice is made of
    sturdier stuff.

    She marches up to the house but has a frustrating conversation with the Frog footman. Realizing the Frog is not going to help her, she opens the door herself and barges inside. Not to mix metaphors, but the house is not like that of the Three Bears. There is no porridge but it is occupied by three unpleasant beings: the Cook, the Duchess, and her Baby. The kitchen looks like a scene from the Three Stooges. Instead of throwing pies at each other, the Cook is dumping way too much pepper in the soup while throwing pots, pans and kitchen utensils at the Duchess and her Baby. The Duchess is sneezing. Her baby is alternating between sneezing and howling. It’s a pretty wild scene, lacking only hungry wolves, a mob of Oath Keepers, and a school of flying jellyfish to be double plus ungood.

    Alice, being a good-hearted sort, becomes quite concerned that the Baby will be seriously injured when a flying sauce pan nearly takes off the Baby’s nose. The Duchess, having been invited to play croquet with the Queen, exits stage right tossing the Baby to Alice. Alice catches the Baby which is bucking and writhing around in her arms while making a disturbing snorting noise. Alice takes on the role of Protective Services carrying the struggling Baby outside to avoid further kitchen flying objects. “If I don’t take this child away with me,” thought Alice, “they’re sure to kill it in a day or two, wouldn’t it be murder to leave it behind?”

    Once outside the Baby commenced to grunting instead of howling. This disturbed Alice. Looking at the Baby she noticed its nose had become turned up. It began to appear to be more of a snout than a nose. Its eyes had shrunk into pig like beady marbles. She told the Baby “If you’re going to turn into a pig, my dear, I’ll have nothing more to do with you.” After a bit more time, the Baby began seriously grunting. Alice looked again and sure enough, the Baby had turned into a pig. Alice put the Pig/Baby down and “felt quite relieved to see it trot away quietly into the woods.”

    Now here comes the lesson of today’s column wherein Alice makes the best of a bad situation. A lot of people would be freaked out by a Baby morphing into a pig. A lot of people might have considered such an event catastrophic for the Baby. A lot of people might have considered selling the Baby to a barbecue restaurant. But not Alice. She looks on the bright side. Alice relentlessly acts like two fried eggs by keeping her sunny side up. The reverse of the Pygmalion transformation of a statue into a lady does not dismay her in the least. Alice thinks: “It would have made a dreadfully ugly child but makes a rather a handsome pig, I think.” She then “began thinking over other children she knew; who might do very well as pigs if one only knew the right way to change them.”

    So, there is our lesson for the day. If circumstances go awry, find the positive buried deep within the muck. Look for the rather handsome pig in every situation. Reframe reality to see the good even if it means you are delusional. Be like the old song: “You’ve got to accentuate the positive/ Eliminate the negative/ Latch on the affirmative/ Don’t mess with Mr. In-Between.”

    Another plus is there is no proof that dinosaurs became extinct because their diet consisted solely of Blooming Onions from the Outback Steakhouse. Chow down!

  • 05 in line polling placeLast week brought complicated, and in some ways horrifying news. First there was the Boulder shooting that left 10 people dead and yet another American community in shocked mourning. The most concerning aspect of such shootings is that they have become our new and accepted normal. Unless they happen in our own community or to people we know, perhaps even love, they garner brief national attention. Most Americans then move on until the
    next one.

    Many people, this writer included, believed that the 2012 murders of 6 and 7-year-olds at Sandy Hook Elementary School would motivate us to look at why we allow so few restrictions on gun ownership, even allowing private ownership of military style automatic weapons.

    Instead, we seemingly decided even gunning down children was something we could live with in order to keep our firearms. It also remains true that while mass shootings get our attention for at least a brief period, far more of us die from shootings under other, less spectacular circumstances.

    Americans who yearn for less carnage and are willing to accept more restrictions, including this writer, are coming to understand that nothing is going to happen until there is a mass public outcry as has happened with the Black Lives Matter and Me Too movements. Perhaps this graphic from The New York Times can help us see how extreme an outlier our nation is when it comes to gun violence.

    Pay attention, and be very afraid.

    In addition to death by firearms, our democracy continues to be under threat. In the wake of the 2020 elections, state legislatures all across the country are debating and passing laws restricting Americans’ right to vote. Georgia’s governor signed into law last week perhaps the most regressive voting provisions since the Jim Crow era, already being dubbed “Jim Crow 2.0.” The jaw-dropping measure severely limits absentee voting and actually criminalizes giving people in line to vote either water or food.

    If it were only Georgia, that would be one thing, but 40-some-odd states either restrict voting or are overwhelmingly gerrymandered or both. Several highly restrictive voting measures in North Carolina have been struck down in court, but ours remains one of if not the most gerrymandered state in the nation.

    The U.S. House has just passed the For the People Act making registering and voting more accessible, but the bill faces fierce Senate opposition.

    The question facing all Americans of both parties is “do we want a democratic country enough to fight for the rights of all Americans, not just those traditionally in power?” Germany and Italy lost their democracies in the first part of the 20th century as did several South American nations in the latter part of the century. There is no reason whatsoever to believe “American exceptionalism” immunizes us from the grasp of an authoritarian government.

    Finally, and on a more positive note, it feels like the beginning of the end of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States. Vaccinations are ahead of schedule in North Carolina, and Governor Cooper continues to loosen COVID restrictions. Already, there have been some excesses. A nightclub area in Raleigh was overrun by unmasked revelers, with one quoted in the News and Observer saying, “We’re like puppies out of the pound.”

    Others are reacting more slowly, as if they cannot quite remember how to be out and about with other people. Either way, we should understand how easily a resurgence could occur and that masks and distancing are still in force, vaccinations notwithstanding.

    That said, it does feel good to be even a little less confined.

  • 06 Fox News on Gun Control copyOn Inauguration Day, I was encouraged to hear President Biden focus much of his speech on unity, going so far as saying, “We can join forces, stop the shouting, and lower the temperature. For without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury.”

    However, more than halfway through President Biden’s first 100 days in office, I have yet to see that olive branch be extended. I came to Washington to fight for you, no matter who is president, and to work across the aisle to deliver real results. Unfortunately, President Biden’s promises of unity have so far been empty words on issues like COVID relief, infrastructure, immigration and the latest — gun control.

    Amidst a global pandemic, we are experiencing a heartbreaking humanitarian crisis on our southern border and it is being ignored by the administration for political reasons. The media continues to cover for President Biden, but nearly twice as many unaccompanied minors are being apprehended daily than during the peak of 2019.

    During this Biden border surge, according to a report last week, criminal organizations trafficking women, children and families have earned as much as $14 million a day.

    Migrants are packed together in facilities and not being tested for COVID-19, then being released to travel to states including North Carolina. Also, in the last week, only 13% of 13,000 migrants were returned to Mexico. These facts all point to a worsening border crisis that must be addressed.

    However, instead of focusing on the border, last week President Biden unveiled a new $3 trillion spending package disguised as an infrastructure bill. The only problem — this bill will be full of Green New Deal climate initiatives that will make it harder to build any new infrastructure that our country needs. This package follows up on their $2 trillion non-COVID relief bill that was passed without a single Republican vote.

    Once again, it is clear the Democrats will try and go at it alone. To pay for this package, they plan to raise your taxes, wiping out the historic tax cuts from President Trump and during one of the hardest financial years our country has seen. Cutting taxes and regulations the last four years unleashed the greatest economy we have seen — record low unemployment, record low poverty among all races and record high median income.

    As Washington Democrats aim to reverse these policies and push their massive Green New Deal spending, hold on to your wallets, folks.

    Last week, I was also devastated to see the recent shootings in Georgia and Colorado. As I have said, as a father, I am committed to ending this scourge of gun violence. That’s why as recently as this month, I have championed legislation that increases school safety, supports mental health, expands information sharing and tackles the root causes of gun violence.

    Unfortunately, many on the left have rushed to politicize the recent tragedies in order to push for gun control legislation that harms law-abiding citizens and would have done nothing to prevent previous mass shootings. Earlier this month, House Democrats passed H.R. 8 and H.R. 1446 that would turn law-abiding citizens into criminals for helping a friend or neighbor and allow a government bureaucrat to delay a firearm sale indefinitely. These bills would only threaten our Second Amendment rights and are not the solutions we need. As President Biden and Washington Democrats renew their push for these bills, I am calling on my colleagues from both sides of the aisle to work together and pass targeted measures that would fix the problem.

    If President Biden meant what he said, I remain ready to work together to end the crisis on the border, invest in our infrastructure, and end the tragic scourge of gun violence. So far, it looks like the Biden administration is working to appease the radical left, but I will not be discouraged from working to solve problems and
    represent you.

  • 04 Dr Frank StoutThe Fayetteville community was shocked to learn recently that long-time civic leader and orthodontist Dr. Frank Stout died earlier this month. He was 77. He practiced orthodontics from 1970–1998, when he retired. Dr. Stout and his father developed the Bordeaux Motor Inn and Convention Center, the Bordeaux Recreation Center, and the high-rise Apartel off Bragg Blvd. In 1998, he and his wife, Carolyn, made a major gift to Methodist University where he was Trustee/Emeritus. The donation led to the construction of Joe W. Stout Hall in memoriam to his father. The building houses the university’s admissions office. Stout died on March 6. He is survived by wife Carolyn, son, Cam, and daughter-in-law Kelly Craver Stout. He was preceded in death by his older son, Frank Stout Jr.

  • 01 01 12004710 10156267691740107 1215836511497132668 nAndrew and Gail Morfesis are very active in the community. The prominent power couple’s contributions continue to provide services and entertainment to the citizens of Fayetteville.

    Andrew is a medical doctor and his wife, Gail, holds a Doctor of Musical Arts in Voice. He has a clinic, Owen Drive Surgical Clinic, where he performs surgery under local anesthesia.

    “He still sees people for medical issues and surgery which is a great benefit to the community because things that can be safely done in the office is much cheaper for people,” said Gail Morfesis. “Even if you have insurance you still have to pay a co-pay and sometimes it is cost prohibitive to have things done, so people just try not to have them done even if it is painful or unpleasant.”

    She added that two days a week her husband works for North Carolina Hyperbarics where they treat individuals with ulcers on their arms and legs.

    Gail took an early retirement from UNC Pembroke in 2007, and since then she has been doing what she loves doing the most — directing and producing shows.

    “I was contacted by the Crown Theatre last year to write an interactive murder mystery for them,” said Morfesis. “It was the first show I ever wrote and the play is based around songs because that is my background.”

    The play is entitled “Love Letters/Sleight of Hand” and the plot of the play is quite intriguing. Gail shares, “It starts out with a karaoke theme and I am the main actress in the show. I am the older actress who starts an agency called “It’s All About You Agency” to promote young artists. During the years that I am doing this, I meet my husband who was performing at a club. I hired him to become part of the agency and then we get married. The plot of this is that he tries to take over the agency from me which is really a stable of young women singers. Of course due to his philandering, we never know which of the ladies that are in the cast of characters has actually killed him. At the end of the first act he is actually electrocuted by the karaoke machine, but anyone in the cast could have manipulated that. During the course of the story all of his interactions with different women comes out. It’s just a really fun show.”

    The cast includes Gail, five female singers/actresses, and two police officer characters. At the end of the show it is revealed who committed the murder.

    “The play is interactive so the audience gets to asks questions of the cast,” said Morfesis.

    “We usually have a foreman at each table that gets to ask the question and during their dessert time they get to talk about why they think different characters may have done it as well as ask one question of one character.”

    She added, “Each table will get to vote on who they think committed the murder and the tables that guess the correct character will win some kind of prize.”

    Up & Coming Weekly is sponsoring the play. The performances are Friday, April 9 and Saturday, April 10 at 7 p.m. at Gates Four Golf & Country Club.

    When not putting on shows, Gail works with many organizations in the community.

    “I was asked by Hank Parfitt, president of the Lafayette Society of Fayetteville, to start doing a concert for them every year of French music to supplement Lafayette’s birthday weekend,” said Morfesis. “I have been doing a concert for them for the last 12 years and I do involve local artists in town and people that work for the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra.”

    “Because of the Lafayette Society, I worked a good bit at Methodist University because Methodist houses the Lafayette Collection of artifacts and initially for the first ten years we did our concert and our artifacts display on the same night,” said Morfesis.

    “It is kind of funny because I never really worked for Methodist but most people thought I did because I did those concerts there
    every year.”

    Gail has also worked with Dr. Marvin Curtis at Fayetteville State University performing lead roles for three years in the summer opera as well as directing shows for UNC Pembroke and the Gilbert Theater.

    “I have sung with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra in the past and at the Gilbert I directed and produced about five to six different shows there,” said Morfesis.

    “I also worked with Fayetteville Technical Community College as their music director for some of their shows and also directed their choir two years ago when they were between instructors.”

    She added, “I do a lot of work with civic organizations and I feel like you need to give back to your community so I have done work with Heritage Square. They were unable to do their annual Christmas Tour of Homes in December 2020, so I was the emcee for their one-hour video of the homes here in Fayetteville. I was called by The Care Clinic to help them with their upcoming wine and silent auction that will take place in May of this year. The Crown has contacted me to write another play for the fall of this year.”

    So, what’s next on the horizon for Gail?

    “I would like to start a company for up and coming theater people that I would like to call 'Femme Fatale' which means the deadly woman,” said Morfesis. “There’s a lot of talented women who have written shows and are really great actresses and I would like to continue seeing the work that I have done.”

    “I try to work with as many organizations as I can to better the life of the people in the community,” said Morfesis. “If you really reach out and do something for people you will become a part of the community and you can do great things.”

    Tickets for the Fayetteville Diner Theatre can be purchased at www.fayettevilledinnertheatre.com.

  • 08 P1060728The Gilbert Theater brings the scandalous, fascinating and infamous story and play
    “Oedipus Rex” to the stage from March 26 until April 11.

    The play was originally written by Sophocles as a part of the trilogy “The Theban Plays” that included Oedipus Rex, Oedipus at Colonus and Antigone. It was first performed in 429 B.C. and the story has notoriously stuck around till present day. The story has also influenced the works of Sigmund Freud and psychologists who study the ‘Oedipus complex.’

    “The plot is very simple, there’s a massive plague going on where everyone’s dying in the streets and the people are begging the king, Oedipus, to find some kind of solution,” said Montgomery Sutton, the director for
    “Oedipus Rex.”

    The play dives into the prophecy and investigation of an unsolved murder of the former king of Thebes to end the plague. That unleashes a lot of events and people called in for questions and stories in a “thrilleresque” way, he said.

    “Playing Oedipus is definitely a role I haven’t had to tackle before, it's definitely brought some enlightenment during the rehearsal process in that, it's something broader than what we know about Oedipus and the Oedipus complex,” said actor Deannah Robinson. “There is more sympathy for him than what we are used to.”

    Sutton, a returning director at the theater, directed “Antigone” about three years ago at the Gilbert. His expertise in theatre is acting, directing and playwriting.

    The audience will watch the performance in a non-traditional setting, sitting in a tennis court arrangement, sitting on each side facing one another while the action takes place in the middle.

    “I am a big fan of that style, one of the things that makes it unique is the performance will never be the same twice and there will never be two audiences who are the same,” Sutton said.

    Robinson said she’s excited about the fluidity of the show from beginning to end.

    This adaptation looks at the origins of Greek theatre as both an artistic, civic and religious event, so the music becomes more of a rock-folk-hymn style that should be very relevant to the audience, Sutton said.

    “It's so good, so good,” Robinson said.

    “Last night after we wrapped up, I sat in my car and cried because it's been a year since I felt so connected to the character in a play in a way that was real and had a heart-to-heart with them,” said actor Ella Mock, who plays four different characters in the play.

    I love it, it's such a challenge, it’s really like the original Greek theatre style, where the chorus would have different masks, costume signifiers being really obvious that they are the same actors playing different roles, they said.

    Sutton added that the play may raise a lot of questions concerning current cultural and political issues, many of which the audience will recognize in the play.

    “They can look forward to 90 minutes of edge of your seat, lightning-fire thriller, it’s incredibly intense,” Sutton said.

     

  • 06 HarmoneyMother, finance professional, and now an author — Crystal McLean is changing the scene by introducing a children’s book that talks about finances. Inspired by her daughter, she is here to change the “generational cycle” of children growing up not understanding finances.

    City Center Gallery & Books will host a virtual meet and greet on their Facebook page with McLean March 25 at 6:15 p.m. to discuss her book
    “Harmoney & the Empty Piggy Bank.” On March 27 at 1 p.m., there will be an in-person, socially-distanced book signing at the store on Hay Street in Fayetteville.

    McLean is a graduate of Fayetteville State University. Starting off as a University of North Carolina at Pembroke student, she took some time off and worked in the finance industry. When she went back to school at FSU they had launched a new program in banking and finance, which was something McLean was passionate about. Now, having published a children’s books on finances, she is here to normalize the topic in a child-friendly way.

    Growing up, McLean said she had very little knowledge about the subject of finances. “Growing up, finance was a very taboo topic. If you have it, you talk about it, but if you didn’t have it, you didn’t talk about it,” McLean said.

    The frustrating part to her was in school the subject was not taught.

    “It’s inevitable to have to pay bills, taxes, etc. If it’s not taught it sets them up for financial failure,” she said.

    McLean decided to do something about it by publishing the book, “Harmoney & the Empty Piggy Bank.” The children’s book explains the principles of money, saving versus investing, budgeting, and more on a level that children can grasp. She wrote this because when she took her daughter, who was about seven at the time, to pick out finance books, there were none.

    This book will provide parents an opportunity to bring up the topic of finances with their children. It explains money in a child-friendly story with pictures and with a language that kids will understand. McLean said she was inspired by two books: “Amber’s Magical Savings Box” by Rachel Hanible and “Wesley Learns to Invest” by
    Prince Dykes.

    McLean hopes that reading “Harmoney & the Empty Piggy Bank” will invite parents to bring up the topic with their kids. She wants readers to know that the next generation is watching what we are doing now, with everything, including the way we handle our finances. McLean wants parents to know that she would love for them to reach out about any questions they may have when exploring the world of finance with their children.

    McLean wants people to know she is a woman on a mission to make a difference. Her book is available on Amazon and her website. For more information about the author and her book please visit her website, https://www.authorcrystalmclean.com/ or email, hello@authorcrystalmclean.com.

  • 11 Rba503ad130ea82f55e77f0c3bc0875c2 Hunger GamesWilmington’s Republican senator has teamed up with a Winston-Salem Democrat to push a bill that would expand North Carolina’s film grant program — a program critics say is actually a money loser for the state.

    Sen. Michael Lee, R-New Hanover, and Sen. Paul Lowe, D-Forsyth, are the primary sponsors of Senate Bill 268, which would add $34 million to the Film and Entertainment Grant Fund over the next
    _two years.

    That’s on top of the $31 million per year the grant program already receives. The film grants were established by the General Assembly in 2014, and reimburse filmmakers up to a quarter of their production costs for a movie or TV show filmed in North Carolina. The idea is to incentivize major productions — movies with a budget above $3 million and TV episodes costing $1 million or more — in the state, bringing with them jobs and spending.

    “Securing the multi-year grant funding would show that the legislature is supportive and responsive to the state’s film industry and the needs of the studios,” Lee wrote on his Facebook page.

    “That includes their desire to have fiscal certainty when looking to base a potential multi-year production, like a TV series that often becomes synonymous with where it is shot.”

    Wilmington, home to EUE/Screen Gems Studios, has a long history with the film industry. It’s been the setting for movies such as “Iron Man 3” and “I Know What You Did Last Summer,” as well as as TV shows like “Dawson’s Creek” and “One Tree Hill.”

    The Film and Entertainment Grant Fund replaced a film income tax credit program that offered up to $20 million per production. The new grant program has already tripled in size since being introduced fewer than seven years ago.

    But studies have shown that film grants and incentive fail to deliver the economic impact they promise.

    North Carolina’s programs paid out more than $400 million between 2005 and 2018, but brought back somewhere between 19 cents and 61 cents on the dollar, independent analysts show.

    States are increasingly exiting the film incentive business. Twelve states have repealed their programs in the past decade.

    “As with other incentives programs, taking money from other people caring for their families and working in other productive endeavors to give to, in this case, film production has consistently shown to be on net bad for the state economy,” said Jon Sanders, senior fellow, regulatory studies and research editor at the John Locke Foundation.

  • 12 unc board cj photo by Maya ReaganThe General Assembly is set to add new members to the University of North Carolina System Board of Governors. The board governs the consolidated system, encompassing 16 public universities across the state and the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics. The board has 24 voting members, elected by the state Senate and House to staggered, four-
    year terms.

    Former N.C. Rep. John Fraley, R-Iredell, is the sole new House pick to join the BOG. The House plans to re-appoint current board members Kellie Blue, former Rep. Leo Daughtry, Carolyn Coward, Reginald Holley, and Wendy Murphy. While in the General Assembly, Fraley chaired the higher education committee overseeing the UNC System.

    “Fraley has been a longtime supporter of the UNC System. It’s not a surprise to see him added to the UNC Board of Governors,” said Jenna Robinson, president of the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal.

    Fraley would replace Doyle Parrish, owner of hotel development company Summit Hospitality Group. Parrish did not seek reappointment due to a recent surgery.

    Rep. Kelly Hastings, R-Gaston, who leads the BOG appointment process in the House, told CJ the appointments of both new and returning board members represent a broad selection of talented North Carolinians. They’ll help the UNC System stay affordable, deliver an educated work force, and meet the evolving needs and challenges of higher education in North Carolina, Hastings said.

    “We have a strong group of diverse people from varying backgrounds. They are put in place to have a calming hand during difficult and fast-changing times.”

    New members chosen by the Senate are Lee Roberts, Sonja Nichols, and Kirk Bradley.

    Art Pope, Randy Ramsey, and Jimmy Clark were reelected. The new members would replace current board members Marty Kotis, Steven Long, and Dwight Stone.

    “The addition of Lee Roberts to the UNC Board of Governors may signal the General Assembly’s interest in scrutinizing the university system’s finances,” said Robinson. Roberts and Pope served as state budget directors under former Gov. Pat McCrory.

    Republican Sonja Nichols, 55, is an African American businesswoman and philanthropist with strong connections to the Charlotte business community. While she ran for N.C. Senate and was defeated as a Republican, Nichols’ politics are unusual. She voted for President Obama but supported much of President Trump’s education reform agenda, including Trump’s support for historically black colleges and universities.

    “Sonja is a bridge builder; she brings people of all backgrounds together to help those in need,” said Chris Sinclair, a close Nichols friend and her 2020 Senate campaign consultant.

    “Sonja will bring a breath of fresh air and a unique perspective to help HBCUs grow and thrive in North Carolina. She will be an excellent addition to the UNC BOG and will greatly help with UNC’s diversity, equality, and inclusion programs.”

    Former Democratic state Sen. Joel Ford was elected to fill a seat on the board left vacant when Darrell Allison resigned. Allison later won appointment as chancellor at Fayetteville State University.

  • 10 POTATO HEADI cannot believe that I am writing this article. It seems like America is trying its best to neuter nature on sexually inanimate objects. Dr. Seuss gets schooled on what is hurtful and wrong. Coke tries to change skin color through instruction while the government is doing its part to reduce the world’s population, all in the last few weeks.

    Hasbro decided they will make the beloved Mr. Potato Head gender-neutral when it announced that it would be dropping “Mr.” and “Mrs.” from the brand as part of a gender-inclusive push.

    Mr. Potato Head was invented and developed by George Lerner in 1949 and first manufactured and distributed by Hasbro in 1952. By 1953, it became clear that Mr. Potato Head needed a family. Mrs. Potato Head hit the market, and they had two children, Yam and Spud. Even their kids who had friends called Kate the Carrot, Pete the Pepper, Oscar the Orange, and Cookie Cucumber, soon joined the family. The Head’s worked hard, and their makers blessed them with such luxury as a car, boat and a kitchen.

    The last time we really saw the Potato Heads was in the “Toy Story” movies. Throughout the history of the toy, no one told Mr. or Mrs. Potato Head that they did not have genitalia. For most kids, it was hard enough to keep up with their ears, eyes and assorted hats, never mind their private parts. However, the big brains at Hasbro are not leaving the idea of kids being able to mix parts up; they put the Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head right on the front pages by announcing the name changes to “Potato Heads.”

    “Culture has evolved. Kids want to be able to represent their own experiences,” Kimberly Boyd, Hasbro’s senior vice president of global brands, told Fast Company. “The way the brand currently exists — with the ‘Mr.’ and ‘Mrs.’ — is limiting when it comes to both gender identity and family structure.”

    Hours later, after an uproar on social media, Hasbro tweeted, “Hold that Tot – your main spud, MR. POTATO HEAD isn’t going anywhere!” Hasbro said that it was the toy brand that was being changed and would release a “family kit” that will allow children to create all types of families.

    Dr. Seuss Enterprises decided to stop publishing six books, including “And to Think That I saw it Mulberry Street,” “If I Ran the Zoo,” McElligot’s Pool,” On Beyond Zebra!,” Scrambled Eggs Super!,” and “The Cat’s Quizzer.”

    The Enterprise told the Associated Press that it stopped the books’ publication because they “portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.”

    In Coca-Cola’s diversity training, a slide presentation told employees “to be less white is to: be less oppressive, be less arrogant, be less certain, be less defensive, be less ignorant, be more humble, listen, believe, break with apathy, break with white solidarity.” I do not have the answer to corporate racial issues, but this sounds very racist.

    Some stories are better seen than reading. It is worth the time to watch the full six-minute exchange on YouTube. During the confirmation hearings of President Biden’s choice for Assistant Secretary for Health, Senator and Doctor, Rand Paul (R-Ky.), asked Dr. Rachel Levine if she supported youth transgender reassignment and was criticized because he asked, “genital mutilation is considered particularly egregious because... it is nearly always carried out on minors and is a violation of the rights of children.” He went on to ask if she supports permitting the government to override a parent’s consent to give a child puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and “amputation surgery of breasts and genitalia.” Dr. Levin responded with this is “a very complex and nuanced field with robust research and standards of care that have been developed.” She promised that if confirmed, she would come to his office for a discussion on standards of care for transgender minors.

    Paul went on to say that Dr. Levin supported the acceleration of minors and to allow decisions on such life-changing procedures. For the record, many parents will not allow a child to buy a cell phone more or less change their sex.

    President Biden signed an executive order reversing the Mexico City policy, permitting U.S. aid money to fund groups that provide or promote abortion around the globe. This policy was first put in place by President Reagan in order to ensure that taxpayers were not required to indirectly fund abortions in other countries. This policy was expanded under the Trump administration to deny assistance to foreign nongovernmental organizations that fund other groups that support abortion services. President Biden signed executive actions aimed at expanding access to Obamacare during the coronavirus pandemic and rolling back anti-abortion policies that had been expanded by former President
    Donald Trump.

    “I’m not initiating any new law, any new aspect of the law,” Biden said before signing the orders. “This is going back to what the situation was prior to the president’s executive orders.”

  • 07 money clotheslineThe $1.9 trillion “COVID relief” bill just enacted by Congress and signed by President Joe Biden gives out $1,400 checks to most Americans. It boosts the child-tax credit, keeps weekly unemployment-insurance checks $300 higher than normal, and throws lots of other (borrowed) money around.

    I realize that, given the effects of the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, most voters seem to like Biden’s bill. But I think they are mistaken. It is a reckless and irresponsible bill — one that, I’m pleased to report, most of North Carolina’s congressional delegation voted against.

    Over the past year, the federal government has authorized $4.1 trillion in response to the COVID crisis. I supported some of that initial spending. We had a public-health emergency and a sudden, sharp economic decline. It was reasonable to expand UI eligibility and payments for a time. It was reasonable to supply liquidity to businesses clobbered by public-health regulations. It was reasonable to put billions of dollars on the table for vaccine development, assisting and incentivizing the pharmaceutical industry to achieve one of the greatest medical advances in the history of our planet.

    Given that the federal government entered the crisis with its budget already severely out-of-whack — running trillion-dollar deficits — it was even reasonable to pay for last year’s COVID response with borrowed money. We weren’t going to raise federal taxes in the midst of all this.

    Of course, all federal debts are paid with federal taxes in one form or another. To spend $4.1 trillion today on reasonable priorities is, inevitably, to spend $4.1 trillion less in the future on other things, or to pay $4.1 trillion (plus interest) in higher taxes in the future. That’s just math.

    Actually, though, we didn’t spend all that $4.1 trillion authorized in 2020. According to the latest estimates, some $1 trillion of it remains unspent at this writing. So here’s strike one against Biden’s new $1.9 spending spree — last year’s spending spree isn’t even over yet!

    Clearly some of last year’s “emergency” need wasn’t a true emergency. Biden has doubled-down, and then some, on that mistake. His 2021 package includes a $350 billion bailout of states and localities whose true COVID-related fiscal shortfalls are only a fraction of that amount.

    Comparatively well-governed North Carolina will get $9 billion of it, yes, but poorly governed jurisdictions will get more. The implicit message to politicians is: spend recklessly, create fiscal messes, and Congress will eventually come along to bail you out with federal debt. As a result, we’ll get worse state and local governance in the future.

    In addition to that, the Biden bill directs $126 billion to public schools, supposedly for COVID mitigation, though the Congressional Budget Office estimates only five percent of it will be spent by this fall. In fact, more of these funds will be spent in 2026 than in 2021.
    COVID mitigation this is not.

    There are too many other problematic provisions to list in a single column. Instead, I’ll answer the obvious questions. Doesn’t our economy need another dose of stimulus? Isn’t that worth adding an average of $14,000 per household to the federal debt?

    No and no. Although the COVID recession was disastrous for many families, it is already in the process of receding. North Carolina’s headline unemployment rate shot up to nearly 13% in April and May. It is now 6.2% — higher than it should be, of course, but hardly the emergency we faced a year ago.

    Many firms and households have accumulated significant balances that they’ll be spending over the coming months and years on both consumption and investment. To borrow another $1.9 trillion for “stimulus” in this scenario is indefensible.

    In 2009, newly elected President Barack Obama pushed through a $787 billion stimulus. Many were outraged by such fiscal irresponsibility, as they should have been, though the unemployment rate was much higher then (North Carolina’s averaged 11% during 2009). Adjusted for inflation, Obama’s stimulus would be about $1 trillion today.

    Biden’s $1.9 trillion mess should earn him scorn, not approval.

  • 16 Even as we breathe book coverCherokee is in the news again this month. For North Carolinians, the Cherokee term brings up a whole special set of complex thoughts, especially ones regarding the Cherokee people living in far western North Carolina.

    The big news about this group of Cherokees is “Even As We Breathe,” the debut novel of Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle. It is the first novel ever published by an enrolled member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

    Appropriately, the book deals with the special challenges Cherokee people face dealing with the non-Indian people who surround them. Set in 1942, during World War II, the lead character, 19-year-old Cowney Sequoyah, lives a hardscrabble life with his grandmother Lishie, whom he loves deeply. His Uncle Bud lives nearby. Bud works Cowney hard and treats him badly. Bud’s brother, Cowney’s father, died overseas at the end of World War I. Now it is 1942 and World War II is raging, but Cowney’s deformed leg means he will not fight.

    When a groundskeeping job at Asheville’s Grove Park Inn opens up, Cowney takes it. The Army is using the Grove Park to confine quarantined enemy officials and their families.

    Joining him in his family’s Model T for the two-hour drive from Cherokee to Asheville is Essie, a beautiful young Cherokee woman who is anxious to break away from the Cherokee community.

    Cowney and Essie become good friends. He wishes for more, but she develops interest in one of the foreign detainees. On this situation Clapsaddle builds a poignant part of the book’s plot.

    When Lishie dies, Cowney’s world collapses.

    Clapsaddle describes the scents he notices as the Cherokee family and friends gather to grieve:
    Grease
    Lilies
    Tobacco
    Vanilla
    Fresh dirt
    Pine sap
    She repeats this refrain over and over again to bring the reader into Cowney’s sadness.

    A white man drops by to pay respects. He had served with Bud and Cowney’s dad in World War I. Bud pushes him away, but not before the man gives Cowney his card and tells him to call if he ever needs help.

    Later, back at the Grove Park, when Cowney is accused in connection with the disappearance of the young daughter of one of the foreign internees, that card and its owner become keys to finding the truth.

    Other characters and places fill the novel and enrich Cowney’s story.

    An ancient Cherokee man, Tsa Tsi, owns a monkey that wanders freely through the forests. Preacherman appears at funerals to blend Cherokee culture with the religion of the white man. Lishie wakes Cowney by singing “Amazing Grace” in Cherokee: “U ne la nv i u we tsi.” Forest fires break out near Lishie’s cabin, and the smoke provides an eerie cover for the gloomy parts of the story. The region’s lovely waterfalls give Cowney places to find peace.

    Clapsaddle brings all these, and much more, together for a lovely story that engages its readers and gives them a vivid experience in Cherokee culture.

    Of course, there are reminders of the unfair and discriminatory treatment suffered by the Cherokee at the hands of the whites who populate historic Cherokee lands. Near the book’s end, Cowney’s grounds crew boss takes him to dinner and a movie. At the movie box office the clerk initially refused to sell a ticket. “Don’t serve Indians here,” she snarled.

    Cowney and his boss quietly go to the balcony and see Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator.”

    Cowney is moved by Chaplin’s final speech against intolerance and hatred, an underlying theme of Clapsaddle’s book.

    Citing the Bible’s book of Luke, Chaplin said, “The Kingdom of God is within man, not one man, nor a group of men, but in all men, in you.”

  • 09 people in masksThis time last year, we were just beginning to grasp what had already hit us. A man who visited a nursing facility in Washington state apparently brought COVID to North Carolina, but most of us did not know anyone infected with COVID even though other carriers were likely circulating. Wearing a mask had yet to occur to us, although we were beginning to think about what we now call “social distancing.” Those who could began isolating and schools shut their doors. An 80-year-old immunologist in Atlanta became a national guru.

    What a difference a year makes! Amid illness and deaths that hit different parts of our nation at different times, we fast tracked the development and distribution of highly effective vaccines, and we figured out what to do to protect ourselves and our loved ones to some degree. We decided to protect our elderly first, even though COVID was spread by younger people more often. We made mistakes, but we have learned.

    Among our lessons is that COVID is not the last pandemic we will face. Given that reality, what knowledge should we apply to prepare ourselves for the next one? With more than half a million Americans dead of COVID, public health experts have their individual takes on this, of course, but there is agreement on big issues.

    Science trumps politics every time. People died while we mocked masks and partied. We can never allow this again.

    Viruses do not know about or respect state lines, so it makes no sense to have individual states do their own thing during a pandemic. Communication, collaboration and common goals and practices will go a long way in stemming a national pandemic as will a significantly beefed up national public health system. COVID is a worldwide issue, and the United States will be more successful now and in the future if we act as a whole.

    Racial and ethnic minorities and people in poverty have been disproportionately affected by COVID, both by contracting the virus and by its effects on families and economics. Inequities exist in our country in jobs, education, housing, food access, and health care, and the pandemic shone a glaring spotlight on them. Think the difference between having your groceries delivered to your door and the person making those deliveries. Think those able to work from home and those required to go to a workplace. During what is being dubbed an “inter-pandemic period,” it is time to address these disparities. We really are all in this together.

    We human beings are social creatures, and forced isolation has been hard on us, including on children locked out of schools and trying to learn virtually. It has been hard, too, on parents trying to work remotely from home or struggling for child care. As we come out of isolation, we should cut ourselves and others some slack. We have missed human company, and it will take a while to ease back into what we think of as “normal.”

    And, finally, as painful as it is to write this, we Americans have some soul searching to do. Millions of us apparently care more about our own individual rights than about the wellbeing of others, loved ones included. When we believe our own “right” not to mask is more important than the health of others with whom we have contact — many of whom are essential workers helping us, something is seriously wrong with our thinking. The pandemic has exposed such selfishness as never before, and it is not a pretty picture or a reflection of portrait we have historically shown the world. And, make no mistake — the world is watching us

  • 15 Easter lily and crown of thornsAre you ready? Spring is officially here, and good news is everywhere! For those of the Christian faith, Easter is a time for renewal and refreshing, and that is exactly what's happening all around us.

    The news recently reported Fayetteville's signature Dogwood Festival is back in action after an unfortunate hiatus brought on by the pandemic. The organizers promise it to be smaller and safer, but just as fun as we've come to expect of the hometown festival rooted right here in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

    After a year of virtual everything, I've pretty much reached 'Zoom Fatigue' and have recently met with local church and civic leaders excited about everything from fun family activities like egg hunts and days in the park to what one local pastor called the “... super bowl of Easters.”

    One thing is certain, over the past year we've learned we need each other. A recent survey cited a surprising 52% of Americans who volunteered to do things for others for the first time in their lives. Donating blood, caring for elderly neighbors, working with and donating to food pantries – the first time! That's a trend we can all hope will catch on.

    This is a great time to be alive, and while we blame the virus for so many of the bad things that came our way, we can even find plenty to be thankful for on its heels.

    While masks and other precautions may be the norm for now, it's still exciting to see the country – and our local communities – spring to life once again. I can honestly say I was never before happy to get stuck behind a school bus on the two-lane cut-through to get to work, but I almost clapped my hands when it happened a couple of weeks ago. NOTE: I didn't actually clap my hands; I was on a motorcycle, and that would have been a little irresponsible.

    If there is a central point to any of this, it's that we can find reasons to rejoice regardless of the circumstances surrounding us. There is much more to this life than what we may see as the interruptions. The blessings we long for – family, friends and celebrations of both – are the very things we learned to chase and find when they were dangled six feet away, or held captive behind the walls of a senior care facility over the past 12 months.

    If you haven't yet, thank God for allowing you to see and experience what you have. We are living in a historical moment as we create memories no one can take away. And while I wouldn't wish the bad parts of the pandemic on anyone, I will certainly rejoice in the good that has come through the experience. I hope you will too.

  • 18 CancelledFor 25 years, the Up & Coming Weekly community newspaper has enjoyed echoing the achievements of a community that has for too long suffered from a bruised, tattered and unwarranted reputation.

    During this past year, our community has struggled along with a frustrated and polarized nation in dealing with COVID viruses, mask mandates, vaccine choices, lock down's, shutdowns and destructive racial ambiguity that selfishly serves the self-serving.

    A defenseless, vulnerable and abused Fayetteville has always been reluctant to tell its own story. This is why we have enjoyed a successful quarter-century run of doing just that: telling the Fayetteville and Cumberland County story.

    Until this past year, we had plenty to write about: business events, arts and culture venues, and local concerts and festivals. After more than twelve months of Zoom meetings, even our most enthusiastic community cheerleaders are turning into anti-social zombies. Or perhaps I should say, Zoombies! OMG! I'm beginning to sound like Pitt Dickey.
    I'll get to the point: this past year has been tough on all of us; however, your support and loyalty to our community newspaper have been steadfast and appreciated.

    Thank you for your calls, emails and text messages. We hear your message loud and clear. Up & Coming Weekly has no intention of deserting this community or our mission and mandates of showcasing the people, programs, organizations, businesses and institutions that make Fayetteville and Cumberland County a great place to live, work and raise a family.

    Up & Coming Weekly showcase features about the Two Docs, Gates Four, Kaleo Supports, Fayetteville Technical Community College and PWC are just a few of the contributors to our community's quality of life. Our features provide insights and vision you won't find on any social media platform. Enjoy!

    One final note and message to those who would like to 'cancel' us: Up & Coming Weekly has battled the 'cancel culture' since 1996. Our foes are people who did something wrong, are doing something wrong, have something to hide, or all three. Otherwise, I ask you: What's not to like? Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 17 computer and cell phoneAccording to Varonis Systems’ 2020 Data Breach Statistics, a cyber-attack occurs every 39 seconds. The North Carolina Department of Justice reported it only took 1,210 data breaches to affect nearly 1.1 million North Carolinians last year. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has only added to the current security issues, increasing the breeding ground for cybercriminals as more people work remotely from home offices. On this high-tech battlefield, cybersecurity professionals are outnumbered.

    The shortage of cybersecurity professionals has resulted in overwhelming workloads, unfilled job openings and limited time for workers to learn the latest security technologies as they fight cyber-threats on the firewall frontlines. Cybercriminals are getting more sophisticated in their attacks, so security techniques must become more vigorous. To ensure a robust cybersecurity team, employees’ skillsets must align with the progressive expertise needed by companies as they combat the persistent cyber-attacks faced on a day-to-day basis. Without this specialized skillset, cybersecurity teams are ill-equipped to protect companies — the same companies we entrust with our personal and financial information — from being compromised by cybercriminals who have every intention of stealing data for their personal gain.

    As the number of cyber-attacks continue to rise and the quantity of qualified IT professionals is stunted by an ever-growing workforce gap in the cybersecurity field, how does cybersecurity regain its advantage? The obvious answer is to shorten the workforce gap by hiring qualified cybersecurity professionals, and this wishful thinking is now a tangible reality through the Carolina Cyber Network.

    Fayetteville Technical Community College and Montreat College have partnered to establish CCN to correct the cybersecurity workforce gap in North Carolina. The idea behind this initiative is to revamp the talent pipeline of workers to better align with the needs of employers. CCN created a unique triadic approach to solve this dilemma by providing support to K-12 educators, collaborating with neighboring colleges and universities, and partnering with businesses.

    One of the goals of CCN is to supply K-12 schools with the resources needed to better prepare students to enter universities and colleges for cybersecurity-related degrees and certificates. These resources include providing training and certification vouchers for teachers as well as offering scholarships to students. The program will also give schools access to online IT teaching material through NDG labs hosted by partnering colleges and universities.

    As high school students complete an Information Technology track, they can progress through the talent pipeline as they pursue higher education. CCN connects universities and colleges across the state to create a collaborative environment in which students can receive specialized training to enhance their technical and essential skills. The initiative will help provide college students with real-world experience through work study, internship and apprenticeship opportunities. With coveted skills and entry-level experience, students will be well-equipped, work-ready, cybersecurity professionals.

    CCN’s partnership with businesses opens the lines of communication between industry and educational institutions to ensure the skills needed in the workforce are the same skills being taught in the classroom. The CCN program will also provide the opportunity of continued education for company employees seeking to advance their technical training.

    The CCN is a win-win program for everyone involved. Students will be prepared for a lucrative career in cybersecurity; the existing workforce gap will decrease; and cyber-compliant businesses will have fully staffed and skilled cybersecurity teams capable of handling an onslaught of malicious hackers.

    Now is a great time to plan for fall semester classes. Learn more about the many options available in the Computer Technology programs area. Call 910-678-8400 or email admissionscounselors@faytechcc.edu to find your way forward.

  • 14 01 BryantFormalPic Color 18x24On March 24, 1969, a young Special Forces soldier from Georgia, found himself thousands of miles away from home and family. Instead of coaching Little League or playing catch, he was leading a group of Vietnamese soldiers who were serving in the Civilian Irregular Defense Group. The CIDG was part of the Mobile Strike Force Command — otherwise known as Mike teams, which were trained and led by American Special Forces.

    The soldier, Staff Sergeant William Maud Bryant, came of age during segregation, a time of economic and social inequality. Unlike many people at that time, Bryant volunteered to join the Army at the age of 20. His first assignment was with the 82nd Airborne Division. Later, he volunteered to go through Ranger School, graduating as the Honor Graduate. When he returned to Fort Bragg, he decided to tackle another challenge: Special Forces. He wrote in his journal that he would “see the guys on Fort Bragg who wore the Green Beret,” and "wanted to do what they did.” It was at Fort Bragg, as a Special Forces soldier, Bryant found his calling. He wrote that he had “found what he was looking for in the Army … a chance to lead from the front.” He further explained that “amongst the Green Berets, race, color or creed did not matter.”

    With a career he enjoyed and a family he loved, Bryant continued to excel in his military life and his home life. He had a wife, a daughter and two sons. For love of country, he left his family back at Fort Bragg and headed to Vietnam. Sergeant Bryant was assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne). At that time, the 5th SFG (A) was leading the fight in Vietnam. Once in country, Staff Sgt. Bryant trained, advised and assisted a paramilitary counterinsurgency force that included those indigenous to the area — known as Light Force 321.

    On March 24, while leading a patrol of the group in the Long Khanh Province, Bryant’s base camp came under fire. During a 34-hour attack, Bryant moved through enemy fire while establishing a defense perimeter, directing fire, distributing ammunition, assisting the wounded and leading a patrol.

    During the patrol, Bryant was wounded but called for helicopter support and directed suppressive fire toward enemy positions. Without fear, Staff Sgt. Bryant charged at an enemy automatic weapons position, destroying three of its defenders, before becoming mortally wounded by an enemy rocket. When a helicopter drop of ammunition was made to re-supply the beleaguered force Bryant, with complete disregard for his safety, ran through the heavy enemy fire to retrieve the scattered ammunition boxes and distributed needed ammunition to his men.

    During a lull in the intense fighting, he led a patrol outside the perimeter to obtain information of the enemy. The patrol came under intense automatic weapons fire and was pinned down. Staff Sgt. Bryant single-handedly repulsed one enemy attack on his small force and by his heroic action inspired his men to fight off other assaults.

    Seeing a wounded enemy soldier some distance from the patrol location, he crawled forward alone under heavy fire to retrieve the soldier for intelligence purposes. Finding that the enemy soldier had expired, Bryant crawled back to his patrol and led his men back to the company position where he again took command of the defense.

    As the siege continued, Staff Sgt. Bryant organized and led a patrol in a daring attempt to break through the enemy encirclement. The patrol had advanced some 200 meters by heavy fighting when it was pinned down by the intense automatic weapons fire from heavily fortified bunkers, and he was severely wounded. Despite his wounds he rallied his men, called for a helicopter gunship support, and directed heavy suppressive fire upon the enemy positions.

    Following the last gunship attack, Bryant fearlessly charged an enemy automatic weapons position, overrunning it, and single-handedly destroying its three defenders. Inspired by his heroic example, his men renewed their attack on the entrenched enemy.

    While regrouping his small force for the final assault against the enemy, Staff Sgt. Bryant died.

    For his actions on that day, Bryant was posthumously promoted to Sergeant First Class and was awarded the highest honor a soldier can earn — the Medal of Honor.

    The citation reads: “For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. His selfless concern for his comrades, at the cost of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.”

    In September 1974, Bryant Hall, the headquarters building of the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School on Fort Bragg, was dedicated in Bryant’s memory. On Feb. 16 of this year, the SWCS Command commemorated the anniversary of the award presentation honoring Bryant’s sacrifice with a ceremony and the opening of the Bryant Gallery in the headquarters lobby. Bryant’s sons, Greg and Kelvin, and their wives were on hand to take part in the ceremony.

    Prior to the ceremony members of the SWCS staff visited the Bryants and listened to their recollections and looked through what they had of their fathers, scrapbooks with photos, awards that proclaimed his bravery and love of country and love of his fellow soldiers. They also had the opportunity to see Bryant’s Medal that was hanging on a wall in Greg’s house.

    Greg noted that his friends would come by and they would see it and think it was cool, but when he saw the reaction from the soldiers who visited his home, he realized where the Medal needed to be, and the family donated the Medal of Honor to SWCS as the centerpiece of the Bryant Gallery.

    During the commemoration ceremony, Maj. Gen. Patrick Roberson, the Commander of the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School, noted, “Today, on the 50th anniversary of President Nixon’s presentation of the Medal of Honor to Sgt. 1st Class Bryant’s family, we once again gather to commemorate his legacy. Today, he would have been 88.”

    “On 24 March, Sgt. 1st Class Bryant gave the last full measure of devotion to his teammates, his partners, and to the nation. Sgt. 1st Class Bryant so firmly believed in the values of freedom and prosperity, that he was willing to give his life to this cause. He fought bravely, leading from the front, until his last breath in the triple canopy jungle of Vietnam, on a lone fire base … with his comrades. The lessons learned from Sgt. 1st Class Bryant’s experiences — operating in austere and remote conditions and fighting by, with, and through indigenous partner forces — are timeless.”

    While the Bryant brothers can barely remember the ceremony at the White House where President Richard Nixon posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor to their mother, seeing it in the headquarters building that still carries his name was emotional for them, but it let them see and understand the kind of man their father was, and that while he is gone, he has not been forgotten.

    Pictured above: Sgt. 1st Class William M. Bryant was killed in action in Vietnam on March 24, 1969. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions.

    Pictured botton left: Together, Maj. Gen. Patrick Roberson (left), Greg and Kelvin Bryant and their wives, cut the ribbon to the entrance of the new Bryant Gallery. The ceremony held Feb. 16 was the anniversary of the award presentation and Sgt. 1st Class Bryant's birthday.

    Pictured bottom right: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty." Sgt. 1st Class Bryant's family donated his Medal of Honor to SWCS to serve as the centerpiece in the new Bryant Gallery. (All photos courtesy U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School)

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  • 26 rendering don kempBy age 90, most people are settling into their twilight years resting, relaxing and enjoying time free from work commitments. Donald Kemp is not most people. Kemp keeps busy with writing projects, a passion that began more than five decades ago.

    A Fayetteville resident for 40 years, Kemp is originally from Michigan. His serious writing began in 1968 with a series of articles in a Rochester City newspaper about his own heart bypass surgery. The articles lead to his first published book “I Live With A Mended Heart.” At the time of his surgery, Cleveland Clinic was the only place to get have the procedure. Kemp’s book was inspired by his own procedure and his life in recovery.

    Kemp has also produced other works such as articles for magazines and newspapers during his time living in Michigan. As well as writing, Kemp explored his story-telling ability by directing plays in California, which he describes as “an explosion of emotion to see what is in your mind come to life on a stage.”

    His first full-length novel, “Rendering,” is a mystery thriller published in 2016. The inspiration behind this novel was a newspaper article about three inches high. The book took Kemp seven years to write. The book developed over time while he was participating in a writing group that met every two weeks. The group would “toss chapters over the hot coals,” Kemp recalls as a way of challenging authors. Since that experience, Kemp said he chooses to stick to shorter books and writing projects.

    His next book “Senior Touring Society,” was published in 2018. It is a comedy about elders going to and from a stage play.
    Kemp has also written three children’s books, specifically for his grandchildren. He wrote them each year that his military son was stationed at Fort Bragg so that he could read them to his grandchildren at Christmas.

    With two books waiting to be published, Kemp doesn’t plan to slow down any time soon. He said he has a bunch of stories and ideas that he keeps organized on little slips of paper around his office.

    Kemp offers one steadfast rule for aspiring authors: make time to write every day. “Even if it is one hour, or just writing notes, writing every day will get your ideas down on paper.”

    Kemp also offers a tip he learned from reading one of his writing inspirations, Ernest Hemingway. Known for his economic prose, Hemmingway’s writing is minimalist with few adverbs or adjectives. Hemmingway made a special effort to write in simple and direct language. Kemp said he tries to follow that philosophy too.

    Kemp’s book are available online in e-book and soft cover formats. For more information visit https://donkempauthor.com/

    Editor April Olsen contributed to this article.

  • 24 JFON logoThe Justice for Our Neighbors Immigration Clinic, Inc. opened in downtown Fayetteville in November of last year aiming to provide low-cost legal aid to low-income immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers while providing education and advocacy of the immigration system in the U.S.

    Their mission is to meet the needs of our neighbors in a complex and ever-changing U.S. immigration system, said Oscar Hernandez, Executive Director for Fayetteville JFON.

    Fayetteville JFON was born as a result of a forum on immigration in 2018 at St. Andrews Methodist Church.

    “I saw that children were being ripped away from their parents that really bothered me, so I wanted to raise awareness about how God cares about immigrants and foreigners,” Scott Foster, pastor at St. Andrews Methodist Church, said. “I just wanted to have a forum about that and connect to our world through education.”

    Foster, who serves as the fundraising chair for Fayetteville JFON said they received funding from the United Methodist Church to reach out to those who are marginalized like immigrants often are.

    The immigration clinic started seeing clients as of Dec. 1 and had 100 to 200 people reach out for help.

    “There is a great need for low-cost immigration services in the area,” Hernandez said. “North Carolina itself has a growing immigrant population and more options are needed in the Sandhills region and rural areas.”

    The clinic’s team includes a full-time attorney, administrative assistant, executive director, intern, volunteers and a board of directors.

    Services are offered at low-cost to low-income immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers of all faiths, backgrounds and identities and fees are based on income. Each case is assessed individually, and the clinic offers services like DACA, Temporary Protected Status VAWA, U and T Visa, family reunification, citizenship and permanent residency.

    Foster said they hope to grow as they receive more funds and are currently hiring for a Grant Writer.

    National JFON located outside of Washington D.C. supports 18 JFON sites with about 50 clinics across the U.S.

    “We welcome volunteers and interns who are excited and know more about the immigration legal system and be part of our team,” Hernandez said. “Immigrants make this country great, join us in our mission to serve our immigrant neighbors.”

    The Fayetteville JFON is located in the Self Help building at 100 Hay St., Suite 300. For more information on their services, call 910-441-3753 Monday to Thursday noon to 4 p.m. or send an email to information@fayettevilljfon.org. To donate visit, https://fayettevillejfon.kindful.com/

  • 23 IMG 6579Despite pandemic restrictions, two new small businesses have opened their doors to the public in downtown Fayetteville recently. Tru Perfections Salon and Stachia’s Fully Loaded Grill are now open in the Cool Spring Downtown District.

    Serving clients for their hair, makeup and beauty needs, Tru Perfections, located at 125 Person St, is owned and operated by De’Von Buie.

    An artist of 13 years, Buie is skilled in makeup, body painting, hair style and color, props and more. The salon has two other stylists specializing in natural hair and eyebrow tinting. “I knew this would be a good opportunity for me and I just had to do it,” Buie said. “My aunt helped me finance opening the store which means a lot to me since she passed away recently due to cancer.”

    As far as the pandemic, it's been challenging, he said, but in this career it’s a bit different because people constantly need their hair done.

    “I have three kids, so that's what keeps me going, and it motivates me,” Buie said. “I need to stay alive, do what I love.”

    For more information about Tru Perfections Salon, call 910-224-1530.
    Stachia Arnold opened Stachia’s Fully Loaded Grill and Mart located at 200 Robeson St. What started in 2018 as a food truck led to a permanent location in Spring Lake and now Fayetteville.

    “We used a food truck and visited downtown, we had a good business model, then we got ready to do brick and mortar,” Arnold said.

    The veteran-owned restaurant offers simple American cuisine with a twist and is located alongside a convenience mart to enhance the customer experience. Some of the popular items on their menu include chicken wings, fully loaded baked potatoes, fully loaded cheesesteaks, fully loaded fried rice and fully loaded fries. We have about 25 to 30 flavor combinations for wings, she said.

    “I am the oldest of three children, my mom was working and would work late … she taught us to make the simplest things and make them good,” Arnold said. “From then I always had to create something different, so I started Stachia’s Fully Loaded Grill when I moved back to North Carolina.”

    The restaurant will be expanding its Spring Lake location in March to provide a 3,000 square feet, dine-in food and bar location. Stachia’s is open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more info call 910-502-0123.

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  • 01 01Located on the west side of Fayetteville, Gates Four has been a part of the Cumberland County community for about 54 years. The 18-hole championship golf course and club was built in 1967, and the residential community followed in 1974. The community has grown over the decades.

    Gates Four Golf & Country Club and its residential community Fayetteville will be adding more developments and various amenities for residents and club members this year. In addition to hosting the Cumberland County Golf Championship again this year, new entertainment amenities will include the Fayetteville Dinner Theatre in April and the Summer Concert Series beginning in May.

    “Gates Four is really unique to this market at the price point that we offer, there’s really nothing like it around,” Kevin Lavertu, general manager of the Gates Four Country Club said.

    The club and residential development are located in proximity to each other, but they operate separately and membership to the club is open to everyone and one doesn’t have to reside in their community, he said.

    The full-service country club includes the golf course, junior Olympic-sized swimming pool, four USDA tennis courts, JP’s Bar & Grill dining room facility, a banquet facility, and an outdoor pavilion among other things.

    “There are about 400 members and some are social members and some sports,” Lavertu said. “We have different categories of memberships to meet different lifestyles.”

    The golf-course for the club is a semi-private facility, open to outside play after 10 a.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. on weekends.

    “Having a golf course here is nice, it’s top-rated, I go up there every day,” said Mike Molin, a club member and resident of the community. “I am retired and I can play almost every day.”

    Lavertu does a great job with the course and club, and it's a great place to be, eat and hang out with friends, he said.

    Gates Four Country Club is family centric with single or family dues packages available.

    “It provides a getaway for people, whether you play golf, tennis or just to dine or swim. There’s something for everybody and it’s really a getaway for a lot of people,” Lavertu said.

    The Dinner Theatre will include events planned inside the ballroom for members to watch shows in an intimate setting and enjoy dinner and entertainment, while the Summer Concert Series hosted at the club’s pavilion will showcase local bands for members and guests to enjoy outdoors. The concert series will kick off Friday, May 14.

    The Cumberland County Championship will be played this year Oct. 15 through Oct. 17 and is one of the biggest tournaments around for amateur golfers, and a staple for golfers and the Cumberland County area, Lavertu said.

    “Just like anything it's a getaway and way for people to enjoy. We are open to anybody who wants to join and we have some great promotions on memberships,” Lavertu added.

    Surrounding the club house is the residential community of Gates Four, a combination of 760 houses and townhomes.
    “I think it’s the best community in Cumberland County and the area with a top-rated golf course, country club and a gated community,” Molin said. “There’s nothing around like it.”

    Molin, a resident of the community of 41 years, also serves as the Home Owners Association Treasurer.

    We have grown from 200 homes to 760 since I have lived here, and it is almost like a small company that the HOA runs. There's a property manager and we expect people to live by certain standards when they move home to help keep the community looking nice, he said.

    “Having a 24-hour gated community, it provides all these amenities in a safe environment for people to live in, which does help people gravitate towards Gates Four and what I noticed with the school system, we are getting younger and younger within the community moving in,” Lavertu said.

    Some may have the impression that the community is far out of town, but Lavertu says the Gates Four community is only about 10 minutes from Raeford Road, adding that the area offers a great school system.

    “I call it the best kept secret of Fayetteville, honestly,” said Jay Dowdy, Broker/Owner at All American Homes with Berkshire Homes. “Gates Four has one of the best school districts and a lot of people call me from out of town looking for homes there, the whole area is nice, and has a unique environment.”

    Molin said the biggest things he liked about living in Gates Four is the gated community and also having a Fayetteville address but not having to pay the city taxes because the community extends out to Hope Mills.

    Dowdy mentioned the demand for the community is very high and about 20 percent of his buyers live in Gates Four.

    “The price point out there starts around the 250’s and goes up to about a million, so it’s not going to your beginner buyers, more upper end buyers” he said “But there’s a lot of very affordable townhomes out there too priced in the 100’s.”

    The growth in the area due to Gates Four has been high, Lavertu said.

    “If it wasn’t for the community of Gates Four you wouldn't see businesses making financial investments in the community here in close proximity so obviously this has a huge financial impact on the area due to the community,” he said.

    Due to the high demand, all of the new construction has been sold and pre-sales are happening on the next construction, Dowdy said.

    Lavertu emphasized the convenience of the Gates Four community having dining, sports and other amenities right there for members.

    “It’s a gated community with a country feel, it’s got ponds,” Dowdy said. “It’s your hometown country club, with lots of amenities, affordability, location.”

    For more information about Gates Four, visit https://www.gatesfour.com or contact the club at 910-425-6667.

  • 08 Infantry Squad Vehicle ProfileThe 82nd Airborne Division’s First Brigade Combat Team at Fort Bragg, is slated to receive the first of its kind Infantry Squad Vehicle — a light all-terrain troop battlefield carrier intended to transport infantry squads and their equipment.

    The 82nd is scheduled to receive 59 ISVs. Division spokesman Lt. Col. Michael Burns says they are not yet on the ground.

    Eventually, 11 Army infantry brigade combat teams will be outfitted with 59 vehicles each under the first contract. The vehicle is being built by GM Defense LLC, a General Motors subsidiary.

    Since 1941, the Army has relied on the Jeep and more recently the Humvee for battlefield mobility. But the ISV is the first vehicle designed to carry an infantry squad of nine soldiers and their equipment, according to the Army. The ISV is largely based on the frame of the 2020 Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 midsize pickup truck. Ninety percent of its parts are commercial off-the-shelf components, said Steven Herrick, the Army's product leader for ground mobility vehicles.

    GM Defense renovated a plant in Concord, North Carolina, for its production.

    “Having soldiers ride in a vehicle with their equipment instead of carrying it across many miles of cross-country terrain to their destination means they'll be much less fatigued and better able to carry out their missions,” Herrick said.

    The ISV sacrifices protection for mobility. The fast attack vehicle is completely unarmored and fully open with roll bars rather than traditional siding. The ISV doesn't even have a roof. This tradeoff leaves troops exposed to all forms of enemy fire.

    A Pentagon assessment said the vehicle will provide infantry soldiers with valuable off-road mobility. The assessment described the ISV as cramped, lacking convenient storage space for equipment, but that it meets the Army’s requirements in tests and evaluations. The ISV “key requirements are being met, and we are increasing soldier operational readiness by providing an operationally relevant vehicle that can transport small tactical units to a dismount point faster and in better physical and mental condition for the fight,” Herrick said.

    The ISV has undergone testing in the Yuma Proving Ground's desert in southwestern Arizona. The vehicle has completed successful tests in the static drops category for low velocity airdrops — the airborne delivery of equipment and weapons systems from aircraft. The service staged live drops with soldiers executing missions after the drop, he said.

    Initial operational tests and evaluation exercises were held at Fort Bragg last August.

    The vehicle is air-droppable from aircraft such as the C-130 Hercules and the C-17 Globemaster. It’s small enough to ride inside a CH-47 Chinook heavy lift helicopter, and it’s light enough to be slung beneath a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter. The initial contract is for production of 649 vehicles, but the Army plans a total of 2,065.

  • 05 BurrOfficialPortraitI emailed the office of Senator Richard Burr after he voted in favor of impeaching former President Trump. This came after the NC GOP Central Committee unanimously voted to censure Senator Burr (https://www.nc.gop/central_02_15).

    Not surprisingly, our local newspaper did not find this to be newsworthy. His belated reply follows:

    Dear Mr. Goldstein:

    Thank you for contacting me regarding my vote to convict former President Trump on the article of impeachment presented against him. I appreciate hearing from you.
    January 6, 2021 was a grim day in our nation’s history. The attack on the U.S. Capitol was an attempt to undermine our democratic institutions and overrule the will of the American people through violence, intimidation, and force.

    Seven lives were tragically lost as a result of that day. Law enforcement officers, outnumbered and overwhelmed, sustained debilitating injuries as they bravely defended Congress against an angry mob. We now know that lawmakers and congressional staff came dangerously close to crossing paths with the rioters searching for them and wishing them harm.

    When this process started, I believed that it was unconstitutional to impeach a president who was no longer in office. I still believe that to be the case. However, the Senate is an institution based on precedent, and given that the majority in the Senate voted to proceed with the trial, the question of constitutionality for a former president is now established precedent. As an impartial juror, my role was to determine whether House managers had sufficiently made the case for the article of impeachment against President Trump.

    I listened to the arguments presented by both sides and considered the facts. The facts are clear.

    The President promoted unfounded conspiracy theories to cast doubt on the integrity of a free and fair election because he did not like the results. As Congress met to certify the election results, the President directed his supporters to go to the Capitol to disrupt the lawful proceedings required by the Constitution. When the crowd became violent, the President used his office to first inflame the situation instead of immediately calling for an end to the assault.

    As I said on January 6, the President bears responsibility for these tragic events. The evidence is compelling that President Trump is guilty of inciting an insurrection against a coequal branch of government and that the charge rises to the level of “high crimes and misdemeanors.” Therefore, I voted to convict.

    I did not make this decision lightly, but I believe it was necessary. By what he did and by what he did not do, President Trump violated his oath of office to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States.

    My hope is that with impeachment behind us America can begin to move forward and focus on the critical issues facing our country today.
    Again, thank you for contacting me. Should you have additional questions or comments, please do not hesitate to let me know or visit my website at http://burr.senate.gov.

    Sincerely,
    Richard Burr
    United States Senator

    Pay particular attention to what Senator Burr (or one of his staffers) wrote:

    “However, the Senate is an institution based on precedent, and given that the majority in the Senate voted to proceed with the trial, the question of constitutionality for a former president is now established precedent.”

    In other words, Senator Burr, you hold that a "precedent' set by the Senate is an amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which you were obliged to support per Article VI. The U.S. Constitution provides for the impeachment of the president, but not a former president no longer in office. That is sophistry as well as impeachable conduct.

    This “impeachment” was also a bill of attainder. That is an impeachable offense under Article I, Section 9. For that matter, every representative and senator that voted to impeach the former president is also a participant in this unconstitutional act.

    Now, I'm not a constitutional lawyer, but it does not take legal genius to read what is in the U.S. Constitution. The language is plain. But just to be sure, I asked an old friend of mine from college, who is a lawyer, for his opinion on Senator Burr's reply.

    “His response could have come directly from CNN. I’m not aware of this precedent notion to create law by non judicial procedural fiat. The blather justifying his vote seems no more valid than sports banter. Precedent is established by a court which is subject to evaluation by other courts up the jurisdiction train. This senate choice seems misuse of process or contrived authority to increase its power, just what the President was accused of.”

    It is now obvious that Senator Burr does not represent all of the North Carolina voters, both Democrat and Republican, that voted to reelect President Trump.

    The vote of censure was a vote of no confidence. Senator Burr has demonstrated that he will place his own agendas, whatever they may be, over the will of his constituents. For this reason he should resign immediately.

    — Leon A Goldstein, Fayetteville

  • 11 Pitt IMG 6130Things are not always what they seem. The surface may be bright and sparkling but beneath may lie a pool of unremitting darkness. “Leave It To Beaver” is one such example. Being a person of the retired persuasion, on most mornings I have settled into a Rona induced rut. The alarm goes off at 5:45 a.m. Taking a tip from the Baha Boys’ greatest hit, I let the dogs out. I can catch the last 15 minutes of “Dragnet” on ME TV which means I get to watch Friday and Gannon exchange meaningful glances and walk without moving their arms. This is just in time to watch them bust the Bad Guy. The announcer intones in a voice that predates Morgan Freeman by saying “Trial was held on such and such a date. In a moment the results of that trial.” I always hope that just once the Bad Guy is found not guilty. It does not seem too much to ask. But alas, the Bad Guy never hires Perry Mason or even Matlock. He is always found guilty. He is still serving time in San Quentin. Then comes the sweaty arm that pounds Mark VII into a metal plate. The show is over. The coffee begins to kick in about the time the dogs begin scratching at the door.

    Next up is “Morning Joe” who was much more entertaining when the Former Guy was President. Recently it was Boring Joe. I changed channels to watch “Leave It To Beaver.” That particular episode involved Beaver switching a birthday present. Naturally, he got caught lying about the old switcheroo. Ward called Beaver into his study for a good talking to. Beaver learned his lesson like he did in all 234 episodes. All of this was standard “Leave to Beaver” stuff. But the episode suddenly took a hard turn into the “Twilight Zone” when Ward and June sat down to discuss Beaver’s faults. Ward was reading the Mayfield newspaper which had a giant headline that had the word MURDER in all caps.

    Murder in Mayfield? This went against everything known about Beaver’s hometown. Previously the most exciting thing that ever happened was when Beaver got stuck in a giant coffee cup on a billboard. I was so startled I backed up the TV to see if I had been mistaken. Sure enough, the last word in the headline was MURDER. Realizing that no one would believe this without proof, I took a picture of the Cleavers and the headline which appears with this column. Who was murdered? Was there a serial killer loose in Mayfield? Had Eddie Haskell finally slipped the thin veneer of civilization that coated him in a thin candy shell like an M&M candy left in a hot car in July and gone into a homicidal rage? Had Lumpy Rutherford flipped out because the gang kept calling him Lumpy instead of his real name Clarence? Was Miss Landers actually a North Korean Spy who tired of indoctrinating fourth graders and went on a killing spree at the VFW Lodge? Had Principal Cornelia Ray gone “Full Metal Jacket” and finally killed Eddie Haskell herself? These questions went unanswered as just the last word of the headline was visible in Ward’s formerly nicotine-stained hands.

    Perhaps the MURDER headline was just an inside joke some screenwriter put into Ward’s hands thinking no one would notice it. Wouldn’t you think that Ward would be discussing a murder spree in Mayfield with June rather than the birthday party incident? Unless Ward was trying to divert June from the article by discussing birthday trivia rather than a gruesome murder in Mayfield. Look at the way Ward is holding the paper so that June can’t see the headline. Does Ward have something to hide? Is Ward the Mayfield Murderer? Was Ward sitting on the couch reading about the murder, chuckling because he had committed the perfect crime when June unexpectedly finished the dishes and sat down beside him? Had Ward finally snapped under the incessant pressure from his boss Fred Rutherford to sell more insurance? Had he hired Eddie Haskell to whack Fred? Having watched many episodes of “Dragnet” I have been trained to look for clues. The seeming nonchalance of Ward carefully folding the paper to conceal the headline from June can mean only one thing. Ward did it. Ward is the Mayfield Murderer. Friday and Gannon would have cracked this case wide open in thirty minutes. Ward would spend the rest of his days in San Quentin.

    Due to the pressure of Ward’s impending trial Beaver turned to drugs to escape. Kinky Friedman chronicled that sad result in his great song “Somethin’s Wrong with the Beaver” which describes the fateful morning that June went to get Beaver ready for school. Ponder these words: “She climbed the stairs that morning/ Found him rather pale/ His eyes they were the color/ Of half-drunk ginger ale/ Faithful as a Magnavox/ Hung up on a song/ She cried down to the breakfast nook/ Ward? There’s something wrong/ Somethings wrong with the Beaver/ The Beaver I believer is gone/ Beaver was a dreamer/ Never got it right/ Died in living color/ Lived in black and white. “

    So, what have we learned today? Sadly, once again nothing. I apologize for wasting your time.

  • 07 Dodo BritLet’s be bluntly honest with ourselves. Americans have become so polarized with our politics that it is as if we speak different languages and are unable to communicate with or understand each other
    at all.

    This polarization is so acute that Congress is no longer functional. It struggles to pass important legislation, and dealings among members, once congenial, are so toxic they have taken to name calling and posting signs about each other. Several have expressed fear for their personal safety because of other members. Most state legislatures are functional to some degree, but Congressional-style gridlock remains a threat in some places.

    Pundits will debate for generations how we got to this dangerous place, but one truth is obvious now. The U.S. Senate tradition of the filibuster is antiquated, frustrating and destructive to
    democracy.

    What exactly is a filibuster? It is a delaying tactic never mentioned or apparently contemplated in the Constitution. It developed in the mid-1800s as a way to stave off a vote on legislation a Senator opposed by allowing him—and in the early days, it was always him — to slow proceedings to a crawl by talking... and talking... and talking. It has been used by both parties, notably by Southern Democrats in the 20th century to oppose various civil rights legislation.

    In 1957, Strom Thurmond, a South Carolina Democrat, talked for an astounding 24 hours and 18 minutes in opposition to just such a bill, eventually reading from law books to pass the time. More recently, Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas yapped for more than 19 hours in 2013 against the Affordable Care Act, at one point reading Dr. Seuss’s “Green Eggs and Ham” on the
    Senate floor.

    Along the way, Senators figured out that they do not actually have to talk for days on end. They just have to threaten to do that, and such a threat is generally invoked by the opposing party to stop popular legislation put forward by the other party.

    Current Senate rules call for 60 of 100 votes to end a filibuster, which in a closely divided chamber as most have been for decades, it is almost impossible to get those 60 votes, so actual filibusters rarely occur and significant legislation is exceedingly difficult to pass. Right now, two critical pieces of legislation, another COVID economic stimulus package and a sweeping voting rights protection measure, face exactly this filibuster threat from Senate Republicans, even though both are popular with voters of both parties.

    No matter what one’s party affiliation or views on any particular legislation, few of us elected our Senators to stonewall the process. We elected him — and in recent years, some hers — to inform themselves and then to vote on our behalf.

    Sometimes one side will prevail, and sometimes the other will, but it serves neither party nor the American people for the business of our legislative branch to be held hostage by procedural rules.

    Both Democrats and Republicans have toyed from time to time with amending the rules regarding filibusters, sometimes referred to as “exercising the nuclear option.” Most legislative bodies, including the U.S. House, operate on a simple majority principle, except on special votes such as veto overrides. The U.S. House has long since limited filibuster privileges and does not suffer the stalemates that beset the Senate.

    It makes increasing sense to many Americans that the filibuster go the way of the dodo bird, so that decisions can be made. Failing that, it also makes sense that if the Senate is going to allow filibusters, its members should actually suffer through them, 24 hours, “Green Eggs and Ham,”
    and all.

  • 06 crashOmg! Watch out! Fayetteville and Cumberland County's streets have gotten much more dangerous and deadly in the past few years.

    I know what you are thinking: Fayetteville has always been a problematic town to drive in because of how our streets and roads are laid out, and the myriad driving styles. These things added to the fact that drivers are often unfamiliar with the streets makes our city and county a pretty dangerous place to drive.

    I've been driving in Fayetteville for over 50 years, and the very first rule that was instilled in me was: Whenever I'm stopped and waiting at a traffic light: "DON'T go on the green!" That's because this community is notoriously known for ignoring signals and running red lights.

    Now, in the last couple of years, it seems we have a much bigger and treacherous problem on our hands and our streets. The problem is caused by the fact that hot-rodder’s and lawless "fast and furious" twerps riding four-wheelers, crotch rocket motorcycles, and mini cars with roaring obnoxious tailpipes and exhaust systems have taken over our city streets.

    And, in their wake, they leave telltale signs of their destruction and contempt for the law. If you travel around the city regularly as I do, seldom a day goes by when you don't come upon two or three accidents involving personal injury, loss of life, or property damage.

    Telltale signs are everywhere. Look around and pay attention as you casually drive along the streets of Fayetteville and Cumberland County.

    Notice the 25-100 yards of tire skid marks on the surface of the street where sudden braking became a matter of life or death. Notice the tire tracks in the medians, traffic signs run over, the orange barrels and pylons marking the spot where someone lost control and hit a guardrail. Last and one of the most blatant indications of motor vehicle lawlessness is the mounting number of donut-style burnouts in the middle of the road. When a motorcycle driver locks his front brake and spins his bike in circles burning up his back tire, it creates dense smoke while leaving huge black circular tire marks in the middle of the street.
    Also, have you ever wondered why you see all those damaged plastic bumpers alongside the road? They didn't just far off a car. They were knock off when that vehicle collided with an inanimate object, most likely a concrete curb.

    Here are a few other signs that speed and traffic law defiance are causing community concerns. Pay attention to the makeshift memorials, crosses, and flowers of street side memorials dedicated to victims who have died from vehicle negligence. Just look around. Pay attention. These disastrous signs are just too numerous to ignore. And, it will only get worse unless our leadership takes direct action and does so soon.

    Several factors compound this problem. First is the "fast and furious" trend promoted and idolized in recent movies where young people are going out and buying small cars and installing loud, boisterous and obnoxious exhaust pipes that get louder as the vehicle accelerates. So, go figure. The race is on! The faster they accelerate, the louder the pipes sound.

    Then comes the adrenaline rush when they realize they are exceeding 100 mph on city streets. Then comes the panic, loss of control and the crash. The evidence is everywhere. With the city down about seventy enforcement officers, our streets are becoming lawless racetracks. Traffic laws are not enforced, no tickets are written, and many officers feel it's not worth the hassle since they are not supported with most of the empathy going to the violator. Sad but true. Law and order are what defines our civilization. Right now, what is taking place in our community is only the tip of the iceberg of what we are in store for if we allow people to ignore the rule of law in our community intentionally.

    I write this because I am worried and afraid of the consequences we will have to endure if we cannot get this situation under control. I'm worried about that van of young children being driven home from the daycare. I'm afraid my employees won't arrive safely to work. I'm worried those two early morning joggers won't be able to get out of the way of that speeding car, losing it on the "high side." I'm concerned that my wife may leave the house on a simple trip to the grocery store, and I'll never see her again because we neglected to enforce the traffic laws that were designed to keep us safe and protected. I don't foresee our current leadership addressing this problem anytime soon. However, it is on other people's radar. So, in the meantime, please, please, please be careful on our city streets, county roads, and interstate highways. Drive extra, extra defensively, and take nothing for granted. At Up & Coming Weekly, we love our readers and don't want to lose any! Thank you for reading our community newspaper.

  • 13 use for bio boxLeaders are supposed to make the hard decisions and embrace the mantle of responsibility, or so I learned in my 20 -year Army career. For too long, the current Fayetteville Mayor and City Council have shirked their responsibilities and avoided making the hard choices that come with their positions. This vacuum has resulted in the waste of taxpayer money, destruction of public and private property, a rise in crime and a decrease in morale within our city's police department. My heart breaks for the city that I have made my home and grown to love. In the past few years, this wonderful town took a turn for the worse due to failures at City Hall. I owe it to my children, grandchildren, friends, family and neighbors to turn Fayetteville into a safe and prosperous city for them.

    For these reasons, I, Jose Alejandro "Alex" Rodriguez, have decided to become a City Council candidate for Fayetteville District 1. This city is in dire need of leadership, and I am more than capable and willing to provide it. As a retired soldier, a middle-school teacher and police officer, I have served my country and community. I will continue to do so should the citizens of my district bless me with the opportunity to serve them.

    For too long, the mindset in City Hall has steered this city in a destructive direction. Excessive spending and the waste of taxpayer funds are plaguing the weak members of the current City Council. Their lack of knowledge and inability to ask the difficult questions has made them ineffectual at being proper custodians of taxpayer dollars. The same weak-willed City Council enabled the burning and looting of our Market House and Downtown District. Those same "leaders" ordered the police to stand down, allowing the rioters to destroy property and failed to protect the livelihoods of residents and business owners alike. As I watched this occur, I was disappointed at the lack of respect that City Hall has for Fayetteville's citizens.

    Change is also needed at the very top of the Fayetteville Police Department. The current leadership is failing at serving and protecting the citizens and property of this city. Morale continues to decline because of the toxic climate and failed indecisive leadership within the department. As a result of this command climate, the decline in personnel willing to serve in the department is growing with early retirements and officers leaving for other agencies. The men and women in blue serve to protect this city's citizens; they need leaders that will serve and protect them.

    Our city can be better with leadership that is serious, committed and decisive. Leaders willing to make the hard decisions, expose the ugly truths, and have the courage to accept the consequences regardless of the outcome. I need your help and support to help Fayetteville live up to its title as an "All-American City." I am Alex Rodriguez, and I am running for Fayetteville City Council in District 1.

  • 04 BoyStudyingHC1408 sourceIt is not like we did not know this was coming. It is just that now we know how bad it really is. To absolutely no one’s surprise, North Carolina’s public school students have fallen behind during our state, nation and world’s year-long ordeal with COVID-19.

    The numbers do not lie. A majority of our state’s high schoolers did not pass end-of-course exams last fall. Younger students are not faring well either. Almost 60% of third-graders scored at the lowest level of the beginning-of-grade reading exam and a full 3/4s of them tested not proficient in reading.

    Results vary, of course, among individual students, schools and school systems, and no one is cheering. Said North Carolina’s Superintendent of Public Instruction, Catherine Truitt, “It has been a year of lost learning."

    But what did we expect?

    Under even the most favorable circumstances, students have been outside classrooms and physically away from teachers and each other for a year. Some are contending with difficult family situations such as job losses, reduced income, food insecurity, illnesses and even death. All are dealing with the reality of a worldwide pandemic unlike any in an entire century. My own Precious Jewels are long out of classrooms, but I spent some time during the spring with two little boys, ages 10 and 7, contending with virtual school. The 10-year-old, a thoughtful boy able to concentrate for more than a few minutes, did his sparse online work, if for no other reason than to have it behind him. The 7-year-old, a live wire with two speeds—full-tilt boogie and asleep - learned nothing except how to operate his iPad, and the mom overseeing all this was stressed to the max herself. That mother and millions of other parents and educators will now admit that virtual learning is not optimal for many students, especially younger ones and those with special needs.

    It feels now, though, that we are turning a corner on COVID-19. More vaccine shots are administered daily, and schools are beginning to reopen for in person classes with various precautions. The road ahead nevertheless looks long full of challenges. In a letter to state school superintendents last month, acting assistant U.S. Education Secretary Ian Rosenblum wrote, “To be successful once schools have reopened, we need to understand the impact COVID-19 has had on learning and identify what resources and supports students need … We must also specifically be prepared to address the educational inequities that have been exacerbated by the
    pandemic …”

    It is hard to find a silver lining in any of this, but there may be some. Having life as we have always known it change in a matter of days a year ago offers lessons not necessarily taught in classrooms. Students may have learned that life brings hardships, and not all of them are under anyone’s control. They may have learned resilience — that when life brings on hardships, do the best you can and keep going. They may have learned to enjoy their own company and that of their family members and friends. Not every moment in life is scheduled like a busy school day, and using time wisely and pleasurably requires thought and effort. They may have learned that not all food comes fully prepared from restaurants. More and more Americans cooked in during the pandemic, with families sitting down to meals together in ways we may not have done in years.

    Only a handful of living Americans actually experienced the flu pandemic of 1918, and because they were children, they remember little of it. COVID-19 is fresh for all of us and will be for a long time — the fear, the sadness, the seclusion, the loneliness. We are changed people in so many ways, and we now know to appreciate our lives before COVID and after.

  • 10 psst cartoonOver 16,000 residents live in the Town of Hope Mills. It's one of the friendliest and fastest-growing communities in North Carolina.

    Unfortunately, there are about a dozen residents who find it extremely difficult to get comfortable with the existing and competent Hope Mills leadership and the progress the community has made during the past decade.

    These malcontents choose not to speak up in public with innovative ideas or constructive criticism. They prefer to operate subversively by lurking in the shadows and taking guerilla style potshots at the current leadership.

    It has been a strategy that has proved flawed and ineffective, forcing them to resort to a more direct and sinister tactic — character assassination via trumped-up conspiracy theories.

    A few weeks ago, the U.S. Postal Service delivered a letter to my office without a return address or signature. As many as five of these anonymous letters were circulated in Cumberland County, all of which made false, derogatory and disparaging claims and accusations about unsuspecting citizens in Hope Mills leadership positions. All were without substantiation or merit.

    These letters were written purposely to cast aspersions, ruin their reputations, rob them of their livelihoods and embarrass them publicly.

    No doubt this Dirty Dozen of mean, ruthless, hateful, self-serving malcontents are extremely desperate to destroy what they can't control.

    Well, here's my message to this cabal:

    1. We know who you are! Your letters may be anonymous, but you are not. The content and context of each piece of correspondence point directly to its authors, who are the same mean-spirited ugly trolls that dominate the Hope Mills social media scene with fake news.

    2. Unsubstantiated and unsigned letters of this nature carry no credibility. Only cowards and criminals use this method of intimidation.

    3. Responsible, respectable and ethical people, businesses, organizations and institutions will continue to reject this tactic, exposing it as the ruse it is.

    4. This unethical tactic of utilizing anonymous conspiracy letters to defame people has the opposite effect. Someone not willing to sign their name to a document means they cannot own up to its content. This is why we have whistlerblower laws— to protect the innocent from retaliation for coming forward with a truth or injustice.

    These hostile and vile anonymous attacks on innocent and unsuspecting citizens can only be viewed as "desperate people, doing desperate things."

    They will never, I repeat, never, be in leadership positions because their character will not allow it.

    The Town of Hope Mills has excellent leadership, and the town is growing and prospering.

    The Dirty Dozen are on the outside looking in, and that's where they will stay.

    Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 18 MomGirlCarSeatHC1408 sourceI never really understood the story of Rip Van Winkle. Until recently, that is. It seems the more I look around, the less I recognize any more. It's not that progress or change bothers me. In fact, I'm a huge fan of many things new and emerging, but I've come to regret some of the things we choose to abandon. Namely values.

    Back to Mr. Van Winkle. When he awakens on a mountain after a 20-year nap, he discovers shocking changes: his musket is rotting and rusty, his beard is a foot long, and his dog is nowhere to be found. He returns to his village, where he recognizes no one. He arrives just after an election, and people ask how he voted. Never having cast a ballot in his life, he proclaims himself a faithful subject of King George III, unaware that the American Revolution has taken place, and nearly gets himself into trouble with the townspeople until one elderly woman recognizes him as the long-lost Rip Van Winkle.

    When it comes to music, entertainment and even transportation, I'm completely on board with the changes. I like the new. I like the path we're taking, and can still enjoy the fruits of a harvest gone by without bothering anyone else with my sense of melancholy. Technology? A little different, but I am usually quick to embrace the latest, and keep my eyes peeled for whatever is coming over the horizon. It's just that the devices we used before become more quickly obsolete.

    Then we come to values. I can't really discuss values without mentioning how closely aligned they are with the morals I live by. Those morals come from the Bible. Love God. Love others more than you do yourself. Do justice, love mercy and walk humbly. These are not catch phrases to me – they are the basis for the moral code I feel like we've begun to abandon.

    One Sunday a couple of years ago, I found myself having insults bounced off me while I was saluted with a single finger more than once by numerous passers-by. The offense? Holding a sign which simply read, “Pray to end abortion.” Four written words. I didn't speak a single one. I didn't confront anyone. I wasn't blocking an entrance or a roadway. Just standing on the public right of way near a closed clinic at which abortions are offered.

    This February my wife was at the same spot, with the same four words on a sign and was approached by a young woman who beckoned her to her car. Hesitant at first, she moved closer to the car as the woman said, “I want to show you my miracle.” She said that four years ago she was at the clinic to have an abortion, but stopped to talk with one of the people with a sign, and changed her mind. And that changed her world. The miracle was a child.

    After a 20-year career standing in the gap for the defenseless as a soldier, standing in a similar way for the unborn is somewhat natural for me. It's how I pray. It's how I think. It's one way I place value on others more than myself. When I observe our legislators considering whether a human child in the third trimester of gestation is worthy of drawing its first – or second – breath outside the womb, I am grieved at what we've abandoned. Our culture lines up for programs promising a better future for children, while granting legal access to murder of the very children who could have taken part in that future.

    As for us, we'll continue to stand. That's our choice. And it's a choice we can all live with.

  • 19 N2006P71016CAs a student, do you want a direct link to university representatives? Are you positive that the classes you are taking will 100% transfer into a university within North Carolina? Are you certain you know the correct pre-requisite classes for your professional program?

    The process of transferring to a 4-year university after obtaining an associate degree can be confusing, but FTCC’s Office of University Outreach helps provide answers to these questions and provides other assistance.

    FTCC’s University Outreach office serves as the central hub at the Fayetteville campus for all transfer needs. Equipped with the knowledge of articulation agreements, University Outreach staffers can provide students with a course evaluation. Students request an appointment for a personal evaluation, which ensures that they take the correct courses at FTCC in order to transfer academic credits to the student’s 4-year college of choice. The evaluation also assists students when specific requirements must be met concerning competitive professional programs. Students may walk in during “Transfer Thursdays” for a transfer evaluation for two qualified university majors. Currently, students also have the option to request an appointment via zoom or telephone.

    The University Outreach office sponsors a series of events to provide resources to students including direct access to university representatives who can further answer specific questions. This includes but is not limited to Week of Welcome and College Transfer Day—an event that normally has between 57 and 62 university representatives each fall and spring term. During these events, universities designate specific times for Fayetteville Tech students to meet, greet and receive answers to questions concerning admissions and program requirements, scholarship and internship opportunities, as well as other transfer information.

    During the pandemic, the University Outreach office has expanded its offerings to students to make sure that students’ needs are being met. We have done this by providing zoom question-and-answer sessions with various colleges across the state of North Carolina, reorganizing our College Transfer Day event to one that is virtual, and initiating a new program called Ask a University Rep, where students can submit questions to specific college and university representatives on designated days.

    FTCC University Outreach has expanded Zoom capabilities by partnering with various North Carolina universities to offer students between 30-45 sessions on a monthly basis. These offerings provide a means of engagement between students and university representatives and cultivate strong rapport during the pandemic.

    The process of transferring to a four-year college/university may cause students to feel overwhelmed, unheard and filled with unanswered questions. Staff members from FTCC’s University Outreach office are committed to making the process smooth, well planned and seamless.

    Students may schedule an appointment by emailing me at nelsonl@faytechcc.edu or calling 910-678-8205. The University Outreach office is located inside the Horace Sisk Building in Room 610. Hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Personal assistance from the University Outreach office is another reason why FTCC is the smart choice for education.

  • 17 Friends of the NRAThe Cape Fear Friends of NRA will be hosting their 24th Annual Banquet and Auction on March 18, at 6:00 p.m. at Paradise Acres Event Center. There will be raffles, games, an auction, and of course, great food.

    “We are family-friendly,” said Tony Forte, committee chairmen. “We are apolitical. Our issue is putting funds into programs that keep shooting sports safe and renewable.”

    Friends of NRA is the fundraising program under the NRA Foundation. Cumberland and Harnett counties provide a grass-roots effort to ensure the future of safe, responsible firearms ownership and participation in shooting sports. The event also helps raise money, in particular, for funding youth safety programs in eastern North Carolina. The organization hosts youth competitions, training and safety courses and provides scholarships to help ensure the future of shooting sports for America’s young people.

    “Some of the things that excite me is we have more and more success locally with programs,” said Forte. “Cross Creek Rifle and Pistol club received a grant for competitive youth shooting program. The Eddy Eagle gun safety program teaches that guns are not toys and that kids should “Stop. Don’t touch. Run away and tell an adult.” I am excited to see what the Fayetteville Police Department is doing with Eddie Eagle and Operation Ceasefire. We support those programs. We support 4-H, sharpshooter clubs, the Scouts. You name the group, and if they are eligible to receive a nonprofit grant, we do everything we can to ensure – if they meet the requirements – that we get them something. Last year, we had $750,000 in grant requests. We were able to support $250,000. The demand for education and safety programs is insatiable.”

    The Friends of the NRA provides a united front to secure the Second Amendment and raise money for the shooting sports. Across the country, more than 13,000 volunteers work tirelessly to make these events happen with the generous of attendees and donors who support their efforts.

    “We are a zero-sum charity,” said Forte. “Everything we bring in goes back as grants. We are all volunteers. The committee tries to limit our overhead to less than 1%.”

    There is something for everyone at a Friends of NRA event. From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere is brimming with excitement, and they will make sure you have a good time while meeting great people.
    Forte added that the auction items include several firearms, ammunition and other items like luggage, outdoor equipment and artwork.

    “If you are serious about youth safety and firearms,” said Forte,“Outside the political arena, there’s one known resource to get that done, and it is the NRA Foundation.”

    For tickets or information about their programs, contact Tony Forte at 910-824-4681, Jerry Parsek at 910-309-9755 or Don Talbot at 910-977-7776. There are group discounts available, plus a sponsorship and underwriting program. Donations are always welcomed and are tax deductible.

    The 24th Annual Banquet and Auction will be held March 18 at Paradise Acres Event Center located at 1965 John McMillan Road, in Hope Mills

  • 02 AAPA flyer with bandsThe All American Patriot Association will host its Patriotic and Veterans Day celebration on March 20 at 4480 Doc Bennett Road in Fayetteville. The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. with the opening ceremony starting at noon.

    There is a $5 entrance fee.

    The event was originally scheduled to be held in conjunction with Veterans Day last November, but was postponed due to COVID-10 restrictions.

    The outdoor event will offer a variety of food vendors, entertainment from live bands, raffles, a historic Constitution contest, and plenty of activities for the kids. There will be an all veterans jump team drop-in, as well as guest speakers. This will be a fun-filled day showing support for our veterans, active duty military and their families.

    The AAPA is a non-profit organization that was founded with a focus on teaching the histories of the American flag, Pledge, National Anthem and the Declaration of Independence. Their goal as an organization is to educate Americans on the importance of history within our country.

    AAPA founder Franco Webb said, “History is so in-depth and there is a history in Fayetteville that a lot of people do not know about.” He added that there is a lot of history within the Declaration and the Pledge that some schools do not teach, and his non-profit organization aims to help teach this content to students. The AAPA also provides American flags and teaches proper flag etiquette.

    This Patriotic Day Celebration will help the AAPA organization raise money for an upcoming Suicide Prevention and Deployment team. This program was created to help those facing suicidal thoughts or tendencies to reach out to real people and actually have a unit deploy to their location and help them through what it is they are going through. This is made possible through an app that when the number is called it locks in the person’s location using GPS. The number is 844-NEED-YOU.

    For more information on the event or more about the All American Patriot Association visit their website at https://aapanc.org/.
    For more information on the Patriotic Day Celebration, contact Franco Webb at 910-237-8492.

  • 05 Craig LeHoullierThe Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Association of Cumberland County will host its 2021 Master Gardner Spring Symposium virtually on March 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

    The purpose of the horticultural event is to help educate local residents in “state and research approved horticultural practices,” and raise money for education. With this event, two $1,500 dollar scholarships will be awarded to FTCC horticulture students, as well as a $500 grant for a horticulture professor teaching hands-on horticulture education.

    Participants will not only be helping those students and professors with an educational opportunity, they will also be helping Master Gardeners to go out to provide physical and financial assistance to surrounding area gardens. These area gardens include Cape Fear Botanical Garden, the Wounded Warrior Garden at Fort. Bragg, the Second Harvest Food Bank and Garden, and more.

    Guest speakers at this year’s symposium will be Kirk Brown, who is a nationally known horticulturist. His presentation, “A Gardeners Guide to 200 Years of Growing America,” will speak to the importance of “sowing, growing and owning green in our lives.” During the presentation, Brown will be talking about travels in America and how to recognize the design and art within gardening. In a second presentation, “If I had an Apple,” Brown which will discuss what the digital generation knows that older gardeners may have forgotten and how social media, crowdsourcing, etc., can actually work for people who work hard in the dirt for their gardens. This presentation will show different examples of gardens that he calls “American Edens.”

    Another guest speaker will be Craig LeHoullier, also known as the North Carolina “Tomato Man.” LeHoullier will discuss how those who garden in the 2020s are the most fortunate and will use history to explain why. He will also talk about how his 15-year-old dwarf tomato breeding project has now landed him with 135 new varieties. LeHoullier will also explain his techniques in producing such a great garden and compare how the different living zones contributed.

    Registering for the symposium will allow Master Gardeners to provide assistance to the community as well as educate locals and help them to get their gardens up and blooming this spring/summer season. This event will be include door-prizes, a virtual auction and a virtual tomato sale of LeHoullier’s variety of tomatoes. The registration link, action link and tomato sale link are provided below. This event is one you will not want to miss and provides a “once in a lifetime learning experience” from professional gardeners.

    Judy Dewar, chairperson for this event said, “We hope to improve all of our quality of lives by providing educational opportunities for residents to learn how to be good stewards of our environment while also being sustainable. And just because life is short, we hope our participants will have a ‘fun time’ while they are with us.”

    Registration for this “one in a gardening lifetime event” can be made on Eventbrite on the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/cumberland-county-master-gardener-virtual-symposium-2021-tickets-13508558

    To bid on items in the auction – with items ranging from artwork, handmade quilts to live plants – visit https://www.32auctions.com/CCEMGVA . The tomato sale link is https://www.32auctions.com/Tomatoes. The tomato plants offered for sale are dwarf tomatoes that are part of the “Dwarf Tomato Project.”

    Pictured above Craig LeHoullier

  • 06 04 Kaleo logoEach year many celebrate the month of March as Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities Awareness Month, but Nancy Szymkowiak strives year round to spread awareness and help those in the community living with disabilities.

    Kaleo Supports was founded by Szymkowiak and Karen Campbell in August of 2007 to provide services leading to meaningful and real outcomes for those living with disabilities and to help Szymkowiak’s daughter who has disabilities.

    “I learned early on that services and information were not easy to obtain, so I became a self-studied advocate,” Szymkowiak said. “I started researching and learning so I could get my daughter what she needed.”

    When looking for the right programs for her daughter Lacey, who was then four and was offered the pre-school handicap service, made Szymkowiak realize that Lacey needed to be with her peers without disabilities to learn.

    “I didn’t know then that was inclusion, meaning you are included in the world and you’re not just in a segregated community, she said. “And she’s now about to be 31 and she lives in her own place.”

    Szymkowiak’s daughter suffered a stroke at birth and currently has a speech impediment, left side paralysis in her leg, and limited use of her left hand.

    Our children take us on journeys, she said.

    What began as a journey to find her daughter the right programs, tools and support led to her helping other families, getting involved in support groups and workshops, and in 2007 she quit her job and decided to launch Kaleo Supports.

    “I started in the corner of my living room, I pulled it together, got credentials to do services through alliance and now we do services with four different managed care organizations,” she said.

    Some of the services Kaleo Supports offer are in-home intensive support, residential support, community networking, supported employment, personal care, natural support education and more.

    We provide innovations waiver services, which is a North Carolina Medicaid waiver for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; traumatic brain injury waiver, which is the pilot program through Alliance Health Plan; and vocational rehabilitation services, Szymkowiak said.

    Through the NC Division of Vocational Rehabilitation service, Kaleo provides job placement, job training, stabilization and closure to recipients. The team at Kaleo helps clients with daily living by promoting physical wellness and quality of life.

    “We don’t just cook a meal, we help them learn to prepare a meal, we teach them to be more independent,” Szymkowiak said. “Then we have people working jobs, we provide support at the job site.”

    Currently, Kaleo Supports currently has two licensed facilities. The staff helps clients including Szymkowiak’s daughter to cook breakfast, budget and shop for groceries, laundry and more.

    We try to make it as natural as possible and not clinical like home help,” Szymkowiak said.

    Currently the company has a staff of about 67 to 74 people serving about 25 different counties in North Carolina.

    “My job functions are to make sure that my clients' needs and goals are met, physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually,” Direct Support Professional for Kaleo, Alisha Kelley, said. “I focus on making sure that the life they live is happy and full of laughter and structure by meeting goals that are laid out and trying to go above and beyond.”

    My staff, they think big for them, they want them in the community, want them doing things, Szymkowiak said.

    Terri Kane, a family member of a 58-year-old Kaleo Supports client with developmental disabilities said Szymkowiak saved her sister.

    “We've been with Kaleo for several years and I truly appreciate Nancy because she walks the walk, it's not just lip service,” Kane said. “She began her company because she has a daughter with certain disabilities so she's the owner of the company, but she's also a parent of someone who needs the types of services she provides.”

    We did not realize my sister was going through depression, but Nancy did and once she identified the issue, we took my sister to the doctor and she's much better now, she said.

    Helen Black works as a direct support professional for Kaleo Supports as well as uses their services for her 40-year-old son who lives with intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy and strained speech. He receives community living and networking services.

    Through the years as my son has gotten older it has become difficult because he needs total care and it became difficult with other agencies in the past to find male providers to help him but with Kaleo he has had at least two, she said.

    “It’s like a unicorn in this field, really really wonderful that he’s been able to have male providers,” Black said. “I believe that Kaleo is extremely dedicated to helping find the right fit for each client and I know personally with my son they have, sometimes it takes a little while, but I know they continuously work on it.”

    Black has been an employee with the company since 2019 and currently services two clients and assists them with every day and engaging activities.

    “Through the years I have noticed that once you get a client and you work good together, to really keep those same people and expand that so the work involved advances their capabilities more,” she said. “It’s good for them to have some stability.”

    Kaleo in Greek means ‘called to a purpose’ and in Hawaiian means, ‘to speak up for,’ both of which are my God called purpose, Szymkowiak said.

    “One of the things is when I started my company, with my strong philosophy, I thought we could help everybody but It took me a bit, but I came to realize not everybody wants what we offer, and that's okay,” she said.

    Kane said Nancy truly cares about the people she serves and her staff. I have seen her be selfless and creative as she's assisting a family seeking services.

    “The people employed here love what we do, and who we work for. Kaleo Supports has not only made a difference in the disabilities community but also in the employees’ life,” Kelley said. “We are happy coming to work, and therefore make our clients' lives happier as well.”

    Kaleo Supports hopes to provide more supportive living, independent living and to expand to a community guide which is an advocate for families.

    We would like to have a conference room along with some other rooms, where we could get 10 to 12 people, classroom style, have a sensory room to work on sensory issues, an area to work on motor skills, and life skills and such, Szymkowiak said.

    It is important that people with an IDD are not secluded and are active participants in the community just like everyone else and they just need a little support to do that, and it’s the right thing to do,
    she said.

    Organizations like these are important to our community because even though it's behind the scenes, it’s there for a population that otherwise may not be able to have the best quality of life and it makes us a better and more inclusive community, Black said.

    “Kaleo takes great pride, we are an outcome-based service,” Szymkowiak said. “I always tell my staff it’s not enough to say we did six hours of service, but at the end of the day, what difference did we make in that person’s life.”

    For more information about Kaleo Supports visit http://www.kaleosupports.com or call 910-630-2255.

  • 01 09 cyber secuirty recognitionFayetteville Technical Community College cybersecurity instructor Chris Herring has been recognized by the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants with its 2020 Academic Instructor Circle of Excellence Award. The organization is also known as the EC-Council.

    The Academic Instructor Circle of Excellence award is one of several partner awards given annually by the council to highlight “academic institutions and instructors across the world that excel each year with lasting impacts on their students’ cybersecurity education and local communities.”

    Herring, who is department chair of Systems Security & Analysis at FTCC, said he is honored to be selected for the Academic Instructor Circle of Excellence award. Two other instructors from the United States also received the award.

    “During our short time working with EC-Council, the partnership has had a major positive impact on our program. The curricula is very popular with our students and our faculty alike,” Herring said. “The support team they provide is exceptional and we truly value our partnership.”

    FTCC’s Systems Security & Analysis department is part of the College’s Computer Information Technology programs. It includes the college’s Cyber Education Center, which is a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Two-Year Education. That designation comes from the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.

    The EC-Council says it determines award recipients based on more than seven areas of criteria, including continuous program development, incorporating new technologies and innovative methods of education, specialized initiative engagements, and commitment to educate and make a difference in the cybersecurity workforce.

    The council describes itself as the world’s largest cybersecurity technical certification body. It operates in 145 countries and has trained, certified more than 200,000 information security professionals across
    the globe.

    Pictured: FTCC cybersecurity instructor Chris Herring received the 2020 Academic Instructor Circle of Excellence Award from the International Council of E-Commerce Consultants.

  • 01 06 24 Jekael Gay FTCC mens basketballThe staff of the Student Learning Center had grown accustomed to seeing Fayetteville Tech’s student-athletes regularly show up in the center, using the space for studying, tutoring and computer access between classes and afternoon
    practices.

    “I’d usually be in there about four hours,” men’s basketball player JeKael Gay said. “I’d finish up class around 10 a.m. and then be in the Student Learning Center until we had practice or a game. It’s a good way to get your stuff done.”

    Then, the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and the athletes, conscious of limiting indoor gatherings, disappeared from the SLC.

    That prompted the center staff to get proactive about helping student-athletes. Center Director Kareka Chavis developed the Student Learning Center Intercollegiate Athletics Collaboration, a partnership between the two departments to promote learning opportunities for FTCC’s 130-plus athletes.

    “We wanted to partner with Athletics to help any athlete who needs or wants one-on-one assistance,” Chavis said. “Mainly, we’re just trying to be an extra helping hand for them. We don’t want our student-athletes to get left behind or to lose their eligibility.”

    As part of the collaboration, each athletic team is paired with a SLC staff member who serves as their team liaison, the main point of contact for helping each athlete navigate the center’s resources.

    Athletic Director Dr. Shannon M. Yates said the partnership has provided valuable support for the student-athletes.

    “It has been the Athletics Department’s pleasure to work with Kareka Chavis and her outstanding staff as we develop and implement the Student Learning Center Intercollegiate Athletics Collaboration,” Yates said. “This is an excellent resource for FTCC student-athletes as we continue to work through the challenges of COVID. I can not thank Kareka and her team enough for going the extra mile to foster academic success as we work to become champions in the classroom.”

    The program kicked off in October, making this spring its first full semester in action.

    The center staff went to work early, reaching out to student-athletes through email, phone calls and text messages, making them aware that academic help and support was available.

    The center’s offerings run the gamut — from subject-specific tutoring and assistance on assignments to more fundamental skills, like time management and organization.

    The SLC has ramped up its virtual assistance to fit the times and the pandemic. In addition to Net Tutor, a third-party virtual tutoring service accessible through Blackboard, the center also offers virtual one-on-one tutoring with FTCC instructors.

    Brenda Harris, an athletic team liaison and instructor, said the options help student-athletes get help in a way that works with their schedule.

    “The athletes have a lot of demands,” Harris said. “I’ve worked with students who are working, going to school and have athletics and have children. We’re here Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and it’s nice to know that someone here is available to you at a specific time.”

    Through the collaboration, the center staff will maintain contact with student-athletes, checking in on their academic progress and help them navigate their overall FTCC experience.

    Gay said the center’s instructors have helped him become a better writer and improve his grades, landing him on the Dean’s List for the fall semester.

    “I’ve told my teammates about it, and I’d refer it to anybody, any student,” Gay said. “If you’re struggling, they can really help you out.”

    Pictured above: JeKael Gay, FTCC student-athlete

    Pictured below left: Kareka Chavis, Student Learning Center Director

    Pictured below right: Brenda Harris, SLC instructor and team liaison

    01 07 Kareka Chavis FTCC Student Learning Center Director

    01 08 Brenda Harris FTCC SLC instructor and Team Liaison

  • 01 05 DR Shannon M Yates FTCC Athletic DirectorDr. Shannon Yates, the Fayetteville Technical Community College Director of Intercollegiate Athletics, has been selected as a NJCAA Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Region Ambassador.

    In a news release, the National Junior College Athletic Association said “Region Ambassadors will set the foundation for Region Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Committees to make an impact on the regional and national level while placing an intentional focus on educating, empowering, and engaging NJCAA student-athletes, coaches, athletic directors, and administrators.”

    “I am very excited and honored to represent FTCC and Region 10 as an NJCAA Ambassador for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion,” she said. “I look forward to working with this group to promote and advance equality for both student-athletes and staff.”

    Yates, who is in her first year at FTCC, has served in other capacities focused on equality and inclusion during her athletic administration career. She provided leadership and support for Title IX and gender equity initiatives while at Southeast Missouri and chaired the Gender Equity and Minority Enhancement NCAA Certification committee while at N.C. State.

    The NJCAA has selected 39 individuals as Region Ambassadors.

    “We’re excited to expand our EDI members who will bring diverse expertise, insight and energy into furthering our mission,” McTiernan said in the release. “The Region Ambassadors are comprised of a dedicated team of leaders committed to promote and advance equity, diversity and inclusion with an intentional focus to educate, empower and engage our student-athletes, coaches and athletic directors.”

    The Region Ambassadors will join other NJCAA committee members and staff in a training session with the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE), a national nonprofit that educates and empowers the sports community to eliminate racial discrimination, champion social justice and improve race relations.

    Pictured: Dr. Shannon Yates is the FTCC Director of Intercollegiate Athletics.

  • 01 04 pic for spotlight post about GL job training grantA 38-year-old Fayetteville man is the first person to successfully complete a new job-training and job-placement program at Fayetteville Technical Community College called Project Cumberland Grow.

    Eddie Morris’s success in the program led him to a full-time job with Comtech Inc., a supplier of wood trusses. He had interned with Comtech while participating in Project Cumberland Grow.

    The FTCC-led program began last fall with $296,535 in funding from the Golden LEAF Foundation through its Golden LEAF Opportunities for Work initiative. The funding provided job training and job placement assistance for individuals considered hard to employ, including people who had been previously incarcerated for non-violent crimes, those who had experienced long-term unemployment and young adults aging out of foster care.

    Morris was one of five graduates of the program’s inaugural job-training class. Four students entered the next phase – internships. In December, Morris completed his internship with Comtech, thus completing the program. He was offered a full-time job with Comtech in January.

    “I liked the hands-on part of the training instead of being in a classroom all day,” Morris recalled. “This [program] helped me stabilize myself and become more structured.”

    Prior to joining the program, Morris experienced personal losses. His youngest son died in infancy and his father died last year from complications of COVID-19. Morris turned to alcohol for solace and accrued multiple driving under the influence charges.

    As a student in Project Cumberland Grow, Morris completed required counseling treatment as part of his probation. He said he has made a conscious decision to stay sober for himself, his fiancée and his children. FTCC Success Coach

    Marvin Price Jr., who mentored Morris throughout the program, said Morris saw Project Cumberland Grow as an opportunity to create a new future for his loved ones.

    “He told me, ‘I will not let you down, sir,’” Price said. “Through it all, Mr. Morris demonstrated perseverance, character and a commitment to prove not only to himself, but to those who have supported him along the way, that he was going to finish what he had started. He continued to look onward and upward.”

    In Project Cumberland Grow, FTCC partners with local agencies, employers and nonprofits to identify prospective trainees. Participants work with a success coach and receive ongoing counseling during the program’s 15 weeks. They also take basic courses in electrical, HVAC, plumbing and carpentry trades. Morris earned a certificate for completing more than 300 hours of basic building construction training, a card indicating completion of OSHA 10-hour safety training course and the National Center for Construction Education and Research’s (NCCER) Core Credential.

    “Jobs provide hope, opportunity, and dignity,” said Scott T. Hamilton, Golden LEAF President and Chief Executive Officer. “This initiative is a key component in building a skilled workforce to meet the needs of local employers.”

    Seven students are currently enrolled in the program’s second cohort, which began Jan. 25. The Golden LEAF funding will support the program for two years and, FTCC plans to sustain the program in the future depending on its outcomes.

    Fayetteville Technical Community College was established in 1961 and serves over 36,000 students annually with over 280 occupational, technical, general education, college transfer and continuing education programs.
    The nonprofit Golden LEAF Foundation uses funding from the 1998 settlement with cigarette manufacturers to support economic and workforce development in North Carolina’s rural and tobacco-dependent communities.

  • 01 01 military e1613598945137Fayetteville Technical Community College has been named a Top Ten Military Friendly School in the 2021-22 national rankings by Viqtory, an independent media firm that connects the military community to civilian employment, educational and entrepreneurial opportunities. FTCC ranked ninth among large community colleges.

    More than 1,200 institutions participated in Viqtory’s annual survey to determine its 2021-22 list of Military Friendly Schools. Of the participants, 747 schools earned the Military Friendly designation.

    Viqtory also determines the top ten schools in categories such as large community colleges and awards gold status both to the top ten and to other institutions within 10 percent of the tenth-ranked school. FTCC has been among the top ten in its category for several years.

    “We are delighted to be recognized again as one of the nation's top Military Friendly institutions,” said FTCC President Dr. Larry Keen. “Fayetteville Technical Community College has a longstanding commitment to helping members of the military and their families. We continually appreciate the safety and security that they provide for each of us in this country. We’re pleased to be able to provide them with exceptional educational opportunities that are also affordable and convenient.”

    The methodology, criteria and weightings for the annual Military Friendly list were determined by Viqtory with input from an advisory council of independent leaders in higher education and the military recruitment community.

    Final ratings were determined by combining the institution’s survey response set and public data from government and agency sources, within a logic-based scoring assessment. Institutions are measured on their ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence (degree advancement or transfer) and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans.

    The 2021-22 Military Friendly Schools list will be included in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine, which is published by Viqtory. The list is also available at militaryfriendly.com.

    FTCC has a wide range of classes and programs are available in a variety of settings, including on FTCC’s campuses, at Fort Bragg and online. FTCC awards appropriate credit for prior military learning and follows up with comprehensive services to meet the special educational needs of military personnel and their families.

    FTCC’s All American Veterans Center, on its Fayetteville campus, provides educational assistance and support to veterans. The College’s Transition Tech program provides industry-focused training for military members who are preparing for civilian life.

    To learn more about FTCC’s programs for the military and veterans, visit https://www.faytechcc.edu/military-veterans/

  • 01 03 Amanda Parra 1Amanda Parra dreamed of becoming a physician but figured it was an idea that was well beyond reach.

    She was a married stepmom of two teenagers. She had no experience working in healthcare. And she suspected the education she’d need would be too expensive.

    So Parra explored healthcare careers that seemed affordable and attainable, as well as professionally satisfying, and she enrolled in the radiography program at Fayetteville Technical Community College.

    At FTCC, she earned an associate degree in radiography that helped her land a good job. She also gained the confidence to act on her dream of medical school.

    Parra remembers the moment she started believing in her dream. She was chatting with Anita McKnight, the chair of FTCC’s radiography program.

    “I said, ‘It popped into my head that I want to go to medical school,’” Parra recalled.

    She waited for McKnight to look doubtful. Instead, the instructor smiled. “Yes,” she told Parra, “that’s possible.”

    And Parra suddenly believed that it was.

    “That was kind of the catalyst that helped me get to where I am now,” said Parra, who’s in her second year at Ross University School of Medicine. She hopes to specialize in emergency medicine. “That would dovetail with my X-ray experience,” she said.

    Parra, who is 32, worked at various jobs in retail and banking early on but was bored by them. When her husband was reassigned to Fort Bragg, she decided she wanted to work in healthcare. “I was, ‘I want to do better,’” she said. “‘I want to help people.’”

    She researched educational options and liked what she learned about FTCC’s health programs – “they had a good reputation, it was all accredited” – and the cost fit her budget.

    Med school was not on her radar then. “I thought that was for rich kids and kids who are 24 or 25 whose parents can pay for stuff,” she said. “Not for me as a married stepmom.”

    Parra loved FTCC’s radiography program. She said the faculty set high standards and demanded excellence but were also helpful and encouraging.

    “They were just always so supportive,” she said. “They were always so warm and welcoming. It’s not the coddling kind of warmth. They’re always very honest.”

    After graduating from FTCC in 2017, Parra worked full-time as a radiologic technologist at Moore Regional Hospital. At the same time, she also took a full load of classes at Campbell University. With full credit for her associate degree from FTCC, she earned her bachelor’s degree in health science in just over a year’s time. She then started applying to medical schools.

    Parra started at Ross University School of Medicine in January of 2020 but had to take all of her first-year courses online because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, the school, which is located on the Caribbean island of Barbados, is open for face-to-face instruction. Parra flew there last month, but had to start her classes online while she waited out a required two-week quarantine.

    Still, she was excited to be there – for the education, not the tropical paradise. Via a Zoom call, she said she expects to see some of Barbados in coming months. But she said most of her waking hours will be spent in class or studying.

    “You have to set your standards,” she said. “Do I want to get Cs or do I want to get As?”

    Parra wants As. She wants to become an excellent physician.

    While at school, Parra is separated from her family. Her stepsons serve in the Navy now – a source of pride – so they’re no longer at home, needing her day-to-day attention. But her husband is still stationed at Fort Bragg and the couple miss each other. But, Parra said, the separation won’t be forever. “He’s been a huge supportive factor,” she said.

    Meanwhile, throughout the years, she has remained in touch with McKnight and Michelle Walden, FTCC’s Dean of Health Technologies and she expects to continue to do so.

    “I see them as my mentors and my friends,” Parra said. “I never in a million years would be here pursuing a medical career without them and all of the lovely professors and teachers at FTCC. I wouldn’t be here at all without FTCC.”

  • 13 nc flagFive years after House Bill 2 put North Carolina at the center of national controversy, cities in the state’s liberal enclaves are once again discussing discrimination and the LGBT community.

    Six cities and counties in North Carolina have passed ordinances that designate sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes, and LGBT advocates are now pushing two dozen more to follow suit.

    But the new ordinances studiously avoid the flashpoint of 2016 — bathroom policy for transgender people. Both LGBT advocates and the General Assembly appear hesitant to wade back in to that debate.

    The six new ordinances are nearly identical and largely symbolic. They prohibit businesses from denying services or employment based on sexual orientation or gender identity, as well as federally protected classes like race, religion, sex and disability. Several also include prohibitions against discrimination based on hairstyles “commonly associated with race or national origin.”

    Under most of the new ordinances, violators can be charged with a misdemeanor and fined $500 per day. These moves renew a debate that began in 2016, when the city of Charlotte passed a sweeping nondiscrimination ordinance that protected gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation. More controversially, Charlotte’s ordinance also allowed people to use the bathroom of the gender with which they identify, a measure aimed at making transgender people more comfortable.

    Opponents feared that people would abuse the ordinance to illicitly use women’s bathrooms and changing facilities. Legal experts also said Charlotte’s ordinance essentially outlawed separate men’s and women’s restrooms.

    In response, the General Assembly passed and then-Gov. Pat McCrory signed House Bill 2, a measure that undid Charlotte’s ordinance and required people to use the bathroom of their biological sex in public buildings. The law touched off a national firestorm. The NBA moved its All-Star Game planned for Charlotte out of state, businesses canceled expansions and entertainers canceled performances as a form of protest.

    Gov. Roy Cooper campaigned for office on repealing H.B. 2, and did so in March 2017.

    The repeal bill included a provision that cities could not pass nondiscrimination ordinances, a provision with a sunset in December 2020.

    Hillsborough became the first N.C. city to pass a nondiscrimination ordinance since the sunset, on Jan. 11. Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Durham, Greensboro, and Orange County quickly followed suit.

    Mecklenburg County has passed a resolution professing support for the LGBT community but has not yet considered an ordinance.

    Organizations like the N.C. Family Policy Council and the N.C. Values Coalition have lined up against the new ordinances, saying they violate women’s privacy and could harm religious institutions and faith-based businesses. For example, churches or mosques would not be able to take sexual orientation or gender identity into account when hiring even if their religious doctrine spoke to the matter.

    General Assembly leaders have been relatively quiet on the new ordinances but have indicated they will not act unless these potential problems become widespread.

    A spokesman for Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger, R-Rockingham, declined to comment. In an interview with Spectrum News, Berger said that any next steps would come from private legal actions if small business owners felt their religious liberty in jeopardy — not a new law.

    “The courts are probably the appropriate forum for us to look at,” he said.

  • 10 patient formAn audit released by State Auditor Beth Wood’s office Feb. 18, found the state Department of Health and Human Services did a poor job of gatekeeping the Medicaid Provider Enrollment process.

    The auditor’s office says HHS didn’t properly ensure that only qualified providers were approved to provide services to Medicaid beneficiaries and to get payments from the state’s Medicaid program. HHS didn’t identify those providers who had professional licenses suspended or terminated so they could remove them from the program, the audit said.

    Furthermore, the audit found that HHS didn’t ensure its contractor General Dynamics Information Technology verified all professional credentials and provider ownership information during the enrollment re-verification process. Auditors sampled 191 approved applications and found that 185 of them never had their professional credentials verified.

    “The Department of Health and Human Services does not check any credentials during this reverification process. None,” Wood said in a video accompanying the audit.

    Examiners discovered that of 66 Medicaid providers disciplined by their licensing board in fiscal 2019, 26 had their license suspended or terminated. HHS only removed eight of the 26 from the Medicaid program.

    The reasons for the suspended or terminated licenses ranged from substance abuse to sexual misconduct to a felony conviction related to health-care fraud.

    These errors increased the risk that ill-equipped providers could receive millions of dollars in improper payments, the audit said. Such neglect is a big deal across the country: The Government Accountability Office reported that non-compliance with provider screening and enrollment requirements among the states contributed to more than a third of the $36.3 billion in estimated improper payments in 2018.

    States are required to screen and enroll Medicaid providers in accordance with standards set by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to help combat waste, fraud, and abuse of the system. It’s also a matter of safety, as Wood’s office said that some providers on the Medicaid rolls lost their licenses due to patient deaths.

    The audit said that unlicensed providers received $1.64 million in Medicaid payments in North Carolina during fiscal 2020. Providers lacking proper credentials got $11.2 in funds that year.

    Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of HHS, said in a response included with the audit that she agrees with the findings, and the department has removed ineligible providers and is working to recoup improper payments.

    “Ensuring that we enroll and maintain only qualified providers to care for the beneficiaries is a fundability responsibility of the Medicaid program,” she wrote. “I have directed our Medicaid program leadership to make the issues identified in the report a top priority.”

  • 12 jobs keyboardLegislation introduced by Republican lawmakers would mandate recipients of unemployment benefits actively search for work, a requirement that hasn’t been in place since the pandemic began in March.

    Traditionally, unemployment benefits have been linked to a job-search requirement. But in a March 10 executive order, Gov. Roy Cooper waived that requirement due to the economic crisis brought on by the pandemic.

    Now that the economy is improving and rates of infection, hospitalization, and death in North Carolina are steadily declining, lawmakers believe it’s time for the job-search requirement to make a comeback.

    North Carolina’s unemployment rate peaked at 12.9% in April before declining to 6.2% by December, the most recent month for which data are available.

    Due to the state’s improving employment situation, North Carolina no longer meets the federal government’s threshold for paying extended unemployment benefits up to 24 weeks after traditional unemployment benefits run out. Those extended benefits ended Feb. 20.

    The bills introduced in the state House and Senate would only apply the work-search requirement to those who lost unemployment for non-COVID-related reasons.

    The N.C. Division of Employment Security has the option of waiving the requirements, even without legislative authorization.

    At a legislative meeting Feb. 17, DES assistant secretary Pryor Gibson signaled to lawmakers that his office would reintroduce the work requirement “within days, certainly within weeks.” That directive would apply to all recipients of unemployment benefits, not just those who lost work due for reasons unrelated to COVID-19.

    “It makes sense for DES and legislators to reinstate job-search requirements for people who are unemployed for reasons unrelated to COVID-19,” said Joseph Coletti, senior fellow for fiscal studies with the John Locke Foundation.“Even people who lost their job because of the pandemic have found new jobs.

    “As parts of the economy strengthen, businesses need to fill those roles. Since the governor waived the job-search requirement nearly a year ago, workers and businesses have learned how to take precautions to limit risk. This is a reasonable step in the process of restarting.”

    All told, North Carolina has paid more than $10 billion in unemployment claims since the pandemic began in March.

  • 11 voting booths emptyWith new U.S. Census data not expected until September, the State Board of Elections is recommending moving all of this year’s municipal elections to 2022.

    Executive Director Karen Brinson Bell also told the elections board Feb. 23 she recommends delaying the 2022 primary elections from March until May.

    The changes would need to be passed by the General Assembly. Bell said she would present these recommendations to a House committee on Feb. 24.

    Sixty-two municipalities, including North Carolina’s largest city of Charlotte, use districts or wards to elect council members. These districts are reapportioned every decade with data provided in the U.S. Census.

    This data traditionally is finished by the end of March of the following year, and redistricting is completed by the summer. But the U.S. Census Bureau said results this year would be delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Numbers won’t be delivered to the states until Sept. 30.

    This poses a problem for the 2021 municipal elections. Filing is currently set to begin in July. Holding elections under previous census data could pose constitutional and other legal issues for those 62 municipalities.

    The delayed census results could also create a tight turnaround for the 2022 primary elections, which are scheduled for March. North Carolina could be in line for an additional seat in Congress due to population growth.

    Once redistricting is complete, it takes about two months for the State Board of Elections to finish coding and preparing ballots for the new districts.

    Thus, Bell recommended moving the primary to May. This election will include several high-profile contests, most notably the party primaries for the U.S. Senate. U.S. Sen. Richard Burr is expected to retire at the end of this term, making it an open seat.

    The recommendations were met with little comment by the State Board of Elections members. One member said he was hesitant to endorse the changes.

    “It causes me some heartburn to talk about making such a sweeping change,” board member Stacy Eggers said. Chairman Damon Circosta said he trusted the General Assembly would make the right decision.

    Off-year elections tend to have significantly lower turnout than even-year federal election cycles. Moving municipal elections to 2022 could pose problems for Republicans in urban areas, which have trended Democratic in recent years.

  • 09 Covid vaccineCape Fear Valley Health’s COVID-19 vaccination clinics are now open to “frontline essential workers”, which includes all of Group 3.

    The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services define "frontline essential workers" as people who must be in-person at their place of work and work in one of the eight essential sectors including: education, critical manufacturing, essential goods, food and agriculture, government and community services, health care and public health, public safety and transportation. Any frontline essential workers ages 18 and older are now eligible as part of Group 3 to receive their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, in addition to individuals in Groups 1 and 2 — healthcare and long-term care workers and anyone aged 65 and older.

    “This is a very broad category that includes most workers, if they are working in-person with others or the public,” said Chris Tart, PharmD, Vice President of Professional Services at Cape Fear Valley Health. “If you’re not sure whether your job fits in this category, we encourage you to go online to www.capefearvalley.com/covid19 to schedule your vaccination and find what group you fit in.”

    All first-dose visits for those in Group 3 require an appointment, but appointments are not required for second doses. Patients should return to the site of their first vaccination shot at the appropriate time to receive their second shot. Appointment times open on Fridays each week by 5 p.m. A full list of vaccine clinic hours for March 2–5 are below.

    Cape Fear Valley Rehabilitation Center Auditorium in Fayetteville: (This clinic offers the Pfizer Vaccine.)

    First doses: Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in 1-hour appointment blocks.

    Second doses: May walk in (no appointment required) Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    Address: 1638 Owen Drive. Individuals should arrive to the building from the corner of Melrose and John Carlisle Lane and look for the "Event Parking" sign for the designated parking lot.

    Health Pavilion North ExpressCare in North Fayetteville: (This clinic offers the Pfizer Vaccine.)

    First doses: Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. in 1-hour appointment blocks.

    Second doses: May walk in (no appointment required) Tuesday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    Address: 6387 Ramsey Street. Individuals will pull in the main entrance, and be directed to check in, where they will receive instructions. Individuals will wait in their vehicles until they are called in to the building to receive their vaccine.

  • 08 5 for FridayCumberland County, the City of Fayetteville and Sustainable Sandhills have launched an anti-litter campaign called “5 for Friday.” The goal is to encourage businesses, schools, community groups and individuals to reduce litter by having people pick up five pieces of trash and recyclable materials every Friday. “If 5,000 people picked up five pieces of litter every week, Cumberland County would reduce its litter footprint by 1.3 million pieces of litter,” said Cumberland County Solid Waste Management Director Amanda Bader. Litter pickup along roadways is managed by NCDOT. There are 2,900 travel lane miles countywide. “The more residents and businesses help, the cleaner our community will be; we are all in this together,” said Fayetteville Assistant Public Services Director Daniel Edwards.

  • 07 FAST TerminalAll Fayetteville Area System of Transit routes have resumed full service following several weeks of reduced bus routes because of COVID-19. Contact tracing continues after several employees tested positive for the coronavirus. The safety of employees and passengers is priority according to Transit Director Randy Hume. Lines on buses now mark a ‘no standing zone’ to encourage six feet of physical distance between the driver seat and passengers who must enter and exit the rear doors.

    Additionally, FAST crews have increased the frequency of cleaning of buses and FAST facilities. Bus roof hatches are opened to increase airflow when weather permits. “Each FAST employee plays a vital role in providing transportation throughout Fayetteville. Our employees are truly the heart of our department and kept our community moving,” Hume said. All FAST employees, passengers and visitors are required to wear masks on board buses and at FAST facilities.

  • 06 Capitol insurectionProtesters-turned-rioters who massed at the Capitol on Jan. 6 carried with them pro-Trump signs, American flags and an array of political banners. Some waved Marine Corps flags; some sported military and tactical material. More than two dozen people who were later charged in crimes stemming from the attack on the Capitol had military ties. One veteran was accused of being the leader of the far-right, anti-government extremist group Oath Keepers. For decades, the U.S. military has sought out extremists such as militia groups, white supremacists, skin heads and others who advocate violence against the government. But the Defense Department has no method of tracking allegations of extremism.

    The concerns were evident long before the attack on the Capitol. 25 years ago, then-Army Secretary Togo West ordered an army-wide investigation of subversives by a special task force he appointed. A two-month inquiry found only isolated cases of extremism in the ranks. West convened the task force following the 1995 murders by 82nd Airborne Division paratroopers of a black couple in Fayetteville. Police concluded the three white soldiers who were charged in the killings were skin heads with racial motives. The task force said many soldiers reported "an undercurrent of subtle racism" which focused on racial, ethnic and cultural differences.

  • 04 N1902P33009HI’ve never really been a victim of cancel culture. But that’s not to say my critics haven’t tried to make me one.

    I began my syndicated column in 1986. It ran initially in a couple of newspapers in eastern North Carolina, then spread to dozens of others over the ensuing decade. On several occasions, left-wing activists have tried to get editors to drop my column. It never worked. In my experience, local newspaper folks didn’t like obviously orchestrated attempts to dictate editorial decisions.

    During my quarter-century as a regular panelist on TV shows, I can’t say producers or stations were never subject to political pressure. They were. But I was never silenced.

    I am, of course, just a relatively obscure scribbler and pontificator. At the national level, cancel culture has become a real and pervasive threat in universities, business and media. Teachers, writers, actors, and even low-level employees have been fired not for doing their jobs poorly, or for truly egregious personal behavior that reflected poorly on their judgment and their employers, but simply for expressing or even tolerating political views that online bullies didn’t like.
    Before you jump to the conclusion I’m only talking about political conservatives, I’ll offer two cases of non-conservatives who’ve lost their jobs at just one outlet, The New York Times, for reasons that can only be described as ridiculous.

    The first example, James Bennet, is someone I happen to know slightly. We were both reporter-researchers at The New Republic at the same time, just as the Reagan administration was drawing to a close, although the number of meaningful conversations we had could be counted on one hand.

    During the riots last summer, Bennet ran an op-ed by Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas that advocated deploying the military if necessary to protect lives and property. Many people had a strong negative reaction to it. I disagreed with part of Cotton’s argument myself. But it was an obviously newsworthy column by a sitting U.S. senator that expressed a mainstream view held by many millions of Americans.

    No doubt Bennet disagreed with Cotton, too. But he was editorial-page editor of a national newspaper. It was his job to run such op-eds. In fact, the Times even solicited the piece! But Bennet was forced out over it.

    More recently, you may have heard, Times science writer Donald McNeil Jr. was cancelled because he used the “n-word” in a conversation with a student. Was McNeil engaging in some racist fulmination or treating the student in a creepy way? No. The student asked McNeil for his opinion about the fate of another student who’d been suspended for using the n-word in a video made when that student was 12 years old. While asking for clarification of the question, McNeil repeated the word. For that, he was forced out.

    To be sure, there is a lot of hyperbole, hypocrisy, and shoddy reasoning to be found among current condemnations of cancel culture. When Sen. Josh Hawley lost a book contract with a major publisher after the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, he said, “This is not just a contractual dispute. It’s a direct assault on the First Amendment.”

    Nonsense. The constitution prohibits the government from restraining our right to speak or publish, or to punish us later for expressing political views that government functionaries dislike. It has nothing to do with the decisions of private actors.

    A better argument is that even perfectly legal private decisions to cancel will, over time, weaken the culture of free expression. We need that culture. We need it to foster good journalism, to create great works of art, and to lubricate our daily interactions within a society of diverse opinions.

    Remember the Hollywood blacklist of the 1950s? It’s been denounced repeatedly ever since. But now I can’t help wondering: were those denunciations really about the injustice of people losing jobs because of their political views and friendships? Or is cancel culture okay as long as the victims aren’t communists?

  • 03 IMG 5933Welcome back to both of my readers.

    As you two may recall, in the column two weeks ago we enjoyed the first six labors of Hercules in an effort to make you feel better about your own lives in comparison to Hercules’ cosmic troubles. For those of you who came in late, the nutshell version of Herk’s story was that he was the illegitimate child of Zeus. When Mrs. Hera Zeus learned Zeus was Herk’s Baby Daddy, she was sorely vexed. Hera tried to kill Herk in his crib with some snakes, failed, made Herk insane, and made him kill Mrs. Herk and his kids. Herk came to his senses and sought forgiveness by Apollo by doing penance in the form of 12 difficult labors.

    Today we learn what Herk had to do in his last six dirty jobs. Job Number 7 was to capture the Cretan Bull. The Cretan Bull had an interesting family tree. The Bull’s mom was Pasiphae who was the Queen of Crete. She managed to aggravate the Sea God Poseidon. Poseidon put a spell on her that made her fall in love with the Cretan Bull. From this interspecies love affair, she gave birth to the Minotaur who was half bull, half man. Their family reunions were a caution. The Cretan Bull was raising heck all over Crete messing up fields and knocking down walls. Being a superhero, naturally Herk caught the Cretan Bull.

    Labor 8 was to steal the Mares of Thrace. These were no ordinary cayuses. Instead of eating grass these horses ate people. Capturing a herd of giant carnivorous horses was a challenge even for Herk. The herd belonged to Diomedes the King of Thrace who wasn’t inclined to give them to Herk. Word on the street said Alexander the Great’s very own horse Bucephalus was a descendant of the Mares of Thrace. Herk whipped Diomedes’ cowboys. He unchained the horses and drove them down to the sea. Herk then left his buddy Abderus in charge of the horses, leaving to fight Diomedes himself at High Noon. Unfortunately, the horses ate Abderus. Herk was displeased and fed Diomedes to his own horses. Chowing down on humans had a calming effect on the horses. Herk duct taped their mouths shut and got them under control.

    Number 9 was to steal the girdle of Hippolyta, the Queen of the Amazons. This was no mere panty raid. Hippolyta was an upper crust Amazon debutante who proudly wore her girdle that her Daddy had given her at her coming out party. Ever the ladies’ man, Herk sweet-talked Hippolyta out of her girdle. Herk’s old enemy Hera disguised herself as an Amazon to spread the fake news that Herk had kidnapped Hippolyta. The other Amazons attacked Herk’s ship thinking to save Hippolyta as a result of Hera’s lying mouth. In the confusion of the battle, Herk mistakenly killed Hippolyta. Luckily, he did get to keep her girdle.

    Labor 10 was a doozy. Herk had to rustle the cattle herd of a three-bodied Giant named Geryon. A Giant with only one body is major trouble. Imagine what a three-bodied Giant could do. The mind boggles. There is some confusion as to whether Geryon had one body and three heads, or three bodies and three heads. He may have had six legs and six arms. Accounts vary. But whatever, he was a warrior. He owned a two-headed dog named Orthrus who guarded his cows. When Herk got near the cows, Orthrus attacked him. Herk smote him with a club sending Orthrus to doggy heaven. Geryon heard the ruckus and rumbled with Herk. Herk shot Geryon square in the head with a poisoned arrow causing his demise. To cover his tracks with the herd, Herk made the cows walk backwards all the way to the
    stock yards.

    Job 11 required Herk to steal the golden apples of the Hesperides who were three or more beauteous young nymphs of the female persuasion. They were sometimes called the Nymphs of the West because they lived at the edge of the world. Not only could they grow golden apples but they were excellent singers. When the occasion called for it, they could turn themselves into trees. Herk ran into Atlas who was holding up the sky. Herk volunteered to give Atlas a rest from sky holding if Atlas would steal the apples for him. Atlas shrugged and stole the apples. Atlas didn’t want to go back to holding up the sky. Herk tricked Atlas into holding up the sky again and ran off with the apples to make a really large pie.

    Herk’s final job was to be a dog catcher to catch Cerberus the dog that guarded the Gates of Hell to keep the dead inside. Cerberus had three heads with a poisonous snake as his tail. He was meaner than a junk yard dog. Herk strode down into Hell setting out to capture Cerberus. Herk used his lion skin cape to wrap around Cerebrus to squeeze him into submission. Herk put Cerberus on an iron leash and his labors
    were over.

    Editor’s Note: No bulls, carnivorous horses, Amazons, Giants, two or three headed dogs were injured, nor were any golden apples bruised during the writing of this column. Now don’t you feel better about your own tasks in life? Now get back to work.

  • 05 family in masksIn Other News … millions of Americans, including this one, are breathing sighs of relief and feeling our bodies relax a bit now that hardball and toxic partisan politics are taking a break under a new Administration. Its absence gives all of us a chance to absorb other news perhaps not as intense, but important, nevertheless. Here are several national stories that have caught my attention.

    Like many other developed nations, the United States’ birth rate is falling, beginning in 2008 and dipping below the replacement level. Americans are marrying later, if at all, and having fewer children. Demographers say there are multiple reasons for this, including the phenomenal expense of raising and educating children and our nation’s distinctly unfriendly family support policies.

    Both Democrats and Republicans, including President Biden and U.S. Senator Mitt Romney, are proposing financial supports for families, albeit of different sorts and for different lengths of time. Other nations, notably Spain, Hungary, France and Japan, have instituted various financial incentives, but none have worked over the long term. A recent story in the The New York Times concludes, “Public child care is the only policy that has been shown to increase fertility in a lasting way … especially if its quality is high, and if it’s available for children of all ages and covers a range of work hours.”

    Researchers at the Wittgenstein Centre in Vienna, which studies population, stress this: “Policies should respond to diverse needs of the population, and not to the ideological beliefs of the policy makers.”

    And why should we care whether our birth rate declines? We should care because babies grow into the workers of tomorrow who provide society’s financial safety nets and become the movers and shakers for everyone’s futures.
    COVID has changed so much about how we live. We must now wear masks, limit our social interactions and the number of people we see, including family and friends, and many of us are suffering mental and emotional distress of all sorts because of COVID’s effects. We now know COVID has also changed how long we live.

    More than half a million Americans have died of COVID, more than in any other nation and more than Americans deaths in World War II and the Korean and Vietnam conflicts combined. The massive number of fatalities has literally lowered the life expectancy for all of us by at least one year, and more for racial and ethnic minorities. The gap between the life spans of white and Black Americans is now six years, the widest gap in more than two decades. Such declines in developed nations are unusual, and the United States had begun rebounding from thousands of opioid epidemic deaths between 2014 and 2017. Those gains are now gone. The last major U.S. life span decline was between 1942 and 1943 when our nation entered World War II.

    The United States has historically prided itself on being just that— individual states that united. Each state makes its own laws and regulations, which creates a patchwork which has worked for more than 250 years. Occasionally, we find situations where a national strategy would have been more effective than the patchwork. Imagine how much more efficient and almost certainly less lethal a comprehensive national approach fighting COVID and delivering vaccines would have been than our system of each state — and in North Carolina each county — working independently. And, the 29 million people who live in Texas and who suffered through this month’s record cold snap probably wish Texas had become part of the national energy grid so that other states could have sent them some power.

    In other words, national responsibility for issues involving public health and safety is not always a bad thing.

  • 02 01 Cover to use for MARCH 3rd PUB PenHowdy folks! Truman the Dragon here from Kidsville News! I know you may be wondering why I am writing an article in the Up & Coming Weekly community newspaper. Well, this is a first for me, but I have a very important message for the Fayetteville and Cumberland County community. You see, I created the Kidsville News! Educational Resource back in the day with my friend Bill Bowman and the assistance and guidance of Cumberland County Schools. Yep. My friend the Character Bear and I came to the Fayetteville and Cumberland County community at the very same time. Together and with the support of CCS and local businesses and educational sponsors, we have had the privilege of supporting Fort Bragg, Cumberland County and Hoke County schools for 23 consecutive years.

    Pretty cool, huh? It has been a wonderful and rewarding experience providing this fun and valuable literacy and educational resource to the young K–5th-grade children, their teachers and parents. Now, summer is fast approaching! With all the lockdowns and prudent precautions our educational leaders are taking to protect our teachers and children's health and welfare, it is essential that these caring adults understand that children also need to have fun and recreation! So, my message is one of awareness for parents, teachers and the dozens of local Fayetteville and Cumberland County businesses, daycare centers, churches and nonprofit organizations that are considering hosting Summer Camps in 2021. These essential SUMMERTIME SANCTUARIES are more critical now than ever to develop a child's physical and mental health. I want to encourage every business and organization thinking about hosting a Summer Camp to know how vitally important it is to get their camp information and message out to families and the general public about what creative and exciting adventures await their children. Here's why: First and foremost - children need to have fun! They need fresh air outside of the house and away from their computer screens. They need to run, jump, play and socialize with their friends and children of their age. In other words, "kids need to be kids!" That's also why I want to remind teachers, parents and guardians that they are responsible and in full control of their child's health, development and happiness. I have tens of thousands of young friends, and it has been heartbreaking during the last year to see them sad, lonely and missing their friends and classmates. Unfortunately, that's not all they are missing. They are missing playgrounds, field trips, music venues, sports, theater. More concerning, they are missing way too many nutritious meals with healthy fruits and vegetables.

    Getting children enrolled in a Summer Camp with educational and fun summertime activities will prepare them better for dealing with social and academic challenges in the coming school year. Again, this is why I am encouraging anyone (businesses, daycares, churches, theaters, schools, etc.) who is having a Summer Camp this May, June, July or August to contact me. I want to assist them in marketing and advertising their Summer Camp in the Kidsville News! 2021 Summer Camp Directory. I'm providing significant discounts for local businesses and nonprofits, a free camp directory listing, and free reading and educational resources with activity worksheets for every child. This is an important publication because parents, teachers and guardians need to know what is available for their children other than COVID masks, social distancing and a computer screen. Children need to have FUN! and parents and guardians need to know where the fun is. So, if you know a business, church or organization offering fun and exciting summertime experiences, ask them to let me help them get their message out.

    Businesses and organizations promoting Summer Camps in Kidsville News! will have a chance to win a FREE $100 Shopping Spree at my very, very favorite place — Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop. Yep, and all the participating Campers will receive a delicious FREE gift from Rocket Fizz and a special edition of Kidsville News! For more information or to advertise, promote and market your Summer Camp call Up & Coming Weekly at 910-484-6200 or contact me directly at Kidsville 910-391-3859. Thanks a million! I will be looking forward to seeing you at Rocket Fizz this summer.

    Oh, by the way, if you see my friend Bill Bowman make sure you thank him for allowing me to use his space for this important message. I'm sure he would want me to tell you, "Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly."

  • 02 leadership business wordsLeadership moves the world. That’s why it’s important, why we study it, and why we strive to be successful leaders in today’s winning organizations. Did you know that 37% of employees surveyed reported they had left a job mainly due to poor leadership? At its core, leadership is about human beings coming together to accomplish some desired outcome.

    Start 2021 off on the right foot by pursuing a Leadership Studies degree at Fayetteville Technical Community College. Our Leadership Studies Program seeks students with the passion and dedication to join a new generation of organizational leaders who will confront challenges in an increasingly complex and constantly changing world. It guides and facilitates the processes that allow students a deep understanding and appreciation of the dynamics of leadership, the convergence of leadership with other people, and the role of the individual as a leader in groups, organizations and society.

    In the program, students develop an understanding of leadership as a process and as a relationship among people that transcends the setting. Students gain a deep appreciation of the dynamics and responsibilities of leadership. In addition, the program prepares students for a successful career in leadership positions in a wide variety of career paths and professions to meet their professional and educational goals. For example, the program fosters crucial skills sought after by employers — innovation, teamwork, change management, adaptability, communication, critical thinking and analysis — hallmarks of leadership. These skills enable FTCC graduates to succeed in management or leadership roles in their organizations.

    The program also prepares students for employment in a competitive marketplace or guides students to a bachelor’s degree at a four-year college. FTCC has numerous articulation agreements with four-year universities, allowing students to complete additional upper-level courses with the value of FTCC’s affordable tuition.

    The program helps students understand leadership not only as a position but also as a process and a relationship among people, learn how to examine issues from varied perspectives, embrace differences and change, and seek innovative solutions to complicated problems. Courses challenge students to think critically, communicate effectively and anticipate change. Students can enter the program through the gateway course (LDR-110) Introduction to Leadership.

    Without question, today’s workforce must be competitive, interactive and diverse to compete and succeed in a changing global economy. Leaders will be required to meet these global challenges with exceptional leadership skill sets needed to keep their companies successful and profitable in an ever-changing economic environment. Are you ready for the leadership challenge? Experience high-quality instruction at FTCC, regardless if the class is face to face, online or blended. At FTCC, students learn from proven business leaders who excel in many levels. Visit www.faytechcc.edu to apply. Feel free to email me at bellfloj@faytechcc.edu for help or questions about the degree program. Make the SMART choice for your education — Fayetteville Technical Community College!

  • 09 MUThe Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation has selected Methodist University to award Algernon Sydney Sullivan and Mary Mildred Sullivan medallions and certificates beginning at the May 2021 commencement ceremony.

    The University will also house a permanent plaque where the names of the recipients will be added annually.

    “It is a tremendous honor for Methodist University to join the ranks of other distinguished universities and colleges that are authorized to present the Sullivan Award,” said Methodist University President Stanley T. Wearden.

    “This will become one of our highest distinctions for students, an honor that recognizes the well-rounded student: academically strong, meaningfully engaged in the community, driven by a commitment to putting others before themselves. These are the qualities to which we aspire. Our mission statement commits Methodist University to truth, virtue, justice, and love, which correspond well with the goals of the Sullivan Foundation. This award gives Methodist the opportunity to recognize members of our university community who best exemplify these values.”

    The medallions are awarded to college students and members of the college community who have demonstrated noble character and have acted as humble servants by serving those around them. Rev. Kelli Taylor, Methodist University’s vice president of Religious Life and Community Engagement, received a medallion in 1989 when studying at Converse College.

    “Receiving the Sullivan medallion moves beyond recognition and joins recipients to a community of scholars who value the ideals of heart, mind, and conduct as evince of a spirit of love for and helpfulness to humanity,” said Taylor. “Nobility of character, a criterion that the Sullivan Foundation defines as ‘when one goes outside the narrow circle of self-interest and begins to spend himself for the interests of mankind,’ is critical to a society immersed in conversations of racial justice, love for neighbor, and unity.”

    Notable recipients include former First Lady Elanor Roosevelt, TV personality Mr. Fred Rogers, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and tennis star Betty Pratt.

    The Sullivan Foundation was established in 1934 and began awarding service-based scholarships to deserving students while establishing endowments at certain schools within its network. Its roots go back nearly 80 years earlier, when Algernon Sydney Sullivan himself was a young lawyer in Indiana. He used his legal talents and personal wealth to help those in trouble in his community, building a reputation for taking on clients who could pay him little or nothing when he believed their cause was just. When Algernon and his wife Mary Mildred Sullivan moved to New York in 1856, they remained dedicated to the cause of helping people in trouble. A believer in equality for all, Algernon also sponsored the first African American member of the New York Bar Association.

    The honor that Algernon would have appreciated the most was the one he received when the New York Southern Society — an organization he himself founded — established the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award in 1890. The award was created to recognize college students in the South for “excellence of character and service to humanity.” Algernon and Mary’s only son, George, continued and cemented the Sullivans’ legacy when, in 1934, he created the Sullivan Foundation to ensure the continued existence of the awards. The Foundation remains as strong as ever today, building a legacy of service, courage, and character.

    Methodist University is an independent, four-year institution of higher education with approximately 2,000 students from across the U.S. and more than 70 countries. Methodist University offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs (including doctoral-level options) on campus and online.

  • 01 IMG 2397According to a 2020 research study by coworkingresources.org, an expected 5 million people will be working from coworking spaces by 2024, a 158 percent increase since 2020.

    The need for facilities to provide coworking spaces is already being addressed in Fayetteville with current and new offices sweeping in.

    Fayetteville’s newest coworking venture called The Hub is owned by Tyson Commercial Real Estate. The space, located at 109 Hay St., is set to open in March, and join existing spaces like Revolutionary Coworking and The Common to accommodate the increasing need for coworking facilities.

    “The Hub is Fayetteville’s community connector and offers a turnkey experience and workspaces for business owners and entrepreneurs in our area,” Henry Tyson, co-founder of The Hub, said. “It’s a space to incubate an idea for an emerging company, a place for people to get together and do business with one another all while spurring each other on towards accomplishing their goals.”

    The 3,500 sq ft. coworking space will offer small office spaces, desks, storage, conference rooms for meetings, patio space, and options for designated parking with the goal of flexibility for customers.

    It’s a membership model said Clark Rinehart, consultant for The Hub. There is a monthly option, or folks can also come in and use the space for the day or week, Rinehart said.

    Rinehart owns a coworking business in Raleigh and says his expertise is the layout and design of such spaces helps him make recommendations for the Fayetteville market.

    While there are other great providers in Fayetteville, Rinehart said The Hub aims to establish a premium working space with all the amenities people expect in a professional office space.

    Due to pandemic social distancing restrictions, The Hub will accommodate about 55 to 60 spots for coworking. The facility will provide premium coffee, dedicated parking, high speed Wi-Fi and staff on site to help with any issues.

    Our team has worked really hard to create a premium and professional environment that will foster growth from the heart of the city, Tyson said.

    The Hub is offering scheduled tours and information to potential customers and can be reached at http://hubfaye.com/landing-page/ or their email hello@hubfaye.com

    “Is the traditional office space dead? No, but a hybrid model having flexibility — like you can work from home and then have a place perhaps even a small footprint companies had prior to the pandemic — that’s why I think these models will thrive,” Rinehart said. “I do think there is a market for coworking spaces in Fayetteville, especially downtown, lots of small businesses, military, entrepreneurs and people who have been running very successful companies from home who are yearning for these types of spaces.”

    The Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation’s CORE Innovation Center located in the PWC building downtown offers tech-focused coworking spaces.

    The Core Innovation Center is little different than a coworking space. Designed for government contracting and energy companies, it places emphasis on those doing business with the government, said Robert Van Geons, President/CEO of FCEDC.

    Launched about 18 months ago, it hosts military contractors and technology companies with FCEDC’s that share their primary focus of recruiting and developing new businesses for Fayetteville.

    The effort was designed to support the adoption of advanced technology in the Fayetteville-Cumberland County area and work to retain innovative entrepreneurs, he said.

    “I think that it’s a very exciting development for our community to have various coworking spaces, many that are currently successful and many that are starting up,” Van Geons said. “It provides options for people that are teleworkers, entrepreneurs, startups.”

    Kyle Simms, who rents a space out of Revolutionary Coworking located downtown said he works for a medical device company based in Oregon.

    “The company hired me, and I didn’t want to move to Oregon, so they let me stay here in North Carolina, so the company picks up my rent space. It's a good flexible way of giving me an office,” Simms said. “The biggest reasons I need an office is for personal meetings, small groups and the conference room space for larger focus groups.”

    As a member, Simms describes one perk of getting to use 20 hours of conference room time every month at Revolutionary Coworking. When he was working from home, it would cost $700 to $800 to rent a conference room at a hotel.

    “I was already working remotely out of the coworking space since 2017 before the pandemic,” he said. “I have had an office there since, but now I use it more just because the kids are at home and remote learning and it’s made it a bit difficult to work from home.”

    Revolutionary Coworking offers different membership levels, for more info visit https://www.revolutionarycoworking.com.

    While family may be a distraction for some who work from home, others can feel a sense of isolation working from home. Some workers want the option to come work in a dedicated space two to three days outside of their home, Rinehart said.

    “Bringing people who have certain interests and affinities together to really create this greater sense of ‘we are in this together’ and we want to see this innovation hub emerge from the heart of Fayetteville,” Rinehart said.
    Van Geons said there is absolutely a market in Fayetteville for coworking spaces.

    “If you look at the Commons, they are expanding their coworking space on Morganton Road, The Hub will serve more everyday folks, and Revolutionary has more short-term folks as well,” he said. “Each of them is serving a different audience and there's room for a lot more here.”

  • 08 N2004P64099HFamilies needing rental assistance in Cumberland County and Fayetteville have several options available to them. Charities, churches and government agencies provide routine assistance in the county. Services offered include shelter, section 8 housing choice vouchers, emergency rental help, low-income housing, and money for security deposits. The U.S. Treasury Department has awarded more than $10 million to the city of Fayetteville and Cumberland County to implement a local Emergency Rental Assistance Program. It’s a significant part of the federal government’s COVID-19 relief package.

    An agency is being sought to administer the program and provide direct services of the ERAP which are designed to assist families struggling to make rental and utility payments. Renters in North Carolina cannot be evicted for non-payment of rent. Gov. Roy Cooper issued Executive Order 91 extending the eviction moratorium through March 31. “Both the city and county have issued a joint request for proposal to locate a firm to administer this program because we are expecting an overwhelming number of applications that will be beyond our current capacity to administer,” said Cumberland County Community Development Director Dee Taylor.

    Once a firm is selected, a contract is expected to be executed in March or April. No less than 90 percent of the $10 million must be used for direct financial assistance, including rent, rental and utility arrears, utilities and home energy costs, and other expenses related to housing. Funds granted to the city and county generally expire on December 31, 2021. If you or someone you know needs rental, utility or other types of assistance, contact the Coordinated Entry Referral System at 910-479-4663.

    A housing referral specialist will conduct a preliminary needs assessment and refer the caller to the appropriate agency for assistance. Delays should be expected because of a high volume of inquiries. Income restrictions apply. In addition to the rental assistance program, the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program administered by the Department of Social Services can help with utility bills. Applications can be accessed at http://www.ccdssnc.com/energy-assistance-programs or by contacting the DSS LIEAP message line at 910-677-2821 or DSS at 910-323-1540.

    An “eligible household” is defined as a rental household in which at least one or more individuals meet the following criteria: Qualifies for unemployment or has experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced a financial hardship due to COVID-19; demonstrates a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and has a household income at or below 80 percent of the area median. Households that include an individual who has been unemployed for the 90 days prior to application for assistance and households with income at or below 50 percent of the area median will be prioritized for assistance.

    Cumberland County is asking people who are interested in applying for grant money to gather some documents before submitting their applications. Applicants will need to provide proof of residency (driver’s license or any other official document) and a copy of rental statement or lease agreement and/or utility bills showing past due amounts. Applicants will also need to verify their household income and provide proof of financial hardship for the previous two months.

  • 07 FOrt Bragg signA new federal commission charged with renaming military sites named for Confederate leaders has three years to complete its work. The appointees are likely to face significant political pressure from local officials and members of Congress as they review and propose changes to a host of military locations named for Confederate officers and officials.

    The most prominent of these are 10 Army installations, including Fort Bragg. Some conservative lawmakers have worked to block the changes, arguing the move would be confusing and upsetting to communities surrounding the well-known sites. Under the rules laid out by Congress in the fiscal 2021 defense authorization act, the panel will develop plans to replace the names while “incorporating local sensitivities associated with the naming or renaming
    of assets.”

    President Joe Biden is on record supporting name changes. The commission must submit its report on recommendations regarding military sites by October 2022. Under the law, the Secretary of Defense must implement the commission’s plan no later than Jan. 1, 2024.

  • 06 crime handcuffFayetteville Police are probing at least three home invasions over the last three weeks. The most recent incident occurred at a home in Haymount. Officers were dispatched to a residence on Ellington St. at 5:18 a.m. Feb 13. Police spokesman Sgt. Jeremy Glass said a man entered the residence through a rear sunroom door. The homeowner spotted the subject in a bedroom where his wife was sleeping. “Startled, the suspect discharged a firearm... then fled the scene,” Glass said. No one was hurt.

    Detectives are requesting the public’s assistance in reviewing security camera footage along Ellington Street toward Morganton Road during the night and early morning hours of Feb. 13. Anyone with video evidence is asked to contact police. The FPD reminds residents to lock their doors and windows, set their alarm systems, and remain vigilant to suspicious activity in their neighborhoods.

  • 05 police line do not crossSix homicides in six weeks! Fayetteville Police spokesman Sgt. Jeremy Glass tells Up & Coming Weekly that half a dozen murders through Feb. 15 compare to three homicides during the corresponding period last year. 33 homicides were recorded in 2020 tying a local record. Glass said Police Chief Gina Hawkins stresses crime prevention in efforts to drive crime numbers down.

    “Preventing certain crimes is a daunting, if not impossible task,” Glass said. “However, we continue to provide resources, crime prevention programs, technology and manpower trying to reduce crime.” Police could not provide information as to trends of gun violence in the city.

    Coincidently, gun ownership has exploded since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the civil unrest that gripped the nation over the summer. Americans purchased more guns in January 2021 than any other month on record, according to the FBI which has tracked gun sales since 1998. American citizens bought more than 4 million firearms last month which is a rise of 60% over last January.

  • Just in case you missed me last week, I was not off traveling the world as I have done many times before, sometimes for weeks at a time. I was not loafing in bed reading novels and eating bonbons. I was babysitting!

    My one and only grand baby is a 13-month-old boy and the focus of our family’s attention. In a what seems the blink of an eye, he has gone from an unpredictable and absolutely dependent infant to a little boy ready to roll.

    He rarely misses a meal and thoroughly enjoys tossing tidbits from the high chair to his “brother,” the family Labrador retriever, always at the ready to receive flying food of any sort. Words are beginning to flow, prominently among them a version of “basketball.” That word applies to any round object, including oranges which roll easily along the kitchen counter and make a satisfying smack when hurled at the floor.

    Strolling is a favorite activity, although pushing a version of baby shopping cart is becoming more popular as actual walking looms.

    04 margaret 1Simply put, he is a toddler with the world unfolding before him.

    My friends who became grandparents long before I did are right. Being a grandmother is in many ways easier than being a mother. It has all the pleasure, wonder and love of parenting without the daily frustrations, exasperations, physical demands, financial burdens, and all the other realities of having children. I had worried that I would not remember how to handle young children, but it comes back, just like riding a bicycle. I saw with my own children how cherished and meaningful an involved grandparent can be, and I aspire to have such a relationship.

    All of which brings to mind what I want this precious boy to learn and embody as he grows up.

    I want him to understand from an early age that good health — physical, mental, emotional and spiritual, is important and worth working to establish and maintain.

    This means nourishing food, regular physical activity though not necessarily athletics. Rest and quiet time for personal reflection should be part of regular routine. It is true that nothing else much matters if we don’t have good health.

    I want him to value education and to work for it. Education determines not only our careers and our lifetime earnings, but it also enriches the quality of our lives as we enjoy the knowledge we have and continue to seek more. We understand and enjoy the world around us so much more when we know what we are seeing. I want him to understand that learning never stops only when breathing does.

    I want him to know he will have two kinds of families — the people to whom he is related and the people he chooses as friends. Both are precious and must be nurtured at all stages of life. These are the people who will laugh with him, cry with him, and share life’s offerings.

    At the same time, he needs to learn to love and trust himself, to enjoy his own company, and to understand that no one in his circle of family and friends will be with him forever. The only person who will take every step with him is himself.

    I remember my parents, of course, as well as my grandparents and some of their siblings and still feel their impacts. I have come to understand that children have an innate need for relationships with people in the generation older than their parents. I look forward to that with this little boy for as long as we are flowing down the river of life together.

  • 07 N1205P65006CThere’s an old saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” And so, Fayetteville, here we go. Things seem pretty bleak. As COVID-19 wreaks havoc on the healthcare system, the economy and the nation’s morale, not surprisingly, this community’s generosity and ingenuity have kicked into high gear. You don’t have to look far to see examples of goodness and selflessness. Read on for inspiration, ways you can help and resources to stay informed.

    Lend a hand if you can

    Small businesses are pulling out all the stops to continue serving their customers. If you are able, consider supporting them by purchasing gift cards, ordering products online, using curbside services or leaving a positive review online.

    Nonprofits and arts organizations are struggling as well. If you have a season ticket or pass, consider donating the balance for the remainder of this season. Purchase tickets for next season, support their online efforts, make a donation or leave an online review. 

    Call or text your neighbors and loved ones to check on them.

    Do your part to stop the spread. Stay home if you can. Wash your hands thoroughly and often.

    Social distancing … together

    It’s hard to support your favorite downtown establishments when it’s not clear what is open and/or in what capacity. Downtownfaystrong.com provides an extensive list of downtown businesses that offer online services, curbside pick/takeout and delivery. The site includes phone numbers. A few phone calls and voila — a date night/an intimate family brunch becomes as easy as a jaunt downtown.

    The site also offers space for businesses to register to be included on the list. It also includes links to several organizations that support small businesses, including the Small Business Association, the National Restaurant Association, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the USBG Bartender Emergency Assistance Program, the Golden Rule Charity and more.

    It’s spring. The warm weather usually comes with a flurry of fun activities and gatherings. With schools and many businesses closed, we are urged to hunker down at home and practice social distancing. It might mean stay home, but it doesn’t mean disengage. Several local organizations are taking their programs online or introducing “to go” versions of longstanding programs. Here are a few.

    Kidsville News! is a local educational resource for grades K-6. Visit kidsvillenews.com to view the flagship edition.

    Cape Fear Regional Theatre has temporarily closed its doors to in-house performances through the end of this season while ramping up its online offerings. Virtual weekday “edutainment” classes offer online courses for students in grades K-5. Classes begin March 30 and include music, interactive storytelling, theatre, art and more.

    The Virtual Spring Passport Series for military children uses Zoom Meetings to provide an introduction to theater and playwriting. There are several sessions available.
    Every weekday from 3-4 p.m., join free classes, via Zoom Video Conferencing, as CFRT artists for classes on a variety of topics, including acting, dance, voice and more.
    Visit http://www.cfrt.org/ to learn more about CFRT and its many programs.

    Cape Fear Botanical Garden has started a video series called “The Garden Minute.” The series features a peek at springtime in the Garden along with tips, virtual tour, gardening how-tos and education. The Garden is currently closed for visitors through March 31. Find out more at https://www.capefearbg.org/.

    The Downtown Alliance has created a Social Distancing Outdoor Scavenger Hunt. Visit https://betsymacdesignco.app.box.com/v/SocialDistancingScavengerHunt?fbclid=IwAR06AfBK_IpxBmSwEoGBWpyVbKsnKgqBL5Pxb-i7xYbpHz7w4Etn3fX0_YU to download the graphic.

    Downtown’s go-to paint-your-own-pottery store, Greg’s Pottery, offers premade Kits-To-Go. Visit the Facebook page to see what’s available and how it all works. Pick up your kit (on Wednesdays only) via curbside service. No substitutions. The kit includes seven glaze colors.

    A long-time resource for parents, Fascinate-U Children’s Museum has taken to Facebook to offer a plethora of activities for children. From screen-free ideas to crafts, fun recipes and science experiments, the museum offers parents of young children plenty of ideas for staying busy at home.

    Kidcreate Studio in Westwood Shopping Center has at-home art kids with online instructional videos available for pick up. According to its Eventbrite “Kidcreate Art Kits” post, each kit is good for one art project and contains an easy to follow lesson plan, a link to a correlating online instructional video taught by a Kidcreate Studio art teacher, all the art materials needed to create a fridge-worthy masterpiece and additional suggestions for online learning opportunities for your child that relate to the art lesson.

    4-H offers several initiatives to engage young minds and bodies. The 4-H Pen Friends program invites youth to put pencil to paper and write letters to other 4-Hers from a different county or an older person in a nursing home. If at least six letters are exchanged, it counts as a communication project. Sign up at https://tinyurl/w8gqjdc.

    The N.C. 4-H Mystery Challenge takes place each Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Participants have 24 hours to complete the challenge and post It on social media. The challenges are critiqued, and a winner will be announced on social media as well. 4-H members across North Carolina are invited to take part. Email srwiley@ncat.edu for more information.

    Online learning and entertainment aren’t just for kids, and the sources are practically unlimited. Artists, entertainers and organizations are reaching out to the public with incredible resources and heartfelt performances. Check your favorite bands to see if they are one of the many streaming concerts for free. The Google Arts & Culture project has assembled links to more than 2,500 spaces from across the globe. Many of them offer virtual tours, including MoMA, New York; Musee d’Orsay, Paris; Uffizi Gallery, Florence; The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles. Here’s a link https://artsandculture.google.com/partner?hl=en. Many Museums also have free downloadable coloring pages. Use the hashtag #ColorOurCollections on social media to find and browse your favorite pieces to download and color. Several Ivy League institutions offer free classes online. From poetry to Constitutional interpretation to the science of well-being. Find out more about these courses and how to register at https://www.classcentral.com/collection/ivy-league-moocs. Sites like udemy.com and thegreatcourses.com offer reasonably priced online courses on a variety of topics as well. Many fitness centers are streaming their workout classes right now, too.

    There is still a lot to be said for the simple pleasures in life, too. Play board games. Get outside and play catch or shoot a few baskets with your kids. Take a walk or a bike ride. Prepare a meal together. Read a book. Paint, or draw. Write a letter. Meditate. Go on a picnic. Sit on the porch and watch the world go by. Finish your to-do list. Plant a garden. Take a hike. Bird watch.

    Stay informed

    Reliable information is paramount in troubled times and vital for good mental health. Here are a few websites with up-to-date information about COVID-19 and the community:

    https://www.upandcomingweekly.com/
    Globally The World Health Organization who.int 
     Nationally The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cdc.gov; The White House whitehouse.gov or coronavirus.gov
    Statewide The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services ncdhhs.gov
    Locally Cumberland County http://www.co.cumberland.nc.us/; City of Fayetteville https://fayettevillenc.gov/

  • 03 N2004P64024CWe began the month of March secure in our work and personal lives and routines. We ended it sheltering in our homes, apart from our families and friends, unsure of our own and our nation’s futures. Many, if not most, of us, are reeling both from the speed of change and the unknown nature of what we face as individuals and as a country in a global economy.
    In no particular order, here are several observations about our situation. Some are mine, and some have been triggered by lots of reading during my confinement. Each of us undoubtedly has our own thoughts about the pandemic and its implications.
    We do not know yet and may not know for some time when the pandemic “curve” has spiked, and when we are on the downside of it. This will be different in different parts of our nation for months to come. There will likely be smaller, scattered outbreaks as we weather this storm.

    The pandemic is an equal opportunity threat, neither Democratic nor Republican. Our response to it is startlingly partisan, though. Pollster Nate Silver noted last week that detected cases rose by 31% in states Trump won in 2016 and by 21% in states taken by Clinton. This means it is rising faster in the South and Midwest and slower in California; Washington, D.C.; and New York, outside New York City. We can all interpret these numbers however we choose. Still, many observers speculate that red states are following Trump’s lead that the virus is not as threatening as others say while blue states are following social distancing advice of medical experts. The good partisan news is that Congress, both the House and the Senate, overwhelmingly passed a desperately needed economic stimulus package that will help people of all political stripes.
    Human beings are herding creatures. Proof of this can be found in most any grocery store’s shelves empty of toilet paper, disinfectants, canned soups and certain other consumer products. If our neighbors are stocking up, we feel compelled to do the same.

    There is a dark joke making the rounds that we are likely to see a baby boom in the coming months — as well as a spike in divorces and more than a few “justifiable homicides.” It is a way of saying that enforced and sudden togetherness, even with people we love, can be trying. Working parents whose children have been in day care or school are finding hands-on, 24/7 parenting challenging. Couples who enjoy each other’s company are getting too much of a good thing. Some of the solitary walks we have been taking may not be just for exercise.

    This is going to go on for a while. Even after the pandemic subsides and our economy begins to reopen, flareups will continue as will some degree of social distancing. Experts say we should brace ourselves for a year or longer.

    Americans are a clever bunch. All across our country during this bizarre and frightening time, we are laughing out loud as funny after funny scrolls across our screens.

    Pictures of people who have been cutting, coloring or otherwise doing their own hair without much success. Clips from late-night TV comedians. Photos of rolls of toilet paper encased in birthday and holiday wrap. I crank up the computer every morning with a smile.

    Not much is certain right now, but we can have faith that this will end at some point. Researchers will develop a vaccine and the world will move forward again, however changed we all may be.

  • You can never have too much of a good thing, they say.

    I have never figured out who “they” are, but I think I disagree with them when it comes to cliché  quotes. Too much is definitely too much.

    You’ve seen those beautiful pictures of some scenic route, with spring flowers spilling onto the path, a girl in a ruffled dress, carrying some kind of basket in her hand and a cute dog on a leash. The picture reads “Life is a journey, pick flowers along the way” or something cutesy like that. It's a better outlook on life than some others, but when you see it over and over again it tends to fall on deaf ears.

    If you’ve been around church people for more than a minute, you may have heard things like “God won’t give you more than you can handle,” which is false, or “God works in mysterious ways,” which is not in the Bible. We hear phrases like these all the time, so when we hear actual, life-giving, biblical truth, we stick our fingers in our ears and assume we’ve heard it one too many times before.

    One particular sermon illustration about fear falls in that category for me. It has been used frequently across denominations for years. Ironically, I’m going to use it here. Don’t turn into a Krispy Kreme donut on me and glaze over.

    It’s always some variation of this: “Did you know the phrase, “Do not fear!” is used 365 times in the Bible? That’s one for every day!”

    Unlike some of the other clichés in Christian culture, this one is true. The Bible does say not to fear 365 times. It's what comes after the phrase “do not fear” that gives it its weight.

    Genesis 26:24 “That night the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘I am the God of your father Abraham, do not be afraid, for I am with you…”

    Deuteronomy 31:8 “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, of the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

    Joshua 1:9  “…Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

    Psalm 118:6  “The Lord is with me; I will not be afraid…”

    Isaiah 41:10 “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”
    Notice a pattern here? Yes, the Bible says “Do not fear” over and over again. But it‘s always with the implication that God is with you.

    It doesn’t say not to fear  because the situation isn’t that scary or because you're strong and you can do it. It doesn’t say “Don’t fear because you should have a more positive outlook.” It says “Do not fear for I am with you.”

    God is with you. That is why this is profound.

    So, yes. That fear or anxiety you have is bigger than what you can deal with. Stop beating yourself up because you haven’t handled it yet.

    That situation you can’t seem to sort through? You’re right, it is too complex – for you.

    Here’s the real truth: God takes the impossible and and makes it possible. He’s in control, and he’s got a plan and it is the best one, and he’s going to get it right the first time.
    So let him work it all for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purpose (Romans 8:28).

    Do not fear for he is with you.
     
  • 05 IMG 7480I work at maintaining a positive outlook on life, no matter the circumstances around me. In fact, I’m on record for years as saying the only thing I want from negative people is... away.

    This is one time I’m happy to say, “I’m negative!”

    I returned five days ago from spending 10 days on business in the Philippines. There were some travel concerns circulating when I left the U.S.

    March 1. By the time I was ready to return, things on the global scale had escalated dramatically.

    Though the Philippines is a hotter climate, which is less friendly to the COVID-19 virus, and there were relatively few cases there, the concern was growing throughout my in-country travels. Frequently before boarding an inter-island flight, we were temp scanned before being allowed to board. Sometimes even before being allowed to enter the terminal.

    The day before returning home, I came down with a nasty cold. I hit it hard with every kind of concoction and remedy I could get my hands on, but I still felt pretty rough — even a bit feverish — as I prepared to fly home.

    I was concerned that if they were temp scanning at the Manila airport, I could find myself writing a blog — Marooned in Manila — for the next 14 days. That wouldn’t have been so bad since I have people there, and the Shangri-La Hotel would be a nice place to hole up (if that would have been allowed). And I had an endless supply of Filipino mangoes — the best anywhere.

    But I did not want to make it to Tokyo and get hung up there. No offense to my many Japanese friends, but to be in a country with no contacts and a total language barrier was not at all attractive.

    Fortunately, they weren’t temp scanning in either Manila or Tokyo, and after 20+ hours of traveling, I was back on North Carolina soil. It did help a lot that for the two longest legs of my trip, I had my own private cubicle in the front part of the plane. I’ve never loved Delta One more than on those flights.

    I found out that literally within hours of my departure from Manila, the president of the Philippines announced a closure of both air and sea travel. I sort of felt like I was on “the last helicopter out of Vietnam.” Not really, but “Whew!”

    The day after I returned home, I went to see my doctor to get tested for both the flu and the COVID-19/Coronavirus. My doc and his assistant met me in the parking lot, masked and gowned, to collect the test samples, and I went home to hunker down.

    I’ve spent the last five days huddled in our downtown condo, rarely stepping outside, enjoying the sounds of city life four stories below me, which is now much quieter than five days ago.

    I’m web-connected to the world, so business goes on without much interruption. I sincerely feel for all the local shop owners around me and throughout the world. Many will not survive this total disruption of their business. That’s sad. Very sad. I do have to say, with nothing but deep gratitude, it’s a great day to be a network marketer.

    The results of my flu test came back quickly — negative. I figured that would be the case. I’ve had both colds and flu before and knew I didn’t feel fluish. The doc felt that my symptoms weren’t consistent with what seemed to be the emerging pattern with the virus, but you don’t know until you know for sure.

    So, to get the call today and hear the words, “You’re negative!” was indeed a relief.

    I’ve never been so glad to declare that I was negative. From now on, I affirm that Rebekah and I are facing the unknown challenges of the days ahead with a positive outlook. We embrace the principle of adaptability. We’re glad to already have a home-based business helping people learn about a product that everyone needs and couldn’t be more timely, especially considering the current demand for increased immunity protection.

    I have had an eye-opening, question-generating experience with a prescription drug purchase through all of this. I’ll save that for another post. Watch for it. It’s somewhat shocking.
     
  • 09 01 The DinerIt’s said in comedy, timing is everything. It’s also important in the restaurant business, and Glenn Garner has run into a challenging timing problem in Hope Mills as he tries to relocate his popular downtown eatery, The Diner, to a more spacious location.

    For the last three months, Garner, who goes by the professional name of Chef Glenn, has been looking to move his South Main Street business in the old Becky’s Cafe to the recently-vacated Buckhead Steakhouse on Camden Road.

    Garner plans to keep the old location, closing it temporarily once he completes the move to the new location and later reopening it with a different theme.
    10 diner interior
    But the arrival of COVID-19 and all the headaches it has created has slowed his plans for getting things started at the new home of The Diner.

    “We are still pushing for that April 6 date,’’ he said, referring to when he had originally planned to roll out his new business location. As of the writing of this article, North Carolina restaurants were shuttered by order of the governor save for takeout business.

    Garner, who operates two food trucks through his other business, A Catered Affair, has both trucks currently in operation, one at the original location of The Diner and the other at the new location. The kitchen at the original location is also open for takeout orders only.

    Garner said it’s looking more and more like the planned April 6 opening won’t take place, so he’ll continue with the takeout options via the food trucks and the kitchen at the Main Street business. He won’t start takeout at the new location, preferring to roll out the new business with its 1950s decor, only when he can open to regular customers.
    The main reason he decided to relocate The Diner was to grow the business, he said. The old building had room for only 32 customers. At the new location, he’s got 200 seats and will have ABC permits that allow him to stay open as late as 10 or 11 p.m. and serve a full line of adult beverages.

    While the current location of The Diner emphasizes what Garner calls Southern comfort food, the menu at the new place will be expanded.

    “I can do steak,’’ he said. “I can do pasta dishes. I can do French-style cooking, a lot of sauces, upscale dining at a fair price.’’

    Like many small, local businesses, the current pandemic is hurting him and his small staff of employees in the pocketbook. “I’ve got employees that need to work and they’ve got families they need to feed,’’ Garner said.

    That’s why he’s cranked up the food trucks to daily business for now. He’s open from 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. at both his locations, but he’ll stay as late as he’s got customers. At the Camden Road location they recently were still serving as late as 9 p.m. he said.

    “I love the community and I appreciate everything they’ve done to support me and help me get to this point,’’ he said. “I hope they continue to support me.’’

  • 12 01 NakeyraMcAllisterNakeyra McAllister

    Seventy-First • Basketball • Junior

    McAllister has a 4.0 grade point average. She is active in the Student Government Association and the concert band.

     

     


    12 02 AyannaAyannna Williams

    Seventy-First • Basketball/volleyball • Sophomore

    Williams has a 4.1 grade point average. She averaged 10.9 points and 6.6 rebounds. She made 31 3-point field goals and helped the Falcons to a 19-9 record last season.

  • 04 problem 2731501 1920Column Gist: As the world struggles to address the COVID-19, we are provided with a perfectly conditioned opportunity for self-reflection and honest assessment. That is true for the whole world, but especially for America.

    I am starting this column March 18 and must have it to the editor by the 23rd. I expect that between now and then, there will be many more cases of COVID-19 in America and around the world. Given the predictions of medical experts, infections and deaths will likely still be on the increase when these thoughts appear in Up & Coming Weekly the following week.

    I sit here thinking about my trip to the grocery store yesterday and how it was crowded with people stocking up on food and other items, especially looking for toilet paper. I think of liberal media reports that I have watched regarding this crisis. They all seem to make a concerted effort to identify what is not going well — to stir distrust of President Trump and generate panic. Even though the political situation for addressing this crisis is somewhat positive, there are still politicians who are clearly looking for political advantage from a devastating crisis.

    I suggest we face this stressful situation with calm resolve. That means, without panic or selfishness, working together in a loving fashion to overcome this virus and move ahead together. What I contend now is that America does not have the wherewithal for such a response. If we are honest in reflecting on and assessing the political and social condition of America, we can only conclude that the country does not have what is required to address this crisis with calm resolve. No, we will go on consumed by panic, fear, some political posturing, and feeding of the hatred that is consuming us as a nation. All of this is made even worse by liberal media.

    The reason we lack the capacity for calm resolve is that we, as a nation, have turned from the only source of calm resolve for an individual or nation. The turn is not complete, but it is far enough along that we will simply, with far greater than necessary hardship, stumble our way through this crisis. Say what you will about the early leaders of this nation; they had failings and faults but seriously looked to God for direction. They set our nation’s course based on God’s principles. From a Google search, I found this definition of principles: “A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.”

    So much of what is happening in America absolutely confirms this turn from God. Consider the response of too many young people to the guidelines regarding the COVID-19. Those recommendations from medical professionals called for avoiding gatherings of 10 or more people. Initially, it was 100, then 50, but in a matter of a few days went to 10. Further, we were encouraged to maintain at least 6 feet between individuals.

    Despite this call for avoiding crowds and maintaining distance from others, thousands of young people crowded Florida beaches for spring break. With seeming defiance, they disregarded the guidelines and, in doing so, exposed themselves to possible infection. If some of these young people were to become infected, it would allow them to infect older people, including their parents and grandparents, who are more likely to have a difficult illness experience and even die. This is especially true of seniors with underlying medical conditions.

    From the Ten Commandments, a principle that God calls us to is respect and appreciation for parents. Exodus 20:12 (HCSB) says: “Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.” Those young people crowded onto Florida beaches totally disregarded this principle of God.
    Then there is an astounding revelation that has come to the forefront because of the COVID-19. That has to do with our dependence on China for the production of medications. It is a fact that China is not a friend, not an ally, of the United States. In the face of that fact of life, consider the following segments from an article by Matthew Perrone and Linda A. Johnson titled, “US reports first drug shortage tied to virus outbreak.”

    It states, “Health officials reported the first U.S. drug shortage tied to the viral outbreak that is disrupting production in China, but they declined to identify the manufacturer or the product.

    “The FDA previously said it had reached out to 180 drug manufacturers to check their supply chain and report any potential disruptions. The agency also said it had identified 20 drugs produced or sourced exclusively from China, but it declined to name them.

    “For decades, the pharmaceutical industry has shifted manufacturing to China, India and other countries to take advantage of cheaper labor and materials. Today, roughly 80 percent of the ingredients used in U.S. medicines are made abroad, according to federal figures. India and other Asian nations rely on Chinese drug ingredients to make finished generic pills.”

    I believe in capitalism, but what has happened with our substantial dependence on China for drugs goes beyond reasonable profit-making. The article referenced above is accurate; the driving force in this decision is “cheaper labor and materials,” which result in greater profits. Putting the health of a nation at risk by substantially entrusting our drug production to foreign countries, especially China, goes beyond what is reasonable and does not give due consideration to how innocent people may be adversely impacted. This gets to love of money, and lack of love for others, which is totally contrary to God’s principles.

    These are just two of many indicators that we are a nation that has dramatically turned from God. If, in this moment of COVID-19 crisis, the American people will honestly reflect and assess, our turning from God will be crystal clear. The remaining question is, what does this turning from God have to do with our inability to exercise calm and resolve in the midst of this crisis?

    I contend the Apostle Paul gives the answer in Romans 7:7-25. Paul explains that the law made him aware of what constituted sin. However, in his humanness, he was not able to say no to sin. It required something more than his mere awareness of sin. He puts it this way in verses 22 and 23 (NIV): “22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me.”

    He concludes that the only way to be the person we ought to be is to enter into a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. In verse 25, he writes,” Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”

    So, in our flesh, in our sinful nature, we have this always present call to sin; but when in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ, we know God’s principles and, from him, receive power to live by those principles. In this relationship, when we fail, God is there to forgive us and continue walking with us through all that life presents. It is only in this relationship with God that we can, individually and as a nation, exercise the needed calm and resolve in the face of this COVID-19 crisis. Absent relationship with God and the resulting support for our living, we, in our flesh, in our sinful nature, yield to the panic, fear, selfishness, political manipulation, and liberal media destructive behavior that make calm resolve impossible.

    We better wake up, honestly reflect and assess quickly. Time is of the essence.
     
  • 08 jackie warnerHope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner said the town remains open for business for the most part, but like everyone else, she is adjusting to the safety restrictions put in place statewide and nationwide in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    All official town commission and committee meetings have been canceled through April 6, including the next scheduled meeting of the Board of Commissioners. Essential personnel of the town remain on duty at Town Hall and the police, fire and pubic works departments, but with some limitations to prevent direct interaction with too many people.

    Except for the front door, Town Hall is closed, and when people enter the building, they will interact with town staff from behind a glass enclosure.

    The front office is open at the police department for people who have to go inside.

    One of Warner’s biggest concerns during the pandemic is the large number of local restaurants that are closed to everything but takeout service to prevent the spread of COVID-19. She’s particularly concerned for restaurants that traditionally don’t do takeout service, adding she’s noted a serious decline in their business even though they are advertising that they’re open for takeout only.

    “The lights are on but I see very few cars,’’ she said, referring to one such business. She noted some businesses are trying to stay viable by using social media to advertise they are open. The problem, she thinks, is many Hope Mills residents don’t have access to social media for whatever reason.

    One local concern is that, initially, too many people were congregating at Hope Mills Lake when the shutdown for COVID-19 first began. Warner said there are still a lot of people going to the lake, and she is hopeful most of them are observing social distancing. The one popular business located on lake property, Big T’s, has barred customers from using the picnic tables beneath its shelter and is now allowing customers to come and order but not stay on the grounds.

    Warner hopes the community will continue to support charitable causes locally that benefit the area’s disadvantaged, especially the elderly and school children, the latter having lost access to school lunches since all schools are closed for the foreseeable future.

    She is especially concerned about ongoing donations to the ALMS HOUSE in Hope Mills, which supports a program that provides regular lunches for children in need of food.

    “The people that make donations to them aren’t in church,’’ Warner said. “They are also missing the churches that collect at the church and take it to the ALMS HOUSE.’’
    Warner also expressed concern for senior citizens who are in local retirement and assisted living facilities who are currently denied visitors because of the lockdown.
    “You need to take stuff to the door and drop it off,’’ she said.

    Warner said the biggest item on the town agenda moving forward is preparation of the budget for the new fiscal year. It would normally be presented to the community in early June.

    Work is continuing on the budget, she said, with some members of town staff involved able to work from home. She said the town may need to figure a way it can present the budget to the community either by a live Facebook feed or by recording the meeting as usual and posting it online as soon as possible.

    Warner said citizens can keep up with the most current info at the town website, www.townofhopemills.com, the Facebook page at Town of Hope Mills Administration or by calling Town Hall at 910-424-4555.

  • Cumberland County Sheriff’s detectives have arrested a Hope Mills man in connection with the triple shooting March 21 that left two people dead and a third injured. Sterling J. Straughter, 20, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted first-degree murder. The incident occurred near the intersection of Ajax Dr. and Tower Dr. in Grays Creek.  Th victims were identified as 21-year-old Franklin Monroe of Hope Mills, and 16-year-old Cameron Emery of Fayetteville. Sheriff’s spokesman Lt. Sean Swain said a teenaged girl was hospitalized at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. Deputies responded to the Short Stop at 4946 NC Hwy 87 S., at the intersection of Sandhills Rd. and found two young men with fatal gunshot wounds. They apparently had been driven to a nearby fire station across the street to seek help.

    Cumberland County jail closed … sort of

    The onset of COVID-19 in the Fayetteville community has resulted in certain governmental changes not noticeable by the general public. For instance, don’t try to enter the Cumberland County Detention Center. It has been locked down — to visitors. “We have stopped walk-in visitations at the detention center, but you can still do a video visit via the internet,” said Sheriff’s Office spokesman Lt. Sean Swain. The local jail is one of the largest in North Carolina, housing more than 800 detainees.

    First responders are taking care

    Fayetteville Police emergency dispatchers are asking additional questions when callers dial 911: Is it possible for you to meet the officer outside the residence? Is anyone inside the residence experiencing flu-like symptoms or fever? Has anyone been exposed or been in contact with anyone exposed to COVID-19? 

    “These questions will not slow officer response,” said Sgt. Jeremy Glass, FPD spokesman. “Officers have been reminded of the importance of using (personal protection equipment) — they are also reminded to wash their hands as often as possible whenever a handwashing station is available.”

    This line of work sometimes requires close contact to either arrest, assist or provide life-saving measures to someone, Glass noted. “Officers continue to uphold their duty... but also practice social distancing when close contact is not required, Sgt. Glass added.

    Emergency care behind the scenes

    The Fayetteville Fire Department has also modified its daily practices. “We follow guidance of our contagion policy much the same as we do during flu season,” said Fire Chief Mike Hill. “Fascinate-U Children’s Museum We have suspended participation in most all activities except emergency response.”

    Hill said more aggressive cleaning and disinfecting of fire stations and equipment is routine. The department has minimized the number of firefighters providing patient care and, at times, first responders place surgical facemasks on patients. “Fortunately, our force is still going strong and we have experienced no degradation of service,” Hill added.

    Blood in short supply

    Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center continues to need blood donors because of an increased blood shortage partially caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. Blood donor centers nationwide face similar shortages as canceled blood drives, travel restrictions and social distancing measures take effect. The center supplies all blood products to Cape Fear Valley Health hospitals in Cumberland, Bladen, Hoke and Harnett counties. The Blood Donor Center is located in Bordeaux Shopping Center, at 3357 Village Dr., and is open for appointments. To make an appointment to donate blood, call 910-615-LIFE or email savingliveslocally@capefearvalley.com.
     
    Some DMV offices closed

    The North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles has consolidated customer services to offices large enough to maintain social distancing. The DMV closed 60 branches that were too small for members of the public to remain 6 feet apart from one another. One Cumberland County office is closed on Clinton Road in Stedman. DMV offices on U.S. 301S, in Eutaw Village Shopping Center, Hope Mills and Spring Lake remain open for business by appointment.

    “The safety of our customers and staff is our top priority,” said DMV Commissioner Torre Jessup. Road tests are no longer being conducted except for commercial driver licensees and medical reassessments. Many DMV services can be accomplished online, including license and registration renewals and ordering duplicate licenses and registration cards. Visit www.ncdot.gov/dmv to review available services. Appointments can be made by calling the DMV customer center at 919-715-7000.

    Army recruiting stations closed

    The Army is the first military service to announce it is shutting down its recruiting stations to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Gen. James McConville, chief of staff of the Army, told Pentagon reporters the service will move to “virtual” recruiting through a variety of social media sites and other online activities. The Navy and Marine Corps said that they are keeping their recruiting stations open, but the services will follow state guidelines. The Air Force has not publicly indicated its intention. The move comes as the Army works to recover from recruiting shortfalls and struggles in recent years, prompting leaders to develop more programs to reach young people online.

    Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy said it’s not yet clear how long the shutdown will last. The Army, which is the biggest military service, has had the most difficulty bringing in needed recruits in recent years. It met the goal in 2019 for the first time in 13 years. The target goal for recruits was lowered from 76,500 in 2018 to about 68,000 last year.
     
     
  • In the midst of the ongoing bad news 2020 has generated during the battle with the COVID-19 virus, basketball coaches Dee Hardy of the E.E. Smith girls and George Stackhouse of the Westover boys got a bit of good news recently when the North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association announced its All-State teams.

    Hardy and Smith got a double dose of recognition as she was named the NCBCA’s girls basketball coach of the year while freshman Miya Giles-Jones made the All-State third team chosen by the coaches.

    For Stackhouse, the news was that Westover junior D’Marco Dunn was picked to the All-State second team for the boys.

    Hardy led the Smith girls to a 31-1 record and a still pending state 3-A championship game matchup with Southeast Guilford.

    The Westover boys are a perfect 30-0 and are also on hold as the North Carolina High School Athletic Association has suspended all sports competition until mid-May because of COVID-19, with Westover awaiting a championship matchup against Morganton Freedom for the 3-A title.

    Neither Hardy nor Stackhouse were surprised that their players were chosen for All-State recognition by their fellow coaches.

    A 5-foot-10 guard, Giles-Jones was a versatile player for the Smith girls, averaging 13.4 points and 10.3 rebounds. Dunn, a 6-foot-4 junior guard, was the leading scorer among boys from the Cumberland County Schools with 20.8 points per game and 7.3 rebounds. He also led in 3-point baskets with 70.

    Hardy said Giles-Jones had several double-doubles during the season and was able to do anything on the court that Hardy asked her to do. “She rebounds well and is strong, puts it back up,’’ Hardy said. “She could also handle the ball well.

    “We could take her and move her to face the basket as well as post her up, depending on who was guarding her.’’

    Stackhouse said Dunn was an efficient player, adding that his scoring and rebounding totals didn’t tell the full story about his ability. “He put up a lot of those numbers in three quarters,’’ Stackhouse said, noting that Dunn frequently went to the bench in the fourth quarter of games the Wolverines had already wrapped up.

    “I think he had 38 points in one game this year and only put up 15 or 16 shots,’’ Stackhouse said. “He shot maybe 50% from three-point in conference games. He just did a lot of things to help us win. To be that good, he had to put in a lot of work.’’

    The last few weeks have been difficult ones for Hardy, Stackhouse and their players. It has been some weeks since the NCHSAA announced this year’s state basketball championship games would be placed on hold as the entire country is dealing with the fallout from COVID-19.

    Both Hardy and Stackhouse are hopeful that the championship games will eventually be played, but the prospects are looking grimmer as the days pass.

    Last week, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper announced that the state’s public schools would remain closed at least until May 15. Shortly after that announcement, NCHSAA commissioner Que Tucker said the association would extend its hold on all high school athletic competition and practice by its member schools until at least May 18. She added that it was becoming increasingly unlikely that the NCHSAA will be able to hold spring sports this year.

    In an earlier teleconference with statewide media, Tucker said that the NCHSAA would not extend the spring sports season into the summer months because of commitments many high school athletes had with summer sports camps and other obligations.

    The state championship basketball games that Westover and Smith are hoping to play are an entirely different matter. Tucker indicated that the state would be able to play those in a much shorter period of time, possibly allowing the competing teams five days or so to return to practice, then finding them a venue where they could play.
    But as much as they’d like to play a title game, both Hardy and Stackhouse had doubts what kind of title game it would be with only five days to prepare.

    “I don’t know how realistic it is to take such a long time off and then come back in five days,’’ Stackhouse said. “That kind of feels like disrespect for your game. That would be like having a championship game after the first week of practice. The level of play and the level of conditioning wouldn’t be the same.’’

    Hardy said her present focus has had little to do with thinking about playing a championship game and more about concern for the safety of her players, making sure they are avoiding becoming infected by COVID-19 and making sure they have enough to eat during the shutdown.

    “It makes everything else seem so small as far as facing adversity,’’ she said. “It’s hard to keep that focus and that intensity.’’

    Although she’s had contact with her players, Hardy said she doesn’t know if they are exercising or what they may be doing to stay in anything close to
    game shape.

    She said she had made phone calls to her players, but the subject was academics, not basketball. “I don’t want them to lose anything as far as the academic piece,’’ she said. “For me it’s a little bigger than athletics. My concern was are they going to complete their packets, their online work, for school.’’

    While the teams left to play in the finals of the basketball titles have won Eastern and Western titles this season, no decision has been made on what they’ll awarded if the title game isn’t played.

    There was a time when the NCHSAA ended state playoffs in football with Eastern and Western winners. If the title game can’t be played this year, Hardy knows what she would prefer.

    “I’d rather see it as co-champions,’’ she said.

  • 02 careerpicturesEDITWith COVID-19 impacting our country’s economy, nearly every industry sector is feeling the effects.  As part of our efforts to support our business community and better understand their needs during this time of uncertainty, we have released an economic-impact survey for our local business leaders. Created through a partnership of the city of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, FCEDC, Cumberland Community Foundation, Center for Economic Empowerment and Development, Cool Spring Downtown District, Greater Fayetteville Chamber, and Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the survey’s goal is to inform recovery efforts and direct aid where it can be most effective. 

    “We have incredible and unique businesses in downtown Fayetteville. We want to make sure we understand the impact COVID-19 has on their business models,” said Bianca Shoneman, president and CEO of the Cool Spring Downtown District.

    Designed to automatically self-customize based on the respondent’s input, this 21-question form should take roughly five minutes to complete.  Participants have the option of remaining anonymous or can request to receive program information and one-on-one assistance from corresponding partners.  Entrepreneurs and industry leaders in Fayetteville and Cumberland County can participate by visiting www.FCComeback.com. 

    Survey questions cover topics including COVID-19’s impact on supply chain, workforce, customers, markets and operations. Also included are opportunities to share specific needs and direct connections to local agencies ready to help. “The results will be critical to maximize local, state and federal recovery resources and help our community get back to work as quickly as possible,” said Robert Van Geons, FCEDC president and CEO.

    Together, your community and economic development partners are striving to quickly and efficiently combine efforts, working as a central resource hub for every type of employer.  From restaurants to manufacturers, from military contractors to independent retailers, we want to do all that we can to help your business weather this storm, with hopes for rapid growth once it passes. 

    Finding ourselves in uncharted territory, we are all navigating new paradigms and doing our best to quickly adapt to a constantly evolving economic landscape. Our community has a proud history of standing firm when confronted with adversity.  Working together, we can protect both our people and our economy.  Please help us be as effective as possible by visiting www.FCComeback.com today. 

    To take the COVID-19 Economic Impact Survey or to learn more about local resources for your business and employees go to www.FCComeback.com.

  •  

     

    logo

    Greetings Readers, Friends and Associates.

    These are trying times. However, we are Americans. We are resilient and possess the intestinal fortitude and determination to get through this COVID-19 crisis. It’s in our DNA.

    As a community newspaper and member of the North Carolina Press Association, Up & Coming Weekly will continue to be published and distributed throughout Fayetteville, Fort Bragg and all the Cumberland County municipalities during this critical time. In addition, U&CW is available FREE online by subscription at
    www.upandcomingweekly.com. After all, what would a Wednesday morning be like not reading Margaret Dickson’s stimulating column or scratching our heads to one of Pitt Dickey’s imaginative creations or wondering why Karl Merritt isn’t writing for The Wall Street Journal or why he hasn’t won a Pulitzer Prize for embracing humanity?

    We will continue to keep you updated on the COVID-19 situation, local news, views and, of course, the features and articles by the writers you have gotten to know and enjoy over the last two decades.
    We encourage residents to visit www.coronavirus.gov, a centralized resource that includes up-to-date factual information on the COVID-19 situation. Don’t depend on the erratic, sporadic and flawed information flooding the social media networks.

    Thank you, advertisers, for your continued trust and support. Keep your message out in the community and know we are here for you. Contact us first if you have message to get out or story to tell.

    We know we could not exist without our readers. You are the greatest — and the most significant reason Up & Coming Weekly newspaper is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Please continue to support the people, businesses, organizations and institutions that support us — and you. Their messages, products and services serve you and support this community.

    Many of our writers have been with us for over two decades and some just a few years. We know that we wouldn’t be who we are without you. You give voice to organizations, people and causes that matter. You make us think, make us laugh and keep us informed. Thank you for your dedication to our community and to our readers. Your love for this community and for humankind shows in every issue. There is still so much to write about and so many stories to tell. We can’t wait to read what you write next.

    We are committed to supporting this community and showcasing and accentuating Fayetteville’s unique quality of life. We know it is our readers, advertisers and writers who are responsible for our 25 years of success, and we will keep serving you. We’ve been through hard things before and come out stronger for it — as individuals and as a community. We will do it this time, too.

    Thank you for your continued support.

    sigpic441 36.gif

    cut

     

     

  • Greetings Readers, Friends and Associates.

     These are trying times. However, we are Americans. We are resilient and possess the intestinal fortitude and determination to get through this COVID-19 crisis. It’s in our DNA.

    As a community newspaper and member of the North Carolina Press Association, Up & Coming Weekly will continue to be published and distributed throughout Fayetteville, Fort Bragg and all the Cumberland County municipalities during this critical time. In addition, U&CW is available FREE online by subscription at www.upandcomingweekly.com. After all, what would a Wednesday morning be like not reading Margaret Dickson’s stimulating column or scratching our heads to one of Pitt Dickey’s imaginative creations or wondering why Karl Merritt isn’t writing for The Wall Street Journal or why he hasn’t won a Pulitzer Prize for embracing humanity?

    We will continue to keep you updated on the COVID-19 situation, local news, views and, of course, the features and articles by the writers you have gotten to know and enjoy over the last two decades.

    We encourage residents to visit www.coronavirus.gov, a centralized resource that includes up-to-date factual information on the COVID-19 situation. Don’t depend on the erratic, sporadic and flawed information flooding the social media networks.

    Thank you, advertisers, for your continued trust and support. Keep your message out in the community and know we are here for you. Contact us first if you have message to get out or story to tell.

    We know we could not exist without our readers. You are the greatest — and the most significant reason Up & Coming Weekly newspaper is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Please continue to support the people, businesses, organizations and institutions that support us — and you. Their messages, products and services serve you and support this community.

    Many of our writers have been with us for over two decades and some just a few years. We know that we wouldn’t be who we are without you. You give voice to organizations, people and causes that matter. You make us think, make us laugh and keep us informed. Thank you for your dedication to our community and to our readers. Your love for this community and for humankind shows in every issue. There is still so much to write about and so many stories to tell. We can’t wait to read what you write next.

    We are committed to supporting this community and showcasing and accentuating Fayetteville’s unique quality of life. We know it is our readers, advertisers and writers who are responsible for our 25 years of success, and we will keep serving you. We’ve been through hard things before and come out stronger for it — as individuals and as a community. We will do it this time, too.

    Thank you for your continued support.

                                   

                              

                                                           

  • 20 01 Nyla CooperHere are the Patriot Athletic All-Conference basketball teams for boys and girls as chosen by the league’s head coaches:
    GIRLS
    Player of the year
    Faith Francis, Westover
    Coach of the year
    Michael Ferguson, Westover
    First team
    Montasia Jones, Pine Forest
    Dai’ja Robinson, Douglas Byrd
    Mia Ayres, South ViewMiya Giles-Jones, E.E. Smith
    Ni’jaa Wells, Gray’s Creek
    Second t20 02 Kaya Goldsbyeam
    Skylar White, Cape Fear
    Ke’Onna Bryant, E.E. Smith
    Harmony Martin, Westover
    Morgan Brady, Gray’s Creek
    Maaika Dones, Overhills
    Kendall Macauley, E.E. Smith
    Honorable mention
    E.E. Smith - Amiah Savage, Tamia Morris
    South View - Tashyria McNeill
    Westover - 20 03 Langston DavisMaria Wiley
    Cape Fear - Ania McLaughlin
    Douglas Byrd - Sierra Glover, Tamia Brantley

    BOYS
     Player of the year
     D’Marco Dunn, Westover
     Coach of the year
     George 20 04 Quiones ClaytonStackhouse, Westover
     First team
    Treymane Parker, Cape Fear
    Traymond Willis-Shaw, Westover
    Davis Molnar, Terry Sanford
    Marquail James, Cape Fear
    Isaiah Washington, Pine Forest
    Second team
    Marquis Eskew, Pine Forest
    Zachary Lowery, Overhills
    Darius Jewel, Westover
    Jase Ford, Overhills
    Tristan Harkins, Pine Forest
    Yates Johnson, Terry Sanford
    Hon20 06 traymond willis shaworable mention
    South View - Cedavion Wimbley, Aiden McLaurin
    Westover - Isaiah Bridges
    Cape Fear - R.J. McDonald
    Terry Sanford - Ky’Ron Kelly
    E.E. Smith - Jayden Siermons
    Douglas Byrd - Donnell Melvin, Shawn Jones.

    Here are the Sandhills Athletic All-Conference basketball teams for girls and boys as chosen by the league’s head coaches:

    GIRL20 07 Faith FrancisS
    Player of the year
    Kylie Chavis, Purnell Swett
    Coach of the year
    Nattlie McArthur, Jack Britt
    First team
    Nyla Cooper, Jack Britt
    Kaya Goldsby, Jack Britt
    Ashara Hayes, Jack Britt
    Amore Kirkland, Seventy-First
    Nyielah Nick, Seventy-First
    Natalie Evington, Purnell Swett
    Jada Coward, Purnell Swett
    Keayna McLaughlin, Pinecrest
    Keionnna Love, Richmond Senior
    August Smith, Lumberton
    Asjah Swindell, Scotland
    Wynashia Bratcher, Hoke County
    Jayla McDougald, Richmond Senior
    Ayonn20 08 Miya Giles Jonesa Williams, Seventy-First
    Amber Nealy, Jack Britt
    BOYS
    Player of the year
    Jordan McNeil, Lumberton
    Coach of the year
    Ben Snyder, Pinecrest
    First team
    Bradley Haskell, Pinecrest
    J.J. Goins, Pinecrest
    Jadrion Chatman, Lumberton
    Charlie Miller, Lumberton
    Nygie Stroman, Richmond Senior
    Patrick McLaughlin, Richmond Senior
    Mandrell Johnson, Scotland
    Quinones Clayton, Seventy-First
    Xavice Jones, Purnell Swett
    Ervin Everett, Hoke
    Langston Davis, Jack Britt
    Michael Todd, Lumberton
    Dillon Drennon, Pinecrest
    Garrett McRae, Scotland
    Bruce Wall, Scotland
     
    Pictured from top to bottom: Nyla Cooper, Kaya Goldsby, Langston Davis, Quiones Clayton, D'Marco Dunn, Traymond Willis-Shaw, Faith Francis, Miya Giles-Jones. Photo of Miya Giles-Jones by Matthew Plyler/MaxPreps
  • 11 Truman for pageWith schools being closed, parents and caregivers are looking for educational resources for children. Kidsville News!, a publication that is produced locally, offers a variety of free and fun articles, games and more that will inspire growth in young learners.

    Kidsville News! promotes education, reading and good character traits in children in grades K-6. It was created in 1998 by newspaper publisher Bill Bowman as a local and self-sustaining “Newspaper in Education” program in his community of Fayetteville, North Carolina.

    Kidsville News! has a proven track record as a profitable and valuable reading and educational resource serving children, teachers, parents and guardians.

    Kidsville News! is currently used by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction for reading assessments and end-of-grade testing. It is recognized nationally as a quality children’s publication by the Parents’ Choice Foundation and received the National Parents’ Choice Award in 2008 and 2012. (http://www.parents-choice.org/aboutus.cfm)

    Each Kidsville News! publication has teacher/parent worksheets and an online electronic version, which is adaptable for use on classroom smart boards, white boards, computers and tablets. Visit kidsvillenews.com to view the flagship edition, or pick up one in a newsstand near you.

  • 10 scrapbookingThis article originally ran in the March 2020 edition of Women's View Magazine.

    I remember certain events from my children’s childhoods vividly, and yet some things I question, especially as the years pass by. So, I enjoy having as many memories preserved in photos  as possible to review and confirm details. I am also the historian in my family; when other family members can’t find a photo of a loved one, I am the one they come to see. I have scrapbooks meticulously organized, going back to my childhood.

    My first experience with scrapbooking was through my stepmother, Nina, who faithfully preserved all our adventures in books for us to bring home at the end of  each summer. Of course, these were the old-fashioned scrapbooks with a film over the pictures to hold them in place. Her detailed preservation of family memories helped me to develop an interest in and create my own way of scrapbooking. Consider these tips before starting your first book.

    First, get old pictures out of nonphoto-safe memory books as soon as possible. Those old books can damage pictures and are not the best way to preserve memories.
    Secondly, convert your old photos to digital copies to prevent further damage. Mark them as close to the date taken as possible, to make it easier to find these photos in the future.

    Lastly, save those digital copies in at least three different locations. One can be on a computer, another perhaps an external hard drive kept in a different location and lastly, maybe an online service or in the cloud.

    Update these pictures with your new ones regularly in all locations at the same time, so as never to be caught by surprise if a smartphone or computer dies. Some popular sites for saving photos are Google Photos, DropBox, One Drive and the Amazon Prime app.

    Many traditional scrapbookers are still out there,  those who still put the photo to paper with glue and decorations, but more people are scrapbooking digitally. If you still use traditional scrapbooking methods, be sure you are using photo-safe paper, tape and scrapbooks, so all pictures will remain vibrant for years to come.

    Digital scrapbooking occurs in several ways. I like to make an annual book for my family to recap events from the past year, but I also create special books from time to time, particularly of vacations, such as from a 2008 trip to St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

    I’ve also made special books for my sons from the major events in their childhood. Both children have baby books and albums of their sports and extracurriculars.

    I print my photo books through Creative Memories, a service that also sells the supplies for both traditional and digital scrapbooking, but other services are available to consider. Do keep in mind that some of the low-cost options do not always have the best quality outcomes; the books should hold up for years to come. Some of these other options, though, do make it easy to drag and drop your pictures into precreated albums, a nice convenience.

    My last suggestion is that you don’t just lay out pictures. If you are doing traditional or digital scrapbooking, be sure to record notes or captions about the picture or the day to enhance your remembrances. These details may be important to you or a descendent in the future. Either way, it is another memory preserved – that is what scrapbooking is all about.

  •  04 N05A7570Are you bored yet in the brave new world of quarantine? The more important question is, are you still alive? There is about a 10-day lag between the writing of this piece of gossamer trash and its appearance in print. Who knows what has happened in the interim?

    Back in the days of March 2020 B.C. (Before Corona), lots of stuff was happening. Stuff that didn’t involve the talking heads on television telling us to be calm despite all the awful things they were telling us to be afraid of. It was kinder, gentler time. A time when the Tar Heels basketball team began a mini comeback. A time when Harvey Weinstein had been sentenced to 23 years in the pokey for his history of bad acts toward women. Hope like spring was about to spring eternal. Then, oops. Along comes Corona.
    Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear B.C. Out of the past came the thundering hoofbeats of the great horse — Silver. I digress, wrong canyon of thought. Let us ponder Weinstein’s woes. What Harvey said at his sentencing hearing got me thinking about Circe, the Greek enchantress. Yep, you are going to have to endure yet another column about Greek mythology if you keep reading. Harvey told the Judge: “I really feel remorse for this situation. It is just that I am totally confused, and I think men are confused about all of these issues.”

    In his brain, it wasn’t his fault. The women had led him on by their mere existence. He had been enchanted by them. They had turned him into a pig. Which takes us to the story of Circe.

    Jeremiah was a bullfrog, and Circe was an enchantress. She lived in a palace in the woods on her island. When sailors would land on her island, she would sing enchantingly. Her singing had the power to cloud men’s minds. Odysseus, like Popeye, was a sailor man. Ody, as his friends called him, put ashore on Circe’s island for some R&R from the toils of the sea. Ody remained on his ship and sent out a scouting party to learn the lay of the land. His crew heard Circe singing and ended up at her crib. This part of the plot is similar to the story of King Kong when the director Carl Denham sent out a scouting party to find out what was doing on Skull Island before landing his whole motion picture crew.

    Circe invites Ody’s crew for a big feast of cheese and meat pottage, honey and a secret potion. All but one of the boys chow down, drink wine, and then magically turn into pigs. One sailor, smelling a rat, escapes and high tails it back to the ship to warn Ody. Ody naturally wants to save his crew of man-pigs to avoid a huge workers’ compensation claim. The goddess Athena sends her messenger Hermes to tell Ody how to free his crew from the evil womanly wiles of Circe.

    Hermes gives Ody a powerful herb called Moly, which will protect him from Circe’s ability to enchant him. The plan is for Ody to wave his sword at Circe and pretend to attack her. He has to get Circe to agree not to harm him by swearing to the gods that she won’t hurt him. This is the first recorded instance of a nondisclosure agreement. Ody does as instructed. Naturally, Circe invites him to join her in bed.

    It turns out that Harvey Weinstein must have been a scholar of Greek mythology. As all this had worked for Ody, it was only natural that Harvey could wave his sword, get his victims into bed, and then magically make them disappear with a nondisclosure agreement.

    Under the Circe theory of male/female relationships, it is always the woman’s fault for turning men into pigs. Not the man’s fault at all. The feminine allure of merely existing is enough to pigify men. Harvey wasn’t responsible for his crimes. It was all Circe’s fault and that of her sisters. That was why he was “so confused about all of these issues.” This theory is an insult to pigs as well as women.

    Pigs are noted to be among the most intelligent of creatures — although the priorities of pigs can be puzzling to mere humans. Many years ago, in the 1960s B.C., there were some curious television commercials starring pigs. Consider the Frosty Morn ham commercial, which featured a classroom of singing pigs looking at Fred the Frosty Morn Ham on a shelf. The pigs sing: “It’s the height of a piggy’s ambition/ From the day he is born/ Is hope that he’ll be good enough/ To be a Frosty Morn/ For meat that’s wonderfully different/ They tenderize each ham/ They sugar cure and hickory smoke/ That’s Frosty Morn, yes Ma’am.”

    The commercial ends with the pigs cheerfully holding up their cousin Fred, who is now a perfectly wrapped Frosty Morn ham. They dance around. Fade to black.

    Today’s Zen: If you are not wrapped up like Fred the Frosty Morn ham, or in the Big House like Weinstein, it’s gonna be a good day. 
     
     
  • 13 codingFayetteville Technical Community College offers the Mobile Applications Developer associate degree as a concentration under the Information Technology major. This curriculum prepares learners to design and develop mobile applications for Android and IOS mobile devices. Graduates will be proficient in HTML, JavaScript, Java, Swift, and UI/UX. Upon completion of the program, students receive an associate degree in Mobile Applications Developer and will be well equipped to enter the growing field of application software development.

    The Computer Programming and Software Development department will offer the Mobile Applications Developer degree starting in Fall 2020. This program will introduce students to Java, JavaScript, HTML, Swift, and Android software development kit. Swift is the primary mobile application development language of Apple, the developer of the iPhone and iPad. Students will learn concepts related to mobile application development needed to create basic applications for the iPhone and the iPad. Students will also be introduced to the Android software development kit, where they will learn how to build basic applications for the devices running the Android operating system.
    FTCC offers a broad range of programs of study leading to the award of associate degrees, certificates and diplomas. Many educational choices are available in the field of computer and information technology, where graduates can seek employment as designers, developers, testers, support technicians, system administrators and programmers. Specialty areas include business intelligence, database services, healthcare informatics, security and more.

    Specific program areas to explore at FTCC include CISCO Networking Academy, Computer Programming & Software Development, Cyber Defense Education Center, Database Management, Digital Media Technology, Game & Interactive Programming, Network Management, PC Support & Services, Systems Security & Analysis, and Simulation & Game Development. Within each of these program areas are additional specialty programs of study, which allow students broad choices for expansion in becoming well equipped for a great career in the computer technology field.

    For students interested in pursuing an exciting career in a high-demand field, FTCC is a wise choice for education in computer and information technology. Summer classes begin May 26.

    Visit www.faytechcc.edu to apply now and begin the enrollment process.

    For more information about the Mobile Applications Developer program, visit https://www.faytechcc.edu/academics/computer-information-technology-programs/computer-programming-development/. To reach out with questions about pursuing Mobile Applications Developer program at FTCC, call 910-678-8571 or email camerona@faytechcc.edu.

    With affordable tuition, a broad range of classes and programs to choose from conveniently offered face-to-face or online, and a high-quality education, FTCC is the smart choice for education. Call us, visit our Fayetteville, Spring Lake or Fort Bragg campus locations or peruse our website at faytechcc.edu. Admissions counselors are standing by to provide personal educational counseling that will lead you to a path for success and fulfillment through pursuit of professional employment opportunities. Make the smart choice for your education — FTCC.

  • 03 matt collamer 8UG90AYPDW4 unsplashIf you are unaware of regular and thorough handwashing, personal disinfecting and social distancing, then you must not be on planet Earth. In what feels like only days, lives of Americans have gone from our own normals to self-quarantine and worry, more intense in some places but present everywhere. Will our families and those we love get sick? Will we get sick? Will our jobs continue? Will we ever be “normal” again?

    Most of us are going to use best practices faithfully, both for ourselves and for others. Still, for many of us, anxiety now hovers at all times and requires management, and a cottage industry has sprung up to address our fears. Included in strategies offered from various quarters are reaching out to others not in person but by phone, text, email to make sure people we know and love are managing. Gratitude journals are springing up to remind us of the good times in our lives and looking ahead with hope. Experts remind us to control what we can — to eat well, to exercise even if it is in our own homes during self-quarantine, to meditate as a way of easing stress and to remind ourselves that we are doing the best we can.

    It is hard to know what to say about people, both young and mature, who behave as if there were no worldwide pandemic or that they are invincible. At some point, they will have to come to terms with having hastened community spread to other human beings, sickening some and possibly killing some. That is a burden no one should seek, especially when health-care workers and other service providers are risking their lives for the rest of us — literally.

    Most of this is beyond our individual control, but we can take and implement the advice given by those on the front lines. Each of us has a choice to make as a human being. Are we part of problem or part of the solution? Are we helping to stop the pandemic or are we promoting it? These are profound and private decisions for each of us.
    The following comes from the Interfaith Hospitality Network of Cincinnati, and it speaks to people of all faiths or no faith at all.

    “May we who are merely inconvenienced remember those whose lives are at stake.

    May we who have no risk factors remember those most vulnerable.

    May we who have the luxury of working from home remember those who must choose between preserving their health or making
    their rent.

    May we who have the flexibility to care for our children when their schools close remember those who have no options.

    May we who have to cancel our trips remember those that have no place to go.

    May we who are losing our margin money in the tumult of the economic market remember those who have no margin at all.

    May we who settle for quarantine at home remember those who have no home.

    During this time when we cannot physically wrap our arms around each other, let us yet find ways to be the loving embrace of God to our neighbors.”

    Amen.

  • 02 N1705P26001CFriends,

    By now, we’ve all become familiar with the term social distancing. I know many of you are sitting at home scared and frustrated, as restaurants, gyms and other businesses came grinding to a halt last week due to coronavirus. I share your concerns. That’s why I’m working every day listening to folks on the ground and finalizing legislation to boost our response efforts. Thankfully, there is good news. While coronavirus continues to impact our state and country, the U.S. Small Business Administration delivered some needed relief to small businesses last week by approving a disaster declaration for North Carolina.

    This declaration means small businesses in every county in our state may now apply for low-interest economic injury disaster loans (EIDLs) as a result of the ongoing effects of COVID-19 (coronavirus). To apply, you can visit my website at Hudson.house.gov or Disasterloan.sba.gov.

    In addition to my office, the N.C. Small Business & Technology Development Center can help small businesses through this process free of charge. The closest physical locations to our district are on the campuses of Fayetteville State University and UNC Charlotte. However, staff is available to assist over the phone at 919-715-7272.
    Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and I’ll continue to fight to make sure they, and all workers, have the assistance they need.

    That’s why I joined with Senator Thom Tillis and Representative David Price on a bipartisan effort to urge swift approval of Governor Cooper’s request for this declaration. I also led a bipartisan effort with Representative G.K. Butterfield to request more aid for small businesses struggling with cash flow while they must pay bills, payroll and other expenses.

    In addition to our small businesses, I’ve been leading efforts to ensure our agriculture industry has access to the temporary workforce it needs to protect our domestic food supply, as well as to increase funding for the Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense to handle an influx of patients and strain due to coronavirus. I am happy to report the Families First Coronavirus Response Act that became law last week included $82 million for the Department of Defense and $60 million for the VA to cover the costs of testing for veterans. Following my request for increased funding, I was glad to see President Trump’s latest coronavirus aid proposal includes an additional $8 billion for the Department of Defense.

    As we now continue negotiations on a third coronavirus bill, I’ll continue advocating for any and all resources that our health care providers, workers, small businesses, farmers and schools need at this time. My priorities have been shaped directly from feedback from people on the ground. Just last week, I led calls with school superintendents in our region, VA medical center directors in Fayetteville and Salisbury, and small business owners. As always, my offices are also open to take phone calls and emails and hear directly from you about any questions you might have.

    As I remain focused on legislation in Congress to address this unprecedented public health challenge, President Trump has also taken action to move the tax filing deadline to July 15, suspend student loan payments, give states flexibility on K-12 testing and remove red tape for the FDA to approve new treatments for coronavirus. By working together across local, state and federal governments, I am confident we can overcome this challenge and come out stronger than ever. Please stay tuned for rapidly changing updates and guidelines and never hesitate to let me know anything I can do to serve you and your family.

  • 14 April FoolWhat do you get when have a select group of people who didn't get the memo that the calendar had been modified and the start of the New Year was now pushed back by three months? April Fools' Day, that's what. Although the tomfoolery that occurs each April 1 may not feel very old, April Fools' Day traces its origins back several centuries.
    One legend states that April Fools' Day originated in the 1500s and has remained a day for hijinks ever since. Prior to the 1500s, the western world relied on the Julian calendar to keep track of time. According to the Julian calendar, years began on March 25. However, since March 25 fell during Holy Week, the new year festivities were pushed back to the first day of April. In 1582, Pope Gregory XIII decreed the adoption of the Gregorian calendar, which switched New Year's Day from the end of March to January 1.

    Many people were informed of this change, yet those who lived in rural areas, or had not heard about the calendar change, continued to celebrate the arrival of the new year on April 1. These people were mocked, and some  people in the know would try to confuse people into thinking that April 1 was still New Year's Day and that they were receiving a New Year's visit. From this tradition grew the one that is observed today, with people trying to fool unsuspecting individuals with all methods of pranks and trickery.
    In France, jokes may have involved placing paper fish on the backs of the gullible. These poisson d 'avril (April fish)symbolized a young, easily caught fish, or someone who was easily pranked.

    Others suggest April Fools ' Day is connected to pagan festivals celebrated during the change of seasons. On Hilaria, Romans would dress up in disguises. Some historians speculate that April Fools' Day is connected to the vernal equinox, when people were fooled with unpredictable weather.

    April Fools' antics eventually spread outside of France to Britain and then around the world. While pranks were once simplistic in nature, many are now more intricate. According to Snopes, a popular April Fools' hoax dates back to 1957 when the BBC convinced its audience that spring would arrive early, and with it, an early spaghetti harvest in Switzerland. Video showed peasant women harvesting spaghetti from trees, now that the ravenous spaghetti weevil, which had caused havoc to past harvests, was finally defeated. The station received scores of calls asking to view the harvest or inquiring how they could get a spaghetti plant.

    In 1996, in the United States, the popular fast food chain Taco Bell convinced the public that it had agreed to purchase Philadelphia 's Liberty Bell and wanted to rename it the Taco Liberty Bell.

    In 2016, the Texas state comptroller's office announced that redback paper money would be reissued in the state for the first time since 1840, and it would feature Willie Nelson 's face on the $10 bill.

    April Fools' jokes have evolved throughout the centuries. Although the exact origins cannot be accurately pinpointed, the fun ensues nevertheless.

  • 07 Mar 16 News ConfLocal government officials have declared a state of emergency in Cumberland County. County Commission Chairman Marshall Faircloth and Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin announced their decisions at a joint news conference on March 16. The community’s first case of positive coronavirus was confirmed the next day at Fort Bragg. A civilian employee who lives in Harnett County was diagnosed and is now in isolation. “This is a proactive measure to ensure we have the flexibility and resources needed,” Faircloth said.

    The declaration activated the county’s emergency operations center and authorized the county to take appropriate action to protect the public welfare.
    Gov. Roy Cooper ordered all restaurants and bars closed for dining in to dampen the spread of COVID-19. County Manager Amy Cannon suspended all county employee travel and all events — unless they are mandatory — through the end of the month. The county postponed its six-week citizens’ academy as well as all programming at the Cumberland County Public Library system. The headquarters library downtown and seven countywide branches are closed. Meetings by organizations scheduled at the department of social services and the health department have been canceled. “We will keep the public updated on any changes through the COVID-19 webpage on our website at co.cumberland.nc.us and our social media platforms,” Faircloth said.

    Mike Nagowski, CEO of Cape Fear Valley Health System, was direct in his prediction about the pandemic reaching Cumberland County. “It’s just a matter of time,” he said at the news briefing. “This virus is serious, especially among the elderly.”

    Nagowski told media representatives the health system has enough respirators for now but that more will likely be needed.

    Dr. Jennifer Green, the county’s public health director, said a limited number of available test kits are being reserved for those with symptoms and have had negative flu tests. “We know the state has a limited capacity for testing,” she said. “We want to make sure that those who are symptomatic... have testing available to them.”

    Court cases scheduled through April 17 will be rescheduled for at least 30 days, with limited exceptions. North Carolina Chief Justice Cheri Beasley entered an order implementing measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 and minimize the risk of exposure caused by crowded sessions of court. Information on the court schedule is also posted on the county website at co.cumberland.nc.us.

    PWC said that through March 30, it will not disconnect utility services for nonpayment. Bills are not being waived, but customers will have additional time to pay. Customers must call to arrange payment plans. PWC’s Customer Service Payment Center is closed to walk-in traffic through the end of the month. The drive-thru will be open during normal business hours. All other customer service transactions can be conducted by phone, at 910-483-1382, Monday through Friday. FAST Bus Service to the PWC Payment Center has been suspended.

    Residents with questions about coronavirus can call Cape Fear Valley Health System at 910-615-LINK (5460). Also, the county has opened a general information line about county services at 910-678-7657. The public is encouraged to seek information from credible sources, Green said, including the Cumberland County COVID-19 webpage at co.cumberland.nc.us/covid19 and the North Carolina DHHS website at ncdhhs.gov.

  • 16 town hallIn response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the town of Hope Mills took swift action to limit the exposure of its citizens to possible infection with the virus.
    At the top of the list of actions was the declaration of a state of emergency by Mayor Jackie Warner that took effect on Monday, March 16.

    The action gave the Hope Mills Police Department authority to deny access to any areas in the town that may be necessary to keep the spread of the virus under control.
    Anyone attempting to gain access to any area that is blocked by the police would be considered guilty of a misdemeanor.

    The town also announced cancellation of all appointed boards, commissions, committees and upcoming special events through Monday, April 6.

    Specific events are listed below:

    All town facility rentals from March 16-April 6 are canceled. No additional reservations will be scheduled during that time period.

    Easter in Hope Mills and Breakfast with the Eastern Bunny on Saturday, April 4, and the free Easter Egg Hunt are canceled.

    Ag Day on Saturday, April 4 is canceled.

    Effective Monday, March 16, the Hope Mills Recreation Center closed for an indefinite period.

    All scheduled Parks and Recreation programs, athletics, activities, trips and open gym times are suspended through April 6. Registration and payment for future programs and activities can be done online at https://secure.rec1.com/NC/hope-mills-N.C.

    Hope Mills Municipal Park, Golfview Greenway and Hope Mills Park open spaces will remain accessible for public use.

    Town Hall and the police department lobby will not be closed. Residents are asked to limit visits to both facilities. Use online forms where possible and mail checks for permits. Those who must come to Town Hall or the police station are asked to call ahead and make an appointment to make sure someone is available to assist you.
    Call 910-424-4555 for Town Hall or 910-425-4103 for the police department.

    Visit http://www.townofhopemills.com/directory.aspx  to find alist of direct extensions.

  • 17 yackalackyStephanie Bentley likes the direction Hope Mills is heading in and wants to be a part of the good things going on in the community. That’s a big part of the reason she and her husband Josh are kicking off a new business, Yakalacky Outfitters NC.

    “I have a great passion in making things happen,’’ Bentley said. “I’ve done it before in past businesses. I’m very resourceful and creative. This is going to be a fun thing for the community.’’

    The business she is putting together will roll out over a period of weeks, starting first with a kayak rental business that will be based in a mobile format to take the kayaks down to Hope Mills Lake.

    Her physical business address, which likely won’t be open until mid-April at the earliest, will be just around the corner from the lake, literally, at 5552 Trade Street in a former paint store.

    The building she plans to occupy has been vacant for nearly two years. She’s in the process of cleaning the building inside and out. Once that’s done, she’ll be able to devote full time to installing kayak racks on the trailer she plans to bring her rental kayaks down to Hope Mills Lake.

    She has set a tentative date of March 28th to have some travel writers and photographers visit the new business and take a tour of the lake. That event is on hold as the current COVID-19 situation may limit the ability of the writers to travel to Hope Mills until a later time.

    But she does plan to crank up the kayak rentals soon, advertising and taking reservations on her company’s Facebook page.

    She is working on pricing plans that will make the rental affordable for people who have no experience using kayaks and just want to try it out. She’s also going to have longer rental times for veteran kayakers at a higher price.

    “It’s definitely going to be affordable,’’ Bentley said. “I want everybody to be able to afford it.’’

    She is hoping to make the Trade Street building more than just a typical store. She wants it to become a place where people can visit, shop and enjoy some time relaxing and socializing.

    “We’ll sell bait, fishing tackle and sundries,’’ she said. “We’ll probably have apparel down the road.’’

    To save money, and prevent the need to keep the building constantly stocked with kayaks she’s purchased to sell, Bentley plans to work out contracts with different distributors of various water sports products and have them come in on a rotating basis to do demonstrations of their products.

    She’s currently negotiating with a company in Texas that makes a unique paddle board with pontoons.

    Bentley also plans to offer loaner rods and reels for fishermen and eventually hopes to be able to sell fishing licenses at the store.

    She hopes to do some landscaping in the store’s back yard and turn it into a place where people can come and relax in the shade during the summer months, possibly even constructing a small pond with koi or goldfish.

    Her primary goal is to offer items that people will want and need when they visit Hope Mills Lake, either as fishermen or kayakers.

    While she’s starting with kayaks, eventually she hopes to offer different types of water craft, including canoes, rowboats and possibly even pedal boats.
    “The pedal boats are very expensive,’’ she said. “When we get that ball rolling the town is going to let us keep them on the water.’’

    Eventually, Bentley hopes to have some kind of storage facility at the lake so she can keep the kayaks there as well and not have to move them back and forth.
    She also plans to offer kayak owners the chance to bring their kayaks to her and let her sell them at the store.

    She’d also like to sell items made by local artists and craftsmen. “I want to give them an outlet inside the store,’’ she said, “help them and help me.’’

  • 15 01 trade streetAs mayor of Hope Mills, Jackie Warner is always looking for opportunities to spark economic development and downtown revitalization. That’s why she and town finance director Drew Holland recently attended the 40th annual North Carolina Main Street Conference in New Bern.

    The conference was geared toward communities roughly the same size as Hope Mills and looked at creative ways various towns had used to promote interest on the part of visitors that didn’t involve huge expenditures of money.

    15 02 slideWarner and Holland split up during their time at the conference so each could come back with different ideas on revitalization.

    With the news that the historic Trade Street property in Hope Mills has been put up for sale, Warner was particularly interested in things that the town can do to preserve the history there and possibly renovate some of the buildings along the street.

    “We had already brought in somebody that explained you can get tax credits for historical preservation and renovating the building,’’ Warner said of a recent presentation that was put on by the town.

    One of the most interesting presentations Warner attended involved something Hope Mills has already started doing, the addition of art to the downtown
    landscape.

    Ironically, before the presentation started, Warner saw pictures displayed from a town art display in nearby Laurinburg that was the inspiration for Hope Mills’ initial foray into municipal art.

    Warner’s son, Teddy, worked with the town of Laurinburg when it started the idea of buying a lot, clearing it and setting up sculptures. “They were featured in one talk about how that helped economic development,’’ Warner said of the Laurinburg project.

    Hope Mills established an agreement with Adam Walls, who lives in Hope Mills and is an art instructor at UNC-Pembroke, to have his art students provide the town with sculptures.

    Warner noted that the presentation highlighted the success of art in other small North Carolina towns.

    She mentioned the whirligig park in downtown Wilson, which features a variety of tall, colorful wind-driven sculptures.

    Lexington, which is famous for its barbecue, features an assortment of pink pig statues.

    The nearby town of Sanford has become famous for local murals that tell the story of the town.

    “We could use those murals to show what Trade Street was like years ago,’’ Warner said.

    Warner would especially like to do something to bring back the memories of the days when there was a train depot in Hope Mills and trains made regular stops in the town, instead of whizzing through over the downtown bridge as they do today.

    Her desire is to get some kind of grant assistance to create a mural on Trade Street near where the old depot once stood. “We’ve got pictures tied to the railroad when it ran through town behind the old mill,’’ she said.

    There are many other things Warner saw that could bring back an old-time feel to Hope Mills while at the same time bringing the town into the 21st century.

    One thing she saw at the gathering were solar-powered street lights that have a retro look from the 1900s. “Solar lights are very cost effective, and you don’t know it’s a solar light,’’ Warner said.

    She also saw some things in a tour of two New Bern churches that could be used at the Thomas Campbell Oakman Memorial Chapel downtown.

    “They have times of the day when they are open for prayer,’’ Warner said. “I looked at a garden they had done beside one of them. “They also had a hidden restroom facility that we could easily do by our church. It was cost-effective and served a good purpose.’’

    She looked at pavers, bricks and different types of sidewalks. There were also park benches and playgrounds.

    Warner hopes to visit Sanford to take a look at the murals there. She would also like for the Hope Mills Creative Arts Council to visit Washington, N.C., a small North Carolina town that has raised significant money for the arts through various partnerships. “Because we’re a tier one county, there is money available if we go the right route to apply for it, to do some of the things we may want to do,’’ she said.

  • 09 jasmin sessler egqR zUd4NI unsplashIt is hard to get our heads wrapped around the Coronavirus, also known as COVID-19. March 2020 is not the same America we knew in February of 2020. It is hard to understand the size and scope of this virus. To put this in perspective, this disease was first reported in China, on December 31, 2019. On January 11, 2020, the Chinese government announced the first death. On January 23, the World Health Organization declared that the virus does not yet constitute a public health emergency of international concern. On January 21, the U.S. announced the first case. On February 22, California announced its first case, and the White House said the president put Vice President Pence in charge of the response. On March 9, Europe went into lockdown. In an election year, and a world of 24-hour media, it is easy for anyone to take shots at the government and the captains of industry, but to put these things in perspective, as of March 12, Jeffery Dahmer had eaten more people than had died in this country. Just for reference, he ate 17 people. So, it is hard to understand how fast pandemic can spread.  This is probably one of the first times in history that we have had so much access to information in real-time, which makes us helpless spectators.

    COVID-19 challenges us with science and arithmetic. While the smart people figure out what to do and how to contain this, we all know we need to take a deep breath, but our mind conflicts with what we see and what we do.

    In Ed Sherwood’s book, “The Survivors Club: The Secrets and Science that Could Save Your Life,” we learn lessons about where is the safest seat on an airplane, where is the best place to have a heart attack, why does religious observance add years to your life and how can birthdays be hazardous to your health. He also talks about some terrible choices that people have had to make to survive in terrible situations. That is how the world feels this week. While the medical community hunts for answers and cures, we have been hunting for toilet paper and water. If you are one of the lucky ones that found some, you were faced with a moral dilemma: Should you buy more than you need? How much do you need? When will it be available again? And, the big question — should I buy more than I need?

    We are living in that space I like to call “strategic space.” This is the space where the government has to do something but also has to come up with something to make it appear everything is under control to create distance between our emotions and chaos. Closing schools, activities and telling people to say home is probable good advice in this situation, as we know that the virus takes up to 14 days to manifest itself.

    In Cody Lundin’s book, “98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive,” Lundin stresses that a human can live without food for weeks and without water for about three days or so; but if the body’s core temperature dips much below or above the 98.6 degree mark, a person can literally die within hours. Temperature is one of the first symptoms of CORVID-19. According to the CDC, symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure. Symptoms include fever, cough, and shortness of breath. If you develop emergency warning signs, get medical attention immediately. Emergency warning signs include:

    •  Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
    •  Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
    •  New confusion or inability to arouse
    •  Bluish lips or face

    *This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.

    Until there are enough test kits and reporting mechanisms, there is no way to figure out who, where or how many people are spreading the virus. Couple that with the knowledge that the science community is telling us it may take up to a year-and-a-half to test and get the data back for a viable vaccine. This is a large gap to deal with.
    As for the run on stores, we live in Fayetteville. In the last few years, we have had water mains break, hurricanes, tornados and a variety of other challenging situations. Having water, food and medical supplies on hand should be part of your everyday life — no matter where you live.

    We all know that fear and greed drive the stock markets. We’ve heard that our whole lives, and if you listen to most news outlets right now, it’s absolute hysteria.
    Do you believe that the American economy is doomed and that it will never return? Do you believe that all of the companies that you are invested in within your individual investment portfolio are going under? I don’t think this is the case, but as the stock market bounces up and down, remember to buy low and sell high.

    Dr. Spencer Johnson’s book, “Who Moved My Cheese?” is a wonderful parable about the different ways we respond to life’s changes and how doing so skillfully can help us find more success and happiness in our lives. What is changing as of today?  Kids will learn to do homework, practice distance learning, and learn more computer skills. Employers are looking at teleworking. Many jobs are computer-based anyway.  You will learn about social isolation — or the joys of working independently. The entertainment business will take a hit, but the internet streaming businesses will be up. We may have to learn to cook, grow a garden or learn to go out and have a picnic.

    It is easy to criticize the government for not having enough test kits or vaccines for everyone in America when the majority of people didn’t have enough toilet paper or water to get through a couple of weeks. Your beliefs will either build you up or let you down. Remember, your beliefs are yours alone, and your choices are yours.

  • 08 Col Bradley Moses copyThe U.S. Senate has temporarily blocked the promotion of an Army colonel who formerly commanded Fort Bragg’s 3rd Special Forces Group, The New York Times reported. Col. Bradley Moses was in line for promotion to brigadier general. He was the commanding officer in charge when an ambush claimed the lives of four U.S. soldiers outside of Tongo Tongo, Niger on Oct. 4, 2017.

    He did not receive any punishment and is eventually expected to receive his promotion. But for now, Senate members are delaying the matter.

    Investigations following the Niger ambush were criticized for placing much of the blame on lower-ranking officers. Family members of the fallen soldiers criticized the Pentagon’s handling of the investigation. The leader of the ambushed Operational Detachment Alpha, also known as an A-Team, was Capt. Michael Perozeni. He took much of the blame until it was revealed that he asked to not continue the mission before the attack, according to a redacted investigation. The probe revealed the ambush highlighted problems with the U.S. mission in West Africa, including poor medical evacuation capabilities and a lack of air support for troops on the ground.

    Moses’ No. 2, Lt. Col. David Painter, told the A-team to continue the mission, a decision Moses also approved, according to The Times. Painter was subsequently punished following the ambush and not promoted to full colonel. Moses was not punished. 

    Maj. Alan Van Saun, an Operational Detachment Alpha team commander who was home on paternity leave at the time of the ambush, received a formal reprimand when the investigation was concluded, effectively ending his Army career. Investigators determined he failed to prepare his soldiers for the deployment.

    “Following a complicated tragedy with no clear proximate cause, First Special Forces Command issued reprimands with inaccuracies and inconsistencies, focusing on pre-deployment training and personnel issues, instead of operational decisions made leading up to the ambush,” Van Saun wrote. “Senior leaders within Africa Command... presented their findings to the families of the fallen based on circumstantial evidence, which left them with more questions than answers.

    “Africa Command held a press briefing, that, for the most part, admonished one of my Green Beret teams for their premission planning and preparation but barely mentioned the decisions made above their level,” he added.

    Family members of those killed and even some green berets with the Third Special Forces Group expressed anger at the numerous investigations, spread out over almost two years, and lack of reprimands for high-ranking military officials, including Colonel Moses, for ordering the 11-member Special Forces ODA on the mission without knowing the enemy’s strength. Islamic State fighters had been tracking the team and were preparing to attack. Five Nigeriens accompanying the Americans were also killed in the hourslong gun battle. The four Americans killed — Sgt. 1st Class Jeremiah W. Johnson, Staff Sgt. Bryan C. Black, Staff Sgt. Dustin Wright and Sgt. La David T. Johnson — all received posthumous valor awards.

  • 05 N1704P44001CIt’s important to have cash available for your everyday spending and the inevitable rainy day. However, you also need to develop a cash strategy that can contribute to your long-term financial success. But just how much cash do you need? And in what form?

    To answer these questions, it’s useful to look at the four main uses of cash:

    • Everyday spending — Your everyday spending includes the cash you use for your mortgage, utilities, groceries and so on. As a general guideline, you should have one to two months of living expenses available during your working years, and perhaps a year’s worth of living expenses when you’re retired. The latter can be adjusted higher or lower based on your income from Social Security or a pension. You’ll need instant access to this money — and you need to know your principal is protected — so it may be a good idea to keep the funds in a checking or cash management account.

    • Unexpected expenses and emergencies — If you needed a major car repair or a new furnace, or if you incurred a big bill from a doctor or dentist, would you be able to handle the cost? You could — if you’ve set up an emergency fund. During your working years, this fund should be big enough to cover three to six months of living expenses; when you’re retired, you may be able to get by with one to three months’ worth of expenses, assuming you have additional sources of available cash. You’ll want your emergency fund to be held in liquid vehicles that protect your principal, such as savings or money market accounts or short-term certificates of deposit.

    • Specific short-term savings goal(s) — At various points in your life, you may have a specific goal — a new car, vacation, wedding, etc. — that you’d like to reach within a year or two. Your first step is to identify how much money you’ll need, so think about all the factors affecting the final cost. Next, you’ll need to choose an appropriate savings vehicle. You could simply put more money in the accounts you use for everyday cash, or even in your emergency fund, but you would run the risk of dipping into either of these pools. Instead, consider opening a separate account — and tell yourself this money is for one purpose only.

    • Source of investment — You can use cash in two ways as part of your overall investment strategy. First, cash can be considered part of the fixed-income allocation of your portfolio (i.e., bonds and CDs). Because cash behaves differently from other asset classes — such as stocks and bonds — it can help diversify your holdings, and the more diversified you are, the less impact market volatility may have on your portfolio. However, diversification can’t guarantee a profit or protect against all losses. The second benefit of cash, in terms of investing, is it’s there for you to purchase a new investment or to add more shares in an existing investment. In any case, you probably don’t want to be too cash heavy, so you might want to keep no more than 10% of your fixed-income assets in cash.

    As you can see, cash can be valuable in several ways — so use it wisely.

  • 06 01 Portsmouth Dr fire 2Two children and an adult died early March 19 in a house fire on Portsmouth Drive in West Fayetteville. Firefighters were dispatched to the home in the 6400 block of Portsmouth off Bunce Road just after 2 a.m., according to a fire department statement.

    The first unit on the scene reported heavy fire visible from the one-story house. Dispatchers had indicated residents were trapped inside. When a fire crew searched the home, they found two young brothers, ages 5 and 9, and their 30-year-old mother had died. Three other family members — including cousins of the deceased — escaped the blaze, a family member said.

    Fayetteville Fire Chief Mike Hill said scenes like this are difficult for firefighters. “We have our own ways to cope, but it’s something that never goes away,” Hill said.
    Fire and police department investigators continue to probe the blaze. Bunce Road connects Raeford Road and Cliffdale Road in 71st Township. The event was the first fatal fire in Fayetteville since 2018.

    COVID-19 brings changes

    North Carolina has been facing limits on coronavirus tests since the outbreak began, but officials are saying the testing capacity is expanding. Dr. Mandy K. Cohen, Secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services explained earlier this month that work is being done to increase testing. More than 500 people in the state have been tested, she said. The numbers are incomplete and include only tests done by the state lab and LabCorp that have revealed positive results. Other private companies are testing, but they are required to notify the state only of positive results, not total tests performed.

    Gov. Roy Cooper said testing is a priority for his administration, and he wants the state to get complete totals from private contractors.

    Cohen said she hoped to announce community testing sites in the coming days, including drive-thru sites.

    Fayetteville cancellations and closures

    The 38th annual Fayetteville Dogwood Festival scheduled for the weekend of Apr 23–26 has been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The Cape Fear Regional Theatre has canceled remaining performances of “Murder for Two” plus the show scheduled for April.

    The Fayetteville Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County in downtown Fayetteville and the Airborne & Special Operations Museum have been closed to the public until further notice.

    Interested residents are encouraged to check the Arts Council website at theartscouncil.com for the latest information about its events and scheduled programming.
    At the ASOM, all scheduled events, including Vietnam Veterans Day, Ed Stever Day and the Easter egg Hunt, are canceled. Tickets for the Easter egg Hunt have been refunded. Both facilities will continue to keep the public informed through social media and their websites.

    Fayetteville Tech expands online classes

    Fayetteville Technical Community College has shifted classes to online instruction. FTCC athletics and other college events are suspended at this time. FTCC already has about 7,000 students enrolled in courses that are entirely online and has provided all-online instruction to other students over the past two years.

    “We’re experts at this,” FTCC President Larry Keen said. “We’re still going to expect higher-education activities to take place.” The college has suspended all official travel outside of Cumberland County.

    PWC rates change

    The Fayetteville Public Works Commission has approved a 4.7% decrease in time-of-use electricity rates for residential customers beginning May 1, 2020. The board action reduced the off-peak electric rate per kilowatt-hour from 9.1 cents to 8.4 cents.  Off-peak rates apply most of the time during an average week. The decrease applies to electric usage outside of the 6-10 a.m. peak hours during the winter, and 3-7 p.m. period during the summer.

    A typical PWC residential customer, using 1000 kilowatt-hours per month, should see bills drop $5.20 after May 1. PWC’s electric time-of-use rates began in 2019 as an effort to reduce peak demand when the cost of electricity from PWC’s wholesale power provider, Duke Energy, is the highest. The rate reduction comes after a renegotiation of PWC’s contract with Duke Energy, which provided $33 million in savings beginning January 2021.

    “PWC is not-for-profit and we are able to take the savings of the new contract and give it back to rate payers, instead of shareholders,” said Evelyn Shaw, PWC chairwoman.

    FAST goes green with hoped-for new buses

    Fayetteville Area System of Transit Director Randy Hume hopes to acquire four new electric buses using grant money specifically allocated for them. Hume describes it as a means of updating public transit service that will help move the city in a positive direction. He says he will submit an application to the Federal Transit Administration for the grant and should receive notification by the end of summer. Hume noted it is a competitive, process as most FTA grants are, but that based on the established criteria, he believes the city has a good chance of winning approval.

    Mayor Mitch Colvin said the city could save nearly $160,000 annually in fuel costs and more than $81,000 annually on bus maintenance. “This is just one of many examples of what city staff and your council are doing to make our city... move in a more environmentally-friendly direction,” Colvin said.

    Proterra electric buses come with a price tag of nearly $600,000 each. Proterra has an east coast manufacturing facility in Greenville, South Carolina.
     
  • 19 PittmanMen who coached with him called the late Nathan Pittman one of the smartest people they ever knew, and an assistant football coach who was impossible to fool.
    Pittman, who was part of four championship football teams in Fayetteville, died recently and was recognized during a celebration of life
    service on March 15 at Rogers and Breece Funeral Home.

    A native of Florida, Pittman came to Fayetteville as a young man and held assistant coaching jobs at a variety of local high schools. But it was at Seventy-First and South View high schools where he saw his greatest success in his role as defensive coordinator. He helped lead the 1970 Seventy-First team to the Eastern 3-A title, which was as far as schools could go in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association playoffs at the time.

    He was a part of three state championship teams under head coach Bobby Poss, two at Seventy-First in the 1980s and a third at South View High School in the 1990s.
    After Poss left South View, Pittman ended his coaching career with stops at Terry Sanford and Gray’s Creek high schools.

    Greg Killingsworth played for Pittman his first year at Seventy-First and later hired him to coach at Terry Sanford when Killingsworth was athletic director there.
    “If you were playing Trivial Pursuit, you wanted him on your team,’’ Killingsworth said. “He was the smartest man I ever met.’’

    As for his skills as a football coach, Killingsworth said Pittman was way ahead of the game as a defensive coordinator. “He studied what people did and predicted exactly what they were going to do,’’ Killingsworth said. “You could move the football from the 20 to the 20, but when the field got smaller, his defense always rose to the occasion.’’
    Bernie Poole, who became head basketball coach at Seventy-First, came to the school in 1984 and worked with Pittman as an assistant football coach.

    “He made great adjustments when he watched films,’’ Poole said. “He never wanted to be a head coach. He liked who he worked for and that’s what kept him going.’’
    Poss, who has won more NCHSAA football championships at different schools than any coach in state history, called Pittman a big part of any success he had while coaching at Seventy-First and South View.

    “He was intelligent and he wasn’t one to get snookered,’’ Poss said. “You weren’t going to pull the wool over his eyes, whether you were the backup linebacker or the head coach.’’

    Former Terry Sanford and Gray’s Creek head coach Bill Yeager took Pittman with him when he started the football program at Gray’s Creek.

    “He was as knowledgeable as any football coach I’ve been around, I don’t care what level,’’ Yeager said. “I didn’t have to worry about the defense at all. He ran the defense, from top to bottom.’’

    But Yeager said there was more than Xs and Os with Pittman. “He cared about the young men as far as being good people,’’ Yeager said. “The kids knew he cared about them. That was why they played so hard for him.’’

  • 18 que tuckerFacing some of the most challenging decisions the North Carolina High School Athletic Association has ever had to cope with, Commissioner Que Tucker stressed a positive attitude moving forward as she spoke to statewide media recently about her organization’s reaction to the pandemic caused by COVID-19.

    Despite that upbeat mood, the initial announcements from the NCHSAA office in Chapel Hill were grim for coaches, athletes and high school sports fans.

    Tucker was forced to announce that the state high school basketball championships, which saw Fayetteville’s Westover boys and E.E. Smith girls advance to the state 3-A finals, were postponed indefinitely.

    The entire spring sports season was also put on hold, as were all practices and off-season skill development sessions until at least Monday,
    April 6.

    However, Tucker stressed the April 6 date was flexible and that her staff and members of the NCHSAA Board of Directors would continue to assess the situation in hopes it might be possible to play both the basketball championships and as much of the spring sports season as possible.

    Tucker said the NCHSAA will study the calendar in hopes the situation with COVID-19 improves and see how much of a spring season with championships can be played.
    She said that the spring season will not be extended into the summer months if play can resume in time because playing that late would conflict with graduation exercises and commitments some students may have with college camps.

    If the spring season can be played, Tucker said the NCHSAA would have to work with conferences on coming up with some kind of formula to determine conference champions since all of the games likely could not be played in the time available.

    She suggested they might use a percentage of conference games won, which is how conference standings are determined. She added the MaxPreps national and state rankings, which are used to seed NCHSAA playoff sports, may not be used in this situation.

    As for the basketball championship games, if they are played there are many variables to deal with.

    One would be allowing the teams that qualified for the finals sufficient time to practice and get into shape before playing the games if they can be scheduled. Another problem could be finding venues to play them. Reynolds Coliseum at N.C. State and the Smith Center at the University of North Carolina were supposed to host the championships.
    If those arenas aren’t available, Tucker said the NCHSAA would first turn to other college venues then look at civic arenas.

    It is possible if the games aren’t played that the NCHSAA could declare cochampions or do something it did in football years ago and have Eastern and Western champs with no outright state winner.

    “I always like to lean toward the positive,’’ Tucker said. “I’m going to be hopeful and prayerful that by the time we get to April 6, as we get closer and closer, this situation will be different and maybe we will have some opportunity to look at resuming spring sports.’’

  • 12 CWPuzzles are fun and entertaining, but their benefits go beyond simple recreation. In fact, playing and solving puzzles on a regular basis can benefit adults and children in various ways.  Puzzles often stimulate problem-solving centers in the brain and can improve brain health. Researchers have found that, by completing crossword puzzles, playing challenging games or doing other puzzle-related activities, individuals may be less likely to develop brain plaques that have been tied to Alzheimer's disease. Data published in the Archives of Neurology found a distinct connection between people who exercised their minds with stimulating activities in their early and middle years and brain health. This group had less Beta-amyloid protein uptake in their brains, which is linked to the onset of Alzheimer's, than those who didn't engage in puzzles during the same time frame.  Beyond their health benefits, puzzles offer some additional perks.

     Puzzles boost vocabulary. Puzzles such as crosswords or codewords/cryptograms introduce people to new words. This helps people expand their vocabulary and can help them improve their spelling.

    Puzzles teach patience. Puzzles can be challenging, and such challenges can promote patience in regard to approaching and realizing goals.

     Puzzles can reinforce lessons. Teaching through puzzle play is an effective way to tap into memory retention while making lessons fun.

    Puzzles may improve intelligence. Engaging in puzzles can force players to think and reason using general knowledge, memory, spatial imagery and logic. These skills help to sharpen intellect over time. Researchers at the University of Michigan even found that adults could boost their IQs by four points after spending 25 minutes a day doing puzzles.

     Puzzles reinforce concentration. Concentration is required to find words hidden in a word search puzzle or to solve a brainteaser. According to data on
    SelfGrowth.com, puzzles naturally induce a state of creative, focused meditation. 

    Puzzles improve visual-spatial reasoning. When solving a jigsaw puzzle or working one's way through a maze, players have to look at different shapes and figure out where they fit within the larger picture. Better visual-spacial skills can help with packing, driving and using a map and can be valuable career tools in fields such as architecture. Puzzles are a fun recreational activity that also can boost brain health.

    Check out our puzzles on page 22 of our issue and see the benefits for yourself.

  • 15 01 Candace WilliamsonThe health of members in our community is important. Due to the spread of the coronavirus, as a precaution, several events have been cancelled throughout the community. Please call to confirm events.

    It’s been four years since Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner created the Hope Mills Mayor’s Youth Coalition. It is composed of students from Gray’s Creek, South View and Jack Britt high schools and seeks to better inform the community’s young people on the business of the town.Since it was started, Warner has been impressed with the talents of the young people who have served on the coalition and how involved they were with their schools.

    Initially, she recruited students who were active in the Student Government Association at each of the three schools. But as time passed, she learned there was a problem with that.

    The SGA students as a group were extremely busy at their respective schools and often involved in multiple projects. So this year, Warner 15 02 jackie warner copyincreased the pool of students involved in the coalition. She sent an email to the principals of each of the three schools. She asked them to nominate two members from their SGA as usual, but also extended an invitation to members of the Key Club and students involved in JROTC.

    “We’ve found that Key Club members volunteer a lot,’’ Warner said. “I’ve also been really impressed with the JROTC programs.’’

    The result this year is the largest group of coalition students the town has ever had, and they are tackling a project called Hope Mills Beautiful as they work together to coordinate a litter sweep of the town on April 18.

    “It’s neat the way all three high schools have worked together,’’ Warner said of the current group. “I think the benefit is building unity among the youth (and) how they relate to each other. Bringing them to the table, it’s interesting to watch them work well together.

    “We hope to get the majority of them involved in our Citizens Academy.’’

    The chairman of this year’s coalition is Candace Williamson from South View. She is a member of the JROTC at her school.

    Vice-chairs are Christopher Vanderpool of the South View Key Club and Melissa Medina of the Jack Britt Key Club. The secretaries are Hunter Stewart of Gray’s Creek SGA and Briana Jackson of the South View SGA.

    In addition to their work on the litter sweep, this year’s coalition has composed a letter endorsing the town’s work on Heritage Park. Down the road, they may be looking at finding ways to improve conditions in Hope Mills for people with disabilities.

    Williamson, who is a senior at South View, initially didn’t want to be involved in JROTC but decided to join in order to carry on a family tradition.

    “I realized we are all a big family and we all have different stories,’’ she said. “We all came together. It taught me leadership skills and stuff I can carry on after high school.’’

    Williamson’s JROTC advisor at South View, Sgt. Maj. Ruby Murray, said Williamson reminds her of a butterfly. “She didn’t let her light shine,’’ Murray said. “She’d sit in class and keep quiet, but she’s always gotten her work done.’’

    As years passed, Murray said Williamson displayed more and more leadership ability, eventually rising to the role of battalion commander at South View.

    “She started showing more leadership ability, taking charge,’’ Murray said. “She became the eyes and ears her second year. When the mayor sent out that email (requesting nominations for the Mayor’s Youth Coalition), I knew I had to put the right person in charge.’’

    Williamson said being a member of the coalition is helping her learn how to better herself and hopefully avoid repeating some of the mistakes her elders have made.

    She said being part of the coalition has helped her understand everyone has their own voice. She feels she and her fellow members of the coalition are trying to use their various voices in harmony so they can come to agreement on decisions. 

    She feels the mission of this year’s coalition, as shown by their involvement in the Hope Mills Beautiful project, is to make the town better.

    She said the students from the three different high schools bring a variety of perspectives to the table. “I think that’s a good idea,’’ Williamson said, “sitting at the table with different leaders.’’

    Pictured from top to bottom: Candace Williamson, Jackie Warner

  • 14 ConcertThe health of members in our community is important. Due to the spread of the coronavirus, as a precaution, several events have been cancelled throughout the community. Please call to confirm events. 

    Shows like "American Idol" and "The Voice" have captivated the eyes and ears of people all across America for over a decade. These shows seemingly find some of the best vocal talent right off the street and plop them into living rooms in front of the whole country as they compete to see who has what it takes to be America's next hit performer. So, many people whose lives and voices tug at your heart strings filter through season to season but seem to disappear after it is all said and done. You're left saying, “Hey, what happened to that guy?” or “I really liked that one girl!” but have no clue what they've been doing since the show's finale. 

    In 2009, on Season 8 of "American Idol," we met Wisconsin native and former church music director, Danny Gokey, who quickly won the hearts of the nation with his larger-than-life voice. However, there was more to Gokey than just his voice. Just four weeks before his audition, his wife of 12 years died due to heart disease but not before encouraging him to audition for one of her favorite shows — "American Idol."

    America watched Gokey nail every performance in the middle of his overwhelming grief as he rose to third place that season. But, after the season ended, he seemed to disappear into the background of the music industry. 

    After a couple of less-than-successful mainstream pop records, Gokey made the move musically to go back to where his heart could truly sing — he was signed to Christian music label BMG in 2013 and released his first Christian album in 2014.

    Since 2014, Gokey has been nominated for eight GMA Dove awards and a Grammy, and he won a GMA Dove award in 2016 for Christmas Album of the Year. He most recently won K-LOVE Fan awards for Male Artist of the Year and Breakout Single for his song “Tell Your Heart to Beat Again” in 2018. Gokey has seen many milestone career moments, with all four of his albums debuting at No. 1 on Billboard Christian, RIAA Certified Gold Single, over 750,000 albums sold and over 175 million online streams. 

    Even better news? His current tour, Unplugged: Stories and Songs featuring Coby James, is coming to our area. Mark your calendars for Thursday, April 2 at 7 p.m. at Central Baptist Church in Dunn. Get your tickets at www.christian1057.com, and click the Danny Gokey banner on the homepage.

  • Due to the spread of COVID-19, as a precaution, the delivery of the smoke alarms has been postponed. The new date is to be determined. 16 Smoke Alarm

    Free home smoke alarms are coming to Hope Mills, courtesy of the American Red Cross.

    Phil Harris, executive director of the Sandhills Chapter of the Red Cross, is looking for community volunteers to make up teams that will be headed for Hope Mills on Saturday, April 25, to areas in town that have been identified as being at higher risk for home fires or lacking smoke detectors.

    The Red Cross has been involved in installing smoke alarms since 2014, and the program has now gone national, Harris said.

    “We do it throughout the year, but we want to make a push in April,’’ he said.

    Harris said the Red Cross knows that working smoke alarms save lives. He said since the Red Cross began installing the free smoke alarms nationwide, 715 lives have been saved by alarms that were placed in homes.

    “We know people don’t think it will ever happen to them,’’ he said of a home fire. “If we get that extra alert, we remind them they only have two minutes to get out,’’ he said.

    In addition to installing the smoke detectors, the Red Cross provides the people they visit with basic fire safety information.“Do they know how to crawl below the smoke?” Harris said. “Do they know to get out and stay out?’’

    Harris said the Red Cross also stresses the importance for families to have a plan on how to get out of the house and where to go when they have left the home.

    In addition to having at least two routes planned to escape their home in a fire, Harris said it’s important for families to have a central meeting place where everyone should rendezvous when they’ve left the house.

    “You need to have a meeting spot so the firemen don’t go in and think somebody is still in there,’’ he said. “Everybody is accounted for. All of those things come into play with saving a life.’’

    Harris said the Red Cross is able to provide free smoke detectors thanks to some grants and the support of major sponsors like Lowe’s and Delta Airlines. He said the Sandhills chapter continues to seek more local businesses to sponsor the program in this area.

    The Red Cross also has a home fire campaign that can provide direct financial assistance to families who have been displaced by a fire.

    Previously they’ve helped 166 families deal with the aftermath of a fire.

    The alarms the Red Cross installs are what Harris referred to as 10-year alarms. “We found these are great for seniors who can’t change a battery periodically,’’ Harris said. 

    Harris said the Red Cross cooperated with the Hope Mills Fire Department to identify high-risk areas in the town most in need of smoke detectors.

    Now they need approximately 125 volunteers to fan out in teams on April 25 and install the smoke detectors.

    Each team will be composed of four people, Harris said. There’s the actual installer, one member who will record the number of people in each home, one to educate the family on basic fire safety and one to introduce the team to each household and explain its purpose.

    People can volunteer as late as the day of the event, but early signup is preferred. They can sign up at soundthealarm.org or call the local chapter at 910-867-8151.Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner applauds the Red Cross for bringing the free smoke detectors to Hope Mills. “It’s going to improve safety,’’ she said. “I was glad they targeted Hope Mills. This is the first time they’ve entertained coming here.’’

  • 05 49652410896 e9411075ba bLet’s put things in perspective.

    Coronavirus 2019, coming from Wuhan, China,  is the latest incarnation of the war between viruses and humanity. Viruses and bacteria have existed for Millenia, viruses being robotic molecules and bacteria being live one-cell creatures; both want to inhabit, multiply and damage or kill the human body. It is a drama worthy of zombie movies. 

    The good news: Mankind is winning. Observation and human intelligence via the microscope, which was invented in 1590, and the electron microscope, which was invented in 1931, have allowed these entities to be visualized, given a name and analyzed for their weak spots. Thus, antibiotics, antivirals and vaccines were born.

    However, it has been a struggle and a learning curve. 

    As of this writing, 63 people have died in the United States from COVID 19, whose source is the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) COV-2 virus, under research in the Wuhan Virology Lab of China. Identified city clusters are Seattle, Washington; Santa Clara, California; and New Rochelle, New York. 

    Over 3,600 are now infected. The vulnerable are the over-age-60 group with underlying lung or organ disease and the immuno-compromised. 

    Yet, compare that to 2009 with the Swine flu (H1N1) where the protected were the over-age-60 group and the vulnerable were the children and young people. In the course of one year, 60 million cases and 12,000+ deaths occurred in the U.S. 

    Even more dramatic, compare that to 1918 with the Spanish Flu, also an H1N1 viral type. That was a devastating time. World War I was in full force. More American soldiers died from that influenza (58,000+) than perished in battle (52,000+). Deaths occurred in training camps or while serving in Europe or on their return home. Vintage war photos show nurses wearing cloth masks or gas masks while caring for the ill. Stateside, Americans could die within 24 hours of symptom onset. That such mortality was high in healthy young people of ages 20-40 was unique to this disease. Pharmaceutical measures were absent 100 years ago; simple advice was followed.

    Open air was considered the healthier tactic than staying indoors; teachers held classes in front of bleacher-sitting students and religious services were held on church steps or gardens. Of course, parades and public crowds were canceled.

    Globally, 33 million people died by month nine; an estimated 100 million died by month 18. Five hundred million were ultimately infected. That was one-third of the world population at the time. 

    Odd that it takes a crisis to remind people of how lucky we are to live in this current century and to follow common sense like washing your hands and covering your cough. It is amazing how social etiquette — to include elbow-bump greeting, social distancing of 6 feet, e-learning and e-working, drive-by health testing — is being molded by a health crisis. We are living in historic times. Evolutionary measures that would have taken a generation are happening overnight.

    So … humankind continues to win. Global cooperation and common sense will shorten this bell-shaped curve of infection. There is no need for hysteria.

    This 100-nanometer terrorist molecule will be defeated.

    Ironic terminology that its invasion has gone viral. 

    Visit https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/ to learn more.

  • 04 Joe Biden 48548455397 rotatedColumn Gist: We live in a time when most American politicians will say anything, promise whatever appears politically profitable, to get elected. After being elected, the normal course is to forget promises and go along with what is dictated by the established political order. Every now and then, a politician comes along who is not malleable and does not bend to the will of the establishment. 

    In a recent column titled, “Malleable Politicians: As American as Apple Pie,” I assessed Mike Bloomberg as being a “malleable politician.” I contend President Donald Trump is a rare exception to the “Be Malleable” rule. Because he is an absolute exception, the political establishment, and a lot of everyday Americans, has no idea how to deal with him productively.

    I do not know where former Vice President Joe Biden will stand in his run for the Democratic presidential nomination when this column is published. However, his primary argument for being nominated is that he can beat Trump. Polls show this is the No. 1 priority of most Democratic voters. Although he talks some about policies and issues, Sen. Bernie Sanders also leans heavily on the claim that he can beat Trump.

    Much of the call for Trump’s defeat is driven by his refusal to bend to the norms expected of an American president and be the calm, nice-talking, noncombative, go-along-to-get-along, talk-and-do-little kind of person. Trump comes in talking tough, cussing, doing what he promised and not rolling over in the face of verbal attacks and baseless efforts to force him from the presidency. He is not politically malleable. Despite all the good he is doing for the country, that refusal to bend has brought him a level of onslaught that I cannot understand how he survives. 

    This is a sad state of affairs because, by just about any measure — excluding the high level of pure vitriol — one chooses, America is at a much better place today than three years ago. The scary fact is that the opposition, sometimes reflecting pure hatred of the president, is emotional. In this regard, I had an encouraging conversation with a young black lady a week before the 2020 North Carolina primary. She encouraged me to vote for Mike Bloomberg. I told her that was not going to happen. Then she wanted to know who I was supporting. After a bit of hesitation on my part, I told her I was a Trump supporter. I did not have the time nor the energy to go through the question, given that I am black, of how I could support Trump, which (to many) makes me a sell-out to my race. Then would come the part about me being stupid and a bunch of similar characterizations. Even further, she might pick up on my being Christian, and that would open the door for questioning the genuineness of my faith. 

    To my absolute surprise, this young black lady said to me, “I don’t have a problem with Trump. If people would get beyond their emotions and look at what he is doing, they would appreciate him.” 

    She went on to list some of the president’s accomplishments. I confessed my surprise, told her how encouraging it was to hear what she said and that she did so with conviction. I thanked her and we parted ways. In my estimation, that young lady understands how to move beyond emotion to the examination of facts. 

    A prime example of how emotions and thought manipulation push reasoning aside showed up in the 2016 presidential race. Candidate Trump encouraged black Americans to vote for him. Then he asked the question that reverberated across the length and breadth of America, “What the hell do you have to lose?” 

    The outrage from most black Americans, and many others, was deafening. This was seen as an affront, disrespectful and maybe even racist.

     My response was to ask three questions. First, what did Trump mean by I had “nothing to lose?”  It was clear to me that he was saying Democrats have done nothing of substance for blacks in America and, therefore, I put nothing at risk by voting for him.

    Secondly, given that understanding of his point, is it true? My position is that Democrats, throughout my life, have done absolutely nothing of substance to help blacks in this country. Consequently, I saw his “nothing to lose” as accurate.

    The third question was: Should I disregard his argument because his language was a bit coarse? No, I went right past the coarseness of his language to the truth of the facts supporting his statement and the accuracy of his assessment. Forthrightly, transparently, stating facts and accurately assessing them is not a common practice in American politics. It follows, then, that this kind of conduct by Trump is a turn-off for some people, and it definitely puts him at odds with the American assemblage of so many malleable politicians.

    With Trump in office, black Americans have, and are, realizing tremendous gains.

    The examples of Trump refusing to follow the rules that govern American political conduct are almost without end. Roger Stone is a Trump supporter who was involved in his 2016 presidential campaign but not officially on the staff. In November 2019, Stone was found guilty on seven counts, including perjury, witness tampering and obstruction. Robert Mueller’s investigation prompted this prosecution. Note that none of these charges were connected to misconduct or criminal actions in connection with the actual premise of the Mueller investigation. All these crimes allegedly happened because of, and in the course of, Mueller’s investigation.

    Before Stone’s sentencing, the prosecutors recommended that he serve 7-9 years. Trump spoke out against this recommended sentence, arguing that it was excessive. He also (I think with good reason) pointed to Democrats and FBI personnel whose conduct was similar to that for which Stone was tried, yet no charges have been brought against them. There was tremendous condemnation of the president because he spoke up before the sentencing. Again, this is a case of people disregarding the facts, refusing to do transparent and honest assessing of facts and seeking political advantage while expecting that a president would be quiet in the face of injustice. 

    Beyond what has not been done to Democrats and FBI personnel, how what was recommended for Stone compares with sentences for others should be considered. An article by Joe Carter titled, “7 Figures: How long do criminals spend in prison?” states: “By offense type, the median time served was 13.4 years for murder, 2.2 years for violent crimes excluding murder, 17 months for drug trafficking, and 10 months for drug possession.” 

    Granted, this speaks to state prisons, while Stone’s offenses were federal. However, even if federal statistics are a bit higher, 7-9 years for what Stone was convicted of is excessive, and that is what the president contended.

    There was much more fallout from the Stone case, but the point here is that Trump did not follow the American political norm and keep quiet in the face of injustice. He was not malleable. 

    I hope there are more people than I think who follow the approach of that young black lady. Americans who move beyond emotion to examine facts and reach conclusions based on accurately assessing those facts. As she said, for those who oppose Donald Trump based on emotion, this approach might lead to an appreciation of him.

  • 09 Gas pump“Gas prices are falling in the Carolinas and around the nation thanks to an oversupply of oil and growing fears about the impact of the coronavirus on the economy,” said Tiffany Wright, AAA spokesperson. Coronavirus concerns have resulted in a drop in global demand that is benefiting motorists at the pump. The national gas price average has been getting cheaper week to week this month, giving the majority of driver’s savings at the gas station. 

    Motorists are already paying less, but prices are about to plummet even more. The U.S. average price of gas has been fluctuating between $2.40 a gallon and $2.30 most of this month. But a week ago, gas fell to near $2. In fact, on March 10, the first Cumberland County gas stations to sell regular, unleaded for $1.99 were the Sunoco station at 4537 Raeford Rd. and Murphy Express at 621 Lillington Hwy. in Spring Lake.  

    Prices are expected to drop below $2 generally by the end of March, according to Gas Buddy’s forecast model, with the cheapest gas at $1.85 in the Great Lakes region and the Midwest. Gas Buddy is an online gas price tracker. The prediction comes as the price war heats up between two of the largest oil-producing countries and as the spread of the coronavirus continues to strain global travel. 

    “This is unprecedented,” said Allison Mac, a spokeswoman for GasBuddy. “Nothing like this has ever really happened before, given the coronavirus as well as a price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia.”

    They have been unable to negotiate a pathway to curb oil output in an already oversaturated market. Rather than compromise, Russia’s refusal to temper oil production led Saudi Arabia to flood the market instead, depressing oil prices. Before the spat between the countries, oil had already been on a downslide since mid-February because of the ripple effects from the COVID-19 pandemic. China, the world’s second-biggest oil consumer behind the United States, has decreased its consumption after shutting down much of its economy to contain the disease. 

    As the virus spread to Europe, Australia, Africa, South America and North America, governments advised their citizens to adjust their travel plans to varying degrees. People around the world are trying to mitigate their exposure risk by staying home and avoiding highly populated areas like shopping malls, airports, movie theaters, restaurants and amusement parks. 

    With nearly 330 million Americans staying put, the country’s collective consumption of gasoline is creating a paradox. Lower gas prices tend to encourage people to travel by car or plane, but fear of coronavirus exposure may reduce the number of people going anywhere. If the sharp decline in oil prices continues, “that’s going to mean spring and summer gas prices will likely be cheaper than last year,” Jeanette Casselano, a AAA spokeswoman said. For those who remain undeterred to travel, this is the time to take advantage of low prices. But consider keeping a box of cleansing wipes in your car and wipe down the gas nozzle while you’re filling up because it’s packed with germs.

  • 06 N2003P37001CAccording to the Small Business Administration, nearly 98% of businesses in North Carolina are small businesses, and 46% of North Carolina employees work at small businesses. According to the North Carolina Department of Commerce, North Carolina has routinely ranked as one of the best states in the nation in    which to start a business.

    One essential professional new entrepreneurs can have on hand is a business attorney. Unfortunately, many new business owners only contact an attorney after a legal problem arises. Below is a look at how new businesses can benefit from the counsel of an experienced business lawyer. As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention can be worth a pound of cure.”


    Choosing a business structure

    This is one of the most critical business decisions any entrepreneur will have to make. Different business structures have different liability and tax implications, which could have a drastic impact on the potential of a business to grow in the future. A sole proprietorship, for example, is very easy to set up, but comes with a large amount of liability risk, meaning that if a claim is made against the business, then the business owner’s personal assets could be at risk. A corporate structure, on the other hand, exposes the owners (or directors) to very little personal liability.


    Drafting agreements and contractsMany business owners only talk to a business attorney once a dispute has arisen, usually with a fellow business partner, employee or client. Such disputes, especially if they end up in court, can be costly. Many of these disputes are the result of poorly written or nonexistent business contracts and agreements. An attorney can help new business owners draft business start-up agreements, including employment contracts, buy-sell agreements, partnership agreements, shareholder agreements, and so forth, to provide greater peace of mind. An attorney can also help draft and review any business contract. 


    Complying with the lawBusinesses must comply with a maze of laws and regulations, including environmental, work safety, tax and employment laws. These laws and regulations can be notoriously complex, and most business owners may not be aware of all of their legal and regulatory obligations. However, ignorance of the law is no protection from the fines and penalties that can result from violating it. That is why business owners need a business attorney on hand to ensure they are compliant with all the rules and regulations that may affect their businesses.Entrepreneurs should focus on growing their business and protecting that business by getting good legal guidance upfront. By talking to an attorney first, new business owners will have the advice they need to set up a business for success.

  • 18 Shot ClockThe calendar has turned to March, which in the world of high school sports can only mean one thing — basketball. It is time for state tournaments, March Madness and, yes, the annual rhetoric about the merits of the shot clock. 

    For the almost one million boys and girls who participate in high school basketball, there is nothing quite like the state tournament. Although there are great memories from the one-class days, led by Carr Creek’s almost upset of powerhouse Ashland in Kentucky in 1928 and Milan’s Cinderella victory in Indiana in 1954, today, basketball provides more opportunities for girls and boys teams to be crowned state champion than any other sport.

    This month, about 450 girls and boys teams will earn state basketball titles in championships conducted by NFHS member state associations. Multiple team champions are crowned for both boys and girls in all states but two, with the majority of states sponsoring tournaments in 4-6 classifications for each and four states conducting state championships in seven classes.

    That is truly March Madness, which is appropriate since the term was first used in connection with high school basketball. Although the tag line became familiar to millions on a national scale in relation to the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship, the NCAA shares a dual-use trademark with the Illinois High School Association (IHSA), thanks to H. V. Porter, the first full-time executive director of the NFHS. 

    In his final year as IHSA executive director in 1939, Porter published his “March Madness” essay in reference to the mania surrounding the IHSA’s annual state basketball tournament. Eight years later, in a 1947 Associated Press article, Porter said, “Naturally, we think basketball has done a lot for high school kids, but it’s done something for the older people, too. It has made community life in general a lot more fun each winter.”

    While many things have changed in the past 73 years, the value of high school sports — and especially state basketball tournaments  — remains as strong as ever today. In some states, seemingly the entire community will travel to the site of the state tournament in support of the high school team. 

    As a footnote to the use of March Madness, Scott Johnson, recently retired assistant executive director of the IHSA in his book “Association Work,” discovered through research that the first recorded mention of March Madness in relation to basketball occurred in 1931 by Bob Stranahan, sports editor of the New Castle Courier-Times in Indiana. 

    While the sport remains strong and March Madness is set to begin in earnest across the nation, there is a belief by some that the addition of a shot clock would make the game even better.

    Although there are some arguments for implementing the shot clock, the NFHS Basketball Rules Committee, similar to the other 14 NFHS rules committees, must make decisions based on what is best for the masses — the small schools with less than 100 students as well as large urban schools with 3,000-plus students. Rule changes will always be made with considerations for minimizing risks, containing costs and developing rules that are best for high school athletes. 

    Nine of our member state associations have elected to use a shot clock in their states, which certainly adds to the clamor for its implementation nationally. And, we at the NFHS have read the headlines, seen the social media posts and received the phone calls advocating for the shot clock’s adoption. However, the Basketball Rules Committee will continue to assess the shot clock based on the aforementioned considerations, as well its members representing all areas of the country.

    We encourage everyone to support their local high school teams by attending this year’s exciting state basketball tournaments.

    Photo credit: NFHS.

  •  08 Elmer FloydNorth Carolina Rep. Elmer Floyd’s Democratic Primary defeat this month was a shocker for many. He was one of only two incumbent legislators who lost their seats in the March 3 election. Floyd, 77, a retired city of Fayetteville Human Relations director, has served in the legislature since 2009. He was seeking his seventh consecutive term in the 43rd House of Representatives District. He lost to Kimberly Hardy, 48, a professor at Fayetteville State University, who has lived in Cumberland County for four years. A political unknown, she won 54% of the vote and will face Republican Diane Wheatley, 68, a former Cumberland County commissioner and board of education member. 

    A realigned 43rd District was disadvantageous to Floyd but could be advantageous for Wheatley, a prominent Republican. It covers all of Cumberland County east of the Cape Fear River and the Linden area, plus precincts in eastern, central and southern Fayetteville. 

    Wheatley lives in Linden, north of Fayetteville. Demographics of the territory give her a chance of winning the seat because more Republican voters live there now. Overall, the district is a mish mash of Republican and Democratic voters. Wheatley and Hardy will meet in the November general election.

    The district map was revised last year because the court found it to be an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander. Many of the voters in the new legislative district were unaware that the district map had been redrawn. They were no longer represented by Rep. Billy Richardson, D-Cumberland, and were being asked to elect a candidate they didn’t know. Richardson won the primary in his new district.

    Floyd was one of only three House Democrats who initially voted for Gov. Roy Cooper’s budget bill last June, which had Republican support except for Cooper’s insistence that Medicaid expansion be included. Floyd said he supported the budget because of the millions of dollars included for Cumberland County projects. He had been encouraged to cross over by Rep. John Szoka, R-Cumberland. 

    Hardy stressed her support for Medicaid expansion, which Republicans would not support. The controversial bathroom bill also came into play. Floyd faced criticism for voting for House Bill 2, vehemently opposed in the African American community. He later supported the partial repeal compromise. Hardy made LGBT rights a key element of her campaign. She won an endorsement from the advocacy group Equality NC.

    Both candidates raised relatively small amounts of money in the primary. Campaign finance records show Floyd raised $36,200, much of which he spent on television commercials the last two weeks before the primary. Hardy raised about half what Floyd did. She said her grassroots campaign of attending community events, meeting voters and promoting her message on social media made the difference. “You can’t know anybody until you’ve gone out into the community,” she told the News & Observer of Raleigh. The old fashioned, yet always effective, grassroots campaign is door knocking, telephone calling and personally identifying who will vote for you.

  •  Fayetteville police are withholding the name of the officer involved in a shooting death two weeks ago. “He will be publicly identified at a time when deemed appropriate based on our internal investigation,” said police spokesman Sgt. Jeremy Glass. The officer has been placed on administrative leave, which is standard procedure. The State Bureau of Investigation is in charge of the probe. Gary Lee Tierney Sr., 73, of the 1300 block of Pamalee Drive, died after being admitted to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. Tierney fired several shots at police officers who had responded to a complaint March 4. Glass said Tierney was wounded “when he refused to comply with multiple attempts to de-escalate the situation, and eventually fired toward the officers.” Anyone with information regarding the investigation should contact Fayetteville/Cumberland County Crime Stoppers at 910-483-TIPS. Crime Stoppers information can also be submitted electronically at http://fay-nccrimestoppers.org or by downloading the FREE “P3 Tips” app.  

    More children are staying in school

    The dropout rate among Cumberland County school students continues to decline.  New data from the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction affirms the work being done to help students overcome the obstacles they face. Cumberland County Schools system’s 2018-2019 dropout rate was 1.67%, down from 2.01% in the 2017-2018 school year, which is below the state average. The school system has reduced its dropout rate for the third consecutive year. 

    “We are making tremendous progress,” said CCS Superintendent Dr. Marvin Connelly, Jr. “We are very pleased to see our dropout numbers decreasing, but we have more work to do.” 

    The state also released data on disciplinary offenses and suspensions. Last year, the number of short-term suspensions decreased to 9,084 from 9,363 the year before. Long-term suspensions increased slightly from 17 to 18. Overall reportable acts committed went down by 6%.


    Why are veterans killing themselves?

    More veterans die by suicide every two days than were killed in action last year. The suicide epidemic took center stage in Washington, D.C., earlier this month with veteran advocacy groups testifying before the Veterans Affairs Committees of both houses of Congress. 

    Jan Brown, head of American Veterans, urged that Congress and the VA reevaluate mental health care. He called the system “horribly broken that... regardless of billions spent, our suicide numbers haven’t budged an inch.” 

    Nearly 20 veterans are dying by suicide every day, about one-and-a-half times as high as the civilian suicide rate, according to the most recent federal statistics. Lawmakers say they are frustrated by the lack of nontraditional approaches to the crisis. Brown praised some of the VA’s suicide prevention services but said there needs to be more attention paid to alternative approaches. 

    Craig Bryan, executive director of the National Center for Veterans Studies, said easy access to firearms increases the risk. According to the VA, 50% of veterans own guns. “We spend hardly any time talking about the role of firearms,” Bryan said. “The biggest blind spot involves continuing to view suicide only from the lens of mental health.”

     The Veteran Crisis Line is staffed 24 hours a day. The number is 800-273-8255. Select “1” for a Veterans Affairs staffer. 


    GenX community forum

    March 26, North Carolina Rep. John Szoka, R-Cumberland, and Sen. Kirk deViere, D-Cumberland, will hold a public meeting on the latest research into PFAS and GenX contamination of drinking water supplies in southeastern Cumberland County. The meeting will be at Gray’s Creek High School, 5301 Celebration Dr. The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Health and Human Services began investigating the compound known as GenX in the Cape Fear River in June 2017. The Chemours plant near Fayetteville was determined to be the source of the chemical, which was used for industrial product development. The state’s investigation focused on the protection of public health and drinking water. The release into the Cape Fear River of GenX and two other fluorinated compounds has stopped. Water quality is now well within state health goals. State officials say they continue to develop information needed to protect North Carolina’s water quality and public health.


    Field of Honor

    The Cool Spring Downtown District is partnering with the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation for the 13th Annual Field of Honor®. Since its inception in 2007, the Field of Honor® has been an annual tradition in downtown Fayetteville. Hundreds of flags will fly on the museum parade ground at 100 Bragg Blvd. Each flag has its own story and displays a tag identifying the person who sponsored the flag and the honoree. The display honors all who are currently serving, those who have served, and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. Flags may be purchased to honor the memory of a veteran or current service member of any branch for $35 at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum gift shop. An opening ceremony will be held at 9 a.m., Saturday, May 16. Flags will remain up until Friday, July 10.

  • 21 01 kevin brewingtonKevin Brewington

    South View • Football/wrestling/track • Senior

    Brewington has a 3.6 grade point average. He recently signed to play college football for Western Carolina University. He was the winner of the 138-pound weight class in this year’s Patriot Athletic Conference wrestling tournament.


     

    21 02 nyjara stephensNyjara Stephens

    South View• Track • Senior

    Stephens has a 3.9 grade point average. She is a member of Health Occupations Students of America, Key Club, Student Government Association and Tigers for Christ.

  • 17 DrDue to the spread of COVID-19, this event will be rescheduled for a future date.

    Dr. Tremaine Canteen thinks 2020 is a significant year to celebrate the importance of voting rights in this country and is seeking to do it through an oratorical contest for high school students.

    Canteen, in conjunction with the Hope Mills chapter of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority, originally planned to the contest on Feb. 29 at the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Center. Because of a lack of participants, the event was postponed.

    A new date has now been set for Saturday, April 25, still at the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Center. The contest will begin at 1 p.m.

    The contest was originally meant to coincide with Black History Month, but Canteen said the significance of the topic makes the date of the contest a bit more flexible, although she’s encouraging anyone interested to sign up as quickly as possible.

    The contest is open to all high school students from grades 9-12. They do not have to be residents of Cumberland County.

    The topic for the speeches is “Her Story: African-Americans and the vote.”

    Canteen feels 2020 is an excellent year to hold a contest like this for several reasons.

    “This is the centennial for the 19th amendment that deals with the right to vote regardless of sex,’’ she said.

    She added it’s the 150th anniversary of the 15th amendment, which deals with having the right to vote regardless of race.

    She feels it’s important to hear from teen-age voices on the subject.

    “I think this is a good year to celebrate change, but to bring awareness to where we are in society right now,’’ she said. “Who better to hear it from than children?”

    Canteen feels teenagers have powerful things to say on the subject and bring a different perspective to the topic.

    Each speech will be limited to three to five minutes, and the speakers will be timed during their presentations. The judges will be listening for creativity and content.

    One reason Canteen is encouraging young people to sign up for the competition as quickly as possible is so members of the Zeta Phi Beta sorority can work with them prior to the competition to help them with basic speaking skills.

    For details on how to sign up for the contest, contact Canteen at drtremainecanteen@gmail.com.

    Trophies and three cash prizes will be awarded, $150 for first place, $75 for second an $50 for third.“I see this as a way to prepare kids for life,’’ Canteen said. “In any career you’re successful in, there is going to be an element of public speaking. This is a topic that’s never going to die.’’

    Visit https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd21fkHXJ5JDb7LhomyfpmybaVp4LojZOmw8Wd0jDH284z4wA/viewform to apply online.

  • 10 InfectionPreventionCape Fear Valley Health System has implemented visitor restrictions to prevent the spread of flu and other respiratory illnesses. Patients in isolation are allowed only one visitor. These patients are identified by signs and blue bags on their doors, which contain personal protective equipment. No restrictions have been implemented for other patients. However, the health system strongly recommends that all patients limit the number of visitors during their stay to reduce everyone’s chances of getting sick. 

    Patients and visitors should use hand sanitizer or wash their hands frequently with soap and water for 20 seconds to prevent the spread of germs and disease. Hospital staff can instruct visitors on proper handwashing hygiene. These changes are being implemented because of growing concerns over SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, commonly known as coronavirus. Common symptoms include cough, fever and shortness of breath. There have been no confirmed cases in Cumberland County, but Gov. Roy Cooper has imposed a state of emergency because at least seven North Carolinians have contracted COVID-19. 

    People experiencing symptoms and have visited China, Iran, Italy, Japan or South Korea within the past three weeks should visit their doctors. They should call ahead before visiting or going to the emergency department or urgent care. When calling, they should describe their symptoms and recent travel history. The North Carolina Division of Public Health has established a hotline to address general questions about coronavirus. The number is 1-866-462-3821. To learn more about the coronavirus, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html. 

    The city of Fayetteville encourages residents to monitor its website, social media channels and the news media for updates on city programs and services. The Cumberland County Health Department’s information on COVID-19 is available at co.cumberland.nc.us/covid19. Questions and patient feedback are always welcome at Cape Fear Valley Health System via email at info@capefearvalley.com. Officials recommend that urgent matters be taken up with your physician. Do not hesitate to call 911 to report an emergency. If you are unsure if the matter is urgent, residents can call the CareLink hotline at 910-615-LINK, extension 5465 to speak with a Registered Nurse.


    For the military

    Personal health services are available for post-9/11 veterans and the families of active duty service members, National Guardsmen, Reservists and their spouses or partners, children, parents, siblings, caregivers and others. The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Cape Fear Valley provides confidential, high-quality behavioral healthcare services and case management resources at low or no-cost and without long waiting times. The clinic provides personalized and evidence-based care to strengthen mental health outcomes and complement existing support. The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic at Cape Fear Valley is committed to an improved quality of life for military families and veterans. Eligibility for service is available regardless of discharge status, role while in uniform or combat experience. Insurance is not required. The Steven A. Cohen Military Family Clinic is part of Cohen Veterans Network. The Cohen Veterans Network’s mission is to remove barriers to care for the military and veteran community.

  • 19 NC STATEThe late United States Senator Bobby Kennedy made a speech in the 1960s that popularized what some claim is an ancient Chinese curse, although the real source of the phrase has been disputed over the years.

    The words Kennedy used were, “May you live in interesting times.’’

    Regardless of where the phrase came from, it certainly applies to the current situation in state and local high school athletics resulting from fears over the continuing spread of the novel coronavirus, or COVID-19 as it’s officially known.

    Over what seemed like a matter of hours, concerns over the spread of the virus led to some sweeping decisions at the state level that left the high school sports world, locally and statewide, at a standstill.

    The first pronouncements came from the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

    The organization initially decided to restrict access to its state basketball championship games at North Carolina State’s Reynolds Coliseum and North Carolina’s Dean Smith Center to official team personnel and a small group of parents from the competing schools.

    Then they followed that with word that the championships had been postponed, with no guarantee they would even be played.

    Of course, this leaves the boys from Westover and the girls from E.E. Smith, who had qualified for the state 3-A basketball championship games at Reynolds this year, in limbo waiting to find out if they would ever get to fulfill every high school athlete’s dream of chasing a state title.

    More bad news from the NCHSAA followed. The entire spring sports season was suspended effective at 11:59 p.m. on Friday, March 13. The ruling stated that not only competition would cease, but so would any workouts, practice or skill development sessions.

    The North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association followed suit shortly after that, announcing the suspension of all interscholastic games, scrimmages or contests on the same date as the NCHSAA. The NCISAA did leave the option of holding practices at the discretion of its member coaches.

    I am not a doctor. I don’t pretend to understand everything that’s been written and spoken about the coronavirus. But one thing I have heard loud and clear is that it’s critical to stop the spread of what I’ve seen described as a disease with a lot of unknowns that there is currently no vaccine for nor any medication that has been truly effective at knocking it out.

    I respect the frustration of coaches in Cumberland County, where as of this writing there are no reported cases of the virus, as they try to understand why their teams can’t play.

    All I can say is this decision to close schools is much like when there’s a forecast of snow. Sometimes, the forecast is wrong, but officials have to make a decision based on what’s best for everyone’s safety. That is what is happening here, only the stakes are far higher than having a car skid into a ditch and get stuck.

     I am confident we will get through this, as long as we all take common sense precautions and do everything we can to prevent the disease from spreading. At the same time, let’s not spread rumors. Listen to the professionals and stay safe.

    Photo credit: N.C. State

  • 02 shopping local This week, Publisher Bill Bowman yields his space to Jenna Shackelford, editor of Up & Coming Weekly. 

    Over the past few weeks, the effects of the coronavirus and the panic surrounding it have slowly unfolded in our community. Between mad dashes to the store for enough toilet paper to stock up a small country, waiting in long lines at local big box stores, and slathering our hands in sanitizer, people have watched and listened as the news, social media and experts have told us that the numbers of presumptive and confirmed cases of COVID-19 are on the rise. 

    Unfortunately, in our efforts to prepare for the worst — and don’t get me wrong, we should be prepared —  our local businesses are paying the price. With a decrease in traffic, stores in the area whose doors are wide open to their customers are suddenly finding themselves in financial predicaments. 

    Cumberland County residents need to shop local now, or else when COVID-19 has come and gone, local businesses will have came and went, too. 

    With the spread of germs, though, how can consumers be smart about how they support local entrepreneurs? 

    By now, most people are aware that large gatherings are banned; but small gatherings with simple precautions, like thorough  hand-washing, are allowed and are much lower risk. Bear in mind that owners of businesses don’t want to get sick either, nor do they want anyone else who visited their establishments to fall ill, and are taking precautions to ensure that their workplace is santized. Many restaurants utilize delivery services, so support local restaurants by ordering carry-out. You could also support stores that sell local produce and make a meal at home to share for a night in. 

    Check your calendar. Do you have some birthdays, weddings or other occasions marked that you’ll want to purchase gifts for? Now is a great time to do that. While outings are still safe, many small businesses have an online presence that you can order from and stay in. For those that don’t, consider calling the business and making purchases by phone. 

    If you don’t have anything you particularly need from your favorite local business now, but you might later, purchasing gift cards for a future use is also an effective way to support the local economy. 

    If you need to purchase items wholesale, putting in your orders now could provide a much-needed monetary boost.

    Spring is a beautiful time of year to explore the outdoors. Throughout Fayetteville, there are a plethora of outside adventures. From events for all ages at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden to activities like kayaking trips with Lake Rim Park, you’ll find events that everyone can enjoy. (Update: Since the publication of this article, many outside programs and activities have been postponed or cancelled, but visitors can attend the parks, which remain open, at their own discretion.)

    The Greater Fayetteville Chamber is a wonderful resource with an extensive list of their members, complete with the addresses and phone numbers. Visit http://www.faybiz.com/ and click “member directory” under the “shop local” tab to explore all the great possibilities in our community. Who knows — you might find a new favorite hangout spot or resource you hadn’t learned about yet. 

    Our community is resilient. Think back to all the storms — both literal and figurative — that we have collectively weathered. One of the best qualities of the people in Cumberland County is that, through thick and thin, we watch out for each other. We love our neighbors. We help in times of need. Now is no different, and it’s time for us to invest in local entrepreneurs the way they have invested in the community. Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 13 N1907P16005CThe health of members in our community is important. Due to the spread of the coronavirus, as a precaution, several events have been cancelled throughout the community. Please call to confirm events. 

    The sixth annual Master Gardeners Spring Garden Symposium promises growth on many fronts. Fresh ideas from gardening experts, a bounty of information and a bushel of fun await attendees. The day is packed with inspiring and insightful presentations, vendors, raffles, auction items and friendly faces. March 21, head to Ramada Plaza at the Bordeaux Convention Center and dig in to one of the area’s most refreshing springtime events. 

    Sponsored by the Cumberland County Master Gardener Volunteer Association, the event brings guest speakers Joe Lamp’l, creator, executive producer and host of the Emmy-award-winning national PBS series “Growing a Greener World”; Kerry Ann Mendez, an award-winning garden educator, author and design consultant whose international gardening webinars are enjoyed by thousands; and Jason Weathington NC State/Cumberland County Extension urban horticulture agent and landscape architect.

    The doors open at 8 a.m. with a welcome set for 8:45 a.m. Come early and browse the many vendor booths and silent auction and raffle items.

    Mendez opens the program at 9 a.m. with a presentation titled “The Budget-Wise Gardener: Plant the Best for Less! Money-Saving Tips for Purchasing Plants Plus Cost-Saving Garden Designs,” which is based on her newest book, The Budget-Wise Gardener. In it, she will talk about how to become a savvy garden shopper.  “I also talk about interesting venues and resources and ways to purchase plants beyond the standard garden center,” said Mendez. “I encourage people to support family-owned garden centers. There are many other venues, though, that are wonderful. Many flower and garden shows have adopted the policy that at the end of the show, many plants that were used in the display beds in the show will go on sale. You can also get good deals on hardscaping décor. 

    “Another thing becoming popular is seed banks at libraries where the library has a seed bank and most are edible plants. You check out the seeds, and your responsibility is — at the end of the season —  to return some seeds from your harvest. Many organizations also host classes to teach people how to grow their own foods. This is becoming big in inner cities and other food deserts.”

    Mendez noted that she will talk about  10-15 different ways gardeners can get the most out of the gardening budget without giving up quality.

    From 10-10:30 a.m. there will be a break followed by Weathington’s presentation “The Outdoor Room.” Weathington is a North Carolina Cooperative Extension Agent, Agriculture - Urban Horticulture, at the Cumberland County Center. It’s not unusual to get inspired by an outdoor space seen on a home improvement or gardening show, Weathington noted. It’s also not unusual for the end result to be less-than-stellar. Sometimes even embarrassing. He aims to help change that.

    “The focus of my talk will give people the confidence to go out and create an amazing space, which I think everyone desires to have but very few know how to create,” said Weathington. “It’s important to go back to basic landscape elements and how you can use them to our advantage. Most of us need to learn some of the basics.

    “To me the greatest advantage of an outdoor room is the amount of time you spend outdoors. You are trying to increase the level of comfort because if it is really cold or hot, you won’t be out there long. What you are trying to do is reduce those harsh conditions and make it more pleasant, which is better.”

    And part of that, Weathington said, means getting it right the first time. “Be careful who you take advice from. Making mistakes can get really expensive and frustrating. I had a professor in grad school who talked about experiential quality – that is what a lot of outdoor spaces lack.”

    A seated lunch is set for 11:30 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Lunch is included in the $70 admission price. This is also the time to get in any last-minute bids for the auction, as it closes at 12:45 p.m. Local plant guru and horticultural expert Roger Mercer will speak briefly from 12:45-1 p.m.

    Mendez returns to present “Gardening Simplified: Plants and Design Solutions for Time-Pressed and Maturing Gardeners” from 1-2 p.m. This inspiring lecture provides easy- to-follow right-sizing strategies, recommended no-fuss plant material and design tips for stunning year-round gardens that will be as close to ‘autopilot’ as you can get. The lecture is based on Mendez’s book “The Right-Size Flower Garden.”

    “Gardening brings such pleasure to our heart and soul, and it is healthy for our heart and mind,” Mendez said. “The emotional, physical and spatial benefits of gardening at any size is so rewarding. I wish more people would not be intimidated by gardening. I wish they would get a pot and plant a seed and just try it. … It is so healing and beneficial.”

    There will be another break from 2-2:30 p.m. This is also when auction winners will be posted.

    The final presentation of the day runs from 2:30-3:30 p.m. and comes from  Lamp’l. Through video and award-winning photography, attendees will  meet fascinating people, see interesting places and learn about innovative ideas of people positively impacting their urban communities and beyond – all with a common thread of urban gardening.“We look to tell the stories of inspiring people doing great things for the planet through gardening,” said Lamp’l.

    “We look for those stories that are new to people — innovators, trendsetters or newsmakers. We set out for stories across the country and bring back footage and memories and turn it into a TV show. I am gonna take about 15 of those stories and share them with the audience with a focus on urban garden stories about people who don’t have a place to garden or know how to garden.” 

     This event is a fundraiser for to support local horticulture efforts and for scholarships for Fayetteville Technical Community College horticulture students.

     “We give two scholarships at $1,500,” said Cumberland County Master Gardener Spring Gardening Symposium Chairperson  Judy Dewar. “We also offer grants to teachers who offer horticulture classes. And we strive to find ways to educate our county residents.”

    Dewar added that this event is for every level of gardener – “There is something from the most adept gardener to the one who has never planted a seed.”  Search the symposium on Eventbrite to purchase tickets or for more details.

  • 11 the complete worksThe health of members in our community is important. Due to the spread of the coronavirus, as a precaution, several events have been cancelled throughout the community. Please call to confirm events. 

    Whether you are intrigued by slapstick comedies or you appreciate Shakespeare’s works, a merger of the Bard’s plays and hilarity will have you in stitches and on the edge of your seat. “The  Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged” will open at Gilbert Theater on March 27. 

    The play was one of the longest running plays in the West End, London’s theater district, ranking No. 20. It showed for nine years with more than 3,000 performances of the production. 

    Performing the show is a large feat. “It’s basically three guys who run through all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays in about an hour and forty-five minutes. As you can imagine, it tends to get a little silly,” Artistic Director Lawrence Carlisle III explains. 

    Wesley Wilburn, Chris Walker and Matt Gore make up the cast. Walker, aside from his acting resume in other cities, has performed in several plays at the Gilbert, including “The Laramie Project,” “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and “A Secret Garden.” Wilburn was in the Gilbert’s Glee program. This is his first lead role in a main stage show. He was in “It’s a Wonderful Life” two years ago. The show is Gore’s Gilbert debut, although he has performed in Goldsboro at the Neuse Little Theater and Theater in the Park in Raleigh. He’s been in shows with Center Stage Theater as well. 

    Due to the amount of Shakesperian ground to be covered in conjunction with a small cast, the production is zany and off-the-wall. 

    “The show is kind of meta in that they talk to the audience quite a bit,” Carlisle explains. “Each of the actors is playing a fictionalized version of themselves. When it was written, it was written by three guys and the characters are just their names. But then they go through each of Shakespeare’s plays with each of them playing multiple roles even if it’s only for a moment. Think Monty Python doing Shakespeare. It’s hysterical.”

    There is no real set to speak of. Most of the story is told through acting and quick costume changes.

    Carlisle looks forward to the community seeing the play because he feels that it fills an important need. “With everything going on in the world right now, I think maybe people need to take a break and just enjoy some silliness,” he said. 

    “We’ve been rehearsing close to three weeks, and I laugh every night at rehearsal and I’ve seen them doing it every day. They still manage to make me laugh.” 

    The show runs at the Gilbert Theater from March 27 to April 12. Tickets can be purchased online at https://www.gilberttheater.com/ or by calling 910-678-7186.

  • 20 01 Jared KaiserFew first-year coaches have a tougher act to follow than Terry Sanford girls’ soccer coach Jared Kaiser.

    After serving as an assistant with former head coach Karl Molnar, Kaiser steps into the head coaching job this year with an high bar to clear.

    For each of the last four seasons, the Terry Sanford girls won at least 20 matches per year while never suffering more than a single loss, all of those defeats coming in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state playoffs.

    No one appreciates that challenge more than Kaiser. But the good news is last year’s graduation didn’t leave the Terry Sanford cupboard short on experience for Kaiser’s first season in charge.

    “We’ve got a lot of returners, so that’s going to help out a lot,’’ he said.

    20 02 Maiya ParrousBut there will be some adjustments, for Kaiser and his players. Even though he worked with Molnar for multiple years and the two have similar coaching philosophies, some things will be different this season.

    “Little changes here and there,’’ he said. “The girls are getting used to it and we’re trying to keep the momentum going. Getting through this year with them and building for next year, too, is going to be a challenge.’’

    The key to success for Terry Sanford this year will be a solid base of about eight veteran players returning from last year’s team. The biggest returnees in terms of offensive productions are Maiya Parrous and Corrine Shovlain.

    Shovlain led all Cumberland County Schools soccer players with 111 points last season on a county-best 43 goals and 25 assists. Parrous 20 03 Corrine Shovlainwas third in the county in both categories with 34 goals and 19 assists for 87 points. 

    The top holes Kaiser has to fill are at goalkeeper, center midfielder and outside backs. He calls finding the replacements for those positions his top priority.

    The key to success, he feels, will be developing team chemistry as quickly as possible. In past years, he feels the Terry Sanford girls have been a cohesive unit. He hopes to keep that same personality for this season.

    Parrous agreed with Kaiser that team chemistry will be important for the Bulldogs. “Getting the freshmen used to all the new players, getting in our new positions,’’ she said. Parrous said the new players will be filling some key positions created by graduation losses.

    “The biggest part of the game is getting along with your teammates and being able to work well, which I think we will.’’

    Parrous thinks the Bulldogs have the potential to repeat their performance of recent years. “This is my last year playing high school soccer and I want us to do well,’’ she said. “I want it to be fun playing with these girls I’ve played with my whole life.’’

    Shovlain doesn’t feel Kaiser is making any changes of a major nature, and feels that’s helping with the transition.

    “I’m looking to score more goals and have more assists,’’ Shovlain said. “I think with the team behind me, we’ve got this as a team.’’

    There will be one big change for the team that everyone has to adjust to this season. Because work is still continuing on the Terry Sanford football stadium where the soccer team usually plays, it will be playing all of its home matches at John Daskal Stadium at Reid Ross Classical High School on Ramsey Street.

    “We’ve played there in the past and we know what we’re getting into,’’ Shovlain said. “The first couple of games we’ll have to figure it out, if the ball moves faster or slower.’’

    The biggest physical different between the Terry Sanford field and the one at Ross, according to Shovlain, is the Reid Ross field is a little narrower. Shovlain thinks the only phase of the game that will directly impact is corner kicks, making them shorter.

    Looking at the rest of the Patriot Athletic Conference, Kaiser said he’s expecting to get a challenge from Gray’s Creek. Last season the Bears tied Pine Forest for second in the league, both with 13-3 conference records. Overall the Bears were 16-4-1, losing in overtime to Clayton in the second round of the NCHSAA 3-A playoffs.

    “I’m definitely expecting something from Gray’s Creek,’’ Kaiser said. “They only lost two seniors last year.’’

    Pine Forest, which shared second with the Bears, finished 13-6 overall. The Trojans qualified for the NCHSAA 4-A playoffs and got a first-round bye as the top-finishing 4-A team in split Patriot Conference. They were eliminated in the second round of the state playoffs by Fuquay-Varina.

    Kaiser said the Trojans always provide decent competition. “From camp we saw quite a few younger players practicing for their team,’’ he said. “I’m looking forward to running into them more than anything.’’

    One problem that Molnar was unable to address and that Kaiser was unable to fix either was making Terry Sanford’s regular-season soccer schedule a bit tougher.

    The Bulldogs play 16 of their regular-season games against Patriot Athletic Conference opponents. Their only games against teams either outside the conference or Cumberland County are with Northwood and Union Pines. Northwood was 16-7-1 last season while Union Pines was 17-3-1.

    Photos from top to bottom: Jared Kaiser, Maiya Parrous, Corrine Shovlain

  •  03 N1902P59006CUp & Coming Weekly publisher Bill Bowman approached me almost 20 years ago about writing a regular column for U&CW, and I have been at it ever since. Having a forum for one’s thoughts, opinions, musings and storytelling is a great blessing, and I am grateful. Bill and I are longtime friends, and although we do not always agree on the issues I address, not once in nearly two decades has Bill asked me not to write something or censored a column with which he did not agree.

    Some readers, notably grammarians and other English language-loving sticklers, have showered me with laurels, and others, including people with tattoos, have firmly set me straight on why they inked their bodies as personal or cultural statements. Readers comment with some regularity, and I am always interested in feedback, whatever it may be. Most comments have been polite, even when the writers disagree with my take. Some criticism has come with an edge, which is fair game for writers in the public sector. Political columns often generate comment, both positive and negative, and having been around the political block a few times myself, I know how fortunate we are to live in a nation that protects free expression.

    Nevertheless, I was blindsided by the invective in this response to a column on presidential pardons. It is quoted exactly as it arrived in my inbox.

    “Ms Dickson is a liberal hypocrite of the most repulsive type. President Obama, according to Wikipedia, pardoned more criminals than the last 13 presidents combined, and 330 on his last day in office. Worst of all he pardoned that traitor bradley edward manning who should have been executed for treason..Why didn’t Obama’s pardons bother her? Because she talks out of both sides of her mouth as the hypocrite that she is. Lady, crawl back under your scummy rock and never put pen to paper again, disgusting.”

    Talking heads have been pontificating since roughly 2015 on the incivility that seems to have overtaken both public and private discourse in our nation. Walls of silence or wars of words break out among friends and family, creating breaches that will take a long time to heal — if they ever do. Partisan politicians who only a decade ago worked with each other are now afraid to be seen together lest their backers sense a weakening or — heaven forbid! — a compromise. 

    Not for a moment do I believe Donald Trump, with all his bluster, name-calling and weak relationship with truth, created our incivility singlehandedly. American politics has always been a blood sport and not for the faint of heart. I do think, though, Trump’s harsh words and behaviors have given permission to others, including the author of the email above, to mimic him. Trump has freed people to say things their mothers surely taught them are rude, crude and destructive. What is more, venomous language and behaviors have opened the door for increasingly hateful attitudes towards people perceived as “the other,” including increase incidents of hate crimes.

    Bill Bowman and I do agree on one of America’s most significant blessings. In these highly partisan and charged times, we are both profoundly grateful to live in the United States of America, where all of us have a Constitutional right to speak our minds. We also look forward to the day when our nation returns to one of civil discourse.

  • 12 PWC eventThe health of members in our community is important. Due to the spread of the coronavirus, as a precaution, several events have been cancelled throughout the community. Please call to confirm events. 

    On March 27 and 28, the Fayetteville Public Works Commission will host its most beloved yearly event. The 6th Annual Power & Water Conservation Expo is a free event focused on connecting with the community and teaching the public how to take care of their homes and the environment. 

    “We’re much more than just a power company or water company — we’re customer focused,” said Courtney Lucas, communications/community relations associate at PWC. That’s why the expo includes tote bags for the firsts 500 attendees and educational hands-on activities.

    PWC sets up displays with on-the-job tools, like transporters and tripods, for the public to interact with. The company will also hand out free LED lightbulbs, which are more energy efficient than standard lightbulbs.

    The expo will have all types of giveaways, Lucas said, including shower timers, dye tabs, tree seedlings and hose washers, which prevent leaks. “You can’t always hear a water leak, but that’s the biggest source of water waste at home,” said Lucas. Not only is a water leak problematic for homeowners, but it harms the environment as well.

    “We care about the environment because … our water comes from rivers. It’s really important that that water is as clean as possible, (so) we clean it way beyond BPA standards,” Lucas said.

    To encourage healthy home habits along with environmental friendliness, PWC will give out Fat Trappers and educate attendees on how to take care of pipes and drains. According to Lucas, fat trappers are plastic containers with bags inside that collect fat and oil and keeps it out of the drain. “Grease very quickly turns into a solid, and solid and drains are bad.”

    There will also be a Kids Korner with fun and educational activities, not to mention Kidsville News’ mascot Truman the dragon. “It’s important to start kids young (and) get them in the habit of doing things now,” said Lucas, referring to environmentally friendly practices like turning the water off when brushing your teeth. 

    Along with these child-friendly activities, PWC will present its new Community Solar project, which is the first municipal power program to open in North Carolina. Participants can subscribe to up to five panels out of 3,384, which provide shared renewable energy, without having to install solar panels in their own homes.

    A customer service table will be available if customers have questions about bills, HR purchasing, getting a job at PWC or doing business with PWC, and more. Several community partners will also participate this year, including The Salvation Army, Fayetteville Urban Ministry, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers and more.

    The entire community is encouraged to come out and connect with employees at PWC. “Come in, grab your free tote, meet people, make connections, learn more about what’s going on in your community, play with some toys,” Lucas said.

    PWC’s 6th Annual Power & Water Conservation Expo takes place March 27 from 12-9 p.m. and March 28 from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. at SkyView on Hay, 121 Hay St. Admission is free, but PWC asks that customers bring a nonperishable food item for Second Harvest Food Bank. Visit https://www.faypwc.com/pwcexpo to learn more.

  • 16 01 Jackson deaverTerry Sanford’s baseball team has won three consecutive conference titles and hasn’t lost a conference game for the last two seasons.

    But veteran head coach Sam Guy is looking at a much different landscape as he prepares his team for the 2020 season.

    Gone are most of the pitching stars from his 2019 team, including pitcher D.J. Herz, who was chosen by the Chicago Cubs in the Major League Baseball draft and is now pitching in the minor leagues.

    16 02 Sam GuyA core group of four seniors including Jackson Deaver, Dorian Clark, Tommy Cooney and Jack Cooney will form the nucleus of this year’s Bulldog team. After that, Guy said Terry Sanford will be counting on some inexperienced faces.

    “We will have a carousel of lineups depending on who is pitching,’’ Guy said. “We’re going to be really young on the mound.’’

    He said it’s likely instead of having a starter go five or six innings and a reliever taking the mound to wrap things up, many games will see the Bulldogs use as many as three pitchers.

    “There’s going to be a lot more trying to manufacture runs, trying to find the best nine that play the best together to carry us through,’’ he said.

    Guy’s biggest concern during the preseason has been the way the team is hitting the ball. “We’ve been missing too many fastballs and we can’t do that,’’ he said.
    That is why he’s counting heavily on Deaver to help lead an inexperienced lineup of hitters. Last season, Deaver was one of five .400 hitters for Terry Sanford, ending the season with a .418 batting average. He was second among players from Cumberland County Schools in RBI’s with 27. He had eight doubles and a triple.

    “He was a big run producer last year,’’ Guy said. Guy will use Deaver at three positions in the field, catcher, first base or third base, depending on who is pitching for Terry Sanford.

    Deaver, who was the defensive Player of the Year on last fall’s Patriot Athletic Conference All-Conference football team, said the weight training he does for football carries over to help him in baseball.

    “I definitely thinks that helps with my swing and my explosiveness,’’ he said. He also said the quickness football helps him develop are assets on defense, especially when he’s playing catcher or third base.

    While the Bulldog pitching staff will be young, Deaver thinks there is a lot of potential there.

    Cruise Herz is the younger brother of the departed D.J. Herz. Joining him will be Brady Gore, Cason Puczylowski and Tommy Cooney.

    “They are not going to throw 94 or 95 miles per hour like D.J.,  but they are going to get you the ground ball outs, the pop fly outs,’’ Deaver said. “They are more than capable of getting the strikeouts that we need.’’

    Deaver said the goals for both himself and the team are the same: win the regular season, the Bulldog Easter tournament and the state title.
    Terry Sanford’s annual Easter baseball tournament will be held April 11, 13-14.

    Competing teams in this year’s tournament in addition to the Bulldogs are Triton, Hobbton, Pittsboro Northwood, Apex Middle Creek, Western Harnett, East Bladen and Richmond Senior.

  • The last time Cape Fear didn’t win its conference regular-season title in softball was 2013.

    But since joining the 3-A Patriot Athletic Conference in 2018, the Colts have had a new rival nipping at their heels, Gray’s Creek.

    In that first season together, the only losses Gray’s Creek suffered in conference play were to the Colts. Last season, the teams split their regular-season meetings and shared the regular-season conference championship.

    But with Cape Fear losing 16 seniors over the past two years and Gray’s Creek returning some key veteran players, the Bears appear ready to contest the Colts’ string of league titles this spring.Here’s a closer look at both teams:

    Cape Fear

    Colt coach Jeff McPhail said his team is in a rebuilding mode after so many graduation losses over the last two seasons. “It’s going to be a learning experience for us this year,’’ he said. “The graduating thing caught up with us. We’re all eager to see what we can do this year with these young kids.’’

    Toni Blackwell is the most experienced Cape Fear pitcher returning. She was 3-0 last season with a 2.33 earned run average, striking out 38 batters in 21 innings.
    McPhail expects the leader of the pitching staff to be freshman Alexza Glemaker. “She’s been doing a good job throughout the fall and winter,’’ McPhail said of Glemaker, who transferred to Cape Fear from the South View district.

    The infield will also be dominated by youth, with freshmen scheduled to start at nearly every position.

    One of the most experienced players on the team is outfielder Morgan Nunnery, who has been with the Colts four years. She was around as a freshman the last time Cape Fear made the finals of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association softball playoffs.

    “She keeps everything together,’’ McPhail said of Nunnery. “She’s done a really good job in the classroom and the softball program.’’

    Nunnery, a slap hitter, batted a whopping .671 last season for Cape Fear. She led Cumberland County Schools with 55 hits, including nine doubles and one home run. She scored a county-best 49 runs and drove in 31.

    Nunnery said the rich tradition of softball at Cape Fear helps push each year’s players to do their best. “We’ve always been pretty big competitors in our conference,’’ she said. “We are here to represent. You have to play to the standard of Cape Fear softball.

    “It means a lot to wear the jersey, having the community behind you.’’

    With all the youth on this year’s team, Nunnery said it will be important to develop chemistry early and get to know each other.

    McPhail agrees. “For us to be competitive, we’ve got to know each other,’’ he said.

    Gray’s Creek

    With a veteran lineup returning, Bears’ head coach Stuart Gilmer hopes his team will be able to compete head-to-head with Cape Fear again this season.
    Heading the returners for the Bears is one of the best players in the county, Patriot Athletic Conference Player of the Year Jaden Pone.

    Pone led all hitters from Cumberland County Schools last season with a .700 batting average. She had seven doubles, six triples and six home runs while driving in a county-best 45 runs.

    Also back are Kylie Aldridge who hit .583, Morgan Brady who hit .489, Courtney Cygan who hit .446 and Becca Collins who batted .385. Collins, who plays first base, is the younger sister of former South View star Whitney Sirois Maxwell.

    Returning to lead the pitching corps is Madi Bagley, who was 6-2 last season with a 1.03 earned run average. She threw 54 innings and recorded 57 strikeouts.

    “Madi has a good fastball and likes to mix in some movement and a changeup now and then,’’ Gilmer said. “She does a good job of hitting
    her spots.’’

    Gilmer thinks offense is going to be critical for Gray’s Creek to win this season. “Hopefully, our bats can get us in positions early in games where we can get up and help us relax on defense,’’ he said. “We’ve got to be defensively sound. I tell them at practice every day, little things make big things happen. If we take care of little things defensively, big things could happen for us.’’

    While the Bears have experience on the field, there are only three seniors on the roster. One of them is Collins at first base.

    She thinks the team comes into the 2020 season with a positive attitude and a strong bond as teammates.

    Her top goal personally is to improve her reaction to different game situations. “They don’t always go as planned,’’ she said. “How we react to them sets the tone for the next play.’’

    While Cape Fear may be the team to beat for conference honors, Collins plans to respect every opponent on the schedule. “We need to think everyone is going to give us a run for our money,’’ she said.

    Gilmer is expecting plenty of competition from the traditional powers in the conference. “Cape Fear, South View, Pine Forest and Overhills should all give us a run for our money,’’ he said.
  • 12 Hope Mills Police DepartmentMoving consistently ranks as one of the most traumatizing experiences people have to negotiate. But if relocating to a new residence is a giant headache, imagine the challenges of going from one location to another while temporarily keeping both open for business.

    That is the chore Hope Mills police chief Joel Acciardo and his staff will be tackling in the weeks ahead as they vacate their home of some 30 years on Rockfish Road and relocate to temporary headquarters on South Main Street.

    This is part of the process to build the new public safety building on the current Rockfish Road property, which will eventually house both the police and fire departments when it’s done.

    The new building was going to be placed in front of the existing police and fire departments during the early planning  stages, but when Rockfish Road was expanded, that idea was ruled out as it had to be moved further back from the widened road.

    The fire department will lose some of its parking area but will still be able to function at its current location. The police department is headed for the former Ace Hardware building, where it expects to be located for as long as 24 months while the new building is under construction.

    Acciardo said the challenge for him and his staff is to complete the move in an orderly manner while still providing services to the town of Hope Mills without any gaps.
    Work on the interior of the temporary police headquarters is progressing, and the goal is for the entire department to be fully relocated by the end of March.

    “It’s going to be a phased move,’’ Acciardo said. “The first thing we are going to be shutting down is the front of the police department, where reception and records and all that stuff is.

    “That way, we can officially close this building and still have a location where the public can come, get reports and meet with officers.’’

    After that move is done, the most complicated part of the move will take place, transporting evidence to the new location. “You have to maintain complete control and a chain of custody,’’ Acciardo said.

    Because of security concerns, there will be no publicity as to when the actual evidence is being moved. Armed officers will accompany the evidence when it is moved. “It’s a little bit more complicated than having a moving company come in and load up some desks and filing cabinets,’’ Acciardo said. “It has to stay with the officers.’’

    Once the evidence is moved, the next stage will be to move the investigative division, followed by the administrative offices.

    Acciardo stressed the public will see no disruption in field services since those officers were hired to work outside the building in police cars.

    A moving company has been contracted to help with large items like desks and file cabinets, but all of the smaller things will be taken care of by Acciardo and his staff.
    The plan is to shut down the police headquarters as usual one Friday afternoon and conduct the initial move of the front office area over the course of the weekend, opening the portion of the temporary building where staff interacts with the public the following Monday.

    It’s during the process when the department is between buildings that problems are most likely to arise. Acciardo said it won’t be much different from moving to a new house and realizing when you arrive that something you need is still in a box at your former residence. “As with any move, there will be tweaking during the process to make it work right,’’ he said. Acciardo said measures are in place to address glitches.

    Just prior to the start of the move, Acciardo said a ceremony will be held to officially close the current police headquarters. “This facility served the public in Hope Mills for 30 years,’’ he said. “I think everyone got their money’s worth out of it.’’

    The current building is actually sitting in what will become the construction zone for the new building, so it will have to be demolished.

    “It’s a complicated move but it’s one we will get done,’’ Acciardo said. “The goal is not to disrupt any service the citizens are currently enjoying. That’s what we are all striving for.’’
     
  • 01 UAC031120001

  • 10 01 wedding 2 It’s common to hear of people “popping the question,” but what about pop-up weddings? They are an easy and convenient way to have a beautiful, heartfelt wedding ceremony without breaking the bank. Love is in season all year round, but with flowers in bloom, the Cape Fear Botanical Garden’s Pop-Up Wedding Day on March 21 is a beautiful day to say “I do.”

    In Fayetteville, reasonably priced venues that come with minimal planning are hard to come by. Aside from the courthouse wedding at the Register of Deeds office, marriages are performed by the magistrates at the Cumberland County Detention Center.

    “I had two friends who had each married an active-duty soldier before deployment, and both women had their wedding at the jail,” Sheila Hanrick, the director of marketing and events for CFBG said.”They both kept commenting on seeing inmates, not being allowed to have photos, etc. I wanted to provide an alternative environment.”

    The first pop-up wedding took place at the Garden Feb. 6 last year. Since then, the Garden has hosted three more Pop-Up Wedding Days. So far, 13 couples have gotten married on those dates, but the goal is for 15 couples to tie the knot in March.

    In 2018, heartofncweddings.com reported that the average wedding in the state of North Carolina cost a whopping $30,000. The hefty price tag combined with the time and stress that goes into coordinating all of the details that come with a wedding can be overwhelming for the bride, the groom, and their families and friends.

    10 02 wedding 3 The Garden alleviates those issues by offering a traditional ceremony while also touting affordable packages guaranteed to cut costs. For just $450, a pop-up wedding includes the venue, an officiant, chairs, decor in neutral tones by Debbie Bender Designs, up to 30 guests, not including the bride- and groom-to-be, and complimentary parking, as well as witnesses, should the couple need some. Additional add-ons include options for flowers from Johnson’s Florist, photography from LRP Media and a small cake from Marci’s Cakes and Bakes, to name a few. The add-ons range from $15 to $250.

    One benefit of registering for the Garden’s Pop-Up Wedding Day is that couples, their families and their friends can sit back and relax as some of the most stressful parts about planning a wedding are taken off their hands by the staff at the Garden and the vendors responsible for the add-ons. The wedding party just has to show up and go down the aisle.

    Debbie Bender has over 10 years of event planning experience and is excited to be on board for a second year for the joyous occasions. As someone who is active in the community as part of the Fayetteville Young Professionals and through her work with nonprofit organizations in the area, Bender prides herself on utilizing local vendors and small businesses in her decor.

    “We receive phone calls every day from brides and grooms-to-be who want a magical day but due to ‘life happening,’ not everyone has months, sometimes over a year, to plan the wedding of their dreams,” Bender said. “Being a part of the Pop-Up Weddings at CFBG provides us the privilege to be a part of their day, even in the simplest way.”
     To highlight the natural beauty of the garden, and to match everyone’s wedding, Bender uses fresh greenery and cream floral arrangements. Her company will also showcase its greenery moon gate, a classic wooden arbor and a triangle arbor.

    Fayetteville locals, or anyone who has been here more than a week or so, might have learned that the weather can change on a dime, and the last day any bride ever wants it to rain is at her wedding. But never fear — the Garden also has rain plans in place as well. The Garden offers the Orangery and the Pond Lawn as ceremony
    locations.

    The Cape Fear Botanical Garden is excited to offer its fresh take on expedient weddings once again. “(My favorite part) is providing the couple a memorable wedding in a beautiful setting without all of the stress and expense of the traditional wedding,” Hanrick said.

    Aside from pop-up wedding dates, the Garden accommodates wedding parties throughout the rest of the year as well. In fact, people can be wed almost 360 days of the year at the garden with a ceremony only package. Couples who are interested can contact the events department at 910-486-0221 ext. 29 or 39. The coordinators will discuss details and availability. The couple can also set an appointment to tour the grounds in advance.

    The next Pop-Up Wedding Day will be March 21 from 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. To learn more visit https://www.capefearbg.org/ or call the events department at 910-486-0221 ext. 39. 

    Photo credit to LRP Media. 
     
  • 13 McCrayDr. Kenjuana McCray made history when she became the first African-American woman elected to the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners last November.

    But it was a page from national history that helped inspire her to run for office, and make a promise to herself to keep that history alive in her own memories.

    Recently McCray made her second consecutive trip to Selma, Alabama, to revisit some of the most prominent sites connected with the American Civil Rights movement and the passage of the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act. The act, which was signed into law by President Lyndon Johnson, prohibited racial discrimination in voting.

    The event McCray participated in is called the Bridge Crossing Jubilee. It marked the 55th anniversary of Civil Rights marchers crossing the Edmund Pettus Bridge during a march in support of voting rights in 1965. During that crossing, now referred to as “Bloody Sunday," many of the marchers were brutally beaten by law enforcement officers.
    McCray not only visited the bridge, but also museums and other historic sites in the Selma, Tuskegee and Montgomery, Alabama, areas during her visit.

    She was most moved by the personal accounts of people who were invited back to speak who took part in the marches 55 years ago. “They bring in people that were foot soldiers in the movement,’’ McCray said. “You get to hear one-on-one stories about actual events that happened, things you don’t read in the history books.’’

    She also attended a special event at Tabernacle Baptist Church in Selma, the site of a famous meeting held by the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to conduct a planning session for the 1965 march.

    McCray said that after she attended the conference for the first time in 2019, she made up her mind to again run for public office in Hope Mills. “It was one of the things that helped me make my decision I was going to run again,’’ she said. She noted that people of different races were involved in that march 55 years ago, and that people of different races lost their lives in the struggle for civil rights in this country.

    “I have to continue to advocate for people to exercise their right to vote and how powerful that vote is,’’ McCray said. “It’s something I will continue to advocate while I’m in office and when I’m not in office. This trip helps remind me and puts everything into perspective.’’

    One important lesson she has learned from her visits to the Selma area is the power of people working together for a common cause. She noted names like King and Congressman John Lewis, along with many others who were at the forefront of the Civil Rights movement.

    “It was a collective group of people who helped do this,’’ she said. “It’s that whole idea of the power of what you can do if you work together and do things together.
    “There were a lot of people who worked together to make this thing happen.’’

  • 17 01 MarshaunDemarshaun Worley

    Gray’s Creek • Basketball/track • Senior

    Worley has a 4.25 grade point average. He’s an analyst for the Bears Sports Network. He is active in the New Light Church youth group. He has been a competitor and winner in his church’s oratorical contest. He is also a crew member at a local fast food restaurant.

    17 02 ChassieChassie Jacops

    Gray’s Creek • Volleyball/swimming • Junior

    Jacops has a 3.91 grade point average. She is a member of the Student Government Association, National Honor Society, Future Business Leaders of America and works at a local sandwich shop.

  • 04 01 Paratroopers passing in reviewThe U.S. has begun bringing troops home from Afghanistan. The plan is to reduce the U.S. troop presence to 8,600 within 135 days from March 1, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said.

    The 82nd Airborne Division’s 3rd Brigade Combat Team deployed to Afghanistan last summer. We were “eager and ready to work alongside our Afghan and coalition partners toward mission success in support of Operation Freedom’s Sentinel,” said Col. Art Sellers, commander of the 3rd Brigade.

    Esper directed Army Gen. Austin Scott Miller, commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, “to get moving” on drawing down U.S. forces from about 12,000 to 8,600 under the U.S.-Taliban peace accord.

    Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Mark Milley cautioned that the U.S.-Taliban agreement does not guarantee that “there’s going to be an absolute cessation of violence. To think it’s going to go to zero immediately — that is not going to be the case.” Milley added that the redeployment is an important step toward the eventual full withdrawal of U.S. forces, possibly within 14 months.

    The U.S. will be watching the actions of the Taliban closely to verify their commitment to the peace deal, Esper said.

    04 02 Robert Wilkie 2Fayetteville leader under investigation

    The U.S. Veterans Affairs Department’s inspector general has opened an investigation into allegations that Secretary Robert Wilkie tried to dig up dirt on an aide to a Congressman after she said she had been sexually assaulted at the VA’s Washington hospital. Wilkie is a Fayetteville native who grew up here.

    Inspector General Michael Missal told lawmakers on Capitol Hill that he has decided to conduct a full inquiry following a preliminary review of Wilkie’s conduct last fall. “This matter is a high priority for our office,” Missal wrote in letters to House Veterans Affairs Committee Chairman Mark Takano, D-Calif., and six senators led by Patty Murray, D-Wash., who joined the chairman in demanding an investigation.

    Wilkie has denied making inquiries about the woman, Andrea Goldstein. She serves as Takano’s senior policy adviser on female veteran issues. She is also an intelligence officer in the Navy Reserve, as Wilkie once was.

    Takano’s staff received information this month from a senior VA official that Wilkie worked to discredit Goldstein’s credibility after she reported that a man groped and propositioned her in the main lobby of the agency’s District of Columbia Medical Center. The American Legion, one of the largest veteran groups, took the unusual step of calling for an investigation into the Wilkie allegations, saying they “bring into question the ethical suitability of the leadership at VA’s highest levels.”

    Rabies vaccines available

    04 03 Rabies clincsFrom March 24 until April 16, rabies vaccination clinics for dogs and cats will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 4 to 6 p.m. Fourteen clinics at various local sites throughout the county are scheduled. The cost is $10 per animal. North Carolina law requires that the owner of every dog and cat over four months of age shall have the animal vaccinated against rabies.

    In Cumberland County, the owners of dogs and cats that have not been vaccinated are subject to a civil penalty of $100. To remain immunized, a dog or cat must receive two rabies vaccinations one year apart, then one vaccination every three years after that. “Keeping your pets up to date on their rabies vaccinations will prevent them from acquiring the disease from wildlife and thereby prevent possible transmission to your family or other people,” said Environmental Health Director Adrian Jones.

    For information on rabies site locations, call the Environmental Health Division of the Cumberland County Public Health Department at 910-433-3600 or Animal Control at 910-321-6852.

    Emergency field exercise

    04 04 train derailedCumberland County Emergency Services will take part in a disaster preparedness exercise with other local agencies March 11 at the Cargill plant, located at 1754 River Rd. in Eastover. The exercise will center on a staged transportation-related hazardous materials incident and involve emergency responders who will be evaluated during the exercise. The goal is to better prepare for potential incidents that could pose a threat to the community.

    “It’s about getting better and being as prepared as possible for anything that can occur on a moment’s notice,” said Gene Booth, Cumberland County emergency services director. “We appreciate the opportunity to be able to offer this real-world training scenario to these responders and to evaluate what we did and make improvements where we find the opportunity to do so.”

    The exercise will take place from 9 a.m. to noon and is funded by a hazardous materials emergency preparedness grant.  Cumberland County applied for the grant through its Local Emergency Planning Committee. In addition to Cumberland County Emergency Services, agencies involved include the Fayetteville Fire Department, Regional Response Team #3; Cape Fear Valley Health System; Hepaco, Eastover Fire Department; and Fort Bragg Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives team.
     
    Mid-Carolina Senior Games

    04 05 senior gamesTalented athletes and artists, 50 years of age and older are invited to participate in the 34th annual Mid-Carolina Senior Games for fun, fellowship and fitness. March 18 is the registration deadline. To register, call Tracy Honeycutt at 910-321-4191, extension 27, or email thoneycutt@mccog.org.

    Athletic contests include basketball, softball toss, badminton, table tennis, bowling, bocce, discus, shuffleboard and many more. Nonathletic silver arts events include painting, drawing, photography, sewing, needlework, woodwork, essay writing and poetry. Volunteers also are needed to help at the games.
  • 06 allie smith rQ5Ysu8zo5s unsplashCoronavirus is a common virus that can infect your nose, sinuses or upper throat. It spreads much like cold viruses. Most coronaviruses are not dangerous, but some are. After a December 2019 outbreak in China, the World Health Organization identified a new type of coronavirus, which can be fatal. The outbreak of COVID-19 quickly moved from China around the world. It spreads the same way other coronaviruses do, through person-to-person contact.

    The symptoms of coronavirus are similar to other upper respiratory infections, including runny nose, coughing, sore throat, and sometimes a fever. In most cases, you won’t know whether you have a coronavirus or a cold. You could get lab tests, including nose and throat cultures and blood work, to find out whether a coronavirus caused the cold, but there’s no reason to. The test results wouldn’t change how you treat your symptoms, which typically go away in a few days. If coronavirus infection spreads to the lower respiratory tract, it can cause pneumonia, especially in older people, people with heart disease or people with weakened immune systems.

    The Cumberland County Department of Public Health is working closely with the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services as well as regional and local partners to prepare for the possibility of COVID-19 infections in the state. There are no confirmed COVID-19 cases in North Carolina.

    “We are prepared to quickly identify, monitor and respond to cases if they arise,” said Dr. Jennifer Green, Cumberland County health director. “We are in regular communication with Fort Bragg, Fayetteville Regional Airport, local healthcare providers, local schools and institutions of higher learning to monitor COVID-19 information and briefings,” she said.

    Our health department’s senior leadership and epidemiology teams take part in weekly calls with North Carolina’s Department of Health & Human Services about status updates and guidance. Cumberland County is working with other health departments in the region and Fort Bragg to conduct exercises in the event of an outbreak. Health officials recommend that everyone take precautions to protect themselves and others from the spread of respiratory illnesses. They encourage individuals, families, institutions and agencies to take routine precautions:

    Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

    Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.

    Encourage employees and visitors to get annual flu shots. Use tissues when sneezing, coughing or blowing your nose and discard the tissues after one use.

    Clean common surfaces such as doorknobs, light switches and keyboards.

    Employees should not return to work until they have been fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicine, even if they feel better.

    People experiencing symptoms such as a fever, cough or shortness of breath and have visited China or had close contact with someone who is suspected of having COVID-19 should seek immediate medical attention. Before you go to the doctor’s office or emergency room, call ahead and report your symptoms and recent travel history. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend everyone six or older get flu vaccines each season. The vaccine is available at the Health Department’s Immunization Clinic at 1235 Ramsey St. The North Carolina Division of Public Health has established a call line at 1-866-462-3821 to address general questions.

  • 14 Theodore SchwammGray’s Creek High School senior Theodore Schwamm recently joined an elite group of high school students in the United States. He’s one of  15,000 national finalists for the elite National Merit scholarship.

    Shana Matthews, who counsels the academically and intellectually gifted students at the schools, said Schwamm is the first National Merit finalist from Gray’s Creek in her four years at the school.

    “The scholarship is a nice incentive, a nice bonus, for someone like Theodore who has put in a lot of effort and devoted a lot of time,’’ Matthews said.

    A Fayetteville native, Schwamm said his primary interests are vocal music and theater. He plays the piano and is also a handbell player in his church choir.

    Even if he’s not ultimately named a winner in the National Merit competition, just being a finalist makes him a potential candidate for other college scholarship offers.

    Schwamm said a number of colleges have already offered him full scholarships, but he’s currently not considering those because they are from schools he doesn’t consider a good fit for his interests.

    He’s officially applied to four colleges. They include his top two picks, Williams in Massachusetts and Kenyon in Ohio. Others he has applied to are Roanoke in Virginia and the University of Chicago.

    Of the four, he’s already been accepted at Roanoke and is expecting word back soon from the other three.

    Schwamm said the main draw for him at all four schools was their liberal arts atmosphere and the flexibility and interdisciplinary approach they take to education.

    As far as what he plans to study is concerned, Schwamm isn’t sure if he’ll continue with music and theater or turn his attention to physics and mathematics. “I may combine them in some way,’’ he said.

    He’s interested in the connection between the arts and sciences and why they have so much in common. “Einstein would often say he’d play the violin while working through physics problems,’’ Schwamm said. “A lot of scientists say if they were not professional scientists, they would be artists.’’

    Schwamm is currently involved with the Gray’s Creek High School production of the Broadway musical "Newsies." Performances are scheduled March 20-21 at 7 p.m., with a matinee on March 22 at 4 p.m. Admission is $10.

    In recent years, Schwamm has changed his philosophy about his education and realizes balance is an important part of the process.

    “Certainly I could spend time endlessly looking at calculus problems,’’ he said. “There comes a time you need to recognize moving away from it and doing something else will ultimately be more valuable.’’

    Toward that end, he plans to spend his final summer before college at home with family.

    “I plan to sleep without an alarm many days and do a lot of reading,’’ he said.

  • 03 IMG 0739The media refers to COVID-19 as the novel Coronavirus. Being of a certain vintage, I recall when polio was big back in the 1950s. Before Dr. Jonas Salk invented his vaccine, life was a bit dicey. People had yellow “Quarantine” signs on their doors. Swimming pools and movie theaters were closed to keep large groups of people from congregating and sharing polio.

     Polio was apolitical. Coronavirus is highly partisan. This may not be an improvement. We have kindly epidemiologist Dr. Mike Pence in charge of keeping us safe from the Democratic hoax that is COVID-19. At the time of submitting this writer’s blotch, Dear Leader’s cure for COVID-19 is happy talk taken with daily swigs of Doc Trump’s 101 Proof Snake Oil. This not only cures Corona but also headaches, neuralgia, cough, cold, gout, hiccups, gonorrhea, diphtheria, mumps, whooping cough and even Bowden’s Malady. That’s strong medicine. If we can hold out until April, the COVID-19 will vanish into outer space, leaving the survivors strong, healthy and perky as all get out.
    Perhaps we can figure out how this story ends by looking at how literature dealt with plagues.

    Stephen King wrote an entire novel about evil influenza in his book “The Stand.” The Cooties in “The Stand” were called Captain Trips. Captain Trips spread like gossip at a church social. Captain Trips began in an Army lab for biological warfare. Naturally, a boo-boo allowed the virus to escape into the general population, wiping out 99% of Americans. An unpleasant guy named Randall Flagg, who may be the Devil, was hanging out in Las Vegas, Nevada, with plans to take over what was left of the world. 
    Edgar Allen Poe dealt with plague cooties in his short story, “The Masque of the Red Death.” The quarantine in this story is voluntary by Prince Prospero, who figures the best way to ride out the Red Death is holing up in his castle with a bunch of his buddies. The Red Death is wiping out the countryside. The castle walls keep out the sick peasants while Spero and his buddies are partying down. They figure they are safe. The poor folks outside are dropping like flies, but as Marie Antoinette almost said, “The poor have no vaccines, let them drink snake oil.”

    Spero puts on a fancy masked ball for the lucky 1% inside the castle. Suddenly, a guest shows up wearing a red mask and dressed in a burial shroud. This puts a damper on the festivities. Spero decides to kill the intruder. Spero chases down the party pooper but falls dead himself when he touches the masked man. It turns out the wet blanket is actually the Red Death. The revelers try to high tail it out but they all die from the plague because they are locked in. Poe leaves us with the happy thought: “And Darkness and Decay and the Red Death held illimitable dominion over all.”

    Not to leave you with too bleak an outlook, allow me to suggest you buy a bunch of comic books. Turn to the inside back cover where you will find a full-page ad for treasure chest of fun products. Order them now because when the Walmarts are closed, it will be difficult to find things to amuse you or to eat. Imagine the hours of fun you can have during quarantine with such products as X-Ray specs that let you see under the clothes of your lady friends. Onion flavored gum is a laugh riot. Joy hand buzzers and a skinhead wig will make you the life of the quarantine. The magic voice throwing ventriloquist whistle will let your voice appear to come out of the giant pile of tuna cans you hoarded. Learn to hypnotize your friends into thinking they are giant chickens. The list goes on.

    Wash your hands. It’s gonna be a bumpy flight.
     

  • Update: Due to the spread of COVID-19, as a precaution, the Community Roundtable has been cancelled. 

    Mayor Jackie Warner has probably survived two of the most turbulent years of her political life. Like the persistent and ingenious Don Quixote, she took up her lance and, along with her faithful friend and sidekick Sancho Panza, better known as Commissioner Pat Edwards, they challenged the unscrupulous and formidable windmill that was stifling Hope Mills’ growth and tainting its image. Warner’s lance of perseverance scattered the windmill’s four sinister sails of nastiness, gossip, innuendo and fake news, allowing truth, honesty and integrity to triumph over greed, selfishness and small-town pettiness.

    Now comes the celebration, and with it, well-deserved municipal progress and responsible leadership now sitting at the dais of authority, leaders that collectively have the same positive vision for the future of Hope Mills and its residents. Cooperation now seems imminent in the town, and that is the vital element
    for success.

    The March 19 Community Roundtable will be hosted by Up & Coming Weekly community newspaper, Harmony at Hope Mills and the town of Hope Mills from 6:30-9 p.m. Members of our Cumberland County legislative delegation will be on hand. They have recently demonstrated remarkable cooperation on significant issues by coming together and setting aside their political affiliations to address local issues that affect all residents — like the situation we now face with GenX.

    People over politics. We hear that phrase a lot around election time. However, how often do we experience it? You will experience it March 19 when Sen. Kirk deViere, D-District 19; State Rep. John Szoka, R-District 45; District 44 Democratic State Rep. Billy Richardson; and Cumberland County Commissioner Michael Boose come together to speak on important issues that affect all of us. Local town updates will be provided by Hope Mills Town Manager Melissa Adams and Mayor Jackie Warner. Elizabeth Blevins, president of the Hope Mills Creative Arts Council, will discuss Hope Mills’ emerging arts and cultural programs. The evening will be fun, entertaining and informative with plenty of prizes and surprises. Mark your calendars to attend. It will be great fun.
     

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly, Hope Mills’ community newspaper.
     
     
     
  • 08 Friends of the NRAThe Cape Fear Friends of National Rifle Association will host the Annual Banquet and Auction Saturday, March 14, at 4 p.m. at Paradise Acres Event Center, 1965 John McMillan Rd., Hope Mills. There will be a raffle, auction and, of course, great food.

    “We are family friendy,” said Tony Forte, committee chairmen. “We are apolitical. Our issue is putting funds into programs that keep shooting sports safe and renewable.”
    Friends of NRA is the fundraising program under the NRA Foundation. Cumberland and Harnett counties provide a grassroots effort to ensure the future of safe, responsible firearms ownership and participation in shooting sports. The event also helps raise money, in particular, for funding youth safety programs in eastern North Carolina. The organization hosts youth competitions, training and safety courses and provides scholarships to help ensure the future of shooting sports for America’s young people.  

    “Some of the things that excite me is we have more and more success locally with programs,” said Forte. “The Eddy Eagle gun safety program teaches that guns are not toys and that kids should ‘Stop. Don’t touch, Run away and tell an adult.’  I am excited to see what the Fayetteville Police Department is doing with Eddie Eagle and Operation Ceasefire. We support those programs. We support 4-H, sharpshooter clubs, the scouts. You name the group, and if they are eligible to receive a nonprofit grant, we do everything we can to ensure — if they mmeet the requirements — that we get them something. Last year, we had  $750,000 in grant requests. We were able to support $250,000. The demand for educatioon and safety programs is insatiable.”

    The Friends of NRA was founded in 1992, and the Cumberland and Harnett Committee started in 1994. Over the years, this one committee has paid out more than $ 1 million in North Carolina.
    The Friends of NRA provides a united front to secure the Second Amendment and raise money for the shooting sports. Across the country, more than 13,000 volunteers work tirelessly to make these events happen with the generosity of attendees and donors who support their efforts.

    “We are a zero sum charity,” said Forte. Eeverything we bring in goes back as grants. We are all volunteers. The committee tries to limit our overhead to less than 1%.”
    There is something for everyone at a Friends of NRA event. From the moment you walk in, the atmosphere is brimming with excitement, and they will make sure you have a good time. Not to mention all the great people you’ll meet in the process.

    Forte added that the auction items include several firearms, and other items like luggage and outdoor equipment.

    “If you are serious about youth safety and firearms,” said Forte. “Outside the political arena, there’s one known resource to
    get that done, and it is the NRA foundation.”

     Contact Tony Forte at 254-289-9738, Jerry Parsek at 910-309-9755 or Don Talbot at 910-977-7776 for more information. Purchase tickets online at https://www.friendsofnra.org/eventtickets/Events/Details/34?eventId=57226, or visit the  Facebook page, “Cape Fear Friends of NRA.” The group also has a sponsorship and underwriting program. Donations are always welcomed and are tax-deductible.

  • 09 lip syncDue to the spread of COVID-19, as a precaution, the Ultimate Lip Sync Showdown has been postponed. The new date is June 20. The location and time remain the same (Crown Ballroom, 6 p.m. Social Hour & 7 p.m. Show Time). For patrons who purchased tickets for the March 21 show, you may use the same tickets for the June 20 show. There is no need to exchange them for new tickets. For patrons who purchased tickets but are unable to use their tickets for the June 20 show and who wish to receive a refund, please follow these instructions:

    • If tickets were purchased online, you may call the Crown Center box office at 910438-4100 to be refunded electronically. Tickets will be refunded in the manner in which they were paid.
    • If tickets were purchased in person at the Crown Center box office, you must go to the box office for a refund and present a valid ID. Tickets will be refunded in the manner in which they were paid.
    • Requests for refunds must be made by May 1, 2020.

    Sponsors who received tickets as part of their sponsor benefits will be contacted directly by the CAC.

    It’s a safe to wager that most people have spent some time lip syncing to their favorite jams. Whether it’s when a catchy song plays on the radio or a tune worth foot-tapping for plays in a movie, some bops are hard not to mouth the words to. In Fayetteville’s Ultimate Lip Sync Showdown, which will take place March 21 at 6 p.m. in the Crown Ballroom,  local organizations and individuals take their best lip sync routines to the stage and go head-to-head for a great cause.

    The event’s proceeds make up about 20% of the annual budget for the Child Advocacy Center, the nonprofit charitable organization that puts on the event. The CAC serves the community in a variety of ways, with outreach programs, child abuse awareness campaigns, teaching programs, and of sex-trafficking awareness initiatives, to name a few. In the fiscal year of 2019, the CAC served 730 children.

     Julia Adkins, who is the chair of Fayetteville’s Ultimate Lip Sync Showdown, projects that the upcoming event will, as it always is, be a huge success. “This is our 4th year,” Adkins said, “In the past 3 years, we’ve raised $30,000 each year. The Showdown is on track to be another sellout show, and we are excited — truly blessed.”

    This year, there are 14 acts. The organizers of the event invited competitors from years past to compete again, but new contenders will be ready to face off as well. Among the competitors, law enforcement, schools, healthcare professionals and local businesses are represented.

    Last year, the winning group performed a song from “The Greatest Showman.” This year, Adkins said a variety of popular hits include songs by Cher, Lizzo, Ike and Tina Turner and the Backstreet Boys.

    While the primary purpose of participating in the Ultimate Lip Sync Showdown is supporting the CAC, contenders are also competing for the Top Fundraiser, People’s Choice Award, Best Choreography, Best Costume and the highest of the honors, Fayetteville’s Ultimate Lip Sync Stars. Trophies and plaques are awarded to the winners.
     The judges are Toni King, Tim Edwards, Victoria Hardin and Bill Bowman. The emcees are Michael Brash and Taylor Morgan.

    “My favorite part is being able to watch the crowd’s reaction, who are giving up their time, coming together for such a great cause, and that’s for the children,” Adkins said.
    Another feature of the event is the raffle. The prizes are a 55-inch TV, an iPad and a “weekend getaway in the ‘ville,” which covers a hotel stay and gift certificates to local businesses for a perfect “staycation.” Tickets are $5 or five for $20.

     Hors d’oeuvres, desserts and cocktails are provided by Blue Pineapple, Burney’s, Caruso Confections, Dairy Queen, Freddy’s and Rosalia’s. The green room is provided by Chick-fil-a.

    Adkins admires the generosity of the competitors. “They give up their time and their money,” Adkins said. “They don’t care if they don’t win. They just want to support a great cause.”

    The Ultimate Lip Sync Showdown is March 21 at 6 p.m. Tickets are still available at the  Cape Fear Tix website. While tickets will be sold at the door if they are available, they have been sold out in years past, and Adkins recommends that tickets are purchased in advance.

  • 05 2020 primary resultsUpset victories are not unusual in local elections. This month’s primaries resulted in an outcome few observers anticipated. Longtime State Rep. Elmer Floyd, D-Cumberland, was defeated by political newcomer Kimberly Hardy, an instructor at Fayetteville State University. Floyd has represented Cumberland County House District 43 for 12 years. Before getting involved in local politics, Floyd was director of Fayetteville’s Human Relations Department. Hardy came to Fayetteville four years ago to accept a post as an assistant professor of social work at Fayetteville State.

    Hardy will face former Republican Cumberland County Commissioner Diane Wheatley in the November general election. Wheatley defeated Clarence W. Goins Jr. She has also served on the Cumberland County Board of Education. The realigned 43rd legislative district covers all of Cumberland County east of the Cape Fear River, the Linden area and precincts in eastern, central and southern Fayetteville.

    In the local 44th House District race, incumbent Rep. Billy Richardson, D-Cumberland, won his primary election bid, defeating Terry Johnson with 52% of the vote. Under recent redistricting, the 44th District covers much of central Fayetteville and the west side to the Hoke County line.

    Francis Jackson won the Democratic nomination in the 45th District and will face incumbent John Szoka, R-Cumberland, in November. Jackson is a professor at Fayetteville Technical Community College and a 25-year resident of Hope Mills.

    The only one of Cumberland County’s 10 District Court judges up for election this year, Lou Olivera, won his reelection bid with nearly 64% of the votes cast. Olivera has served on the bench since 2012 and beat local attorney Brenee Orozco. Olivera is unopposed in November. Olivera is the only combat military veteran in Cumberland County’s district court system.

    Former state legislator Cal Cunningham won Cumberland County in the statewide U.S. Senate Democratic primary, beating four other candidates. He faces first-term Senator Thom Tillis, R-NC, on Nov. 3. Incumbent Cumberland County commissioners.

    Michael Boose and Jimmy Keefe won the Republican primary for the three District 2 seats up for election this year. Ron Ross won the third spot. They will face County Commission Chairman Marshall Faircloth and Democrats Karla Icaza De Austin and Toni Stewart in the general election. District 2 covers the eastern and southwestern sections of Cumberland County and is the so-called majority residential district. District 1 was created as a mostly minority district with two seats. The other two positions on the county board are elected at large.

    Sixty-four-and-a-half percent of North Carolina’s eligible voters went to the polls. That is 13th best of the 50 states.   The highest voter turnout was in the state of Minnesota, where 74.10% of eligible residents voted in the presidential election. The state with the next highest voter turnout was New Hampshire, where over 71% of the eligible population showed up at the polls. Maine and Colorado were also at the top of the list for highest voter turnout. When it comes to the lowest voter turnout, Hawaii ranked last with a turnout of just 42.3%.

  • 11 Woman in technologyThere is much discussion about women in technology — or the lack of women in technology.  Currently women make up 47% of the labor market; however, women make up only 25% of all technology jobs. In big tech companies, such as Google, Amazon, Apple and Microsoft, women make up only 20-23% of technology jobs. There are several reasons why this might be and the issue can be addressed.

    The Women Tech Council, a national organization for women in technology of which I am a member, published a study in May of 2019 explaining the issues currently facing this employment gap and offered some solutions to help get more women involved in technology. It seems that the gap begins in high school and college. Although women are outpacing their counterparts in obtaining bachelor’s and master’s degrees, only about 33% of women are pursing technology once they leave high school. After graduation, the gap widens. Only 38% of those women who graduate go on to pursue a technology career, as compared to over 58% of their male counterparts with the same technology degree. And once in their field, attrition rates for women in technology is 30% higher than nontechnology jobs.

    What might a company do to try to recruit and retain more women in technology? WTC finds that companies with more women in senior management positions promote a workplace that is inclusive for all women, including technology. The corporate culture — especially in technology companies — has a tremendous effect on the retention of its workforce. The more inclusive the environment, the higher employee retention. Therefore, recruiting more women into the company in general is necessary. Secondly, providing support and resources to those recruits to lead and guide them into leadership positions is recommended. Lastly, allowing those senior managers to create an inclusive culture is necessary.

    How might we inspire more girls and women into technology at a younger age? We now understand that we first have to inspire women into the technology field at a younger age to increase the number of women who study technology in college. At Fayetteville Technical Community College , we take this challenge seriously, and in 2019, a committee was formed to address recruitment of women into our technology programs. This committee hosted several “Women in Technology” seminars that included guest speakers from local companies. These women discussed their jobs and careers and answered questions from the audience at the end of their presentations. We also hosted a live webinar given by CISCO Systems (Women Rock IT) that featured two women in the technology field. These seminars have helped increase our female enrollment by 10% for the 2019-2020 academic year.  Also, the Systems Security and Analysis department is working with middle and high schools to promote technology and cyber security fields. On Feb. 21, we held our annual Cyber Girls Days — a partnership with Cumberland County Schools — to have middle school girls spend the morning with our faculty in hands-on workshops where various cyber tools and fields available were explained. Our department at FTCC is also partnering with Terry Sandford High School to host a CyberPatriot Summer Camp during the week of June 8-12.  We continue to work to bridge the gap, but at FTCC, we actively support women in technology and encourage women to pursue this exciting field. Learn more about the many academic options available in the field of Computer Technology at FTCC by visiting faytechcc.edu or contact me at woodd@faytechcc.edu. ;
     
  • 07 Murder for TWo Everybody loves a good mystery!

    Let me clue you in on a great way to spend a remarkable evening, or perhaps a Saturday or Sunday matinee, March 5-22. A sold-out house had a great time this past Thursday night at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, from 7:30- 9 p.m., trying to solve a musical murder mystery. Inside, we were all warm, comfortable, giggly, awestruck and, at times, laughingly flabbergasted.

    “Murder for Two,” directed by Laura Josepher and starring Trace Pool and Ben Miller, suited everyone’s sense of humor, from the youngest to the oldest person. Josepher and the CFRT creative team made sure the actors, script, props, set design, costumes and lighting set the perfect artistic tone.

    Who would have thought that weather, murder, mystery, music and a cast of two could have pulled off this “whodunit” with such ease, comedy, endurance, enthusiasm, energy, grace and style?

    The plot of this knee-slapping play takes place in a remote New England mansion and centers on a murder that happens during a birthday party. Trace Pool plays investigator Marcus Moscowitz, who is in charge of the case, and Ben Miller plays several different characters who are persons-of-interest for the murder. The suspects include the murder victim’s wife Dahlia, ballerina Barrette Lewis (my personal favorite), psychiatrist Dr. Griff, neighbors Murray and Barb Flandon, three young choir boys, and the mysterious “Perfect Partner” for investigator Moscowitz, who always abides by perfect protocol. Since there are both male and female suspects, Miller and Pool tested their entire physical, vocal and visual prowess to pull off very skillful and challenging performances.

     Watching Miller and Pool play off each other in such an easygoing, no-nonsense style was delightful. They seemed to be able to read each other’s minds, movements and mannerisms, which were essential to pulling the audience into their every line, every animation and every laugh. The audience was included in the set of the play and even participated in one scene.

    When questioned about what they liked best and least, the audience said much the same “the ease, the professionalism, the antics, the singing, the piano playing were the best.” Least enjoyed, mentioned only by men, was “the mental concentration it took to stay in each moment,” but they admitted it was worth it in the end.

    Writing this review was a first for me. Then it came to me that I do not usually agree with movie, song or play critics. For me, it is all about pure entertainment, what it makes me think or feel, what gives me joy and pleasure, what makes me sad or cry. So, for my first play review, I just went with what felt good to me and made me smile, and what I saw made others smile as well — and that, folks is entertainment.

  • 03 01 WeinsteinHollywood movie mogul Harvey Weinstein’s historic convictions in New York last week on charges of sexual assault and rape continue to resonate among women across the United States and in other nations as well. It is the latest in a string of high-profile cases in which powerful men either lost their top-tier positions and attendant mega salaries or were convicted of sexual offenses or both. Think Bill Cosby, Roger Ailes, Bill O’Reilly, Les Moonves, Matt Lauer and on and on and on. Weinstein’s convictions add more fuel to the raging fire of the #MeToo movement, birthed by women no longer willing to tolerate sexual misconduct and assault in their workplaces.

    Make no mistake.

    It takes serious courage for victims of such behavior to come forward. They rightly fear loss of employment, maybe even loss of a whole career. Some fear for their physical safety. Some fear what others — family, friends, people they do not know — will say. “You should not have gone to his hotel room,” “your dress was too short,” “you had too much to drink,” “you wanted your job too badly.”

    In addition, psychological professionals acknowledge the reality of “survivor’s  guilt” for sexual misconduct victims and others who have been abused in some way. “What did I do to cause this?” “Why did I keep quiet for two days, two months, two years, 20 years?” “Why did I remain in some sort of work or personal relationship with my abuser?”  
    We will never know how many women continue to struggle with, and quietly endure, such conduct. What we do know is that what #MeToo has made breathtakingly clear is that “no” means exactly that — regardless of the context in which it is said. The New York District Attorney in Weinstein’s cases put it this way. “Rape is rape, whether it is committed by a stranger in a dark alley or by an intimate partner in a relationship. … This is the new landscape for sexual assault survivors in America.”
      
    My guess is that Harvey Weinstein and other serial abusers wish they had learned that truth long before their well-deserved falls from the heights of money and power.

             ********************

    03 02 debateA longtime neighbor, a true Southern lady, would have described last week’s Democratic debate as a “pluperfect mess.” She would have been right. A debate, it was not. A shouting match, it was, leaving CBS anchors Norah O’Donall and Gayle King at their wits’ end as they struggled to moderate the chaos and control the hollering candidates. Democrats, both candidates and voters, need to get a grip on all this sooner, not later. I can think of two words that might light a fire under Democrats to stop shouting and come together.

    George McGovern.
     
      ********************
    03 03 N1905P66005CHere is what North Carolina voters told pollsters from Elon University and several newspapers across our state just before North Carolina’s maiden voyage into Super Tuesday.

    The deep and acrimonious political divide in our country is affecting our everyday lives. Two-thirds of us say partisan divisions make our lives uncomfortable at times.
    Most of us support voter IDs at the polls.

    Health issues loom large with most of us giving the U.S. health care system a grade of C.

    Beneath that, more than three-fourths of us are satisfied with our health insurance.

    At the same time, we say that government should be more involved with paying for health care.

    Less than half of us believe our economy has improved since Donald Trump assumed the presidency.

    More than two-thirds of us believe that finding housing is difficult for families earning less than $50,000 a year, and there is overwhelming
    support for raising our state’s and our nation’s minimum wage.

    It will be interesting to see if and how these professed opinions play out in voting booths all across our state.
  • 11 01 Organizers of shoppingDue to the spread of COVID-19, as a precaution, The Carolina Spring Show has been cancelled.

     

    Spring arrives early in Fayetteville with the advent of The Carolina Spring Show and Miss Carolina Spring pageant March 14 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. at the Crown Ballroom. The budding event brings shopping, entertainment, food, fun, prizes and pageantry to chase the doldrums of winter away.

    Women’s View Magazine, The Fayetteville Observer and Dream Girl Events proudly present the inaugural expo created by event co-owners and Fayetteville businesswomen Marie Rudolph and Donna Meixsell. Friends for over 20 years, the pair founded Dream Girl Events LLC in August 2019 to express their shared vision for the celebration, empowerment, personal growth and development of and for women.

    The third in a series of events from the company this year, The Carolina Spring Show and Miss Carolina Spring pageant, is their hallmark happening and promises, according to Meixsell, “good, clean family fun and an event to make Fayetteville proud.”

    Meixsell shared her goals for what she and Rudolph hope will become an annual occurrence.

    “We’re inviting the best of Fayetteville and bringing the best to Fayetteville, all in one convenient location for a fabulous day of shopping with a variety of vendors for both men and women. The pageant will be going on throughout the day with onstage entertainment in between competitions for everyone’s viewing enjoyment. We encourage all to come out to support the community, local businesses and our young pageant contestants in what is shaping up as a phenomenal spring experience.”

    11 02 spring show shoppersThe Carolina Spring Show has a great line-up of retail vendors, with the list growing daily.

    Attendees can visit booths for wine tasting, clothing, jewelry, makeup, skincare, home decor, custom gifts, photography, designer jewelry, crafts and more.

    Pageant purveyors will be on-site, featuring dresses, shoes and custom pageant apparel as well as bridal and formal attire. To bring on the bling, visit the custom costume jewelry booth of MHR Designs of Fayetteville, owned by Rudolph for the last 28 years. Uniquely hand designed with crystals from Swarovski® Crystal America, MHR pieces have been worn by TV personalities, local, state and national pageant contestants, as well as lovers of exquisite jewelry from all over.

    Food choices include selections from Village Coffee House, Firehouse Subs, Rock of Ages Winery and food trucks. A man cave area will give male attendees a hangout space if they shop ‘til they drop. No fair, say you, females? No worries, anyone can crash in the cave.

    The Carolina Spring Pageant takes center stage in the Crown Ballroom from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Categories include seven age groups: Baby Miss, birth-23 months; Wee Miss, 2-3 years; Tiny Miss, 4-6 years; Little Miss, 7-9 years; Young Miss, 10-12 years; Teen Miss, 13-15 years; and Miss, 16-19 years. Their age determines a contestant’s age group on the day of the pageant.

    Picture 1:Donna Meixsell (left) and Marie Rudolph (right) founded Dream Girl Events, LLC in Aug. 2019 to express their shared vision for the celebration, empowerment, personal growth and development of and for women.

    Contestants will be judged in a party or pageant dress of choice, in the categories of physical appearance, poise, stage presence and behavior. One winner from each age category will be crowned at the event, receiving a title, crown, trophy and swag bag of goodies.

    Rudolph — MHR owner, designer and sponsor for the Miss North Carolina and Miss America Outstanding Teen pageants, and business partner Meixsell — a former Miss Fayetteville Dogwood, previous pageant system owner and teacher turned present-day senior sales director with MaryKay Cosmetics — are no strangers to the stage. Rather than buy a franchise, the pair decided to combine their talents and create a new pageant brand.

    “Some people have the wrong perception of pageants due to TV and reality shows like “Toddlers and Tiaras,” explained Rudolph. “Such shows are not realistic and to the extreme. Meanwhile, other real pageants have had controversies. We want to show the positive side of the pageant world. We desire to help our contestants feel good about themselves and learn to compete in a good, healthy way, and having had a good experience and fun.”

    “Pageants can be a great way to pay for college,” Meixsell continued. “The titles I earned helped me to pay my college costs, and I was not a girl who grew up doing pageants. It is important to us to help young women and girls become the best version of themselves possible.”

    Between pageants, the fun continues with door prizes and local musicians and dance troupes providing onstage entertainment. Another highlight is the 50/50 raffle opportunity benefiting the nonprofit Fisher House Foundation, with tickets available for purchase at the event door.

    Building homes where military and veterans families can stay free of charge while a loved one is in the hospital, FHF provides a hotel alternative and place of respite very close to the hospital or treatment facility. Located at military and Veterans Affairs medical centers around the world, the program saves military and veterans’ families time, money and stress during what is often the most stressful of situations: a health crisis. The Fisher House Foundation has saved military families an estimated $451 million in out of pocket costs for lodging and transportation to date.

    “We are both military wives with husbands retired from service,” said Rudolph. “We feel a strong commitment to the military community and are happy to have this opportunity to support The Fisher House Foundation at Ft. Bragg.”

    Previous projects for Dream Girl Events in the past year were the Friday Night Live Fantasy Fashion Show event and Shop ‘til You Drop Christmas Expo. The successful events return this year on Sept. 18 and Nov. 21, respectively.

    For more information on The Carolina Spring Show and the Miss Carolina Spring Pageant, visit  https://www.dreamgirlevents.com/. Tickets are $6, available on the website or at the Crown box office. Event admission is free for patrons with military identification.

    So, put the cold, wet winter days behind you and a spring in your step this March 14. Grab some friends and head to The Carolina Spring Show for a fun Saturday of shopping and supporting youth, local businesses and a great cause.

  • 14 01 teen cert gradsIt’s taken Melode Dickerson nearly 14 months to get a Teen Community Emergency Response Team going in Cumberland County, but once things fell into place, the idea took off like a ballistic missile.

    Dickerson, who has been active for years in the Cumberland Emergency Response Teamm program locally in Hope Mills, first trotted out the idea of involving teenagers in their own CERT program around December of 2018. For whatever reason, response was slow to the idea and Dickerson was never able to get it launched successfully.
    Undaunted, she continued to promote the overall mission of CERT, which is devoted to training citizen volunteers in disaster preparedness and helping people in crisis situations. She continued her dream of introducing teenagers to the program. “We go everywhere,’’ she said of her mission to educate Cumberland County on what CERT is all about.

    14 02 Fire StationThe Teen CERT idea got a huge boost when Dickerson was contacted by Moisbiell Alvarez, deputy chief of community preparedness for the Fayetteville Fire Department. Like Dickerson, Alvarez was interested in getting a Teen CERT program  organized.

    “We had done a lot of stuff with them and they wanted to be involved,’’ Dickerson said of the Fayetteville Fire Department.

    Dickerson was glad to welcome the assistance. “Cumberland County Emergency Management is still our sponsor,’’ Dickerson said, “but we are supported by the Fayetteville Fire Department.’’

    This past weekend, the first class of teen volunteers for the CERT program underwent training during a weekendlong series of classes held at Fayetteville Fire Station 12 at 307 Hope Mills Road.

    Only 24 people can attend a class because of space limitations at the station. Originally, Dickerson had a full complement of 24 students, but only 21 were able to attend the initial weekend of classes. The class sessions were from 6-10 p.m. on Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

    Dickerson said the basic message of the classes is how to be prepared and how to help lend assistance to victims in a variety of disaster situations.

    “They learn basic medical and how to put out a small fire,’’ Dickerson said. They got hands-on training in the firefighting role by putting out small controlled fires set in the fire station parking lot.

    The training goes far behind first aid and firefighting, Dickerson said. There are sections on dealing with basic terrorism. A new session includes how to react to reports of an active shooter. There is also basic search and rescue training.

    In addition to getting valuable training that they can use as a life skill, Dickerson said taking part in Teen CERT training can help the students earn volunteer hours for any number of projects that may be required by various school-related clubs and other organizations.

    Once they complete the training, students receive a certificate recognizing what they’ve accomplished. The state of North Carolina keeps a record of the number of volunteers trained, Dickerson said.

    Marc Baker Jr., a freshman at Pine Forest High School, was one of the participants in the first Teen CERT graduating class.

    A member of the band at Pine Forest, Baker said he decided to get involved with Teen CERT because he wanted to do something to benefit the community.
    “First aid is something I want to get into,’’ Baker said. “I feel it’s important because we need future doctors, future first responders.

    “I feel like this class could really put us on the course for that.’’

    Currently, Dickerson said she’s recruiting students in grades 9-12 for work with Teen CERT. She already has a class scheduled for a group of Girl Scouts.

    The next open training session for Teen CERT is scheduled for June 12-14. There is already a waiting list for that class. Dickerson suggests any teens that are interested should apply as quickly as possible to capefearcert@gmail.com.

    Students themselves can submit the application but parents are also invited to make applications for their children if they are interested in
    the program.

    The email should include the applicant’s name, address and phone number, so they can be registered.

    For people who can’t commit to coming to training sessions on a Saturday and Sunday, Dickerson said she could work with interested groups of teen volunteers and work out an alternate date for the class if there is a large enough group interested in attending. Contact Dickerson at the same email address if interested.

    Dickerson said she welcomes contact from churches or adults as well as teens to hold special class sessions for CERT or Teen CERT if enough people are interested.
    She also does presentations on the basic mission of CERT, but since the Teen CERT program has taken off her time has been monopolized in coordinating the sessions associated with that program.

    “We do have a presentation we can show that we have put together,’’ she said. “Maybe after this class, things will be a little slower.’’

  • 04 N1405P66004CWe have come to a point in America where the overwhelming majority of politicians will say whatever they conclude will get them elected. The responsibility for this condition is not limited to politicians. Much of the blame rests with citizens.

    A Google search for malleable yields this definition: “(of a metal or other material) able to be hammered or pressed permanently out of shape without breaking or cracking.” That is a reasonable characterization of the vast majority of American politicians. There are some exceptions, but they are few and far between. A prime example of how this malleable condition plays out with American politicians shows through in Mike Bloomberg’s response to outrage regarding his support for stop-and-frisk during his three terms as mayor of New York (2002-2013).

    A Google search for “Stop-and-Frisk New York” gives this information: “‘Stop, question and frisk’ is an NYPD policy wherein police will detain and question pedestrians, and potentially search them, if they have a ‘reasonable suspicion’ that the pedestrian in question ‘committed, is committing, or is about to commit a felony or a Penal Law misdemeanor.’” This policy was substantially employed by New York police during the time that Rudy Giuliani was mayor of the city (1994-2001). Crime in the city had started a very noticeable decline, beginning in 1991. The decline escalated during the Giuliani era. In great part, he credited stop-and-frisk for that decline. There are those who adamantly disagree with Giuliani’s assessment.

    Giuliani was mayor throughout most of the 1990s and the following is from an article titled, “What Reduced Crime in New York City”, on the National Bureau of Economic Research website:

    During the 1990s, crime rates in New York City dropped dramatically, even more than in the United States as a whole. Violent crime declined by more than 56 percent in the City, compared to about 28 percent in the nation as whole. Property crimes tumbled by about 65 percent, but fell only 26 percent nationally.

    Bloomberg followed Giuliani as mayor and continued the policy over the course of his 12 years. Crime rates kept falling. However, many more stops were made on an annual basis than had been the case under Giuliani. This from an article titled “Stop and frisk gets renewed attention in Bloomberg candidacy’” by Regina Garcia Cano and Jennifer Peltz, appearing February 16, 2020:

    The New York Police Department began increasing its emphasis on stop and frisk in the mid-1990s, when Republican Rudy Giuliani was mayor. But stops soared under Bloomberg – who held office as a Republican and later an independent — rising from about 97,000 stops in 2002 to a high of about 685,000 in 2011. There were fewer than 13,500 stops last year, according to NYPD data.

    Over 80% of the people stopped during the surge of stop and frisk were black or Latino.

    The surge in stops under Bloomberg, and the continued high percentage of those stopped being black or Latino, generated strong opposition to the program. Recognizing the depth of opposition, when Bloomberg was moving toward announcing his run for the presidency, he started apologizing for his support of stop-and-frisk. His first stop was a predominately African American mega church in Brooklyn, New York. This from an article by Devan Cole and Cristina Alesci titled “‘I was wrong’: Bloomberg sorry for ‘Stop and Frisk’ in about-face apology ahead of potential presidential bid”:

    “Now hindsight is 20/20. But as crime continued to come down as we reduced stops and as it continued to come down during the next administration to its credit, I now see that we could and should have acted sooner. And acted faster to cut the stops. I wish we had. And I’m sorry that we didn’t,” Bloomberg said.

    “But I can’t change history, however today I want you to know that I realize back then I was wrong and I’m sorry.”

    In the months since his apology before that congregation, Bloomberg has repeatedly apologized in several settings. The fact of life is that, to be elected president, any Democrat will need to substantially win the black vote in the primaries and general election. Given the impact of stop-and-frisk on blacks, Bloomberg needs to separate from his 12 year full-throated support of the program. That full-throated support shows through in a recently released recording of Bloomberg talking about the why and how of it. This from an article by Julia Musto titled “Trump: Bloomberg’s ‘stop and frisk’ policy sparked a ‘revolution’ in NYC, Giuliani was a ‘far better’ mayor”:

    “Ninety-five percent of murders- murderers and murder victims fit one M.O. You can just take a description, Xerox it, and pass it out to all the cops,” he said. “They are male, minorities, 16-25. That’s true in New York, that’s true in virtually every city (inaudible). And that’s where the real crime is. You’ve got to get the guns out of the hands of people that are getting killed.”

    Bloomberg also said urban crime-fighting required cities to “spend the money” and “put a lot of cops in the streets,” particularly in “minority neighborhoods,” where he said the crime is. He also acknowledged the “unintended consequences” of the policy.

    “So one of the unintended consequences is people say, ‘Oh my God, you are arresting kids for marijuana that are all minorities.’ Yes, that’s true. Why? Because we put all the cops in minority neighborhoods,” Bloomberg is heard saying on the recording. “Yes, that’s true. Why do we do it? Because that’s where all the crime is. And the way you get the guns out of the kids’ hands is to throw them up against the wall and frisk them... And then they start... ‘Oh I don’t want to get caught.’ So they don’t bring the gun. They still have a gun, but they leave it at home.”

    I would contend that the quote above reflects Bloomberg’s strongly held position regarding stop-and-frisk. However, now that he is running for president, he proves malleable and does what the vast majority of politicians do; abandons a strongly held position even when there is a reasonable argument for the position that is being abandoned. Without doubt, the way Bloomberg said what is reported above is inflammatory, offensive, and deserving of a bunch of other negative labels. However, there is some sense to be made of his core points.

    Let the record be clear: I cannot think of a scenario where I would vote for Bloomberg for any office…definitely not for president of this country. The challenge is to put that aside and honestly consider the facts of what he says: Crime is highest in minority neighborhoods; police should be more concentrated in high crime areas; male minorities commit crimes at an alarming rate; crime in New York did decrease substantially with stop-and-frisk in place; the possibility of unintended consequences should not automatically prevent taking an action.

    Faced with an election-threatening public response, most politicians do what Bloomberg is doing regarding stop-and-frisk. They give in to the public will; no matter that there is substance and reason in the politician’s position regarding an issue. The public’s contribution to this response from politicians is that, in general, Americans no longer deal well with hearing and processing any truth that does not fit with their desires or personal self-interest. That’s why we have deficits and debt out of control, a Social Security System going broke, a health care system in shambles, illegal immigration flourishing, a Congress that is impotent…and that is just for starters.

    We better find a lot more politicians with common sense and a backbone; while we, at the same time, find what it takes to deal with uncomfortable truth.

  • 12 concertIn a recent conversation with songwriter Mark Hall of Casting Crowns, we laughed over the irate response to their first single to Christian radio back in 2003. The song was, “If We Are The Body,” which asks us — the church — if we are collectively here as the hands, the feet, the heart of Jesus, why are we not reaching, touching and going to everyone, everywhere?

    Within weeks of the time the song played in Fayetteville at WCLN, we received a call from a missionary home on sabbatical who asked, “Who is this band, and what gives them the right to level this sort of judgment?”

    No more an affront to Christians than saying “We need to clean up this city” to a town council, the song was as much a surprise to the band as a first radio single as anyone else. During our phone call, the man who penned the song commented that the record label made the decision, and that they realized the band would be coming out swinging.

    Casting Crowns, after nearly 20 years of Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, Grammy nominations and No. 1 songs stacked as high as one could hope, are bringing their unique sound — now a staple of Christian radio and playlists far and wide — to the Crown Theatre on Saturday, March 14.
    Lead man Mark Hall and his wife, Melanie, still serve as youth workers at their home church in south Atlanta, and they only do so many dates per year — always ending up back home for their weekly gatherings on Sunday.

    Casting Crowns began as the student worship band that Hall formed while he was serving at First Baptist Daytona Beach in 1999. Since then, they have moved their home base to Georgia, amassed a string of chart-topping songs and albums and developed a musical following others merely dream of.

    The “Only Jesus” Tour features another songwriter who also brings his share of radio hits and accolades to the table. Matthew West, who came on the scene about the same time as Casting Crowns has scored numerous top 10 singles and was the 2018 Gospel Music Association Songwriter of the Year.

    The performance at the Crown is March 14 at 7 p.m. Visit www.crowncomplexnc.com/events/ to buy tickets.
     
  • 07 christi07 na wocintechchat com 0Nfqp0WiJqc unsplashThe city of Fayetteville’s Economic and Community Development Department has an idea to encourage residents to get involved in local government. Community Voices is a training program designed to empower residents to become leaders in their communities. The program is cosponsored by North Carolina A&T State University’s Cooperative Extension Program and N.C. State University’s cooperative extension program. The local program takes place Thursday, March 26, from 6-8 p.m. at the Arts Council headquarters on Hay Street.

    Participants will learn how a group can make a difference working together and how to connect to resources that can help reach a shared vision. They will also learn about systematic problem-solving methods to help address community issues and needs. The city says the project is an effort to help community citizens come together to build the future for their families and the community. The main goal is to develop skilled groups of leaders who can work together, problem solve and work as partners with resource people to carry out initiatives that will meet the needs and concerns of their community.

    Fayetteville City Councilwoman Tisha Waddell has become an advocate for citizens working together, often imploring residents who attend council meetings to get involved. Her vision as shown in her official biography “is one of inclusion for all citizens, working together toward safe, productive neighborhoods with support resources for both seniors and youth alike.”

    City council and county commission members will concede nothing gets their collective attention more than groups of residents who turn out at official meetings to advocate for their neighborhoods.

    A recent controversy over a proposed prison inmate re-entry halfway house resulted in several dozen citizens showing up at a public meeting objecting to the plan. Observers believed city officials would table the proposal because of the public concern. Surprisingly, the city council decided to deny the project. The Community Voices concept is not a new one, but it is new to the Fayetteville area. It is designed to develop leaders at the grassroots level by encouraging uninvolved citizens and organizations to develop skills to solve problems in their communities. Participants can expect to develop an underlying philosophy and belief that the group can make a difference if members work together and have a shared vision of what they want to achieve as a group.

    Participants will learn about systematic problem-solving methods to help members address community issues and needs and develop an organizational structure to continue working on the group vision. They will develop skills to structure group organizations to continue working together as a community on the municipal and county levels after the training is completed. They will engage in a series of learning experiences and then analyze those experiences to see how they apply to life situations. Community Voices and its companion program, Voices Reaching Vision, were created by Cooperative Extension at N.C. A&T with a grant from the W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

  • 09 Murder for two There is nothing I like better than a good mystery. A “whodunit” novel, a thrilling Lifetime TV movie, a Hallmark movie mystery, or an Angela Lansbury “Murder She Wrote” storyline will tantalize most anyone’s taste buds. And who doesn’t love to laugh and have fun along my life’s way? “Murder for Two,” an off-Broadway hit, has come to Cape Fear Regional Theatre, March 5-22. This play offers everything to everyone. Music, mystery, laughter and fun are just a few of the things awaiting audiences. There will also be a surprise or two, promising to enhance your theater experience. Previewed in New York in 2013 and later in Houston, Texas, this music and mystery collaboration was authored by Joe Kinosian who wrote the book and music and Kellen Blair who wrote the book and lyrics.

    Usually, the characteristics of any good mystery include “who,” “what,” “when” and “where” to create the storyline. The New York and Houston productions are important to note because they brought together two incredible musicians and actors by the name of Trace Pool and Ben Miller — the who of our production. Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting these polished and experienced actors who are handsome, delightful, yet unassuming as they describe the challenging roles they will soon recreate onstage at CFRT. Pool and Miller take their roles seriously and see them as an empowering way to stretch their creativity.

    However, Pool balances his role well when he describes it as “zany acting while playing other crazy antics at the same time.”

    Miler balances his thoughts about his role in much the same way while looking at it as “an Agatha Christie meets the Marx Brothers spoof.”

    One of these guys will play the investigator and one plays the other 13 roles. Both will play the piano while acting as well.

    New Yorker Laura Josepher, the director, is the “what” of this rib-tickling musical mystery and has the experience, fun and flexible personality that will blend together the actors’ talents, the storyline, the music, the staging and the set costuming that it will take to orchestrate and present this new and innovative style of theater to Fayetteville.
    This 90 minutes of fast-paced comedy is designed to put a smile on the face of all those who attend. The When of “Murder for Two” runs March 5-22, with special events March 5, Wine & Beer Tasting; March 6, Clue Night; March 7, Opening Night Reception; and March 12, Dueling Pianos, with all times from 6:45 – 7:15 p.m.
    The “where” of this madcap adventure will be the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, 1209 Hay Street, Fayetteville. 

  •  10 walk a while in her shoesRape Crisis of Cumberland County presents the 10th annual “Walk Awhile in Her Shoes” event Friday, March 13, at 7 p.m. at The Capitol Building on Hay Street in downtown Fayetteville.

     “This is the 10th year of our fundraising event, and the purpose is to bring awareness to sexual assault in our community,” said Deanne Gerdes, executive director of Rape Crisis of Cumberland County. 

    “There will be men standing up against sexual assault, and we have lots of victims who will be out there witnessing it. That is huge for us.”

    Rape Crisis of Cumberland County is an invaluable resource for victims of domestic violence. “Last year we had 672 victims of sexual assault in Cumberland County, and we provide services from a crisis hotline, responding to the emergency room, responding to law enforcement and going to court,” said Gerdes. “If the victim chooses not to report anything, we will support that decision as well.”

     Gerdes added the organization hosts support groups and provides individual counseling and lots of other resources. All of their services are free, and they are not contingent of this report. “A big reason why we are so confidential is because active duty soldiers who choose not to get services on Fort Bragg can come down here,” said Gerdes. “We don’t charge any insurance companies, to include Tricare, and we do that specifically to keep them 100% confidential so that they are comfortable and there is no paper trail.”

     Another important role that Rape Crisis of Cumberland County has is to assist with sexual assault cold cases. “We do cold cases, too, so we are part of the Fayetteville Police Department’s cold case unit,” said Gerdes. “We have an advocate that handles all of our backlog issues that we had in Cumberland County and we have an advocate that advocates for those victims as well.

     “We are part of the SAKI grant and we make the notifications to the victim about the status of their rape kit,” said Gerdes. “It could be tested, some of them were disposed of years ago, there may be a DNA match. … It just depends what that rape kit looks like.”

    Walk Awhile in Her Shoes is a couple of blocks and will begin at The Capitol Building and end at Segra Stadium. Men will wear red, high-heeled shoes as they walk. It’s a light-hearted way to make a positive impact for a serious cause.

    Participants can rent shoes from Rape Crisis, but they are not required to participate. “We actually do have a high heel shoe up to size 15 for men to wear, but we also have men who support the event and don’t wear the high heels, and we are fine with that,” said Gerdes. “God bless our military with their bad knees and their bad backs and someone like that who is uncomfortable. We appreciate their efforts of walking in the event,” said Gerdes.

     Gerdes recommends preregistering to make sure they have the man’s shoe size on hand. “We sure would like to see Bill Bowman in some red high heels on this 10th Anniversary fundraiser,” said Gerdes.

     Registration begins at 6 p.m. The cost is $25. For more information call 910-485-7273.

  • 15 Wrestlers groupBack in the late 1960s, veteran character Walter Brennan starred in a short-lived television Western series called “The Sons of Will Sonnet.’’

    Though the show lasted only two seasons, Brennan uttered a line describing his talents with a gun that has lingered through the years. It was only four words:
    "No brag, just fact.’’

    In wrapping up the high school wrestling accomplishments of himself and his Cape Fear teammates the last four seasons, three-time state champion Heath Wilson uttered a statement that borrowed from Brennan’s line, and is hard to argue with.

    “We’ve been the most successful athletic program at Cape Fear, even in Cumberland County, since I got to Cape Fear,’’ Wilson said.

    He pointed to the last four years that saw the Colts bring home at least two individual state wrestling champions each of those years. Three of the eight state titles Cape Fear won were his, the last one coming just over a week ago when he dominated the 3-A 145-pound weight class in the state tournament in Greensboro to win his title.

    He was not alone and teammate Nick Minacapelli had a similarly dominating effort en route to taking the 220-pound championship, erasing the disappointment of finishing third the season before.

    For Wilson, one of the biggest obstacles he had to deal with all season was the pressure of chasing a third state title after winning as a sophomore and junior. But Wilson said the pressure to win the second straight championship last year was tougher than the pressure he faced this season.

    “Butterflies are normally a routine for me,’’ Dallas said. “Don’t get me wrong, they were there. I knew what I had to do, and I got the job done.’’

    Heath Wilson, Dallas’ father and head coach, said the seeds for his son’s string of titles were sown during Dallas’ freshman year, when he came up short in his first bid for a state championship.

    Heath scored a lopsided win earlier in the season over the wrestler who would win the state title in his weight class. But he eventually suffered from what his dad calls “sticker shock."
     
    “They get in there, look at the lights, look up in the stands,’’ Heath said. “There’s not a whole lot that don’t get wide-eyed.’’ He finished third in the 4-A East Regional tournament that year and lost in the quarterfinals of the state tournament, failing to place in the top six in his weight class that year.

    That experience was all Dallas needed to correct the problem. “He blames it on his mental toughness,’’ Heath said. “After that, he decided he was going to fix it.’’
    Dallas said he would lie in bed at night and convince himself that no matter who stepped on the mat to face him, he was going to win.

    His final record for this season was 48-2, but those two losses were not against any living opponent. After he felt a sharp pain in his knee during a late-season tournament, he elected not to compete, to save himself for the upcoming run to the state finals.

    It got him two losses via injury default. “I was being safe and I took the right path,’’ he said.

    It showed in his dominance in the state tournament. None of his four matches went the distance. He defeated two of his opponents by pin. The other two, including his state finals match, were by technical fall, both matches stopped because he had gotten so far ahead in total points.

    Now that his high school career is over, Dallas is pointing to college, where he has yet to make a final decision. He’s got an official visit to North Carolina State coming up. The University of North Carolina talked to him after the semifinals of the state tournament, and he also has Campbell University on his mind.

    “Everything is still up in the air,’’ he said. “I want to take my time.’’

    So does his teammate, Minacapelli, who has scholarship offers in both football and wrestling.

    Like Dallas, Minacapelli was motivated to do better this year after a disappointing finish last season.

    “It definitely inspired me to work way harder,’’ he said after a third-place finish in 2019. “I felt like I didn’t leave it all on the mat last year. I had to prove myself. I had a chip on my shoulder.’’

    He made up for it by wrestling more aggressively this season, taking more shots and no longer relying on defense to win matches. “Now I rely on offense,’’ he said. “I could definitely see improvement.’’

    It clearly showed in the state finals. Of his four wins, three were by pin, one in just 32 seconds and only one of his three wins by pin extending to the third period. The fourth win was a major decision, 16-8.

    He said he was “super nervous” going into his finals match and could hear his heart beating in his chest. He quickly overcame that problem by scoring five points in the first period and taking command of an opponent he would eventually pin for the title.

    “Everything went away and I knew I had the win,’’ he said.

    It was not only a win for Minacapelli, it was the final high school wrestling match as coach for Heath Wilson, who told his team before the season that he was going to step down after 15 years at Cape Fear as both an assistant and head coach. A wrestler himself at the school, Heath Wilson was also a Cape Fear state champion.

    “We had some great kids at Cape Fear,’’ Wilson said. “To read a kid and be able to figure out how he’s motivated is a passion of mine. You’ve got to really figure out what buttons to push and what buttons not to push because you’ll run them out of the room.’’

    But the biggest thrill, obviously, was getting to coach his son to three state titles.

    “It was the best of both worlds, as father and coach,’’ Heath said. “Both the good and the bad, that experience is indescribable.’’

  • 06 01 super tuesday logoOnly two states had more Democratic delegates at stake than North Carolina in yesterday’s Democratic presidential primary. North Carolina has 122 delegates at the summer convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With 14 states competing yesterday, along with American Samoa and Democrats abroad, a third of all the convention delegates were determined. Only California, with nearly 500, and Texas, with 261, had more up for grabs on Super Tuesday than North Carolina. And regardless of the Tar Heel Primary outcome, so-called automatic delegates — once known as super-delegates — can support whomever they want. “As much as people will say it’s confusing and arcane, it is — I won’t argue about that,” said Josh Putnam, a Wilmington-based political scientist who tracks the delegate selection process. “but it’s a system that has tended to work.” Unlike long-ago, Democratic primaries are no longer winner-take-all. Delegates are apportioned in two ways — statewide and by congressional district. In North Carolina, 38 delegates will be awarded proportionately based on statewide results. If a candidate gets 50% of the statewide vote, they get 50% of the statewide delegates. But there’s a catch: a candidate must get 15% of the statewide vote to qualify for any delegates. There were 15 Democrats on the presidential ballot in North Carolina; seven were no longer in the race. But their votes will count. That potentially could dilute the numbers for other candidates, making it harder to reach the 15% threshold.

    06 02 jeremy perkins 7FOSJVtUtac unsplashInmate re-entry institution

    Fayetteville City Council late last month rejected a request from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to build a 100-room halfway house for federal prison inmates whose terms of incarceration are ending. Council voted 5-4 to deny a special use permit for the property in the 900 block of Cain Road. Fourth District Councilman D.J. Haire made the motion, which was seconded by 2nd District Councilmember Tisha Waddell to refuse the request, saying the private contractor had failed to satisfy the criteria for a permit. Residential re-entry centers, also known as halfway houses, provide a structured, supervised environment as well as employment counseling, job placement, financial management assistance and other services.

    According to City Clerk Pamela Magill, 23 residents signed up to object. Mayor Mitch Colvin ended the lengthy comments from residents after an hour and asked council to consider a solution. Following an awkward moment of silence, Haire made the motion to deny. The property in question is located in Haire’s district.

    06 03 Taurean JohnsonTriple murder case cleared

    Bladen County sheriff’s investigators have charged a Clarkton man accused in a triple murder. Taurean Reshaul Johnson, 36, turned himself in a day after the shooting incidents, the sheriff’s office said.  He is charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, sheriff’s officials posted on the department’s Facebook page. Clarkton is about 50 miles south of Fayetteville. Johnson is accused of entering a home on Tina Lane, off N.C. 211 in Clarkton, and shooting several people. The home is in a mobile home park in a rural area northeast of town. Three people — Catrice Lacole Murchison, 30; Ronnie Lebert Kelly, 27; and Guy Lennon Barden Jr., 60,  were killed. An as yet unnamed 69-year-old woman survived. All four people are believed to have lived at the home, deputies said.

    06 04 marcus neto gioH4gHo0 g unsplashSummer concert series announced

    A six-month summer series of riverside concerts gets underway in April. Rock’n On the River will feature vintage rock ’n roll tribute bands. The events will be staged the third Friday evening of each month from April through September, presented by Healy Wholesale and Up & Coming Weekly. The concerts will be held at Campbellton Landing on the east side of the Person Street bridge. Performers will include Mostly Crue, a tribute band of Mötley Crüe, which will perform April 17.

    Beer, drinks and food sales start at 5:30 p.m. Shows begin at 6 p.m. Coolers and other containers are not allowed. No pets are permitted other than service animals. Sponsoring partners include 96.5 BOB-FM, Sandy’s Automotive, The Care Clinic, Deep Creek Grill, Boose Law Firm and Nobles Pound Financial Planning. Additional bands will include Trial by Fire; Bad, Inc.; North Tower; Heartbreaker; Tuesday’s Gone and Rivermist. Visit https://www.facebook.com/Rockn-On-The-River-271048666818630/ for details about the concert series.

    06 05 Military ChildcarePrioritizing military kids

    A new policy on improving child development centers on military installations is expected to be issued soon by defense officials, said Defense Secretary Mark Esper. He didn’t elaborate on the new policy, which he mentioned during remarks to troops and families this month at U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.
    “This is a family business,” he said, regardless of which branch of service. He noted that families are an important part of sustaining a service member’s career, whether it’s three years or 20 years.

    “It’s difficult to find quality, affordable childcare outside the gate,” said Patty Barron, director of family readiness for the Association of the U.S. Army. For years, military leaders have said the common thread they hear when visiting service members is the unavailability of affordable childcare. Child development centers are known nationally for their quality, and parents’ fees are subsidized by taxpayer dollars to make the care more affordable for military families.

    Picture 3: Taurean Johnson 
     
  • 13 01 Becca CollinsNo one can accuse the officers of the Gray’s Creek chapter of the National Honor Society of cutting corners when it comes to community service projects. Just ask Becca Collins, a Gray’s Creek senior.

    Each year, when they apply for membership in the National Honor Society, Gray’s Creek students are required by club sponsor and faculty member Melissa Bishop to submit a detailed plan for their senior project.

    Bishop said the plan must include a timeline, a budget and resources among other things. “When they are chosen, they get members of other National Honor Society Members together and pull off the project,’’ Bishop said.

    For her project, Collins is following in the footsteps of her former Gray’s Creek softball teammate and fellow National Honor Society member Drew Menscer.
    Last year, Menscer took on the project of organizing a fund-raising golf tournament for Rick’s Place.

    Rick’s Place is located on 50 acres of land in the western part of Cumberland County. It is named in memory of the late Sgt. Richard J. Herrema, a Fort Bragg soldier who was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Defense Meritorious Service Medal.

    He died in combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006.

    Bishop said the mission of Rick’s Place is to host family events for soldiers and support them before, during and after deployments.
    “Becca wanted to carry on the golf tournament that Drew did last year,’’ Bishop said.

    Bishop said Gray’s Creek originally chose Rick’s Place as a beneficiary of their charity work after they spent a couple of days on the property. “We love their mission and what they stand for,’’ Bishop said.

    Collins, like Bishop, has a strong feeling for the mission of Rick’s Place. “It’s one of the only military places in Fayetteville that really does a lot of hands-on things with military people,’’ she said. “People can bond with their kids. I really feel the golf tournament can be a big thing to help them.’’

    Last year’s event raised $5,000 for Rick’s Place. Collins hopes to equal or increase the amount raised at this year’s event. It is scheduled for Saturday, March 21, at Cypress Lakes Golf Course.

    For those who don’t play golf, hole sponsorships are available at $100 per hole. If anyone wants to make a donation in support of the tournament, those can be dropped off for either Collins or Bishop at the front office of Gray’s Creek High School during regular business hours. “We need a lot of help from the community,’’ Collins said.

    Bishop said getting people to undertake sponsorship of a golf tournament is a huge undertaking for a high school student, but she’s confident that Collins can make it happen.

    “Becca has a wonderful supporting family,’’ Bishop said. “I know her mom (Dawn Collins) has helped her reach out to businesses and make fliers. Becca has been doing a lot on the creative side.’’

    Bishop said Becca and her family have been part of the Gray’s Creek community for many years. “I know the community is pitching in around them,’’ she said. “A lot of the community is small business owners. They love to donate to charities that benefit our soldiers right here in Fayetteville.’’

    The work of promoting the golf tournament will provide valuable experience to Becca and the members of the committee that will be working with her Bishop said.
    “They are often making cold calls to local businesses,’’ Bishop said of the students. “They have to have their pitch for why this is so important and why it would benefit companies to donate. They are learning a lot of real life business and marketing tactics and just how to talk to people in the community.’’

    Check-in time for the tournament is at 7:30 a.m., and the tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m.

    There is no limit on how many teams can sign up for the event. The entry fee is $65 per person or $260 for a foursome. The format of the tournament is captain’s choice.

    The entry fee includes lunch and a golf cart.

    Early bird registration is underway by emailing either Collins or Bishop. Their addresses are rebcol3577@student.ccs.k12.nc.us or melissabishop@ccs.k12.nc.us.

  • 16 pine forestPine Forest High School baseball coach Tom Willoughby was looking for something different to jumpstart fundraising efforts for this year’s Trojan baseball team.He found it in a scene from a hit baseball film that is 31 years old. The film, "Major League," told the story of a struggling Cleveland Indians baseball team that used an odd combination of aging veterans and untested rookies to put together a successful season.

    An iconic scene from the film showed team members in their own American Express commercial. Willoughby made a few changes to the script from the movie and got his team together on the Pine Forest baseball field to do the Trojan version of the commercial.

    One of the biggest challenges was to get all the players in dress similar to the coats and ties the pretend Cleveland Indians in the movie wore.

    He told the players to watch the YouTube video of the original scene from the movie so they could see the whole thing and also watch how their respective characters said their lines in the commercial. Speaking parts went to Jared Collier, Isaac Gonzalez, Justin Clark, Greg Washington, Justin Honeycutt, Willoughby and Keyshawn Taylor.

    Taylor had the highlight scene in the commercial, reprising the role of actor Wesley Snipes who played the role of team speedster Willie Mays Hays in the movie.
    In the commercial scene, Hays slides in to home plate at the end of the commercial holding up an American Express card.

    The biggest distraction Willoughby had to deal with in making the video was creating the character of the manager of the Indians team in the movie, Lou Brown, played by the late character actor James Gammon.

    A feature of Gammon’s character in the film was a bushy mustache. Prior to the start of practice, Willoughby had grown a full beard, but the day of the filming of the video, he shaved it all off save the mustache.

    “When I showed up with the Lou Brown mustache the guys started laughing,’’ said Willoughby. As soon as the video had been shot, he went to his truck and shaved the mustache off, “just so I could focus with my guys,’’ he said.

    Seniors Justin Honeycutt and Jared Collier were among the handful of players on the Pine Forest team that had actually viewed the film. Honeycutt is a pitcher who plays outfield when he’s not on the mound. Collier has been a catcher throughout his career at Pine Forest.

    “I thought it was a great idea,’’ Honeycutt said, even though the filming took some time and presented a few challenges. One of the players with a speaking part had a difficult time getting his lines right, but Honeycutt said they came up with a simple solution. “We had to tape his lines on the back of the guy in front of him,’’ Honeycutt said.

    Collier said he enjoyed doing something different to kick off the season and try and convince people to support the program financially. “It was something to have a good time with,’’ he said. “We want to get Pine Forest baseball back on track after a tough season.’’

    Willoughby said the goal of recreating the scene was to reach out beyond the immediate Pine Forest baseball community of family and friends of the players and draw some interest from a wider audience to get financial support.

    “We were trying to have some fun with it,’’ Willoughby said. “We wanted to see if we could get something going on Twitter and Facebook.’’

    As of last Tuesday afternoon, the video was up to 694 views on YouTube. To see the video on SnapRaise and make a donation go to https://www.snap-raise.com/v2/fundraisers/111922?fundraiser_id=111922#/.

    As of last Tuesday afternoon, the video had raised $3,794 of the $5,000 goal Willoughby set for this year. Willoughby is hopeful the team will raise enough money to purchase a new net for the team’s batting cage and new tarps to protect the field from wet weather.

    “The batting cage is a safety thing,’’ Willoughby said. “It’s not safe to be around if it starts getting torn and there are holes in the net. The tarp is about keeping the field playable so we can get in more practice time
    and games.’’
    The video has been a critical success, at least on campus. “When I showed it to one of our teachers, she said ‘I’m definitely donating,’" Honeycutt said.

    For their part, Honeycutt thinks the Trojan team truly has a chance to contend for a  championship this season, not unlike the Cleveland Indians team did in "Major League."
    “We’ve got nine seniors on the team,’’ Honeycutt said. “We’ve got the talent and this is the year  to do something.’’

    Honeycutt thinks the key to success for the team will be attitudes, keeping them right and playing each game one at time.

    Collier thinks the approach to each game is important. “We need everybody to play like they’re never going to be here again,’’ he said.

  • 08 N1805P37006CThe national average wage for a police officer in the United States, according to the most recent data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is $29.45 per hour, or a salary of $61,270 per year. But that can fluctuate. Generally, police officers employed in northern states have a higher chance of receiving larger paychecks. Officers in the highest-paying states all received salaries well above the national average, while officers in the lowest-paying states were far behind that benchmark. Some states, including North Carolina, have salaries well below the national average.

    Research indicated there is a variety of contradictory information among reliable law enforcement sources regarding wages. For purposes of this article, Up & Coming Weekly relied on the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Tar Heel state is among the 10 lowest-paying states for law enforcement wages.  The average wage is $42,980. This salary falls below the national median household income of $53,889. Police patrol officers are usually in higher demand than sheriff’s deputies or correctional officers. There were 5,738 job openings for patrol officers posted online in 2016, and the BLS reports that job opportunities are greater in areas with larger populations.

    The starting pay for an inexperienced Fayetteville police officer is significantly less than the entry-level salary for a Cumberland County deputy sheriff, $34,489 versus $39,237. The starting wage for detention officers at the county jail is now $36,500, $2,000 a year more than city police officers.

    “The wage disparity for the city of Fayetteville P.D. has always been a big concern for me since joining the police department,” said Police Chief Gina Hawkins. “I have been in discussions with the city manager in reviewing the salaries for sworn personnel.”

    Noncompetitive wages have cost the city. Hawkins said 59 officers left the police department in 2019, significantly more than the yearly average. “On any given year, we prepare for approximately 38 officers to leave the organization,” Hawkins said. She added that retirements, leaving for other jurisdictions, federal/state opportunities, disciplinary issues, resignations, personal issues, contribute to turnover. The current city police department authorized strength of sworn officers is 434.

    Candidates looking to stand out from the competition may want to consider pursuing a bachelor’s degree. Being able to speak a second language can also be a big plus for police departments that serve diverse communities. When recruiting, Hawkins said, “We look at more than just salaries and starting wages. We look at many other retention incentives such as (a) housing incentive that was approved by City Council in revitalized areas in city limits.”

    Additional pay for a college education is available in the city. An officer with a Bachelor’s degree earns an additional $2,500 per year. Those with an associate’s degree receive an extra $1,250 a year.

    The city of Fayetteville isn’t very competitive with other towns and cities within driving distance. Starting pay at communities with openings for police officers in Southern Pines is $37,300 a year; Raleigh $41,000; Apex $43,000; Cary $45,600; and Garner $45,000.

  • 17 01 Amari TaylorAmari Taylor

    Pine Forest • Indoor track • Junior

    Taylor has a 4.32 grade point average. History is her favorite subject. She loves R&B and jazz, enjoys movies and hanging out with friends. Her dream college is the University of Miami, where she would like to major in premed.

     

    17 02 Marquis eskewMarquis Eskew

    Pine Forest • Basketball • Senior

    Eskew has a grade point average of 3.8. English is his favorite subject. He plans to attend college and major in business entrepreneurship. He has been accepted at East Carolina and North Carolina A&T. He wants to own his own accounting business. He likes listening to rap music and R&B.

  • 02 FTCCTrojansI love sports. I specifically love baseball. After coaching 13 years, visiting The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, and graduating from umpiring school in Austin, Texas, the game of baseball, with all its characters, history and traditions, is about as genuinely American as you can get. The excitement, anticipation, and sights and sounds of attending the season’s opening game never really leaves you. 

    Now, for the first time this season, as I climbed the stairs to the top row of stadium bleachers and set my eyes on the bright green freshly cut grass embracing the newly raked infield soil of the baseball diamond, the joy and memories of experiencing America’s favorite pastime nostalgically rushed over me. That, my friends, was the feeling I had this weekend watching Joe Riddle III threw out the first pitch of Fayetteville Technical Community College’s second season opener in its new home at J.P. Riddle Stadium, Trojan Field. The stadium was built in the mid-80s through the generosity and benevolence of longtime Fayetteville resident, successful businessman and famed developer, the late J.P. Riddle Sr. and the Riddle family.

    After three generations of baseball clubs — the Fayetteville Generals, the Cape Fear Crocs and the Fayetteville SwampDogs — the stadium was gifted to FTCC by Cumberland County commissioners as a sports and event complex to further the education, development and lifelong learning preparedness of FTCC students. There is little doubt the county commissioners’ decision was based on the assurance that the Riddle legacy and this valuable county recreational asset would both be maintained and utilized to the maximum benefit and enjoyment of the community. This decision was brilliant.

    FTCC’s president, Dr. Larry Keen, and his competent and dedicated staff have displayed great vision and leadership. FTCC has an impeccable track record of academic success along with a reputation for unparalleled attention to detail and an exceptional commitment to excellence with every program the college engages in or develops. Again, FTCC has delivered. Trojan Field is beautiful, clean and well-manicured and will definitely be a proud showplace when it hosts thousands of out-of-town visitors during the season.

    FTCC’s master plan includes opening up Trojan Field to outside commercial events as well as for use of local events like festivals, fundraisers and concerts. Congratulations to FTCC, and good luck to the Trojans. We look forward to supporting the team and spending time at Trojan Field.

    Since we are talking baseball, I wanted to share my thoughts on the Astros’ sign-stealing/cheating scandal. Notice the media have dropped the adjective “alleged” when reporting on this unfortunate situation. Here’s what is bugging me. Little League opening day is right around the corner in April. At the Kiwanis Honeycutt Recreation Center, over 400 children will take to the baseball field. How many teams will be donning Astros uniforms? It’s a tough subject and situation to explain to a child, and, unfortunately, it is not going away any time soon — if ever. The Major League Baseball Houston Astros are cheaters, and baseball fans have long memories. Without a doubt, the Astros will have to deal with the realities that resulted from their bad behavior and tarnished reputations. Baseball fans can be unforgiving, and they have already been demonstrating their displeasure at spring training with a barrage of boos and jeers every time the Astros take the field or step up to the plate. And, rightfully so.

    The MLB already had to issue stern warnings and penalties for pitchers who intentionally try to hit Astros batters. A serious situation? You bet. It is rumored that opposing teams are already strategizing to send their most expendable hurlers to the mound knowing that once the deed is done, they will be expelled from the game. Crazy, huh? Not only has the scandal tarnished the game, but many innocent lives have been destroyed —  not to mention the young aspiring careers that have vanished.

    On the surface, there seems to be very little the Astros can do about it. Many have called for the MLB to revoke their 2017 World Series title. I agree with that. However, I doubt it will happen. Even if it did, it would not solve the dilemma. They are still cheaters and that won’t get them back into the good graces of the fans or baseball community, but I do have an idea that could be a possible solution and may start the healing process to get that crippled Astros ball club back into the good graces of the nation.

    The Astros should publicly admit their wrongdoing and apologize to the baseball community. Then, they should voluntarily give up the 2017 World Series title and trophy. If they man up now, admit the wrongdoing and acknowledge how such a sinister act hurt the game of baseball by sacrificing the title, I have little doubt that over time, the fans and the baseball community would see the honor, sacrifice and dignity of such an action. Lesson learned. And, we all can be pretty confident it won’t ever happen again. I fear that unless this sincere action is taken, the Houston Astros’ reputation and brand have been damaged beyond repair.

    Think about it. Anyone can make a mistake and ask forgiveness, but once you’re branded an unrelenting cheater, it’s a hard moniker to lose and it will make the Astros vulnerable to years of boos and jeers. The only way out is for them to do the right thing — now — or live with the consequences.

     We are thankful that all FTCC sports programs put an emphasis on character development. Let’s play ball!

    Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.
     
  • 05 N1402P28001CWalt Disney was no stranger to adversity. He grew up in a large, itinerant family of modest means. His first film studio went bankrupt. But Disney never gave up. And he never stopped learning from his mistakes.

    “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me,” Disney once said. “You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”

    Celebrating the virtue of perseverance may sound old-fashioned. In reality, however, it is a sound application of modern social science. In education, for example, there is a growing empirical case for the proposition that if we ask more of our children instead of trying to protect their supposedly fragile egos, they are more likely to enjoy success in school and beyond.

    A new study of grading practices right here in North Carolina has gained significant national attention. Seth Gershenson, an associate professor at American University’s School of Public Affairs, looked at the records of some 350,000 North Carolina eighth- and ninth-graders who were enrolled in the state’s Algebra 1 course from 2006 to 2016. Gershenson chose these students because they had the same teacher for the whole year and were required to take an end-of-course test to assess their mastery of the subject.

    For all 8,000 public-school teachers covered in the study parameters, Gershenson averaged the grades they gave their students and used a variety of statistical controls to adjust for student background and prior performance, teacher background and credentials, and other variables that might influence the grade averages. He then compared those average grades to the performance of the same students on the end-of-course test for Algebra 1.

    The idea, in other words, was to see if the students of tougher-grading teachers were more or less likely to succeed than were students of easier-grading teachers — all other things being held equal.

    Gershenson’s results suggest that tougher grading practices are an example of “tough love.” By expecting more at the front end as a student takes Algebra 1, the teacher makes it more likely that student will eventually achieve mastery in the subject. On average, students assigned to the toughest-grading quartile of North Carolina teachers scored 17% of a standard deviation higher on the exam than if those same students had been assigned to the easiest-grading quartile of teachers.

    That’s not a small effect. “To put this difference in perspective,” Gershenson wrote, “consider that it amounts to a little more than six months of learning. It is also larger than the impact of a dozen student absences or replacing an average teacher with a teacher whose students consistently outperform expectations.”

    Even moving from the easiest-grading 25% of teachers to one of the middle quartiles still boosted student learning by a significant amount. Gershenson also found that having a tough-grading teacher for Algebra 1 made it more likely a student would do well in subsequent math courses such as Algebra 2 and Geometry. And the benefits of higher academic expectations extended across all racial and family backgrounds.

    That last point is particularly important in light of another of Gershenson’s findings: tougher grading standards are not equally distributed across public schools. Suburban schools and those with relatively low shares of poor students tend to have teachers who give lower grades. Rural and high-poverty schools tend to have teachers who give higher grades.

    It is at least conceivable that teachers and principals in the latter groups of schools worry that rigorous grading might discourage students who are already facing significant challenges to their academic success. Their concern may be well-motivated but this study shows that acting on that concern is not well-advised.

    As North Carolina students leave high school for college or the workplace, what matters most is how well they retain and apply what they’ve learned, not how students feel about themselves. Easy grades early in life can set them up for a hard landing.

  • 15wrestlingHere is the Patriot Athletic All-Conference wrestling team based on results of the conference tournament and selections by the coaches. 

    Coach of the Year:Heath Wilson, Cape Fear; Brian Olson, Overhills 

    Wrestler of the Year:Dallas Wilson, Cape Fear 

    106 — First team:Max Brewster, South View 

    Second team:Jabrial Crudup, Douglas Byrd 

    113 — First team:Ryan Delaney, South View 

    Second team:Dylan Ramer, Gray’s Creek 

    120 — First team:Pierre Young, Terry Sanford 

    Second team:William Talbert, Westover 

    126 — First team:Tristen Chapman, Cape Fear 

    Second team:Kevin Brewington, South View 

    132 — First team:Lyell Canady, Westover 

    Second team:Gavin Moses, Pine Forest 

    138— First team:Dallas Wilson, Cape Fear 

    Second team:Frankie Manglona, Westover 

    145 — First team:Jeremiah Smith, Cape Fear 

    Second team:Tremaine Jackson, South View 

    152 — First team:Zachary Pranka, Terry Sanford 

    Second team:Jaleel Parks, Cape Fear 

    160 — First team:Jalen Keith, Gray’s Creek 

    Second team:Woodson Young, Cape Fear 

    170 — First team:Jared Barbour, Cape Fear 

    Second team:Xavier Hamilton, Gray’s Creek 

    182 — First team:Kevin Pate, Cape Fear 

    Second team:Andrew Bond, Overhills 

    195 — First team:Arden Billington, Douglas Byrd 

    Second team:Austin Hunt, Cape Fear 

    220 — First team:Ray Dixon, Douglas Byrd 

    Second team:Nick Minacapelli, Cape Fear 

    285 — First team:Garrett Crockett, Gray’s Creek 

    Second team:Zion McEachin, Douglas Byrd 

    Photo: L-R: Dallas Wilson, Jared Barbour 

  • 17Abby CarsonAbigail Carson 

    Terry Sanford • Indoor and outdoor track • Junior 

    Carson has a 4.13 grade point average. She is a three-year starter and a member of National Honor Society. She currently holds the girls record at Terry Sanford in the shot put for both the indoor and outdoor teams. She also volunteers with her travel track team around the community. 

    18Jasmine GiacomucciJasmine Giacomucci 

    Terry Sanford • Outdoor track • Junior 

    Giacomucci has a 3.58 grade point average. She is a three-year starter. She has served as a cheerleader and with the marching band for the past three years. She is also a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and works with the GEMS of Delta Sigma Theta volunteering in the community. 

  • Meetings 

    For details about all meetings and activities, including location where not listed, call Town Clerk Jane Starling at 910-426-4113. 

    Festival CommitteeMonday, April 1, 6 p.m., Town Hall 

    Board of CommissionersMonday, April 1, 7 p.m., Luther Board Room, Town Hall 

    Citizens Academy ProgramTuesday, April 9, 6 p.m., Town Hall 

    Historic Preservation CommissionWednesday, April 10, 5 p.m., Parks and Recreation Building 

    Activities 

    Food Truck RodeoThursday, April 4, 5-8 p.m., Town Hall rear parking lot. Enjoy music, an assortment of food trucks, bouncy house and games for kids, and presentations by various public service vendors. 

    Breakfast with the Easter Bunny/Easter egg huntSaturday, April 6, 8:30 a.m-11 a.m. and 11:15 a.m., Hope Mills Recreation Center. Tickets are $6. Final day to purchase tickets is Monday, April 1. Call 910-426-4109 to reserve your spot. Easter egg hunt follows Breakfast with the Easter Bunny and is free. 

    Hope Mills Area Kiwanis Clubat Sammio’s, second Tuesdays at noon and fourth Tuesdays at 6 p.m. For details, call 910-237-1240. 

    Promote yourself 

    Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com. 

  • 05Gen Michael GarrettRecently promoted U.S. Army Gen. Michael X. Garrett has assumed command of Forces Command at Fort Bragg. Gen. Mark A. Milley, chief of staff of the Army, hosted the assumption of command ceremony March 21. 

    Garrett commanded U.S. Army Central at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, before being assigned to Forces Command. FORSCOM is the largest organization in the Army and is responsible for ensuring combat soldiers are trained and prepared to deploy. It includes more than 750,000 active-duty, reserve and National Guard soldiers. 

    Garrett is originally from Cleveland, Ohio, and is a graduate of Xavier University in Cincinnati. He received his commission as an infantry officer following his graduation in 1984. In a 2010 profile for Xavier Magazine, Garrett noted he was the first member of his family to graduate from college. 

    His previous assignments include command of the 3rd Battalion, 325th Airborne Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. He was named to lead U.S. Army CENTCOM in 2015. 

    Garrett replaces FORSCOM’s acting commander, Lt. Gen. Laura J. Richardson. Her next assignment has not been made public. 

    Two fatal motorcycle crashes on the same day 

    A pair of recent Fayetteville traffic fatalities were tragically similar but had different outcomes. Both accidents involved motorcycles. Both mishaps occurred on Sunday, March 10. 

    A Fort Bragg soldier, Patrick A. McDill, 22, died when his motorcycle was struck on Yadkin Road near Horseshoe Road by Jasmyne Russell-Dicker, 24, of Sanford. She was charged with felony death by motor vehicle, driving while impaired and making an unsafe movement causing injury to a motorcyclist. Russell-Dicker was released from jail after posting a $15,000 bond. 

    The other crash took place on Bingham Drive at the intersection of Lakeridge Drive. Neron R. Pratt, 34, of Saint Pauls, who was operating a motorcycle, was pronounced dead on the scene by medical personnel. City police said the driver of the sedan that struck him, Fayetteville native Wendy S. Sutton, 28, did not sustain serious injuries, but her mother, Doris B. Sutton, 47, also of Fayetteville, was hospitalized. 

    Wendy Sutton faces felony charges of hit-and-run driving causing injury, misdemeanor death by vehicle, driving with a revoked license and making an unsafe movement. She is being held on $100,000 secured bond. 

    “It’s definitely something the magistrate’s office would have to answer for,” said police spokesman Sgt. Shawn Strepay when asked about the difference in bonds given the drivers. 

    Heroism awards celebrates first responders 

    The Greater Fayetteville Chamber announces People’s Choice Awards to be presented at the second annual Public Safety Valor Awards program on June 25, 2019. This event is presented by Highland Construction and Restoration and Manna Church to show community appreciation to first responders in the city and county and at Fort Bragg. The breakfast event will be from 7:30- 9:30 a.m. at Manna Church, 5117 Cliffdale Rd. 

    The general public may nominate first responders who have been observed in action during the period from April 2018 through March 2019. 

    Nominees must be currently employed by an emergency response agency and working in Cumberland County. Applications can be obtained on the Greater Fayetteville Chamber’s website, www.faybiz.com, under Events-Valor Awards. They are due by April 1. 

    Additional nominees will be chosen by the chiefs or agency heads of law enforcement, fire/ rescue, and emergency management agencies serving Cumberland County. 

    There are three major awards: Certificate of Merit for outstanding work benefitting the department, Lifesaving Award in which personnel put their own safety at risk to save the life of another, and the prestigious Valor Award for incidents in which acts of heroism were performed under extreme risk. 

    The public is invited to attend — tickets are $25 and are available online at www.faybiz.com. 

    The first ‘Occasion’ 

    “Trauma: A Concert and Reflections” will take place April 17 at 7 p.m. at Holy Trinity Church, 1601 Raeford Rd. in Fayetteville, and on April 19 at 7 p.m. at Hugger Mugger Brewing, 229 Wicker St., Sanford. The “Occasion” will include folk music, drinks, visual aids and alone time with a handful of new best friends or strangers. The “Occasion” costs nothing. 

    “We’re okay with sitting with grief and anger and sadness for a moment,” said Jeremy Fiebig, an organizer of the group. “This first event is a concert that looks at mourning, trauma, broken spirits and the like. It’s meant to be a kind of church service, but where the point is not to uplift, but to sit with tough stuff like loss and heartbreak.” 

    The event is described as “not for the squeamish or for children, as we will be looking tough stuff square in the face,” Fiebig added. 

    Photo: Gen. Michael Garrett

  • 08UPC America ArtistGerry Buckley and Dewey Bunnell, the duo behind hit folk-rock band America, have thrilled music lovers nationwide for nearly 50 years. To finish off Community Concerts’ 83rd season, America will perform at the Crown Coliseum on Thursday, April 4, at 7 p.m. 

    Buckley, Bunnell and former band member Dan Peek met in London in the 1960s. The trio formed their chart-topping group shortly after graduating high school and have since released 11 hits and six Gold or Platinum albums. 

    Today, America is comprised of just Buckley and Bunnell, but it is still going strong. According to Michael Fleishman, Community Concert attractions director, audiences can expect “hit after hit after hit” at the April 4 show. “It’s a really interesting group (with) a really interesting sound,” Fleishman said. “They’re not just well-known in this country, but worldwide.” 

    Hits such as “Ventura Highway,” “Tin Man” and “A Horse with No Name” gave America its reputation as a rock standard. Fleishman is excited to welcome such a well-known band to the stage. “If you’ve been on the planet any length of time, you’ve heard these songs … every single one of them,” he said. “These are classic rock songs, and it’s a group we’ve never had before … one we’ve looked at several times.” 

    From winning a Grammy award for best new artist in 1973 to being inducted into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame in 2006, it’s no wonder the band is so highly sought after. America has collaborated with the Beatles’ George Martin, Toto’s Jeff Porcaro, the Eagles’ Timothy B. Schmit and more. 

    A short ceremony commemorating the newest inductee into the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame will precede America’s performance at the Crown. “Community Concerts is the creator and the producer of the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame,” Fleishman said. “It’s going into its 12th year, (and has) done nothing but grow in stature and popularity over the years.” 

    The Hall of Fame was designed to honor those that have brought musical distinction to this community, said Fleishman. Members include local citizens as well as national celebrities, such as Randy Boone. The organization continues to add to their number every year. 

    “We’ve honored music teachers, people from the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, churches for what they have done musically and for children, the Cape Fear Oratorio Singer and the 82nd Airborne Chorus for all they’ve done,” Fleishman said. 

    Known as Fayetteville’s oldest art organization, Community Concerts has lived up to its name for 83 years. “We try very hard to put the ‘community’ in Community Concerts,” said Fleishman. “(We’ve) done a lot over the years showcasing local artists onstage in combo with the artist.” 

    Community Concerts has a heart not only for aspiring musicians but also for children of all backgrounds. “We showcase kids onstage — we had a local choir in combo as backup for one of the songs for Foreigner, a school onstage as backup for Gladys Knight, and Voices of the Heart (performed).” 

    The April 4 concert will also include an announcement of this year’s recipient of Community Concert’s annual music scholarship, awarded to rising college freshmen in the community who display musical excellence. 

    The Crown Complex is located at 1960 Coliseum Dr. To purchase tickets, or for more information, visit community-concerts.com/2018/08/13/america. 

  • 03knapsackWhether you love him, loathe him or are still trying to figure out who he is, former Texas congressman turned Democratic presidential hopeful Beto O’Rourke has lobbed a hot potato onto our national political stage. In addressing several examples of his youthful indiscretions — aka bad behavior — O’Rourke acknowledged that he had been treated differently than other people because of “white privilege.” Couple white privilege with O’Rourke’s gender — male — and we get “white male privilege,” a potent force indeed. 

    The definition of white male privilege is squishy, to say the least, making it difficult to pin down criteria. A general definition references systemic advantages white men have over women and people of color, some of whom have faced racism. Financial resources, educational attainment and social status all play roles, as do other factors. It is safe to say, though, that one defining litmus test is that many African-American parents deliver “the talk” to their children about how to behave if they, especially the boys, are stopped by law enforcement officers. Far fewer white parents feel compelled to do that. 

    The Republican-controlled North Carolina General Assembly has just displayed the power of white male privilege with its recent election of well-heeled members to the University of North Carolina Board of Governors, the 24-member policy-setting body for our state’s university system. Twelve members were elected by the legislature, 10 of them incumbents. The newly constituted board will have six women, three African-Americans and one Native American, with the remainder being white men. The lone Democrat, an African-American, was eligible — and sought re-election — but was not put back on the board. There are no Democratic members. This is in a state that has 51 percent women, 22 percent African-Americans and 39 percent of voters registering Democratic. 

    This is not to say that the people elected to the Board of Governors are not capable. Most of them are, but so are many people who are not white men. Clearly, some sort of privilege is at play here. 

    The concept of white privilege, including the higher subset of white male privilege, has been written about for centuries and picked up steam during the civil rights era, beginning in the 1960s, and was widely discussed in academia. As social media took hold, white privilege moved into mainstream conversations and into films and popular music. It is, however, a bit like art and pornography. We all know it when we see it, but we have trouble coming up with an actual definition. 

    Author Peggy McIntosh took a stab at defining white privilege in her 1987 essay “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack.” Wrote McIntosh, it is “an invisible weightless knapsack of assurances, tools, maps, guides, codebooks, passports, visas, clothes, compass, emergency gear, tools and blank checks.” 

    A scholar and activist, McIntosh also wrote, “as a white person, I realized I had been taught about racism as something which puts others at a disadvantage, but had been taught not to see one of its corollary aspects, white privilege which puts me at an advantage.” Putting it bluntly, McIntosh wrote, “if a traffic cop pulls me over or the IRS audits my tax returns, I can be sure I have not been singled out because of my race.” 

    It is into this context that Beto O’Rourke dropped his thoughts on white privilege and white male privilege in particular. We have yet to see whether a national discussion will follow, but it should. The reality of white privilege pervades so many aspects of American life, both private and public, and it has smoldered for centuries. 

    We will never get over it if we cannot talk about it. 

  • 06cumberland rd fire deptCumberland County rural property owners will likely see a tax increase come July. The funding subcommittee of the county’s public safety task force is unanimously recommending a 0.375 cent increase in the special fire protection service district’s tax. There are 15 fire districts in unincorporated areas of Cumberland County plus Hope Mills and Spring Lake, which are supported by property tax assessments of 0.10 cents per $100 of valuation. Five small, low-wealth fire departments receive additional assessments of 0.125 cents per $100. 

    The subcommittee voted unanimously March 19 to request that the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners adopt the tax increase effective July 1, 2019. 

    “We have heard your concerns,” said Cumberland County Manager Amy Cannon. She and Fire Commissioner Marshall Faircloth predicted the board would go along with the increase. 

    Consultant Gregory Grayson of Envirosafe Fire Support Services told the committee that “the workload and need for fire and rescue services has increased significantly.” Fire departments have become “all-hazard agencies” requiring additional salaries and training for firefighters, he added. 

    He outlined the complexities of developing a new funding model for volunteer fire departments. The city of Fayetteville Fire Department is funded with salaried, full-time firefighters. 

    The proposed county tax increase would boost total fire and rescue spending from $7.4 million to $8.9 million for fiscal year 2020. A series of supplements, incentives and grants would augment the existing baseline. They would be provided to strengthen the county’s overall fire and rescue delivery system. 

    Supplements and incentives would be based on enhanced individual department performance. The low-wealth fire departments, including Beaver Dam, Bethany, Godwin/ Falcon, Stedman and Wade, would receive annual supplements of $83,000 each for firefighter staffing. 

    Some of the seven fire chiefs who comprise the funding subcommittee spoke out with mild objections to the funding formulas. “I sometimes feel that we’re caught in the middle,” said Cumberland Road Fire Chief Steve Parish. He said his department responds to 2,000 calls annually, while others with the same number of responses have larger populations and more funding. 

    “We responded to 1,900 calls last year,” Pearce’s Mill Fire Chief Ronnie Marley said. His department’s 2018 baseline was $812,000. That’s 58 percent more than Cumberland Road’s $472,000. 

    “I have noted the level of discomfort, but you have to look at the needs of the entire county,” Assistant County Manager Tracey Jackson told the committee. 

    “We are committed to this process,” Cannon added. 

    Because all 15 rural fire departments operate independently, their individual boards of directors will also have to approve the new funding methods before county commissioners can act. The Public Safety Task Force meets next month, and county officials hope the fire chiefs will have their approvals by then. 

  • 09Tia FullerFayetteville State University’s Department of Performing and Fine Arts presents its FSU Jazz Day Festival for middle school and high school jazz bands and jazz combos Saturday, April 6, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. 

    A concert featuring the Tia Fuller Jazz Quartet will take place at 7:30 p.m. at Seabrook Auditorium, which is located on the campus of the university. 

    “The jazz festival started last year to basically help students in our region in the jazz field — to help develop jazz programs and to help develop more appreciation for jazz itself,” said Ronald Carter, coordinator of the jazz festival and distinguished professor in the Department of Performing and Fine Arts at FSU. “This year, I am bringing in Grammy-nominated Tia Fuller, who is a performing saxophonist for Beyoncé. She still plays and records around the world with different people.” 

    The festival will include workshops, clinics and performances. “At 1:15 p.m., we will have jazz clinics presented by FSU’s jazz faculty and by Tia Fuller’s jazz group,” said Carter. “The workshops will be about how to use instruments to play jazz, how to develop the concepts, tone and language of jazz, how to play within the jazz ensemble and more.” 

    Carter added the clinics will feature drums, saxophone, piano, clarinet, flute, trumpet, trombone and other jazz instruments. 

    The first band will play at 8:30 a.m. “We will have high schools from South Carolina and North Carolina and two college groups playing,” said Carter. “We have Shaw University’s jazz band. Benedict College’s jazz band from Columbia, South Carolina, will play too.” 

    Carter added that next year the jazz festival will be bigger and that he aims to eventually start having a historically black college jazz festival. 

    “This event is educational and motivational — (it’s) a great mentorship opportunity and allows participants to meet the students (and) the jazz professors and music professors at Fayetteville State as well,” said Carter. “It is community outreach for the colleges that are coming in and also for the students that are coming in from other states as well as Raleigh and the surrounding areas.” 

    All events before 5 p.m. will be free. The clinics are open to the public. The registration fee is $200 for each participating school. General admission for the Tia Fuller Jazz Quartet concert is $5 for students and $10 for adults. For more information, to register or obtain ticket information, email Carter at rcarter11@uncfsu.edu. Tickets can be purchased at www.etix.com. 

    Photo: Tia Fuller

  • 01coverUAC032719001The Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation is a relatively new organization at just three years old. From partnerships to innovation to vision, this organization, along with its partners and the community, is bringing new ideas, development and dollars to Cumberland County and its municipalities. 

    In 2018, FCEDC announced 750 new jobs from Campbell Soup Company and Booz Allen Hamilton, bringing $12.5 million in new investment to the community. Under its watch, downtown has seen more than $130 million in public and private investment, and a $37 million, 4,800-seat Astros A+ Minor League Stadium is nearing completion. The Fayetteville Regional Airport has seen $35 million in renovation, and a $12.6 million investment has delivered a state-of-the-art FAST Public Transportation Center, which operates seven days a week. 

    Downtown is also now home to The CORE, an innovation corridor that connects talent, assets and resources and encourages innovation and entrepreneurship. These are just a few of the successes the FCEDC has played a part in. 

    To hear Robert Van Geons tell it, these successes are all about teamwork, and this is just the beginning. Up & Coming Weeklyrecently interviewed Van Geons to hear more of his thoughts on the topic. 

    Up & Coming Weekly:What is the Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation and why is it important? 

    Robert Van Geons:We were established about three years ago. We’re a public-private partnership funded by the county, the city and the private sector, with the city and county being our biggest funders. We are a nonprofit, and our job is to help companies that are here grow and to attract new businesses to Cumberland County to create jobs and bring investment to our community. 

    UCW:It seems like there are probably some challenges that come with that. 

    Van Geons:We are a one-stop shop for economic development. We do everything from sites and buildings to marketing and promotion to existing industry support grants to incentives to working with the development community. 

    This works because we have a lot of support from our elected leaders in the city and the county. We work well with the towns within the county, and the private sector has been incredibly supportive. … With their help, we’re starting to make some strides. 

    At the end of the day, if this is successful, we are only a small part of it. It’s companies that make the investments. It’s the property owners that sell the land or the buildings. It’s the local officials that approve the incentives. It’s the citizens that show up to work. We’re the piece that tries to bring them all together. 

    UCW:What do you think are some of the community’s strongest assets? 

    Van Geons:Our people are our best asset. Additionally, we have a handful of really great attributes in this community. We have the youngest workforce in the Carolinas. We’re affordable as a place to do business and as a place to live. We are internationally diverse, with I think it’s 82 languages in our schools from 86 countries. 

    And we are accessible. We are right along I-95. We have an airport and access to the Raleigh airport. We are near the deep-water ports in Wilmington. And we have both Class 1 rail providers and shortline rail in our community. 

    It’s our people. It’s our location. It’s really the quality of our overall business environment. Those are our strengths. 

    UCW:How have Fayetteville and Cumberland County grown in the last three to five years? 

    Van Geons:We’ve had some recent announcements over the last few years and some exciting developments … but overall, I think we would be right to say that our community hasn’t grown as much or as quickly as we would like. 

    And it’s something that we’re trying to build on the momentum of late. 

    Recently, we’ve seen the Campbell’s Soup project in Cedar Creek, the $150 million-plus projects being built downtown, the completion of the work being done on I-295, the widening of I-95, the Booze Allen (Hamilton) announcements and more. So, we are building momentum. We’ve seen a lot of our vacant industrial space filled, and we have people looking to build new. 

    However, we’ve seen relatively slow growth for the decade or so prior. 

    Our towns are stepping up and investing in their communities as well — from Spring Lake to Hope Mills. We are working with Falcon and Godwin, and all the towns, on economic development efforts and strategies. That’s one thing our organization has as a priority — working collaboratively across all of Cumberland County. 

    Just last week we had a meeting with representatives from all of the towns to talk about their individual economic development goals. We’ve been meeting with them individually since I arrived, and this was a time for us to bring them all together. We’re going to keep doing it every other month or so. 

    And we’re doing some work around our airport, as well, and then looking at multi-modal transportation and development. There’s no single answer to being successful. It’s going to take the multi-dimensional approach. 

    UCW:Do you think we will see some changes in the next five to 10 years? 

    Van Geons:Absolutely, I do. I think we’re going to see continued to growth in technology fields, with companies like a ACLC and Worldwide Language Resources as examples, here in our downtown. 

    Next-generation companies doing cyber security, virtual reality and distance learning are all going to be keys to that, and so we’re launching The CORE innovation center here. We’re seeing private sector developers, both locally and from well outside of our region, considering Cumberland County for new speculative development. 

    The downtown project is transforming the way people think about our community. People are seeing and recognizing the economic potential and are starting to look at us with fresh eyes. We are hosting investors from Washington, D.C., and New York and Chicago and around the southeast frequently here. 

    People are recognizing us as a great growth opportunity in a state that is growing. We don’t prosper alone in North Carolina. The momentum built by cities like Charlotte and Raleigh and Durham rubs off on us. We’re looking to leverage that. 

    UCW:How do you get different businesses and organizations to work together for the greater good and a better future? 

    Van Geons:When talking about where we were to where we are, have we always been as collaborative as we should be? Probably not — in the past. But it is a new time here, and the city and county are working well together on economic development. 

    And now we’ve got, as an example, nine organiza

    tions raising over a quarter-million dollars toward developing a communitywide brand that we all can use and benefit from. This is part of setting a joint vision for this community and working toward it as we look at what is our best tomorrow for our citizens and ask ourselves how we can effectively convey that internally and externally. 

    I think we do look at that on the workforce development side. … How do we attract talent? How do we retain talent? And how do we grow talent? And that is where we’re looking at creative things around recognizing that technology and rapid innovation will be the two major drivers of tomorrow’s economy. And so we are looking at ways to increase broadband access and extend broadband here. We are looking at ways to bring, keep and grow innovative companies and to attract next-generation technology firms to our community. 

    We have got to ensure that all of our children have access to tomorrow’s economy, which will be decided by their level of engagement with technology. 

    You are either integrated into the digital economy or you will be left behind, and we’re working hard on that to make sure no one gets left behind. I think the one thing we know for certain is that tomorrow’s workplace will evolve exponentially more rapidly. … The No. 1 skill that the next generation worker will need will be the ability to continually learn and adapt to a changing world. 

    We have another initiative going on with the workforce development board that I am co-chair of. It is a next-generation sector partnership.... We’re working with … employers to identify their talent needs multiple years in advance, so that we can work to train up our people to fill those jobs well in advance of those vacancies getting here. 

    Whether you are truck driving or you’re working with our utility providers, the graying of the workforce is real. And those are opportunities for our citizens today and tomorrow to have gainful employment versus recruiting new talent to fill that from outside. 

    UCW:Thinking about the future sounds like a fun part of your job. 

    Van Geons:I enjoy it. With SEGRA coming into town and PWC’s dark fiber and us launching The Core, which you can check out at www.corefayetteville.com, I am optimistic. I believe we need to be an innovation corridor. Sen. Kirk deViere and Rep. John Szoka have both supported this. 

    Between what happens in the private sector and Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Fort Bragg and Methodist University, we have the potential to be a leader in applied innovation — from drones to cyber to robotics to game learning. We have all of those things happening here in our community today. 

    We also need to tell our story better internally and externally, and that’s part of the branding initiative we are working on. 

    UCW:How do you lay the groundwork for attracting new businesses? 

    Van Geons:Before the end of the month, we will cross the 1,000-job mark and around $65 million dollars in total investment through our projects since I’ve been here, which is 26 months. 

    I think that’s a real positive start for us when you talk about results, but we can have exponentially more happening. And we want more. So, how do we do that? Part of it is having sites and buildings. … We work with the state and with industrial brokers around the southeast and promote our community at events and trade shows. 

    We work with our existing industry to help them help us find out about customers or suppliers that would be interested in being here. 

    UCW:What is your dream for Fayetteville and Cumberland County, and do you think we can pull it off? 

    Van Geons:I believe we can be the community where all our citizens can build a better economic future for themselves and, more importantly, for the next generation. We can be a place where generational equity is built, meaning the next generation has a better tomorrow than we did — regardless of how they came to Fayetteville. 

    UCW:What do you see as this community’s biggest challenge as far as economic development? 

    Van Geons:I think we need to continue to push forward. One of the most transformative things we could do is to find ways to help those who have suffered from chronic unemployment to get back in the workforce. 

    We are doing this with things like the expungement clinics and by developing and implementing training programs that are accessible and yield direct employment for people. We have employers looking for workers. We also have people looking for work — but when they don’t have the skills, the jobs go unfilled. 

    We need to confront the issues we face. Whether it is the opioid crisis or children not succeeding in school, it is about helping build a path for people who have been chronically unemployed. That will change so much of our economic landscape. 

    We need to continue to focus on economic development. And it will take years, not days. We need to have faith in our leadership. That’s a start. 

    We are especially grateful for support we receive from the city, the county and our board. Anything good we are accomplishing is because of them and our private sector partners.

  • 11FTCCFayetteville Technical Community College’s Association of Students for Social Justice is in its early beginnings; the group has existed for less than a year now. Members are delighted at what they have accomplished in the community in such a short time, and they look forward to what the upcoming year has in store. 

    The ASSJ originated in the FTCC Sociology Department with the idea of connecting FTCC students with the local community to build meaningful relationships, create positive social change and help those in need. Members can develop their professional growth, explore their interests in socially relevant issues and participate in community activism. 

    The club is a student-led group that includes a multi-disciplinary team of FTCC students and faculty. It has student members from a variety of majors as well as faculty members from various disciplines. Its goal is to remain diverse by welcoming all students, faculty and staff. 

    Members of the club have been involved in several activities throughout the year. These include participating in the March for Our Lives rally held in Cumberland County last March and, most recently, the Rally for the Environment held in Cumberland County this past October. Members have also been active directly at FTCC through participation in various campus events, including FTCC Student Government Association’s “Olympic games,” a fun part of SGA’s campuswide festivities for the Spring Fling and Fall Fling. 

    Most recently, the ASSJ was active at the FTCC Fall Festival by helping students register to vote for the November midterm elections. 

    The club also provides students with information regarding service-learning and community engagement opportunities. Throughout the year, ASSJ leaders provided students with opportunities to learn and participate in events like the 12th Annual Prevention of Child Abuse Conference, the Very Special Arts Festival, the Dogwood Festival and, most recently, the United Way Community Stand-down event. Club members are encouraged to participate in events they are passionate about and share their experiences with other members. 

    For the 2018 holiday season, the club collaborated with Seth’s Wish in Fayetteville. Seth’s Wish was established when a 9-year-old boy first asked his mom about helping the homeless. Seth’s Wish is community-based and focuses on combatting issues of hunger and homelessness in Fayetteville. 

    ASSJ members share the goal of creating a service-learning culture at FTCC to help students use their academic and social interests to foster community involvement. Students who are hands-on in the community will have the advantage of learning cultural awareness, critical thinking and civic responsibility. 

    Students also benefit from participating in the ASSJ because their involvement can be listed on résumé s when preparing for job opportunities. 

    The ASSJ is just one of many clubs at FTCC. For readers who are considering taking classes, learn more or register now at www.faytechcc.edu or visit the Fayetteville, Spring Lake or Fort Bragg campus locations. 

    Questions about the Association of Students for Social Justice can be directed to Karen Boyd at boydk@faytechcc.edu or Pamela Collins at collinsp@faytechcc.edu. 

  • 04Pitt eyesI have seen the future, and it’s spooky. You may have seen it, too, if you watch cable news morning shows. I was half awake, having only consumed a half-cup of coffee, as the TV blared on about the latest horrors. Mercifully, a commercial appeared where everyone was happy. Usually, news shows are sponsored by Big Pharma, pushing some drug to cure some dread disease — or pushing a drug to get you off the drug they sold you to cure a dread disease. 

    I’m looking at you, Sackler Family, purveyors of Oxycontin. You have to listen to the ugly side effects of the drug du jour while the people in the commercial are having no side effects at all. 

    This commercial was different. The people were having a great time. They were skipping long lines, getting on uncrowded airplanes, going to see sporting events and moving with the “speed of life,” as the ad said. 

    Wow. I want to move at the speed of life. Can I become one of these happy, peppy people who don’t have to wait in line like the commoners? Where do I sign up? There appear to be no side effects from this wonderful product, unlike Big Pharma’s narcotics. 

    The wonderful new product is brought to you by a company I shall rename Acme BioCooties in honor of Wile E. Coyote. Acme BioCooties takes you to the head of the line. 

    Acme BioCooties is a biometric identification company. It is the digital version of 23andMe, the DNA/ancestry testing company that’s been all the rage lately. Instead of spitting in a vial, send Acme your fingerprints and a scan of your eyeballs. You go to the head of the class, or at least the front of the line. 

    Tired of having to show pesky personal identification documents? Just sashay over to the Acme Biometric Approval 500 Machine. Take a loving look into the Ghost in the Machine’s eye scanner and press your fingertips on a finger reader. If Big Brother likes what he sees, you can skip the line. 

    This leaves all the little people in line admiring, envying and hating you for your line-skipping status. All animals are equal, some are just more equal than others. In the meantime, ask yourself the musical question: “Have I sold my soul and identity for the ability to skip other people in line?” 

    Acme brags it is currently at more than 40 airports and all major league baseball parks. Acme converts the images of your eyeballs and fingertips into a series of encrypted ones and zeros “that is unique to you and only you.” 

    What a dandy brave new world. I always wanted to be converted into a series of encrypted ones and zeros. This is the goal of all humanity: to be an encrypted number. Tattooed numbers on arms and identity papers are old hat. Biometrics will make it all so much easier to move along, track, and if we get a bit out of line, to control. 

    What could go wrong? 

    Acme proudly reports it has been approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. That should make you feel warm and fuzzy. Acme asks: “Are you ready to be unstoppable? Imagine every place you customarily show ID to gain entry. Now imagine Acme ID.” Acme is also seeking partners to use its biometric identifier. “It will strengthen security, increase fraud protection with real time data and analyze and leverage real-time customer data.” 

    As Jerry Lewis once sang at his MDA telethons, “You’ll never walk alone.” 

    Acme says it is always thinking about new applications powered by biometrics like “checking into doctor’s office at the tap of a finger” or paying for stuff with your finger prints. 

    The website says more than 20 million people have already signed up to be ones and zeroes. The basic price is $179 a year until you run out of money. Your biometric numbers are encrypted and securely stored in the cloud. And as we all know, the cloud is safe from being hacked. You don’t believe me? Ask the North Koreans, or a 16-year-old hacker. 

    On second thought, don’t ask. 

    Already, some stores no longer take cash, requiring credit cards. A few cities have passed ordinances outlawing cashless stores as not everyone can obtain a credit card. Too bad for the poor people. The poor have no credit cards to buy bread? As Marie Antoinette said, “Let them eat nonbiometric cake.” Most people, excepting Captain Hook, have fingers for Acme. 

    So, what have we learned today? When biometrics takes hold, rich people won’t have to wait in line. Be like Esau. Sell your soul and identity for a mess of pottage in the form of line-skipping. 

    Once biometrics becomes universal, it will do away with cash. Let your fingers and eyes do the walking through the speed of life. Just hope that you don’t run afoul of Big Brother’s rules. He might terminate your biometric identity. It could be difficult to buy vittles if you can’t pass the eye scan test because you’ve been cancelled. 

    Perhaps being an encrypted series of ones and zeroes may not turn out as well as one might hope. 

    Big Brother is watching you. Big Brother loves you. He grants and taketh away your encrypted number. Don’t make waves. You’d better be good for goodness sakes — especially if you like to eat or want to buy anything. 

  • 10BBQIs it just one more small-town business that has closed its doors? 

    Or is there more to it? 

    For North Carolina barbecue lovers, last week’s closure of Wilber’s in Goldsboro was like the loss of a family member. 

    Wilber’s has been on my list of favorite eateries for many years. And it would be in the top two or three barbecue restaurants in this state on a list made by any barbecue expert. 

    There are lots of reasons. First, Wilber’s and its owner, Wilber Shirley, had been in business since 1962 when he bought Hill’s Barbecue. Second, and arguably most important, he still cooked the old-fashioned way, over pits with wood coals and all night, slowly, carefully cooking whole hogs. The real barbecue experts say this makes all the difference. In his classic book “Tar Heel Barbecue,” Jim Early opined, “The name Wilber’s and Eastern North Carolina barbecue are synonymous.” 

    Another contributor to Wilber’s long-time success was his location on U.S. 70, right on the pathway of vacationers traveling to the coast. But in 2016 the opening of a bypass around Goldsboro changed that. It certainly made a big difference. As Wilber told local television back then, “Well of course, it’s something nobody like a businessman would be jumping up and down about.” 

    Then he added, “It’s something we can’t help, so we face the issue and whatever comes.” 

    We hoped that Wilber’s commitment to the careful and grueling process of old-fashioned cooking over wood coals would still draw customers off the new highway bypass. 

    Wilber’s pitmasters were legendary. In his book “North Carolina Barbecue: Flavored by Time,” Bob Garner described how pitmaster Ike Green “would build a fire of stacked oak logs in the fireplace. He let the fire burn down to coals for an hour or so as he trundled a wheelbarrow between the pit house and the restaurant building, loading the 40 or 50 half-pigs he would cook that night onto the pits, where they would slow-roast for nine hours.” 

    Wilber’s and other classic barbecue houses have always attracted political gatherings. Visiting politicians, if they were smart, called on Wilber Shirley. Sometimes he was active in supporting some candidates. In 1984, he was serving as treasurer for Rufus Edmisten’s campaign for governor. One morning Wilber read that Rufus had told reporters he was through with barbecue. Rufus says his first call about his unfortunate comment came from Wilbur. 

    John Shelton Reed, co-author of “Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue” and champion of slow-cooking over wood coals, mourned, “Another of the greats is gone. Real North Carolina barbecue was already an endangered species. Soon it may be just a memory.” 

    There is something else we are losing. Wilber’s was a community gathering place where friendships were enhanced and great memories created, treasured memories similar to those shared by Gov. Roy Cooper at last week’s Main Street Conference in Salisbury. Cooper remembered riding his bike downtown in Nashville, North Carolina, for visits to the barbershop and drugstore and with the people who packed the then-thriving downtown. He said, “Our small towns and rural communities are wonderful places to live, work and raise a family.” 

    But as Scott Huler sadly points out in his new book “A Delicious Country: Rediscovering the Carolinas along the Route of John Lawson’s 1700 Expedition,” our state’s rural and small-town landscapes are struggling, “littered with empty manufacturing plants, corporate farms and forests, empty main streets and deserted houses.” 

    Real barbecue restaurants and small towns: Do all you can to preserve them, and do not miss any opportunity to enjoy them now before they are gone. 

  • 13Aneisha McMillanIt was about 15 years ago when Aneisha McMillan had an idea for a product she wanted to launch and needed a public relations firm to give her plan a boost. The problem was, she couldn’t afford to hire someone. So, she did the next best thing. She taught herself how to do it. 

    That self-training launched a new career for the Michigan-born McMillan, and now she’s bringing her business to a new storefront location on Trade Street in Hope Mills. 

    Her business, Oink Agency, will share space with her husband, Shaun McMillan’s, Drama Lab, a video audition business geared toward aspiring actors. Shaun, a retired Army ranger, is an actor with multiple film and TV credits on his resume. 

    Aneisha said her career in public relations snowballed after she was able to land products she was promoting on “Good Morning America” and other outlets. 

    “I started getting calls from other entrepreneurs who said, ‘Hey, how did you do that?’ she said. “They started asking, ‘can you do it for me?’ It turned into an actual career.’’ 

    The flying pig logo that adorns the door of her new location on Trade Street is a symbol of McMillan’s attitude toward life. 

    “My entire family has an affinity for flying pigs,’’ she said. “For us, the meaning is anything imaginable is possible if you believe in yourself, believe in your dreams. The flying pig is the embodiment of that notion. Impossible things happen every day.’’ 

    McMillan said her favorite clients are what she calls mom and pop shops. “They are fiercely driven and so passionate,’’ she said. 

    Her biggest client for now is the Halloween and Costume Association, a group of merchants who specialize in Halloween-related products including costumes and candy. 

    Last fall, McMillan collaborated with the HCA on a promotion with supermodel Heidi Klum, who was proclaimed the queen of Halloween. 

    McMillan also helped promote a national push of a petition on change.org to get people to support a permanent move of the celebration of Halloween annually to the final Saturday in October. 

    McMillan lives in the Gray’s Creek area and decided to open a storefront for her business in Hope Mills. “I love Hope Mills and love the lake,’’ she said. “I’m really excited it’s back in action. 

    “This area is amazing, and Trade Street is very nostalgic. The history behind it is pretty rich. The building itself is a great building, over 100 years old.’’ 

    Married with six children, the 44-year-old said she found solitude at home something tough to come by, so she came up with the idea of opening an office to get a little privacy. 

    “It’s definitely hard to grow as a one-person show,’’ she said. “Here, I hope I can expand, bring on some more clients and some employees.’’ 

    McMillan said the basic offerings of her business are public relations and marketing. “I’m the person to come to for big ideas,’’ she said. 

    Even companies with in-house public relations staff have called on her, she said, looking for bigger ideas or things they’ve never thought of. 

    “My kids say I make folks famous for a living,’’ she said. “I don’t know if that’s quite true, but it’s a pretty good explanation of what it is, marketing to put together multi-faceted campaigns to help people get the message out about their product via social media or direct to the media.’’ 

    To find out specifics about what McMillan’s business has to offer, visit www.oinkagency.com. 

    McMillan said while she will have an office open to the public at her new place of business, it won’t have 9-to-5 operating hours. 

    “We’re not a traditional retail storefront,’’ she said. She will use the space as needed to meet clients in person, and her husband will also use it for videotaping auditions for his Drama Lab business. 

    “Clients that want to talk should shoot me an email or call,’’ McMillan said. 

    Her email address is aneisha@oinkagency.com. Her phone number is 910-849-9003. 

    Photo: Aneisha McMillan

  • 07medicalThe health of Cumberland County residents is improving, but a new statistical report of Cumberland County’s overall health ranking leaves a lot of unanswered questions — mostly in the “why” category. The report indicates overall health outcomes improved slightly from 75 to 73 of North Carolina’s 100 counties. The rankings were released by “County Health Rankings,” a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute program. 

    Health rankings provide a comparison of the overall health of nearly every county in the nation and how a community’s overall ranking is influenced by the length and quality of life, health behaviors, clinical care, social and economic factors and physical environment. 

    “Community health rankings are a useful tool from a public health perspective,” said Duane Holder, interim Cumberland County health director. “It shows that community partners need to work together because many of these factors cannot be addressed on the individual level. The rankings show us where we live matters.” 

    Cumberland County scored high in the area of clinical care, ranking 40th in the state. Data indicates, however, that the percentage of county residents who are uninsured is less than the state. They also show that the county’s patient-to-provider ratios, to include dental and mental health care, are lower than the state average. 

    Cumberland County saw a decrease in premature deaths and improvement in the “length of life” category. The rankings also indicated areas for improvement, including smoking and adult obesity. The Health Department has identified exercise, nutrition and weight and respiratory disease as two of the nine priority areas as part of the 2019 Community Health Needs Assessment process. 

    These priorities also include: access to health services; economy; immunizations and infectious diseases; occupational and environmental health; other chronic diseases; public safety; respiratory disease; and substance abuse. The Health Department will focus on these priorities over the next three years. 

    Sexually transmitted disease rates in the county declined from the previous year but still show a need for improvement. In October, the Sexually Transmitted Disease Clinic at the Health Department extended its hours on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Regular hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The clinic also increased its community outreach efforts. 

    The department is seeking the public’s opinion in the ranking of importance of the priorities. “A good health status … influences the county in all aspects of daily living,” said Holder. Residents are asked to take a few minutes to complete a survey online. To access the survey in English, go to surveymonkey.com/r/CCDPHCHNA. For a Spanish version, go to surveymonkey.com/r/CCDPHCHNAS. 

    The full rankings are available at www.countyhealthrankings.org. 

    More information about the Cumberland County Department of Public Health’s programs and services, health-related data or community resources are available by phone at 910-433-3600. Or, visit the information desk at the health department office building, 1235 Ramsey St. The website is co.cumberland. nc.us/health.aspx. Comments are welcome and can be submitted on the website at co.cumberland.nc.us/ feedback. 

  • 16swimmingHere are the top award-winners from Patriot Athletic Conference swimming this season. 

    Most points: 

    Boys — Brandon Chhoeung, Pine Forest; Zizhou Lu, Gray’s Creek 

    Girls — Sarah Morden, E.E. Smith; Amelia Shook, Cape Fear 

    Coach of the year: 

    Boys —Rick Kaiser, Gray’s Creek 

    Girls — Amey Shook, Cape Fear 

    Coaches Award: 

    Boys — Zizhou Lu, Gray’s Creek 

    Girls — Sarah Morden 

    Photo: L-R: Sarah Morden, Amelia Shook 

     

  • 02NCEditor’s note: The March 20, 2019, issue of Up & Coming Weekly featured an article by Earl Vaughan Jr. titled “Hope Mills losing UNC-Pembroke student sculptures.” The article talked about the removal of several sculptures that University of North Carolina- Pembroke art students had put on display in Hope Mills. There was a strong reaction to the article. So, Vaughan wrote a follow-up that was planned to run in this issue of Up & Coming Weekly. However, Hope Mills Commissioners Jessie Bellflowers, Meg Larson and Mike Mitchell were so outraged at the original article that they called a special meeting, which will take place prior to this issue being released. To avoid confusing the situation further, we are withholding Vaughan’s follow-up article to run at a later date. 

    On a separate note: In that same issue of Up & Coming Weekly, the cover story, “Fayetteville Cumberland Parks and Recreation Bond Referendum update: continued, exciting progress,” incorrectly stated that the bond referendum was passed by both Cumberland County and city of Fayetteville citizens. The article has been corrected in its web-based forms to state that the bond referendum was only passed by citizens of the city. 

    While election scandals, national issues and candidate announcements for 2019 and 2020 races have dominated the political headlines, North Carolina is continuing to head in the direction of greater freedom. That’s welcome. 

    I believe North Carolina state and local governments have important responsibilities. They finance or deliver critical public services. Their regulatory authority can be used to protect public health, combat fraud and resolve disputes. 

    But government power is inherently coercive. That’s quite literally what a government is, a social institution that enjoys a monopoly on the legitimate use of physical force in a given geographic area. It’s necessary. 

    It’s also dangerous, which is why we constrain the day-to-day exercise of governmental power with written federal and state constitutions, explicit grants of state authority to localities, and the common law. 

    To the extent government is limited to its essential powers, expenditures and exactions, we enjoy the freedom to make our own decisions, to form our own private agreements and associations according to our own personal values. I believe such freedom — the freedom to live as we choose as long as our actions do not endanger the equal freedom of others to do the same — is both a natural right and a practical solution to many social problems. 

    Among the 50 states, North Carolina is relatively free. There are various ways to measure this. One reasonable and consumer-friendly tool is the Cato Institute’s “Freedom in the 50 States” project. On its website, you can compare state performance on the overall index as well as on specific criteria. 

    North Carolina currently ranks 18th in Cato’s overall freedom measure. We earn better-than-average scores in economic freedom, a bundle that includes taxes, spending and regulations. We do even better, ranking 17th, in a bundle of personal freedom measures that includes educational freedom (sixth), regulations on tobacco (eighth), property rights for those accused (but not convicted) of crimes (11th) and overall incarceration rates (17th). 

    In the category of regulations on alcohol production, marketing and consumption, North Carolina ranks below average at 35th. But it looks like that ranking is going to be improving soon. The state’s beer wholesalers and emerging craft-beer industry, at loggerheads for years, have just announced a compromise that, if enacted by the General Assembly, will loosen the state’s tight restrictions on direct distribution by breweries. Other proposed legislation would reform North Carolina’s archaic and counterproductive system of ABC stores. 

    Another problematic ranking for North Carolina is in the area of health-insurance regulation. We impose too many mandates on what health plans must cover and how they can be structured and sold. Again, however, there is room for optimism. A bill to strengthen the market for association health plans, which allow businesses and individuals in the same industry to band together to get better deals on health insurance, has just passed the North Carolina Senate with a bipartisan vote and now awaits action in the House. 

    When it comes to property-rights protections, our national ranking isn’t horrible at 20th. But protections are stronger in our neighboring states of South Carolina (second), Tennessee (fourth), Georgia (11th) and Virginia (12th). The General Assembly could improve the situation this session by placing a constitutional amendment on the ballot that would limit the abuse of eminent domain and by putting a final nail in the coffin of the state’s unconstitutional Map Act, which had deprived property owners of the just compensation to which they were due as part of the process of planning and constructing state roads. 

    I don’t favor expanding freedom in North Carolina because I think North Carolinians always make the right decisions for themselves. We are flawed creatures, subject to temptations and prone to mistakes. But politicians are no less flawed than the rest of us, to put it charitably. 

    I prefer to trust the wisdom of crowds, as reflected by the outcomes of free choices by millions of people over time. We try, we err, we learn from each other. That’s freedom in practice. It works. 

  • 14Corrine ShovlainTerry Sanford’s girls soccer team is having the same kind of season so far that it’s enjoyed the last two years under head coach Karl Molnar. 

    That means two things for the Bulldogs: more wins and more pressure. 

    In the past two years, the Bulldogs topped the 20-win mark both times, while suffering only one defeat, that coming both times in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state playoffs. Two years ago, they got all the way to the 3-A Eastern finals. Last year they lost in the third round. 

    Through March 20, this year’s team is 5-0. 

    “Obviously, the pressure just builds,’’ Molnar said. “The target seems to get bigger. Other teams continue to grow their programs, and other teams are shooting for you.’’ 

    But while the pressure is real, Molnar said it’s also a positive. “We often talk about (how) pressure is a privilege,’’ he said. “You’re doing things right (if ) the games matter that much.’’ 

    Terry Sanford’s quick start this year is an impressive accomplishment considering the graduation losses the Bulldogs suffered. 

    “We lost some very talented young ladies last year,’’ Molnar said. He mentioned standouts like Talia Parrous, Christina Rice and Ally Gustafson. 

    “Those were some big shoes to fill, but we’ve had some people step up,’’ he said. 

    One of the biggest has been junior forward and midfielder Corrine Shovlain, who leads the team in goals through March 20 with 14. 

    Kate Perko came to the Bulldog program from nearby Fayetteville Academy and has provided tough play in the middle of the field. Maiya Parrous, recently recovered from illness, is also beginning to shine. 

    Goalkeeper play is solid for Terry Sanford with senior Lindsay Bell in the net. Through March 20, Bell has only allowed one goal in 14 shots on goal. 

    But as well as the Bulldogs are playing, Molnar said they’re not in state playoff form yet. 

    “It’s still early in the season,’’ he said. 

    Also, some games Molnar was banking on to help the Bulldogs hone their performance to a finer edge won’t be played. 

    The Patriot Athletic Conference that Terry Sanford plays in has some traditionally weak programs that don’t provide Terry Sanford the strongest possible test. 

    Molnar hoped to bolster the Bulldog schedule with nonconference games against good teams from Jack Britt and Union Pines. 

    But the rash of bad weather has forced multiple rescheduled games for the Bulldogs. Since conference games are a priority, Molnar had to wipe the contests with Jack Britt and Union Pines from the slate, and now it’s unlikely those games will be played this season. 

    “We develop and push and try to get them on the same sheet of music as much as you can during the season, so you are peaking at the end of the season,’’ Molnar said. 

    That’s not easy when the teams you face in the state playoffs are seasoned, with numerous players who take part in club soccer programs year-round. 

    “Those teams that beat us in the state tournament are solid at every position,’’ Molnar said. “There’s not a weak spot on the field, and they’ve got two or three girls rotating in that aren’t weak spots.’’ 

    But that is no deterrent to the confidence of Terry Sanford players like Shovlain, who said the Bulldogs have high expectations again this season and are trying to get stronger every game, regardless of the level of competition. 

    “What we do is take every practice seriously,’’ she said. “We have to push ourselves to our best abilities. Even though we play weaker teams, we all try to push each other during those games. We all communicate and pass. We work on different plays that will help us in the playoffs.’’ 

    Shovlain feels the Bulldogs have a strong offensive attack and that the defense led by Maiya Parrous and Kara Walker is getting stronger. 

    “Working as a team is a big thing,’’ Shovlain said. “At the end of the day, if we all try our best, I think we’ll come out with a W.’’ 

    Photo: Corrine Shovlain 

  • 12FarmersThe town of Hope Mills is preparing to roll out its first farmers market in hopes of uniting consumers and area and regional farmers for the benefit of both. 

    Town manager Melissa Adams said that about a year ago she established a staff committee to see if the town could expand its successful venture with the food truck rodeo. The initial plan was to look into various areas where the town could branch out into the fields of art and culture. One of the ideas that sprung from those committee meetings was a farmers market. 

    Adams said the intent was not to compete with any existing enterprise of that nature in the Hope Mills area, but to bring an added value to the town. 

    The plan is to hold the farmers market in the areas near the municipal ball fields at the Town Hall and Parks and Recreation building complex. 

    “We’ve got the grounds we can use and we’ve got the parking,’’ Adams said. “We can try to get something off the ground and see if it can be successful.’’ 

    The initial plan is to start the farmers market the first Saturday of the month, beginning in May and running through October. 

    “If it grows and is wildly successful and our vendors say, ‘I want to come every Saturday or every other Saturday,’ we’ll look at that,” Adams said. “We don’t want to bite off more than we can chew. If it grows, great.’’ 

    Tiffany Gillstedt, deputy town clerk, has been researching farmers markets operated by other municipalities to get a better understanding of rules and regulations in place that have made them successful. 

    Adams said the Hope Mills farmers market will be governed by a mixture of rules that the town decided to adopt, along with good practices borrowed from other communities doing the same kind of thing. These rules and regulations will be posted on the town of Hope Mills website, www.townofhopemills.com, and also shared via social media, Gillstedt said. 

    Initially, all vendors will be invited from within a 100-mile radius of Hope Mills, with the additional requirement they live in North Carolina. 

    More information about how to apply to be a vendor is listed on the town website. At some point, Adams said, the town may screen vendors from outside the area and allow them to take part in the farmers market. 

    The guidelines for vendors include a detailed list of the items that can be sold at the farmers market; that list is dominated by homegrown and homemade items. All items vendors plan to sell must be submitted to the town’s Art and Culture Committee for approval. 

    No animals can be sold or given away at the market. 

    Each vendor will pay a fee of $50 that will allow that vendor to sell items at all six of the scheduled farmers markets. For a fee of $20, a vendor can attend a single farmers market and can specify on the application which month they’d like to take part. 

    Adams said the town is starting out modestly with the fee it will charge in hopes of increasing participation over time. 

    The town is also considering linking participation in the farmers market with participation at the town’s annual Ole Mill Days celebration. 

    Adams said she has been working with staff to increase the number of handmade items available at Ole Mill Days and become less dependent on manufactured items, while still allowing those types of goods to be sold. 

    The tentative plan is to give vendors who come to the farmers market a discounted fee to be a vendor at Ole Mill Days. “I would really like to see it become more of an arts and crafts festival,’’ Adams said of Ole Mill Days. “I think it would draw in a whole other group of people hungry for that type of event, something different for our citizens that brings more value to living here in Hope Mills.’’ 

    The initial farmers market will coincide with the annual Hope Mills spring cleanup and shredding event in the Town Hall area. Adams is hoping that will draw additional foot and vehicle traffic to the first farmers market. 

    The June farmers market will be held in conjunction with the town’s annual Pet Fest, which will also hopefully boost attendance. 

    Initially, the farmers market will be under the leadership of Chancer McLaughlin, the town’s development and planning administrator. 

    The hours for each farmers market will be from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. 

    Adams stressed that the farmers market program will be a work in progress and subject to any changes that the town feels will make it work better. 

    Anyone with questions about the first farmers market, what to bring or how to apply can check www.townofhopemills.com or contact McLaughlin at cmclaughlin@townofhopemills.com. 

  • Screen Shot 2019 03 19 at 122112 PMPriya Mall

    South View • Volleyball • Junior

    Mall has a 4.29 grade point average. She is a member of National Honor Society, International Baccalaureate and Hispanic National Honor Society.

     

    Screen Shot 2019 03 19 at 122123 PM

    William Pryor

    South View • Basketball/Tennis • Junior

    Pryor has a 4.3vgrade point average.vHe is a membervof NationalvHonor Societyvand International Baccalaureate. He is also student body vice president.

  • 14 Village ChristianThe North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association handed down penalties to Fayetteville’s Village Christian Academy last week following an investigation of alleged infractions in the school’s football program.

    The story was initially broken by Nick Stevens of High School OT, a web content subset of WRAL-TV that covers high school athletics. 

    Homar Ramirez, executive director of the NCISAA, released a statement regarding the case at Village Christian.

    In the statement, Ramirez said the NCISAA determined Village had recruited players to play football. It was determined the players were offered impermissible benefits by school personnel.

    The NCISAA placed Village on probation for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years. In addition, Village had to forfeit all wins in football for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. That included a state runner-up finish in 2017 and a state championship in 2018.

    The school was fined an undisclosed amount.

    The statement also said the NCISAA was satisfied with the actions the senior administration at Village had taken to resolve the matter and the measures it had implemented to prevent future incidents.

    High School OT reported that Village superintendent Tom Rider sent an email to school families that stated the school’s administration accepted the ruling of the NCISAA.

    In other news

    • Two Fayetteville high school basketball stars will be competing in this year’s Carolinas All-Star Classic basketball game on Saturday, March 23, at John T. Hoggard High School in Wilmington.

    Alexandria Scruggs of E.E. Smith and Kendal Moore of Pine Forest were both selected to play for the North Carolina girls team, which will meet a team of South Carolina all-stars. A boys game between North and South Carolina teams will follow the girls game.

    Moore has committed to North Carolina State University while Scruggs is committed to Wake Forest University.

    The action is scheduled to begin with the girls game at 6 p.m. and the boys game immediately following.

    Patty Evers, athletic director and girls basketball coach at East Bladen High School, will head the North Carolina girls team. 

    Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children and students.

    • South View High School will host a combine for the 2019 Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas on Saturday, March 23.

    Registration for all positions will be from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. Meeting with coaches is at 11 a.m., and testing begins at 11:30 a.m. There is a $20 registration fee payable on-site.

    The Shrine Bowl, the oldest high school allstar game in the country, annually pits the top seniors from North and South Carolina in a football game that benefits the Shriners hospitals for crippled children.

    Photo: Kendal Moore

  • Screen Shot 2019 03 19 at 122101 PMHere is the Patriot Athletic All-Conference girls basketball team as chosen by the league’s head coaches.

    Coach of the Year: Dee Hardy, E.E. Smith

    Player of the Year:  Alexandria Scruggs, E.E. Smith

    First team:

    Pine Forest — Kendal Moore

    Terry Sanford — Imani Elliott, Lindsay Bell

    E.E. Smith — Daireanna McIntyre, Kendall Macauley

    Second team:

    South View — Lillian Flantos, Mia Ayers

    Terry Sanford — Kate Perko

    Pine Forest — Claresha Pruitt

    Overhills — J’Kyah Kelley

    Westover — Salome Campbell

    Honorable mention:

    Douglas Byrd — Diana Robinson

    Pine Forest — Ciara Moore

    E.E. Smith — Keonna Bryant

    Overhills — Kiana Jones

    Terry Sanford — Nyla Cooper

  • 13 Funds soughtA fundraiser is in the works to help erect a permanent sign in honor of John Daskal at the Reid Ross High School football stadium that bears his name.

    Daskal founded the football program at Reid Ross before finishing his highly successful football coaching career at Terry Sanford High School.

    Daskal’s daughters, Kristina Daskal Magyar and Kim Daskal Lee, organized the fundraiser, with assistance from former Cumberland County Schools student activities director Fred McDaniel.

    There are currently two signs at Reid Ross recognizing Daskal, one on the back of the press box and another on the scoreboard.

    Magyar said they want something more permanent, made out of brick, and resembling a sign that honors former Pine Forest High School principal Harold K. Warren located at that school’s football stadium, which is named for him.

    “If I’m correct, it’s going to be around $12,000,’’ Magyar said of the projected cost of the sign honoring Daskal. She said tentative plans are for the dimensions to be about 6 feet tall and from 15 to 20 feet wide. Magyar said if it can be included in the cost, she hopes to have a picture of her father on the sign, along with a brief biography.

    It would be located on what is now the main entrance to the stadium, a road entering from the end zone near the scoreboard. The sign would be placed outside the exterior stadium fence, she said.

    While the primary fundraiser will be a golf tournament, Magyar said people are invited to submit any donations to the effort. “We are just reaching out to alumni or any friends, people who are interested in making a donation or who want to play in the golf tournament,’’ she said.

    Magyar said the family wants to erect the sign not just to recognize Daskal’s success on the field but to honor him for the role he played in the lives of the countless young men he coached over the years.

    “A lot of boys have looked at my dad like he was their father,’’ she said. “He was the go-to guy to ask a lot of questions because they did not have that male figure in their life.’’

    Magyar said she’s heard countless stories over the years about how her father inspired young people, stories of them calling him back thanking him for the help he provided them.

    “It goes to your heart because you’re hearing from all of those kids and they just loved my dad,’’ she said, “not just my dad but all these coaches who have been a part of their lives like that.

    “When (someone is) an inspiration to somebody, people want to help because they love them that much for what they’ve done in their lives.’’

    The golf tournament is scheduled for Sunday, April 14, at Gates Four Golf and Country Club at 6775 Irongate Dr.

    The cost is $65 per player. Individuals or companies who don’t want to play in the tournament can purchase a sign for $100. Golfers can also purchase mulligans for $5.

    The first-place team will get $300 and the second- place team $150.

    Registration and lunch are at 11:30 a.m., and the tournament begins at 1 p.m.

    The deadline for entry is April 9.

    For more information about the tournament, contact the following people: Fred McDaniel, 910-709-9281; Dewayne Lee, 910-273-6773; Kristina Daskal Magyar, 910-591-0098; or Kim Daskal Lee, 910-261-9311.

  • Meetings

    For details about all meetings and activities, including location where not listed, call Town Clerk Jane Starling at 910-426-4113.

    Aquatics Feasibility Committee Wednesday, March 20, 6:30 p.m., Luther Board Room, Town Hall. This meeting will be held for the purpose of exploring potential partnership opportunities for an aquatics center.

    Appearance Commission Tuesday, March 26, 6:30 p.m., Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Center.

    Festival Committee Monday, April 1, 6 p.m., Town Hall, front conference room.

    Activities

    Operation Medicine Drop Saturday, March 23, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Hope Mills Fire Department. Drop off outdated or unused prescription medication.

    Food Truck Rodeo Thursday, April 4, 5-8 p.m., Town Hall rear parking lot. Enjoy music, an assortment of food trucks, bouncy house and games for kids, and presentations by various public service vendors.

    Breakfast with the Easter Bunny/Easter egg hunt Saturday, April 6, 8:30 a.m-11 a.m. and 11:15 a.m., Hope Mills Recreation Center. Tickets are $6. Final day to purchase tickets is Monday, April 1. Call 910-426-4109 to reserve your spot. Easter egg hunt follows Breakfast with the Easter Bunny and is free.

    Hope Mills Area Kiwanis Club at Sammio’s, second Tuesdays at noon and fourth Tuesdays at 6 p.m. For details, call 910-237-1240.

    Promote yourself

    Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • 12 Food TruckEDITOR'S NOTE: Cold Stone Creamery was added as the tenth truck for May’s Hope Mills Food Truck Rodeo after the print deadline for this week's issue.

    Get ready, Hope Mills. The food trucks are coming back. Beginning Thursday, April 4, and continuing through November, the food trucks will be back the first Thursday of each month. The event will again be held in the rear parking lot of Hope Mills Town Hall, 5770 Rockfish Rd.

    Chancer McLaughlin, development and planning administrator for the town of Hope Mills, said the setup will be basically the same as last year, with each of the events starting at 5 p.m. and ending at 8 p.m.

    A live DJ will provide music for the first rodeo. When summer arrives, McLaughlin said the town will offer live bands.

    There will also be activities for children, including a bouncy house and a variety of free games. In addition, the town will have vendors on hand who will share information with the community about their various services.

    Among the vendors lined up for the first rodeo in April are the Hope Mills Community Emergency Response Team, iSign sign language and The CARE Clinic.

    “The vendors provide a service to the community,” McLaughlin said. “We are giving them the ability to share awareness about their program and the service they offer in the community.’’

    At all of the food truck rodeos, the town encourages people to bring nonperishable food items to donate to the ALMSHOUSE, a Hope Mills-based nonprofit that focuses on helping families get back on their feet and become selfsufficient, and its Kid’s Assistance Program.

    “We always do the ALMSHOUSE food drive,’’ McLaughlin said.

    Among the scheduled food trucks for the first event are A Catered Affair by Chef Glenn, Big T’s Snow on the Go, California Taco Truck, Kona Ice and Nancy Manby’s Famous Food Truck.

    McLaughlin said he strives at each food truck rodeo to have a variety of trucks so that no two trucks are competing directly with each other with the same food or specialty offerings.

    McLaughlin said the food truck events took a serious hit from bad weather last year as he had to cancel or postpone the monthly gatherings four times as two hurricanes hit Hope Mills in the fall.

    He tries to watch the weather as closely as possible and call them off or reschedule them at least a week in advance if needed.

    He said the biggest thing he learned from last year’s rodeos is that the people of Hope Mills love the food trucks, and the truck owners are appreciative. “We charge no fees for food trucks,’’ he said. “The main goal is we are trying to support the food truck community.’’

    He said the people appreciate the events because it gives them a break from preparing meals at home on a week night. “It’s a relaxing event for a school night,’’ McLaughlin said. “We provide the  a backdrop.’’

    McLaughlin said he gets his list of food trucks from the trucks that have been approved by the county health department. “I switch the trucks out every month, and we book about a month in advance,’’ he said. “We try to make sure we have at least six trucks for a variety.’’

    McLaughlin can be reached at 919-478-9023 or cmclaughlin@townofhopemills.com with questions about the rodeos or how to get a food truck involved.

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  • 11 Hope Mills artSculptures created by students at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke that have been on public display in Hope Mills for about a year are disappearing from the landscape because of a breakdown in communication between town officials and UNC-Pembroke instructors.

    Adam Walls, associate professor of art at UNCPembroke, is a Hope Mills resident. About a year ago, he worked out a plan with Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner for students to create sculptures that would be put on display around the town of Hope Mills.

    The plan was for the town to get new works of art to show on an annual basis, with the only cost to the town being money to purchase the supplies the students needed to create the art. But when Walls tried to communicate with the town this year about renewing the agreement, his attempts were unsuccessful. 

    “They never would return my phone calls or my emails about how we were going to go about funding the new pieces,’’ he said.

    Last year, Walls wrote a grant for the town that secured the money to construct the concrete pads on which the sculptures were displayed. This year  he said he was prepared to write a similar grant to get money for the materials to build the sculptures. That cost the town about $3,000 last year. 

    While there was an apparent breakdown in communication, possibly caused by the fact officials with the town’s Parks and Recreation Department were displaced and without phones for a good part of the year as a result of damage to the recreation center, Walls said he heard there may have been another reason for the difficulty.

    “My understanding is the board (of commissioners) was not always in favor of what the previous board might have okayed,’’ Walls said. “Because somebody else has previously agreed to it, they were probably going to shoot it down.’’

    Walls is in the process of retrieving the sculptures and returning them to their creators. He said this year’s class of students, several of them from Hope Mills, is disappointed at losing a chance for public display of their works.

    “My students from Hope Mills are really brokenhearted they don’t get to show anything in their hometown,’’ Walls said. “But there was just no funding available to us. I wanted to help write the grant to make this happen, but they weren’t forthcoming.’’

    Walls said public display of a young artist’s work is an important step in his or her career.

    “It helps them start thinking of their work as professional,’’ he said. “When you put it in a public realm like that, you are going to have thousands of people seeing your work. They may not all be art enthusiasts, but just imagine. They are going to recognize there is a value in what they’re doing.

    “Not having this exhibition opportunity kind of takes some of the value away from the students, especially the students who are from that area.’’

    Even if the town does change its mind and would like to have art return, Walls said because of his personal schedule it would be at least a year from now before new sculptures could be created to replace the ones the town is losing. “We hope it will happen in the future,’’ he said.

    Warner said she was personally disappointed the town wasn’t able to continue displaying the sculptures. She had first seen the work of UNC-Pembroke students at a similar display in Laurinburg and thought it would work in Hope Mills as well.

    “I think it added to (Municipal Park),’’ Warner said. “I can’t tell you how many people have taken pictures with them (the sculptures).’’

    Walls also said whenever he went to the park with his children this past year, he heard numerous positive comments from others there about the sculptures.

    Warner is hopeful that the town can work with Walls to bring the art back in 2020.

    “As a town, we dropped the ball,’’ she said. “Had I known it had gone so far, I would have made the effort myself.’’

     

  • 10 musicIf marriage has shown me one thing over the course of my husband and my short eight years together, it is that humans are deeply flawed. OK, it doesn’t take being married to get that. Here’s the real truth that has blindsided me — I am deeply flawed.

    Hard to admit, right? It’s difficult, sometimes, for me to lump myself in with the rest of humankind. It is way too easy to say that about everyone else, especially that guy with road rage who threw the finger up at you in traffic or the coworker who gets on your ever-loving nerves day in and day out.

    It’s why we hate going through checkout lines — the cashier is too slow, the people at the stores are crazy and it’s too crowded. So, we order online. Food. Clothes. That random part you need to fix your lawnmower. Toys. Business cards. Books. Eye glasses. A mattress in a box. Need customer service or to schedule an appointment? I’ll do it online, thank you.

    We’ve done everything to make life “convenient” and to make sure we don’t have to deal with that person who we claim brings out the worst in us. More often than not, brokenness makes us run away. It’s messy, it’s tough and it’s uncomfortable. But to admit that we ourselves are deeply flawed is deeply humbling. And it makes us vulnerable.

    I have issues that I didn’t even know were issues that play out in my everyday interaction with my husband. He knows me better than anyone, which makes these flaws I so artfully hide from everyone else — or, even worse, disguise as admirable — unable to be ignored. Now, don’t get me wrong. He has flaws too. But so does every other human being on this planet.

    If you’re breathing, you’re broken.

    But here’s the other, ironic side of that coin. We were made for community. Part of healing this brokenness is found in cultivating community. In fact, healing can’t be complete until we do. Even in the book of Genesis, God said it’s “not good for man to be alone,” so he created Eve for Adam. We were meant to know and be known by others.

    That leads me to ask, what if these relationships, these interactions with hard-to-get-alongwith people, were actually created to bring out the worst in us? What if these people don’t actually create bad reactions in us; what if these relationships are just a means by which our brokenness comes to the surface?

    What if we’re meant to use these interactions to learn more about ourselves— our ticks, our hurts, our anger, our outbursts — to see our brokenness more clearly and seek healing for it?

    What if this was all to point to Jesus and a relationship with him?

    Galatians 6:2 says, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” James 5:16 says, “Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.” Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” In Romans 1, the apostle Paul talks about being “mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor. If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.”

    We desperately need deep, genuine relationships. We desperately need to deal with our brokenness. We need community. Isolation is used as a torture technique, for crying out loud! It can do crazy things to the mind and heart because it is so opposite to the life we were created to live.

    Relationships require vulnerability. Vulnerability is scary. Scary things are hard. But hard things are worth the effort, worth the risk and worth your time.

    Find a church. Find a community. Find a friend. Your life depends on it. Your healing depends on it. Let’s jump in. We were made for this.

  • 09 4 fridayEvery 4th Friday, downtown Fayetteville hosts a plethora of experiences and activities. Friday, March 22, folks can expect the charm of Fayetteville’s historic downtown mixed with the celebration of local businesses and entertainment. At 4th Friday, attendees can celebrate the community and learn about groups in the area and what they do. One such organization, the Arts Council of Fayetteville/ Cumberland County, says on its website, “Businesses in the four and a half block of historic downtown Fayetteville join the action and become artistic venues on 4th Friday, featuring the arts in all forms, for all ages.”

    Walk Awhile in Her Shoes is an annual event occurring on March’s 4th Friday this year that encourages local men to support sexual assault victims, advocate for justice and call for an end to sexual violence. For $30 plus shoe rental, men don red shoes of all kinds — pumps, flats and sandals, satin, sequined and leather — and walk from Hay Street to Bright Light Brewing Company. Proceeds go to the Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County. Registration includes a Tshirt, water and desserts. Search the event on Facebook or Eventbrite or email walkawhilefay@gmail.com for more information.

    The Arts Council supports individual creativity, cultural preservation, economic development and lifelong learning for all ages. The nonprofit treats 4th Friday as an opportunity to share and display art exhibitions and more. Opening 4th Friday at the council’s Arts Center, 301 Hay St., is “Picturing America’s Pastime Exhibition with Presenting Partner Fayetteville Woodpeckers: A Snapshot of the Photography Collection at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.” The exhibition will be on display through May 11. To learn more, visit the Arts Council website at www.theartscouncil.com.

    The Ellington-White Gallery, at 113 Gillespie St., will also be open to the public for 4th Friday. According to its website, the Ellington-White Gallery works to “generate and support high quality diverse cultural experiences in all of the arts and art-related disciplines.”

    4th Friday offers other experiences from local organizations ranging from museums nonprofits. The Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum hosts a variety of exhibitions for a variety of interests. Its newest exhibit, “Baseball in Fayetteville,” showcases Fayetteville’s love of baseball. The exhibit will be open throughout the year. Call 910- 433-1457 for more information.

    Fascinate-U Children’s Museum keeps children and families entertained for hours. The museum is open from 7-9 p.m. on 4th Friday, offering free admission and a craft. The craft for March is a Minion magnet. Call 910-829-9171 for details.

    City Center Gallery & Books keeps its doors open until 9 p.m. for 4th Friday, and Cape Fear Studios invites attendees to “stop in to see our newest exhibit, meet our artists and check out the new works during each 4th Friday opening.”

    To top off the festivities, the Cool Spring Downtown District will sponsor the “Clue’ville Downtown Mystery.” The event starts Friday, March 22, from 6-9 p.m., and continues Saturday, March 23, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. CSDD’s website says, “Your favorite board game comes to life in Downtown again this year. Move from business to business, gather clues, solve the crime. Watch the culprit’s arrest at a Press Conference. Right or wrong you have a chance to win prizes. This event is FREE, and fun for the whole family!”

    The maps for these games are available at local downtown businesses as well as for download. Check the Cool Spring Downtown District Facebook Event Page for updates or call 910-223-1089.

  • 08 LumbeeThe Friends of the Library present Malinda Maynor Lowery on Sunday, March 24, from 2-4:30 p.m., in the Pate Room of Headquarters Library downtown. She will discuss her latest book, “The Lumbee Indians: An American Struggle.”

    “The library invited me to give a talk about my newest book, which is about the Lumbee Indians, from a community close (by),” said Lowery, associate professor of history and director of the Center for the Study of the American South at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. “We (Lumbees) have a lot of strong ties to Fayetteville — especially to Cumberland and Hoke counties.”

    Lowery added the book covers Lumbee history from the time of European contact to the present and addresses how the Lumbees have sustained themselves as a nation within and alongside the American nation.

    “The book is for people who are interested in public affairs and current issues, love books, are lifelong learners and have a special interest in Native American or North Carolina history,” said Lowery. “I think the library is interested because the book matches their audience, so being invited to give a talk there is a special honor for me.”

    The Lumbees are the largest tribe east of the Mississippi, and their population makes North Carolina the state with the largest American Indian population. There are about 55,000 enrolled Lumbees. Their homeland is in Robeson County and all the adjoining counties, including Hoke, Cumberland, Bladen and Scotland counties.

    “We have a long and proud history of relationships to one another and our identity is founded on our family relationships and our relationships to land,” said Lowery. “We have developed schools, churches and farms, and we have participated in and built our own institutions as well as participating in every other kind of American institution.”

    Lowery writes from a perspective many readers may not be familiar with. “Being a member of the Lumbee tribe gave me a unique access to people and views that have shaped the history,” she said. “It’s probably fairly unusual to think about reading a native history that is written by a native person.

    “Many people assume that my belonging in the tribe would bias me toward a kind of celebratory version of our history, but I think it makes writing the history a lot more complicated because you really have to deal with the bad stuff as much as you deal with the good stuff. I feel responsible, as a member of the community, to tell the whole story.

    “My goal of this book was to make an even wider audience aware of how important Lumbees have been to those kinds of moments when we as Americans are really trying to take stock of how we are going to move forward in a more equal way.”

    Her book will be available for purchase at the event. For more information, call 910-483-7727.

    Photo: Malinda Maynor Lowery

  • 07 misconductU.S. Sen. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., who is a retired U.S. Air Force colonel, was sexually assaulted by a superior officer during her 26-year career in the military. She said recently that when she tried to talk about it to military officials, she “felt like the system was raping me all over again.”

    McSally disclosed this information during a Senate Armed Services committee hearing March 7. McSally said she did not report the rape because she did not trust the system and was ashamed and confused.

    Reading from a prepared statement, she spoke of her pride in the military and her service to the country. She referred to “perpetrators” who had sexually assaulted her, an indication that she had been attacked more than once.

    Fellow senators lauded her for coming forward. “I’m deeply affected by that testimony,” said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., who has pushed for military law changes.

    During a break, McSally spoke with a West Point graduate who detailed being raped by her commander. McSally’s revelation came soon after Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, told of her own abuse and sexual assault while in college. Ernst is a lieutenant colonel in the Iowa National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve.

    McSally and Ernst bring a new perspective to the debate in Congress on military sexual assault.

    Gillibrand has released her latest report on sexual assault in the armed services March 11, finding that many of the troubling trends from the previous two decades have continued to be a pervasive problem in the military.

    “After reviewing yet another year’s worth of sexual assault case files at four of the biggest military bases in the country, I was appalled to see that sexual assault in our military is still as pervasive as ever,” she said.

    Defense officials disagree, the Pentagon arguing that an increase in reported assaults reflects a greater willingness to report attacks rather than indicating assaults are rising. Advocates contend sexual assaults are a highly underreported crime, both in the military and society at large. Gillibrand said the public must demand that higher-ranking officials be part of the solution, not the problem.

    At least two Army general officers have been charged with sexual misconduct in the last two years. Retired Army Maj. Gen. James J. Grazioplene, 69, of Gainesville, Virginia, faces multiple counts in Prince William, Virginia, Circuit Court.

    According to court records, he was indicted on charges of rape seven months after a military judge dismissed related charges against him. The military justice system as it applies to felonies changed during that time.

    The retired two-star general had been accused by the Army of rape, following an investigation dating back to early 2015. Authorities accused Grazioplene of numerous instances of raping a young girl repeatedly between 1983 and 1989, a span in which he lived for a time in Prince William County. He also lived and worked at Fort Bragg during that time.

    Then, there was the sordid scandal of an 82nd Airborne Division assistant commanding general. Disgraced Brig. Gen. Jeffrey Sinclair pleaded guilty to having a three-year illicit affair with a subordinate officer, an Army captain. Sinclair, 51, was accused of forcible sodomy, adultery and conduct unbecoming an officer. Adultery is a crime in the Army. He struck a plea deal to avoid prison time. Sinclair was reprimanded and forced to pay a $20,000 fine. He was reduced in rank for retirement to lieutenant colonel.

  • 06 marathonThe Fayetteville/Fort Bragg sixth annual All American Marathon and Mike to Mike Half Marathon will be held Sunday, March 24, in downtown Fayetteville. A third race, the All American 5K, starts and finishes on post at the Main Post Parade Field, sharing the finish line with the full and half marathons. All registered participants will receive performance T-shirts and customized finisher medals.

    Fort Bragg Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, an organization that manages a network of activities and leisure services designed to serve the needs, interests and responsibilities of the Army community, hosts the events. MWR programs enhance the quality of life for military and family members with youth and recreation programs, sports, entertainment, travel and leisure activities.

    A pre-race health and fitness expo will be held at The Metropolitan Room in downtown Fayetteville on Friday, March 22, from 4-8 p.m. and Saturday, March 23, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Information packets will be available for pick-up during the fitness exposition.

    All American Marathon runners will depart Festival Park and run up Ray Avenue to Hay Street, where they will run through the heart of the historic downtown area, past the Market House. The route will then take runners past Freedom and Veterans Parks and the Airborne & Special Operations Museum, which is home to the historic Iron Mike Statue. Racers will run through the Haymount District of Fayetteville, traveling rolling hills until reaching the All American Expressway.

    After running along the All American for about 4 miles, participants will enter the Fort Bragg installation via Gruber Road. The race course will then lead runners past the home of the 82nd Airborne Division and past Pope Army Airfield. Marathoners will finish the course with scenic views of Forces Command Headquarters and Fort Bragg’s Iron Mike statue, ending at the Main Post Parade Field.

    There will be 23 water stations along the route. All registered athletes wearing race bibs on course will be granted access to Fort Bragg during their marathon and half marathon races. Individuals who are not Department of Defense ID card-holders who wish to enter Fort Bragg before race day must go through the Automated Installation Pass process.

    The All American 5K is wheelchair, walker and stroller friendly. Children may participate so long as they are registered runners. Children in strollers do not have to pay a registration fee. The 5K race on post begins at 7:30 a.m. 

    Courtyard by Marriott at 4192 Sycamore Dairy Rd. is the host hotel. It is located 5 miles from the start line and 7 miles from finish line. Rooms cost $89 per night. Pre-race and post-race shuttles will be provided.

    All runners who complete the races within the seven-hour time limit will receive finishers medals. The All American Marathon and the Mike to Mike Half Marathon begin at 7 a.m. at Festival Park. The 5K race begins at 7:30 a.m. at the Main Post Parade Field on Fort Bragg. Register for any of the races at active.com.

  • 05 News digest“I’ll guarantee you, this has got to stop,” declared Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., March 7, during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee, of which he is a member. Reports that private military housing companies are asking service members to sign agreements promising to keep silent about their poor housing conditions must stop immediately, Tillis told the service secretaries and chiefs of staff. “I’ve been a landlord before and it never would have occurred to me to say I want you to sign away your right to say you’re living in inadequate conditions,” Tillis said.

    Senators have been investigating housing issues that some military families have faced, including black mold, pest infestations, water leaks and other problems. The senators claim they have been unable to get satisfactory responses from civilian housing managers.

    Tillis said he learned about the agreements from families at Fort Bragg, when he and Army Secretary Mark Esper visited recently. Esper said it was the first time he’d heard about the agreements. Officials at Corvias Military Living, which is the property manager at Fort Bragg, could not be reached for comment.

    Green Beret preliminary hearing canceled

    An Article 32 hearing scheduled in a murder charge against Green Beret Maj. Mathew Golsteyn has been canceled. It now appears he could be headed for court-martial. Fort Bragg’s U.S. Army Special Operations Command said USASOC’s commanding general, Lt. Gen. Francis Beaudette, would consider the evidence and other matters concerning the charge.

    A charge of felony murder was preferred against Golsteyn in December, more than eight years after the alleged incident in which investigators claimed he killed a Taliban bomb-maker after Afghan authorities had released the man.

    Golsteyn maintains he acted under the laws of armed conflict. Prosecutors have declined to comment.

    Electronic waste disposal drive

    Getting rid of unwanted electronics can be cumbersome. North Carolina law prohibits the disposal of computer equipment, televisions and other electronics in landfills. An e-waste recycling opportunity is set for Saturday, Nov. 17, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Cumberland County Courthouse parking lot at 117 Dick St., Fayetteville.

    Electronics that can be recycled include, but are not limited to, lamps, vacuums, televisions that are 50 inches or smaller in size, DVD players, radios, computers and small appliances.

    Cumberland County Solid Waste Management will collect the electronics for recycling. Televisions larger than 50 inches, large kitchen appliances and hazardous waste materials can be dropped off at the Ann Street landfill or any of the container sites in the county.

    The locations of container sites and operating hours are listed at co.cumberland.nc.us/solidwaste.

    Massey Hill public art exhibit

    A unique exhibit portrays “a special people and a proud history of the Massey Hill community,” said former Fayetteville Mayor Tony Chavonne, who grew up in Massey Hill. A grouping of public artwork was recently unveiled in the new traffic circle at the intersection of Camden and Cumberland Roads.

    “The Massey Hill Heritage Discovery Project is a great example of the positive impact that the Arts Council has in our community,” Chavonne said. He added that the Arts Council of Fayetteville/ Cumberland County brought people together in a collaborative way to help support the arts while also telling the story of the former mill town.

    Chavonne chaired the committee that worked with artists Michael and Leah Foushee-Waller of Hillsborough, North Carolina, to create the art that celebrates the historic textile industry.

    The Arts Council committed $20,000 in artist fees, and the Massey Hill Heritage Discovery Project community group raised additional donations to support the project. The Community Foundation, Fayetteville/Cumberland Parks and Recreation, Massey Hill High School Alumni, Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex and The Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum provided additional funding.

    ‘Maid Marian’ presents a twist

    The latest taste in Sweet Tea Shakespeare’s “Honey” series, written by local playwright Jessica Osnoe, blends the familiar, spirited notes of the classic legend of Robin Hood with a zing from a new voice in the narrative: Maid Marian.

    “Maid Marian,” a new take on the familiar tale of adventure, bravery and friendship, explores what happens when a group of resourceful women take up arms against greed and injustice in a time of war and unrest. Fall in love with the new faces in this never-before-told Robin Hood tale.

    The cast includes Jen Pommerenke, Laura Voytko, Linda Flynn, Evan Bridenstine, Arlyn Slade, Lee Jean, Michaela Kroll, Gabe Terry, Nelson Soliva and Karen Messaros.

    Performances are scheduled for April and May at various local venues. For more information and to purchase tickets, call 910-420-4384 or email info@sweetteashakespeare.com.

  • 04 KarlThis is the third article in a series. Here is the opening from the first; it will repeat in each column in this series:

    “There is a dangerous, but tremendously effective, political approach employed in America. It could be called ‘thought deprivation.’ It’s conditioning people so they do not think with depth regarding the issues that face us as a nation. Sadly, allowing this thought deprivation approach to become routine and embedded in the political process has brought us to a point of real danger in the governing, and very survival, of this nation.”

    In that initial article, my observations as to how thought deprivation is developed and sustained in a person, by others, were presented as including seven steps. The first two steps were addressed in the first column; steps three and four in the second. The final three will be explored here.

    Step five is to convince a target group, or groups, that they are entitled to certain benefits. Accomplishing this step is pursued by use of several tactics. Primary among them is the civil rights argument.

    Before examining this argument, consider the following from “What are human rights?” at www.equalityhumanrights.com: “Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms that belong to every person in the world, from birth until death. They apply regardless of where you are from, what you believe or how you choose to live your life.

    “They can never be taken away, although they can sometimes be restricted — for example if a person breaks the law, or in the interests of national security.

    “These basic rights are based on shared values like dignity, fairness, equality, respect and independence. These values are defined and protected by law.”

    Lock in on the last line of the quote above that addresses the basis for human rights. Now move to the civil rights argument. The following segments are from an article by Rebecca Hamlin, at www.britannicacom, titled “Civil rights.”

    It reads, “Civil rights, guarantees of equal social opportunities and equal protection under the law, regardless of race, religion, or other personal characteristics.

    “Unlike other rights concepts, such as human rights or natural rights, in which people acquire rights inherently, perhaps from God or nature, civil rights must be given and guaranteed by the power of the state. Therefore, they vary greatly over time, culture, and form of government and tend to follow societal trends that condone or abhor particular types of discrimination. For example, the civil rights of homosexuals have only recently come to the forefront of political debate in some Western democracies.”

    This tactic alone allows politicians and other agenda-promoting individuals and groups to argue that certain individuals or groups are entitled to benefits, accommodations or privileges not currently available to them. This action, almost always, garners political support for the offering party, or parties, from those for whom benefits are pursued.

    In my estimation, a prime example of how this tactic is employed, and the profit to entitlement-promoting politicians, shows in North Carolina’s recent battle over allowing individuals to use the public bathroom consistent with their gender identity.

    Without doubt, politicians who embraced the change enhanced their support among the LGBTQ community. This is only one example of civil rights shaped by time and a changing culture overriding human rights where, from www.equalityhumanrights.com, “These basic rights are based on shared values like dignity, fairness, equality, respect and independence.” The course pursued in the situation mentioned above certainly seemed unfair, from a human rights perspective, to those of us who opposed allowing gender identity bathroom use. However, this kind of action works for winning votes.

    Once citizens believe they are entitled to certain benefits, the sixth step is promising to deliver the benefits to which people believe they are entitled.

    The examples at this step seem endless. Here is a sampling of what is being proposed by various 2020 presidential candidates from an article by Quartz Staff titled “Meet all the Democratic candidates in the crowded 2020 race.” The list includes free college tuition, health care for all, jobs for everybody, saving the environment from climate change, middle- class tax cuts, programs that would give every newborn a bond that would increase in value over time, an increase in Social Security benefits, $1,000 per month to every citizen over age 18, reparations to black Americans and higher taxes on the wealthy.

    Every idea listed above and, almost certainly, any others put forth, will appeal to the needs and wants of citizens. Except for calls to tax the wealthy more, there will not likely be a single proposal that requires sacrifice or taking of individual responsibility on the part of citizens. No, this strategy is to promise the world, win the election and start running again while using the same tactics.

    What I have addressed to this point in the series of columns works because the math is solid. Following are segments from an article by Catey Hill titled “45 percent of Americans pay no federal income tax.” The article said, “An estimated 45.3 percent of American households — roughly 77.5 million — will pay no federal individual income tax, according to data for the 2015 tax year from the Tax Policy Center, a nonpartisan Washington-based research group. (Note that this does not necessarily mean they won’t owe their states income tax.)

    “On average, those in the bottom 40 percent of the income spectrum end up getting money from the government. Meanwhile, the richest 20 percent of Americans, by far, pay the most in income taxes, forking over nearly 87 percent of all the income tax collected by Uncle Sam.”

    When the richest 20 percent of Americans pay 87 percent of all federal income taxes and 45.3 percent of households pay nothing, the math is easy … turn the 80 percent against the 20 percent. In the process, take from the 20 percent the funding that is needed to win the votes of the 80 percent.

    Here is where the rubber meets the road. There comes a time when taxing the rich heavily is not sufficient to keep promises to the 80 percent. That is because the rich are no longer motivated to take the risks necessary to maintain high incomes, or they move to lower-tax countries. Further, if all the assets of the wealthy were confiscated, I hardly believe it would pay the cost of all that is being promised by so many of today’s politicians.

    That brings us to the final step — step seven. That is, when the promised benefits do not materialize, blame others. This is particularly the case with political parties. When a promise is not kept, blame the other party. Since the voting public, for the most part, depends on sound-bites, headlines and emotions, promise-breaking politicians are hardly ever held accountable. The public keeps experiencing the abuse.

    That abuse happens because developing and sustaining thought deprivation is an extremely effective strategy that has been mastered by far too many American politicians and others who influence the political process.

  • 03 MargaretAll parents want the best for their Precious Jewels.

    We want them to be healthy and happy as they grow toward adulthood. We want all doors open to them as they develop. We expose them to various life experiences, and we do our best to position them for success. We cheer them along the way to help them and others see them in the most positive light.

    But sometimes some of us go too far in helping our children. Some of us cross the line between encouragement and manipulation, even cheating. The college admissions scandal uncovered this month displays that and more, undermining trust in our nation’s higher educational institutions and sending all the wrong messages.

    The broad facts are these. Somewhere around 50 people, some famous and some not, allegedly participated in a plan to cheat on tests and misrepresent the academic and athletic achievements of high school students to get them into at least eight prestigious universities, including Yale, Stanford, Georgetown, and one of North Carolina’s own, Wake Forest. Thirty-three parents so far face federal charges in the scandal, and the institutions involved have been publicly compromised. At a time when colleges and universities are in the thick of the admissions process, they now have to weed through for unqualified applicants seeking unfair advantage.

    Even preschoolers know it is wrong to break into line ahead of those who arrived first, and that is what happened here. Movie stars and other designing parents paid for their children to move to the head of the line and made headlines.

    But the trouble is much deeper than that. This type of situation allows children of profoundly advantaged people entry into academic environments for which they are very likely unqualified, displacing other students who are qualified, ready and eager to excel. Whether some students — or people acting on their behalf — cheated on tests, lied about athletics or simply paid to move to the top of the lists, the bottom line is that the ones who succeed with deception very likely displace truly qualified applicants.

    We will never know how many students moved from the front to the back of the applicant queue at some of our nation’s finest universities, and those students may never know either. But it is safe to say that the lives of the unqualified students who were accepted into those universities through deception, and the qualified students who were kicked to the curb, have been changed in ways that will resonate throughout their careers and private lives.

    Some students apparently knew about the cheating at the time and some did not, but either way, they now know they were likely not qualified for their universities, and they may struggle with academic rigor. They have learned their parents cheat. Those who knew they were qualified may always wonder why they were turned away.

    Individual lives — those of parents, students, university personnel — have veered way off course, but the damage is far greater than those individuals alone. Institutions of higher learning, long held in high public esteem, have been compromised. We know now that ivory towers, whether the ones now in the public spotlight or others, are not pure — that money talks in those hallowed halls just as it does in lesser places.

    We know now that very little separates higher education from business, politics and other institutions in our culture.

    It is enough to make even Pollyanna cynical.

  • 02 pub penLast month, I wrote that local leadership comes in many forms. Friday, March 8, more than 100 residents gathered at Cape Fear Botanical Garden to celebrate The Fayetteville Observer’s 40 Under 40 winners. And rightfully so. These select few have achieved benchmarks of success in their personal and business lives, through dedication, hard work and perseverance. That is something worth celebrating. The editorial page of last week’s Fayetteville Observer did, however, double down on my observation and concerns that these same young outstanding individuals are shying away from getting involved in local government. Why the reluctance?

    For years, and to its credit, The Fayetteville Observer has done a good job of recognizing potential local talent in a way that is well balanced, politically correct and representative of our diverse population in business, education, the military, the medical field and nonprofit organizations.

    These extraordinary young people have made their mark and are now contributing to the personality and fabric of our community — except when it comes to leadership. As the newspaper reiterated, it does not bode well for the future of our community when many of our young, intelligent achievers remain on the sidelines of local leadership.

    Except for Tisha Waddell, District 2 Fayetteville city councilwoman, they seem to avoid public service as elected officials. 

    Are we doing enough to engage these ambitious young professionals? Are we encouraging them to get involved politically? And, are we setting the right example for them?

    Many think not. And, the subject matter alone has many people and organizations who traditionally have been responsible for nurturing local leaders on the defensive, refusing to acknowledge this void that could hinder our future growth and development.

    To their credit, organizations like the Greater Fayetteville Chamber have for years offered leadership and development programs like Leadership Fayetteville, the ambassador program and the Fayetteville Young Professionals networking group, which are all explicitly designed to familiarize the next generation with community, business, government and civic responsibility.

    Cumberland County the town of Hope Mills and the city of Fayetteville all have initiated leadership academies designed to demonstrate how our local government operates and to familiarize residents with the myriad leadership opportunities designed to motivate and groom young talent for business, industry and public service.

    It is encouraging to see civic organizations like Cumberland County Kiwanis Clubs stepping up and embracing young people, providing leadership and direction. They cultivate pride, responsibility and values and offer community engagement and life lessons that pay big dividends.

    So, while many are content with the status quo of our community — and others refuse to take responsibility for leadership development while witnessing the dumbing down of standards and events — we must realize this is no way to prepare for a prosperous future.

    Again, at the risk of being redundant, millennials are the future of our community. We need to make it our highest priority to get them involved, engaged and excited about the future right here at home. They are the future of the community.

    We have done an excellent job identifying these potential future leaders. Let’s continue to advocate for and support the effective programs and organizations that encourage these young people to step up into leadership positions.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 01 cover

    Editor’s note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the bond referendum was passed by both Cumberland County and city of Fayetteville citizens. The article has been corrected to state that the bond referendum was passed only by citizens of the city.

    The Fayetteville Cumberland Parks and Recreation department provides services and amenities for the residents of Cumberland County and the city of Fayetteville. This organization offers extensive programs such as youth sports, affordable golf services at Kings Grant Golf Course, instructional camps, summer camps for children, and recreation services for seniors.

    These programs improve the quality of life for Cumberland County residents and increase general community pride in countless ways. Now, more than ever, the FCPR recognizes the need to develop recreation and park services to meet the needs of the growing community it serves.

    The Parks and Recreation Master Plan was created in 2006 to address the needs of an evolving and growing population into the future.

    But there is a cost to operate and expand current facilities. That’s where the $35 million FCPR Bond Referendum comes into play. The bond referendum was passed by the citizens of the city in 2016 and paves the way to grow the vision of the FCPR.

    Project updates

    The projects in the referendum include two senior centers, a tennis center, a sports field complex, skateboard parks, the Cape Fear River Park Downtown Riverfront and seven splash pads. Also included are park improvements to the following parks: Brentwood School Park, Clark Park, Dorothy Gilmore Therapeutic Recreation Center & Park, Massey Hill Recreation Center Park, Martin Luther King Jr. Park, Mazarick Park and Seabrook Park.

    Since the passing of the bond referendum in 2016, three new splash pads have been constructed. They are located at the Kiwanis, Massey Hill and Myers Recreation Centers. In addition, each of the splash pads are handicap accessible, offering opportunities for those with disabilities to participate in a fun outdoor activity. The pads are equipped with a recirculation system that recycles the water and ensures it is clean for use.

    The Dorothy Gilmore project groundbreaking ceremony was held earlier this year, and work is now underway for the splash pad at that center. As with the other splash pads, the pad is handicap accessible.

    Kathy Jensen, city councilwoman for District 1, said the city has seen an increase in positive feedback from the community since the construction of the splash pads and pool upgrades.

    “People are embracing Fayetteville as a place to live and recreate,” Jensen said.

    The FCPR expects to have a groundbreaking ceremony soon for a new skateboard park that will be located at Rowan Park. The skateboard park is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

    Several partnerships with local universities and Fort Bragg are on the horizon, too. These partnerships will mutually benefit both the FCPR and its partners. For instance, a partnership with Methodist University to lease the Jordan Soccer Complex will result in extensive renovations to the complex. This will provide upscale facilities for teams to use for tournaments, and the state-of-the-art soccer complex will benefit all in the local community.

    Another partnership, this one with Fayetteville State University, will involve the construction of the Senior Center East. Upon completion, local seniors will have use of the Senior Center and the Life Center on the FSU campus.

    Negotiations are also underway with Fort Bragg for the construction of a sports complex. Details of the arrangement will be released upon successful negotiation of the agreement between the two entities.

    The 19,000-square-foot Senior Center West broke ground and is currently working to install the infrastructure to support the center. Construction on the center is expected to be completed by early 2020.

    Finally, a child-friendly water feature will be constructed at the entrance to Hurley Field, the site of the new Fayetteville Woodpeckers ballpark. The ballpark is the cornerstone of a large-scale redevelopment project in the Fayetteville downtown.

    Check out the FCPR centers and view all of the great upgrades in person. For more information on the development plan and updates, visit https://fcpr.us/parksbond.

  • 21Zareeya WatsonZareeya Watson22Felix Patterson McNeill Pine Forest

    Pine Forest • Softball • Senior

    Watson has a 3.44 grade point average. Last year, she was a Sandhills Athletic Conference allconference selection batted .472 with home run. She also 

     

    Felix Patterson- McNeil

    Pine Forest • Football/track • Senior

    Patterson-McNeil has a 3.5 grade point average. In addition to playing football and running indoor and outdoor track, he does volunteer work in the community and plans to attend William Peace College.

  • 20Carlie Myrtle Jack Britt softballFor veteran Jack Britt softball coach Sebrina Wilson, the start of the 2019 season for the Buccaneers doesn’t feel different so far.

    But you don’t have to look hard at Jack Britt’s softball field to notice one major change. That’s the big sign on the back of the press box proclaiming the team is the 2018 North Carolina High School Athletic Association 4-A fast-pitch state champion.

    Wilson said that sign is the only evidence you’ll see of the championship the Buccaneers won in the finals against South Caldwell last year. “There hasn’t been any mention of anything in the past,’’ Wilson said. “I think that’s what we pushed all year long. Enjoy the time, but that was 2018, and this is 2019 now.’’

    That now means Britt lost four solid starters from the state title team, including some impressive bats from players like Savannah Roddy and Rayven Shepard.

    But the cupboard is anything but bare. Wilson returns a core of young standouts, the most notable being the versatile Carlie Myrtle, who sparked the Bucs both on the mound and at the plate in their run to the state championship.

    “We’re going to be very young,’’ Wilson said. “My young group stepped up at times (last year), but now they’ve got to be the go-to. They are the ones. It’s how we transition from being a part-time go-to person to full-time. You have to produce every game, not every other game.’’

    Myrtle will be counted on again for a lot of that daily production. Last season she batted .500 with 11 doubles, two triples and five home runs while driving in 35 runs.

    On the mound, she led pitchers from Cumberland County Schools with 138 strikeouts for the season. She compiled a 21-6 record that included a 2.37 earned run average.

    Myrtle said her team feels pressure to perform as well as they did last year but added the mood on the field so far has been loose. “We’re trying to do things the right way and keep errors low,’’ she said.

    As for her game, Myrtle worked in the weight room in the offseason to improve her flexibility and range of motion. She felt her pitches were a little flat toward the end of the season, so she’s worked on getting more movement on the ball.

    Her goal is to increase her strikeout total this season while also lowering her earned run average.

    She agrees with Wilson that the team’s younger players, including herself, have to produce for Britt to continue winning.

    Wilson doesn’t expect Myrtle to strike every batter out. She’s counting on Britt’s defense to help the team win like it did last year.

    “We’ve got to play solid defense and throw strikes,’’ Wilson said. “Our defense was exceptional in the state playoffs. We’ve got to do that every night and get timely hitting.’’

    While Britt brought home the state title, the Buccaneers didn’t win the tough Sandhills Athletic Conference title, losing out to Richmond Senior.

    Wilson felt the Bucs played in the toughest softball conference in the state last season, and she expects more of the same this year.

    “It’s not just Richmond,’’ she said. “There’s Lumberton and Purnell Swett. Pinecrest’s going to be an up-and-coming team. Each game, each week, you don’t get a game off. “You can’t make mistakes. That’s going to be key”

    Photo: Carlie Myrtle

  • 19Ashara Hayes copyHere is the Sandhills Athletic Conference all-conference girls basketball team as chosen by the league’s head coaches.

    Coach of the Year: Ronshau Cole, Pinecrest

    Player of the Year: Kenyan McLaughlin, Pinecrest

    First team:

    Pinecrest — Sara McIntosh, Malika Dailey, Kelly Clark, Zykra Blue

    Lumberton — Madison Canady, Rachel O’Neill

    Seventy-First — Taylor Allen, Amira Coles, Nyielah Nick

    Jack Britt — Ashara Hayes, Kaya Goldsby

    Richmond Senior — Jakerra Covington.

    Hoke County — Klya Locklear.

    Scotland — Asjah Swindell, Nadia Leak

    Purnell Swett — JaiLeana Deese

    Photo: Ashara Hayes

  • 18Brion McLaurinHere is the Sandhills Athletic Conference all-conference boys basketball team as chosen by the league’s head coaches.

    Coach of the Year: Ben Snyder, Pinecrest

    Player of the Year: Brion McLaurin, Seventy-First

    Team:

    Seventy-First — Demauriea Nickleson, Xavier Howard, Trevon Bell, Thomas Hendricks

    Pinecrest — Bradlee Haskell, Zion Bailey 

    Richmond Senior — Xavier Pettigrew, Rodrick Newton, Nygic Stroman

    Lumberton — Jordan McNeill, Kwashek Breeden

    Hoke County — Jaquantae Harris, Elijah Harris

    Jack Britt — Kean Keys

    Scotland — Garrett McRae

    Purnell Swett — Darriante Parker

    Photo: Brian McLaurin

  • 17Miles Ray Pine ForestHere is the Patriot Athletic Conference boys all-conference basketball team as chosen by the league’s head coaches.

    Coach of the Year: Jimmy Peaden, Pine Forest

    Player of the Year: Miles Ray, Pine Forest

    First team: Cinque Lemon, Overhills; Traymond Willis-Shaw, Westover; Jaylen Siermons, E.E. Smith; Marquell James, Cape Fear; Adrian Elliott, Pine Forest

    Second team: Marviere Smith, Douglas Byrd; Antonio Dupree, Gray’s Creek; Xavier Marsh, Westover; Jay Hickman, Terry Sanford; Tyron George, Westover; Yates Johnson, Terry Sanford

    Honorable mention: Christian Locklear, South View; Davis Molnar, Terry Sanford; Lexus Fasce, Overhills; Christian Crockett, Gray’s Creek; Erwin Montgomery, Pine Forest; Felix Davis, South View; Ky’Ron Kelly, Terry Sanford

    Photo: Miles Ray

  • Meetings

    For details about all meetings and activities, including location where not listed, call Town Clerk Jane Starling at 910-426-4113.

    Fayetteville-Cumberland County Human Relations Commission Thursday, March 14, 5:30 p.m., Luther Board Room, Town Hall

    Board of Commissioners Monday, March 18, 7 p.m., Luther Board Room, Town Hall

    Mayor’s Youth Leadership Committee Monday, March 18, 6 p.m., front conference room, Town Hall

    Lake Advisory Committee Tuesday, March 19, 6 p.m., Parks and Rec Center

    Aquatics Feasibility Committee Wednesday, March 20, 6:30 p.m., Luther Board Room, Town Hall. This meeting will be held for the purpose of exploring potential partnership opportunities for an aquatics center.

    Activities

    • Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Senior programs at the Parks and Recreation Center. The Senior programs for people ages 55 and older who are residents of Cumberland County have resumed. The rec center was closed in mid-September after Hurricane Florence. Various activities are now back and are scheduled Monday through Friday throughout the day. For details on times and days, check the schedule at www.townofhopemills.com, call the rec center at 910-426-4109, or email Kasey Ivey at kivey@townofhopemills.com.

    Hope Mills Area Kiwanis Club at Sammio’s, second Tuesdays at noon and fourth Tuesdays at 6 p.m. For details, call 910-237-1240.

    Promote yourself

    Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • 16Gregory DickersonGregory Dickerson spent 21 years in the United States Air Force learning about firefighting and fire inspection. Now, he’s bringing some of that knowledge to Hope Mills as local volunteer.

    Dickerson was recently honored by the town as its Volunteer of the Month for a variety of activities, including work with the Hope Mills Community Emergency Rescue Team, serving meals at Hope House, working with neighborhood community watch groups and helping out at the local nursing home.

    Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner praised the work of Dickerson and volunteers like him, saying they provide countless hours of work in the community on a regular basis.

    “We are so fortunate to have volunteers that donate their time and expertise,’’ Warner said. “Recognizing the Volunteer of the Month is our way of thanking them publicly. Our volunteers share their Hope Mills pride in the work they do.’’

    Dickerson feels the most important thing he brought with him from his years in the Air Force was the ability to help people in need, whether they were involved in a vehicle accident or a house fire. “You’re helping people get better or try to limit the damage if they do have a fire,’’ he said.

    With both a background in firefighting and a degree in emergency management, Dickerson has used his military experience to lead basic training classes for the Hope Mills community emergency response team. He provides expertise in disaster preparedness, firefighting and rescue techniques.

    “It was my way of taking the knowledge I have received over the last 30 years and putting it to use in a small community,’’ Dickerson said. “Every little bit volunteers can do alleviates the town from having to pay extra money, whether it’s having police officers to work overtime or things like traffic control at Hope Mills Lake.’’

    At last year’s lake celebrations, Dickerson and other volunteers worked with a Hope Mills police officer to provide traffic control. The volunteers saved the town the extra cost of putting additional police officers to work. “That’s one of the ways we can give back,’’ Dickerson said.

    Another benefit of volunteer work, Dickerson said, is the volunteer can set his or her own pace and doesn’t have to cope with the stress that can come from having to show up daily for the same job. “The stress level is very minimal as a volunteer,’’ he said. “I don’t have to do it today if I don’t feel like it, but if there’s a need, I do it.’’

    Another area where Dickerson’s expertise is valuable is in his work with the Red Cross to inspect and install smoke alarms in private homes.

    “We work hand-in-hand with the Red Cross in Hope Mills,’’ he said.

    A major push is coming in the months ahead to install smoke alarms in neighborhoods that show a history of fire risk. May 4, Dickerson and other volunteers working with the Red Cross will install some 1,000 alarms in Lafayette Village off Hope Mills Road.

    Fire prevention and safety aren’t Dickerson’s only volunteer activities. As a lifetime member of the local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Dickerson regularly spends time at local nursing homes.

    “One day I may be in that nursing home,’’ Dickerson said. “I want someone to come and see me. I don’t want to be left alone.’’

    He sees the nursing home visits, as well as working with neighborhood watch groups and serving meals at Hope House, as different ways of giving back to the community.

    He views the watch groups as a way to stop trouble before it gets a chance to start. “We try to help each other out and be good neighbors,’’ he said.

    Dickerson estimates he volunteered about 303 hours total last year. He’d like to get some younger people involved in the volunteer program in Hope Mills.

    “It helps you through your high school days, maybe even (in) getting scholarships for college,’’ he said.

    He’d like to see the volunteer program in Hope Mills grow and resemble one in Plymouth, a small town in the northeastern part of the state that he visited recently for the annual North Carolina Community Emergency Response Team Conference.

    Dickerson said Plymouth has about 4,000 citizens and they seem to almost work as a unit when it comes to volunteering. “When they need something, they work together,’’ he said. “You see a sense of achievement. It was made better by the amount of people that put effort into it.’’

    Dickerson has found a simple goal in volunteering that works for him and that he suggests others try. “Enjoy what you’re doing, whether you’re paid or unpaid,’’ he said. “Try to get satisfied doing it.’’

    Photo: Gregory Dickerson estimates he volunteered about 303 hours total last year.

  • 15EasterThe Easter Bunny will pay an early visit to Hope Mills this year. Local families will get the opportunity to enjoy breakfast with him, and it won’t be rabbit food on the menu.

    The Hope Mills Parks & Recreation Department will offer Breakfast with the Easter Bunny on Saturday, April 6, at the recreation center’s main building on Rockfish Road.

    The event is similar to the Breakfast with Santa held last December, but now that the recreation center has been repaired following hurricane damage last fall, the event will move back to the recreation center after being temporarily held at the main Hope Mills fire station.

    Meghan Freeman, special events programs assistant director for the town, said Breakfast with the Easter Bunny in Hope Mills dates back 10 years or more.

    Freeman said the event is another of the town’s efforts to give families with children a chance to enjoy fun quality time together. Last December’s Breakfast with Santa was a big success, and Freeman is hoping for similar results with Breakfast with the Easter Bunny.

    There is one small difference between the two events. While Breakfast with Santa offered a meal and a chance to meet with Santa Claus, Breakfast with the Easter Bunny will be followed by an Easter egg hunt at the Hope Mills Municipal Park fields 1 and 2.

    While tickets to the breakfast are $6, the egg hunt is free. Anyone can come to the hunt, but attendance at the breakfast will be capped at the first 200 tickets sold.

    The breakfast runs from 8:30-11 a.m. and has a menu that includes pancakes, eggs, sausage, bacon and juice.

    The Easter egg hunt, following the breakfast, has an age limit from 1 to 10, Freeman said. When the hunt begins, she said, the youngsters will be divided up in three different age groups.

    Children ages 1-3 will begin hunting for the eggs at 11:15 a.m. The 4-6 age group will start at 11:30 a.m. Children ages 7-10 will hunt beginning at 11:45 a.m.

    The children ages 1-3 will begin hunting on Field 1, with the children ages 4-6 going on Field 2. After the first group has finished, additional eggs will be hidden and the final group of children ages 7-10 will hunt on Field 1.

    Freeman said plastic eggs will be used that will contain either candy or, in some cases, small prizes.

    In the event of rain, the egg hunt will be moved indoors to the recreation center gymnasium.

    “I’m looking forward to seeing how many people are going to come out,’’ Freeman said. “At a lot of events recently, our numbers have increased. Hopefully, we’ll continue the trend.

    “I think it brings the whole community together. It’s a great plus for us. You can’t beat it.’’

    Reservations and advanced payment for tickets are required for the breakfast. The deadline to sign up and pay is Monday, April 1. Children ages three and under will be admitted to the breakfast free of charge but must still be registered.

    For further information about Breakfast with the Easter Bunny or the Easter egg hunt, contact the recreation department at 910-426-4109.

  • 14T CLOCKTire clock, get it? It is the beginning of riding season. You see motorcycles out swarming the town like bees, and you are ready to ride. You, my friend, are ready to ride. But before you jump on that bike, take 10 minutes and make sure your bike is safe and ready to be ridden.

    Check your personal safety equipment. Make sure you have your helmet, preferably a full-face one. I know that is touchy subject, but if you’d seen some of friends’ faces after accidents, you might feel differently. If you are not sure if a full-face helmet is for you, look in the mirror and ask yourself, “Aren’t I worth it”?

    Continuing on. Make sure you have good eye protection, a padded motorcycle jacket, gloves, pants (padded or leather) and motorcycle boots.

    I know these things are not cool, but if you can afford a bike, you can afford good safety gear that will provide plenty of protection and airflow.

    Now it’s time to check the actual bike. To help make sure you remember what to do, some smarty-pants came up with the acronym of T-CLOCK.

    “T” is for TIRES & WHEELS. Check their condition and air pressure. During the winter, air molecules compress and air leaks out of tires. You do not want to have a blowout because you missed a 10-minute stop at a gas station. If your tires are worn, cracked or dry-rotted, then get new tires before you ride. Motorcycle tires are not cheap, but that little bit of rubber is the only thing that keeps you from hitting the pavement.

    “C” is for CONTROLS. Check levers, cable, hoses and throttle. On the throttle, check its condition and look at the pivot points. For the rest, check the condition and routing of each. Make sure everything moves freely, has no interference and does not pull when you turn the handlebars.

    “L” is for LIGHTS. The battery should be in good condition (no acid), held down and fully charged. If you have a vent tube, make sure it is not clogged. The terminals should be clean and tight, and electrolyte levels should be full.

    Check the lights and reflector lenses. Make sure they are clean, that the bulbs are working and that the wires are not frayed or chafed. Check the routing of your wiring, too. This will help prevent a short in the electrical system. Check the headlamp; look at the aim of the light and adjust if needed.

    “O” is for OIL. Check the engine oil and fluid levels. The bike should be warm when you do this. Be sure you are on your center stand and/or make sure the bike is level. This may require a friend. Check the hypoid gear oil. This includes transmission, drive and shaft fluids. Check the hydraulic fluid. This includes your brakes and clutch. You can see this in their perspective reservoir and sight glass. Check your owner’s manual to make sure you change as things recommended. Check for leaks on all. Look at the ground. If you see where something has leaked, check the gaskets, housings, seals, master cylinders, calipers, tanks, pipes, lines, fuel taps and carbs.

    “C” is for CHASIS. Look at the frame’s condition. Check for cracks at gussets or accessory mounts and look for paint lifting. Check the steering head bearings and swing arm. Check the suspension, forks and shock(s). Make sure they have a smooth travel, equal air pressure/damping settings and that the linkage moves freely and is lubricated. Check your chain and belt. Check for tension at the tightest point and lubrication (note: DO NOT lubricate belts). Check the sprockets. Make sure the teeth are in good shape and mounted securely. Check all fasteners, clips and cotter pins. Make sure they are tight. Check for missing or broken bolts, nuts, and cotter pins.

    “K” is for KICKSTAND. If you have a center stand, make sure there are no cracks and that it’s not bent. The retention springs should be in place and working correctly. For a side stand, make sure there are no cracks and that it’s not bent. Make sure the safety cut-off switch or pad, if so equipped, is working properly.

    One way to help ensure you see all of this is to clean your bike. I like to use Honda’s High Performance Spray Cleaner and Polish. This lets me put my hands on every spot on the bike. I check for any loose bolts and give my bike a great look.

    Be safe and enjoy your ride.

    If there is a topic you would like to discuss, email me at this address: motorcycle4fun@aol.com.

    RIDE SAFE!

  • 13CarolinasWhy would anybody want to spend months walking from the South Carolina coast up through the Piedmont to present-day Charlotte and then back east to the North Carolina tidewater?

    There are two good reasons, one from more than 300 years ago and the other from modern times.

    First, in 1700, a newcomer to North America named John Lawson made this long trip to explore and learn about unfamiliar lands. He made the trip on foot because there was no better way to travel through the endless forests of backcountry Carolinas. Setting off from Charleston, he was accompanied by several Englishmen and Indian guides. The notes he took became the basis of a book, “A New Voyage to Carolina,” first published in 1709 and still a classic for its rich descriptions of flora and fauna and the conditions of the native peoples who populated the areas he visited.

    The more recent traveler, writer Scott Huler, made the long walk because he wanted to follow in Lawson’s footsteps. He said he looked for a modern book that explained where Lawson went and compared it to what is there today. When he found that it had not been done and that no one had even retraced Lawson’s journey, he thought, “That’s for me!”

    Of course, Huler could have made the trip of several hundred miles in a day or two in a car on modern roads. But he wanted to go slow, seeing today’s landscapes and peoples at the pace Lawson traveled.

    He shares his travels in a new book, “A Delicious Country: Rediscovering the Carolinas along the Route of John Lawson’s 1700 Expedition.” It was released by UNC Press March 4.

    Like most other readers of Lawson, Huler is impressed with Lawson’s descriptions of and attitude about the native populations. Lawson visited Sewee, Santee, Sugeree, Wateree, Catawba, Waxhaw, Occaneechi and Tuscarora Indians. Huler writes, “He (Lawson) stayed in their wigwams, ate their food, trusted their guides. And he emerged with their stories, for some of which he is the only source in the world.”

    Lawson, Huler continues, “documented native communities, buildings, agriculture, hunting, dance, trade, and culture through eyes clear, thorough, and respectful. Lawson depicts the natives as fully human—not some subspecies perceived only in comparison to European settlers.”

    Lawson’s words were, “They are really better to us than we are to them.”

    But Lawson found the native populations to be in a precarious situation. “The Small-Pox and Rum have made such a Destruction amongst them, that, on good grounds, I do believe, there is not the sixth Savage living within two hundred Miles of all our Settlements, as there were fifty Years ago. These poor Creatures have so many Enemies to destroy them, that it’s a wonder one of them is left alive near us.”

    Traveling Lawson’s route through the rural Carolinas, Huler found a surprising and discouraging similarity. The rural and small-town landscapes are littered with empty manufacturing plants, corporate farms and forests, empty main streets and deserted houses. Three centuries after Lawson, Huler found that “our world would teeter: a way of life dying in the countryside, implacable new forces once again balancing an entire civilization on a knife edge.”

    Setting aside this discouraging report, Huler’s adventures and misadventures on the road entertain and inform. He is the best type of tour guide, one who is well-informed but not at all pompous. His wry, self-deprecating sense of humor helps his serious medicine go down smoothly.

    For Lawson, his explorations and the reports about them opened the door to prominence and high positions in the young colony. That success came to a sudden end in 1711 when he was captured and executed by the Indians he had so greatly admired and praised.

  • 12veteransMilitary Friendly is a company that assesses quality for military-related issues. VIQTORY is a company that creates resources for people exiting military service. The two companies announced in January that Fayetteville Technical Community College ranked No. 1 in the Top 10 Gold Category College Award for large community colleges for 2019-2020.

    FTCC’s All American Veterans Center, located on Fort Bragg Road on the Fayetteville campus, and its new dedicated staff are working around the clock to ensure that veterans who wish to use educational benefits receive positive experiences at FTCC.

    The full-time and part-time staff at the AAVC works hard for veteran students by providing oneon- one support to help them maneuver the multistep enrollment process. The staff is committed to helping students accomplish this enrollment as efficiently as possible.

    The center’s staff includes school certifying officials, or SCOs, and is comprised of a diverse group that includes those who have served our country in the Air Force, Army and Navy, as well as civilians.

    SCOs audit students’ courses and information to submit information to Veterans Affairs for processing benefits. FTCC proudly has more than 2,000 students using some form of VA benefits to complete associate degree, certificate and diploma programs of study.

    Another recent change at FTCC and in the Veterans Services Office involves a new online system for electronically filing student documents. Students submitting paperwork to FTCC can now do so via the school’s website, www.faytechcc.edu.

    This means veteran students can now submit the new Veteran Student Intake Form online along with other important documents, such as the DD-214, commonly known as a Certificate of Eligibility.

    Students can receive help submitting the form at Thompson Library. They can also submit the online 

    Students also enjoy an open-door policy at FTCC and at the AAVC, providing veterans quick, easy, on-the-spot access to an SCO who can assist with questions.

    The AAVC provides students with a place to study, to conduct research and to interact with fellow veteran students. The Student Veteran Association holds monthly meetings at the center and invites students to express concerns and share experiences with fellow veteran students and staff members.

    Students can even enjoy coffee or tea in a relaxed environment while they complete school assignments at the AAVC.

    FTCC invites veterans who are interested in attending college to visit the AAVC, email vso@faytechcc.edu, or call 910-678-8395. It is an honor for the AAVC staff to serve our veterans and respond to their questions and needs to make a positive difference for them.

  • 11gardenThe Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Association of Cumberland County presents its fifth annual spring symposium this month. The event has sold out the past two years and as a result has moved to the Ramada Plaza on Owen Drive. It takes place Saturday, March 23, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m.

    This year’s speakers, Tony Avent and Carol Reese, are at the top of the East Coast horticulture circuit.

    Avent is the Indiana Jones of horticulture. He’s a curator, breeder, columnist and creator of Plant Delights Nursery and Juniper Level Botanic Garden, both in Raleigh. His talks are titled “Hot Plants in Cold Places” and “Our Fine Textured Friends — The Magical World of Ornamental Grasses.”

    Reese, a nationally known speaker, columnist and extension horticulture specialist at the University of Tennessee, blends gardening with her quirky humor. She’s offering talks titled “Beyond Azaleas” and “Sex in the Garden.” Yes, you read that correctly.

    Come to the Ramada Plaza to hear these speakers and enjoy visiting vendors and gathering information. Avent will end with a brief but exciting auction of some interesting plants he grows.

    This event raises scholarship funds for horticulture students at Fayetteville Technical Community College. It also supports the North Carolina/Cumberland County Extension Master Gardener Volunteers in their effort to educate residents in state-approved horticulture practices.

    Registration, which is currently in its “late” phase, costs $60. To register, visit Eventbrite.com and search “Master Gardener Spring Symposium 2019” in Fayetteville. Or, make a check out to CCEMGVA and send it to Lynne Grates, Treasurer, 301 East Mountain Dr., Fayetteville, NC, 28306.

    For further information, call 910-261-1091 and ask for Judy Dewar.

  • 10PWCWhen the power bill arrives every month, most people don’t think about what PWC, Fayetteville’s hometown utility provider, does not just for its customers but for the community and for the environment, too. Now is the time to find out. Friday, March 22, from noon-9 p.m., and Saturday, March 23, from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., PWC will host its 5th Annual Power & Water Expo at SkyView on Hay.

    Upon arrival, the first 500 visitors will receive a reusable tote. Carolyn Justice-Hinson, PWC spokeswoman, said that by the time people leave, their totes are filled with educational and useful items. These include fat-trappers, tree seedlings, LED energysaving light bulbs and other energy and water conservation tools. Attendees can register to win a $100 bill credit, too.

    There will also be a drawing for a smart thermostat, which Hinson said is one of the best tools available to help manage utility bills.

    The expo is also an excellent time to learn about upcoming billing changes. “Because we are going to change to time-of-use electric rates in May, this is a great time for customers who want to learn more about how it works and how they can take advantage of the lowest rates,” Hinson said.

    Hinson sees this as a great opportunity for the community to get to know PWC and the people who work so diligently to keep Fayetteville’s lights on. She invites the community to come and get answers to their questions about all aspects of PWC.

    “The cool thing is that we have employees from all over the company that volunteer to come to this, and they know the basic information about conservation and our programs,” Hinson said. “And they really enjoy interacting with people.”

    There will be PWC representatives from the customer service department as well as conservation specialists, utility workers with equipment to show off, system protection employees, engineers and field service workers. This gives attendees the opportunity to learn about almost every aspect of PWC and its reach. Hinson encourages people to chat with the representatives and ask questions.

    Several other organizations will be represented as well, including Sustainable Sandhills, the city of Fayetteville’s Stormwater program, the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army.

    “The idea behind that was looking at organizations that we work with and that offer value to our customers,” said Hinson. “When they come, it gives them a place to interact with the public, and it showcases our partnerships we have year-round.”

    Action Pathways will also be at the expo to talk about its weatherization program and how it can have a significant impact on home utility bills. Cape Fear Botanical Garden will be at the expo, too. “They have a waterwise garden,” said Hinson. “We’ve partnered with them for 20 years.”

    Radio stations Bob FM, Sunny, WKML, and Old School Jamz will be on-site throughout the event.

    PWC has a long reach, to include Fayetteville Technical Community College, which will also participate in the expo. “We will be promoting in partnership with FTCC its new line worker program,” said Hinson. “(We want to) help promote that as a career opportunity. Additionally, people will be able to talk to line workers.

    “As we continue to expand, there are always different types of jobs in the utility industry we will be looking to fill.”

    While the event is free, Hinson suggests paying it forward and bringing a nonperishable food donation for the Second Harvest Food Bank food drive.

    This is a family-friendly event, so bring the children. For more information, visit www.faypwc.com/pwcexpo.

  • 09TrumboCape Fear Regional Theatre’s production of “Trumbo,” running through March 17, is not an easy play to review. The show’s program contains two pages of historical context and another two-page glossary to help orient theatergoers. There is no stage, no script and no action. To understand what plot there is, it helps to be a student of American political history. That said, “Trumbo” is a compelling drama.

    Spanning the period from 1947-1960, during which time capitalism and communism were locked in a pitched battle for global ideological dominance, the play tells the story of Dalton Trumbo, a highly successful, award-winning Hollywood screenwriter who ran afoul of the U.S. House Un-American Activities Committee.

    Written by Christopher Trumbo, Dalton’s son, and ably directed by CFRT Artistic Director Mary Kate Burke, much of the show’s dialogue is taken straight from Dalton’s prolific correspondence between friend and foe alike. The juxtaposition in those letters between the noble and the mundane is both brilliant and spellbinding.

    We meet Dalton for the first time as he defiantly takes on his HUAC interrogator only to watch his defiance dissolve into irritability as he pens a longwinded complaint to the phone company.

    The audience is held rapt during the reading of a high-minded moral defense — with implications for our current political climate — only to dissolve in laughter minutes later as Dalton writes his college-bound son a hilariously ribald piece of fatherly advice.

    The role of Dalton is played by Larry Pine, whose screen credits include “Bull,” “House of Cards,” “Madame Secretary” and “The Good Wife,” among many others. Pine plays Trumbo as an unfailingly erudite curmudgeon who manages to hold onto his sense of humor as the world shifts beneath his feet and he plunges from fame and fortune to impecunious infamy, dragging his family along with him.

    That Dalton’s family unfailingly supported him is made evident by the role of his son Christopher in the play, who acts as the glue that holds the entire performance together. Played with endearing diffidence by Michael Tisdale, whose credits include “Law & Order” and “Third Watch,” Christopher provides the context for his father’s story and helps the audience see beyond the bluster to the man he loved.

    The play ends with an unflinching, yet humorous, summing up of the cost of hewing to one’s convictions.

    Whether Dalton was a martyr or a menace depends upon one’s political persuasion. But politics is a pendulum that swings both ways — which should make respect for First Amendment rights a matter of universal concern. That this has not always been so is what makes “Trumbo” an important piece of theater. Burke and CFRT are to be commended for bringing it to town.

    Showtimes and ticket information are available from the CFRT box office at 910-323-4233. The box office is open Tuesday-Friday from 1-6 p.m. and one hour before showtimes. Learn more at www.cfrt.org.

    Photo:  “Trumbo,” starring Larry Pine (right) and Michael Tisdale (left), is at CFRT through March 17.

  • 08Pope AFB GreenRampWreckageMarch 23 is the 82nd day of the year. On that day 25 years ago — March 23, 1994 — 24 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division died in the aftermath of a collision of a C-130 cargo plane and an F-16 fighter jet at Pope Air Force Base, now known as Pope Army Airfield.

    One hundred other soldiers were badly injured in a fireball that erupted when the jet crashed onto Green Ramp and into a transport aircraft.

    Five hundred troops had gathered in preparation for a routine training jump. Units on the day’s manifest were the 82nd Airborne Division’s 504th Infantry, 505th Infantry and 782nd Support Battalion (Main), as well as the XVIII Airborne Corps’ 525th Military Intelligence Brigade and 159th Aviation Group (Combat) (Airborne).

    The soldiers at Green Ramp were engaged in a variety of activities in preparation for the jump. Just after 2 p.m., the F-16D Fighting Falcon collided with the C-130 Hercules transport while both tried to land at Pope. The Hercules touched down safely. The F-16 pilots ejected as their plane plummeted to the ground. It crashed and slid across the tarmac into a parked C-141 Starlifter.

    Both planes exploded, spewing 55,000 gallons of fuel onto Green Ramp. A massive debris-filled fireball, described by some as 75 feet in diameter, roared through the staging area. Capt. James B. Rich, the 525th Military Intelligence Brigade’s logistics officer and a primary jumpmaster, had just finished rehearsing duties with the jumpmaster team.

    Rich said in an April 1994 interview that during the ordeal he felt “fully exposed.” The sensation of the “intense heat of the fireball as it passed over … was like being in a microwave with the temperature getting hotter and hotter.”

    He said he “expected to burst into flames.” Actually, the captain’s backside was on fire.

    Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, 504th Airborne Infantry Regiment, who attended the jumpmaster’s review while sitting on the ground, jumped up and scattered in several directions after the explosion. Some of them ran toward the Jumpmaster School training area. Others bolted toward a fence, and still others tried to race behind mock doors of a training device. Some found safety. Most did not. The soldiers who hit the ground and rolled fared better than the troopers who ran. Those who escaped injury went to the aid of the less fortunate, many of whom were on fire.

    General officers who later became legendary military leaders were among those in charge that day. Then-Lt. Gen. Hugh Shelton, the commanding general of XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, praised the quick and impromptu response of the soldiers and rescue teams after the explosion. “When fear sets in, training takes over,” Shelton was quoted as saying in the Fayetteville Observer-Times, Mar 31, 1994.

    One month before the accident, the 504th Infantry had to simulate evacuating dead and wounded soldiers during maneuvers at the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana. “Most of the things... (at the crash site) were exactly what we had trained for there,” said then-Lt. Col. Stanley A. McChrystal, the battalion commander.

    Proud of the heroes of Green Ramp, the commanding general of the 82nd Airborne Division, Maj. Gen. William M. Steele, said in an interview in April of ’94 that “It was soldiers saving soldiers.” Soldiers did “anything they could do to care for their buddies that were more seriously injured.”

  • 07Downtown aerial viewFrom the mid-1970s well into the 1990s, downtown revitalization was a significant concern and topic of public discussion in Fayetteville. Newspapers, radio and TV carried sobering reports about the death of retail business downtown. Sears, J.C. Penney, Belk and numerous small shops had abandoned Hay Street. Cross Creek Mall and nearby strip malls became Fayetteville’s retail sales hub, serving south-central North Carolina.

    The opening in 2000 of the world-class Airborne & Special Operations Museum changed everything. Business investors and local government took a renewed interest in the heart of the center city.

    Today, less than 20 years later, businesses along Hay Street and the surrounding innercity streets yield more property tax revenue than the mall does. That was a surprising revelation by consultant Steve Auterman of Urban Design Associates of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. “You ought to be building more of what is getting you the best return,” he said.

    Auterman provided Fayetteville City Council an initial conceptual report of ways his firm believes Fayetteville’s downtown can be transformed into a vibrant business, entertainment, residential and government complex. He gave the council a detailed report Mar. 4.

    Auterman foresees a physical transformation of the downtown area, which he said extends far beyond Hay Street. He noted that the recent reconstruction of W. Russell Street can be utilized better, saying that only about 10,000 cars a day travel the six-lane road.

    He added that on-street parking and bike lanes could easily be carved out along Russell Street. It would be one way of addressing the need for more parking availability.

    “Make the best choices — not the easy choices,” was Auterman’s theme for almost every recommendation he made. “Increased value and vibrancy are the desired outcomes,” he added. 

    With the new Rowan Street railroad overpasses nearing completion, the consultant said improving downtown gateways will foster in-town living and improve mobility. Auterman envisions a downtown residential neighborhood but emphasized the need for updated zoning, which now limits progressive residential growth. Modern design standards, he said, would help stimulate investments.

    “It’s important that our decisions are critical and include well-planned areas,” said District 2 Councilman Dan Culliton. His district includes downtown.

    Auterman said the real estate that City Hall and police headquarters occupy is valuable, but they should be relocated in the city center. Some Council members have considered the southern tip of Murchison Road as a potential location for city offices.

    Urban planners believe that downtown expansion should occur east and south of the Market House. A performing arts center envisioned by county government could be built on Person Street. One location that’s been suggested is the former Greyhound Bus station property. Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin said the next step for Urban Design Associates is to bring City Council specific ideas about how the city should implement downtown revitalization.

  • 06McCready posterThe North Carolina Board of Elections has set the dates for new elections that will decide the country’s last unsettled congressional race from 2018. The “redo” 9th Congressional District primary election will be held May 14, with the general election tentatively set for Sept. 10.

    If no candidate wins more than 30 percent of the vote in the primary, a runoff election will be held Sept. 10, with the general election pushed back to Nov. 5. The 9th District runs from Charlotte to rural Bladen County.

    Cumberland County is divided between the 8th and 9th Districts. The state elections board twice refused to certify the November 2018 election results because of concerns about tampering with absentee ballots. The Republican candidate, Mark Harris, has decided not to continue his quest for Congress. Democrat Dan McCready will seek the U.S. House of Representatives seat.

    The board of elections ordered a new election when it determined that public confidence had been undermined “to an extent that a new election is warranted.”

    Acting Cumberland County Schools superintendent named

    Dr. Mary Black, associate superintendent of student support services for Cumberland County Schools, is serving as CCS acting superintendent while Dr. Marvin Connelly Jr. receives medical treatment. Connelly Jr. has a cancerous tumor in his jaw and is undergoing treatment for it but continues to serve as his schedule allows, he said. Connelly Jr. added that the prognosis is good and that he is maintaining a positive outlook. 

    Feb. 28, the county school board approved the appointment of an acting superintendent to serve as needed until Connelly Jr. recovers and returns fully to work.

    County schools’ proposed FY20 budget

    Cumberland County Schools Superintendent Dr. Marvin Connelly Jr. recommended a local budget for the upcoming school year of $89 million. The county Board of Education received the recommendation at its finance committee meeting March 5. The budget requests an increase of $8.9 million in local funding from the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners. In North Carolina, school boards do not have taxing authority.

    Connelly’s overall recommended budget for the school system is $508.8 million, which includes state and federal funding. It proposes a pay increase of 3-5 percent for some staff members.

    “To adequately address the needs of the whole child, and plan for the success of all students, we must increase the number of social workers, school counselors and school nurses that serve our students,” Connelly Jr. said in a prerecorded video presentation. 

    Cumberland County’s pupil population has not grown in many years. It remains at approximately 53,000 students.

    Local tuberculosis case being investigated

    The Cumberland County Health Department is investigating a confirmed case of tuberculosis involving a person at Village Christian Academy on S. McPherson Church Road.

    The health department was notified about the confirmed case last month and is required by law to conduct an inquiry following North Carolina TB Control Program protocols.

    The private school’s administration is working closely with health officials to take appropriate action. Officials said there is a select group of people who may have been exposed to the disease.

    People with prolonged, frequent or close contact with someone who has TB are at high risk of becoming infected. The disease has an estimated 22 percent infection rate, according to the World Health Organization.

    The Cumberland County Health Department did not say whether the infected individual is a student or an adult. With the proper treatment, TB is almost always curable.

    WebMD says doctors prescribe antibiotics to kill the bacteria that cause the disease. Patients with TB must take medications for six to nine months.

    For questions or concerns regarding exposure, contact Duane Holder, interim health director for the county health department, at 910-433-3600.

    Local government public relations

    The county of Cumberland, the city of Fayetteville and nine partner organizations have launched a project to cultivate communitywide branding. The idea is to better communicate the community’s strengths, assets, diversity and vision.

    The Fayetteville Cumberland Collaborative Branding Committee is leading this effort and includes representatives from the city, county, Tourism Development Authority, Vision 2026, Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and other agencies.

    The FCCBC commissioned North Star Destination Strategies of Nashville, Tennessee, to help create a new community brand, apparently designed to replace History, Heroes and a Hometown Feeling.

    “Your brand is what people say about you when you’re not around,” said Will Ketchum, president of North Star. “Branding is what you do to change or refine that message.”

  • 05teachersIn any human enterprise as complex, varied and challenging as education, we shouldn’t expect a great deal of consensus, much less unanimity. Politicians, educators, parents and citizens debate education policy constantly — not only because it is of crucial importance to our shared futures but also because the field simply contains many highly debatable questions.

    Whether paying teachers extra if they obtain graduate degrees will make them more effective is not among those debatable questions, however, at least not anymore. In the vast majority of cases, the answer is no. Pay bumps for teachers with graduate degrees is cost-ineffective. If you seek to improve student learning, such a policy isn’t worth pursuing.

    Over the past three decades, scholars have published more than 100 studies in peer-reviewed academic journals testing the proposition that possessing a graduate degree makes one a better teacher, all other things being held equal. In more than 80 percent of the empirical studies, researchers found no relationship between graduate degrees and measurable teacher effectiveness.

    Of course, that does leave room for a few studies finding a positive association (as well as a few finding a negative one). Even for the positive studies, though, the finding is often narrow. There is a handful of studies showing that when teachers possess graduate degrees in the subject they teach, rather than in education, their students may benefit. But this evidence has mostly to do with graduate-level mastery of math or science, not with degrees in any and all subjects.

    In a rare and praiseworthy occurrence of evidence- based policymaking, the North Carolina General Assembly decided several years ago to end the state’s pay supplements for graduate degrees. Lawmakers decided instead to reform the teachersalary schedule so that pay rose with gains in teaching effectiveness, which occur disproportionately in the early years of a teaching career, while also offering bonuses for exceptional performance.

    In addition, an increasing number of North Carolina school districts are pursuing the flexibility to adopt new compensation systems that pay teachers more for assuming advanced teaching roles. We may also see greater differentiation as teachers get paid more based on hard-to-staff subjects and hard-to-staff schools, although political resistance to such common-sense practices — which are common in other professions — remains significant.

    As North Carolina and other states continue to iterate and innovate, some promising teacher-pay reforms will pay off. Others may prove ineffective or even counterproductive. Policymakers should always be willing to subject their ideas to evaluation in realworld settings, which are inherently more complex than the models used to craft legislation.

    Does that principle sound reasonable? If you think so, keep in mind that you are obligated to apply the principle consistently. If you pounce on every adverse finding to savage an education policy you dislike, yet insist that North Carolina restore pay supplements for graduate degrees because “it just makes common sense,” you are being grossly inconsistent.

    But what about that narrow finding about students benefitting from teachers with advanced math or science degrees? Couldn’t North Carolina reinstate pay bumps for those special cases?

    In theory, yes. In practice, it’s neither necessary nor workable. It’s unnecessary because if obtaining such a degree will improve teacher performance, we can capture the effect of that by rewarding the performance itself — measured however you like, by value-added test scores or principal evaluation or student surveys or some combination — rather than the acquisition of the degree.

    Moreover, the distinction will never stick. When a few state lawmakers filed a bill this year to restore the pay bump, they extended it to all academic subjects. The North Carolina Association of Educators then welcomed the bill only as a first step to restoring the supplement for all graduate degrees, including those in education (which represent a large majority of the degrees at issue).

    Restoring pay bumps for graduate degrees would be a triumph of special-interest pressure over sound policy, of image over substance, of hope over experience. North Carolina shouldn’t backslide. It should move forward.

  • 04pittWhen Ben Franklin offered that bit of advice from Poor Richard, he may have been thinking about the Knights Templar. Today, we climb into the Way Back Machine with Mr. Peabody to visit Medieval Times between the 1100s and the 1300s. Back then, knighthood was in flower. The Crusades were all the rage for the cool kids in Europe. Yep, it’s another history lesson from the thrilling days of yesteryear, even before the Lone Ranger rode the range.

    Come with us now to the year 1118, when a French Knight named Hugh des Payens founded the Knights Templar. Hugh was chilling in Jerusalem, Israel, which was chronically jabbed by the local Moslems. Hugh decided to found an order of religious warrior monks to take up arms to protect travelers heading to the Holy Land. He started his own army, the Knights Templar.

    De Payens was like Col. Walter E. Kurtz in the movie “Apocalypse Now.” Kurtz was way out in the Cambodian jungle refusing to take orders from his commanders and sowing destruction according to his plans. The general who sent Captain Willard to terminate Kurtz’s command described Kurtz as follows: “He’s out there operating without any decent restraint, totally beyond the pale of any acceptable human conduct. And he is still in the field commanding troops.”

    Two hundred years after the Templara were founded, King Phillip IV of France felt the same about the Templara.

    De Payens was a good organizer. He started with nine knights. By the time the Knights Templar reached its maximum size, there were tens of thousands of Templara organized into a standing army. No less an authority than the internet reports, the Templara had more than 15,000 Templar houses spread across Europe in the 1300s. The Templara project was to protect pilgrims heading from Europe to Jerusalem and to protect Jerusalem from the Moslems.

    Pope Urbanus declared the first crusade in 1095 to keep Jerusalem out of Moslem hands. That crusade went pretty well. The crusades that followed, not so much. In the third crusade, the Templara threw an air ball and were defeated soundly by the Moslems, who were playing on their home court.

    The Templara regrouped and still had the strongest army in Europe. They concluded that crusading wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. They needed a new line of work. Naturally, they decided to go into banking. Recall Woody Guthrie’s famous line: “Some will rob you with a six gun/ And some with a fountain pen.”

    The Templara figured getting killed by Moslems wasn’t as financially rewarding as banking by robbing folks with a fountain pen. They came up with a system of banking by accepting deposits that allowed everyone from kings to serfs to borrow and send money from one location to another. This made the Templara enormously rich. They had more money than most kings. Everything was dandy for a while. What could go wrong?

    If you have a lot of money, other people may think they ought to have your money. Enter King Phillip IV of France.

    Phil was always warring with other kings. Wars cost money. Phil went to his local Bank of Templara and borrowed a potful of money. Borrowing money is fun. Paying it back is not so much fun. If you borrow money from the Russian mafia, they will expect you to pay it back, otherwise bad things may happen to you. It was no different in the Middle Ages.

    Phil borrowed a ton of money from the Templara, who incidentally had an army. They expected him to pay it back. Phil really didn’t want to pay it back. This presented a conundrum. What to do?

    Phil devised a strategy. He sent out his army to arrest all of the Templara at once and charged them with heresy. Like the FBI raiding Roger Stone’s house, Phil put the Templara on double-secret probation. He sent out his troops to arrest all the Templara in the early morning hours of Friday, Oct. 13, 1307. This was an unlucky day for the Templara. Since then, Friday the 13th has gotten a bad rap.

    After some enhanced interrogation techniques, the Templara confessed to all sorts of gruesome things, including heresies and bad manners. Their property was seized. Phil’s war debt to the Templara was cancelled. You don’t have to repay heretics, particularly dead or imprisoned heretics.

    The Templar Grand Master was Jacques de Molay. After some not-so-gentle questioning by the Inquisition, he admitted to everything. Jacques spent about seven years in prison before he was finally slowly burned at the stake for his alleged crimes. Before leaving this mortal coil, Jacques laid a mighty curse on King Phil and Pope Clement IV, telling them they would all die within a year and a day of Jacques’ death. Sure enough, Phil and Clement both expired within the time limit set by Jacques.

    So, what have we learned today? There is more money to be made in banking than in being the guys who fight wars. Money can’t buy happiness, but it can rent it. If you borrow money, you better pay it back. Ben Franklin was right.

  • 03Martha McSallyU.S. Sen. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., stunned her Senate colleagues and her fellow Americans last week by revealing at a meeting of the Senate Armed Services Committee that a superior officer raped her during her 26 years of service as an Air Force fighter pilot.

    Her disclosure comes on the heels of a similar admission in January by Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, that she was raped while she was in college and was later abused physically and emotionally by her husband. U.S. Rep. Kate Porter, D-Calif., has also said she was a victim of domestic abuse during her marriage.

    Make no mistake. McSally was the first woman to fly as an Air Force fighter pilot, hardly a job for the faint of heart of either gender. McSally, Ernst and Porter have also made their ways to the highest level of our government, elected by millions of Americans to represent their interests in Congress — also not responsibilities for the faint of heart.

    In other words, these women and millions of others less well-known are not people we would think of as likely victims.

    At the same time, they are also not unusual. McSally said in interviews that she did not report the assault at the time because she did not trust the system. She was correct in her assessment. When she began talking about her experience, she said, “I felt like the system was raping me all over again.”

    Ernst and Porter also began speaking about their experiences long after the fact.

    Ours is a military community, and it defies reason to imagine that women — and some men — who are our friends and neighbors have not experienced sexual assaults. Such assaults are notoriously difficult to prosecute because they occur in private and involve “he said, she said” evidence in which the perpetrator says sex was consensual and the victim says it was not. The mostly male military culture coupled with its hierarchical structure mean that many victims make the same choice McSally made not to report what happened to them. Someone reading these words may well have made the same decision, often out of fear of career-changing retaliation.

    There are some positive signs, though. The Defense Department claims reporting is up by 10 percent across the services. The change is even more dramatic at our nation’s service academies, where reports of sexual assaults are up 50 percent. Disclosures by victims like these women in Congress and other public figures also shine light on such crimes and encourage other victims to come forward.

    Also, slow-as-molasses Congress is taking such assaults more seriously. Led by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., now a candidate for president, lawmakers have removed the statute of limitations on assault and rape cases, criminalized retaliation against people who report such crimes, and mandated dishonorable discharges of dismissal of service members convicted of sexual assault or rape.

    Efforts to remove sexual assault cases from the military decision-making chain of command and put them directly in the hands of military prosecutors have thus far failed but could be reintroduced as spotlights continue to shine and get brighter.

    It is clear that McSally, Ernst and Porter felt alone with their experiences, as do victims in our community. There is help.

    Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County has assisted people in need of support since the late-1970s. The phone number is 910-485-7273. The National Domestic Violence hotline does the same at its website or by calling 800-799-7233.

    If it can happen to Martha McSally, it can happen to us, to our mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, friends and to men we love.

    Photo:  U.S. Sen. Martha McSally, R-Ariz., was the first woman to fly as an Air Force fighter pilot. She recently revealed that she was raped by a superior officer while serving her country. Photo by Gage Skidmore on Wikimedia Commons

  • 02mayor warner 1Editor’s note: Publisher Bill Bowman cedes his usual column space to Earl Vaughan Jr. this week. Vaughan Jr. talks from a personal perspective about an issue plaguing Hope Mills leadership.

    I’ve known Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner since she was the cheerleading coach at Douglas Byrd High School years ago. 

    Warner was one of the first cheerleading coaches at that time who pushed the envelope for her young charges. She sought to have them treated as athletes and fought for opportunities to help them get better at what they did.

    As often is the case when someone tries something new, there were those who pushed back, sometimes hard. Warner played by the rules, but whenever possible, she got those rules to change. Today,mcheerleading is officially recognized as a sport by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association and even has its own championship competition.

    So, where am I going with an editorial talking about Warner and her cheerleading days?

    Well, she’s living them again in her relationship with the current Hope Mills Board of Commissioners.

    Ever since she was elected mayor, Warner has worked to promote the town of Hope Mills, to improve the quality of life for both its citizens and its businesses, and to be an ambassador for the town.

    I asked her for a copy of her schedule of duties as mayor for the last couple of months, and I got exhausted just reading the list. She’s attended countless meetings and official events, representing the town, boosting its image and networking with other political leaders in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.

    And that’s just her elected job. She also owns and operates a small business and is a grandmother of five, which at times calls on her to be a caregiver to small children in her family while their parents are working.

    There’s a faction on the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners that seems to think Warner can’t handle all that work. So, they keep using rules and loopholes and other bits of sleight of hand to continue whittling away at the responsibilities Warner has to cope with.

    Even though Warner was involved in the fight to restore the Hope Mills dam about as long as anybody, the board decided not to let her travel to Seattle, Washington, when the restored dam won a national award.

    And since the board didn’t want Warner to have to worry about voting on decisions regarding town property, they passed a rule that all five members of the board have to vote on property issues, which means Warner will never get to cast a vote. 

    They didn’t want her dealing with the headache of appointing members to certain committees, so the board recently voted to take that responsibility away from Warner, too.

    And after Warner worked out a deal with the University of North Carolina at Pembroke to put some attractive artwork designed by UNCP students around town, no one on the board took the time to renew the deal to fund the art, since I guess they didn’t want Warner worrying about it taking up too much space.

    It seems the board may finally be running out of things to take away from Warner, so in the spirit of former late-night comic David Letterman, I’ve got a “Top 10” list of things they might consider to put her completely at ease.

    1. Construct a wall around her house. That way, she won’t be able to get out and do all those community-related things she does to boost the image of Hope Mills.

    2. Build a garage for her at town hall, lock her car in it and don’t give her the key. This is in case she gets over the wall.

    3. Force local businesses to relocate and get new phone numbers, then change street names so she can’t find them anymore to reach out for possible community partnerships.

    4. Erect a “She’s Not Here” sign at town hall so people won’t bother her. Make sure said sign meets the newest, often-redrawn, sign ordinance.

    5. Keep her from moving all her clocks ahead for daylight saving time. Then conduct all board business before she shows up for the meetings.

    6. Since Warner can’t vote, let her present a monthly award for most uncooperative board member with a framed picture of the dam when it was still broken, since it’s hard to fix problems when elected officials can’t find it in themselves to work together.

    7. Use some of that extra revenue from the distribution of county sales tax money that Warner helped negotiate with the Mayor’s Coalition to send her on an extended vacation.

    8. Since she’s got a teaching background, set her up to teach a local course about ethics. The board members who skipped the earlier countywide ethics training that Warner helped organize can be the first students.

    9. Close the mayor’s office, since the mayor can’t vote anyway. Fill it with copies of the decisions this board has made in the name of cutting Warner’s mayoral reach.

    10. Finally, in case you haven’t figured it out, I’m kidding. Save one thing. Stripping Warner of mayoral authority isn’t good for her or the town of Hope Mills. Instead of being petty and power hungry, this board should work with her, not against her, for the benefit of everyone.

    Besides, she’s not going anywhere.

    Photo: Mayor Jackie Warner

  • 01coverUAC031319001The Child Advocacy Center, a charitable nonprofit organization that serves local victims of child abuse and their families, is gearing up for the Third Annual Fayetteville’s Ultimate Lip Sync Showdown. This spring fundraising event, held at the Crown Center Ballroom, takes place Saturday, March 23.

    The 2017 and 2018 shows both sold out, bringing in nearly $40,000 each year. Those proceeds assisted in the various education and prevention programs offered by the CAC in partnership with other community resources. In fiscal year 2018, the CAC served 686 children.

    For the Ultimate Lip Sync Showdown, 14 teams of local law enforcement, business owners, health care workers, school system employees and interested community members put together their best acts and give the audience a show like no other.

    Julia Adkins, chairperson for the event, said the medleys and group act mash-ups are the most popular. “There were some great acts,” she said of the past two years. “The Michael Jackson mash-up and ‘Pitch Perfect’ tribute were phenomenal. The law enforcement group had props in their performance, and it was fantastic.”

    Each year, the acts have evolved into bigger performances, and team slots have filled up faster. Seventyfive percent of the teams in 2018 were returning teams from 2017.

    The teams compete to be crowned Top Fundraiser, People’s Choice and Fayetteville’s Ultimate Lip Sync Stars.

    Twenty-year radio announcer Gayle Nelson and Cape Fear Regional Theatre Public Relations Director Michael Thrash will emcee this year’s show. Local actress Nicki Hart, local attorney Tim Edwards, District 12 judge Toni King and local singersongwriter and producer Kyng Bea will serve as judges.

    Funds are raised via ticket sales, pay-to-vote and raffle tickets. Standard table tickets cost $50, and VIP table tickets cost $75. Both options grant access to a social hour at 6 p.m., which includes hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. The show starts at 7 p.m. and includes an intermission with desserts.

    The VIP ticket additionally includes wine at the table, one vote ticket and one raffle ticket. Purchase tickets online at capefeartix.com or in person at the Crown Center Box Office, 1960 Coliseum Dr.

    At the show or in advance online, audience members can vote for their favorite act for $1 per vote. Raffle tickets are also available for purchase prior to the show or in person; they are one for $5 or five for $20. This year’s prizes include a 50-inch Smart LED TV, an Apple watch with GPS, a karaoke machine and more.

    To learn more about this event and the CAC, or to purchase votes or raffle tickets early, visit www.CACFayNC.org.

    You can help

    Here is a brief list of ways you can volunteer your time at the Child Advocacy Center, located at 222 Rowan St. in downtown Fayetteville. Applications for volunteer slots will open in late April. To see a longer list or to learn more, visit www.CACFayNC.org.

    A CAC wish list follows.

    Office:

    • Answer phones

    • Put information packets together for families

    • Prepare educational workshop materials

    • Help send out mass mailings

    • Help with the Therapy Dog Program

    • Get trained to lead prevention workshops

    • Adopt the flower pots in front of the building

    Development:

    • Participate in fundraising events

    • Increase opportunities for financial giving to the CAC

    Marketing:

    • Get trained to join the Speaker’s Bureau and share about the CAC at presentations to community civic groups, church groups, etc.

    • Seek opportunities for publicity for the CAC in our community Community Coalition:

    • Serve alongside other concerned citizens to find ways to promote child abuse awareness and prevention in our community

    CAC wish list:

    Therapy dogs, washable dry erase markers, sharpie markers in various colors, juice boxes, individually wrapped snack items for children, comfort blankets, children’s magazines, paper rolls for easel, canned soda, powdered creamer, sugar, coffee, hot and cold drink cups, paper plates, gift cards to grocery stores or office supply stores, 8 1/2 x 11” copy paper, parent magazines, Lysol spray, air freshener

  • 16FayAcBill Boyette isn’t the type of coach who spends time trying to find good things in the losses on his schedule. But after guiding his Fayetteville Academy boys basketball team to this year’s North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 2-A state championship, he had to admit that a loss to Cape Fear Academy on Feb. 8 may have done his Eagles more harm than good.

    The Eagles ended the season 27-3 and finished No. 2 in the entire state of North Carolina among both public and private schools, according to the MaxPreps rankings.

    Boyette points to that defeat in the championship game of the Coastal Rivers Conference tournament at Harrells Christian Academy as a key to the season. It was the fourth time the Eagles and Cape Fear Academy had met each other, with Fayetteville Academy winning the three previous games.

    “They are an awfully good team and we knew it was going to be a battle,’’ Boyette said. His team lost the third meeting 42-40. Boyette felt the Eagles got a timely message with the defeat.

    “I sensed a little complacency on our team,’’ he said. “I could see we were happy where we were.’’

    At the time, the Eagles were riding an 18-game winning streak and were headed to the playoffs, almost certain of the No. 1 seed in the 2-A field.

    “There’s a lot of pressure when you’re on a winning streak,’’ Boyette said. “We pointed toward the one-and-done aspect of the postseason. We went back and talked about why we lost that game. We didn’t do anything different at the next day of practice, realizing we had to play four quarters of basketball every single game or we would be going home.’’

    The Eagles did just that in their run to the 2-A championship. After a first-round bye, the Eagles rolled through four opponents with little trouble, the closest margin a 55-40 win over Northside Christian in the state semifinals.

    “We just thought it was imperative we got off to great starts,’’ Boyette said of state playoff stretch. He didn’t feel the Eagles did that in the state semifinals and finals as the Eagles found themselves behind in both.

    As has often been the case for Boyette championship teams, defense played a role in the victories. “I’m a man-to-man coach,’’ Boyette said, referring to his philosophy of playing defense. “Ironically, as it worked out, we went zone from the second quarter on in the semifinals. It worked wonders.’’

    In the title game, the Eagles faced another familiar foe, Wayne Country Day School. Boyette recalled the rematch with Cape Fear Academy in the conference tournament and just mentioned to his team once that they’d be facing a team they’d already beaten twice in the regular season.

    After the Eagles beat Northside Christian in the semifinals on Friday, Boyette said several of his players stayed around to watch Wayne Country Day in its 75-67 win over Freedom Christian in the semifinals.

    “They got the idea it wasn’t going to be a matter of (just) stepping on the court,’’ Boyette said.

    After a slow start in the title game, the Eagles took advantage of their height in the second half, pounding the ball inside to 6-foot-8 Emmanuel Izunabor and 6-foot-5 Williams Onyeodi. Izunabor scored 26 and Onyeodi added 18 as the Eagles took the third boys basketball title in school history with a 64-45 win over Wayne Country Day.

    Boyette has a long history of making key adjustments at halftime and watching his team pull away in the third quarter. This time, he just had to remind them what their original game plan was. 

    He told them they had done nothing in the first half to execute the game plan of pushing the ball inside and taking advantage of their height.

    “Early on in the third quarter, Emmanuel got some big hoops inside,’’ Boyette said. “We were getting stops on the defensive end. You could see our confidence growing, and you could see Emmanuel’s confidence growing.

    “We just pumped it inside the entire third quarter, and that was the difference in the game.’’

    Boyette had his team in a zone for the entire second half, and even he admitted that, like his team, he had to make adjustments. “It’s something I’m not accustomed to doing,’’ he said of using the zone, “but maybe the good Lord was telling me I’m a little stubborn in my ways. He showed me a different route and it worked to our advantage.

    “We were very effective in the zone. I felt it was a huge key.’’

    Izunabor ended the season strong for the Eagles after a long period of learning under the guidance of Boyette. “Emmanuel is a heck of a talent,’’ Boyette said. “There were days I was awfully tough on Emmanuel. He’d be the first to tell you it always seemed like the coach was calling his name.’’

    Boyette said all the time he spent pushing Izunabor paid off. “He reached the ultimate,’’ Boyette said. “He was at his very best the last two games of the season. I couldn’t be more proud of him.’’

    Izunabor, a native of Nigeria, said playing for Boyette was tough, like learning the fundamentals of the game from the beginning.

    “He helped me a lot,’’ Izunabor said. “I had to take advantage of it.’’

    Izunabor will be one of 10 seniors Boyette loses to graduation, leaving Boyette with only two players from this year’s team returning next season.

    “I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world,’’ Boyette said of the big group that is departing. “It’s hard to say what’s going to happen.

    “We’ll have to go with what we have. Hopefully we’ll get some guys that want to make the move to Fayetteville Academy. Good Lord willing, we’ll get some guys.’’

    Fayetteville Academy wasn’t the only team from Fayetteville that advanced to the finals of an NCISAA championship game this season.

    In 1-A boys, Greenfield School defeated Northwood Temple Academy 68-67. Northwood, led by University of Louisville recruit Josh Nickleberry, finished 20-14.

    In 3-A boys, Carmel Christian beat Village Christian Academy 65-64. Village ended the year 22-13. 

    Other Fayetteville teams that advanced to the semifinal round in the NCISAA playoffs were Trinity Christian School (21-10) in 1-A boys, Freedom Christian (12-17) in 2-A boys, Village Christian (22-13) in 3-A boys, Trinity Christian School (16-6) in 1-A girls, Fayetteville Christian (26-2) in 2-A girls and Village Christian (19-6) in 2-A girls.

  • 12EtafRumDo you remember the important North Carolina connection to “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” one of America’s most loved novels?

    The book was written in North Carolina. Although its author, Betty Smith, based the novel on her experience growing up in Brooklyn, New York, she wrote the book in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. As a struggling divorced woman with two children, she found work at the university until Harper & Brothers published her bestselling book in 1943.

    It usually happens the other way, with the Southern writer moving to New York to write. So you would have to think that this Brooklyn to North Carolina story is something special, one not likely to happen again.

    Surprise! It happened again Tuesday, March 5, when Smith’s publisher, now HarperCollins, released “A Woman Is No Man,” Etaf Rum’s debut novel. 

    Like Smith, Rum based her novel on her life growing up in Brooklyn. Like Smith, the divorced Rum moved to North Carolina. Like Smith, she had two children. Like Smith, she found work in higher education — in Rum’s case, community colleges near where she lives in Rocky Mount.

    Rum’s Palestinian immigrant family and neighbors in Brooklyn in the 1990s and 2000s are not the same as Smith’s families, whose roots were in western Europe.

    Still, both books deal with women’s struggles to make their ways in families and communities dominated by men.

    The central character in the first pages of Rum’s book is Isra, a 17-yearold Palestinian girl whose family forces her into marriage with an older man, Adam. He owns a deli and lives with his parents and siblings in Brooklyn. Adam and Isra move into the family’s basement. Isra becomes a virtual servant to Adam’s mother, Fareeda, who pushes the couple to have children. She wants males who can make money and build the family’s reputation and influence. When Isra produces only four children, all girls, she is dishonored by Fareeda. Adam beats her regularly. The central character of the second part of the book is Deya, Isra and Adam’s oldest daughter. Because Adam and Isra have died, Fareeda raises the children. Following the community’s customs, when Deya is a high school senior, Fareeda looks for a Palestinian man for her to marry. Deya wants to go to college, but she is afraid to bolt her family and the community’s customs. She knows of women who have stood up against male domination and then faced beatings and even death.

    “A Woman Is No Man” is fiction, but it is clearly autobiographical. As such, Rum explains, the book “meant challenging many long-held beliefs in my community and violating our code of silence.”

    “Growing up,” she writes, “there were limits to what women could do in society. Whenever I expressed a desire to step outside the prescribed path of marriage and motherhood, I was reminded over and over again: a woman is no man.”

    She writes that “what I hope people from both inside and outside my community see when they read this novel are the strength and resiliency of our women.”

    “A Woman Is No Man” will stir readers for other reasons, too.

    Its themes of conflict between a drive for individual fulfillment and the demands of community and family loyalty are universal. Readers who have given up some life ambition because it conflicted with a family or community expectation will identify with Isra and Deya. So will those who have lost family ties when they breached community norms.

    The author’s well-turned and beautiful writing makes reading a pleasure.

    Finally, her careful, fair-minded, sympathetic descriptions of complicated and interesting characters give the story a classic richness.

    Whether or not “A Woman Is No Man” becomes a best-seller and attains the beloved status of “A Tree Grows In Brooklyn,” it will, in the view of this reader, surely be a widely appreciated treasure.

    Photo: Etaf Rum

  • 07Lake Rim Pool Preliminary RenderingFayetteville City Council has funded another outdoor swimming pool. The Lake Rim Aquatic Center will feature a kiddie pool plus a six-lane competition pool. Lake Rim Park is off Old Raeford Road on Fayetteville’s west side. Tentative plans are to build the pools on the park soccer field, according to the city.

    M & E Contracting of Fayetteville received the $2.4 million contract. City Council formally adopted the construction contract without discussion Feb. 25. The project was agreed to several months ago.

    The Lake Rim Aquatic Center will be the city’s fourth public swimming pool — the third since 2015. The others are Chalmers Pool at Seabrook Park on Slater Avenue, Bates Pool at College Lakes Recreation Center and Westover Pool off Bonanza Drive. The new Lake Rim Park facilities are being funded through regular capitol development appropriations, not the $35 million Parks and Recreation Bond referendum of 2016.

    The city had been playing public pool catch-up since 2015 when it had but one pool. At the same time, Fort Bragg Family & Military Welfare Recreation operated five swimming pools on post, two of which are indoor facilities.

    Under the leadership of former mayor Nat Robertson, the city decided to develop at least three pools and seven splash pads. Four splash pads are already open and a fifth is under construction. Fayetteville officials said attendance at city pools has increased by 40 percent since 2016.

    As part of the aforementioned Parks and Recreation Bond issue, a multipurpose aquatic and senior center and fieldhouse were initially proposed. But the $28 million project was scrapped, according to Parks and Recreation Director Michael Gibson. It would have included a large indoor multi-use aquatic and senior center. Would-be features included an indoor pool, fitness room, racquetball courts, indoor track and playing surface and community meeting space.

  • 01coverUAC030619001Jerome Najee Rasheed, known in the music business simply as Najee, is set to perform at Fayetteville State University’s J.W. Seabrook Auditorium the evening of Saturday, March 16. Najee is a musical pioneer; he released many of his jazz and R&B hits before smooth jazz was solidified as its own genre. “Smooth jazz didn’t exist until the (19)90s,” he said. “When I came out in ’86, they created a separate billboard chart. There was a billboard jazz chart and a contemporary jazz chart, and I charted on both.”

    Najee has been immersed in music his entire life. “My first exposure was through my mother,” he said. “She was an avid jazz listener. It was just part of the household musical experience — she listened to everything from R&B to jazz to Latin music to classical music.”

    Najee’s childhood interest in music transitioned into a career shortly after he graduated high school. He went on tour with his brother Fareed in the band Area Code at the age of 18. “We toured all over the world with the USO for about a year,” he said. “Then my mother told me that I had to go to school and get a job.”

    Najee’s early experience prepared him for success later on. After attending the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, Massachusetts, Najee began performing with more big names in the industry. “When I couldn’t afford to go to the conservatory, my daughter and I went to New York (City) and got hired by Chaka Khan,” he said. “We toured for a year playing with her, and I signed in 1986 to Capitol Records.

    “Since that time, I’ve worked with people like Prince and Quincy Jones.”

    Najee released his first album, “Najee’s Theme,” in 1986. An immediate success, it received a Grammy Award nomination for best jazz album.

    That trend of success continues. “Of my first four albums, the first two went platinum, the two after that were certified gold,” he said. “After that, it was actually Prince who convinced me not to sign to a label.”

    Najee has collaborated with a handful of major artists, including Stevie Wonder, Freddie Jackson, Al Jarreau and George Duke. “The beautiful thing about all of that is I was fortunate enough to see the human side of it,” he commented.

    “When you’re around it, they’re just like everyone else — they like to laugh, they like to have fun,” Najee said, specifically speaking about performing for President Jerry Rawlings of the Republic of Ghana at the White House during the Bill Clinton administration.

    Najee hesitates to pick favorites when it comes to his performances, but he does admit to a few shows being particularly memorable. “I have many of those,” he said. “When Nelson Mandela was president of South Africa, he remarried and sponsored three concerts in South Africa. I was a guest along with Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan; we did this major, beautiful concert on his (Mandela’s) behalf.”

    Though that event was nearly 21 years ago, Najee still remembers Mandela fondly. “What he did was a gift to the nation,” he said. “The highlight of it all was to have lunch with him in the presidential residence. He was such a nice and gracious man; you felt like you were sitting there with your father or grandfather.”

    After 23 years in the music industry, Najee still tours the world and releases new content. “We’ve been on the road since last year: Europe, Africa, the United States,” he said of himself and his band. “We are touring now — I’m on a smooth jazz cruise with all the major artists.

    “Fortunately, at this stage in my career, I choosem what I do. I’m having fun now.”

    Najee’s 17th album, “Poetry in Motion,” is a tribute to his collaboration with two outstanding artists: Al Jarreau and Prince. Najee recalls his time with these and other artists as positive learning experiences.

    “Les Brown once said that people grow through people and projects, and for me that’s been certainlytrue,” Najee said of his evolution as an artist. “Every situation I’ve been blessed to go into, I’ve been fortunate to take something from that experience.”

    Despite his success in the industry, Najee is humble and thankful for what he does. “No two daysare alike,” he said. “My life is just not that bad, trust me — I have nothing to complain about, and I’m very grateful to be doing what I do.”

    Aaron Singleton, personal relations representative for the Seabrook Performance Series at FSU, talked about the excitement Najee is bringing to the community. “We are so pleased to bring an artist at the caliber of Najee to Fayetteville,” he said. “(His) appearance is creating a lot of buzz around town.”

    Najee said the audience can look forward to a wonderful and diverse experience. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been to Fayetteville,” he said. “I’m looking forward to meeting some new people, some students on campus that are musicians. We do that (bring people on stage). I don’t know who’s available as of yet, but I have friends around town who might surprise you.”

    For the setlist, Najee plans on incorporating a variety of songs. “We perform things that I’ve recorded over the years... and we toss in the newer stuff as well,” he said.

    Steve Mack, budget director at FSU, is thrilled to welcome Najee back to North Carolina. “I’m certainly looking forward to it. I’ve seen the great Najee many times — I take advantage of every opportunity I get,” he said.

    Najee performs March 16 from 7:30-9:30 p.m. at FSU’s J.W. Seabrook Auditorium, located at 1200 Murchison Rd. For tickets, and to learn more, visit www.uncfsu.edu/najee.

  • 10TrumboCape Fear Regional Theatre brings “Trumbo” to Fayetteville March 5-17. In today’s politically charged climate, the story of Dalton Trumbo, a prolific and talented Hollywood screenwriter whose work spans seven decades of the 20th century, serves as quite a cautionary tale about the lack of due process run wild.

    Before Trumbo was named as a member of the Communist Party — which was not illegal — and subsequently blacklisted and prohibited from working in films or any other entertainment medium, he was one of the highest-paid screenwriters in Hollywood. His films were routinely nominated for Academy Awards.

    In 1947, Trumbo, citing freedom of speech, refused to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee or to give the committee the names of others in Hollywood with Communist sympathies. He was convicted of contempt of Congress and served 11 months in jail. Thus began the Hollywood blacklist, which extended to Broadway, radio and television.

    Before the blacklist came to an end in the 1960s, an appallingly long list of entertainment personalities were deprived of their livelihoods.

    Hard evidence of Communist infiltration or subversion of the entertainment industry was never uncovered, yet hundreds of people’s lives were ruined without due process and by finger pointing alone.

    Larry Pine plays Trumbo in CFRT’s production of the same name. He’s acted in “All My Children,” “As the World Turns,” “Grand Budapest Hotel” and “House of Cards” among many other television and film credits. 

    “Trumbo” was written by Trumbo’s son, Christopher, and is directed by CFRT Artistic Director Mary Kate Burke.

     Despite the serious backdrop of Trumbo’s professional life, the play is warm and witty, told through personal letters. “Trumbo was such a magnificent writer,” said Burke. “His use of language and his wit make ‘Trumbo’ a very funny... and irreverent play, and Larry is an actor who is able to put the language across.

    “Trumbo is a role that actors who have a substantial body of work behind them are excited to take on.”

    One example of Trumbo’s legendary wit was his response to his contempt of Congress conviction.

    “As far as I was concerned,” Trumbo is famously quoted as saying, “it was a completely just verdict. I had contempt for that Congress and have had contempt for several since.

    “And on the basis of guilt or innocence, I could never really complain very much. That this was a crime or misdemeanor was the complaint, my complaint.”

    Michael Tisdale plays Trumbo’s son, Chris. He also voices the narrator and all other characters as they appear in the script.

    Andy Nicks is designing the costumes. There will be no set for “Trumbo.”

    “This show is going to be staged as ‘Disgraced’ was last year,” said Burke. “We use risers so that the audience surrounds the actors on three sides in what is known as thrust theater. There was such positive audience reaction to the staging of ‘Disgraced’ that we decided to use this more intimate staging again for ‘Trumbo.’”

    “Trumbo” promises to be a relevant and entertaining evening. For performance dates and ticket information, contact the CFRT box office at 910-323-4233 or visit www.cfrt.org. Box office hours are 1-6 p.m. Tuesday-Friday and one hour before the show on Saturdays and Sundays.

    Photo: Larry Pine

  • 03pigPoor North Carolina is suffering yet another black eye on the national stage.

    Our latest injury was suffered — and the suffering is ongoing — in the 9th Congressional District, which currently has no representation in the U.S. House of Representatives because of a tainted election four months ago. Elections officials, state courts and the House all refused to certify the election or seat the Republican vote-leader because of suspected illegal tampering with absentee ballots in Bladen and perhaps Robeson counties. The North Carolina Board of Elections and Ethics Enforcement has ordered a new election, yet unscheduled, which is shaping up to pit a Democrat with a substantial war chest against whoever prevails among a growing field of Republican hopefuls.

    The situation has been front page and TV story material for weeks, as Republicans defended their candidate — who had hired a political operative suspected of election fraud and now charged with it.

    In a twist worthy of Shakespeare, the federal prosecutor son of the Republican candidate, himself a Baptist minister, testified to the Elections Board that he had warned his father about irregularities in absentee voting as early as 2016. After tearing up in the hearing one afternoon, the minister-turned-politician stunned everyone the next day by announcing there should be a new election and that he would not be a candidate. Political pundits wondered whether the former candidate was worried about possible perjury charges.

    It all made for riveting news from a state that has been in the spotlight too many times for all the wrong reasons in recent years, and the sad tale confirms some unflattering facts about North Carolina political life. It exposes questionable election practices that may have been going on for years, in at least some counties, and brings up possibilities that law enforcement and prosecutors may have been asleep at the wheel at best and turning a blind eye at worst.

    It suggests that some candidates want to win so badly they will cheat to do so. And make no mistake. Voter fraud in which a person tries to or does vote illegally is not in the same league as election fraud, where numerous ballots, in this case absentee ballots, are cast illegally. Some say a few ballots were cast illegally in the 9th Congressional District, some say hundreds were, and it could have been thousands. Chances are that we can never know for sure, which is why voters will get a second chance to vote in a member of Congress.

    All the news about this is not bad.

    Our system did work, though slowly. When problems became apparent, the Board of Elections refused to certify the questionable election, and investigations began, resulting in the indictment of the alleged mastermind and the questioning of others. The fellow in Bladen County cannot be the only person to have figured out an absentee ballot scheme, so elections officials across North Carolina are now more aware of the nefarious possibilities.

    The spotlight has also shone on the ridiculously gerrymandered shape of the 9th Congressional District, which runs from Charlotte almost to the Atlantic Ocean and contains parts of nine of North Carolina’s 100 counties. That in itself is a strong argument for constraints on partisan political gerrymandering. The General Assembly has several bills addressing gerrymandering before it this session. If you care, let your legislators know that you do.

    Finally, the disaster that was the 9th Congressional District election and its upcoming redo send a message to all who value the election system that has sustained our nation for nearly 250 years. This system must be guarded and valued not just by elections officials and the criminal justice system but by all citizens.

    The lesson is we must all keep our eyes open during election season.

  • 09Babe Ruth and NC State Historic MarkerA new chapter in Fayetteville baseball history will be ushered in when the Woodpeckers, the Houston Astros’ advanced Class A affiliate in the Carolina League, plays its first home game. The game will take place Thursday, April 18, at the new downtown Segra Stadium on Hay Street.

    As we look forward to the future of baseball in Fayetteville, it may be appropriate to look back on a pivotal piece of Fayetteville history. Almost everyone is familiar with the legendary baseball player Babe Ruth and his connection with Fayetteville.

    The story begins when local merchant Hyman Fleishman convinced Jack Dunn Sr., the owner and manager of the Baltimore Orioles, to return to Fayetteville for the 1914 spring training. When the Orioles team arrived in Fayetteville by train, they were disappointed by cold temperatures barely above freezing. The team stayed at the Lafayette Hotel on Hay Street.

    Young George Herman Ruth was greatly amused by the hotel elevator and would spend his evenings riding up and down from floor to floor. Rain, which occurred during part of the training, prevented the team from training outdoors. So, arrangements were made to use the Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry Armory for indoor catching practice.

    While here, Babe Ruth and the Orioles had the opportunity to play against the cadets at the Donaldson Military School located off Raeford Road. Ruth played shortstop, had a double and a triple and scored four runs. Donaldson Military School was defeated in a score of 24-6.

    Members of the Fayetteville High School varsity basketball team asked the Orioles if they would care to play a game of basketball. The Orioles accepted the challenge, and the game took place in the Fayetteville Independent Light Infantry Armory. The Orioles were also great basketball players, defeating Fayetteville High School’s varsity team.

    March 7, 1914, while playing an intra-squad exhibition game at the Cape Fear Fairgrounds, George Herman Ruth hit his first home run in professional baseball, hitting the baseball 135 yards. It was Ruth’s fifth day as a professional, his first game and his second time at bat.

    Roger Pippen, a sports writer, was covering the game and wrote for his newspaper: “The next batter made a hit that will live in the memory of all who saw it. The ball carried so far to the right field that he walked around the bases.”

    It was here in Fayetteville that Ruth acquired the nickname “Babe.” Before leaving Fayetteville, Jack Dunn Sr. announced the list of players he intended to keep for the regular season, and Babe Ruth was on the list. Concerning Ruth, Dunn said, “He hits like a fiend and seems to be at home in any position, even though he’s left handed.”

    April 5, 1935, Ruth returned to Fayetteville with the Boston Braves to play an exhibition game against North Carolina State College. This game drew a crowd of more than 4,000 fans, keeping Ruth busy signing autographs.

    When Ruth died in 1948, residents mourned the loss of this great baseball legend. Maurice Fleishman, a Fayetteville merchant, had been a batboy at the Cape Fear Fairgrounds in 1914 when Ruth hit his first professional home run. Fleishman led the effort that resulted in a citywide celebration for the unveiling of a state historic marker placed on the site of the old fairgrounds.

    Friday, March 22, the Fayetteville Transportation and Local History Museum will open a new exhibit entitled “Fayetteville Baseball Fever” that explores the local history of this popular sport. The museum is making a call for artifacts specific to baseball in Fayetteville and photographs related to baseball history in Fayetteville-Cumberland County. If you have any artifacts that you would like to loan, or any photographs that could be scanned, please call the museum staff at 910-433-1457.

  • 18Ashunti Cummings Grays CreekAshunti Cummings

    Gray’s Creek • Track • Senior

    Cummings has a grade point average of 4.1. Last year she was named the Gray’s Creek winner of the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award.

     

     

    19Jerrett Jacops Grays CreekJarrett Jacops

    Gray’s Creek • Track • Senior

    Jacops has a 3.7 grade point average. He has competed in both middle- and long-distance races and the long jump for Gray’s Creek.

  • 13PCDA treat we haven’t experienced locally in at least a decade, the Christian music trio Phillips, Craig & Dean brings a spirit-filled night of worship to Fayetteville Community Church on Thursday, March 14. The “All Creation Sings Tour” hit the road March 5 starting in Dallas, Texas, and Fayetteville is its next-to-last stop.

    Transparency, passion and integrity have long been the foundation for Phillips, Craig & Dean’s music and ministry. For more than two decades, the trio has churned out some of Christian music’s most enduring hits. One of these hits is “Revelation Song,” which recently earned Recording Industry Association of America’s gold single status, signifying downloads of more than 500,000. This is only the seventh time in the history of Christian music that a single has reached gold status.

    The song spent 17 weeks at No. 1 on Billboard’s Christian Adult Contemporary chart and also topped the National Christian Audience chart, AC Indicator chart and Soft AC charts. “The songs are usually things that come out of our hearts as pastors,” Phillips said. “All three of us serve full-time as lead pastors, and sometimes the people sitting in the pews form what God’s trying to say to you.”

    Those in attendance March 14 are sure to hear the songs Phillips, Craig & Dean are known for — as well as plenty of new music that may define the group from this point forward.

    “I think the songs on (our latest) album are some of the best we’ve ever written,” Craig said. “It seems like we all really hit this grace place, with inspiration really pouring through us, and I praise God for that.”

    The groundbreaking success of “Revelation Song” is only one of many impressive accomplishments in the group’s storied career. Phillips, Craig & Dean has created 23 No. 1 singles, won three Gospel Music Association Dove Awards and sold nearly 3 million units.

    The group continues to tour while always being present Sunday through Wednesday to pastor their home churches. Phillips is based in Austin, Texas; Craig in St. Louis, Missouri; and Dean in Carrollton, Texas.

    After more than two decades of music ministry, Phillips, Craig & Dean remain as passionate as ever about sharing the gospel through music. While serving as pastors at their home churches and while traveling and performing all over the world, they’ve seen the impact a great song can have on a congregation.

    Fayetteville Community Church, the location of the March 14 worship night, is located at 2010 Middle River Loop. Phillips, Craig & Dean take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Tickets and concert information are available at WCLN’s website, www.christian1057.com.

  • 08MilspouseMilitary spouses often have to maintain disrupted households, raise children, work outside the home and take on duties their partners normally tend to.

    Military family advocates say some disturbing trends related to deployments have emerged in a recent survey. Only 19 percent of spouses indicated they had excellent or very good military support during their service member’s most recent deployment. That’s lower than what spouses reported in 2015. Deployments have become commonplace during nearly 18 years of warfare in Afghanistan.

    Twenty-three percent said readjustments have been difficult for their service members upon return from deployment, also higher than 2015.

    “What that tells me is that something’s going on in a bad way with the level of support offered families during deployments,” said Joyce Raezer, executive director of the National Military Family Association. “I think families get more isolated,” she added.

    The survey, a scientific random sampling of spouses, was conducted by the Defense Department across the U.S. military establishment. The results can be generalized to the entire spousal population. It explored topics ranging from spouse employment and childcare to finances. Of the 45,077 active-duty spouses selected for the survey, 9,813 completed it, or 17 percent.

    Vice President Mike Pence’s wife, Karen Pence, is using her position to help wives overcome the challenges that come with being wed to activeduty servicemen. Karen sees spousal happiness as key to military readiness. Unhappy spouses lead to unhappy service members who eventually will quit. She wants to launch a campaign to elevate, encourage and thank military spouses.

    Karen’s effort is reminiscent of Joining Forces, an initiative that promoted military families. It was led by former first lady Michelle Obama and Jill Biden, the wife of former Vice President Joe Biden. Karen said Joining Forces made a lot of progress for military spouses in making the states aware of uncoordinated licensing issues. It prompted legislative changes.

    But a recent study by the University of Minnesota found that, while state laws may have been updated, information provided by occupational boards is sometimes lacking. The study found that some employment applications omitted questions about military status, and some websites had no information about transfer opportunities for military spouses.

    The survey also found that loneliness was a problem for military wives during their husbands’ most recent deployment. The increasing sense of loneliness and lack of connectedness is a finding echoed in results from the 2018 Blue Star Families’ Military Family Lifestyle Survey. A.T. Johnston, deputy assistant secretary of defense for family policy, said it struck her that nearly 50 percent of the spouses of soldiers holding the paygrades E1 to E4 soldiers reported loneliness as a common problem during deployments.

    “Helping our newest service members learn how to connect is one of the best things we can do to help with resiliency,” she said.

  • Meetings

    For details about all meetings and activities, including location where not listed, call Town Clerk Jane Starling at 910-426-4113.

    Board of Commissioners Saturday, March 9, 8 a.m., Camp Rockfish Retreat Center (Budget workshop for fiscal year 2019-20)

    Fayetteville-Cumberland County Human Relations Commission Thursday, March 14, 5:30 p.m., Luther Board Room, Town Hall

    Activities

    Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Senior programs at the Parks and Recreation Center. The Senior programs for people ages 55-plus who are residents of Cumberland County have resumed. The rec center was closed in mid-September after Hurricane Florence. Various activities are now back and are scheduled Monday through Friday throughout the day. For details on times and days, check the schedule at www.townofhopemills.com, call the rec center at 910-426-4109, or email Kasey Ivey at kivey@townofhopemills.com.

    Hope Mills Area Kiwanis Club at Sammio’s, second Tuesdays at noon and fourth Tuesdays at 6 p.m. For details, call 910-237-1240.

    Promote yourself

    Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • 06FireChiefMajorFayetteville Fire Chief Ben Major has retired after 35 years of service with the department. Deputy Chief Mike Hill has been appointed interim chief.

    A graduate of E.E. Smith High School, Major was hired as a firefighter in February 1984 after completing undergraduate studies at Pembroke State University. He went on to complete a master’s degree in public administration at the University of North Carolina – Pembroke. Major was promoted to chief of the department in October 2011.

    The Fayetteville Fire Department consists of 15 fire stations and 332 personnel. The fire department received international accreditation in 2011 and was re-accredited in 2016 by the Commission on Fire Accreditation International. During Chief Major’s tenure, the department earned an Insurance Services Office Class 1 Public Protection Classification, placing the FFD in the top 1 percent of fire departments in the nation.

    “Ben’s commitment to constant improvement of services and personnel was his greatest strength,” said City Manager Doug Hewett. Interim Chief Hill has served the Fayetteville Fire/Emergency Management Department for more than 25 years. He has served as a deputy chief since 2010. The city of Fayetteville has always promoted its fire chiefs from within the ranks.

    Voter identification struck down

    A judge has thrown out two amendments to the North Carolina Constitution that voters approved in November. One of the amendments was to implement a voter ID requirement, and the other was to place a cap on the state income tax rate. News of the actions was not widely disseminated. Wake County Superior Court Judge G. Bryan Collins’ decisions were issued late Friday afternoon, Feb. 22.

    “An illegally constituted General Assembly does not represent the people of North Carolina and is therefore not empowered to pass legislation that would amend the state’s constitution,” he wrote. 

    When the legislature voted to place the amendments on the 2018 ballot, many of the members had been elected under district lines that were ruled unconstitutional because they had been gerrymandered to dilute the political power of African-American voters.

    GenX controls continue

    Recently, the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality and other parties that signed a consent order made public last month learned the courts have approved the order. Downriver reduction in GenX in the Cape Fear River Basin will continue as the result of the order. Superior Court Judge Douglas Sasser approved the decree in its entirety, giving relief for people near the Chemours plant on the Cumberland/Bladen County line.

    “Reliable, clean water is a right of every North Carolinian,” said DEQ Secretary Michael S. Regan. “This order was designed to ensure that the Cape Fear River can be that reliable, clean source for all who depend on its water.”

    All terms of the order went into effect Feb. 25. Regan said DEQ will use the full weight of the court’s contempt to hold Chemours accountable.

    Stadium naming rights continue

    The Fayetteville Woodpeckers have partnered with AEVEX Aerospace in the naming of Segra Stadium’s premium club level facilities. AEVEX is a defense industry leader in airborne intelligence solutions. AEVEX Veterans Club patrons will enjoy an indoor/outdoor fan experience from the optimal vantage point in the ballpark. Lounge/ couch seating will come complete with bar service, premium food offerings and waitstaff to highlight the club’s dining experience.

    AEVEX’s capabilities include three business units: Intelligence Solutions in Fayetteville, North Carolina; Flight Operations in Solana Beach, California; and Engineering & Technology in Tysons Corner, Virginia.

    Its operations are global in scale, with efforts in North and South America, Africa, Europe, the Pacific region and the Middle East.

     “AEVEX operates internationally and has an obvious attachment to Fort Bragg,” said Woodpeckers President Mark Zarthar. “With offices located adjacent to Segra Stadium, they have expressed confidence in Fayetteville’s vision for economic development in the city’s historic downtown.” 

    Cumberland County educators focus on the future

    Nearly 500 students, parents, educators and others gathered at a recent town hall meeting to discuss potential strategic plan focus areas derived from information gathered by Cumberland County Superintendent Marvin Connelly’s listening tour, district surveys and accreditation reports. 

    The county Board of Education and Strategic Plan Development Team will review the feedback, which will help shape the school system’s strategic priorities over the next five years. School officials hope to begin implementing the plan this fall.

    “Our work is directly connected to the quality of life our students will enjoy later in life and the economic vitality of our community,” Connelly said.

    Nearly a dozen focus areas will be reduced to three to five action priorities. They include: graduating every student confident, competitive and ready for a career and college; providing a variety of classes and activities that reflect student interests and backgrounds; offering a learning environment that supports growth academically, socially and emotionally; ensuring that school buildings are safe, secure, orderly and provide innovative learning environments; and engaging parents and the community to build trusting relationships.

    Photo: Ben Major

  • 11GPACGivens Performing Arts Center delivers high-quality entertainment, bringing diverse offerings season after season. The month of March promises to be especially exciting, with shows that range from ballet to bagpipes to an “On Stage for Youth” production of the story of Emmet Till.

    Monday, March 11, the Russian National Ballet performs “Sleeping Beauty” at 7:30 p.m. “Dar He: The Story of Emmet Till” is set for Monday, March 18, at 10 a.m. Rock ’n’ roll bagpipe band the Red Hot Chili Pipers take the stage Wednesday, March 20, at 7:30 p.m.

    The Russian National Ballet’s “Sleeping Beauty”

    Based on the Brothers Grimm tale, more than 50 dancers come together to tell this classic story.

    At the celebration of her birth, a princess is cursed to a 100-year sleep when she pierces her finger on a needle. In this version, the princess’ parents survive the sleep and get to see their daughter marry the prince.

    The enchanting score is by Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. It debuted in 1890 at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg, Russia. Marius Petipa choreographed the original production.

    “The Russian Ballet performed ‘Swan Lake’ at GPAC two years ago,” said James Bass, executive director of GPAC. “They are well liked, and they put on an amazing performance.

    “The Russian Ballet is widely respected around the world. We’re gracious to be able to present such a quality piece of art for our patrons.” The Russian National Ballet’s “Sleeping Beauty” is one of several performances held in conjunction with the Act I Diner’s Club. These themed meals are available for an extra charge and will be served in the University Dining Room before performances in GPAC. Call the GPAC box office at 910-521-6361 for information.

    “Dar He: The Story of Emmet Till”

    GPAC’s “On Stage for Youth” series provides educational programs that bring the classroom to the stage.

    “Dar He: The Story of Emmet Till” tells the story of young Emmet. In 1955, the 14-year-old black teen from Chicago, Illinois, visited Mississippi. Instead of making memories with his extended family, he was murdered for flirting with a white woman.

    The play covers Till’s murder, the trial of the men accused of killing him and their unbelievable confession.

    This performance is suggested for middle- to high-school-aged students. Tickets cost $10 for adults and $5 for children. Visit www.uncp.edu/resources/ gpac/stage-youth-series to download the study guide. Showtime is 10 a.m.

    “The Red Hot Chili Pipers” 

    The Red Hot Chili Pipers are a bagpipe band with attitude. The group’s setlist mixes traditional Scottish songs with standards like “Amazing Grace” as well as with covers of Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believin’,” AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” and dance hits of the ’90s.

    With a social media following of more than 360,000, this Scottish bagpipe band plays more than 200 shows each year.

    “They are a fun band,” said James Bass, executive director of GPAC. “They do some really great covers of songs everyone knows, songs from multiple generations. It’s going to be high energy.

    “Go out on YouTube and find one of their videos … see what they do … but trust me when I say seeing them live is a hundred times more fun.”

    The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets cost between $10 and $31. Visit www. uncp.edu/gpac or call 910-521-6361 for tickets and information.

  • 04ThoughtThis is the second in a series of columns. Here is the opening from the first column. “There is a dangerous, but tremendously effective, political approach employed in America. It could be called ‘thought deprivation.’ It’s conditioning people so they do not think with depth regarding the issues that face us as a nation. Sadly, allowing this thought deprivation approach to become routine and embedded in the political process has brought us to a point of real danger in the governing, and very survival, of this nation.”

    I presented my observations as to how thought deprivation is developed and sustained in a person, by others, as a seven-step process. The last column covered the first two steps. I explore steps three and four here.

    Step three is to promote tension between groups or groups of groups. The examples as to how this component is developed are numerous. The fermenting of tensions between blacks and whites in America immediately comes to mind. It is disheartening, and downright disgusting, how race is used to create tension between these two groups in our country.

    However, as we approach the 2020 election, using the race grouping approach is taking second position to grouping citizens by financial status and pitting one group against the other. The primary groups appear to be the wealthy, on one hand, and everybody else on the other.

    As Democratic presidential candidates are announcing their candidacy, or publicly contemplating doing so, the cry is that America’s wealthy should pay more in taxes to provide myriad benefits for the rest of us. This argument for higher taxes on some and wealth redistribution is not put forth as a thoughtful presentation of facts coupled with reasonable analysis. Consequently, citizens are not encouraged to think through what is being proposed.

    An example of this call for increased tax payments from the wealthy is the “wealth tax” being proposed by presidential candidate Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. The plan is described in an article by Neil Irwin titled “Elizabeth Warren Wants a Wealth Tax. How Would That Even Work?”

    The following segments from that article highlight the process of dividing us into groups and creating tension between groups. In it, Irwin stated, “Developed by Emmanuel Saez and Gabriel Zucman, two University of California, Berkeley, economists who are leading scholars of inequality, the proposal is to tax a family’s wealth above $50 million at 2 percent a year, with an additional surcharge of 1 percent on wealth over $1 billion.

    “Ms. Warren and other advocates of a wealth tax argue that this accumulation of untaxed or lightly taxed wealth is a bad thing. They say it enables the creation of democracy-distorting dynasties that accumulate political power, and that tax policy should be used to rein them in more than the current tax code does.”

    The wealth tax proposal, and the commentary in support of it, draws a clear line between the wealthy and the rest of us. That line-drawing, especially, shows through in the reason given for imposing such a tax. That is, the wealthy must be prevented from gaining political power that is made possible by their wealth. 

    This separating of Americans into “the wealthy” and “the rest of us,” while creating tension between the two groups, might be a bit subtle in Warren’s presentation. That is not the case with Sen. Bernie Sanders, I- Vt., who has entered the 2020 presidential race.

    Consider the following segments from Catherine Clifford’s article titled “Bernie Sanders: America is ‘owned and controlled by a small number of multibillionaires.’”

    “‘We live in a nation owned and controlled by a small number of multi-billionaires whose greed, incredible greed, insatiable greed, is having an unbelievably negative impact on the fabric of our entire country,’ Sanders told Paul Jay, CEO and senior editor of The Real News Network, in an interview posted Thursday.

    “‘What you have here is, first of all, massive income and wealth inequality. And as a nation we have got to think from a moral perspective and an economic perspective whether we think it is appropriate that three people, one, two, three, own more wealth than the bottom half of the American society,’ Sanders said. (A November 2017 report published by the progressive think tank Institute for Policy Studies found that Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Warren Buffett collectively had more wealth than the 160 million poorest Americans, or half the population of the United States.)”

    The following statement from Sanders’ website homepage makes the effort to divide and create tension crystal clear, saying, “No one candidate, not even the greatest candidate you could imagine, is capable of taking on Donald Trump and the billionaire class alone. There is only one way we win — and that is together.”

    Warren and Sanders are not alone in their “divide into groups and create tension” strategy. It is a strategy employed by Democrats for years. As of Feb. 19, every Democrat who has announced as a 2020 presidential candidate is singing from the same sheet as Warren and Sanders. They stay with this approach because it has worked in the past and, given the 2018 Democratic gains in the House of Representatives, they have reason to believe it will work in the 2020 election cycle.

    Grouping people and promoting tension between the groups is not, alone, sufficient to garner the political power sought by those who engage in developing and sustaining thought deprivation.

    The fourth necessary step is to contend that some groups are victimized, mistreated, discriminated against, etc. Again, the most obvious employment of this step is reflected in Democrats constantly, toward Republicans, alleging racism against black Americans at every opportunity, no matter how baseless the accusation might be.

    However, this step also clearly shows in Democrats employing the “wealthy versus the rest of us” strategy. The positions staked out above by Warren and Sanders illustrate this point, too. Look at how they describe the wealthy: untaxed, or lightly taxed, which is a bad thing; posing the threat of democracy-distorting dynasties; greedy, extremely greedy; have a negative impact on the fabric of our country; hold too much wealth.

    Then there is the emphasis on income inequality coupled with having a large portion of America’s wealth held by a few people being morally and economically questionable. This is to say that all of us who are not wealthy are being mistreated by the wealthy.

    The solution proposed by Warren, Sanders, other Democratic presidential candidates and, apparently, most Democratic voters, is to tax the wealthy at higher rates. The common statement is that “the wealthy should pay their fair share.” The prevailing argument is that the wealthy have too much money, and it allows them to wield political power at a level that is dangerous for the nation.

    If too much political power is the concern, just take money from the wealthy and burn it.

    That will not happen because the Democratic effort is about gaining the support of the masses to which they redistribute wealth that is garnered by increasing taxes on the wealthy.

    In the end, Democrats are working a strategy to gain political power. They are doing so by dividing us into groups, pitting one group against another and then using what is taken from the wealthy to, cheaply and through legal means, buy the votes of the nonwealthy. Thought deprivation is essential to the success of this strategy. Talk about immoral, greedy and democracy-distorting — this is it.

    Next time, more on steps to developing and sustaining thought deprivation.

    Editor’s note: In Karl Merritt’s recent column titled “God, Save Us from Ourselves,” it was stated that Covington Catholic High School is in Frankfort, Kentucky.

    The school is actually in Park Hills, Kentucky.

  • 02PubThe Rowan Street bridge is coming along nicely. Before you know it, we will enjoy one of the nicest, most beautiful and longawaited gateways into Fayetteville.

    The Up & Coming Weekly office is at 208 Rowan St., practically at the foot of the bridge. So, we have had a bird’s-eye view of its progress. It’s pretty impressive. The timing is near perfect, coinciding with all the exciting development and innovations happening downtown. A stadium, a hotel, apartments, office buildings and businesses will result from this more than $100 million of economic development.

    It’s all good, and I’m especially excited because next door to our office is 214 Rowan St. This is a vacant 6,000-square-foot commercial building that’s for sale. It’s stubbornly waiting to be leased or sold to the first entrepreneur who has vision and insight into the opportunities and needs generated by our growing community.

    How do I know this? Because I am an entrepreneur, and I own the building. When I describe the building as “stubbornly waiting,” I’m referring to my steadfast determination to put a themed, upscale but moderately priced restaurant in that location. Preferably, a brew pub.

    Why? First, location. Rowan Street is going to be a gateway into Fayetteville, with upward of 50,000 vehicles passing by that location every day. It’s in a convenient proximity to Festival Park, the Airborne & Special Operations Museum, our new baseball stadium and downtown events and amenities — all of which are within an easy 5- to 10-minute walk.

    Secondly, after passing all the venues mentioned above, there are no restaurants or eating establishments in the area between Hay Street, Rowan Street and Bragg Boulevard — except the Subway at the Amtrak Station.

    My formal educational background is in the food and hospitality industry, and I have owned and invested in several restaurants in Raleigh and Fayetteville the past two decades, including Mash House Brewing Company on Sycamore Dairy Road. So, I can tell you with confidence that people like to eat and drink on their way to and from entertainment venues and social gatherings. Currently, there are no dining destinations on this major gateway.

    Thirdly, and my favorite — parking.Yes, there are more than 100 convenient parking spaces nearby. Imagine eating, drinking, socializing and parking all in one location that is only minutes away from the exciting sights and sounds of a vibrant downtown. Yep. 214 Rowan St. will be that prestigious destination if I have anything to do with it.

    Unfortunately, aspirations like this do not come without a cost. My wife and two prominent commercial real estate brokers think I’m being bullheaded and stubborn for holding off and waiting for that specific, unique brew pub/restaurant entrepreneur to occupy the location.

    I’m optimistic. Besides, I want to be one of the first patrons seated on the streetside dining patio enjoying a glass of wine while listening to a concert at Festival Park or the sounds of a cheering crowd at a Fayetteville Woodpeckers baseball game.

    It will happen — but only for someone with vision into what the Fayetteville community wants, needs and will support. Is that you? If not, pass this article on to a friend.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 17Sam Guy Terry SanfordAfter a season that saw the Terry Sanford baseball team fall one win short of making the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-A state finals, Sam Guy’s Bulldogs will have a different look in 2019.

    Gone are twin brothers Christian and Andrew Jayne. Andrew signed with the Baltimore Orioles, and Christian joined the East Carolina University baseball team.

    They were part of a class of nine departed seniors that formed the core of the Bulldog baseball team. Guy said the loss of that much experience is going to change the way the Bulldogs play this season.

    “We have to figure out what works with this lineup, this team,’’ he said. “We can’t replace what they brought. We have to figure another way to do it.’’

    One player who will be key in whatever the Bulldogs do this season is veteran pitcher Davidjohn Herz. Herz, who has already committed to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was 7-1 last season with an earned run average of 0.53. He led Cumberland County Schools in strikeouts with 105.

    With gaudy numbers like those to his credit, Herz knows he’s going to be counted on as a leader of this year’s Bulldog baseball team.

    He agreed with his coach that this new edition of the Bulldogs will have to find what will be its key to success. “I think we’ve got to be a lot more focused this year,’’ Herz said. “With those seniors leaving, we’ve got to find out (what our thing on the team is) and go from there.’’

    Herz said he worked most on his change-up in the offseason, skipping basketball to get ready for baseball season.

    His personal goals for this year are pretty straightforward. “My main goal is to get state Gatorade player of the year, player of the year in Cumberland County and go undefeated,’’ he said.

    Guy said Herz has one of the best strengths a pitcher can have: a bad memory. He recalled Herz’s freshman year when Herz made his debut for Terry Sanford against perennial 4-A baseball power Richmond Senior.

    “His first varsity pitch was a home run,’’ Guy said. “It didn’t bother him. He only allowed two or three hits the rest of the game.’’

    Guy said Herz doesn’t dwell on errors or mistakes but instead focuses on executing the next pitch. Guy’s counting on Herz and another veteran from last year, Justin Ebert, to provide leadership. Ebert batted .368 and drove in 25 runs.

    Looking at the rest of the league, Guy thinks there are a number of teams that could contend for the Patriot Athletic Conference title this season.

    Gray’s Creek is among the best, he said, returning nearly all its lineup from last year and being led by a couple of solid pitchers, Landen Harris and Tyler Strickland.

    Another solid team is Pine Forest. Guy added that Cape Fear and South View are also perennial contenders.

    For Terry Sanford to be in the chase, Guy said his team has to achieve a lot of mini-goals first, dealing with fundamentals like getting down bunts and stealing bases.

    The Bulldog baseball program got a boost as the season approached with completion of its long-awaited on-campus indoor batting cage. Guy said it’s been in the works six years and will allow the Bulldogs to work out during inclement weather without having to adjust to using the gymnasium.

    “It’s huge for us to be able to maximize time with what we’re doing with that facility,’’ he said.

    Photo: Sam Gray

  • 05A Hometown FeelingAs your congressman, I have the honor of hosting the Congressional Art Competition in our district to recognize the artistic talents of students in our community. I’m excited to announce my office is now accepting entries from local high school students. Since this nationwide competition began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have been involved — including hundreds from our district alone.

    Every year, I am amazed by the incredible talent and creativity of young artists in our district. And one of the best parts about hosting the competition is getting to meet and speak with students one-onone about their artwork at the reception I host to recognize participants and announce the winner.

    Admittedly, this year’s competition is bittersweet. I am holding the competition in honor and remembrance of my good friend and legendary NASCAR artist Sam Bass, who passed away last week. 

    Sam, a Concord, North Carolina, resident, was a pillar in our community and a big part of NASCAR’s history. He was the first officially licensed NASCAR artist and created notable works ranging from car designs to program covers. He designed the iconic “Rainbow Warrior” scheme on Jeff Gordon’s car, and countless others, out of his studio in Concord. In addition, he was awarded the Smith Family Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 by the Cabarrus County Convention and Visitors Bureau for his incredible contributions and impact on our community.

    He was beloved not just by our community but by NASCAR fans across the world. I got to know Sam through NASCAR. He even hosted the art competition one year at his gallery. I admired him not just for his talent but also for his incredible kindness. We continue to pray for his wife, Denise, and the entire Bass family as they go through this difficult time.

    This year, I hope all local high school students will join me in paying tribute to Sam by participating in the art competition.

    All entries must be an original in concept, design and execution and may not be larger than 26” x 26” x 4” — including the frame. Interested students should submit entries to my Concord or Fayetteville District offices by 5 p.m., Friday, April 26, with a completed 2019 Congressional Art Competition Student Information and Release Form. A full list of rules and the release form can be found on my website at https://hudson.house.gov/art-competition.

    The winner will be selected by an Arts Advisory Committee made up of artists from the district and will be announced at a reception hosted in Concord. The winner and one guest will have the opportunity to visit Washington, D.C., to participate in the national ceremony with other winners from congressional districts across the country, and winning artwork will be displayed for one year in the U.S. Capitol. Second place artwork will be displayed in my Washington, D.C., office, and third place artwork will be displayed in my Concord office.

    For more information, visit my website at hudson.house.gov or call my Concord office at 704-786-1612. Our district is home to incredibly gifted students, and I look forward to seeing this year’s entries.

  • 14MarciMarci’s Cakes and Bakes has done a lot to support the town of Hope Mills. Now the town is returning the favor.

    Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner said the Trade Street business, operated by Marci Mang for the last three years, is the latest winner of the Hope Mills Small Business of the Month Award.

    Mang will be officially recognized at a meeting of the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners in a few weeks. Of Mang, Warner said, “She has brought new life to an old building, redecorating and repurposing (it) for her own bakery.’’

    Warner especially praised Mang for helping to revitalize Trade Street, which is off the beaten path in Hope Mills.

    “I’m so proud of the beautiful cakes she designs and the wonderful baked goods,’’ Warner said, “but more importantly, I’m proud of all she contributes to all of our community.’’

    Warner thanked Mang for her imagination and creativity and “for making Hope Mills sweet.’’ Mang said she tries to give back to the community in different ways. She is currently offering cake pop and cupcake classes for anyone interested, with the latest class starting Saturday, March 9.

    Mang said she puts out a schedule on Facebook and Instagram (@marciscakesandbakes) when a new class is offered. She asks everyone interested to register by calling 910-425-6377. Each class is limited to a maximum of 20 people.

    “They learn how to make the cake pops and what kind of chocolate to use to dip the cake pops,’’ Mang said. “They’ll leave the bakery with cake pops in hand.’’

    Mang also opens the doors of her business to local pastors. “We held a Bible study meeting in the bakery,’’ she said. “A group of pastors will be meeting there to talk about Easter services in the area.’’

    One of Mang’s most unique initiatives is a mentoring program for young women who may be struggling at school or dealing with personal issues in their home lives. Those who have an interest in baking can come to the store and get training in making and decorating cakes and cake pops.

    “I think any kind of specialized skill like that is something you can always use in the future,’’ Mang said. “It gives you confidence to find something you are passionate about and that puts your hands to work.’’

    Mang said she’s seen good results from most of the women who have taken part in the program.

    It’s all part of a passion Mang developed for baking that started when she was a girl, growing up two doors down from a bakery. She used to love going to the bakery and seeing the things that were in the window and in the shop.

    That love continues today in her own business. “I love seeing kids’ faces when they come in,’’ she said. “I try to keep items affordable. Families come in and enjoy something together. (My products are) not processed. Not mass produced.’’

    She brings the same passion to the job of designing special-order buttercream cakes for any occasion, and she takes the role she plays in designing and making those cakes seriously.

    She’s open to any ideas customers have for a cake and doesn’t shy away when the client begins by saying, “You’re going to think I’m crazy,’’ she said.

    “You want a teddy bear dressed in leather, we can work it out,’’ she said. “This week I did a spider with a Minecraft character on its back.’’

    She had a child who was a big fan of zombies; she turned out a zombie-themed birthday cake.

    “I love when people pick up cakes, and I know I’m part of their special day,’’ she said.

    Mang’s outreach to Hope Mills extends beyond people who leave her shop with purchases. She regularly donates leftover baked goods to various local charities like churches, the Boy Scouts, fire stations, the ALMSHOUSE and the senior citizens center.

    “I try to rotate them,’’ she said. “We always try to get them someplace in Hope Mills that can utilize what we have.’’

    Marci’s Cakes and Bakes is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. at 5474 Trade St. in Hope Mills.

    For more information, visit the Facebook page, Marci’s Cakes and Bakes, or call 910-425-6377.

  • 15Cotton truck 2Work is in progress on a new multipurpose fire truck for Cotton Volunteer Fire Station on Calico Street in Hope Mills. It will be a welcome addition to the vehicles currently in use.

    Hank Harris is deputy chief of the Cotton station, a position he’s held for nearly 35 years. He said the new truck, which is scheduled to be delivered by May, will replace an aging 2003 truck made by American LaFrance, which went out of business in 2014.

    The old truck was capable of a variety of roles, including vehicle extrication and water rescue. It could also handle support roles at various emergency scenes, Harris said.

    Since American LaFrance is out of business, it’s become harder to find replacement parts for the old truck, he added. But that’s only part of the problem. Times have changed, and the Cotton fire station finds itself called on to perform different kinds of jobs. Harris said the fire station has advanced from a medium to a heavy rescue unit. As a result, the station has had to add more equipment, some of which doesn’t fit on the old truck.

    That means in some situations, the equipment has to be stored on two trucks instead of one. When two trucks need to be dispatched to a call to make sure all the needed equipment for the situation is available, that’s a problem.

    The new truck is being made by a Wisconsin-based company called Pierce Manufacturing. A contract was signed to start work on the new truck in April of last year.

    The new vehicle is not a firefighting truck per se; it’s more of a support vehicle, Harris said. “It has no hoses or anything like that, but it has all the hand tools and equipment required that gives us our ratings,’’ Harris said. The truck can be dispatched to certain rescue situations by itself without a firefighting truck being present.

    One of the biggest differences between the two vehicles is the number of people the new one will hold. Where the old truck could only handle four passengers, the new one will allow seven.

    Harris said the new truck will have a walk-in body that allows firemen access to a climate-controlled area where they can take a break and rehab during fire situations.

    “They can get out of the heat, cold or whatever they’re in,’’ Harris said. “(They can) get in a better state of mind.’’

    The new truck will also solve the problem of splitting equipment between two trucks. It has extra space available to carry an assortment of tools for vehicle extrication or road rescue.

    Equipment the truck carries includes axes, pike poles and ladders.

    With the recent increase in flooding situations in the Hope Mills area, the new truck will provide a needed benefit. “We can actually put an inflatable boat on top of the truck,’’ Harris said. “It will increase our water rescue capability.’’

    Harris said firefighters won’t need additional training when the new truck arrives as all of the Cotton firefighters are already schooled in taking advantage of the truck’s various capabilities.

    Since Cotton Fire Station serves not just Hope Mills but a good portion of the southern end of Cumberland County, the new truck will be a benefit to many, Harris said, in a variety of situations. “We can put more manpower on that truck,’’ he said.

  • A number of Cumberland County high schools will be taking part in Easter break baseball tournaments over the weekend and into next week.
     
    Here’s a quick look at what’s on tap.
     
    Terry Sanford Easter tournament
    Bulldog head coach Sam Guy had to scramble at the last minute when a couple of teams scheduled to appear in his Easter tournament had to drop out.
     
    The field is now filled, and here’s a look at the schedule.
     
    All games are at Terry Sanford.
     
    Saturday
    10 a.m. - Southern Lee vs Jack Britt
    1 p.m. - Midway vs. Terry Sanford
    4 p.m. - Freedom Christian vs. East Bladen
    7 p.m. - Scotland vs. Cape Fear
    Monday
    Bandys High School will replace Freedom Christian in the tournament and fill whichever spot in the bracket Freedom was to have occupied after Friday’s game.
    10 a.m. - Losers of first two games Saturday.
    1 p.m. - Losers of second two games Saturday
    4 p.m. - Winners of first two games Saturday 
    7 p.m. - Winners of second two games Saturday
    Tuesday
    10 a.m. - Losers of first two games Monday
    1 p.m. - Losers of second two games Monday
    4 p.m. - Winners of first two games Monday
    7 p.m. - Winners of last two games Monday
     
    Pitt County Classic
    Pine Forest and South View will head to Greenville to take part in the Pitt County Classic over the Easter break.
     
    Saturday at noon at South Central High School in Winterville, Pine Forest faces Durham Riverside, then plays Bloom Carroll from Ohio at 2:30 p.m.
    South View plays its only games Monday at South Central, facing Havelock at 2:30 p.m. and Powhatan at 5 p.m.
    Also on Monday, Pine Forest will be at North Pitt High School to play West Craven at noon and New Bern at 2:30 p.m.
  • 07Stadium w buldingsLost in the city of Fayetteville’s enthusiasm to develop a minor league baseball stadium was a Durham property developer’s interest in renovating the former Prince Charles Hotel. Fayetteville native Jordan Jones became project manager for what became PCH Holdings, Inc. Jones’ grandfather built the eight-story Hay Street hotel in 1924. Jones and his colleagues approached city government about what the city might do in support of their project.

    That’s when former Deputy City Manager Rochelle Small-Toney suggested a baseball stadium. Eventually, city-owned property adjacent to the old hotel was selected for the ballpark. She’s no longer with the city, and Deputy Manager Kristoff Bauer took up the project.

    This month, Bauer announced that an initial $47 million stadium cost projection had been reduced to nearly $38 million by contractor Barton Malow. But, that was $5 million over the budget city council established two years ago. All sub contracts had been bid, and the final price of $37,885,102 was agreed to. The only thing not included in the city’s cost is interest on the loan.

    Bauer told council that site preparation work had exceeded expectations by $4 million. There were other project elements, including a more elaborate scoreboard and LED lighting, that increased the budget. “This has been a challenging process,” Bauer said.

    The city’s budget director, Tracey Broyles, told city council the city has the capacity to absorb the difference in the projected budget by diverting $1 million a year from its capital improvement fund in the out years to make bond payments.

    Council will have to decide which CIP projects to sacrifice. Council members voted unanimously to go forward with the project.

    “It’s too late to turn back now,” said councilman Bill Crisp. He reminded members he had been adamantly opposed to the project initially. He now calls the project a “renaissance,” which is the impetus for $100 million plus in economic development projects.

    Bauer and Barton Malow executives estimate as many as 1,000 construction jobs and upward of 500 permanent operating jobs will grow out of the stadium project and the surrounding building opportunities. They include a five-story parking garage with a hotel and eight-story office building atop it.

    City council will now submit its funding application to the North Carolina Local Government Commission for approval to issue limited-obligation bonds to finance the stadium’s construction.

    “We’ve been confident this entire time that they would develop a beautiful stadium,” said Mark Zarthar, president of the Fayetteville Baseball Club.

    The Houston Astros own the minor league team that will play in Fayetteville beginning next year, and they will manage the stadium. Team President Reid Ryan, the son of major league hall of famer Nolan Ryan, agreed to a 30-year lease on the stadium. The team will announce the name of the team and its mascot in mid-April.

  • The schedule and sites for this year’s annual Cumberland County Football Jamboree have been set.

    The two-day event will be held at Pine Forest High School and Jack Britt High School, with games at Pine Forest on Aug. 8 and Jack Britt on Aug. 9.

    The format will be as in previous years, with two separate scrimmages going on at the same time in each time block, two teams playing on one half of the field and two teams on the other half.

    Here is this year’s schedule.

    Aug. 8, at Pine Forest

    • 6 p.m. - Farmville Central vs. Westover, Rolesville vs. Overhills.

    • 7 p.m. - Union Pines vs. E.E. Smith, Triton vs. Terry Sanford.

    • 8 p.m. - Scotland vs. Cape Fear, Lumberton vs. Pine Forest.

    Aug. 9, at Jack Britt

    • 6 p.m. - St. Pauls vs. Douglas Byrd, West Bladen vs. Gray’s Creek.

    • 7 p.m. - East Montgomery vs. Hoke County, Eastern Wayne vs. South View.

    • 8 p.m. - Lee County vs. Seventy-First, Apex Friendship vs. Jack Britt.

    There will only be one high school Easter baseball tournament in Cumberland County this year. Douglas Byrd will not be hosting its tournament this season, leaving the Easter tournament at Terry Sanford the only one in town.

    The tournament dates are March 31-April 3.

    Up & Coming Weekly was going to preview the tournament and include the game schedule in this week’s issue. Unfortunately, there were some last-minute changes in the teams taking part in the event, and the field could not be finalized prior to the deadline for this week’s print issue.

    Look for an online-only story on the tournament once the field has been determined, and also information on the Pitt County Classic in Greenville, which includes two Cumberland County teams, Pine Forest and South View.

  • 09Hop2Six years ago at Epicenter Church, the topic came up (again) about how there were no local child-friendly activities during the Easter season. That same year, the congregation decided to hold an Easter egg hunt and invite the entire city. Hop in the Park was born. It was a huge success. So much so that the church decided to host one every year. This year, Hop in the Park will be held in Festival Park Friday, March 30.

    “We knew after the wild success of our inaugural event that each year we would have to step things up,” the event website said. “We have more than tripled the amount of food and events since the first event in 2013.”

    Last year, 30,000 people attended Hop in the Park, a number the event expects to exceed this year.

    “Everyone is invited to attend, you do not have to be a particular resident or belong to any particular religious group,” according to www.hopinthepark.com. “We welcome everyone! This event is rooted in a safe place for children to come have a great time and celebrate the Easter holiday.”

    While egg hunting is fun, Hop in the Park also includes snacks like popcorn, cotton candy, hotdogs and pizza.

    There will also be carnival rides, inflatables, live music, a movie shown on a giant screen, and the Easter Bunny will skydive into the park.

    The festival runs from 6-10 p.m. Hop in the Park is an event supported entirely by donations and volunteers, and tickets are free. Visit hopinthepark.com for more information about registering for tickets, donating or volunteering.

  • 02 Customer serviceMy wife came home from one of her fun shopping excursions a couple weeks ago. Except this one really wasn’t much fun. She was frustrated. It seems her very favorite store, Belk’s, which used to provide friendly, helpful and courteous service, has morphed into a hollow catacomb of apathy. Imagine, a retail company that depends on selling merchandise with no one present to answer questions, no one available to assist you and no one around to sell you anything.

    We hear constantly that the internet is destroying brick-and-mortar businesses. I believe that – but only the ones that don’t provide excellent and genuine customer service.

    The term “good customer service” has almost become cliché in a world where almost anything and everything can be acquired online, void of any personal contact. It’s convenient and hassle-free without any pre-conceived expectation of service or human interaction. Order anything and it is conveniently delivered to your door. A car, your next meal, customfitted clothing, auto parts, dentures, flowers, sporting goods, printed materials, wine – the list is endless.

    This being the world we live in, if you are a business owner or have entrepreneurial aspirations, you must come to understand, respect and master the major defining factor for success... good customer service. It is a simple concept so easy to implement yet so easily ignored, underemployed and misunderstood.

    So, why write about it? Because it defines us.

    A few weeks ago, I rejoiced at the fact that the Applebee’s on Raeford Road closed. For nearly two years it provided Fayetteville with the worst customer service experience ever – despite elaborate, fun-filled, appetizing TV commercials.

    Why should I care? Why should we all care? Poor customer service has a negative effect on all those who experience it. For years, this Applebee’s has defined our community in the most horrendous and un-complimentary way. If Applebee’s had been a privately-owned restaurant, it would have been out of business in two months, not two years.

    Customer service is the lifeblood and major economic driver of a successful business. Yet it is too often ignored, and locally, dozens and dozens of business owners are struggling to survive and stay open when all they have to do is focus on and provide good customer service.

    Unfortunately, many of them instead search for a quick fix or some magic formula or silver bullet that will make them profitable and successful overnight. Some spend thousands of dollars in advertising, marketing and ill-fated promotions in a desperate attempt to prop up their business. If they focused first on providing the best customer care possible, those other efforts might actually produce some results.

    This holds true with organizations and even governments. Just think how smoothly government would run if leaders focused on customer service and making policies and procedures less complicated, allowing bureaucrats to make decisions that put the clients first and foremost.

    Fayetteville is a growing community and a wonderful town where Southern traditions and a Southern way of life prevail. Service and Southern hospitality should always be at the top of our agenda. This is the surest, easiest and least expensive way to guarantee success and prosperity while defining our community’s true friendly spirit.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 11Big Ts 1Donna Gray remembers her grandson Grayson’s excitement the first time he recently saw Hope Mills Lake with water in it. “He was in the car with me and he looked out there and said, ‘Nana, there’s water in there,’” Gray said. “I had forgotten he had never seen it. I was so excited for him to tell me that.’’

    As owner of the lakeside food stand Big T’s, Gray is almost as excited as 8-year-old Grayson was.

    Now that the lake has returned, she’s expecting an even bigger upturn in business than they’ve managed to maintain since the lake was drained twice by the failure of the Hope Mills dam.

    Gray’s family began operation of Big T’s in 2000 after being asked by the previous owner one Fourth of July if she was interested in taking it over. She was and renamed the business Big T’s in honor of her husband, Timmy Gray.

    The inspiration for the name came from Gray’s nephew, Tyler Herbert, who called Gray’s husband by that name.

    Big T’s is a fairly typical resort-style food stand with staples like hamburgers, hot dogs, sausage dogs, chicken tenders, nachos, pretzels, various kinds of french fries and what Gray calls the creamiest soft ice cream possible.

    “We use a higher butter fat so it’s creamier, not the icy type,’’ she said.

    Vanilla is the basic flavor of ice cream, but Big T’s offers what Gray calls a flavor burst that provides eight different flavor options.

    But the star attraction at Big T’s is snoballs, shaved ice with different flavorings. A lot of different flavorings. Gray estimates they’ve got 85 flavors of snoballs available.

    “We’ve changed over the years, tried things and added things,’’ she said.

    For example, when Hope Mills Lake had water and was briefly visited by a resident alligator, they offered a Gator Raider flavor.

    When the dam failed a second time and the lake remained empty, Gray added the Dam Buster flavor.

    It may have been that attention to detail and ability to be flexible that kept customers visiting Big T’s during the years when the lake was empty.

    Gray offered and still offers a free movie night once a month to get people to stop by. She also gives a lot of credit for the food stand’s survival to a couple of local car clubs, the Hope Mills Cruisers and Camaro South.

    Both organizations would hold cruise-ins, where they came to Big T’s, parked their cars and showed off the vehicles to patrons.

    Camaro South continues to be active and holds an event at Big T’s about once a month.

    A big cruise-in is planned for April 14, Gray said. It will feature cars from Camaro South and guest vehicles that are replicas of popular rides from the Walt Disney hit movie series “Cars.”

    Big T’s is also mobile. Gray said she operates food trucks that visit local schools and colleges, serving up snoballs to go.

    Gray leaves most of the daily operation of the food stand to her daughter, Angela Culver, and her husband Rob. The family aspect of the business, both from the involvement of her own family and that of her customers, is what Gray enjoys most.

    Angela has been in this business since she was 12,’’ Gray said. “Hopefully her grandchildren will come right behind her.’’

    Gray said she remembers when she first took over Big T’s seeing children who could barely look over the counter come with their parents to order a snoball. “Now those children are bringing their children here, and I love it.’’

    She still has hula hoops and sidewalk chalk for the kids to enjoy while they’re visiting. “I’m trying to make it a family atmosphere,’’ she said. “That’s what I enjoy being in this community.’’

    Big T’s opened for the season on March 19. Regular hours for now are Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. and Sunday from 12:30 p.m. until 9 p.m. There will be extended hours during the summer months.

    Editor’s Note: Until further notice, due to cold weather, Big T’s will be closed. Call 910-487-6700 or 910-568-7722, check the Facebook page (Big T’s), or check the website (bigtssnoballs.com) for updates.

  • 05news digest 3 28Fayetteville’s Cross Creek Park, sometimes called Lafayette Park, off Green Street downtown, was heavily damaged during Hurricane Matthew in October 2016. For 1 1/2 years, the ruins of what was a beautiful walkway from Green Street across Cross Creek to the Marquis de Lafayette statue have gone unattended by the city. Parks and Recreation director Michael Gibson said Federal Emergency Management Agency has confirmed that the damage qualified for $250,000 in federal reimbursement.

    Workers recently removed the bridge. Fencing was also removed, exposing park visitors to an unprotected, steep, 20-foot creek bank. “Parks and Recreation staff will be putting up a barrier at this location,” said city spokesman Nathan Walls.

    Firefighters to administer Naloxone

    Until recently, Fayetteville Fire Chief Ben Major opposed equipping fire engines with naloxone, commonly sold under the brand name Narcan. It is a nasal-mist medication used to block the effects of opioids, especially in overdose. Brian Pearce, Cape Fear Valley Medical Center emergency medical service director, agreed that firefighter safety was a primary consideration. Pearce administers regulations of the county medical director and said the final decision was the fire chief’s.

    All city firefighters are trained EMTs.

    “The Fayetteville Fire/Emergency Management Department wants to help to mitigate and reduce opioid overdoses in our community,” Major said. “Our first responders assist with a wide range of emergency response, and we are happy to use naloxone as another tool to help save lives.” He added that supplies and equipment were evaluated in December and were purchased earlier this year, saying, “Departmentwide training began this month.”

    The Fayetteville Police Department was among the first law enforcement agencies in the state to issue naloxone to patrol officers. The department says nearly 200 lives have been saved since then.

    The VA names new Fayetteville director

    The Department of Veterans Affairs has named retired Army Col. James Laterza the new director of the Fayetteville VA Medical Center. He succeeds Elizabeth Goolsby, who retired last year. Laterza will oversee delivery of health care services to nearly 74,000 veterans in a 19-county area of southeastern North Carolina. The medical center specializes in general medicine, surgery and mental health. It also operates 10 community clinics and the new quarter-billion-dollar health care center on Raeford Road.

    Laterza’s most recent appointment before retiring from the U.S. Army was commander of Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany.

    “He has more than two decades of health care experience with The United States Army, and his passion to serve our veterans is unmatched,” said DeAnne Seekins, Mid-Atlantic Health Care network director.

    Updating the Homeless Initiative Program

    Cumberland County Community Development and City of Fayetteville Economic and Community Development departments are seeking proposals for sponsorship of services for the Fayetteville/ Cumberland County Homeless Initiative Program.

    The program provides support that addresses gaps in housing and supportive services for homeless people and those at risk of becoming homeless.

    City and county community development departments hope to contract with an applicant that demonstrates the capacity and performance record to provide supportive services to homeless families. The maximum local funding amount available for services is $200,000. It would target homeless families lacking stable housing. The deadline to receive proposals is 4 p.m., Friday, April 6.

    Lafayette Society adoption

    The Lafayette Society of Fayetteville has adopted the Noncommissioned Officer Academy of the JFK Special Warfare Center & School at Fort Bragg. The society developed a medallion (Medaille de Lafayette) to honor the city’s namesake. It is awarded to the NCO Academy noncommissioned officer selected by his peers as embodying the best example of “patriotism, generosity and leadership.”

    SFC Jacob Foxen received the medallion during the graduation ceremony this month for 22 students in the most recent class.

    The Lafayette Society was founded by the late Martha Duell in 1981 with the goal of raising funds for a statue of the Revolutionary War figure to be erected in Cross Creek Park. The statue was dedicated in 1983 as part of Fayetteville’s bicentennial celebration.

    Local water treatment issues

    Fayetteville’s Public Works Commission says its system “did not meet the treatment technique requirements at our water treatment plant on January 6, 2018.”

    Low water pressure resulted from numerous water main breaks during the coldest eight-day period this past winter. Local temperatures were well below freezing during the week. A boil water advisory was in effect during the period. Tests taken at the time did not indicate the presence of bacteria in the water. N.C. state law required that PWC advise the public of the information.

  • 10FoundersFayetteville State University presents celebrates its history at the Founders’ Day Convocation, Thursday, April 5, at 2 p.m. at J. W. Seabrook Auditorium.

    “Founders’ Day is the time that we like to reflect on the men that came together and decided that providing advanced education was important for the upliftment of the black community in this area,” said YaKima Rhinehart, senior director of alumni affairs. “So it’s a time that we celebrate our founders and how they came together in 1867 to bring about an institution that has survived for 150 years.”

    Rhinehart added that for some, it may not be that important, but in the age that some institutions have had to close their doors, FSU is extremely proud of that milestone.

    The keynote address speaker is Dr. Henry Louis Gates Jr. “He is a very well-known African-American historian who has authored several books on race and diversity here in America,” said Rhinehart. “He has also come to be known here lately because of his work on tracing our ancestors through DNA or records and also having his life documented that way for the world to see on camera.”

    Founders’ Day is the beginning of the wrapup of FSU’s sesquicentennial activities that the institution held this year in celebration of its 150th anniversary.

    “We will visit the founders’ monuments, and it is also a time that we acknowledge alumni and alumni who have made significant contributions to the university by way of financial and philanthropic support,” said Rhinehart. “This is one of the only ways that we are able to do as much as we have and maintain that rich legacy for 150 years.”

    FSU is an institution that serves many firstgeneration students. “There is something about being amongst your own that allows you to thrive, so we can prepare you for what’s to come next in the world,” said Rhinehart. “We really are proud of the fact that we are a historically black college or university, and students are able to come here and share in that rich heritage.”

    “We are looking forward to seeing our community come out and share with us in this,” said Rhinehart. “This is the hometown university that is named for the city, and there is never a reason that this town should not be painted bronco blue.”

    The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 910-672-1661.

    Photo: Renowned scholar, historian and educator Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. will serve as guest speaker for Fayetteville State University’s 151st Founders’ Day on April 5.

  • 12Hope Mills commissioners 2Once the bugs get worked out, the regular meetings of the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners will be coming to a television set near you.

    At a March meeting of the board, the commissioners voted unanimously to start a trial run beginning with the March 19 meeting and continuing until June to show tape-delayed broadcasts of their meetings.

    Mayor Pro Tem Mike Mitchell, who made the motion to start the broadcasts, said the idea had been discussed by the board on previous occasions but voted down for various reasons.

    “This time we are partnering with the city of Fayetteville,’’ he said.

    Fayetteville agreed to air the Hope Mills meetings at no charge during the current budget year to allow Hope Mills to give the plan a test and see if it’s worth the investment.

    If the town likes what it sees, the cost to air meetings on the Fayetteville Government Access Channel, Channel 7 on Spectrum TV, will be $15,264 for a year.

    Mitchell said the tape-delayed broadcast would air on Wednesday each week, two days after the scheduled board meeting, from 6-10 p.m. If the meeting doesn’t fill the full four hours, Mitchell said the town could possibly run infomercials about the town in the leftover time.

    Mitchell likes the idea of airing the board meetings for a number of reasons.

    “It’s a convenience factor,’’ he said. “We have a lot of seniors and disabled who have trouble driving at night or getting out of the house. This gives them the ability to know what’s going on in the town with the information provided in our meetings.’’

    Mitchell doesn’t think having the commissioners on camera will cause the board to change anything about the way it does business.

    “The current board seems to be working well together,’’ he said. “We don’t always agree, but we agree to disagree. We don’t hold grudges or anything like that. We respect each other’s opinions about what the constituents might want.

    “Once a motion is made and approved, we get behind it whether we voted for or against it.’’

    Deborah Holland, the town’s interim clerk, said one camera angle will be used to capture the images seen on the broadcasts. The camera will be directed at board members and possibly the town attorney and town manager, she said. “Hopefully we’ll be able to capture any Power Points up on the screen,’’ she said.

    The lone camera will be mounted in a corner of the board meeting room, and no one will be operating it once the meeting starts. “We’re just taking baby steps here,’’ she said.

    Holland said they’ve tried some practice runs and still have a few bugs to work out of the process. “If we’re satisfied with that, we’ll go with the taped broadcast,’’ she said.

    The town has been doing audio recordings of the board meetings dating back to 2016 that are posted on the town of Hope Mills website. Holland said the video recordings won’t be loaded to the website, but the audio recordings will continue and still be posted there.

  • A03Andys a Tar Heel born and bred, stories about what is going on in our state jump out to me. Two such stories recently caught my eye. They reflect not specific events, what is sometimes called spot news, but trends that shape North Carolina’s present and its future.

    Native North Carolinians of my generation remember a state of small towns where many of us lived our entire lives. Even Raleigh and Charlotte were not the metropolises they have become, sporting populations of 65,000 and 134,000 respectively in 1950. Tar Heel Andy Griffith romanticized and memorialized this North Carolina when he created Mayberry, where people were always kind and the right way always won the day.

    Those days, romanticized and otherwise, are long gone.

    The UNC Carolina Population Center released data earlier this month showing that 43 percent of North Carolina’s population was born somewhere else, including 49 percent of adults.

    Says demographer Jessica Stanford of the center, “This growth reflects how attractive North Carolina is to migrants of all ages with a range of educational, employment and retirement opportunities.” U.S. Census data show that North Carolina remains the ninth most populous state, with 10.3 million folks now calling North Carolina home.

    All counties, however, are not equal in the migration department.

    Three quarters of Currituck County’s residents came from elsewhere, probably because of its coastal location just south of Virginia Beach. Brunswick County, once a sleepy place in southeastern North Carolina just north of Myrtle Beach, now has a non-native population of 53 percent, including many retirees, and Union County, now a bedroom community for Charlotte, reports that 51 percent of its residents were born outside North Carolina.

    The military has brought thousands of non-natives to our community as well.

    The flip side of this urban change is North Carolina’s rural areas, where people tend to stay put. Edgecombe County, in eastern North Carolina and whose large town is Rocky Mount, has the highest percentage of Tar Heels born and bred at 80 percent. Patterns are similar throughout rural North Carolina, both east and west.

    The demographic and economic divide between urban and rural areas of our state and nation is not new, but it is growing and is profoundly threatening to North Carolina as we have known it. If you subscribe to a “rising tide floats all boats” philosophy, then you can see how a booming knowledge-based economy concentrated in our urban hubs coupled with fading economic models of manufacturing and small farming in our rural areas threaten our overall well-being.

    Rural communities face significant challenges in funding public education, handling high unemployment, improving access to high quality medical care, securing access to high-speed internet connections, and creating transportation options to get to more prosperous urban areas, among many.

    These are not issues to be solved by local economic developers or creative educators who can make do without financial resources. These are issues that require thoughtful and innovative state and federal government policies, not just robbing Peter’s urban areas to pay Paul’s rural bills.

    They are also issues to consider and to put to candidates running for Congress and the North Carolina General Assembly in 2018. If they do not see the urban-rural divide as an issue and have some ideas to address it, then they probably should not be setting public policy and spending public money.

    State Sen. Erica Smith, who represents eight rural counties in northeastern North Carolina, put it bluntly to The News and Observer. Smith said, “We are not going to be the thriving state that we can be until we close this gap.”

    She is correct.

    The myth of Mayberry notwithstanding, life is composed of change, and North Carolina is in the throes of significant transition, both positive and negative. Not addressing it serves no one, neither Tar Heels born and bred nor people who chose to come here for whatever reasons.

  • 08ShineAs the sun sets over Fayetteville on Saturday, March 31, the streets around Festival Park will be filled with the illumination of the Shine Your Light 5K winding its way through downtown. The 5K run/walk is to benefit ShineLight, a local organization that provides valuable support and services to individuals who have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.

    According to the Centers for Disease Control, an estimated 1 in 68 children have ASD. ShineLight was founded in 2006 by Nikki Creecy to help those individuals in the southeastern part of North Carolina find stability and normalcy in life. According to the organization’s website, ShineLight seeks to “provide a wellness environment for individuals with Autism through radiating dedication, purpose and devotion in our daily service.”

    Creecy said her passion for helping those who have been diagnosed with ASD developed when she was in college at UNC-Chapel Hill.

    “I graduated with my bachelor’s in psychology from UNC and worked with the Autism Society of North Carolina for six or seven years,” she said. “Working with that population inspired me to do more.” ShineLight was born out of that desire to do more.

    Now, ShineLight offers housing as well as community and job support to those who have ASD. The organization has two residences in its small community – an adolescent home and an adult home – and offers a variety of assisted living services to people in need across southeastern North Carolina.

    “We cover a lot of ground,” Creecy said. “Cumberland, Hoke, Robeson, Harnett and more. We have a large service area.”

    With such a large service area and intensive services being offered, Creecy and her team have organized the Shine Your Light 5K to benefit those who depend on ShineLight’s services. According to Creecy, “The race is about raising awareness in the Fayetteville community about what we do as well as raising awareness about Autism in general. We also have things we would like to do for our residents that we just don’t have the funds for right now.” One hundred percent of the money raised by the event will go toward helping ShineLight provide those services and experiences.

    Participants in the run/walk can expect medals for the top overall finishers as well as the top finishers in each age bracket. All finishers will receive a medal. The first 300 people to pre-register will be guaranteed a T-shirt. There will be additional T-shirts available on-site.

    The evening will conclude with a glow-in-the-dark party in Festival Park, complete with a DJ, a rock-climbing wall courtesy of The Climbing Place, food and more. The event is family-friendly. Children and strollers are welcome, but event organizers ask that the only animals on the course are service animals.

    Visit www.shine-light.org for more on the mission and work of ShineLight. For specific questions concerning Shine Your Light 5K registration or volunteer opportunities with the organization, contact the ShineLight corporate offices at 910-323- 1335 or by email at info@shine-light.org.

    The Shine Your Light 5K is scheduled for March 31 at Festival Park in downtown Fayetteville. Participants can pre-register online at www.active.com. Additionally, race-day registration will run from 3:30-4:30 p.m. on-site. The event kicks off at 4:30 p.m. with welcoming remarks, and the race begins promptly at 5:30 p.m.

  • 04barberReader, do you seek answers to the Great Mysteries of life? Are you on the road to find out like Cat Stevens once was? Allow me to point out the modern location of the Delphic Oracle who has the answers to all your questions.

    Most of the wisdom generated in the real world originates in barber shops. If you want to find out what is really going on, go to a barber shop and sit for a while. I don’t visit the barber very often due to inheriting my grandfather’s hair line. When I do go for sentimental reasons, I always go to the Haymount Barber Shop, which is presided over by Donnie Barefoot, the Philosopher Barber King. I have been going there since 1978 when I had hair.

    Entering the Haymount Barber shop is stepping back in time into the late 1950s. Donnie has seen more stuff in Haymount than anyone else. He has the answers to your inquiries. If he doesn’t know the answer, he knows someone who does know the answer.

    Once upon a time, I asked him once why he charged me, a follicle challenged American, the same amount that he charged someone with a full head of hair. He did not miss a beat responding, “I have to charge a finder’s fee.” I never asked again and have been cheerfully paying full price ever since.

    As I child I went to the Suburban Barber shop on Raeford Road, where the Culbreth brothers held sway. They had a stuffed large-mouth bass on their wall and checkerboard black and white tiles covering the floor under a thick layer of someone’s hair. My friends and I always asked for GI haircuts back then because that was what you did.

    Thinking about barber shops got me to pondering the patron saint of all Barber Philosophers, the esteemed William of Ockham. William analyzed the mysteries of life in the early 14th century. He came up with the theory now known as Occam’s Razor.

    I assume he was a barber because back then barbers used razors to give haircuts and shaves and perform surgeries large and small. The cureall for what ailed you in the medieval period was bloodletting. Barbers began bloodletting in 1163 after Pope Alexander III stopped priests from doing it. In medieval times, most people couldn’t read, so barbers used the red and white barber pole as advertising for their business. European barber poles have red stripes to represent blood and white stripes to represent bandages used to bind up wounds after the barber had performed surgery. American barber poles also have a blue stripe, which either represents the veins which were opened for bloodletting or just as a patriotic tip of the hat to Old Glory.

    Back to Occam and his razor. Occam came up with a theory about problem-solving, which says if you have several possible answers to a problem, choose the solution that makes the fewest assumptions. I will spare you the Latin version of Occam’s razor because I don’t understand Latin, but one version of his theory is “Entities are not to be multiplied without necessity.”

    The reason Occam’s theory is called a razor is not because Gillette has anything to do with it. The razor reference means if you have two or more possible answers, shave away the ones that have the most assumptions. Choose the simpler of the answers and you may be correct. Occam’s Razor holds that “It is futile to do with more things that which can be done with fewer.”

    If you want to get deep into the philosophical weeds, consider a version of Occam’s Razor called “ontological parsimony.” This has nothing to do with parsley – that useless, green, leafy material that blocks access to your dinner. Ontological parsimony in a barber shop means the rule of simplicity. If a simple answer is available, don’t choose the answer that requires the most complex series of events to occur. Simple is good.

    My favorite explanation of how Occam’s Razor works is the Zebra version used in medicine. According to our friends in Wikipedia Land (who may or may not be Russian trolls), in making a medical diagnosis, doctors should refrain from coming up with a really “exotic disease diagnosis” when a more common disease is likely. A fellow named Theodore Woodward came up with the Zebra medical explanation. “When you hear hoofbeats, think of horses, not zebras.”

    The hoofbeats could be coming from a herd of zebras. However, if you are in Texas, it is much more likely that the hoofbeats are from horses.

    So, what have we learned today? Barbers are wise but shouldn’t do surgery. Occam and his razor believe the simplest answer is usually the correct one. The sound of a herd of zebras resembles that of a herd of horses but betting it’s horses instead of zebras will make you more money.

    Johnny Mercer channeled Occam when he wrote the lyrics “You’ve got to accentuate the positive/ Eliminate the negative/ And latch on to the affirmative/ Don’t mess with Mr. In-Between.”

    Finally, as Roger Miller once sang, “You can’t roller skate in a buffalo herd/ But you can be happy if you’ve a mind to.”

  • 14Terry Sanford tennisAfter consecutive state runner- up finishes in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-A dual team tennis tournament, it finally looks like the title might be Terry Sanford’s to win this season.

    The Bulldogs began the current season ranked as the No. 1 team in the state according to the North Carolina High School Tennis Coaches Association poll.

    The most recent rankings had them tied for the No. 1 spot with fellow Eastern rival Clayton.

    The news that Terry Sanford is No. 1 was a bit of a surprise to Bulldog coach Gene Autry, but he knew coming into this season he was probably going to have the most experienced squad he’s fielded since taking over the tennis program from veteran coach Gil Bowman.

    “We had seven returnees from last year,’’ Autry said. The only graduation loss was No. 6 singles players Richard King who also saw action in doubles.

    Defending state singles champion Henry Lieberman heads the Bulldog lineup at No. 1 singles. The remaining top five, in order, are Nathan Lieberman, Alex Kasari, Andrew Zahran, Dave Sashidhar and Josh Blackman.

    Although he’s got an experienced lineup to work with, there’s one thing Autry has no control over that concerns him about this season. “Our conference competition is nothing like it was in the old conference,’’ he said. The Bulldogs left the Cape Fear Valley 3-A, where they faced a stiff test from Union Pines during the year, and found themselves in the revamped Patriot Athletic Conference.

    The Bulldogs have steamrolled their league opponents this season, not even having to play doubles in most matches and never losing a set, not to mention not dropping many games along the way.

    “It’s hard to keep them motivated with the competition,’’ Autry said. He’s tried to reach out to some of the other stronger tennis programs around the state to schedule matches, but with the full slate of conference games Terry Sanford already has, it’s been difficult.

    The best competition Terry Sanford has faced has been in practice. “We do a lot more drill-type practice than we have in the past,’’ Autry said. “We are looking forward to some tougher teams (in the state playoffs).”

    One plus Autry said is some of his players do take part in weekend sanctioned tournaments, and that experience is helpful. “They get stiff competition there,’’ he said. “Not all of them do it, so it’s a worry for me to keep them motivated, focused and ready to go.’’

    The Lieberman brothers, Henry and Nathan, are aware of the competition concerns and are both doing all they can to make sure Terry Sanford has a solid shot at the state team title this year.

    “I think it’s really important we are getting recognized as No. 1 in the state,’’ Henry said. “We have a history of being a pretty good tennis school. It’s something that definitely can’t be overlooked. We just have to keep practicing hard, match in and match out stay focused.’’

    Henry said he doesn’t feel pressure as the returning 3-A singles champion. “If anything, I feel like it gives me confidence,’’ he said. “We keep the mood on the team pretty light. I don’t think it’s too big of a deal.’’

    His younger brother Nathan said that after two years of heartbreak in the state dual team finals, the Bulldogs are ready for their time as champion.

    “We think we can get there again and win it,’’ Nathan said. “That’s what’s keeping us going. We just have to keep on having intensive practice, not mess around too much.’’

    Autry said that has worked well so far. “Then again, we haven’t been tested,’’ he said. “We have to wait and see when that time comes.’’

    Photos: Henry and Nathan Lieberman

  • 01 coverUAC0032818001“You’ll be in here and you’ll see a lot of families, strollers, babies, kids,” said Evolution Ink founder Bill Brown, who co-owns and runs the studio with his wife, Betty. Evolution Ink on Cliffdale Road, by design, does not fit the typical mold for a tattoo parlor. Their customer base, the Browns said, includes pastors, soccer moms, lawyers, doctors, school teachers, service members, young people, old people – everybody. This year, the Browns debut the EvolutionInk Tattoo Convention 2018 the weekend of April 13-15 with free admission.

    The studio

    The Browns, who both come from the business world, describe their approach in running the studio as new-school. Bill founded Evolution Ink in January 2008. He’s got a demonstrated entrepreneurial spirit, having previously worked in Raleigh in the pharmaceutical, landscaping and rental management industries. One of those renters owned a tattoo shop and suggested he and Bill try opening one of their own. Bill agreed, but he knew he wanted to run things differently than he’d seen.

    Ten years later, Bill is no longer with his original partner and now runs the business with his wife. “He was a single owner that became a married owner,” Betty said. “That’s how we merged.”

    Betty’s background is in life insurance; she was ninth in the nation in Woodmen of the World’s 2000 salesforce.

    “We are both salespeople,” Betty said. “And sales people handle things differently than just an ordinary person.”

    “We took our business principles we learned in the corporate world and applied them to the tattoo industry,” Bill said.

    According to the Browns, that looks like prioritizing customer service above all else. It looks like inviting people in and encouraging artists to adjust to their clients rather than making clients feel intimidated by an industry they might think they don’t fit in to.

    “We’ve kind of broadened the type of customers that come into a tattoo shop,” Bill said. “We’re family-oriented, number one, so we invite families in. Kids come in, and they’re usually well-behaved because they’ve not been in a tattoo studio before. We give them fake tattoos, and we give them some gummy bears. … We’re very clean-cut.”

    That’s not to say artistic excellence is compromised in the name of wholesome vibes. The studio boasts 18 artists who hail from all over the country and beyond – artists have moved from Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Louisiana and Cuba and Puerto Rico to work at Evolution Ink. After coming to the studio and doing a trial run for a week or two, if it’s a good fit, “we help them move their families here,” Betty said. 

    The artists range in experience from 3 years up to about 30 years – most are on the higher end, Bill said. The youngest, David is in his early 20s, and the oldest, Kenny, is around 50 years old.

    Earl Noble joined the team last year, a few years after competing on season 6 of SpikeTV’s “Ink Master,” one of the highest honors in the industry. (Editor's note: This article previously incorrectly stated that Noble won season 6 of "Ink Master.") Angelika Graca joined at the same time. She is originally from Poland, has 10 years of experience and favors painterly realistic or illustrative nouveau styles. Shane Standifer, who served as a marine, has been with Evolution Ink for almost 8 years and has 28 years of experience. He’s known for his line work and color. William Kenneth Dickman, who’s worked at Evolution Ink since opening day, specializes in black and grey work, particularly animals. He has 31 years of experience.

    Bill said 18 artists all working in one shop has got to be one of the largest in the U.S. “They’re able to really learn among each other; it’s a good environment for them to get better,” he said. “We have topquality artists; they learn from each other, and they all push each other to be better.”

    The large range also means it’s easy for a customer to walk in, browse portfolios, chat, and find the right artist for the tattoo they’d like.

    “The artists are like our children,” Betty said. “We love them, we protect them. We do everything to help them, and they do everything for us. … We have artists who want to join us, we just don’t have room right now. It’s a hard world in the tattoo industry.”

    The studio offers piercings as well, and the Browns said their customers often tell them they were referred to Evolution Ink by their doctors or pediatricians. They use high-quality steel, and their piercers have a combined 25 years of experience.

    The convention

    The April 13-15 EvolutionInk Tattoo Convention 2018 is going to be like one big community party held right in the studio space, Bill said. There will be two guest Ink Master artists, TJ Hal and Ron Givens, in addition to resident Ink Master Earl Noble and the rest of the staff.

    Tattoo conventions and festivals usually charge a minimum entrance fee of $25, with fees averaging $65 for a three-day event like this one. Bill and Betty made this convention’s admission free so entire families could come and get the chance to meet celebrity artists and even get inked by them without breaking the bank just to get in.

    “Instead of paying $40 or $50 to get in, (attendees) can take that money and get a tattoo that day,” Betty said.

    Everyone who gets a tattoo or piercing will receive $25 off their tattoo or $5 off their piercing plus aftercare. They’ll also walk out with an Evolution Ink T-shirt, fan tag, magnet, window decal and water bottle. Attendees can further knock down expenses by dressing up as a sugar skull for the Friday of the convention, which happens to be the 13th. Anyone who goes all out with a costume and face paint will be gifted a $100 Evolution Ink gift card that can be used at the convention or any other time.

    Thursday, April 12, Evolution Ink will offer $13 flash tattoos ($50 is usually the minimum) as a preparty initiative.

    Betty noted that many will just want to come in and meet the Ink Masters, and that’s fine, too. “They may not have the money to come and see and be a part of a big tattoo festival,” she said. “This is to give back to the community.”

    The Ink Masters will do a meet-and-greet for an hour of each of the three days, and the rest of the time they’ll be inking customers – first come, first served.

    Three bands will play live music – Eastline on Friday, the Guy Unger Band on Saturday and River Mist on Sunday. Q98’s “The Jeff Davis Show” will broadcast live from the convention from 2-6 p.m. on Friday. Rock 103 will be there on Saturday, and Q98 will close the fest out on Sunday. Ms. Sarah of Q98 is going to live broadcast herself as she gets a tattoo.

    Guests will also get to meet EJ “Skullcrusher” Snyder, Fayetteville’s own three-time champion of Discovery Channel’s “Naked and Afraid.” Babann’s Southern Fried Chicken food truck will be on-site throughout weekend, too.

    A portion of the event’s proceeds will benefit St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Fort Bragg Fisher House, the Fort Bragg chapter of United Service Organizations of North Carolina, and the Fayetteville Animal Protection Society.

    The Browns are excited to mingle with both newcomers and familiar guests.

    “I like to know about where you’re from, your children, your family,” Betty said. “When you do that, you take down any barriers that people have.”

    Evolution Ink is located at 5924 Cliffdale Rd. Visit www.evolutioninkstudio.com or call 910-323-2243 to learn more.

     

  • 06GreyhoundGreyhound Lines has abandoned its decades-old terminal on Person Street in downtown Fayetteville after deciding to consolidate its service at the new FAST Transit Center.

    A wing of the transit center, which will accommodate Greyhound, was left vacant until completion of the main building. The city of Fayetteville is saving about $250,000 by delaying construction of the interior of that wing.

    It was not part of the $12,071,138 original building project awarded to Construction Systems, Inc. of Fayetteville.

    “Greyhound did not decide to be part of the new center until after the construction contract with CSI was awarded,” said Transit Director Randy Hume. “We attempted to add the Greyhound renovation work to the CSI contract, but their proposal for the change order was too costly.”

    The Construction Systems, Inc. proposal was $551,405, and the city decided to seek separate bids.

    Greyhound’s decision to lease space at the transit center was worth waiting for. Bids for finishing the Greyhound wing were received in January. A contract was awarded to Hayes, Inc. of Fayetteville for $317,000, representing a savings of $234,405.

    Hume said completion of the interior of the wing is underway and should be completed in 90 days.

    Greyhound Lines is an intercity bus common carrier serving more than 3,800 destinations across North America. It has been designated six bus bays for the use of its coaches and those of its subsidiaries.

    Greyhound won’t begin making its full monthly lease payments until the renovations are finished in mid-June. But the city will still receive the same number of rental payments over the 10-year lease period. Beginning in July, Greyhound will pay the city $5,365 per month for the first five years. The lease payment will go up by 5 percent per year thereafter, Hume said.

    Greyhound’s temporary ticket counter is in the main lobby near the Franklin Street main entrance of the transit center. That space will eventually be dedicated to food service. A request for proposals seeks responses from business people who may be interested in operating a small restaurant.

  • Meetings

    For details about all meetings and activities, including location where not listed, call Interim Town Clerk Debbie Holland at 910-426-4113.

    Town offices closed for Good Friday March 30.

    Board of Commissioners Monday, April 2, 7 p.m. • Citizens Academy every Tuesday through June, 6-8 p.m.

    Chamber of Commerce Luncheon Monday, April 9, 12:30 p.m.

    Historic Preservation Commission Wednesday, April 11, 5 p.m.

    Activities

    Easter Sunrise Service Sunday, April 1, 7 a.m., at the Town Center Gazebo. In case of rain, the service will be held at Hope Mills Recreation Center.

    Food truck rodeo Thursday, April 5, 5 p.m., at 5770 Rockfish Rd.

    Promote yourself

    Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • 15Sydney Faircloth Cape Fear scholar athleteSydney Faircloth

    Cape Fear • Basketball •

    Senior

    Faircloth has a 4.2 grade point average. She was honored multiple times this past basketball season as Cape Fear’s MaxPreps Player of the Game.

     

     

    16Lily Terwilliger Cape Fear scholar athlete

    Lilly Terwilliger

    Cape Fear • Tennis/ Swimming/Soccer •

    Sophomore

    Terwilliger has a 4.375 grade point average despite a busy athletic schedule of tennis, swimming and soccer.

  • 13Spencer Oxendine Jack Britt golfer For Jack Britt junior golfer Spencer Oxendine, his weekly focus isn’t on the matches he’s playing for the Buccaneer golf team in the Sandhills Athletic Conference.

    Sure, they’re important. But Oxendine is looking at the long game – and not just his drives.

    “I keep looking toward my end goal, which is to be on the PGA Tour and be one of the top players in the world,’’ Oxendine said.

    Toward that end, the mental aspect of golf has become as important to him as the physical. He’s spent a lot of time talking with Press McPhaul, his future golf coach at North Carolina State.

    “He and I dove into the mind aspect of the golf game,’’ Oxendine said. “He’s got me looking forward, not more of the week-to-week scores, more of a process.’’

    He’s also been having sessions with a sports psychologist. “She’s got my mind in the right spot,’’ he said. “I’ve grown a lot.’’

    But he hasn’t ignored the physical part of the sport either. He spent more time lifting weights last year, and he’s added some distance off the tee.

    “His game is real sharp, his control through the bag, from driver down to the putter,” said Britt golf coach Ray Musselwhite. “It’s a complete game right now. He’s real comfortable with his swing. He’s increased his club-head speed.’’

    In the first two regular-season matches in the Sandhills Athletic Conference, Oxendine recorded consecutive rounds of 68 at the Bayonet at Puppy Creek and Gates Four.

    Musselwhite said that’s the result of consistent ball striking, controlling the ball and the flow of the round.

    That’s not to say everything has been perfect for Oxendine so far. “He stumbled and had a couple of bogeys and holes that gave him trouble,’’ Musselwhite said. “To bounce back from that, to regroup, is showing the level of golf maturity that’s necessary to compete at a high level.’’

    As far as the regular season is concerned, Oxendine is likely competing at the highest level he’s ever had to because of the difficulty of the competition.

    Realignment of conferences by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association moved Britt into the Sandhills Athletic Conference with Pinecrest, which has won the last three state 4-A team golf championships and had two of the last three individual winners.

    “I need to hit fairways and I need to hit greens,’’ Oxendine said. “I can’t shrug it off.’’

    At the same time, he continues focusing on the long game. “I don’t really worry about my numbers and where I’m at in the field,’’ he said. “There’s a lot less focus on that, more thinking about my future and what I want to do.’’

    One goal Oxendine is looking toward is this year’s state 4-A championship. In last year’s state meet he finished in a three-way tie for ninth at Pinehurst No. 6, shooting 75-73-148. That was 12 shots behind state champion A.J. Beechler of Pinecrest.

    This season, he thinks he’s one of five players around the state that will be serious contenders for the title.

    “I know all the guys that are going to contend and I think I have a good shot at it,’’ he said. “If I don’t win, it’s not the end of the world.

    “But I would love to win it because of the list of guys that have won it. I definitely have a great chance at it.’’

    Photo: Spencer Oxendine

  • 08Cumulus CEO Mary BernerCumulus Media, Inc. and iHeartRadio, the nation’s largest broadcasting groups, have both filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. Cumulus, which owns four Fayetteville radio stations, expects all operations, programming and sales to continue as normal, according to a company statement.

    “The debt overhang left by years of underperformance remains a significant financial challenge that we must overcome for our operational turnaround to proceed,” Chief Executive Mary Berner said. The company’s bigger rival IHeartMedia Inc. is also struggling to find a solution to a significant debt pile outside of bankruptcy court.

    In the fall of 1999, a year after Cumulus was founded, Cape Fear Broadcasting announced the sale of its Fayetteville and Wilmington radio stations to Cumulus Media. Between Jan. 10 and March 17 of the year 2000, a perfect storm of events drove the company’s share price down from $50 to $13 when over 30 million shares traded hands amid persistent rumors of accounting irregularities in the new radio group.

    March 17, 2000, Cumulus reported a loss of share expectation. Radio station cash flow was $12.3 million versus estimates of around $17 million. In addition, the company reported that CFO Rick Bonick had left in January. It had not been officially announced, a fact that CNN Money said “roiled the already active rumor mill about accounting irregularities.”

    Cumulus also claimed some of its markets did not comply with new company revenue projection policies and booked some advertising contracts for their full value rather than recognizing revenue as advertisers were billed. Those radio station groups countered that Cumulus had done that, not the radio stations.

    Soon, class-action lawsuits were filed against Cumulus, charging it had artificially inflated revenues and profits in 1999. PricewaterhouseCoopers, the company’s auditors, resigned in April citing material weaknesses in Cumulus financial controls arising from the possible revenue restatements.

    Lewis Dickey Jr. had taken over day-to-day operations. As the dust began to settle in April 2000, the company issued revised annual reports for 1998 and 1999 that showed minor variations in quarterly revenue and adjusted net losses for both years. The restatements had no material impact on the financials, but the nagging rumors of accounting irregularities drove a significant decrease in share price, which threatened the company’s ability to finance new acquisitions.

    Dickey took full charge, and two years later the share price recovered to above the IPO price to a short-lived high of $22 on May 31, 2002. Dickey garnered some strong partners in the form of Bain Capital and Crestview. The two helped finance a series of ambitious acquisitions and partnerships, which made Cumulus a significantly larger company. But these acquisitions and Cumulus struggled in the face of slow to no radio ad growth.

    Cumulus continued to suffer declines in ratings and revenues, which some attributed to loss of local personalities.

    “We had lost our local programing to syndication, which angered our audience,” said former WFNC program director Jim Cooke. Loss of local audience meant a loss in advertisers, Cooke added. WFNC is one of the oldest broadcasters in North Carolina, having signed on in 1941.

    Between 1998 and 2013, Cumulus Media spent about $5 billion on radio station acquisitions in mid-sized markets. Cape Fear Broadcasting Company had four radio stations in Fayetteville and two in Wilmington. They were sold to Cumulus for $50 million.

    Photo: Cumulus CEO Mary Berner

  • 20Riya Amin Cape FearRiya Amin

    Cape Fear •Sophomore •

    Swimming/cross country

    Amin, despite participating in two sports in different seasons of the year, maintains an impressive 4.5 grade point average at Cape Fear.

     

     

    21Danielle Novak South View

     

    Danielle Novak

    South View • Sophomore •

    Volleyball/softball

    Novak has a 3.8 grade point average. She is active in the Student Government Association and Tiger Stripes, a club that partners with special needs classes. She also works with Special Olympics and Buddy Sports.

     

     

    22Jaylen Spellman South ViewJaylen Spellman

    South View • Senior •

    Football/ indoor and outdoor track

    Spellman has a 4.35 grade point average. He is in the Academy of Scholars Club and the National Honor Society. Outside school, he is active in the Young Person Christian League at New Macedonia Freewill Baptist Church.

     

     

     

    23Steven Butler South ViewSteven Butler

    South View • Senior •

    Football/ track

    Butler has a 3.75 grade point average. He is active in the Student Government Association and the school orchestra. He is a youth minister at Evans Metropoitan AME Zion Church and also volunteers at his church feeding the homeless.

  • 19.1Jennifer White Terry Sanford lacrosseThe trial period is officially over for girls lacrosse at Terry Sanford. Head coach Jennifer White is ready to move into the realm of chasing a berth in the state playoffs.

    “This is our second real year and our third year total,’’ White said of the fledgling program she’s leading for the Bulldogs. “I feel like we are a legit, established program. The first year I had bunch of new girls.

    Last year we were playing at, like, the junior varsity level.’’ This year’s team features mostly players who are sophomores and juniors, with some who’ve spent up to three years competing on recreation and travel lacrosse teams, some based in the Triangle where the sport is played at a higher level.

    Now that Cape Fear has added a girls team, there are three programs in the county at the high school level. But White said those numbers have to improve, and the best way is to take lacrosse demonstrations to schools that currently don’t offer the sport.

    For now, she’s hopeful her Bulldogs can earn a state playoff berth because she feels this year’s team has the talent to make that happen.

    Among her best players is sophomore Mattie Davis. In a recent game with Holly Springs, Davis scored eight of Terry Sanford’s nine goals. She’s been playing the sport since she was in the third grade.

    Even if other schools aren’t playing lacrosse, Davis thinks it would be helpful for them if they’d just come and watch schools like Terry Sanford play the game.

    “The more people we have that have played, the better we’ll be,’’ Davis said. “I play travel lacrosse in Raleigh, and my teammates have been playing together for a very long time. They just have a lot more experienced girls so their programs are just better.’’

    Davis said it’s hard to grow the sport when so many people know nothing about it. “Lacrosse is fun,’’ she said.

    As for her personal goals this season, Davis said she constantly pushes herself, whether she’s in practice or a game. “I try to be the best one there while working with my team,’’ she said. “I try not to be lazy, even if it is practice.’’

    Photo: Terry Sanford girls lacrosse head coach Jennifer White

  • 09Marksmen1While the Marksmen have struggled at times on the ice this season, the team has certainly managed to make its mark on the Fayetteville community. The Marksmen have seen success in the stands by providing family-friendly entertainment that has developed a steady and passionate fan base.

    Those fans enjoyed multiple theme nights throughout this season, including Star Wars Night; a Pooch Party where spectators could enjoy the game with their dogs; and Pink in the Rink, a breast cancer awareness game. Giving back to the community has been a consistent focus at Marksmen games, and so far, the team has given back over $20,000 to local charities and organizations. The team has also paid tribute to the local military community – which inspired the team’s moniker – twice with Military Appreciation Nights, where active duty military and veterans were offered discounted tickets. Those working in education had the same opportunity with the Marksmen’s recent Teacher Appreciation Night.

    This month, the Marksmen wrap up their debut season. If you haven’t been to a game yet, the weekend of March 23 and 24 is a great time to check them out. Tickets to these games are on sale for the lowest price of the season, just $5.

    Saturday, March 24, the team will celebrate mascot Marky’s birthday with a party featuring other mascots as well as princesses. Marky bobbleheads will be given to the first 1,500 fans.

    The final game of the season takes place Friday, March 30, and it happens to be Fan Appreciation Night. Youth tickets are just $2, and fans can expect other surprises and offers throughout the evening.

    Follow the Marksmen on Twitter @Marksmen_Hockey to keep up to date on all the in-game action. Follow the team on Facebook @FayettevilleMarksmen for more great content, including the “Best Moments Bracket”, a spin on March Madness that asks fans to vote for their favorite memories of the season.

    Facebook is also a great place to learn about ticket packages, like the Dilly Dilly Deal, a package that includes two Marksmen tickets and two 12-ounce beers for $20. Another popular deal is the Friends and Family 4-Pack, which comes with four tickets along with gift cards to some of the restaurants the team has partnered with, including Carrabba’s, Jersey Mike’s, Zaxby’s and more.

    With less than two weeks left in the season, don’t wait to join in on the excitement that happens when the Marksmen play. While the theme nights each offer something different, there’s one thing that’s guaranteed to happen at all of them – fun.

  • 07Prince Charles“Two for one!” Fayetteville City Council’s Baseball Committee chairman Jim Arp uses that phrase to demonstrate the value of the new baseball stadium about to get under construction downtown. “For every dollar the city has invested in the stadium, private developers are investing two dollars for nearby projects,” Arp said, adding that many communities hope for returns on investment after the fact. In Fayetteville, it’s a certainty.

    “This is a transformational project,” said Robert Van Geons, CEO and president of the Fayetteville/ Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation. “It’s evidence of what we’ve been telling people about Fayetteville.” He said in the year he has been on the job in Cumberland County, “developers and site selectors are now thinking about us as an affordable opportunity.”

    PCH Holdings of Durham has already invested $9 million in a bank loan to renovate the former Prince Charles Hotel. There’s no physical evidence of that yet because the company is doing interior work on the eight-story building first. PCH project manager Jordan Jones said that a year and a half ago, North Carolina’s largest banks were not interested in doing business in downtown Fayetteville. They all rejected PCH Holdings’ loan requests. Now, PCH has a host of blue prints for other stadium properties that it has acquired. Those developments will cost $50 million, and Jones hinted other lenders are coming forward now.

    Jones said PCH Holdings will soon begin construction of a five-story parking garage adjacent to the train station. Two structures are planned above the garage: a four-story hotel and an eight-story premium office building. It will become Fayetteville’s largest high-rise structure, two floors taller than the Systel Building. In all, PCH Holdings has committed $60 million in projects adjacent to the $33 million minor league stadium.

    City council has agreed to advance project contractor Barton- Malow another initial funding allocation of $300,000 for stadium infrastructure work, much of which is underway. The financing model is based on upfront cash funding of $2.2 million from the city and financing of $31.18 million using limited obligation bonds for a period of 20 years at 3.89 percent.

    City of Fayetteville Budget Director Tracey Broyles said the city has more than enough capacity to accommodate possible cost overruns, including the significantly increased cost of a parking deck.

    The parking garage has been in the city’s financial plan all along. But Deputy City Manager Kristoff Bauer’s initial “rough estimate” of the cost was $7 million. He recently revised his numbers and told council the actual projection is $14.8 million since two buildings will be built atop the structure. Broyles said adjustments can be made to FY 2019 capital improvement projects to meet the higher cost. Possible cost overruns not yet indicated could send the project over $33 million budget. Broyles said the city has the capacity to absorb an additional $3 million in cost overruns should they occur.

    Councilman Arp, himself a big baseball fan, said the Houston Astros’ 30-year agreement to keep a minor league team in Fayetteville is another advantage in promoting downtown economic development. He said most major league ballclubs don’t make long-term commitments. The city of Fayetteville agreed to build a topflight stadium only after the Astros executed a 30-year lease with the city. “Houston wants to invest in Fayetteville,” said Dan O’Neill, the Astros business operations manager. With a 30-year lease, “we can plant roots here,” he added.

    O’Neill’s thinking is in sync with the city’s hope to make the ballpark a year-round entertainment venue. Houston will manage the property and is responsible for working with the city to see that the stadium is used for other sporting events, concerts and festivals.

    O’Neill emphasized that Houston’s most important connection is with the people. He hopes to make a significant investment in youth athletics, noting that sports equipment and ball field upkeep are expensive.

  • 17Plaza florist 3When it comes to growing her business at Hope Mills Plaza Florist, Debbie Jones has a simple philosophy that seems to be working.

    “You make one customer happy, then they tell three,’’ she said. “Then those three tell more and it keeps building.’’

    That logic helped propel Jones to being the first winner of the new Hope Mills Small Business Award.

    “I can’t believe I was chosen to be the first one,’’ Jones said. “It’s an honor and a privilege. The things I do, I do because I want to do them, not because I ask for anything in return.’’

    With the help of her son Robby, now 26, Jones has expanded the services offered by her business since she bought it from the previous owner in 1996. She owned her own florist business before moving to North Carolina from Pittsburgh, where she specialized in weddings. But when she took over Plaza Florist and renamed it Hope Mills Plaza Florist, she knew from the beginning she wanted to expand her offerings to the community.

    “I expanded all the gift items,’’ she said, noting that when she first opened, there were no Walmart or Dollar Tree stores in Hope Mills. She wanted a variety of gifts from $1 up, so any child could walk in and purchase something for a parent or grandparent.

    She developed strong ties to what was then the only high school in Hope Mills, South View, and benefited from the promotional interest shown to her by former South View principal Bob Barnes and former Hope Mills Mayor Eddie Dees.

    “I feel they both got me where I’m at,’’ she said, noting that Dees once commented to her that her store reminded him of one of the shops on Franklin Street in Chapel Hill.

    Times have changed since the only high schoolrelated gifts in the store were in the orange and black of South View. With the eventual addition of Jack Britt and Gray’s Creek, Jones has expanded her offerings to include those schools. You’ll even find items from nearby Douglas Byrd High School.

    Plaza Florist is a favorite destination for local high schools preparing to observe Senior Night.

    She carries not only mascot balloons but balloons in the shape of various kinds of athletic balls.

    “We’ve even had people from Lumberton coming here because we had volleyball balloons,’’ she said. “A lot of people come here because of the uniqueness of what we do.’’

    That includes things like putting names and numbers on the sports balloons, she said. “We try to do everything in school colors,’’ she said.

    It doesn’t just stop with balloons. You can find stuffed animals, license plates, bracelets, mugs and T-shirts among other things.

    But Jones is also famous for the traditional kinds of things that florists do, but even there she takes it a step further.

    Her custom funeral work is some of her best. For one special arrangement, she created a replica of a minion from the “Despicable Me” film franchise. Another special request for a funeral was a horse’s head.

    “I love to draw,’’ she said. “I can take anything somebody wants and make it into a floral piece.’’

    Jones said she’s willing to deliver her creations to a pretty wide area. She’s taken floral arrangements to Elizabethtown and Dublin, down to Lumberton and north as far as Lillington and Linden.

    “I just want to continue doing what I do and keep the customer happy,’’ she said.

    For more information on the business, including phone number and hours of operation, visit Jones’ Facebook page at Hope Mills Plaza Florist.

  • 14JohnBilly Graham’s death and memorial service brought back memories of a column I wrote about North Carolina’s “Public Intellectuals” 16 years ago. I had noticed a book by Richard A. Posner titled “Public Intellectuals: A Study In Decline.” In his book, Posner listed the country’s top 100 public intellectuals.

    Posner’s list made me wonder who should be on a list of North Carolina’s top public intellectuals. The only North Carolinian on the list was the late John Hope Franklin, Duke University’s renowned historian of the African-American experience.

    What is a public intellectual? I defined the term as follows: He or she is a living North Carolinian whose ideas and opinions are regularly published or circulated widely throughout the state and whose views have a real impact on the way a significant number of North Carolinians live their lives, understand the world around them, and make choices about how they will be governed and by whom. He or she is someone who is forming public opinion rather than just following it.

    In addition to Franklin, there were two obvious choices: the late former University of North Carolina president William Friday and former governor Jim Hunt. Friday was active for numerous public policy causes. He fought against the state lottery, for limiting the role of commercialism in college athletics and for holding down the cost of higher education. Until his death in 2012, Friday stayed in the public eye every week with his UNC-TV program, “North Carolina People.”

    Hunt still uses his connection with the Emerging Issues Forum sponsored by North Carolina State University annually to set a public agenda for many North Carolinians. Hunt, like Friday until his death, stays busy every day, giving speeches, talking on the telephone, visiting with editorial writers and stirring pots in the area of public policy.

    I thought Billy Graham belonged on the list. Back then, in 2002, he was still active in writing and had not given his last revival sermon. I put Graham on my list because his example of tolerant and common sense approaches to public issues had an important impact on the way people thought. In the days of strict segregation, Graham’s insistence that his events be fully integrated led many Jim Crow southerners to be open to change.

    Who are today’s public intellectuals?

    In the past, hard-hitting editorial writers at the state’s major daily newspapers used their platforms to influence public life. But in the past few months, the state has lost some of its best voices. Jim Jenkins at the News & Observer, Bob Ashley at the Durham Herald-Sun, Doug Clark and Susan Ladd at the Greensboro News & Record and John Railey at the Winston-Salem Journal have departed.

    Sadly, many newspapers can no longer afford to fund vigorous opinion pages. Editorial writers whose work does not bring clicks to the big newspapers’ web pages are at risk these days. But columns and public reporting from smart writers like Colin Campbell, Mike Walden, John Hood, Tom Campbell and, until the end of last year, Chris Fitzsimon, along with others who share their views with newspapers across the state and through blogs, could be considered public intellectuals.

    The University of North Carolina System president Margaret Spellings’ informed communications about the need for higher education to be affordable, relevant and widely available would make her welcomed by Friday as a fellow public intellectual.

    The passionate, informed and opinion-changing messaging about our responsibilities for the poor from the Rev. William Barber and UNC-Chapel Hill law professor Gene Nichol make them public intellectuals in my book.

    Who would be on your list of public intellectuals? Let me know why. Write me at nceateries@yahoo.com.

    Photo: John Hope Franklin

  • 02lake2 2I have written about it often: Hope Mills is a beautiful, thriving, All-American community filled with possibilities and destined for growth, development and economic success. Its population, at over 16,000, has nearly tripled over the last two decades, and by the look of things, the town will continue to enjoy consistent, healthy and moderate growth throughout the next decade and beyond. Hope Mills maintains a charm and small-town feeling that continues to draw newcomers.

    Its rich history and idyllic lake make Hope Mills a place people want to move to raise their families and pursue the American Dream. Good schools, economic opportunities and friendly people continue to pull new residents to settle in the town.

    Under the guidance and leadership of Mayor Jackie Warner, the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners have a perfect balance of history, tradition, tenacity, intelligence and vision to embrace progress and opportunity and to assure Hope Mills’ future.

    If the town of Hope Mills were a company whose stock traded on Wall Street, a well-informed trader might advise a client to examine and evaluate the talent, experience and capabilities of its management team and staff to establish the company’s worth and potential.

    Hope Mills would be hot stock because this is where Hope Mills Town Manager Melissa Adams excels. Her common sense, dedication and leadership skills are only surpassed by her organizational abilities, making her a respected leader to the many town employees and department heads that report to her.

    Adams and Warner are the near perfect municipal dynamic duo who, together, will successfully take Hope Mills into the future with confidence and solid leadership that will benefit the town for generations to come.

    Up & Coming Weekly community newspaper will be there in support.

    So, now that all the hubba-hubba controversy is over about the town partnering with Up & Coming Weekly to create its own community media voice, I would like to personally say “thank you” to all the residents and businesses who supported us and the Hope Mills Initiative. They took the time to understand and embrace the real purpose of the program and the long-term objectives and vision of the project.

    It was never about the money. It was about creating a media vehicle that reflected a positive voice and image for the town of Hope Mills. Up & Coming Weekly committed to share its 23-year-old reputation, mission and mandates with the town to tell the Hope Mills story – not just to the 16,000 plus residents of Hope Mills but to all of Fayetteville, Fort Bragg and Cumberland County.

    The $28,000 cost was just a convenient diversion and easy distraction from the real underlying fear of media competition and losing control of the narrative. The Hope Mills Initiative was conceived when the perception was at its highest that The Fayetteville Observer’s Sandspur had pretty much deserted Hope Mills. Well, not anymore. Our media commitment to the town has now rejuvenated The Sandspur.

    It’s hard not to notice how much attention Hope Mills is now getting from The Fayetteville Observer since the Hope Mills Commissioners’ decision not to renew Up & Coming Weekly’s partnership. There has been a plethora of Hope Mills profiles, stories, editorials, articles and even a front page “above the fold” feature. They even hosted a meet-and-greet social to solidify their new promise and commitment of more news and editorials for the town.

    To this, we say “Great!” and “Mission accomplished.” This is the type of attention and respect Hope Mills should have been getting all along. We hope it continues. Competition is a good thing. Without it, mediocrity becomes the standard. As a newspaper publisher, I’ve always been adamant that there is no exclusivity in media. That’s why it’s called the free press. No individual has the right to own or control a single voice or opinion. This also holds true for electronic communications and social media. Beware of anyone (person, organization or business) who attempts to restrict, censor, silence or influence your free speech or thought processes through intimidation. For they are attempting to control the narrative.

    Here is the good news. Up & Coming Weekly is not going away. Hope Mills is in Cumberland County, and we intend to continue to be a positive voice. Now, Hope Mills residents will have more town news and information to share. Not only will we keep them informed on local issues, we will be their conduit for other wonderful and exciting things taking place in Cumberland County. We will make a difference.

    The most recurring issue and concern presented to me regarding discontinuing the Hope Mills Initiative was about the low voter turnout during Hope Mills elections. Believe me, you will see this change dramatically over the years. Why? Because the residents will know what’s going on in the town. They will be better informed by having consistent and reliable access to information about the candidates and important issues affecting them and their families. You will also see new, younger and enthusiastic residents stepping up to participate and be involved with Hope Mills just for the betterment of the town, thus assuring their future.

    Hope Mills, North Carolina, is the mouse that roared! And we hear you loud and clear. Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 10Disgraced reviewBravo to Cape Fear Regional Theatre for putting together such an experience for local audiences. The story is thought-provoking, the new seating arrangement is engaging, the direction is commendable, and the cast is one of the best I’ve seen.

    The story is heavy, to be sure. Talking about politics, religion and racism might turn some theater-goers off. But don’t miss this opportunity to see CFRT doing what it does best – honoring art with a quality production, even if it might make some viewers a bit uncomfortable.

    Ayad Akhtar’s Pulitzer Prize winning play “Disgraced” is full of the kind of drama that will keep you glued to your seat. For some, I suspect, it is shocking. For others, it might hit a little close to home and encourage us to reflect on how we treat or engage with those who are different from ourselves, those who fall into another category – white, black, Jewish, Muslim.

    What I enjoyed so much about the story itself is that each category is equally misunderstood and abused. Because that is how it is in real life. No one, no matter what your label, escapes the pre-conceived notions of others.

    The overarching theme of the play deals with how the topic of radical Islam affects public discourse on our differences in race and creed. But the real gem is to see how that discourse can affect individuals.

    Director Dani Keil accomplishes this by bringing together an amazing cast and crew. Keil’s focus is on honoring the story itself. There are no flashy costumes. The set and props are minimal. The lighting and music skillfully mimic the emotions of the characters.

    The new seating configuration, developed for this production, seats the audience on three sides of the stage. This intimate arrangement draws the audience into the lives of the characters.

    The character of Amir, played by Raji Ahsan, is a lawyer working for a Jewish firm in New York. When his nephew, Abe, played by Darius Shafa, gets him involved with an Islamic imam accused of terrorism, his life starts to unravel. Amir’s wife, Emily (Lauren Mae Shafer), is an artist whose work is based on Islamic imagery. Isaac (Seth Shelden) is a Jewish curator helping Emily. Isaac’s wife, Jory (Alason Little), an African-American woman, is a colleague at Amir’s firm.

    Over dinner, the two couples exchange thoughts on careers, faith and politics. Secrets are revealed that leave some lives in shambles. We see how even well-meaning people have preconceived ideas of others. We also see that some struggle with their own self-identity.

    It is a lot to consume in 90 minutes.

    The cast superbly carries this weighty story from start to finish. They each bring much passion and energy to their beautifully complicated roles.

    They are all, at one point or another in the play, disgraceful representatives of the human race. And that is what makes them so interesting. They are lying, cheating, duplicitous, abusive – and that’s before we even get to politics and religion.

    Amir tries to leave his culture behind to chase the American dream. But we see that by never reconciling with it, he becomes consumed with self-loathing. Ahsan does a remarkable job gliding back and forth between his character’s self-identified apostate views of Islam and what others view as inexplicable pride in what has been done in the name of Islam.

    In the showing I attended, the audience collectively gasped at two points in the play – once at the use of the N-word and once when Ahsan’s character expresses a kind of pride for the attacks on 9/11. I felt both were beautiful moments in storytelling as they expressed the connection between the audience, the story and the actors. It seems to me the point of the play – that we sometimes let words affect us so much that we often refuse to engage in dialogue to discover the meaning behind those words or ideas.

    “Disgraced” runs through March 25 with limited seating based on the new stage configuration. The play is rated R due to its language and violence. There are discounts for military, seniors and students. For tickets or more information on special events, contact CFRT at 910-323-4233 or visit www.cfrt.org.

  • 04CoolioDear Up & Coming Weekly,

    I am beside myself that you decided to run in your March 7-13, 2018 issue one of the most logic flawed articles I have ever read in your weekly. “The Second Amendment was written for muskets.” Are you serious? First of all, it was not written “for” muskets.” I could write an entire thesis on that logical error alone … moving on.

    Second, it’s irrelevant that the musket was the predominant rifle used at that time. If our founding fathers (and the British) had used swords instead, the Second Amendment still would still say “A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

    The weapon is irrelevant. It’s the purpose of why we bear arms. The British had muskets too! It was our founders’ intent that the people bear arms that are capable of matching the soldiers who would be sent to suppress the people. Today’s soldiers carry M4s. And today the people carry the civilian version.

    The Founding Fathers also used a quill pen, iron gall ink and parchment to write the constitution … they never envisioned lap top computers and the internet … should we limit written free speech to only communication written using the same means? Surely by your logic the First Amendment was written for quill pens, iron gall ink and parchment.

    Explain to me how Yemen having a higher rate of mass shootings among nations “with a population more than 10 million people” and the second highest rate of gun ownership call into question the saying that “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.” (Nice of you to selectively narrow your qualifications to suit your example.) Using your logic … if I misspell a word, it’s the fault of the tool I used to write the word … not mine. And the U.S. has the highest rate of ownership of computers with spell check! How can this happen?!

    Next, you quote 133 mass shootings in some un-named “study” for some un-stated time frame. Nice. Whatever … let’s go with 133, it doesn’t matter. You compare the U.S. with a population of 326,056,457 million to a country that had two mass shootings with a tiny population of 5,523,231. So you’re comparing a tiny country in which approximately 12 percent of the population owns a gun (Wikipedia) to a massive country in which approximately 42 percent own guns (Statista.com). Using your comparative logic we had 73 less shootings per percent of gun owner population. So are you trying to say we are safer here? Thanks, I feel better already.

    Lastly, if you really want to stop the killing… there are nearly 1.3 million people killed in road accidents yearly! (ASIRT.com) That is 3,287 deaths per day! Where is your outrage? And driving isn’t even a Constitutional right … it is a privilege. If you cared about the children … here is low hanging fruit that isn’t even protected by the Constitution... and GO!

    Respectfully,

    Cris Dresch

    Dear Editor,

    I can count on one hand how many responses or comments I have written over the years in rebuttal to an article in the Up&Coming Weekly. However, I am compelled to write this in response to Karl Merritt’s recent article regarding, “Rap at the Dogwood Festival?”

    Two things come to mind for me. One is that the role of a mentor is to inform, guide and provide information their mentee needs to maneuver in this society successfully. Therefore, if Mr. Merritt’s mentee is fortunate he will not be so strongly and staunchly biased against rap music and perhaps give some background and discernment involving rap music. Rap music, like jazz, like the blues, like country music, has a history. To negate a genre of music across the board when it is still very much in existence and probably listened to by those of the age range of his protege presents a biased and unrealistic viewpoint and opinion. Rather, guide the young person of the rap music which is appropriate, which gives a positive message instead of one which encourages what we know to be nonproductive except for the rapper.

    There is rap in gospel music. How can it all be bad? It is funny that Karl Merritt is taking credit for the Dogwood Festival’s inclusion of rap this year and then bemoaning them adding rap music. Presenting one of the raunchiest lines from one of Coolio’s raps as proof further presents a skewed view. 

    Not all of Coolio’s music has that theme or those words included. Now we scare people already about Coolio and dissuade them from even being present before downtown is even prepared or perhaps he has even been paid for this year’s Dogwood Festival. What is the personal schism? If in fact, he is responsible then the lesson for him and his mentee is be careful what you complain (about), suggest or inspire.

    Surely, as long as the Dogwood Festival has been running the Festival they hopefully did not simply put out a call for any rapper to represent their first time presenting rap music as an option during the Festival. We can hope that they at least have listened to and have some knowledge of Coolio and have informed him the festival is family friendly.

    Surely, this is a first time and the experiment of presenting an alternative music offering should at least be tried.

    (I’m) very tired of people not wanting to alter or change anything in Fayetteville except what is important to them. I don’t enjoy baseball, but okay, there is going to be a field and a team. Perhaps the choice of selecting Coolio might not be appropriate for the audience which will attend the Festival. How will we ever know unless they give it a try?

    I remember being one of the first poets to participate during one year at the Dogwood Festival. I was under the Children’s tent that year. Although I was not asked back even though there was interest in children between the ages of babies to teenagers, who stopped at my table that year and created poems, they did not have it as an ongoing annual activity. It was at least tried and that is all which is being done this year with the inclusion of rap.

    Even if Mr. Merritt’s protege does not know or listen to any rap music now, at some point unless she is going to be breathing and living in a makeshift bubble, she will be exposed to rap music. As a result, if nothing else if by chance she attends, Mr. Merritt if accompanying her can use it as a teachable moment and not a strong source for his condemnation for a genre of music being offered which he admits he was the one who encouraged it being included.

    Sincerely,

    Ms. Aissatou Sunjata, M.L.I.S./M.L.S.

    Dear Editor,

    I appreciate that readers often give feedback regarding my columns that appear in Up & Coming Weekly and are also distributed by e-newsletter. As I would expect, given my conservative views, feedback from most black readers reflects strong disagreement with what I write. Sometimes feedback from this group is rather harsh. (Yes, there are some white readers who express strong objections to my thinking.) In view of me being black, but not thinking as some would expect given my blackness, there are times when I feel alone in this struggle to have my thinking heard and seriously considered. I got a reminder today that I am not alone in my thinking regarding many issues of our time. I ran across a video by Candace Owens. What she says in the video, and her clear commitment to speak up in the face of opposition, provided encouragement for me to keep standing. You may watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=mK8H9qGKkMI

    Karl Merritt

    Photo: Coolio

  • 03StudentsWatching teenagers on television peacefully protesting gun violence in schools and demanding school safety across our nation struck me as especially poignant and tremendously sad. In nearly two decades of formal education, I worried about teachers, grades, bullies, peer pressure and probably other issues I no longer remember. Not once in all those years did I ever worry about someone coming into my school or classroom to shoot my fellow students, my teachers or me.

    That hideous possibility simply never occurred to me nor did anyone else suggest such a thing since Americans had not heard of or experienced such horror. It is profoundly shocking that today’s students fear for their physical safety in their schools. They have not only heard of such violence, thousands have experienced it and are taking to the streets and airwaves to express those fears and concerns.

    The students are rightfully afraid for themselves and their friends, and teachers and are trying to effect social and political change, as is the right of every American. We do not know if or how their activism may affect American life and law nor how their newly found activism may affect them. Research shows benefits to being active in support of one’s beliefs.

    Lisa Damour, a psychologist who has researched and written about girls, says civic engagement is good for young people. Damour recently discussed findings of contemporary research with CBS News, asserting that young people who participate in activism achieve higher levels of both education and income than those who do not. This is true no matter what their early grades may have been or their parents’ education levels, two markers that are often predictors of student achievement and earnings as adults. Activist students also have lower rates of depression than other students.

    Damour stresses that research has not found exactly why students engaged in activism are higher achievers than less engaged students, but it may be because activism helps them develop social skills to carry them forward and plugs them into social networks they would not have encountered without their activist work. Such activities may also help young people see their own capabilities, helping them gain self-confidence and trust in their own opinions and strengths.

    Activism at any age allows us to see future possibilities and to believe that we may have a hand in shaping a better world for ourselves and others. It confirms for us that the world is bigger than just our own small spheres and lets us know that we can affect the greater social good. Adolescence and young adulthood, at least in America, are notorious selfcentered periods of life – times when we concentrate on ourselves, our friends, our concerns, our cell phones. Social and political activism connects us to people we might never know in any other context and broadens our understanding of the world around us.

    Oddly, at least to me, student activism is also associated with risk-taking behavior, including sedentary lifestyles, smoking and drinking. Again, research has yet to reveal why, but social and political change is a long, slow and deeply frustrating journey as people of all ages and all causes have found throughout history.

    Students demanding safer schools may or may not see progress, which can come only through adult policy makers. They are, however, learning about themselves and about the ways of the world both fair and unfair, both of which will strengthen them as they move into adulthood and maturity.

  • 12FowlersPresiding over the indoor seating area is a plaque that simply reads: Worship in the House of Swine. There’s a 1930s edition of The Fayetteville Observer hanging not too far away. The people chopping up the fresh meat are all part of one local and close-knit family. This is Fowler’s, and it’s a bit like walking into a polished-up pig-pickin’.

    It all begins with the family’s patriarch, Wade Fowler, and his food truck the Blind Pig. The Blind Pig, which has been in operation since April of last year, is notorious for providing Southern-style barbeque fare on wheels. Pulled pork sandwiches. Ribs. Smoked chicken. Traditional sides like cole slaw and potato salad.

    But all the Fowlers seem to agree that they always envisioned opening their own brick-and-mortar restaurant together one day. And Feb. 28 was that day.

    The other partners of the business include Wade’s sons David and Will, David’s wife Polly and their friend Jeff Warfield.

    According to David, since the new restaurant’s opening, there has been a steady stream of patronage. Currently, Fowler’s is only open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. for lunch, but they hope to expand with a dinner menu in the near future.

    “It’s a menu that has a lot of flexibility. We can do what we want with it,” said David Fowler. “But I think we also do the best traditional barbeque that you’ll get in Fayetteville.” David has an extensive background in the wine industry as a sommelier. He and his wife Polly came back to the town he grew up in to help his father open their dream business.

    “The common thing for everything we do is we always want to cook something that we would want to eat. I want to serve the best product I can at the most reasonable price,” said David. “I also want to bring a different wine list to the restaurant scene here than what the rest of Fayetteville uses.”

    The Fowlers pride themselves on the fact that all their food is local and fresh. The meat is straight from Heritage Farms in Goldsboro, North Carolina.

    Menu items include the standard barbeque dishes that the Fowlers still serve from their food truck. But they also offer some fusion cuisine such as the Angry Hawaiian dish – grilled pineapple with your choice of meat, housemade teriyaki sauce and pickled jalapenos – or the Q-ritto – a choice of meat burrito with house avocado cream and spicy slaw.

    Polly said this has everything to do with showing the public that they like to experiment with their food as well.

    But it’s the close ties to the city of Fayetteville that set this restaurant, this family, apart from the rest.

    Wade Fowler and his children grew up in Fayetteville. Wade was in the first graduating class of Terry Sanford High School. He was an elected city councilman for years.

    Not only do the Fowlers cater throughout the area, but they give back to Fayetteville as well. On the day of their interview, they were busy preparing for an event at the Coliseum that benefits the Partnership for Children of Cumberland County.

    “We’re proud of being from Fayetteville. This is definitely home for us,” said David. “As far as restaurants in Fayetteville, we’re one of the only ones that do everything from scratch. That’s really what our style of cooking is: home-style, from scratch. No freezer. No microwave. No nothing. So you’re going to find something on (the menu) that you like, and that’s our goal.”

    Fowler’s is located on 723 W. Rowan St. For additional information, contact the restaurant at 910-491-5721.

  • 06NewsDigestAn audit by TRP CPAs of Fayetteville has found no indication of double billing or a pattern of systematic overbilling by the Fayetteville Public Works Commission. TRP was asked in January by PWC to conduct an audit of AIT billing after AIT’s chairman, Clarence Briggs, publicly accused PWC of double billing AIT. “The Commission was confident that the TRP audit of the AIT billing would confirm fair billing for this account,” said PWC Commission Chairman Wade Fowler. “We believe that TRP’s report validates that PWC’s information was accurate and the AIT claims were unfounded.”

    Briggs disagrees, claiming that TRP “is not qualified to conduct utility auditing.” AIT had a unique electricity metering system that was requested by the company in 2000. Because of the arrangement, AIT’s bills were prepared manually. Monthly metering and billing data was collected and calculated for the 10-year period from January 2007 to November 2017, PWC said in a statement.

    TRP found several minor clerical errors that had been previously disclosed and credited to AIT. The errors occurred over 100 months of billing and totaled less than $150. TRP certified public accountant Jason Poole found there was no double billing or overbilling. Briggs explained that the unique metering system he once used included electric meters on each floor of his three-story building. And, he said, there was a fourth main meter. He claims that until it was brought to PWC’s attention, all four meter readings were added up together when actually the total of the three separate meters should have equaled the total of the main meter. 

    Briggs said as evidence of over billing, AIT’s daily electricity usage has declined from 6,000 to 3,000 kilowatt hours. Briggs has engaged an audit of his own.

    “I believe it is important to... address AIT’s public claims, including one that an independent auditor could not conduct an unbiased investigation,” PWC general manager David Trego said. “This has no merit because a certified public accountant takes an oath to disclose the truth and can lose their license if they do not,” he added.

    Trego explained that as a public authority, PWC answers to the U.S. Department of Energy and that customers interested in PWC’s annual reports will be provided a link to them.

    City Attorney cites state law in dispute with mayor

    Rarely, if ever, in her 17 years has Fayetteville City Attorney Karen McDonald had her understanding of municipal law questioned.

    Earlier this month, freshman Mayor Mitch Colvin convinced city council, during an open meeting, that McDonald had not followed proper procedure when awarding contracts to Fayetteville lawyers Billy Richardson and Terry Hutchens. Both attorneys had volunteered to represent the city at no cost in a nationwide lawsuit against opioid distributors.

    McDonald cited to Up & Coming Weekly that UNC-Chapel Hill School of Government guidelines for cities states contracts for professional services, such as those with consultants, attorneys and auditors, fall outside the scope of competitive bidding statutes.

    Colvin “convinced city council to rescind a lawfully executed contract,” Richardson said in an opinion piece in last week’s Up & Coming Weekly.

    Old Street trash barrels gone

    It’s been three months since downtown business owners and the city of Fayetteville got rid of the dozen or so garbage cans behind the Blue Moon Café. The trash cans obstructed sidewalk pedestrian traffic in violation of two city ordinances for years. They remained on the sidewalk because “there was no apparent, viable solution to the problem,” said Sam Dubose, general manager of the Cool Spring Downtown District.

    Officials identified the Arts Council across Hay Street as the best place to install a couple dumpsters. The city had a so-called trash corral built at a corner of the Arts Council’s rear parking lot, and CSDD contracted with Waste Management for the installation of two dumpsters.

    “CSDD had assumed responsibility for the dumpsters,” said Dubose. Now business owners walk across the street, roll the garbage carts around the corner, fill them up, and roll them back to the dumpster site. It took officials a year to figure it all out, but now the roll out carts no longer clutter Old Street.

    PWC adopts new electric rates

    Fayetteville’s hometown utility buys most of the electricity it distributes from Duke Energy. And now, increased costs of doing business with Duke are partially to blame for a PWC residential rate hike. PWC electricity costs for the next two years will cover Duke increases over which Public Works has little authority.

    “Ninety percent of the increase … goes directly to our power supply costs from Duke, and those costs are projected to increase nearly $10 million in the next four years,” said PWC Chairman Wade Fowler. PWC had to add a coal ash fee to customer bills because the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission allows Duke to recover the cost of cleaning up the multi-billion-dollar environmental disaster it caused when coal ash was dumped into the Dan River.

    PWC’s portion of Duke Energy’s $2 billion cleanup expense is estimated to be $60-$70 million. PWC is using reserve accounts to pay most of the money needed along with a $2 monthly charge for PWC residential customers, which will be collected through 2024.

    “PWC strives to provide safe and reliable services and maintain reasonable, competitive rates,” said PWC CEO and general manager David Trego. The new rates and the coal ash fee will begin May 1, 2018.

     

  • Meetings

    For details about all committee meetings, including location where not listed, call Interim Town Clerk Debbie Holland at 910-426-4113.

    Veterans Committee Thursday, March 22, at 7 p.m.

    Public Meeting No. 3 Monday, March 26, 6-8 p.m., at Hope Mills Parks and Rec. The purpose of this meeting is to present transportation planning recommendations and to solicit public questions and feedback. To learn more, visit HopeMillsPlan.org.

    Parks and Rec Committee Monday, March 26, at 6:30 p.m.

    Appearance Committee Tuesday, March 27, at 7 p.m.

    Town offices closed for Good Friday March 30.

    Activities at Hope Mills Parks and Recreation: 5770 Rockfish Rd.

    Easter in Hope Mills Saturday, March 24, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Breakfast with the Bunny: 8:30-11 a.m. Enjoy a tasty breakfast and get your picture taken with the Easter Bunny. Easter Egg Hunt: 11:15 a.m.-noon (broken into time slots for age groups). Hunt takes place in Municipal Park. Easter Crafts: noon.

    Tickets cost $6 per person and must be purchased in advance.Contact the Rec Center at 910-426-4109 for more information.

    Promote yourself

    Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com

  • 16Debbie HollandThere’s far more to being an elected official in the town of Hope Mills than kissing babies and showing up for the occasional meeting.

    Residents of the town can get a first-hand taste of what governing is all about by attending the Citizens Academy training sessions the town offers to become a Hope Mills Ambassador. It’s especially beneficial for anyone with political aspirations or those thinking about serving the town in any number of volunteer capacities.

    Deborah Holland, interim town clerk, said the academy was started last April and has been wellreceived. A number of current elected officials have gone through the training, including Mayor Jackie Warner, Mayor Pro Tem Mike Mitchell and town commissioners Meg Larson, Jessie Bellflowers and Pat Edwards.

    “One of the most amazing things that surprised all of us was how interested our citizens were in how our actual operations run,’’ Holland said. “It gives them a small sampling of what department operations are like and gives them an appreciation of what we do for the town. It helps us get a better insight from the residents’ side of what they need from the town. It’s kind of a win-win.’’

    Much of the training is interactive, Holland said. For example, participants get to put together a mock town budget or a mock agenda for a meeting of the board of commissioners. Those attending the class also get a closer look at departments like fire, police, finance and even storm water.

    There’s even a session with parks and recreation where people can experience trying out for an athletic team. “No one is required to do that,’’ Holland said. “It’s all in fun.’’

    Anyone who has interest in serving on the town’s various volunteer committees is encouraged to go through the academy, Holland said. “The more understanding they have of what it takes to get things done, the better they can take that knowledge and request certain events and projects get done.’’

    Both the application for the academy and the current syllabus is available on the town website at www.townofhopemills.com.

    The class is limited to 15 applicants, and the next one begins April 3 with classes running weekly on a variety of topics until May 24. Graduation will be held Monday, June 4, at the monthly meeting of the commissioners at town hall.

    For further information, visit the website or contact Holland at 910-426-4113.

    Photo: Debbie Holland, interim town clerk

  • 01coverUAC0032118001Fayetteville’s second annual Ultimate Lip Sync Showdown brings music, fun and frivolity together to raise funds for the Child Advocacy Center. From Michael Jackson to Prince, Tina Turner, Elvis, Bruno Mars and more, guests will enjoy first class entertainment in support of a first-rate cause. The showdown takes place at the Crown Center Ballroom Saturday, March 24.

    Julia Adkins is a longtime advocate for the CAC, having chaired the organization’s American Girl Fashion Show fundraiser for several years. “We didn’t know what to expect last year,” said Adkins. Even though it was the first time putting on a lip sync contest, “we had a sold-out crowd and raised more than $40,000 for CAC. It looks like we will have another sold-out crowd.”

    With 14 acts competing and additional special entertainment lined up, Adkins is excited about the support the event has received from the community. “We have new special entertainment that will open and close the show for us,” said Adkins. “We have lots of local celebrities representing so many parts of the community – business, law enforcement, education, health care and more.”

    Catalina Orrego works at Rainbow Pediatrics. Her group, the P.Y.T.s, is returning to perform a Michael Jackson mashup. “We had a blast last year,” Orrego said. “We have always supported CAC. Last year, the contest was such a big hit, we wanted to do it again. We had six in our group last year, and this year we have nine.”

    She said it was not hard coming up with an act. “We went with Michael Jackson because he is so iconic,” she said. “And most people know his music.”

    The group is going all-out with afros, bell bottoms and fringed vests for the Jackson 5 classic “I Want You Back.” For the “Beat It” performance, they plan to wear black and white. “For ‘Thriller,’ we will be zombies,” she added. “I danced when I was a little kid, and we have some former cheerleaders in the act, but thankfully this is a lip sync competition and not karaoke.”

    While the group looks forward to a night of fun, Orrego noted, “We are excited to support CAC. They are an awesome organization. We hope this raises more than last year and that it sells out this year, too. We are excited to see the other acts, too.”

    Last year, police Sgt. Peggy Smith entered the showdown with an all-female group of four under the moniker “Ladies of Law Enforcement.” This year, the group is called LOL + One. “We added a guy this year,” Smith said, explaining the name change.

    LOL+One is bringing the ’80s to the stage with Cameo’s “Word Up,” but with a twist. “We have been watching the original video,” said Smith. “We will try to bring a police element to it, too. In his version, it starts with a detective … we end up arresting him.”

    Smith will have another important role in the evening as well. “It will be the anniversary of two little girls’ deaths,” said Smith. “Last year at the Lip Sync Battle, we were called out to find two little girls. Once the dad told us where their bodies were, we stayed with them until the Hoke County officials could get there.”

    Smith will perform the opening song in memory of those girls.

    “When we put on a fundraiser, it is great to have fun, but we want people to know what we are raising money for,” said Adkins. “The exciting part is to see the community come together and raise money and awareness. We are a nonprofit charitable organization. We serve victims of child abuse and their families. Last year we served 696 children, and the numbers continue to rise. We provide a service that is invaluable. When a child comes in after having suffered abuse, the child can come in and tell their story one time, and because it is recorded, they only have to tell their story one time. Prior to the (CAC), they had to tell the story over and over again, and they had to relive it each time.”

    The CAC is a safe place for children and families. It’s a place where people who can advocate for them listen to them and show them respect – where they can tell their experiences once and know the people who can help them will hear it. The center brings together people from organizations like the Cumberland County Dept. of Social Service’s Child Protective Services; CC Sheriff’s Office; Fayetteville Police Department; Hope Mills Police Department; Spring Lake Police Department; the medical community via Southern Regional Area Health Education Center, Cape Fear Valley Health Systems and Womack Army Medical Center; CC District Attorney’s Office; Guardian ad Litem; and Rape Crisis Volunteers of CC to work on behalf of victims 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

    While working for children and families is a big job, the center is also proactive in offering classes and workshops to educate the community about child abuse awareness and prevention.

    April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. To raise awareness, the CAC sponsors a pinwheel garden. The pinwheel represents a happy, safe and carefree childhood, one that every child deserves. Initiated by Prevent Child Abuse America, more than a million pinwheels have been displayed nationwide since April 2008 when the campaign began.

    There will be a Pinwheel Garden ceremony Thursday, March 29, at noon in honor of the 696 children the center helped last year. It takes place at 222 Rowan St. and is free to attend and open to the public. The pinwheels will be on display through the month of April. Purchase your own pinwheel garden kit at www.childadvocacycenter. com/pinwheels-for-prevention-2/.

    “The community’s support of Child Abuse Prevention Month has grown each year,” said Faith Boehmer, volunteer and prevention coordinator for the CAC. “We expect that this April there will be more than 10,000 pinwheels on display in Cumberland County,”

    The Ultimate Lip Sync Showdown is March 24 at the Crown Center Ballroom. Cocktail hour is at 6 p.m., and the show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets cost between $50 and $75 and include hors d’oeuvres and desserts. There will be a cash bar as well. Visit www. crowncomplexnc.com for tickets and information.

    You don’t have to attend to participate in the Ultimate Lip Sync Showdown. Visit the CAC website at www.childadvocacycenter.com/event/fayettevillesultimate- showdown/ and vote for your favorite act. It costs $5 per vote or $20 for five votes. Proceeds benefit the CAC.

  • 15HM fishThe last time the restored Hope Mills Lake was restocked with fish, there was a miscommunication between the town and state wildlife officials. The result was the lake was drained after new fish had been put in, causing them to be lost.

    Rod MacLean wanted to make sure that mistake wasn’t repeated when the restocking process started for the recently restored lake

    MacLean is currently the chairman of the Hope Mills Lake Advisory Committee and has been serving on it for the last four or five years.

    A dedicated fly fisherman, MacLean has worked as a volunteer for North Carolina Wildlife for close to 10 years and is active in the Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing program.

    MacLean said he spoke with Hope Mills mayor Jackie Warner three years ago and assured her that when the time came to bring fish back into the lake, he would make sure there were no mistakes.

    “I told her I would take care of getting them delivered and what types of fish,’’ he said.

    MacLean researched the types of fish people used to catch from the lake, and he also consulted with a biologist from the North Carolina Wildlife Commission about what fish would be best to introduce.

    Earlier this month, MacLean said 10,000 redear panfish and 10,000 bluegill panfish were put into the lake. At some time in the future, some 1,000 fingerling catfish and another 1,000 fingerling largemouth bass will be added to the population.

    MacLean said the small panfish, the bluegills and redears, are introduced first so they can become established. “These are the fish the predators will eat, the largemouth bass and the catfish,’’ he said.

    MacLean said it’s likely that the new bass and catfish that will be introduced later are already present in the lake. He said that’s because of what happened in this area when Hurricane Matthew struck.

    There was a lot of flooding associated with Matthew, he said, some of it involving Lake Rim, which flooded and overflowed. Those waters wound up in some six ponds at the John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center.

    “They went into the creek that ends up coming through Hope Mills, down Rockfish Creek and into the Cape Fear River and on to Wilmington,’’ he said. “Some of the fish have been in the creek from Matthew, and some got washed all the way down through Hope Mills.’’

    After about three years to allow the fish population in the Hope Mills Lake to stabilize, MacLean said officials from North Carolina Wildlife will do a census of the fish in the lake. “They’ve got a specialized boat that has electrodes coming off it,’’ he said. “They’ll go around to certain areas of the lake and put out an electrical shock that stuns the fish.’’

    The fish then float to the surface and are caught with nets, measured and sometimes tagged, he said. A few fish may have to be kept in order to verify their age, but the majority of the fish will be returned to the water.

    Until the fish population is stable, MacLean said, the lake will observe a catch and release policy. He said after two or three years, the population should be stable and the fish should reach a size making them worth catching and keeping. “You don’t want to catch 15 sardine-sized fish,’’ he said. “Then we’ll harvest them according to North Carolina wildlife rules.’’

    MacLean said the lake is also likely to attract eels from the creeks, but the dam is equipped with an eel ladder that will allow them to escape and head downstream.

    MacLean said he’d discussed the idea of putting a special breed of carp in the lake to help keep the vegetation down. This particular carp is a possible choice because it is sexless and can’t reproduce. But he said since in some cases the carp do reproduce and they would be able to escape from the lake and go downstream, it was decided not to introduce them.

    “We discussed different species from the knowledge of the biologist and this is what will be best for our particular location,’’ he said. “I’m quite happy with the decision.’’

  • 18.1Scott Menoher Jack Britt lacrosse18.2Connor Funck Matt Swierkowski JB lacrosse

    Jack Britt cleared one hurdle last year on the road to building a competitive boys lacrosse program, but head coach Scott Menoher knows the Buccaneers still have a long way to go before they’ll be chasing state championships.

    Last year, the team made its first appearance in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association state playoffs. “We established we can build a competitive program,’’ Menoher said. “This year we were excited to see (that) with the conference shifts we were put in with Middle Creek, so we’ve got the defending state champion again.’’

    The good news for Menoher is the success the program has already enjoyed has apparently spurred increased interest in the sport. At Britt’s first practice this year, before players from basketball and wrestling joined the workouts, Menoher had about 31 varsity and junior varsity players out.

    By the time the wrestlers and basketball players finally arrive, he expects the number to swell to 50 total with a 50-50 split between varsity and junior varsity.

    “We want to continue to improve our game and make ourselves more competitive,’’ he said.

    One way to do that will be by bringing lacrosse to athletes with no experience playing the sport. A good portion of the Britt team is made up of players who have ties to Fort Bragg and played lacrosse in other parts of the country, mainly the Northeast, before relocating here.

    Two of the top players on this year’s team, Matt Swierkowski and Connor Funck, fit that mold. Menoher said Swierkowski is a senior and Britt’s lone team captain this season. “He’s taken a larger role, grown in maturity and become a leader,’’ Menoher said. “He is somebody I see as a guy who is going to be moving the ball down the field, directing the offense and leading the team forward.’’

    Funck came to Britt as a sophomore last year with previous lacrosse experience from his days in New York near Syracuse.

    “He’s one of those sparkles of talent we see,’’ Menoher said. “He was an attack man last year, but he’ll probably play midfield this year.’’

    Swierkowski agreed with Menoher that making the playoffs last season was a big step. “Not many people thought a lot about us before that,’’ he said. “It was good to get a win so more people could recognize us.’’

    To grow the sport locally, Swierkowski thinks it’s important to continue to introduce people not familiar with lacrosse to the game.

    He thinks bringing it to the middle schools is especially crucial. “They can practice, start shooting, passing, getting into it with friends,’’ he said. “That’s the essential part, starting young.’’

    Funck agreed exposure of the game is important. “More kids will want to play it,’’ he said. “There are kids that will want to try it out because it’s something new.’’

    Introducing the game early is key, he said, because it’s not the easiest sport in the world to get used to. “When I first started playing lacrosse, it took me awhile to learn how to pass and catch,’’ Funck said. “I would say it took a good six months.’’

    Menoher is convinced there’s another reason to keep growing lacrosse locally. He’s thinks it can pay for itself quickly through gate receipts.

    “We bring another Friday night sport like football in the spring for people to watch,’’ he said. “It’s a fast, high-scoring sport. Once you get a fan base, you’d be surprised how quickly those stands fill up.

    “It is a potential moneymaker.’’

    Photos: Jack Britt boys lacrosse head coach Scott Menoher ; Connor Funck (left) and team captain Matt Swierkowski (right)

  • 05KarlThe Fayetteville City Council members must pause and decide, in the overall, what end they are pursuing. That is, as decisions are made regarding policy, budgeting, personnel and myriad other matters, what will be the overarching aim of all they do? I hold that the aim should be to govern this city in a fashion that serves the best interest of all citizens. More and more, council’s laser-like focus on ensuring diversity, even forcing it, disregards the best interest of the totality of Fayetteville citizens.

    My contention that council is seriously digressing from serving the best interest of all Fayetteville citizens shows through in how the possibility of opioid litigation is being addressed. Without doubt, our city is in the midst of an opioid crisis. That fact is obvious in the following segments from a post on WRAL.com headlined “Fayetteville fights back: Radio stations host conversation on opioid crisis.”

    “The Fayetteville area is 18th in the nation for opioid abuse. In 2015, emergency responders in Cumberland County administered 458 doses of Narcan, the drug designed to reverse opioid overdose. In 2017, that number nearly doubled. Fayetteville police administered the drug 14 times in 2015, and last year they administered 66 doses.”

    Even further, the ever-increasing annual number of deaths from opioid use makes it clear that there is a horrendous problem across America. Tammy Grubb writes this in an article titled “Orange County joins growing push to make drug companies pay for opioid crisis.”

    “Drug overdose is now the leading cause of death for Americans under age 50. Nationwide, more than 64,000 people died from opioid poisoning in 2016. In North Carolina, there were 1,518 deaths – 90 percent more than in 1999. Half died from commonly prescribed medications, state reports show.”

    Given the cost to governmental entities of addressing this situation, some states decided to bring lawsuits against various drug makers and distributors. An article by Wesley Young headlined “Winston- Salem joins lawsuit against opioid manufacturers” summarizes the basis for these lawsuits.

    “The premise of the lawsuit, as stated in the city’s resolution approving the action, is that opioid manufacturing and distributing companies may have violated state and federal laws that are designed to prevent the diversion of prescribed medication into the illegal drug market.”

    As the number of lawsuits increased, it became apparent that an efficient and effective arrangement for addressing the expanding number of cases was required. In an article titled “Can This Judge Solve the Opioid Crisis?” Jan Hoffman explains how this need was addressed:

    “In December, a judicial panel gathered all the prescription opioid cases filed in federal court across the country and plopped them into Judge Polster’s lap. The consolidation of large numbers of similar cases is called a multidistrict litigation, or MDL; it’s usually done to enhance efficiency and reduce costs.

    “The panel cited several reasons for selecting Judge Polster. Ohio has been hard-hit by the crisis and is also centrally located to the defendants. And Judge Polster has MDL experience. He mediated settlements in some 700 cases involving a medical contrast dye.

    “This type of litigation is inherently unconventional, but the consolidated opioid lawsuits may be even more complex than most.”

    Beyond the action reported in the Hoffman article, note the statement made regarding the complexity of these lawsuits. Also, the judge referred to is Judge Dan Aaron Polster of the Northern District of Ohio.

    After the MDL was put in place, Polster provided guidelines for how the litigation would proceed. He was clear in saying that he would not hear from every attorney representing a client. The result was the formation of a consortium of these attorneys with defined rules and responsibilities. The organization approved by Polster is detailed in Case: 1:17-md-02804- DAP Doc #: 37 Filed: 01/04/18 1 of 1. Page ID #: 362.

    That organization calls for three counsel co-leads, co-liaisons, an executive committee and steering committees. Concerning co-lead counsel, the approved petition says, “Lead Counsel is charged with formulating (in consultation with other counsel) and presenting positions on substantive and procedural issues during the litigation.” The petition also includes biographical information on attorneys who are filling all the positions except on steering committees. A review of that biographical information provides a very good feel for the high level of expertise and experience among those attorneys driving this effort.

    At present, there are some 400 plaintiffs in this case. During a conversation with attorneys Billy Richardson and Keischa Lovelace of the Richardson Firm in Fayetteville, they explained that this is not a class-action lawsuit where any person or entity can, based on having a similar grievance, join the lawsuit. In this case, the consortium decides who joins. The process is that an interested party may request representation by the consortium or engage local counsel. If local counsel is engaged, that attorney must be acceptable to the consortium. Upon acceptance, a contract is signed with the consortium. In the event local counsel is not found acceptable, the plaintiff is not allowed to join the lawsuit. The selected counsel would then have to pursue the case independently and absorb the financial cost of doing so. The plaintiff could engage another attorney.

    The consortium arrangement is that attorneys work on a contingency basis. Plaintiffs pay nothing for being part of the lawsuit. Attorneys involved will, under their agreement, divide 25 percent of any settlement, with the remainder going to plaintiffs.

    Polster has been clear in saying he wants settlement of this case expedited. In fact, there are reports indicating some settlement discussions have already started.

    At the bottom line: Fayetteville has an opioid crisis that is worsening and costly to city government; a well-organized lawsuit is underway. It is a complex case requiring experienced attorneys with proven records in this kind of litigation. This is expensive litigation that is conducted on a contingency basis; attorneys must be able to financially meet the demands of this process. Time for joining as a plaintiff is quickly expiring.

    According to City Attorney Karen McDonald, the city of Fayetteville was approached by two local attorneys and invited/encouraged to join as a plaintiff in the litigation being conducted by the consortium. The first offer was presented to McDonald by attorney Terry Hutchens. Fully understanding the tremendous positive possibilities in signing on as a plaintiff, and having not been approached by any other firms, she discussed this offer with city council. Based on council’s consensus, McDonald engaged Hutchens’ firm to represent the city of Fayetteville.

    Later, McDonald was approached by State Rep. Billy Richardson, D-Cumberland, who, in his capacity as an attorney, offered/encouraged having Fayetteville join the lawsuit as a plaintiff. Given that McDonald had already committed to Hutchens, she suggested that Richardson talk with him. In my conversation with Richardson, he confirmed that he did call Hutchens and they agreed to work together. A contract with the city was finalized, and the process was moving ahead.

    As has been widely reported, Mayor Mitch Colvin then sent an email to McDonald, the city manager and members of council, indicating the action taken by McDonald was “unacceptable” because she used a “no bid” process. The city attorney has repeatedly stated that solicitation of bids is not required for legal services. I have not seen nor heard any contradiction of that assertion. The heart of the matter for Colvin is his contention that, under the city’s policy of seeking the inclusion of local and minority businesses when contracting, this service requirement should have been opened for bids. He put the item on the agenda for reconsideration at council’s March 5 work session.

    In that meeting, Colvin made his minority inclusion case. There were several comments that deserve summarizing as follows: Councilman Crisp – The matter was settled by consensus in a February work session. Given that the city is not expending funds, this contract is below the $30,000 threshold requiring bids; Mayor Pro Tem Mohn – The city attorney has always had authority to select law firms in legal matters; Councilwoman Waddell – Could a firm approach Hutchens/Richardson and ask to work with them? Yes.

    In the end, the consensus was to withdraw from the agreement with Hutchens/Richardson, and within a 15-day period, do a Request for Interest, or RFI. That means firms will have an opportunity to submit information that will allow them to be considered to represent the city in this matter. A committee of council members will review submissions and select a firm. This process moves the selection decision from a trained lawyer who has, for 16 years, served, I believe, with distinction as city attorney. Even further, she understands the caliber of firm required for this task and that there is no guarantee the firm selected by this RFI process will be acceptable to the consortium. Mohn and Councilwoman Tisha Waddell voted in opposition to this action. Councilwoman Kathy Jensen had departed when this matter was addressed. Colvin and remaining council members voted in favor of the course change.

    Sadly, given that the litigation is moving quickly and there is no guarantee that the consortium will accept a firm selected by council, Fayetteville might miss this opportunity to recoup funds already expended because of this crisis. There is also the possibility of a monetary award due to projected future expenses. Given the tremendous risk associated with the course chosen by council, this action is definitely not in the best interest of all Fayetteville citizens.

  • 13ftccs SLCThe Student Learning Center at Fayetteville Technical Community College offers students the opportunity to be in charge of their own learning with the support of qualified, talented instructors. The center provides students with academic assistance and resources to further their comprehension in various subject areas.

    The SLC, formerly known as the Learning Lab and the Success Center, has been serving students since the 1960s. It has been a focal point for numerous students across campus, having served thousands every academic year. Over the decades, the SLC has evolved into a place where students gravitate to receive one-on-one assistance and to focus on their individual academic needs.

    Instructors of the 12-member faculty staff who tutor at the center strive to provide a friendly environment. A staff member welcomes the student with a smile and assesses his or her needs for the visit. A plethora of resources available to students includes computers, laptops, calculators, textbooks, subject-specific handouts, small rooms for study groups and comfortable tables and chairs. Staff at the SLC want to help all students succeed and accomplish their educational goals.

    One of the center’s commitments is to bridge the gap between learning and understanding. Everyone learns differently, and the SLC’s staff members assist students who need additional help interpreting course material. Students are encouraged to come to the SLC as soon as they have questions or need help comprehending a concept.

    Three specialized labs that offer detailed assistance on core subjects are located on the same floor as the main SLC. All students are welcome to use the SLC, but they may wish to take specific questions to the math, science or writing and communication labs. These labs are equipped with additional resources to help deepen a student’s understanding and are staffed with instructors who have achieved a master’s degree level of educational expertise.

    To take advantage of the many academic aids available at the SLC, a student must simply be enrolled in an FTCC curriculum course and present his or her student ID at the center’s front desk. An SLC staff member will help with the quick and simple enrollment.

    In addition to the one-on-one tutoring offered in the SLC, FTCC also provides NetTutor Online Tutoring Service for face-to-face and distance learners. NetTutor is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week and is a terrific resource for students who are not able to visit the center on campus.

    The SLC is located next to FTCC’s Paul H. Thompson Library in the Harry F. Shaw Virtual College Center, Room 232. To learn more about the center, visit www.faytechcc.edu/ campus-life/academic-support/#slc. Students may contact the center at 910-678-8266 or learningcenter@ faytechcc.edu.

  • 11Dewayne WebbIn 2017, approximately 442 people in Cumberland County were identified and met the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development definition of what it means to be homeless. It continues to be difficult for the homeless to find shelter, food, clothing and stability for a variety of reasons, including economic factors, job loss, mental illness, addiction and life’s struggles. Many others in the community are only one paycheck away from poverty. Each year, All About Fitness, Inc. hosts a hygiene drive that takes place January through May. The drive assists individuals in the Fayetteville, Raeford and Spring Lake communities.

    “The hygiene drive is one of four drives that we have every year to help out the communities where we have our chapters,” said Dewayne Webb, president of All About Fitness, Inc.

    Hygiene items that are needed include toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant and soap.

    “The reason we do this is because there are a lot of men, women and children who live on the streets and in shelters,” said Webb. “We put these items in bags and take them to shelters that we are partnered with and pass them out to people who live on the streets.”

    Webb added that there are a lot of people who go inside local businesses every day after they have slept on the street, under a tree or under a bridge to wash their face and brush their teeth.

    Webb’s passion for helping those in need comes from his personal life and the economic struggles his family endured.

    “I grew up without a lot of money, and my dad was in the military and people automatically assumed we had a lot of money, but we didn’t,” said Webb. “He was a low rank in the Air Force with five dependents, and my mom was a stay-at-home mom.”

    Webb added these conditions forced him to grow up very quickly and take care of his brothers and sisters, which in turn taught him leadership skills and responsibility and laid the foundation for putting others before himself.

    His nonprofit All About Fitness, Inc. came about in 2012 by accident. Today, the organization has over 15,000 followers from all of its social media platforms and continues to grow. There are eight satellite locations; the main location is in Fayetteville. There is a free fitness class for men, women and children every day of the week in the spring and summer and Monday through Friday in the fall and winter. Once a month, there are other types of free “fitness” workshops that include legal fitness, financial fitness and mental fitness.

    “I truly believe that God has his hand in this because I never expected the impact of All About Fitness to be at the level it is today,” said Webb.

    Hygiene items can be dropped off at the three workout locations: College Lakes Recreation Center, Spring Lake Recreation Center and Rockfish Community Center. For more information on how to join All About Fitness, or to make a donation, call 318- 918-8580 or visit www.allaboutfitnessfamily.org.

    Photo: Dewayne Webb, president of All About Fitness, Inc. hosts a hygiene drive to benefit the homeless each year

  • 03MusingsAs almost a lifelong resident of Fayetteville’s Haymount neighborhood in six different houses and on both sides of Morganton Road, I am delighted that the city continues its assessment of the historic area. Haymount is an imminently livable neighborhood at the heart of an urban area. It deserves not only preservation but enhancement.

    In our community, the sprawling residential developments that serve our military families address a real need for proximity to Fort Bragg. But Haymount and several other older neighborhoods are the backbone of Fayetteville, and they welcome and embrace military families who choose them for their unique quality of life.

    Haymount boasts homes built in the early 19th century to homes built for World War II soldiers starting careers and families to Mc- Mansions built in recent decades. Sidewalks line many of its streets, making Haymount an outdoor community with children playing in the fresh air as parents watch. Residents do yard work, exercise outside, walk dogs and regularly commune with each other. The small but vital commercial district houses one of the best community theaters in North Carolina as well as boutique shopping, a large church, a post office and private offices, and neighborhood residents often walk to those places.

    Fayetteville commissioned the Urban Land Institute in the Triangle area to take a look at Haymount. Its study suggests more and enhanced sidewalks, more trees and traffic and parking changes. The city has a great deal on its plate, as always, but enhancing a neighborhood that has shaped and continues to enliven our city deserves to be near the top of the list.

    ********************

    American parents may be having changes of heart.

    We, like parents around the world, have historically favored boy babies by a significant margin. Gallup, the polling organization, has polled on this question since 1941, and every time, until recently, found that 40 percent of us want a boy, 28 percent want a girl, and the rest are happy either way. Rightly or wrongly, there has been a worldwide preference for boys, and China with its long-running one child policy now faces a society with far more men than women.

    In the U.S., at least, that may be changing.

    The New York Times reported last week on a National Bureau of Economic Research working paper, indicating that having a girl first no longer means the parents will keep trying to have a boy. In fact, it means they are less likely to keep trying. Much remains the same, of course. Generally speaking, men prefer boys, as do first- and second-generation immigrants, less educated parents and Republicans.

    Less clear is what has changed to lessen that preference.

    The reality that American women’s roles in society have expanded dramatically probably plays into the shift. Women increasingly get further in schools and universities and do well in today’s jobs that require social skills and empathy rather than physical strength. There may also be a sense that girls are easier to raise and less trouble than boys, but experience tells me that every family’s childrearing experience is unique.

    The Times story by Claire Cain Miller ends with this:

    “The fading bias against girls should cheer all who desire a more equalitarian society. But there is a risk to society if what replaces it is a bias against boys.”

    A hearty “Amen!” from this mother of both.

    ********************

    If you have not discovered TED talks, you might want to give them a try. TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, Design, but I find the talks are about most anything. Whether you agree with the speaker or not, the talks are intelligent and thought-provoking. Think Monica Lewinsky talking about being the world’s first victim of cyberbullying.

    Hmmm …

    One with more than 20 million viewers was done by Robert Waldinger, a Harvard professor and director of what is thought to be the longest-running study of adult development in history – 75 years. He notes that recent surveys find that millennials overwhelmingly hold money and fame as their life goals. Wrongo, according to Waldinger and the study.

    What really makes and keeps us happy and healthy are good relationships with family and friends. When we nurture these, we protect our bodies and our brains. Reach out to those with whom you are estranged, angry or resentful. Chances are those feelings are taking a bigger toll on you than on them.

    You will likely be happier for it – and healthier, too.

  • 18Bill Boyette right with DK Sports broadcast partner Trey EdgeSitting courtside broadcasting high school basketball games with Trey Edge for DK Sports, the itch to return to coaching just became too much for Bill Boyette.

    After a two-year absence, the coach who guided Terry Sanford High School to its first state basketball championship in 50 years will return to the bench this fall when he takes over as head boys coach at Fayetteville Academy.

    “The first year I was out, I didn’t miss it that much,’’ he said of his abrupt exodus from Terry Sanford. “Sitting on the sidelines sort of brought that passion back to me, which I never really lost.’’

    Boyette doesn’t dwell on the topic, but he also had painful memories of his exit from Terry Sanford, the result of a controversy over keeping a player on the team who was facing criminal charges that were eventually dismissed.

    Boyette said he chose to resign from Terry Sanford after being presented with a set of parameters from school administrators that he did not agree with.

    “According to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, we did nothing wrong,’’ Boyette said. “I chose not to go to the media because I did not feel the need to explain anything. “A lot of people thought I was fired. I was not. I chose to resign.’’

    All of Boyette’s coaching experience has been in public schools, so he admits he’s got some things to learn about coaching basketball at the private school level.

    “I’ve known (Fayetteville Academy athletic director) Chip Bishop awhile, and we have had a very good relationship,’’ Boyette said. “I’m not that familiar with private schools and I’ve got to sit down with Chip and find out what the main differences are.’’

    Bishop is the former head basketball coach at the Academy and guided the Eagles to state titles in previous seasons.

    “I don’t think my style will change, regardless of public school or private school,’’ Boyette said.

    Boyette will not serve on the Fayetteville Academy faculty, which will allow him the freedom to continue two newer pursuits he has come to enjoy.

    “They were willing to work with me,’’ Boyette said. “I did not want to give up my radio shows.’’

    Boyette said he will continue to appear with broadcast partner Trey Edge Monday nights from 6-8 p.m. on The DK Sports Page talk show they host on WFNC, 640 AM. He will also continue to do high school football broadcasts for DK Sports, but he will have to give up broadcasting high school basketball with Edge since that would conflict with his coaching job at the Academy.

    As soon as he learns the rules regarding offseason workouts for the private schools, he plans to start working with Academy players during the offseason.

    “I want to sit down and meet the players, get to know them a little bit,’’ he said. “We’ll go ahead and start a few days a week with individual workouts. This is a situation where all I have to do is coach, there’s no teaching involved, and that fits right in with my schedule.’’

    Boyette said he’s glad to be back. “I missed working with the kids,’’ he said. “I’m a competitive person. It’s in my blood.’’

    Photos: Bill Boyette (right) and Trey Edge (left).

  • 04JuniperOnce upon a time, there were two German brothers named Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. You may remember them from Grimm’s Fairy Tales, which once were read to small children before the advent of the iPhone ended most parent/child reading time.

    The Grimm boys liked folklore from the Middle Ages. They collected these stories and published them as a series of books beginning in 1812. Many of our fairy tales originated with the Grimms, who brought us Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, Snow White and Rumplestiltskin, among many others.

    The original versions of the folk stories were not the sanitized versions that ended up in Disney movies. Life was rough in the Middle Ages. People lived in vast, dark forests. Wolves were literally at their doors. A lot of things happened in the Middle Ages. Not all of them were good.

    For your consideration, kindly ponder the story of “The Juniper Tree,” which features things you would not be comfortable reading to your 5-year-old. If you are faint of heart, or not inclined to think of anything more unpleasant than the daily news, skip the rest of this column and go read “News of the Weird.”

    If anyone is still out there reading this stain on world literature, allow me to commence with the unfiltered story of “The Juniper Tree.”

    Once upon a time, there lived a wealthy couple who had everything they wanted but a child. They offered daily prayers to be sent a child, but for many years, the prayers went unanswered.

    One winter day, the wife was standing in the snow peeling an apple under a Juniper tree. Why she chose to stand in the snow to peel the apple instead of remaining inside remains a mystery. Perhaps a case of cabin fever.

    In any event, she managed to cut her finger while peeling the apple. Drops of her blood fell into the snow. Thinking this might be an omen, she prayed for a child who was white as snow and red as blood. That summer, the wife ate too many berries from the Juniper tree and became deathly ill. She made her husband promise to bury her under the Juniper tree if she died. As luck would have it, she gave birth to a son about a month later and died of happiness. Her husband kept his promise, burying her under the Juniper tree.

    After a decent interval, the husband married a lady who brought him a series of casseroles, once again proving the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. The new wife, who is the prototype for the Wicked Stepmother of a zillion tales, had a daughter of her own, Marlinchen. Naturally, the Wicked Stepmother hated her stepson. She was mean to him. If the Department of Social Services had existed, she would have been hauled off to juvenile court for her abuse of her stepson. Stepmom wants her daughter Marlinchen to inherit the husband’s wealth instead of his son. You can see where this is going.

    Stepmom lures stepson into the kitchen, promising him a treat from a cedar chest full of Honeycrisp apples. Stepson leans over the chest to take an apple. Stepmom slams the lid onto his neck, cutting off his head. Yuck.

    To cover up her crime, Stepmom straps sonny boy’s head to his body, propping him up in a chair with an apple in his lap. Marlinchen, who knows nothing of Stepmom’s bad behavior, comes home from school and asks her brother for the apple. Stepson, being dead, doesn’t answer. Stepmom makes Marlinchen swat her brother on the ear, causing his head to fall off. Marlinchen thinks she has killed her brother and cries her a river.

    Stepmom cuts up stepson and makes a tasty stew out of him, which she feeds to her husband. (I told you this was a rough story.) Marlinchen buries her brother’s bones under the Juniper tree to hide the uneaten evidence.

    After burying the bones, a dense mist appears around the tree, and a bird flies out. The bird flies into the village, telling anyone who will listen that Stepmom killed her stepson. The bird’s story is so interesting that a goldsmith makes the bird a gold chain, a shoemaker makes a pair of red shoes, and a miller gives the bird a millstone.

    The bird flies back home and delivers the gold chain to the husband and the red shoes to Marlinchen. This makes the Stepmom madder than a wet hen. She goes outside to cool off. The bird drops the millstone square on her head, killing her deader than a bug on a 60-mile-an-hour windshield. Flames break out, and the bird turns back into the son. Everyone is happy as a clam to be rid of Wicked Stepmom. They all go back inside where they finish off the stew and live happily ever after.

    So, what have we learned today? Do not eat too many Juniper berries. Some stepmothers are better cooks than parents. If a bird flies over your head carrying a millstone, go back inside.

  • 13E.E. Smith boys basketball coach Dontrell SnowNew E.E. Smith High School boys basketball coach Dontrell Snow has no trouble understanding the history of Golden Bull basketball. For the past few years, he’s worked with a man who lived it.

    Snow, a 2005 graduate of Jack Britt and 2010 graduate of the University of Mount Olive, has both played and coached basketball with Ike Walker Jr., son of longtime E.E. Smith boys coach Ike Walker.

    No one has to tell Snow how important tradition is at Smith and how crucial it is to expose today’s players to living examples of that rich history.

    “A lot of guys have reached out, and I’ve reached out to a lot of guys,’’ he said, referring to former players from the Smith athletic program.

    But returning the Golden Bulls to their former glory days will involve more than just reuniting today’s players with former stars.

    Snow said that’s where he learned another valuable lesson working as an assistant coach with Walker for the past five years while he was serving as a health and physical education teacher at Reid Ross Classical.

    Prior to joining the faculty at Reid Ross, he taught at South View Middle and Lake Rim Elementary. He’s been assisting with the basketball program at Jack Britt since 2012.

    “Being around Coach Walker, we don’t necessarily have one emphasis,’’ he said, referring to specific offensive and defensive philosophies. “It’s basically based off the talent we have that year. One year we might be picking up full court and pressing. The next year the talent might change where we’re taller and bigger and have to go zone.’’

    Regardless of the personnel he has available, Snow said he will lean toward being defensive-minded and high energy with a lot of communication taking place.

    “You’ve always got to have something in your bag to change up,’’ he said. “It will change as players develop.’’

    One thing that has changed a lot in Cumberland County basketball in recent years is the migration of players from public school to private school ranks.

    Snow thinks a big reason for that is coaches heavily involved in Amateur Athletic Union basketball have taken roles on the staff at some of the private schools, and the result has been the funneling of some of their AAU players to private school teams.

    “I know a lot of college coaches, so I know how the business works,’’ Snow said. “My biggest thing is about building relationships with kids in the community, not just at E.E. Smith but all over. Once you build a relationship with the kids, they are going to play with who they have a good relationship with.

    “I adapt to any situation. If that’s the climate we’re in, then that’s what we’re in. If you build a relationship with the kids, it’s not going to matter.’’

    Snow will complete the school year on the faculty at Reid Ross but will join the faculty at E.E. Smith in the fall heading the in-school suspension program.

    He’s already scheduled a team meeting and plans to begin offseason workouts with his new players by the end of March.

    Photo: E.E. Smith boys basketball coach Dontrell Snow

  • 10 Walk AwhileSexual violence is a heavy topic, and raising awareness is critical to changing the societal paradigms that allow it. Every year, the Rape Crisis Center of Cumberland County invites local men to participate in its fundraiser Walk Awhile in Her Shoes to raise awareness for this cause, but also to have some fun. For the men, it means donning fabulous red high-heeled shoes and walking through downtown. For the Cumberland County Rape Crisis Center, it means being able to help more people throughout the year. Walk Awhile in Her Shoes takes place Friday, March 23, from 7-9 p.m. in downtown Fayetteville.

    “This is our annual fundraiser and a really cool way to raise awareness against sexual violence in our community,” said Deanne Gerdes, executive director at the RCCC. “We primarily deal with sexual violence; last year we had 538 victims that we served.”

    The victims range from very small children to adults. “We serve a lot of our active duty soldiers,” said Gerdes. “Our services are a 24-hour crisis line, support groups, individual counseling – and we respond to the hospital and any law enforcement leads 24 hours a day and seven days a week.”

    Gerdes added that oftentimes women in the military do not want to report or obtain any services on Fort Bragg due to it affecting their military career or them not trusting their command. If they receive mental health services, she said, they are often afraid of this affecting their security clearances.

    When a victim reports a rape, the Rape Crisis Center gives them options. “We leave it entirely up to the victim and we give them options and resources,” said Gerdes. “We are led by the victim. Mainly we want to empower victims to make their own choices, such as reporting to law enforcement, receiving medical services or using military resources.”

    The walk will be led by drummers from the Fayetteville State University Band. Goldie from WFNC, along with the command staff from the special victims unit of the Fayetteville Police Department, will also lead the walk.

    The walkers consist of men from all walks of life. “We have hundreds of guys putting on their shoes and wobbling around, strutting and peacocking,” said Gerdes. “The majority of them say the shoes are the wrong size, and I tell them they are not the wrong size – that’s the way highheeled shoes feel.”

    The walk starts at the Market House and ends at the AIT building.

    “Come out and join this great, fun, family-centered event,” said Gerdes.

    There will be a reception, including refreshments, at the AIT building after the walk as well as an awards ceremony. On-site registration begins at the Capitol Building at 6 p.m. Registration is $25 for walkers and $15 for students. If you want to borrow a pair of red shoes, the cost is $10.

    For more information or if you are interested in becoming an advocate, call RCCC at 910-485-7273.

  • Meetings

    For details about all committee meetings, including location where not listed, call Deputy Town Clerk Deborah Holland at 910-426-4113.

    Lake Celebration Committee Monday, March 19, at 5 p.m.

    Mayor’s Youth Leadership Committee Monday, March 19, at 6:30 p.m.

    Hope Mills Board of Commissioners Monday, March 19, at 7 p.m. at Hope Mills Town Hall, Bill Luther Meeting Room.

    Lake Advisory Committee, Tuesday, March 20, at 6 p.m.

    Veterans Committee Thursday, March 22, at 7 p.m. • Public Meeting No. 3 Monday, March 26, 6-8 p.m., at Hope Mills Parks and Rec. The purpose of this meeting is to present transportation planning recommendations and to solicit public questions and feedback. To learn more, visit HopeMillsPlan.org.

    Parks and Rec Committee Monday, March 26, at 6:30 p.m.

    Appearance Committee Tuesday, March 27, at 7 p.m.

    Town offices closed for Good Friday March 30.

    Activities at Hope Mills Parks and Recreation: 5770 Rockfish Rd.

    St. Paddy’s Bash for seniors 55 plus Friday, March 16, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Community Room. Free. Bring a dish to share. Drinks and entertainment will be provided. Sign up to attend at the front reception desk. Only 100 seats available. Call 910-426-4109 for more information.

    St. Patrick’s Day Dance Saturday, March 17, 6-8 p.m.

    Easter in Hope Mills Saturday, March 24, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Breakfast with the Bunny: 8:30-11 a.m. Enjoy a tasty breakfast and get your picture taken with the Easter Bunny. Easter Egg Hunt: 11:15 a.m.-noon (broken into time slots for age groups). Hunt takes place in Municipal Park. Easter Crafts: noon. Tickets cost $6 per person and must be purchased in advance. Contact the Recreation Center at 910-426-4109 for more information.

    Promote yourself

    Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • 09 4th FridayThe fourth Friday of the month is a special time in downtown Fayetteville. From 6-9 p.m., galleries open new exhibits, shops stay open late, and there are activities and performances throughout downtown. This month, 4th Friday falls on March 23.

    The Arts Council is set to open an exhibit called “Impressions: More than Skin Deep.” Scheduled to hang through May 12, the exhibit celebrates tattoo artists and their creativity. It recognizes that these artists who create art on skin also create in other mediums. It is a juried exhibit. Mediums include but are not limited to drawing (pencil, ink, marker); painting (watercolor, acrylic, oil); photography; animation; sculpture (clay, stone, metal); mixed media (collage, assemblage); printmaking (linocut, etching, woodcut). Learn more at www.theartscouncil.com.

    The 4th Annual Power and Water Conservation Expo is set to take place March 23-24 at SkyView on Hay. It is hosted by Fayetteville Public Works Commission and is designed to share ways to save on energy and water bills. Attendees will receive free tote bags along with conservation items like LED bulbs, a fat trapper and tree saplings. There will be updates about projects like LED streetlight installation and annexation installation as well as demonstrations and Q&A session on topics like stormwater issues, watersheds and more. It is free to attend. Bring a donation for the Pay It Forward Food Drive for Second Harvest Food Bank. This event runs from noon to 9 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday. Visit www.faypwc.com/pwcexpo to learn more.

    4th Fridays at the Market House make the historic landmark accessible to the public. Discover the permanent exhibit “A View from the Square: A History of Downtown Fayetteville.” There are rotating exhibits throughout the year as well. This month’s exhibit is “Civil War History.” Admission is free. Call 910-433-1457 for details.

    Fascinate-U Children’s Museum opens from 7-9 p.m. for 4th Friday. Guests can enjoy free museum play and make a craft. With Easter right around the corner, guests can look forward to an “egg-cellent” activity. Learn more at www.fascinate-u.com.

    At 7 p.m. in the Pate Room, the Cumberland County Public Library and Information Center presents The Parsons. For more than 20 years, Jon and Caroline Parsons and their sidekick Jerome Hawkes have performed string band music. It’s a unique sound the trio has perfected. They all sing, write songs and play several instruments. There will be light refreshments. Call 910-483-1344 for more information.

    The Rape Crisis Center of Cumberland County will host Walk Awhile in Her Shoes at 7 p.m. This event raises awareness of sexual violence. Proceeds benefit the RCCC in combatting and preventing sexual violence.

    Cape Fear Studios opens its Alpha Romeo Tango “ART” exhibit March 23. Military personnel and their family members and retires answered a call for art to put together this exhibit. There will be a people’s choice award for the beginner and professional categories. Call 910-433-2986 for details.

    To learn more about 4th Friday and the many activities that take place downtown, call the Cool Spring Downtown District at 910-223-1089.

  • 08EasterEggEach spring, children around the country anticipate a visit from the Easter bunny. The Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation takes things a step further, offering an entire morning with the Easter bunny to include activities and more. Breakfast with the Easter Bunny and Easter Egg Scramble is set for Saturday, March 31, at 7:30 a.m. in the lobby of the ASOM.

    “This is a fundraiser to raise money for the museum, and it is a great way to get the kids involved in this family event,” said Jim Ryder, director of public relations and marketing. “We also have the Easter Egg Scramble, which typically draws up to 2,000 people.” Ryder added that for the egg scramble they put out thousands of eggs. Inside each egg is a toy or a piece of candy. The kids run out and pick up as many eggs as they can.

    Breakfast will consist of sausage, pancakes and drinks. “The money we raise is used for the upkeep and maintenance of the museum as well as modifying any new exhibits we might have,” said Ryder.

    The Easter Egg Scramble is broken down into age groups to keep things fair for younger participants. Children 2 and under hunt at 9:30 a.m. and 10:20 a.m.; 3-year-olds at 9:40 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.; 4- and 5-year-olds at 9:50 a.m. and 10:40 a.m., 6- and 7-year-olds at 10 a.m. and 10:50 a.m.; and 8- to 10-year-olds at 10:10 a.m. and 11 a.m.

    “We look forward to this event and invite everyone to come out and enjoy breakfast and the egg scramble,” said Ryder.

    ASOM opened in downtown Fayetteville in 2000. It tells the story of the airborne and special operations soldiers from 1940 to the present. It houses a permanent display that is designed as a self-guided tour on the main floor and hosts exhibits throughout the year in its temporary gallery.

    Ticket cost for breakfast with the Easter Bunny is $10 for adults, $5 for children 3-5 and free with a paying adult for children 2 and under. The Easter Egg Scramble is free. The Easter Bunny will also be available for pictures.

    For more information, call 910-643-2778. Registration is required. Visit http://shop.asomf.org to register online.

  • 16CF softball Frankie Steins Cape Fear17CF softball Sammi Jo Loney Cape FearSome big names that were fixtures on the Cape Fear High School softball roster for the last few seasons are no more.

    Stars like Haley Cashwell, Bri Bryant, Kaitlyn Knuckles and Kayla Molivas graduated, leaving Colt co-coach Jeff McPhail more than a few holes to fill this season.

    “We’re probably going to go back to being young again,’’ he said after leading the Colts to the 4-A championship series with North Davidson last year. “It will be hard to replace Haley and Bri and all of them, but these kids have been at workouts over the fall and winter, really working hard at it.’’

    The good news for McPhail is pitching returns intact – with an important addition. Both Katie Murphy and MacKenzie Peters are back for the Colts. They’re joined by a senior newcomer, Frankie Steins.

    Steins was an All-State selection at J.L. Mann High School in Greenville, Sout Carolina, last year. Originally from Southern Regional High School in New Jersey, she’s won a United States Specialty Sports Association World Series title and the Pony Nationals. She has committed to play for North Carolina Central University.

    I think she’s going to help us,’’ McPhail said. “With Murphy and Peters throwing the ball, we’re going to be loaded up with three pitchers.’’

    Replacing all the offense lost with the exit of Cashwell and Bryant will be the big concern for McPhail.

    Fortunately, some productive bats do return in the form of Sammi Jo Loney, Alyssa Goshorn and Sidney Gronowski.

    Loney batted .450 and was second to Bryant in the county in RBIs with 48.

    Gronowski batted .333 and drove in 32 runs. Goshorn had 28 RBIs.

    “Sammi Jo is the leader of the crop,’’ McPhail said.

    Loney said the feeling is a little different on this year’s team with all the graduation losses, but she said that familiar Cape Fear chemistry is there. “Everybody has gotten the feel for it,’’ she said. “We’re getting to know each other and working really good together.’’

    She thinks with the addition of Steins, pitching will continue to be solid. “She’s a good pitcher and has pretty good movement,’’ Loney said.

    Aside from the changes in personnel, the Colts will be facing some new opponents when it comes state playoff time. Realignment moved them into the 3-A classification, and in some ways McPhail thinks the road to a state title could be tougher than it was as a 4-A team.

    “Hillsborough Orange is back and West Brunswick is bringing everybody back,’’ he said. Greenville D.H. Conley, a familiar Cape Fear playoff rival from 4-A, is also dropping down to compete at the 3-A level.

    “If we do make it to the playoffs, the competition will still be there,’’ Loney said. “I think we’ll do well this year.’’

    Photos: (L) Frankie Steins; (R) Sammi Jo Loney

  • 07Anti panhandling signFayetteville City Council isn’t satisfied with the draft of a revised ordinance the city attorney’s office has proposed to deal with panhandling in the city. Police Attorney Brandon Christian outlined an ordinance that would fine occupants of motor vehicles for giving items to panhandlers in the roadway.

    “There is ambiguity in the way the ordinance was drafted,” Christian admitted. He told council the U.S. Supreme Court has held that offering money to someone is a First Amendment form of protected free speech.

    Council members urged the city attorney’s office to concentrate on dealing with beggars as a public safety issue instead of a panhandling issue. Six months ago, council member Jim Arp raised concerns about panhandlers disrupting business, noting that customers are often preyed upon in busy shopping areas by men begging for money.

    Freshman Councilwoman Tisha Waddell urged her colleagues to stop referring to the ordinance draft as a panhandling regulation. “It’s about the safety of the streets,” Waddell said.

    Others agreed with Waddell’s views, including Police Chief Gina Hawkins.

    “We don’t have the manpower to enforce panhandling,” she said. She and others noted the existing ordinance and the new draft treat violations as civil not criminal issues. “I’m in favor of keeping safe streets for everyone, and right now it’s not safe with people in the medians,” Hawkins said.

    Mayor Pro-Tem Ted Mohn said he wanted the administration to recognize enforcement differences along residential streets and thoroughfares. He said he would be in favor of changing the ordinance to allow the exchange of items between pedestrians and motorists on neighborhood streets that are not clearly marked as traffic lanes. That, he said, would allow ice cream venders to conduct business in residential communities. He cited it as one example of the difficulty of crafting an ordinance on panhandling.

    Councilman D.J. Haire said he has concerns about penalizing people for giving money and clothing to panhandlers. Johnny Dawkins agreed. “I’m not going to support fining people for giving money,” he said.

    The city’s original ordinance, which is still on the books, was adopted in 2008. It bans panhandling in the downtown area, and everywhere in the city after dark. It prohibits panhandlers from begging while standing on roadway medians and shoulders, but as a practical matter it is rarely enforced. Courts have declined to prosecute panhandlers.

    “We have to deal with this in a comprehensive way,” Arp said. He and most other members of council want to undertake a massive public education campaign designed to discourage residents from giving money to panhandlers while at the same time keeping panhandlers out of the streets.

    “We’ve missed the point … it’s not about giving; it’s where they give,” Arp said. City staff will continue efforts to perfect an ordinance.

  • 12Robin BurnamWhen Robin Burnum relocated from Rhode Island to Hope Mills eight years ago, she’d never worked in a restaurant or experienced life in a small Southern town.

    But operating her own restaurant was something that had been on her bucket list. After her mother passed away in 2010 and left her some money, she headed South toward Fort Bragg, where her brother was stationed.

    “I was driving through Hope Mills while I was visiting and I saw a for rent sign,’’ she said. It was on the restaurant on Main Street in Hope Mills formerly known as Big John’s.

    Burnum decided to take a leap of faith and opened Robin’s on Main. “All of it is a challenge,’’ she said. “Every day’s a challenge, just learning how to cook Southern. That was a big challenge.’’

    She said it took her about a year to learn the ins and outs of preparing Southern favorites like grits and biscuits. She took tips from her helpful customers who showed her how to do it.

    Those same familiar customers became the heart and soul of her business, everyday folks she said she would be lost without.

    She’s currently open Tuesday through Friday from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m., Saturdays from 6 a.m.-1 p.m. and Sunday from 8 a.m.-1 p.m.

    Beginning April 3, those hours will change. From Thursday through Saturday, her hours will be extended until 7 p.m.

    That’s because of the long-awaited return of Hope Mills Lake, which Burnum has never experienced. When she arrived in town, the lake had disappeared for a second time when the repaired dam failed.

    “It’s a beautiful lake,’’ she said. “People tell me I’m going to be extremely busy.’’

    That’s not surprising, lake or no lake, with the offerings Burnum features on her menu.

    A breakfast favorite at Robin’s on Main is something called the Fried Pan Pileup. It includes home fries with egg, cheese, bacon, peppers and onions, topped with sausage gravy and piled into a single bowl.

    With the coming extended hours, Burnum is planning some menu changes.

    A new dinner staple will be mashed potatoes, corn and chicken or steak with gravy for dinner. On Saturdays she’ll offer T-bone or ribeye steaks.

    But Burnum isn’t just about making a profit for herself. She also gives back to the community during the holiday season.

    On Christmas Eve she offers a free meal to first responders, including police, fire and emergency medical personnel. From 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. they can dine on a buffet that includes prime rib and shrimp among other delicacies.

    On Thanksgiving, she opens her doors to provide free meals to the homeless and others down on their luck. “It’s for anybody that needs a meal,’’ she said.

    At the moment, the person most in need of help may be Burnum herself. The building her restaurant calls home is old and in need of remodeling. Her grill recently went out, and as of this writing she’s been closed a little over a week waiting for it to be replaced. By the time this story is published, she hopes to be back in business with a new grill.

    “I believe I’ll be okay,’’ she said of her regulars. “I’ve reached out to my locals and told them I’m closed.’’

    Part of the reason she thinks she’ll be fine is the nature of Hope Mills.

    “It reminds me of the ‘Andy Griffith Show,’’’ she said. “Mayberry. It’s a small town, and I believe everybody sticks together and is willing to help each other.’’

    Photo: Robin Burnum

  • 14JB baseball Brennen Herbert15JB baseball Dr. Christopher DagueJack Britt High School’s time to savor sharing last year’s first-ever share of a conference baseball championship with Cape Fear is over.

    Not only do the Buccaneers no longer have time to celebrate, they won’t even get to defend the title. Realignment by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association moved Britt out of the defunct Mid-South 4-A Conference and into the realigned and powerful Sandhills 4-A Conference, where multiple teams, including Scotland, Pinecrest, Richmond Senior and Hoke County, have state baseball championships on their respective resumes.

    But Britt head coach Dr. Christopher Dague is looking at the season ahead with anything but a negative attitude. “I feel we have a lot of positive pieces coming back,’’ Dague said. “The kids have had a good fall, and we worked hard. A lot of the reason we were successful last year is the kids bought in. I think if we do that this year, we’ll be fine.’’

    The good news for Dague is he returns a solid core of pitchers who have already committed to play baseball at the college level. The group includes Brennen Herbert, Brendan Shea and Nick Lee. Herbert will attend Appalachian State University, Shea William Peace University and Lee Wake Technical Community College.

    “Looking at it as a former pitcher, pitching wins championships,’’ Dague said of the trio.

    Herbert was 7-1 last season with a 1.25 earned run average. Lee and Shea recorded 36 and 28 strikeouts respectively.

    The big question for Dague is where the team’s offensive production will come from.

    “We’ll have to see once the season starts,’’ he said. Herbert is also among the offensive leaders returning with a .337 batting average that included a double, two triples and two home runs. He was second in Cumberland County Schools last season with 25 RBIs.

    “This year we’re going to try and win another conference championship and make a name for ourselves,’’ Herbert said. “We lost a lot of good leaders, but we can replace some of those guys. The seniors have got to do what we’ve got to do and leave on a good note.’’

    Some of the younger players Dague will be counting on to take on bigger roles are shortstop Alex Reyna and catcher Chandler Cannon.

    Cannon batted .314 for the Buccaneers last season. Reyna had five doubles and a triple and drove in 15 runs.

    “We’ve got to have a couple of guys step up and replace those guys that left,’’ Herbert said. “We’ve got to stick together."

    “We’ve got to be a team and listen to Coach Dague and all the other coaches. We’ll be fine.’’

    Photos: (L) Brennen Herbert; (R) Dr. Christopher Dague

  • 06dogwood festivalFayetteville’s Dogwood Festival has been designated the best event in the southeast U.S. by the Southeast Festivals and Events Association. The honor was announced at the association’s annual conference in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Events in eight states were eligible for awards.

    “We are beyond thrilled to bring home this prestigious award for our community,” said Carrie King, Fayetteville Dogwood Festival executive director. “The spirit of the Fayetteville community made the Dogwood Festival a natural choice for the award.”

    The Dogwood Festival has received top honors from local, state, regional and international organizations. The annual event is a private undertaking committed to providing a variety of family-centered activities each spring and has done so for 36 years. The 2018 festival will take place April 26–29 in downtown Fayetteville.

    Mayor concerned about racial inequities

    Fayetteville City Council has withdrawn City Attorney Karen McDonald’s selection of two local attorneys in a nationwide civil action against prescription opioid manufacturers and wholesale distributors. Attorneys Terry Hutchens and Billy Richardson volunteered to represent the city of Fayetteville in cooperation with two national groups of lawyers who have taken the opioid manufacturers and distributors to court.

    The lawsuit is being presided over by a single federal judge. The objectives of the legal consortiums are to recover the costs of dealing with opioid abuse and to eventually reimburse local communities for their costs of fighting the epidemic.

    Mayor Mitch Colvin objected to McDonald’s awarding of the contract to the lawyers without going through the city’s bidding process. Colvin told Up & Coming Weekly that local attorneys Jonathan Charleston, Allen Rogers and Lila Washington, all black, had asked him why they hadn’t been offered an opportunity to represent the city.

    “There needs to be local and minority inclusion in this city, and it has not happened for years,” Colvin said.

    McDonald disagreed with Colvin’s characterization of events.

    “This is a cultural change,” Colvin said.

    City council revoked McDonald’s action and ordered the administration to invite other attorneys to offer their services. No money is at stake except that eventually cities and counties could receive damages and the lawyers would earn compensation.

    Cumberland County Primary Election preliminaries

    The 2018 May Primary Elections are just around the corner. Local and state primaries are May 8 this year. Early voting begins in mid-April. Six voting places have been established for one-stop voting.

    The Board of Elections voting hours are:

    Thursday-Friday, April 19- 20; 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.

    Monday-Friday, April 23-27; 8 a.m.- 5 p.m. Saturday, April 28; 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

    Monday-Friday, April 30-May 4; 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

    Saturday, May 5; 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

    Cliffdale Recreation Center, North Regional Library, Hope Mills Recreation Center, East Regional Library and Gray’s Creek Recreation Center voting hours are:

    Thursday-Friday, April 19-20; 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

    Monday-Friday, April 23-27; 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

    Saturday, April 28; 9 a.m.-3 p.m.

    Monday-Friday, April 30-May 4; 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.

    Saturday, May 5; 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

    Grove Street bridge closed for repairs

    The Grove Street bridge over the Cape Fear River has been closed this month for repair and maintenance work that will extend its longevity. Concrete repairs are being made below the bridge. Deck joints on the driving surface are also being fixed. The bridge was built in 1974 and carries about 25,000 vehicles a day. Portable detour signs have been erected.

    While the bridge is closed, locals are being detoured using Cedar Creek Road and Clinton Road, which becomes Person Street, and U.S. 301/Business 95.

    For updates on the bridge closure or other realtime travel information, go to DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on Twitter.

    PWC water changes may be noticeable

    The Fayetteville Public Works Commission has temporarily stopped adding ammonia to its water treatment disinfection process. The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources requires all water systems that add ammonia to their drinking water to discontinue its use for a one-month period annually. PWC will resume adding ammonia to the water treatment disinfection process April 1.

    This month, fire hydrants are being opened frequently to flush the water distribution system. During the month, chlorine may be more noticeable, and some customers may experience discolored water because of the flushing.

    FTCC hosts Fayetteville’s fourth annual Foodtrepreneur Forum this Thursday

    Kent Hill, FTCC director of the Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Small Business, is excited that the school, alongside the Center for Economic Empowerment and Development, is cohosting Fayetteville’s fourth annual Foodtrepreneur Forum Thursday, March 15. The conference and expo focuses on the rapidly growing opportunities for food trucks and other mobile food service options, such as pushcarts and pop-up coffee bars. The event will begin at 8 a.m. in the Tony Rand Student Center at FTCC’s Fayetteville campus, located at 2201 Hull Rd.

    Attendees will be offered a variety of learning opportunities, including how to build a solid business plan for any food truck and how to collaborate with other local mobile businesses. There will be advice and testimonies from successful restaurateurs and food truck owners. Food industry experts will be on hand offering advice. There is even a tour of the successful “R Burger” food truck scheduled.

    In addition, there will be a panel discussion about how to get started in the food truck business, managing costs, food truck public and trade relations and obstacles to avoid in food truck marketing.

    Kent Hill and FTCC’s Center for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Small Business is the go-to resource for helpful business seminars, one-onone confidential business counseling and expert guidance to assist entrepreneurs in launching new businesses or to help existing businesses grow their companies. All these FTCC SBC services, seminars and resources are free.

    Online registration is required for entry to the free Foodtrepreneur Forum on March 15. Seating is limited, so early registration is highly recommended. Visit http://tiny.cc.ftccsbc to secure your spot.

     

  • 02baseball pub penThe Fayetteville City Council voted 9-1 to approve $300,000 of city funds for the baseball stadium construction with the only holdout being District 2 Councilman Tyrone Williams.

    What is that all about? The Fayetteville Observer reported that Williams’ rejection was because of his concern over the costs. Few people are buying that explanation, and many are hoping he will provide a more detailed and justified explanation in the very near future. After all, his District 2 includes the heart of downtown Fayetteville and is in the best position to benefit from the baseball stadium development project.

    Another reason for disappointment in and skepticism of his vote is that the baseball stadium is the biggest economic development opportunity Fayetteville has seen in decades. And, even though being fiscally responsible with taxpayers’ money is the highest priority of every council member, the people expect the city council, including Williams, to know and understand all the short-term and long-term economic benefits and positive quality-of-life implications a project of this magnitude will have on the community.

    Here are my thoughts about this major undertaking and why nine out of 10 council members did support the additional $300,000 of city funding.

    The baseball stadium and the new development that will come to Fayetteville as a result will no doubt be a catalyst for future economic growth. We already have indicators predicting that. This means Fayetteville and Cumberland County will be able to recruit new businesses and industry to the community. This means new job creation and the ability to expand our tax base beyond residential property owners. What’s not to like about that?

    In addition, the new baseball stadium will be the home of the World Series Champions – the Houston Astros. Fayetteville will receive national exposure as the country focuses on the Astros’ Minor League training and development of the superstars of tomorrow. All of this will be great for attracting new businesses and industry to Cumberland County. Fayetteville negotiated a $9 million, 30- year lease with the Astros. This is a longterm investment.

    Another unique and encouraging feature of the baseball stadium project is that it comes with an immediate private commitment and investment of $65 million of new economic development, including renovation of the Prince Charles Hotel (again), a much-needed flagship hotel that will be named very soon, a parking deck, residential condominiums and corporate office spaces.

    It’s all part of the master plan with a projected $7.2 million in annual economic output. The annual labor income is projected $1.7 million with 1,086 fulltime construction jobs just to build the stadium. In addition, we can expect new property tax revenue and increased sales tax revenues for both the city and county. More hotel beds, more restaurants, more shopping and more visitors.

    If that’s not enough, consider this: No tax rate adjustments are anticipated for the stadium funding model. Lease payments provide 17 percent of the funding; parking revenues are expected to provide 8 percent of the funding; new development at the Hay Street site estimates city and county taxes to provide 15 percent of funding; and the savings from a variety of areas within the General Fund are expected to provide 60 percent of the required funding.

    I am not well-versed in all the details of the baseball stadium project. However, everything I mentioned above provides national exposure and makes Fayetteville and Cumberland County attractive to newcomers and new business and industry. All of this works in conjunction with the prescribed city and county mandates to help retain current business, increase Fayetteville’s civic and community pride and improve quality of life for our residents.

    I’m sure Councilman Williams of District 2 has a better understanding of the stadium project than I do. In the big scheme of things, $300,000 sounds like a pretty good investment to me. I hope he comes around. We need leaders with vision. This is no time to be on the sidelines playing it safe or being coy. This is the future of our community. We need to move aggressively forward with the baseball stadium master plan and do it in a way that fosters inclusion, enthusiasm, excitement and cooperation. In other words, it’s time for us to “play ball,” and we desperately need to win this game.

    For the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community, this is our World Series. It’s the last inning of the final game, the score is tied, the bases are loaded, and (your name here) is coming up to bat.

    Thank you for playing, I mean, thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 11Paint A 1 Bob Kretzu 2Dr. Bob Kretzu, pastor at Hope Mills United Methodist Church, thinks there’s a connection between art and faith.

    “Art is an inherently spiritual activity,’’ he said. “It’s like a meditative, creative process.’’

    That’s why for the second year in a row he’s offering something called Paint and Pray. Every Friday from noon until four through Good Friday, all are invited to come to Hope Mills United Methodist Church at 4955 Legion Rd. and work on their own artistic creation while taking part in a time of prayer and meditation.

    Before he got into pastoral ministry 25 years ago, Kretzu, a former resident of Honolulu, Hawaii, had extensive experience in the world of art. He started as a child, taking classes at the Honolulu Museum of Art. Eventually he got into industrial design, commercial art and computer graphics.

    All that took place while he was out of the ministry. Painting is actually a late addition to his talents. He didn’t take that up seriously until 2012.

    “It’s a really accessible way of using art in a pastoral setting,’’ he said of the Paint and Pray gatherings.

    He especially likes doing portraits and prefers to work in oils, but for the purpose of the Paint and Pray meetings he tries to keep things simple for potential newcomers to the world of art.

    “For working with kids or adults, teaching art, acrylics are so much faster,’’ he said. “They dry faster, are easier to work with and wash out with water.’’

    He got the idea for Paint and Pray when he was pondering what to do for the Lenten season last year at Hope Mills. “This church didn’t have a tradition of Stations of the Cross,’’ Kretzu said. So instead of actually observing the Stations of the Cross, Kretzu decided to offer people the chance to paint them.

    This year, he’s shifted the emphasis to the seven days of creation.

    People from all over are invited to come and bring their own art supplies and take part. Kretzu said acrylic paint, inexpensive paint canvas and easels are readily available from a number of local businesses.

    To keep purchases at a minimum, Kretzu said you can get by without an easel, although he prefers to use one. For colors, he suggests focusing on red, blue, yellow, black and white. He only uses two brushes, one flat tip and one pointed tip. For a palette, he suggests a plastic plate.

    Some people have kept things really simple, he said, and just brought a pad of drawing paper and either pencil or charcoal.

    “People make their own interpretation, and I think that’s a good process,’’ he said. “This year we’re each doing our own interpretation of creation.’’

    Kretzu thinks the community aspect of the program helps encourage people both in exploring art and in developing spiritually.

    “It’s easier to be in a fitness program if you’ve got an accountability partner,’’ he said. “Obviously, some artists do fine working alone, but I think there’s a significant number that need that kind of collaboration, encouragement and accountability.’’

    For those with no background in art, Kretzu is glad to lend his guidance and expertise.

    He shares advice on choice of colors and tips on how to create an image.

    “We try to get it all done within four hours,’’ he said. “It involves simplifying the image. I go around and help people with color mixing.’’

    Kretzu said he once read a story about a ballerina who was asked after a performance what it meant to her. He said the ballerina replied, “If I could have put it in words I wouldn’t have danced it.”

    “When you paint, there is something spiritual I believe that happens, whether you are painting a sacred subject or not. There’s a spiritual dialogue going on. You meditate on the subject matter.’’

    Newcomers are welcome to join the weekly sessions each Friday from now until Good Friday on March 30. For more information, contact Kretzu at the church at 910-425-0108.

    Photo: Dr. Bob Kretzu 

  • 01 UAC0031418001Cape Fear Regional Theatre will bring Ayad Akhtar’s Pulitzer Prize winning play “Disgraced” to the stage March 15- 25. With special events planned to complement the production, CFRT is inviting local audiences to start a conversation on topics usually not discussed in polite company – religion, politics, immigration and racism.

    “Any opportunity to discuss these topics in any local community would be a good thing to allow people to review their own viewpoints and challenge them,” said Dr. Andrew Ziegler Jr., professor and chair of the political science department at Methodist University.

    Ziegler will serve as the moderator for a pre-show discussion March 18 at CFRT called “No Politics at Dinner: How Do We Discuss Difficult Topics.”

    These hot-button topics will be on full display in “Disgraced,” said CFRT Artistic Director Mary Kate Burke. The story deals with how the topic of radical Islam affects public discourse on our differences in race and creed. It examines how we not only have preconceived ideas of other people, but also often struggle with our own self-identity.

    “This particular show is taking on some tough issues,” Ziegler said. “But theater allows us to do that.”

    In the play, two couples meet for dinner. As they exchange observations about careers, faith and politics, tempers flare and things get tense. Secrets are revealed and lives are upended.

    Amir is a Pakistani-American lawyer working for a Jewish firm in New York. He is set for a huge promotion until he agrees to defend an Islamic imam accused of terrorism. Amir’s wife, Emily, is an artist about to book a major gallery showing of her work based on Islamic imagery. The couple hosts Isaac, a Jewish curator, and his wife, Jory, an African- American woman who works at Amir’s firm.

    Director Dani Keil said the play presents complicated characters and enough action to pull the audience in before delivering a “gut punch” that will leave them with questions and conflicting feelings.

    “I know the audience will like these characters and, at times, not like these characters,” Keil said.

    As the story unfolds, our empathy for those characters changes, Burke said.

    “There are no heroes and villains, just complicated people,” Burke said. “It’s really the best kind of family drama. The heart of the play is when people judge you based on some perception of who you are.”

    “(The play shows) the importance of listening, the importance of being able to say ‘I was wrong,’ the importance of being a part of a community and still being able to challenge its notions,” she said.

    Actor Raji Ahsan, who plays Amir, has performed in two productions of the play and said he learns more about himself and the characters each time.

    “All the characters have flaws,” Ahsan said. “I believe everybody in this play does something disgraceful.

    “This play really challenges stereotypes. The idea of identity is made up of myriad things, not just how you were raised.”

    His character Amir is in a battle of identity and reinvention – wanting to fit in and find success, but unable to reconcile his culture with the American dream. He finds that even if you distance yourself from your culture, the outside world may never see past their preconceived notions of you.

    The play presents an opportunity to address such notions and start a dialogue, said Burke.

    “These characters are debating various issues around their lives and identities and who deserves success and not,” Burke said. “The experience of watching the characters going through it hopefully allows you to consider how you treat other people.”

    Ziegler said his previous military service and deployments overseas helped him learn the importance of opening a dialogue to gain awareness of stereotypes in order to bridge divides among people of different backgrounds.

    “The notion of acceptance and tolerance – it’s okay for people to hold different viewpoints but not to demonize people who hold different viewpoints than our own,” Ziegler said. “I think most of us do not confront beliefs and ideas that we disagree with. The theater gives incentive for people to go and creates an opportunity to hear and see things they might not face.”

    Listening is the first step in recognizing some of these ideas, Ahsan said.

    “Humans have a problem listening,” he said. “It’s the downfall of any sort of progress – personal or professional. Things only change when we accept a point of view we never really considered.”

    Seth Shelden, who plays museum curator Isaac, said “Disgraced” presents no clear answers or assertions of right or wrong. “I couldn’t tell you what the author’s political affiliations are,” he said. “He’s showing us how hard it is to tell other people what your identity is.

    “It’s human nature to define who we are, tell other people who we are, and decide who other people are.”

    The problem arises when people attempt to speak for another’s identity, such as Lauren Mae Shafer’s character Emily.

    “She is a white woman doing art based on Islamic traditions,” Shafer said.

    Burke said “Disgraced” is being produced in an intimate manner, with the audience sitting on three sides of the stage.

    “We want people to feel unclear about what their own preconceived notions are,” Burke said. It mimics voyeurism, she said, where the audience members will feel as if they are in Amir’s apartment, watching this story unfold right before their eyes.

    This arrangement does limit seating on the already limited-run show, so audience members are encouraged to get their tickets early.

    In addition to Ahsan, Shelden and Shafer, the cast includes Alason Little as Jory and Darius Shafa as Abe.

    CFRT has a number of special events scheduled to support “Disgraced.”

    Preview Night Art Fun

    Friday, March 16, at 7:30 p.m. at CFRT. Be the first to see “Disgraced” and stay after for hands-on art making with dessert and tea.

    Opening Night Celebration

    Saturday, March 17, at 7:30 p.m. Stay after the show to celebrate with the cast and creative team.

    “No Politics at Dinner: How Do We Discuss Difficult Topics”

    Sunday, March 18, at 1 p.m. at CFRT

    Discussing politics and religion in social settings is often frowned upon, but what are the benefits of talking about these topics? Break the rules of polite conversation as experts and journalists lead a pre-show discussion. The discussion will be moderated by Dr. Andrew Ziegler Jr. of Methodist University. Panelists include Dr. Naveed Aziz, Dr. JR Hustwit and Paul Woolverton from The Fayetteville Observer.

    Military Appreciation Night

    Wednesday, March 21, at 7:30 p.m.

    Military members and family receive discounted tickets for the show.

    “Disgraced” is a limited-run show March 15-25 with limited seating based on a new stage configuration. The play is rated R due to its language and violence. There are discounts for military, seniors and students. For tickets or more information on special events, contact CFRT at 910-323-4233 or visit www.cfrt.org.

  • 05OpioidI completely admire King Solomon’s prayer for wisdom. Nowhere is true wisdom more needed than with our city’s insistence that we halt our participation in the opioid litigation and that the local firms hired by the city meet the city’s often-ignored policy of promoting minority-owned businesses.

    We should admire and respect our mayor’s resolve in enforcing this policy once and for all. So intent is his commitment to this policy, he convinced the council to rescind a lawfully executed contract the city had done through its attorney after the council had empowered her to act.

    The signed contract involved my firm and the Hutchens firm as local counsel – after we were associated by the national firm of McHugh Fuller Law Group and six other national firms that are representing over 200 municipalities in seeking damages from four of the largest opioid distributors in the country. These distributors willfully violated our country’s schedule II law as it relates to controlled substance distribution after their own studies “proved” their premise that opioids are non-addictive when a patient is in pain.

    This group has successfully won the first suit in West Virginia, and they are in good standing with the court that presided over that trial and is now in charge of the next round of litigation. In other words, with this firm, we are in the room with the decision-makers and with the court that will decide the merits of the case.

    It is essentially a front row seat to the mediation settlement and our trial of this litigation.

    The move to rescind this contract to promote Fayetteville’s ignored policy regarding minority-owned businesses, albeit a noble one, is a dangerous move. In doing so, not only are we not in the room, we are not in the suit itself. Given the current posture of the situation, neither the county nor the city has any designs to act promptly even though the judge in the case has issued an edict saying he intends to expedite the signup period and begin settlement negotiations as soon as possible.

    My fear is that this delay will cause Fayetteville and Cumberland County to miss out on a potential eight-figure recovery, which we sorely need to augment our depleted budget. There is a Latin phrase used in the law, “Vigilantilous et non dormientibus jura subvenunt.” It means, “The law assists those that are vigilant with their rights and not those who sleep thereupon.”

    My fear is well-founded, as this judge has made it clear that the train is about to leave the station. Thus, to delay signing up, we take a substantial risk of being left out of the chance to receive a substantial recovery. As the old saying goes, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

    How did we get to this point? In October 2017, I was approached by a group of well-respected North Carolina attorneys who were hired by the six other national firms. Their job was to act as local counsel and to promptly engage as many North Carolina counties and larger municipalities as possible. This was because the court had recently ruled in West Virginia that the four major distributors were, in fact, responsible for the substantial uptick in addiction to opioids. The ruling and verdict opened the door for counties and cities to participate in recovering monies for the strain on services the opioid addiction epidemic has placed upon them.

    The litigation is similar to the tobacco litigation of the ’80s and ’90s and is based on sound fact, legal authority and precedent. It was stressed to me that time was a rare commodity and the court was going to allow a relatively short time to sign up those entities that were damaged by this plague.

    Toward that end, the group wanted Cumberland County and Fayetteville enrolled and asked if I would set up a meeting with the county officials, including the county manager, the director of the health department and lead counsel. I was glad to do this, and in late October of 2017, one of the lead lawyers in the case met with myself, the director of the health department, the county manager and several other top officials.

    By all accounts, all agreed Cumberland County and the city have a substantial need to be involved in the case for many reasons.

    1. Cumberland County is in the top 20 in the nation in opioid addictions.

    2. The tobacco litigation has created a viable legal theory to craft a very winnable case. In fact, the case has been won in West Virginia.

    3. Our county and city resources have been stretched to their maximum in no short measure due to the opioid plague. Consider 85 percent of our incarcerated population is in jail due to addiction.

    4. To be reimbursed by those who helped cause this crisis is only fair. They caused the harm. They should help fix it.

    Further, the evidence is overwhelming that despite knowing this addictive quality, they perpetuated a fraud on medical personnel and the public that “one cannot become addicted to opioids while in true pain.” Not only is it very possible to become addicted to opioids while in pain, but a person must with each succeeding dose take more of the drug just to reach the same pain reduction threshold. The strain on our hospitals, mental health professionals and law enforcement is extremely burdensome.

    We left the meeting fully believing we had everyone’s support and that our county and city were going to rapidly take steps to get in the mix of the many cities and counties that have signed up to be involved in the case. Despite our best efforts to date, we are still on the outside looking in.

    My deepest fear is that our effort to honor a very noble and much-needed policy will delay us to the point it costs us a seat at the table on this important litigation.

    The solution: I believe we have a two-pronged approach that, if followed, can enforce a well-intended policy and still allow us to be seated at the table. But it requires deliberate and fast action on behalf of the county and the city. First, longterm, our businesses and firms doing business with the city and county should make every effort to reflect our community. We are stronger united. Toward that end, our firm is committed to honoring the mayor’s edict and has a stated goal that our personnel mirror our community. We have lawyers who are Asian-American, Hispanic- American, African-American and both male and female. Our staff has four Hispanic-Americans who are bilingual. I can honestly say I have never enjoyed a group of wonderful colleagues more.

    But we are not 51 percent minority-owned. Therefore, do we comply with this policy or not? Frankly, it matters not. We certainly comply with a track record of success, and our dream is that we follow our mayor’s lead and show talented, committed diversity works.

    Second, let’s select three firms to serve as local counsel. Let’s honor our previous commitment and add a third majority minority-owned firm to help with the litigation. But let’s do so promptly.

    So, let’s open the doors of opportunity and promptly select firms to shepherd our community into this unique and complex litigation. As Mark Twain stated, “It’s never wrong to do the right thing.” But let’s make sure the road less traveled leads to prosperity and not despair. In pursuing equal representation for minorities, let’s not miss out on an equally important opportunity. We have the chance to reimburse our community for the monies expended and the misery caused by the distributors pushing pills onto a public and a medical community who were not quite ready to fully understand the ramifications of such a policy.

    If our city and county officials will act deliberately and quickly, we can have both a meaningful policy of diversity in hiring local firms and be involved in the opioid litigation. However, if we delay and debate this issue ad infinitum, we could very well lose a seat at the table. It is time to put aside any disagreements on this issue and act in the best interest of the citizens of this community.

    Toward that end, my firm stands ready, willing and able to partner with any other firm that the city chooses to have us partner with. I wish the city and the county the best in their efforts in weighing these two competing policies in hopes they can have both policies succeed at the same time.

  • 16PineForestBowlingOpen season may be a good thing for a hunter, but for a bowler it’s about as bad as it can get.

    In bowling, going open means not knocking down as many pins as possible in a turn or frame of a game. Pine Forest bowling coach Heidi Henry said her boys team had a lot of open frames during the regular season that caused her squad to struggle.

    She repeatedly told her players if they could pull it together, nobody could beat them. They finally proved her right in this year’s state bowling championships at Fayetteville’s B&B Lanes. The Trojans battled back from being third seed to defeat No. 2 Lakewood 292-202 and No. 1 Gray’s Creek 295-241 to take the title.

    Henry praised the performance of junior Jacob Ezzelle in the championship match as a key to Pine Forest’s victory.

    “He had only one or two open frames during bracket play, which is really critical,” Henry said.

    Ezzelle was bowling in the No. 3 position for the Trojans. “If he opened, that’s an open in the middle of the game, which is essentially where it could hurt you the most,’’ Henry said.

    Having Ezzelle avoid open frames helped set up the fourth and fifth bowlers in the Pine Forest lineup to perform with more confidence in the closing frames, to score well and have a good game for the team.

    Ezzelle has been bowling since he was a freshman, following in the footsteps of his brother who was also a member of the Trojan bowling team.

    He called bowling a serious sport that is also relaxing.

    While Ezzelle said he always had high hopes for a good season, he didn’t think this year’s Trojan team would make it as far as it did.

    “It was little things here and there that hurt us,’’ he said of the team’s regular-season problems. “I wouldn’t say I was disappointed. I felt we could have done better.’’

    Ezzelle said the team went back to basics and focused on practice at an individual level to overcome its earlier mistakes.

    He thinks prospects for the future of bowling at Pine Forest look good.

    “We’re losing one senior and we’ve got some young guys that are going to step up,’’ he said. “I think we’ll be fine.’’

    As for Ezzelle, he said he plans to listen to Henry, not be as hard-headed and keep practicing.

    Photo: L to R: Jacob Ezzelle, Dominik Lipari, Noah Hash, Justin Turner, Kendell St. Peter, William Bonds, Coach Heidi Henry, Jonathan Henderson, Manager Nakeithia Butcher

  • 14HM firetruck4When it comes to safety from the danger of fire, the citizens of Hope Mills can breathe a little easier these days.

    The town will soon replace a pair of fire trucks that have been in service a total of nearly 50 years. Two state-of-the-art vehicles built from the ground up by the Rosenbauer Group will take their place.

    Rosenbauer, which is based in Austria, is one of three manufacturers of fire-fighting vehicles worldwide.

    “They’ve been here for about 16 or 17 years,’’ said Hope Mills fire Chief Chuck Hodges of Rosenbauer. “We went with Rosenbauer because we’ve had real good service with the previous trucks we’ve had. I think it will do a good job for the town.’’

    The two new trucks are priced at $499,000 each, Hodges said. They were built from the tires up to specific instructions provided by the town. It took about a year to build each one.

    Both of these trucks are pumper tankers, Hodges said. “Basically, a tanker is like a mobile hydrant system,’’ Hodges aid. “There are some areas we respond to that don’t have hydrants. That extra water is helpful.’’

    Each truck is also equipped with what Hodges called a jet dump operation. That means if they get to a fire scene where even more water is needed than the truck carries, they can offload the water in the truck in what amounts to a portable swimming pool and then go get water from another nearby source like a pond.

    “The water in the pool can be drafted while they get more water,’’ he said.

    The minimum crew to staff a pumper is three firefighters, Hodges said, but the truck can accommodate a crew of up to six.

    Hodges said his firemen are currently preparing to put the new trucks into action as they transfer existing firefighting equipment from the old trucks.

    The only new equipment that came with the trucks is the radios.

    Items being moved from the old trucks include hoses, nozzles, axes and pike poles, Hodges said.

    The oldest of the two trucks being mustered out of service was a 1986 model. The other is a 1998.

    While the yardstick for determining when to retire most vehicles is mileage, Hodges said that’s not a good indicator of age on a fire truck.

    Hodges said the typical lifespan of a fire truck in a moderately busy fire department is 15 to 20 years.

    “When you’re dealing with fire apparatus, it’s not the miles, it’s the pump hours,’’ he said. That means when the truck travels to a fire scene, it may only go a few miles on the odometer. But the real wear and tear on the engine occurs at the scene of a fire when you calculate how long the motor had to run to power the firefighting machinery aboard when the truck doesn’t move an inch.

    “You pump six hours, that’s still wear and tear on the engine,’’ Hodges said. “Anything mechanical, over time, just starts to wear out, and it costs money to repair.’’

    He thinks the townspeople of Hope Mills should be pleased once the new trucks are fully operational, most likely before the end of February.

    “It’s something we shouldn’t have any issues with,’’ Hodges said.

  • 04CoolioI walked out to the street recently and picked up my copy of The Fayetteville Observer. There was the headline, “2018 Dogwood Festival features rap, rock, country.” I was saddened, but not surprised, to see that rap artists will be featured at this year’s festival. In what follows, I explain the reasons for my sadness … and that sadness runs deep.

    With a 13-year-old black girl who I mentor, I am reading “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens” by Sean Covey. Early in the book, Covey addresses the importance of paradigms in the life of a person. He writes, “A paradigm is the way you see something; it’s your point of view, frame of reference or belief. Sometimes our paradigms are way off the mark, and, as a result, they create limitations. For instance, you may be convinced that you don’t have what it takes to get into college. But, remember, Ptolemy was just as convinced that the earth was the center of the universe.”

    Later in the book Covey says, “Paradigms are like glasses. When you have incomplete paradigms about yourself or life in general, it’s like wearing glasses with the wrong prescription.”

    Therein is the reason for my sadness. With absolutely no reservation, I contend that the appearance of rap artists at the Dogwood Festival will likely substantially contribute negatively to the formation of paradigms by black attendees. This might also be the case with some whites, but my focus here is on black attendees. My concern, my sadness, is not only driven by the personal appearance of and lyrics employed by most artists in this genre, but also by how rap came to the Dogwood Festival.

    In November 2016, I wrote a column titled, “Dogwood Festival Music Diversity: An opportunity for exercising leadership.” That column is available at www.karlmerritt.com/category/articles/page/3. I relayed how some members of Fayetteville City Council were pressuring the Dogwood Festival executive director and board of directors to diversify the music offerings. I think “pressuring” is a rather mild way of describing what was done. At the bottom line, they called for including music genres that appealed to blacks. Even beyond diversity in music, there was a not-so-subtle call for including blacks on the board of directors.

    I saw this as local government making demands on a very successful effort that was started by volunteers, and with very minimally paid staff – it is carried primarily by volunteers. The formula for success, from my vantage point, was one that focused on country music, a family atmosphere, financially supporting worthy causes, helping make Fayetteville attractive for business and promoting economic growth. Then-Mayor-pro-tem Mitch Colvin, now mayor, argued that the city was providing police and other support to the festival. Read my November 2016 column to get what I believe is a thoughtful response to that argument.

    have no doubt that what I have summarized here, and presented in detail in 2016, resulted in the Dogwood Festival adding rap to the entertainment lineup. Simply put, in the name of diversity, I believe that they were forced to do it. My observation is that any time there is a call for diversity, charges of racism immediately follow if white Americans do not instantly provide whatever is demanded. Although used routinely and far too often without foundation, the racism charge has great power.

    Looking at all of this, I would argue that the message received by black Americans is: Do not invest in organizing, in building anything of worth … just force your way in on what others have built and organized. Even though implementing your desired changes might jeopardize the ongoing success of what is in place, demand the changes anyway – in the name of diversity. You have this right because of past discrimination, slavery, being disadvantaged, constituting a certain percentage of the population and a multitude of other reasons.

    Let there be no doubt – the message described in the preceding paragraph contributes to creating paradigms in individuals. The resulting paradigm is the kind that allows one to believe it is acceptable to, in protesting, burn down businesses owned by people who had absolutely nothing to do with whatever started the protest. From the black perspective, this seeming license to force one’s way into what has been built by whites feeds a view of self as victim and whites as the enemy.

    All of this is not only destructive to the individual, but also to our nation. I see the pressure process that, I believe, brought rap to the Dogwood Festival as a prime example of contributing to negative paradigms in people, especially black Americans. Seeing this process play out is a saddening experience for me.

    Then there is how I believe the personal appearance of, and lyrics presented by, these artists will likely negatively affect paradigm formation among attendees. Consider Coolio, one of the rap artists scheduled to appear. What follows are a few lines from his rap “Is this me?”

    Mossberg Smith and Wesson

    Forty-five let me tell you how I learned my lesson

    House party in the hood at some niggas I don’t know

    But I had to go they had a house full of hoes

    I stepped into that party with my nigga high off that head

    The hoes is looking good so we try to make a friend for night

    Let’s get it right let’s get it straight”

    Then, the song ends with these lyrics:

    “These streets won’t let me go

    I can’t escape this life

    That they got me trapped inside

    This really really really ain’t me

    But the streets won’t let me go

    I can’t escape this life

    That they got me trapped inside.

    Granted, these are just snippets of a Coolio rap. However, they provide a sense as to what will likely be presented in what has been a family-oriented event. I do not see any reason to believe lyrics of this type help develop positive paradigms that are critical to successful living. Instead, just the opposite can reasonably be expected. That is sad.

    Please visit coolioworld.com/photos and view photos of Coolio. Doing so is essential to understanding and appreciating the case I am making in this paragraph. In my estimation, except for one photo of him in a suit, Coolio presents himself in a fashion that does not inspire selfrespect, self-worth or any of the other attributes conducive to successful and responsible living. Consequently, personal appearance will likely be another negative input to the paradigms of many in the audience.

    I have used Coolio in explaining my sadness regarding rap at the Dogwood Festival. However, be assured I have the same concerns in reference to rap artists in general. That is because all of them, that I have seen, pose the same threat to positive paradigms as I have presented here.

    In the midst of my sadness, I find hope in knowing that I will do everything in my power to ensure that the kinds of forces described above do not influence the paradigm development of that 13-year-old black girl I mentor. If people across this nation do not take a similar stand, we will continue to see young lives destroyed due to failure-producing paradigms.

    Photo: Coolio

     

  • 18Northwood Temple girlsFor the third time in five seasons, the Northwood Temple Academy girls are state basketball champions.

    The Eagles brought home this season’s North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 1-A title with a convincing 70-57 win over Neuse Christian in the championship game at Forsyth Country Day.

    They ended the season with a 22-5 record.

    Head coach Donald Moore credited the team’s conditioning and everyone buying into playing a specific role as keys to the championship.

    “It wasn’t just one person,’’ he said. “We have one person leading in scoring (Ciara Moore), one in rebounding (Shenell Davis) and one in blocks (Arielle Wilson). It was a team effort.’’

    It all started with a long off-season where Moore focused on strength and conditioning, then continued with a tough non-conference schedule in regular season to prepare the Eagles for the run to the championship.

    “We were able to find out what we were weak in and the areas we needed to improve,’’ Moore said of the non-conference schedule.

    In the state semifinal round, the Eagles scored a 68-57 win over the Burlington School that wasn’t as easy as the score might indicate.

    “We were down most of the game,’’ Moore said. “Arielle and Ciara got in foul trouble.’’ With them sitting on the bench, Kendal Moore stepped up. “Kendal kept us in the game in the first half and Arielle hit some big threes in the second half,’’ Moore said.

    The championship game featured the best point production of the season for Northwood as seven players scored. Ciara Moore led with 26 points, Kendal with 19 and Davis 12.

    “We were able to use our athleticism and defensively focus on stopping their two big scorers, two Brazilian players with a ton of experience,’’ Moore said.

    Ciara Moore said the championship meant a lot after working so hard all season. “Kendal and I grew up together,’’ Moore said of her cousin. “We’ve been playing since we were five years old. It really brings a strong bond of chemistry, and it shows on the court.’’

    Kendal Moore said the underclassmen like herself and Ciara wanted a championship ring for the team’s seniors. Already committed to play at North Carolina State University, Moore said having the pressure of her college decision behind her makes it easier to focus on playing for Northwood. “I know where I want to go,’’ she said. “I don’t have to worry about the schools contacting me.’’

    Coach Moore only loses two seniors on this year’s team, Wilson and Davis.

    His players don’t play a great deal of summer basketball, he said, but he’s confident about next season. “Based on how I saw some of the other players play this year, I’m looking forward to coaching next year,’’ he said. “We’ve got some good pieces coming back.’’

    Photos: Front row, L to R: Valerie Veauthier, Morgan Smith, Kendal Moore (daughter), Ciara Moore (niece), Kaitlyn Jumalon, Megan Eaker, Head Coach Donald Moore. Back row, L to R: Shenell Davis, Jasmon Nolin, Ally McMillan, Arielle Wilson

  • 09Amazing GraceGivens Performing Arts Center presents Broadway’s “Amazing Grace: The Musical” at UNC-Pembroke Tuesday, March 13, at 7:30 p.m.

    The musical, written by Christopher Smith and Arthur Giron, is the story of John Newton, the captain of a slave ship who joins the abolition movement. Newton is best known for writing the famous hymn “Amazing Grace,” giving the musical its name. The story includes themes of romance, rebellion and redemption.

    Newton, son of a slave trader, comes of age in Britain in the 1700s. He is torn between following in his father’s footsteps and following his heart and the guidance of his childhood sweetheart. It is on the high seas in the company of his slave, Thomas, that Newton faces his reality and wrestles with his conscience.

    “Every audience that sees it has the same reaction,” said Carolyn Rossi Copeland, producer of the musical. “They are moved, they understand that change is possible for even the worst of human beings.”

    North Carolina is one of 27 states the musical is showing in during its eight-week tour. The national tour is led by Gabriel Barre, the original Broadway director, and Christopher Gattelli, the original Broadway choreographer.

    “My husband is from North Carolina, I’ve had three daughters go to school in North Carolina. So, I’m glad we get to come to North Carolina,” said Copeland, adding that the traveling performance does its best to replicate the feeling of seeing the show on Broadway.

    “We really worked very hard to duplicate what people would’ve seen on Broadway,” she said. “The first act is one of the most beautiful scenic acts in theater.”

    UNC-Pembroke hosts “Amazing Grace: The Musical” Tuesday, March 13, at 7:30 p.m. at the GPAC. Ticket prices range from $21 to $41 for alumni; $16 for children or non- UNCP students; $16 for faculty or staff; and $10 for UNCP students. Visit www.uncp.edu/gpac to purchase tickets.

  • Meetings

    Hope Mills Board of Commissioners Monday, March 19, at 7 p.m. at Hope Mills Town Hall.

    Public Meeting No. 3 Monday, March 26, 6-8 p.m., at Hope Mills Parks and Rec. The purpose of this meeting is to present transportation planning recommendations and to solicit public questions and feedback. To learn more, visit www.HopeMillsPlan.org.

    Activities at Hope Mills Parks and Recreation: 5770 Rockfish Rd.

    St. Patrick’s Day Dance Saturday, March 17, 6-8 p.m. • Game room is open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

    Skate park hours through March 31: Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sunday, 1 p.m.-6 p.m. April 1-Oct. 31: Monday-Saturday: 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Sunday: 1-9 p.m.

    Open gym closed until further notice.

    Parks and Rec Senior Programs

    Senior programs 55 plus: Various activities for seniors are available Monday through Friday at the recreation center. For specific times and events, go to townofhopemills.com and follow the links to Hope Mills Parks and Recreation.

    St. Paddy’s Bash Friday, March 16, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. in the Community Room. Free. This is a potluck social, so please bring a dish to share. Drinks and entertainment will be provided. Sign up to attend at the front reception desk. Only 100 seats available. Call 910-426-4109 for more information.

    Social Knitting and Crocheting Fridays, 10 a.m.-noon, in the small activity room. Those planning to attend must provide their own supplies and projects.

    Brunch and Bingo originally scheduled this month has been postponed due to a space conflict and will hopefully be moved to March.

    Promote yourself

    Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • 17GraysBowlingWith a core of veteran bowlers returning, Gray’s Creek bowling coach Sam Bullard felt his girls squad had a shot at a good season. It just took them until this year’s state championship competition at Fayetteville’s B&B Lanes to realize it.

    The Bears topped Lumberton 295-241 in the finals to claim team honors.

    Bullard gave a lot of the credit to seniors Nicolette Kenton, Angel Pope and Jade Wilds.

    “They stepped up a whole lot,’’ he said. “They came in big when they needed to come in big.’’

    Bullard said most of his veteran players are also league bowlers and get the benefit of year-round competition. “The year before last they came in runner-up in the state,’’ he said. “I knew we would have a pretty good shot at it and just had to have things fall right.’’

    It looked like that might not be the case after Gray’s Creek led the conference bowling race much of the regular season. But when the conference tournament was held, a different format was used from previous years, and Gray’s Creek didn’t adjust to it well. “It was just a format thing,’’ Bullard said. “It caught us on a bad day. I think we could have pulled it out, but that wasn’t the way it was.’’

    Terry Sanford wound up winning the conference tournament, but the Bears still managed to qualify for a bid into the state tournament.

    Bullard said Gray’s Creek had a little bit of luck in the state tournament, with his team mostly having clean frames and picking up spares. “They were making sure they were getting as many pins as they could and getting to that second ball,’’ he said.

    Kenton and Pope were particularly impressive for Gray’s Creek in the state tournament.

    “I got a few strikes and picked up most of my spares,’’ said Kenton. “That was good.”

    A league bowler, Kenton plans to continue competing at the intramural level when she enrolls in college.

    Pope has been bowling since the age of five. “The best thing was to keep my composure and bowl well for our team,’’ she said. “I tried to get the best pin count as much as possible.’’

    Winning the state title meant everything in the world to her, she said. “I just really wanted to show how good we are, that we could actually win and put our names out there.’’

    Pope plans to enroll at Fayetteville State University and become a member of the school’s bowling team. “When it comes to bowling, it’s a fun thing to do,’’ she said.

    Photos: L to R: Shantell Jackson, Clarissa Rodriguez, Abagayl Gowen, Jade Wilds, Natalie Freeman, Destiny Delgado, Angel Pope, Nicolette Kenton, Ravyn Rozier Front: Coach Sam Bullard

  • 05ncpa logoHit (N.C. Press Association Awards)

    Congratulations to Up & Coming Weekly sports editor Earl Vaughan Jr. (1st Place - Sports Columns) and Up & Coming Weekly graphic designer Elizabeth Long (2nd Place - Best Food Ad, 2nd Place - Best Newspaper Promotion) on their North Carolina Press Association awards.

    Miss (Voter confusion)

    An official Cumberland County voter card many received in the mail notes citizens are registered to vote in seven different districts: 4th City Council district, 1st County Commission district, 1st School Board district, 43rd State House district, 19th State Senate district, 12th Judicial district and 8th U.S. Congressional district.

    Hit (Crosswalks for the blind)

    Fayetteville traffic engineers are making some intersections user-friendly for the visually impaired by installing devises that give audible instructions to the blind signaling when it’s safe to cross. Read more about it in the News Digest.

    Miss (Sheriff solicitation)

    The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association is soliciting for money for its members. Nearly half the group’s expenses go to pay its staff, which is one reason Wake County Sheriff Donnie Harrison had his name taken off the list. Cumberland County Sheriff Ennis Wright has no problem with the solicitation for money. “These are tough times for North Carolina law enforcement agencies,” said Wright.

    Hit (Economic recovery)

    Fayetteville and Cumberland County continue to benefit from business investment in the community. Every investment by commercial firms and small businesses reduces property taxes on Cumberland County homeowners who have the greatest tax burden of all metropolitan areas of North Carolina.

    Miss (Illegal street barricades)

    Two streets that connect Eastern Boulevard with B Street have been closed for about three years. They were barricaded by police as a crime prevention effort. The streets were never officially closed by city council. The city attorney said several months ago she would take the closure of Link and School Streets before city council, but to date, she hasn’t.

    Hit (Open government is the law)

    N.C. Attorney General Josh Stein says he is an ally of journalists in communities like ours where local government too often conducts the public’s business in private. “The law is clear,” he said, that public bodies must obey the state’s public records and open meetings statutes. Stein spoke at the annual convention of the N.C. Press Association last month.

  • 15Chloes Corner dancewearKristy Jackson is a Hope Mills store owner, but at heart she’s a dance mom, and that’s usually what comes first when a customer visits Chloe’s Corner Boutique on Trade Street looking for dance wear.

    “I love seeing the new little dancers come in and helping them any way I can,’’ Jackson said. “I do make it more personal. I don’t want to sell them something they’re not going to need, because I’m like that. And they come back.’’

    Jackson’s concern for doing things right by her customers comes naturally. She got into the business of dance apparel after experiencing firsthand how expensive it could be when she had to help provide for her daughters in their dance careers. The business is named after her youngest daughter, Chloe.

    “That was my main reason for opening the business, to help dance moms like me save,’’ she said.

    She’s been in business for seven years, but she’s only been in her current location at 5472 Trade St. since last April because she outgrew her previous location on the same street

    The original business started with items including costume and fashion jewelry, Tyler Candles, keychains, ID holders and cups.

    Jackson still offers those items, but most of her sales now involve dance wear and products from the Simply Southern and Girly Girl clothing lines.

    When it comes to dance wear, Jackson said she offers the full gamut of clothing, including ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical and hip hop. Most of what she offers is for girls and women, but she does have some items for male dancers and can place orders for specific needs.

    The Simply Southern attire, especially T-shirts, is popular locally. “It’s the name brand to be honest,’’ she said. “I’ve got a 15-year-old, and that’s what they are wearing. It’s not just the kids, it’s the adults too.’’

    Jackson said her store hours vary, based on the season of the year and adjusting to how much foot traffic she gets during the different seasons.

    For now, she’s open Tuesday through Friday from 12:30-5:30 p.m. Once Daylight Saving Time begins, Jackson transitions to summer hours and usually stays late a couple of nights a week from 6-6:30 p.m.

    “I do post on my door that for dance wear if somebody has to be fitted for shoes, I’ll open by appointment on days I’m closed.’’

    She carries a full line of dancing shoes, with the exception of point shoes with the hard box at the toe. “You have to be trained in fitting point shoes,’’ she said.

    She also has plain and fancy leotards, dresses, tutus, shorts and skirts.

    While she does have a jewelry selection, it’s not as large as it once was. “I just have a few necklace sets and initials,’’ she said. “I’ve got a few initial bracelets, rings and necklaces.’’ The reason for the limited supply of jewelry is when she was at her old location, she found herself having to remove jewelry from display to expand her offering of dance wear.

    Now that she’s at her new location with more space, she would like to eventually expand her jewelry offering again. She’s also in the process of adding a dressing room.

    To find out more about the business, contact Jackson at 910-423-0050 or visit her Facebook page at Chloe’s Corner Boutique.

  • 02pub pen haymountHaymount has all the elements of a standalone community. It’s got restaurants, a theater, shopping, a pharmacy, a business district, proximity to higher education at Fayetteville Technical Community College and even its own post office. And personality – so much personality. With homes built between 1817 and 1950, Haymount is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was once a neighbor to Fayetteville. But as Fayetteville grew, things changed.

    In 1910, this burg was incorporated into the city of Fayetteville. Many of Fayetteville’s prominent citizens and founders hail from Haymount, including Fayetteville Observer publisher E.J. Hale and U.S. Sen. Robert Strange. This historic district is centrally located close to downtown and local major shopping centers and is a stone’s throw from a first-rate hospital.

    Growth is still a theme here. Residents of Haymount benefit from the Museum of the Cape Fear historical complex and will benefit from the changes the North Carolina Civil War and Reconstruction History Center will bring.

    As Fayetteville and Cumberland County have grown, in many ways it feels as if Haymount has been swallowed up. Increased traffic runs through its thoroughfares, and busyness encroaches as Haymount is squeezed between downtown and the fast-paced growth that continues closer to the mall.

    Can Haymount maintain its magical small-town charm that has endured here for centuries? Will the businesses that have served this community so faithfully continue to thrive?

    Haymount is at a crossroads. Literally and figuratively. It would be tragic for this distinctive neighborhood with such personality and the charm of a Norman Rockwell painting to be unceremoniously swallowed up in the name of progress. Yet without thoughtful consideration and planning, Haymount’s future is uncertain. So many of the area’s newcomers have no idea what a gem Haymount is or why it is significant to local history. And that is a shame.

    There have been several studies in recent years aimed at determining the best path for Haymount. And because business owners and families that have defined Haymount for generations love this community and don’t want to lose the very things that make it special, it’s been hard to move forward. Eventually, something has to happen, or Haymount will lose the opportunity to chart its own path as Fayetteville continues to prosper and change.

    On March 10, Build a Better Haymount explores some of the possibilities for what Haymount could look like. From 1-5 p.m., the district will include tree-lined streets, bike paths, a temporary plaza, food trucks, entertainment, art and more. Angie Hedgepeth and Eric Vitale, along with the city of Fayetteville, have spent the better part of a year planning this event with the hope that they can keep the community engaged in the process of change and keep the conversation about Haymount’s future going.

    The event is free and open to the public. If you’ve never walked the idyllic streets of the Haymount district and experienced the charm of this one-of-a-kind area, this is the perfect time.

    Many thanks to the city of Fayetteville; Angie Hedgepeth of Longleaf Pine REALTORS, Inc.; Cumberland County transportation planner Eric Vitale; the Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization; and all the Haymount residents and businesses for their efforts to shine a light on this community as it finds its path forward. Visit www.betterblockfaync. com to learn more.

    Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 03Marg gunsAs I write this and as you read it, energy is flowing away from political efforts to address our nation’s gun violence problem. The young people who endured the Parkland shooting are still on television and making online pleas for school safety, but elected officials from our president down to state legislators continue to play for time, hoping public angst will subside. If the past is an indicator of the future, then politicians are probably safe until the next mass shooting.

    Some positive signs can be found.

    Fear of the National Rifle Association may paralyze politicians, but corporate America, which survives and prospers by understanding what people think and want, is acting. To its enduring credit, Dick’s Sporting Goods will no longer sell military-style assault weapons and will sell firearms only to people 21 and older. Walmart raised its minimum age as well. Ditto for L.L. Bean whose new policy also limits ammo sales to those over 21. Delta Airlines severed its business ties with the NRA, even though the Georgia legislature immediately retaliated by jerking away a $40 million tax break. Said Delta’s CEO, “Our values are not for sale.”

    Gun violence and gun accessibility, both longrunning and complex issues in our nation, leave no doubt that the United States is the world outlier when it comes to both. We make up less than 5 percent of the world’s population, but we own 42 percent of the world’s guns. Only Yemen has a higher rate of mass shootings among nations with more than 10 million people, and – not surprisingly, it has the second highest rate of gun ownership, calling into question that old saw that “Guns don’t kill people. People kill people.”

    Consider this as well. Other nations have mass shootings, but they are random. Ours have become so routine that we openly refer to “school shooters.” Details of all the incidents run together. The New York Times recently reported on a 2016 study that documented 133 mass shootings in the United States during the period of the study. By contrast, during the same period, Finland had two mass shootings and Switzerland had one, killing 18 and 14 people respectively. Our most recent mass shootings in Las Vegas and Lakeland killed 58 and 17 respectively, injuring 851 in Las Vegas and dozens in Florida.

    Mass shootings shock us – at least they should shock us – but other deaths by firearms affect Americans as well. In 2013, our nation saw more than 21,000 suicides with guns, more than 11,000 murders with guns and more than 500 accidental discharge deaths.

    To most of us, these are just numbers, but to the families and friends of these lost people, the pain of these deaths is deep and ongoing. The cold, hard reality is that we Americans are many times more likely to die by firearm than are residents of almost any other country.

    The politics of gun accessibility are brutal and volatile. Many elected officials have taken campaign contributions from the NRA and walk in lockstep with its positions. North Carolina’s own two U.S. Senators, Richard Burr and Thom Tillis, rank fourth and sixth on the NRA’s contribution list, which is totally legal.

    Many Americans, including some large American corporations, are rethinking their positions on gun accessibility. As we do so, here are some points to consider.

    Every state qualifies who can be licensed to drive a vehicle, most requiring both coursework and actual driving experience. Guns can be sold without either.

    Every state requires recordkeeping regarding sales and transfers of motor vehicles. Guns can be sold and transferred without either.

    The 19-year-old charged with 17 counts of murder in Florida bought his assault weapon legally. He could not, however, buy a beer legally.

    The NRA would argue that neither driving nor owning a vehicle is a constitutionally guaranteed right. Neither is buying a beer.

    But consider this.

    When the Bill of Rights, including the Second Amendment “right to bear arms,” was adopted in 1791, the new United States had just won its independence from England using muskets, muzzle-loaded long guns that appeared in Europe in the 16th century. Not until 1854 was there a reliable “repeating rifle.”

    God only knows what our Founding Fathers would make of rapid-fire military assault rifles in the hands of 19-year-olds or of Americans shooting each other in public places or chasing down children in schools.

  • 10Morgan Short Harp 768x576Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra presents “Americana,” one of the last concerts in its “Gone to Carolina” season, this Saturday, March 10. The Fayetteville Symphony Youth Orchestra will join the FSO onstage for portions of the concert, which will feature a variety of songs that celebrate being American. Morgan Short, a 20-year-old harpist and the winner of FSO’s 2017-18 Harlan Duenow Young Artist Concerto Competition, will also perform solo for a portion of the concert.

    “From film scores to folk tunes to Sousa marches to classical works, the variety (in this concert) is quite nice,” said Dr. Larry Wells, FSYO director and conductor. “Most of the pieces featured here are of the shorter variety. It should be a very audience- and child-friendly concert.” Look forward to selections from classic American films like “Forrest Gump” and “Apollo 13” alongside work like Antonín Dvořák’s “New World” and Morton Gould’s “American Salute.”

    Wells said the FSYO, which the FSO formed in 2014, is important because it provides an opportunity for budding young musicians to practice with a full orchestra, which is normally not possible in school settings. In addition, he said, the FSYO is open through an audition process not just to 13- to 20-year-old public school students, but also to students who are home-schooled and who live outside of Cumberland County. About 75 students currently participate.

    Every year, the FSYO puts on two concerts of its own and joins the FSO onstage for one other concert. Wells said, “The benefit here is that our young musicians get the chance to sit next to professional players in a professional setting. They get to hear exactly what their professional counterparts sound like and... act like. … I always tell my kids, ‘If you don’t know what you’re supposed to sound like, then how will you know when you’re making a good sound?’ This event gives them a chance to define (and) refine what their musical goal is.”

    “Americana” will also spotlight Short. Short, who studies harp at University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem, won FSO’s 2017-18 Harlan Duenow Young Artist Concerto Competition. The competition, named in honor of FSO’s longest-serving conductor, involves an essay, letter of recommendation and a video recording of the applicant playing a selected piece of music. It is open to young instrumentalists in the state of North Carolina. This year, it was open to woodwind, brass, percussion and harp students ages 12-21.

    Short beat statewide competition to take first place, which includes a $1,000 cash prize for continued musical development along with the honor of soloing with the FSO. Jacob Warren, a 20-year-old saxophone player studying at UNC-Greensboro, won second place, and Jonathan McGarry, a 19-year-old French horn player studying at UNCSA (where Short studies), won third. Next year, the competition will be open to string and piano instrumentalists ages 12-21 in North Carolina.

    Wells said the competition this year was fantastic. “This year, we chose (Short) because she was the complete package. Not only did she play beautifully, she performed beautifully,” he said. “She is amazing. I hope Fayetteville shows her a good audience!”

    Wells and Kastner agreed that the orchestra has flourished under new music director Stefan Sanders’ hand. “If you have not seen him or heard the FSO lately, I urge you to come out and see... what is happening,” Wells said. “We are blessed to have him lead us.”

    Sanders said he’s excited about “Americana” because it not only celebrates the nation’s history – it also celebrates its future through meaningful collaboration with the next generation of musicians.

    Kastner and Sanders are also busy planning FSO’s next season, which will be announced in April. “I think we’re going to have some real crowd-pleasers next year,” Kastner said. “I will say: There will be ‘Star Wars.’”

    “Americana” takes place Saturday, March 10, at 7:30 p.m. in Methodist University’s Huff Concert Hall. Arrive at 6:45 p.m. for a pre-concert talk to learn more about the historical context of the evening’s music. To purchase tickets, which range from $11-$28, visit www.fayettevillesymphony.org.

    Photo: Morgan Short

  • 19Djamila Peterson Pine Forest

     

    Djamila Peterson

    Pine Forest • Indoor track/track •

    Junior

    Peterson has a 3.95 grade point average. She is a member of Key Club, National Honor Society and Skills USA. She also volunteers at the True Vine Ministries Hope Center to help the homeless.

     

     

     

    20Abby Roy South View

     

    Abby Roy

    South View • Cross country/ indoor track/track •

    Senior

    Roy has a 4.28 grade point average. She is a member of the International Baccalaureate Academy and National Honor Society.

  • 08Prof. Jill MooreIn 2012, the North Carolina legislature created new options for the state’s 100 counties in the governance of local social services and public health departments. Counties are required to continue providing public health and social services. But now county commissioners can take one of three reorganization approaches: They can leave things as they are but take control of both groups and become the governing board of both; they can consolidate the health and social services departments and create a human services board of directors; or they can merge the agencies into one and take control themselves.

    UNC-Chapel Hill Associate Professor of Public Law and Government Jill Moore detailed the options to county commissioners and the existing boards of directors of both groups.

    “I’m here to explain but not advocate for either option,” Moore said. She said that as of Feb. 1, 30 counties had already agreed on the options available to them. All but three of them chose to consolidate the operations into one human services agency to be governed by a single board of directors. “You are doing the right thing by studying this,” Moore told commissioners.

    The law does not require any mix of agencies nor does it specify the duties and responsibilities of governing boards. There’s a lot of diversity in structure and governance. Moore told the board of commissioners they could also include youth services and veterans services among others in a consolidated agency. “Consolidation may possibly help us to achieve efficiency,” said county commissioner Jimmy Keefe.

    The board adopted improved government efficiency as an objective in its planning retreat in January. “Don’t assume creating a CHSA will save money,” Moore cautioned. She told the board of commissioners that counties that have made changes under the new law have not realized any significant tax savings.

    Human services board members apparently had not made any preconceived notions about likely pending changes. “I’m still in the information gathering phase,” said Department of Social Services Chair Betsy Bradshaw.

    County Manager Amy Cannon echoed Bradshaw’s sentiment. “It’s too early; we must review all of it,” she said.

    The state statute says that if the board of commissioners decides to take over human services operations, they would assume all legal powers, duties and responsibilities of the boards that are abolished. They would also be required to appoint citizen advisory committees.

    Moore said county public health and social services department employees must be kept fully informed as consolidation plans are developed. “Advance discussion about implications of changes … and legal questions about transitioning career status employees are lessons learned in counties which have adopted consolidation,” she wrote in her power point presentation. No action timeline has been established by commissioners or management.

    Photo: UNC-Chapel Hill Associate Professor of Public Law and Government Jill Moore

  • 01 coverUAC0030718001Like many Haymount residents and business owners in the iconic historical district, Bobby Ray Wiggs’ roots run deep. He was born and raised in Haymount and has a home there, too. Wiggs owns Haymont Auto Repair and considers many of his customers family. While he cherishes the closeknit feeling in the area and the way neighbors look out for one another, Wiggs is the first to admit it’s not always paradise. A fast-growing community, heavy traffic and other issues often make for dangerous, congested intersections, frustrated residents and stressed-out drivers. What if it didn’t have to be that way? Saturday, March 10, Build a Better Haymount aims to explore the possibilities.

    From 1-5 p.m., the 1200 block of Hay Street will be transformed to include narrow traffic lanes, wide sidewalks, bike lanes, plazas, music, art, food and festivities. There will be a temporary plaza where local bands Brother Ellis and J.D. and Bill will play throughout the afternoon. Local food trucks will be in attendance serving up a variety of tasty food options.

    The project has been almost a year in the making, bringing together residents, the city and nonprofits to create an afternoon of fun as well as an opportunity to explore options for the district’s future. Angie Hedgepeth is the government affairs director for the Fayetteville Regional Association of Realtors. “The National Association of Realtors has grants for a variety of things, including growth and betterment of communities,” she said. “Last June, the city approached us about a grant.” In researching how the grant would affect Fayetteville, she found that several other North Carolina cities, to include Asheville, Charlotte and Durham, had pursued and received similar grants.

    When the city of Fayetteville won the grant, Hedgepeth, along with Cumberland County transportation planner Eric Vitale, community residents, some of the Haymount businesses and others, rolled up their sleeves and set out to create an afternoon to remember.

    “We started meeting with the residents last July to talk about ways we can transition the area into what the community envisions,” said Hedgepeth. “They told us what they wanted.”

    Although residents gave the input, the event is free to attend and open to the public. “We want to let people know about Haymount,” Wiggs said.

    Vitale said, “We will be counting traffic and attendance and doing some surveys to get feedback. We will also have a drone camera flying around videoing the set up as well as the event.”

    “It is going to be a lot of fun,” said Hedgepeth. “Several local artists will be there. We are going to have a community mural. There will be vendors and pop-up retailers and a magician. Some of the retailers will have sidewalk sales, too.”

    “This is family-friendly and pet-friendly,” said Vitale. “We will have water bowls so people can bring their pets.” A firetruck exhibit is also scheduled for the event.

    Wiggs is planning to use the parking lot at Haymont Auto Repair to support the effort. He’s hosting a Kid Zone and will have a port-a-potty on one side of his property. “We are expecting a food truck, too,” he said. “And we will have a separate section with antiques for sale.”

    The activities are a big part of the afternoon, but there is more. Narrowing the streets will allow for both functional and aesthetic changes, including turning the thoroughfare into a tree-lined street complete with bike lanes.

    “There will be parking at Highland Presbyterian Church,” said Vitale. “We are not going to block any of the neighborhood driveways for this.”

    Residential, traffic and business interests don’t always align in this part of town. There are busy intersections and dangerous road crossings. For some drivers unfamiliar with the traffic pattern, the roads can be confusing. As a business owner, Wiggs understands that it can be challenging having homes and businesses and a thoroughfare so close together. “There are things we can do,” Wiggs said. “But, we don’t want to change the things that make Haymount special.”

    Though this is mostly an information gathering exercise, many hope it is the start of a conversation that will lead to workable solutions. Things like clearly marked, well-placed crosswalks could go a long way in improving things, Wiggs noted.

    “I just want to see the community happy,” said Hedgepeth.

    “We want to look at the event and see smiles, happy families and people having fun,” Vitale agreed.

    “I am all for anything that can help make it safer and better for everyone,” Wiggs said. “We all want that.”

    Though no one is sure how this will impact Haymount in the end, March 10, from 1-5 p.m. the parties involved are excited to have an afternoon to showcase, celebrate and dream big dreams for this community. Vitale encourages anyone who is active on social media to post photos using the hashtags #buildabetterhaymount and #betterblockfaync. Learn more by visiting www.betterblockfaync.com to. To volunteer, call Hedgepeth at 910-323-1421 or Vitale at 910-678-7632.

  • 07News digestOfficials of the Cumberland County Public Library and Information Center are reconsidering sponsoring a debate on gun violence. “The topic came up during a library management meeting,” said library spokeswoman Kellie Tomita. “We were hoping to have a balanced forum with differing views.”

    Library officials were unable to identify appropriate participants and decided initially to change the format to an informational program. Then “it became apparent that, due to the complexity of the subject matter and the rapidity of developments in the news, that the program would need to be reconsidered,” Tomita said.

    Stores stop selling military-style weapons

    Walmart has joined Dick’s Sporting Goods and Field & Stream in a decision to more strictly regulate the sale of guns and ammunition. “We are raising the age restriction for purchase of firearms and ammunition to 21 years of age,” a Walmart statement said. “We are also removing items from our website resembling assault-style rifles, including nonlethal airsoft guns and toys,” Walmart added.

    Walmart stopped selling many long guns in 2015. Dick’s Sporting Goods, the nation’s largest sporting goods retailer, said it also has stopped selling weapons like the one used in the Parkland, Florida, high school shooting. It also raised the age of sale of all firearms to 21 as did its retail affiliate Field & Stream.

    Dick’s recently relocated its Fayetteville store to the new Freedom Town Center at Skibo and Cliffdale Roads. The company also opened a Field & Stream adjacent to the Dick’s property. The corporate decisions came amid a broad public push to tighten gun regulations in the wake of the mass shooting at a Parkland, Florida, high school Feb. 14 that left 17 people dead. Gun regulation advocates said they hope the decision would prompt other major retailers to follow suit.

    Street crosswalks for the visually impaired

    Crossing busy streets can be a challenge for people with good vision. For blind people, it is a perilous activity. American cities are generally poorly equipped to deal with blind pedestrians, but technology has made it possible in recent years to remedy that situation. Fayetteville is among the smaller cities that are beginning to equip traffic signals with what are called “chirping birds,” audio versions of green and red lights.

    Two street crossings in Fayetteville have been equipped to make life for blind community members safer.

    City traffic engineer Lee Jernigan said the expense of upgrading intersections for the visually impaired limits his capacity. Four years ago, the city put in special equipment for the blind at Hay Street and Woodside Avenue in Haymount. Last month, the intersection of Cain Road and Rogers Drive was upgraded. That project cost $40,000.

    “We chose that intersection because the city just completed the installation of sidewalks along Cain Road,” Jernigan said. Posts with buttons that have audible beepers are positioned at the “Walk/Don’t Walk” signal poles. When the traffic light changes from green to red, the audible device signals to blind pedestrians that it’s safe to cross. Motorists are alerted to the intersection via marked zebra crosswalks that feature a series of thick white hash mark bands.

    Fayetteville welcomes new industry

    Cambridge-Lee Industries of Reading, Pennsylvania, has chosen Cumberland County for a facility to manufacture line sets of copper tubing that are assembled into various forms and shipped to customers. The Fayetteville/Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation says the project will result in the creation of 19 full-time jobs. The company said the jobs will be manufacturing positions offering a competitive wage and comprehensive benefits packages. No specifics were provided. The plant will be in the former Cape Fear Distribution Center on Tom Starling Road.

    “Fayetteville provides us with an improved reach to our customers as well as an improved ability to streamline and grow our operations,” said Dave Spadafora, vice president of Global Supply Chain for Cambridge-Lee.

    “The new jobs and investment this facility will bring are prime examples of how our business climate and aggressive approach to economic development are creating growth,” said County Chairman Larry Lancaster. Cambridge-Lee Industries said it plans to add more full-time and part-time employees in the coming year.

    Council approves communication tower

    Fayetteville City Council spent 45 minutes debating whether to allow South River Electric Membership Co-op to build a 190-foot radio tower on its property on Ramsey Street in North Fayetteville.

    The utility sought a special use permit. After a move by Councilwoman Kathy Jensen to deny the request failed, council voted 8-2 to approve the measure.

    Jensen was concerned about the aesthetics of the mast. The company said the tower would be constructed several hundred feet off Ramsey Street at the rear of its 10-acre property. The facility will provide point-to-point microwave radio communications between South River’s local office and its headquarters in Dunn.

    Mirror Lake Dam open house

    It’s taken a year and a half, but the city of Fayetteville hopes to begin construction of a new Mirror Lake Drive dam this summer. It was washed away by Hurricane Matthew Oct. 8, 2016. The city has determined that rebuilding the dam and repairing Mirror Lake Drive, which runs over the dam, will cost $1.9 million. FEMA approved the funding, according to city spokesman Nathan Walls.

    An open house will be held Thursday, March 15, at Van Story Hills Elementary School from 6-8 p.m. Preliminary design plans will be shown to the public for comment. This is the second time the city-owned dam was destroyed by a storm. It was also washed away during Hurricane Fran in September 1996.

    Police/citizen workshop set for March

    The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs and Community Relations Service has developed a new community-based workshop focused on strengthening the partnership between local law enforcement and the community. A Greater Fayetteville United workshop is designed to bring together local law enforcement officers and community members for an open dialogue about community engagement.

    The Office of Justice Programs Diagnostic Center will facilitate the 90-minute workshop with members of the Fayetteville Police Department during an in-person, scenario-based session. It will be held Tuesday, March 20, at the Kiwanis Recreation Center at 352 Devers St.

  • 11celticTime-weathered instruments and age-old songs passed down from one generation to the next, century after century, is a powerful representation of heritage. Translating this kind of heritage for a modern, increasingly global audience is no small task. But the Grammynominated group Celtic Woman has been perfecting this art since its debut in 2005. As part of its upcoming 90-city North American tour, Celtic Woman is performing “Homecoming Live” at the Crown Theatre Thursday, March 15.

    The all-female Irish musical ensemble consists of four singers – Mairéad Carlin, Susan McFadden, Éabha McMahon and Tara McNeill – as well as Irish dancers, bagpipers and a full band. The group has created 14 albums and 10 television and DVD specials to date. The albums, even with changing vocalists, have made No. 1 on Billboard’s World Albums chart for 12 consecutive years.

    McMahon made her debut with Celtic Woman in 2015 for its 11th album, “Destiny.” But her singing career first began when she recorded an album for a children’s book at just nine years old. After that, she began singing in the traditional Irish style of sean-nós, literally meaning “old style.”

    Sean-nós is bare-bones singing in the native Gaelic language. More importantly, as per the Irish oral tradition of passing down history through song, sean-nós puts stock in the emotion and story behind the song.

    McMahon went on to win professional singing competitions across Ireland before becoming the youngest member of Anuna – Ireland’s National Choir – at just 15 years old. While still attending school, she toured with Anuna all over the world. After studying human rights at university, McMahon was asked to audition for Celtic Woman.

    “What I love about being part of the group is that we can be totally ourselves,” McMahon said. “I grew up singing in Irish, and my dream was to sing in the Irish style. It’s very inspiring to be part of a group that promotes the Irish tradition and gives it a voice all over the world.”

    The North American tour embraces everything from traditional Irish, classical, musical theatre and folk music. Blending these genres together, McMahon said, makes “a really unique world music sound.”

    She even said this year’s set list is her favorite of Celtic Woman’s. In particular, McMahon sings one of her own idols’ most famous songs: Enya’s “May it Be.” Performing the song “Danny Boy” for Celtic Woman has a deeply emotional significance for McMahon, too.

    “The month that I joined the group, my grandad sadly passed away,” she said. “It was his favorite song. Every night when we sing it, I think of him and I know he is watching from the best seat in the house.”

    There is a reason Celtic Woman is so internationally renowned, and that is its ability to bridge the gap between old and new. Contemporary Irish songs are performed alongside old tunes that might otherwise have been lost or forgotten. As McMahon said, “It really gives Irish music a new lease of life.

    “The show really does have something for everyone. There are moments of laughter and toe tapping but also quiet and emotional moments of calm.”

    McMahon is releasing her own music later this year.

    See “Celtic Woman: Homecoming Live” at the Crown Theatre Thursday, March 15, at 7 p.m. Visit www.crowncomplexnc.com to purchase tickets or to learn more.

  • 12FTCC physicianFayetteville Technical Community College is excited to announce the start of the Surgical First Assistant program starting this summer.

    Surgical First Assistants, or SFAs, are surgical “physician extenders.” The Surgical First Assistant program of study allows hospital planning administrators an opportunity to offer a staffing model that emphasizes better use of physician extenders – healthcare professionals credentialed to provide services under the direction of the surgeon.

    In the operating room, these physician extenders provide advanced support that scrub techs are unqualified to provide, which helps free up the surgeon’s time to focus on tasks more appropriate for the surgeon’s level of medical training. Ultimately, the use of SFAs will facilitate surgeons’ efforts and promote wise use of their time, leading to better quality of care with fewer resources along with better surgeon satisfaction and better care economics for the hospital.

    Recent news reports suggest that the demand for SFAs in the U.S. will continue to grow. The program will provide online didactic studies and a workbased learning clinical experience, which will allow candidates to continue their employment status.

    Many healthcare representatives realize the need to address a number of factors in order to provide better care and services in response to surgical patients’ needs. Physician extenders like SFAs will be critical in helping healthcare get to that point. The SFA profession will only grow in volume and importance. The use of SFAs will provide the hospital’s operating room leadership an opportunity to take a closer look at staffing models that will not only help meet patient demand but also increase efficiency and revenue opportunity for their organizations.

    Federal statistics project SFA jobs to increase 15 percent from 2014-2024 due to the increasing demand for surgical procedures, especially among the elderly population.

    If you enjoy helping others, want to have a fulfilling career in a professional healthcare environment and wish to create a positive difference through your career, email herringt@faytechcc.edu or call 910-678-8358 to learn more about the new Surgical First Assistant program of study at FTCC. You can also visit the campus or visit the school’s website at faytechcc.edu for more details. Registration for Summer 2018 classes begins March 28. First Session Summer classes begin May 29. Students can receive enrollment and registration assistance at the Fayetteville campus, Spring Lake campus, and FTCC’s Center at the Fort Bragg Training and Education Center.

  • 13The hushNew York Times bestselling author John Hart, who grew up in Salisbury, North Carolina, is not afraid to take risks.

    In fact, he seems to thrive on these risks. For instance, he gave up his job as a stockbroker about 15 years ago to complete his first literary thriller. That risk-taking paid off when his book, “The King of Lies,” became a Times bestseller in 2006. Three other successes followed: “Down River” (2007), “The Last Child” (2009) and “Iron House” (2011).

    Then Hart risked his string of successes by moving with his wife and two young children from Greensboro to Charlottesville, Virginia. Although the move disrupted his writing program temporarily, it finally led to “Redemption Road” (2016), a critical and commercial success. Quickly following is “The Hush,” being released this month, which shows that Hart is fully back on track.

    The risk paid off in another important way. In Charlottesville, Hart became friends with fellow writer John Grisham, who helped Hart launch the new book at a big fundraising event in Raleigh on Friday, Feb. 23.

    “The Hush” is another big risk for Hart because it breaks two significant traditions or rules of writing that have guided his prior work.

    First, until now, there have been no sequels to his books. Each was independent from the others. They held together as a series only in their common geography. All took place in the real Rowan County or a fictional, but very similar, Raven County.

    “The Hush,” however, is a real sequel to “The Last Child” (2009), a book Hart declares to be his favorite of all his prior books.

    “The Last Child” featured 13-year-old Johnny Merrimon, whose unrelenting search for his missing sister made him an admired but traumatized hero.

    The Johnny that readers meet in “The Hush” is 10 years older, still tough and determined, but now living alone and isolated on a 6,000-acre tract of swampland, which he loves and protects from outsiders.

    Hart says that “The Hush” stands on its own but that readers of “The Last Child” will have an enhanced experience. Hart still takes the small risk faced by every sequel writer that new readers may miss some important connective links from the earlier book.

    The second and greater risk that Hart takes with the new book involves the swampy land where Johnny lives. Johnny owns the 6,000 acres, but cash-wise, he is broke. His title to the land is being challenged by an African-American family who lived on the land for many years and whose claim is based on a deed from 1853.

    Johnny turns to his buddy Jack from “The Last Child” to help. Jack is a new lawyer in a large firm that discourages his connection to Johnny, especially when Johnny is suspected in unexplained deaths on his property.

    The land has a troubling history and dangerous powers, inexplicable ones that become core features of the book and its ultimate resolution.

    In a word, think “supernatural.”

    All of Hart’s prior books have followed strict rules used by many mystery and thriller writers. The deaths and crimes in their books, when solved, have natural explanations and do not rely on the intervention of some spiritual or unreal power.

    Hart is betting that the richness of his characters, his compelling storytelling and the story’s supernatural landscape will hold his thriller fans despite breaking his old rules. Taking this risk, he hopes, will expand his appeal and share his storytelling talent with an even wider audience.

    The complex and rich stories in “The Hush” and the book’s supernatural but satisfying conclusion suggest that he is on the right track.

  • 06lettersDear Editor,

    Great article about our local newspaper. I will become a regular Up & Coming Weekly reader to get my news. Now maybe you need to do an expose’ on Cape Fear Valley Hospital and how they are buying up all our doctors offices. Several people that I come across are going to First Health of Moore County to avoid CFV.

    Again, great story.

    Best regards,

    Lynn Sippel

    Dear Editor,

    Having worked for a year at the Fayetteville Observer, I really enjoyed reading your article on private equity media and its dismantling of small town newspapers. It’s a travesty. Thank you for bringing it to light!! It is a true shame what has happened to our local journalistic institution, the Fayetteville Observer. In the article “Eulogy of the Fourth Estate” (Up & Coming Weekly February 21) Bill Bowman, Robert Kuttner and Hildy Zenger have done a fantastic job bringing to light how private equity media companies erode and undermine communities when they purchase and dismantle local newspapers. Citizens absolutely need these local, and often long-time and family owned, newspapers to ensure journalistic integrity and to serve as a significant tie to the community. I fear, as media and journalism continues to consistently be ostracized, these large conglomerates will only exacerbate the problem. Local newspapers like Up & Coming Weekly are exceptional assets to our community and provide an amazing service to its citizens.

    John Kistler

    Regarding Colin Kaepernick

    Dear Editor, I truly enjoyed watching Colin Kaepernick throw and run with the football in college. Under coach Chris Ault, that Wolfpack no longer needs to include their Reno location in the school’s name.

    Game film from then showed Kaep to be a very respectful student of coach (and eventually) A.D. Ault.

    Colin does not represent every NFL player any more than my childhood neighbor Wally Hilgenberg years before. Wally’s story is also interesting and there are articles concerning him and his death. Wally might disagree, if he could, with Colin.

    As you state (in the Jan. 31 publishers pen), we all have rights to voice our opinion. Our actions can affect the opinions of others, as Colin now should realize.

    Randy Steffens

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  • 16FTCCVetsIf you are a service member exiting the military, you may find yourself asking where the next chapter in your life is going to take you and what it entails. Have you been contemplating what your next move is going to be and how you will utilize the experience gained in the military? Have you wondered what type of career you will choose and if it will be your lifetime career? Have you asked yourself if you can live a comfortable life and be financially sustained without obtaining a degree? Stop asking so many questions! The answer is simple: go back to school and get a degree. If you are a veteran or dependent of a veteran and determined to make the best of your future, the All American Veterans Center at FTCC is here to help you get started. 

    The FTCC All American Veterans Center is proud to serve military veterans and dependents as they pursue educational goals. The center was created to honor veterans and to provide a location where veterans can gather, find assistance, and receive the support necessary to ensure success at FTCC and beyond. The center is operated by a team of veterans and dependents from all branches of the military who have a passion to serve their fellow veterans. The team answers questions, guides and assists in taking the first step and helps make a smooth transition into college. Staff members are available to provide educational benefits information needed to make the right decision. Even the work study staff members are veterans and can help alleviate “new student” concerns and anxiety. They make the enrollment process easy, and some work-study staff members have worked in the Veterans Center since their first semester. All are important in the success of the Veterans Center and serving veteran students. 

    The All American Veterans Center offers a relaxed atmosphere where veterans have an opportunity to engage in conversation with other veterans. It offers currently enrolled veteran students a place to relax and have a cup of coffee before and in between classes. The Center also offers students the opportunity to use computers to complete homework or to study with fellow veterans. 

    While the primary focus of the Veterans Center is to provide students the tools they need to be successful in accomplishing their educational goals, the staff makes every effort in obtaining information on other resources the veteran is in need of. Volunteers from Patriot Outreach are faithfully at the center to offer veterans informational assistance and resources. 

    Bring your list of questions, and let us help you get moving. The All American Veterans Center is located inside the General Classroom Building at the Fayetteville campus of FTCC. Visit soon and put your educational benefits to work for you — at FTCC. 

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  • 10WaterWaterOver the years, Fayetteville has had an abundance of fresh, usable water. We are truly blessed to have the Cape Fear River basin in our backyard. However, like the rest of the world, the demand for fresh water has never been higher, and that demand will continue to grow.

    Historically, cities have flourished being near an abundant amount fresh water. Yet we do little, if any, long-range planning for our river and/or our ground water. We have also put enormous pressures on our water supply. We have not looked at our water as it is; we have not utilized it to its fullest potential and we CERTAINLY have not placed any buffers (nor have we done any long-range planning) to protect or to ensure we have both the quality and quantity of water for future demand.

    The interbasin transfer of the Cape Fear System has resumed, and alarmingly, is growing. This flies in the face of common sense. Why and how does an upstream city get to take and use water from one basin, then replace it in another basin, i.e., the Neuse River basin? It is illogical, unless the increased capacity allows them to take more from the Neuse River, getting double use of the same water at the expense of those downstream.

    What does it matter? We have “water – water everywhere,” as the poem goes. But like the poem also says, we soon may have “nary a drop to drink,” or “nary a drop” to use. This would be a tragedy, as water is essential to life, essential to growth, and is the life’s blood and identity of a community. It does not take a crystal ball to see the conclusion of unrestricted interbasin transfer.

    1. As Wake county grows, so grows the demand for more water. A basin has finite capacity. When an upstream user takes from that capacity and doesn’t replace it, the downstream users have less to use. This affects the ability of those downstream to grow, it detracts from economic recruitment – hence, a smaller pool of high-paying jobs.

    2. A smaller capacity creates more pressure on ground water and on existing capacity, which makes treatment of water impossible.

    3. It takes more water to treat water.

    Interbasin transfer is just part of problem. Run-off, ground water contamination and failure to buffer our rivers are costing us daily in terms of unavailable, unusable water. It is estimated by 2030, half to two-thirds of our water will be unusable. If this is the case, we can only blame ourselves because we need to respect the laws we pass.

    1. We continued to build neighborhoods with septic tanks and inadequate storm water run-off. They affect our ground water, which goes into our river. 

    2. The failure to buffer and plan for the use of our water fails to protect this resource and show we don’t fully understand just how valuable our water is. It is a finite resource.

    3. Our quality of life and ability to survive depends on our water supply. Yet we continue to take it for granted.

    4. Fayetteville is the only city on a major river which, heretofore, did not have a major magnet center fully utilizing its river’s natural beauty.

    Finally, Fayetteville has a river overlay zone whose purpose was/is to attract people downtown and utilize the river. Every city that has done this has flourished — Chattanooga, Tennessee, Elizabeth City, New Bern, Wilmington, San Antonio to name a few. In doing so, they grew their tax base, created jobs, improved quality of life and made the river what it ought to be: priceless.

    However, lawmakers, whose priority is to put loyalty to contributors over citizens served, have failed our river and its economic generator before it started. Water is not only essential to life, it is essential to growth, quality of life and is the life blood of a community. We must stop interbasin transfer, protect and buffer our basin abd use common sense by re-using our water wisely. Laws must be respected to matter. Ironically, we have laws in place to restrict interbasin transfer and run- off. We even have a river park zoned overlay. Yet, when laws and regulations are ignored, they are no longer laws, they’re just words.

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  • 12StadiumThe City of Fayetteville has been dealt a setback on its plan to finance its $33 million minor league baseball stadium over 30 years. The North Carolina Local Government Commission told a city staff delegation in Raleigh that the city should limit its amortization schedule to 20 years. The commission is an agency of the State Treasurer’s office that approves cities’ and counties’ long-term debt service. “We were mildly surprised the staff was not amenable to it,” said City Manager Doug Hewett at a city council stadium committee meeting. Stadium Finance Chairman Kirk deViere said the upside of the commission’s decision is that the city will save more than $11 million in interest by retiring the debt in 20 years.  Adjustments to the financing plan should not be a problem, deViere added.

    Stadium committee member Jim Arp emphasized the financial arrangements have no effect on the city’s 30-year agreement with the Houston Astros to provide the community with a minor league baseball team. That process is moving along at a pace envisioned by city council last fall.  Groundbreaking on the city center ballpark is scheduled to take place in July. That’s about the same time Prince Charles Holdings will begin renovations to the former Hay Street hotel. The Durham urban development firm has been negotiating a land swap deal with city council for many weeks. “We should have a deal by the end of the month,” said PCH Project Manager Jordan Jones. Committee Chairman Mitch Colvin isn’t as optimistic, saying that he can’t put an end date on the negotiations but believes it will be soon. 

    The stadium and surrounding amenities will be built on a nine-acre triangular tract bordered by two sets of railroad tracks and Hay Street. The city owns much of the property and PCH, owners of the old hotel, owns the rest. The city can’t build the stadium without acquiring some of the PCH property. And PCH wants some of what the city owns to construct a four-story, 350-car parking deck with a four-story hotel on top of it. PCH expects to invest $23 million to refurbish the eight-story hotel into 62 apartments and a luxury penthouse and build the parking deck and hotel, subject to ongoing negotiations. Details of the land swap and possible shared cost of those projects have been discussed for weeks by the council stadium committee behind closed doors. 

    Hewett points out that coming to a final agreement on the master development plan, a separate contract with the city’s stadium construction manager, Barton Malow, must be completed before the project can proceed. He will ask the full council
    to consider voting on the contracts at its last meeting of
    this month.                                         

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    Team (noun) a group of players forming one side in a competitive game or sport.


    Team (verb) come together as a team to achieve a common goal.

    I’ve spent a lot of time the past couple of weeks hearing and talking about teams. All kinds of teams: work teams, athletic teams, couples who work as a team, even our political leaders. For the past couple of weeks, the conversation has not been about successful teams, but rather unsuccessful teams. Dysfunctional teams. 

    These conversations have sent me into research mode. What happens between people that make them so unable to work together, so unable to find a common ground, so unable to put aside their anger to actually hear one another? How do you take people who are that far apart and get them to work together? How do you build a team when no one is listening? It’s a major problem in our schools, our communities, our country. So, in the hopes of building a bridge, I thought I would share some information that I found on building a strong team — whether it’s in your business, your school, your place of worship, your home or in our community.

    The following are suggested as the building blocks of building an effective team:

    Clear objectives: Understand that a team has mutually-agreed aims and objectives. It is imperative that everyone has a clear understanding of what they are.

    Balanced roles: A good team knows how to balance the skills, abilities and aspirations of its members. On an effective team, every member has a clear understanding of each individual’s role in achieving the overall team objectives. 

    Effective processes: Teams that work have developed
    good processes for making, communicating, implementing and reviewing decisions. Effective information systems are
    in place and coordination of resources is key to the team’s success.

    Good communication: Meetings are the bane of most teams. Particularly when meetings don’t really serve a purpose other than checking a block or are battlegrounds where axes are ground between the members of the teams. Meetings must be productive and everyone involved has to have a voice. If that isn’t the case, then frustration builds and the team moves further apart instead of together..

    Appropriate leadership: A successful team has a leader. If the leader fails, the team fails. If there is mistrust between the team and its leadership then nothing is going to be accomplished. 

    Support and trust: Members of the team have to have respect and trust in their teammates. They  help each other by listening, evaluating, offering ideas, encouraging experimentation and giving support. 

    Openness and conflict: People express themselves openly and honestly. That means people talk to one another in a civil manner. A differing opinion, is not a reason for name calling or abuse. True team members must be will to work through difficult situations or conflict constructively. 

    Mutual cooperations:There is a readiness to be involved and committed. Individuals’ abilities, knowledge and experience are pooled and used by the team. There is acceptance of each others’ strengths and weaknesses. One team member does not use the other’s weakness against them, instead steps up to fill the gap.

    Individual development:‘Mistakes’ are faced openly and used as a vehicle for learning. Individuals are given opportunities to develop new skills and experience. A coach who takes a player out of the game because they male a mistake isn’t teaching the player anything. A great coach knows that a player learns from his or her mistakes. They become better for the making of them. A good coach also knows not to let the mistakes go on for a long period of time, when that happens, instead of being a teaching tool, the mistake becomes a weapon.

    Regular review:The team regularly reviews its performance and goals and alters its priorities and practices in the light of review. That means they make an honest assessment of what has happened and use the assessment not to place blame, but to move forward.

    If you take a close look at where we are today, it would seem that these common sense approaches to teamwork could really help our city, our state and our country. 


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    A jolt akin to an electric shock shot through my body when I realized that I have been writing for Up & Coming Weekly for a full 15 years!

    I have missed a few weeks for travel, family events and the occasional “mental health” break, but assuming about 45 columns each year, that comes to at least 675 columns — hence, the jolt. I had no idea!

    Once my shock subsided, I started pondering some of those columns and responses that have come in over the years. What topics, I asked myself, generated the most response? Politics? Sex? I have addressed teenage pregnancy and single motherhood but not how they actually occur. Religion? Would not touch that with a 10-foot pole. The eternal quest for world peace? Zzzz

    So what interested readers most? No contest. Up & Coming Weekly readers are fervently interested in tattoos and the English language, grammar included.

    Tattoo responses generally addressed why the writer got tatts and how he or she feels about them. Most people feel just fine. I did get slightly uneasy one evening when I walked by a bandstand and a country musician with much colorful ink snarled at me, “What have you got against tattoos, lady?” though most folks are not quite that invested.

    English grammar aficionados, on the other hand, are deadly serious about our language and its usage, as frankly, am I. The Precious Jewels suffered zillions of grammar corrections over the years — when to use “lay” and when to use “lie” along with why Mary did not go to the movie with “you and I.” Like art and pornography, I think they know correctly used English most of the time, which I consider one of my main legacies as a mother.

    Imagine how delighted I am to meet, on paper and online, Mary Norris, who unapologetically refers to herself as the Comma Queen. Norris has worked for The New Yorker magazine, long known for being a total stickler when it comes to grammar and using exactly the right word, for nearly four decades. She has recently published and essay in The New Yorker— where else — about learning to love its iconic style, and she has a book coming out next month subtitled Confessions of a Comma Queen. Best of all are the Comma Queen’s charming videos on YouTube in which she tackles such burning topics as “Who/Whom for Dummies,” which is quite enlightening.

    Norris knows a great deal about commas, of course, and offers examples of why proper placement of them is critical. Below we see what happens when they are in the wrong place or nowhere at all. 

    “We invited the strippers, J.F.K and Stalin.” We would all have liked to have
     seen that.

    “This book is dedicated to my parents, Ayn Rand and God.” Who knew?

    “And there was the country-and-Western singer who was joined onstage by his two ex-wives, Kris Kristofferson and Waylon Jennings.” Who knew that either?

    Norris is also knowledgeable and concerned about words and how they are used. She frets, as do many other language lovers, over what she terms “vogue words.” Think “massive” and “awesome,” words that have been so overused that they are virtually meaningless. Can you really have a “massive” headache when an ache has no actual mass at all? If you have an “awesome” party, does that mean your hospitality inspired awe among your guests or did they merely have a fine time? 

    What about the void — a real limitation — in English that Norris correctly points out and which sounds to me like a nail grating along a chalkboard every time I hear it. Unfortunately, that is daily. Unlike some other tongues, English does not have a gender neutral word to use when we do not know which gender a person is. For example, “A person stood in the doorway, but _____ did not come in the room.” A correct way to fill that blank would be “he or she,” but that sounds cumbersome. So, we often use the plural “they” when we are referring to a single individual, which is incorrect but so common now that the American Dialect Society has declared “they” the “word of the year” in 2015. Other winners include “bushlips” in 1990, referring to President George H. W. Bush’s “Read my lips. No new taxes” promise, “metrosexual” in 2003, and “truthiness” in 2005, made famous on The Colbert Report.

    My takeaway from all this? 

    Language is dynamic, always expanding and sometimes retiring words and uses, but at the end of the day we must have some rules or we will turn into a tower of Babel. 

    I can hardly wait to hear from my fellow English lovers, so sock it to me.

    Ummm…I wonder whether the Comma Queen would say that.


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    Throw a stone into still water and the affect is far reaching. One ripple spawns the next for several iterations. Leadership is like that. A teachable moment with a mentor, a shared experience with a colleague, an “Aha!” moment when something clicks into place, these all cause ripples. They make us better. They empower us and the people around us. 

    Brad Loase, owner of Express Employment Professionals, is in the business of empowering people (and businesses, because businesses are made up of people) to be and do their best. By matching the right people with the right jobs, Express changes businesses and lives, which in turn impacts the community. And that is where Loase’s passion lies — in doing what he can to help foster a thriving and prosperous community. For Loase, that comes in the form of the Refresh Leadership Live Simulcast, which Express Employment, the Greater Fayetteville Chamber and Holiday Inn I-95 host each year. This year’s event falls on April 13 and includes speakers, breakout sessions, a panel discussion and more.

    “This is a really great opportunity to learn more about leadership on many levels,” said Loase. “We’ve got three internationally-
    known leaders and a very highly regarded state-level speaker. This is the seventh year for Refresh Leadership Live, but it’s the second year we have partnered with the Chamber. It blew me away last year. We have incredible leaders here.” 

    The simulcast portion of the day runs from 9 a.m. to noon and features Marshall Goldsmith, author, professor, and executive coach; Shaquille “Shaq” O’Neal, television sports analyst and 15-time NBA All-Star; and Kaplan Mobray, author, motivational speaker and career consultant. Phyllis Houston-Washington is the luncheon keynote speaker. After lunch, there will be breakout sessions and a panel discussion. The event concludes with Business After Hours. Throughout the day, tables are set up with local vendors sharing educational and business-related resources.

    Loase sees this event as something unique that can make a difference locally. 

    “Your community is only as successful as the people in the community make it. I always want to do things to help make the community stronger,” said Loase. “I would not do this if I felt like it was standard boxed messages that we were repeating. These are people speaking from the heart, sharing true experiences and giving honest insight about how they got to where they are.”

    Marshall Goldsmith is the first speaker of the day. His talk is titled What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There. Goldsmith’s books include two New York Times best sellers: Mojo and What Got You Here, Won’t Get You There. He also teaches at Dartmouth’s Tuck School of Business.

    Shaquille O’Neal’s piece is in a question and answer format and is titled “Leadership Lessons from Inside the Paint.” He’ll share leadership lessons he’s learned on and off the court. A legendary NBA star, O’Neal is also ranked among the 100 Most Creative People in Business by Fast Company Magazine.

    Mobray rounds out the simulcast portion of the event with a talk about “The 10 Ls of Leadership.” In it, he challenges listeners to understand their unique leadership qualities and how to best use them. He is the author of The 10 Ks of Personal Branding.

    The keynote speaker Phyllis Houston-Washington currently lives in Charlotte, but she is no stranger to Fayetteville. She and her family lived here for several years, during which time she worked for WCLN and WFSS. 

    “I still have friends in Fayetteville. Coming to Fayetteville is like coming home,” said Washington. “I am looking forward to coming back and sharing about how strong Fayetteville is and what they have that they don’t even realize.”

    Washington promises a fresh perspective on leadership in her presentation. Don’t expect to hear the buzz words, key phrases and recycled steps to success and other clichés that are common at leadership conferences. In fact, Washington is planning “… something life-changing for leaders and those they lead.” She added, “Attendees can expect to walk away with something personal, practical and that they can apply to their lives. I will talk about the legacy of leadership. We don’t always recognize our own value.”

    Taking the legacy concept a step further, there will be a workshop after lunch led by Washington. “We will talk about developing a leadership brand,” she said.

    Loase noted that while the event is free, lunch is not. It costs $35. Chamber members; however, do receive a discounted price for the meal - $30. 

    “My favorite part of the day is watching the people getting engaged and seeing reactions as they listen to the speakers,” he said. “They are movers and shakers in our world and they are sharing their experience. It is a way to give back to community. A lot of companies will do things like this and charge for it. We don’t want to charge — we want to make out community better.”

    Register for the simulcast at https://www.expresspros.com/RefreshLeadershipLiveSimulcast/Registration.aspx. Register for the luncheon at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/refresh-leadership-live-simulcast-and-business-expo-ticckets23848549654?aff=ebrowse

    For more information, call Loase at
    910 437 5959.

     

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    Among my many failings as a human being is the fact that I like beauty pageants. Growing up I always looked forward to watching the Miss America pageant. I particularly enjoyed watching the lovely ladies wearing their one piece bathing suits strutting their stuff around the stage in high heels. For a 13-year-old boy, it didn’t get any better than that. As a deeply shallow person, it didn’t take much to amuse me back then or now for that matter. Closely behind the bathing suit promenade, were the thought questions and the talent segments. It was truly touching how happy the first runner up was for the ultimate winner. It proved women are more evolved than men. Two guys up for the same prize, the second place guy is much more likely to punch the winner than hug him. Bert Parks singing, “There she is, Miss America,” was a celestial experience. I still tear up a little thinking about that.

    The thought questions were always great. Bert: “Miss Iowa, if you could have two wishes, what would they be?” Miss Iowa: “I would wish for world peace and a hit record.” Cue the wild applause from the Iowa section of the audience. Little was more entertaining than listening to Bert plumbing the intellectual depths of the psyches of potential Miss Americas. Those gals were beautiful but tough. They had to answer deeply philosophical questions with their teeth covered in Vaseline to keep their lips from sticking to their teeth due to smiling for 72 hours straight. They also had to labor under the weight of 20 pounds of hair spray back in Bert’s day. The creation of the hole in the Ozone in the 1960s was a direct result of the hair spray dispersed during Miss America pageants. 

    The talent portion was wonderful. My favorites were the baton twirlers. Baton twirling was really big in the ‘60s. There was always the hope that a twirler might drop her baton. In a really good year, a baton twirler would spin a flaming baton. A contestant might recite a love poem of her own composure. Each year several contestants would sing “Midnight” from Cats. If we got lucky, a contestant would do acrobatics and roll across the stage to a song by Herb Alpert. Those were the days, my friend. We thought they’d never end. 

    Which brings us to a really great beauty pageant that is coming up locally. I speak of the Puttin’ on the Dog Pet Dog show that will occur on Sunday, April 24, from 1 to 3 p.m. This fine event will take place at Heritage Square, 224 Dick Street, in beautiful downtown Fayetteville. This is the classiest dog show in the history of the universe. You, gentle reader, can enter your own dog and win a fabulous prize. The dog show is put on by the Fayetteville Animal Protection Society to raise funds for homeless pets. The entry fee is a mere $5 per dog, which is less than a triple venti carmel coffee. Registration starts at noon. There is no entry fee to join the Parade of Rescue Dogs. Bring your rescued buddy. This is gonna be HUGE! There is no pedigree required for your dog to compete other than being your faithful canine companion. 

    You and your dog can compete and win in the following categories: Gorgeous Gals; Handsome Guys; Owner-Dog Look-a-Likes, Best Dog Costume, with a grand prize for Best in Show. While not a year’s supply of Turtle Wax, magnificent ribbons will be awarded in each of these categories. Free admission for human and doggy spectators. If you just want to bring your dog to view this awesome extravaganza, kindly remained leashed to your puppy. While they last, free doggy treats in the shape of Dook basketball players, IRS agents and UPS delivery dudes are available. Just kidding about the shapes. For the human animal companions, food, drinks and desserts are available for purchase. 

    On a personal note, we are entering our wonder dachshund, Molly the Warrior Princess, who is in fact truly gorgeous. Molly is enrolled in pageant school, where she has been diligently working with a pageant coach on how to answer thought questions while balancing on four high heel shoes wearing a one piece bathing suit. For her talent Molly is going to sing Captain and Tennille’s big hit, “Muskrat Love.” 

    Bring your dog and family out for a beautiful afternoon on the town. We may have a four star general judging the contestants. Come and see the spectacle! A splendid time is guaranteed for all.

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    A near shootout among teens inside a fast food restaurant capped an unusually violent month in Fayetteville. The youth who was the target of a robbery at McDonalds on Raeford Road at Ireland Drive was not charged, although police say he did all of the shooting. The investigation is ongoing. 

    It happened just before the dinner hour, when three teens entered the restaurant to sell a pair of cell phones to another youth. They decided to rob him instead. Darius Keyshawn Joyner, 19,  got the drop on the others and began shooting. Two of the would-be robbers were wounded. An elderly woman was knocked to the ground as the trio ran from the store. No one else was hit by gunfire. 

    Police spokesman Lt. David McLaurin says two handguns were recovered. District Attorney Billy West appeared at the arraignment of the three young suspects and asked that their bail be increased to $250,000 each. District Court Judge Steven Stokes obliged West agreeing that people should be able to eat a meal in peace. The youngsters jailed in the case are Dustin Lane Tippet, 17, Delon Russell-Dyer, 18 and Jairron Harrington, 18, all of Fayetteville. They’re charged with armed robbery, conspiracy and possession of stolen property. 


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    Harnett County Sheriff Steps Down

    Harnett County Sheriff Larry Rollins chose to resign one day after District Attorney Vernon Stewart indicated he would seek murder charges against one of Rollins’ deputies. 

    WTVD11 reported Rollins had actually informed the Board of County Commissioners a month earlier that he was going to step down. That came during the height of a probe into an officer-involved shooting death. Rollins has not commented publically about resigning the post he held for
    14 years. 

    Stewart said he will seek a second-degree murder indictment against Deputy Sheriff Nicholas Kehagais, according to Lillington attorney Jesse Jones. It’s the first time the deputy has been publically identified since the shooting death last November of John Livingston, 33.  He was shot three times Nov. 15 at his home north of Spring Lake. An autopsy disclosed Livingston’s body had evidence of “cocaine and excessive alcohol consumption.” 

    Two deputies responded to the residence before dawn to conduct an assault investigation, the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office said. Court records indicate that Deputy Kehagais contacted Livingston in front of his home while deputy John Werbelow went around back. Kehagais asked Livingston for permission to search the residence for suspects. An affidavit confirmed deputies did not have a search warrant.  Livingston eventually gave his consent. When Kehagais spotted a vehicle behind the home matching the description of one suspected in an assault investigation, he attempted to arrest Livingston, who resisted. The affidavit says Kehagais reported there were witnesses to the struggle that ensued. Kehagais shocked Livingston with his stun gun but it was ineffective. The other officer then pepper-sprayed Livingston, but he kept fighting. Court documents reveal that Kehagais drew his side arm while Livingston fought with him. He fired three times hitting Livingston in the “upper chest and possibly an arm.” EMS personnel pronounced Livingston dead at the scene. Until these disclosures over the past week, the Sheriff’s Office refused to release any information surrounding the confrontation and resulting death.

     

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    Each year more than 2,400 pedestrians are hit by vehicles in North Carolina, making our state among the least safe states in the United States for walking. On average, about 160 pedestrians are killed annually in North Carolina. 

    In collisions with cars, pedestrians have a lot to lose. Those hit at 40 miles per hour have an 85 percent chance of dying according to the Governor’s Highway Safety Office. This is why the North Carolina Department of Transportation has undertaken a program designed to reduce walker fatalities.

    “Pedestrian safety projects are being developed around the city especially along new or resurfaced roadways,” said David Thipps,
     North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Regional Traffic Engineer for Fayetteville. 

    Glensford Drive between Raeford Road and Morganton Road has high visibility marked crosswalks and three roundabouts all of which are designed to protect pedestrians in their conflicts with motor vehicles. In one spot, a unique, fenced corral of sorts was installed on the center median at Berean Baptist Academy to harness children as they move across the busy road. 

    “All major transportation improvement projects include improved accommodations for pedestrians,” says Thipps. 

    These projects include the installation of a center median along Owen Drive that is now underway between U.S. 301 and the All American Expressway. Marked crosswalks are planned in areas where there has been a history of pedestrian fatalities in recent years. Coincidentally, as Up & Coming Weekly has reported, a sidewalk is set for construction along the entire east side of Owen Drive. Raeford Road will get similar center medians and will also include crosswalks with high visibility markings. Both are similar to the project undertaken a couple of years ago along Ramsey Street. When the median was installed along Ramsey Street, crosswalks were not included. But now, according to Thipps, they’ll be retrofitted at some of the major intersections. 

    Thipps points out that smaller paving projects like the one along Eastern Boulevard and Grove Street downtown included pedestrian crosswalks at signalized intersections. Crosswalks are also going in along Eastern Boulevard at Russell Street, Pamalee Drive and Murchison Road as well as in-town sections of Bragg Boulevard. He says there are 14 funded safety projects earmarked for Fayetteville. Thipps says his office and Fayetteville City Traffic Engineer Lee Jernigan work closely together to improve pedestrian safety. Both say the heavily travelled cluster of hotel and hospitality outlets along N.C. 53 (Cedar Creek Road) at Exit 49 off I-95 has received significant safety upgrades with additional crosswalks. The area has become a major problem for travelling motorists, says Thipps. 

    “We’re always looking for additional opportunities to improve pedestrian safety,” he said.

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    A combination of mild winter weather and an early March warm-up are resulting in an intense and early season for allergy sufferers. These conditions allowed trees to pollinate earlier than usual. In eastern North Carolina, pollen levels usually peak in early to mid-spring when most of our native trees such as pines and oaks are flowering. Some of the biggest spring allergy offenders also include grasses and weeds. The trees, many of which are widespread in Greater Fayetteville, also include birch, beech and cedar.  

    This year, the pollen was noticeable a week before spring had sprung. Pollen levels are considered high when daily counts exceed 270 grains per cubic meter. Pollen counts at state environmental laboratories in Raleigh have already reached leveled of 428 and 450. They could get much higher, though. The good news? Seasonal peaks like this usually only occur within a one- or two-week span. 

    With pollen on the rise, allergies won’t be far behind. People who are bothered by allergies may want to limit their time outdoors until pollen levels decline. State environmental experts say the worst times to be outdoors in the pollen are during early morning hours and when it is windy outside. Keeping doors and windows shut with air conditioners running helps to reduce pollen levels indoors. Rainy days, on the other hand, cause a drop in the pollen counts, because the rain washes away the allergens. And of course the rain washes away the residue on the roofs of our homes and cars…at least temporarily.

    The immune system normally defends the body against harmful invaders, such as viruses and bacteria, to ward off illnesses. According to WebMD the immune system, mistakenly seeing the pollen as foreign invaders, releases antibodies — substances that normally identify and attack bacteria, viruses and other illness-causing organisms. The antibodies attack the allergens, which leads to the release of chemicals called histamines into the blood. It’s the histamines that trigger the runny nose, itchy eyes, and other symptoms of allergies. Allergic reactions result from specific types of pollen. The reaction leads to numerous irritating symptoms, such as sneezing, stuffy nose and watery eyes. 

    Some people have pollen allergies year-round, while others only have them during certain times of the year. For example, people who are sensitive to birch pollen will usually have increased symptoms during the spring when birch trees are in bloom. Similarly, those with ragweed allergies will be most affected during the late spring and early fall. A pollen allergy is sometimes referred to as hay fever. 

    If you’re one of the millions of Americans dealing with sinus problems, you know how miserable facial pain and clogged nasal passages can be. Allergies affect up to 30 percent of adults and 40 percent of children in the United States. Symptoms can be treated with medications and allergy shots. Many sinus sufferers have turned to nasal saline irrigation, a therapy that uses a salt and water solution to flush out the nasal passages. 

    One of the most popular methods is use of the Neti pot — a ceramic or plastic pot that looks like a cross between a small teapot and Aladdin’s magic lamp. Although nasal irrigation using the Neti pot has been around for centuries, its use is on the rise in the United States. 


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    Cancer is a too common diagnosis that can uproot and create chaos within a family. Those at the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’s Friends of the Cancer Center are there to help and raise needed funds to support local families. 

    The 10th Annual Ribbon Walk and Run is slated for Sunday, April 10. The event begins at Festival Park, and is hosted by the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’s Friends of the Cancer Center with presenting sponsors Stanley Steemer and Gill Security. New this year is the change from a Walk and Ride to a Walk and Run.

    “We’ve had several requests from runners to include a race so new this year is a sanctioned 5K run. We are expecting 1,500 participants on that Sunday afternoon,” said Tara Hinton, development coordinator for the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation. “It means so much to our patients to see the community come together to help during these difficult times while we all have someone to remember and honor fighting this battle.”

    Teams also include local dignitaries including Miss Fayetteville’s Crowns for Service and #teamdees, supporting former Hope Mills Mayor Eddie Dees who is battling pancreatic cancer. 

    Runners and walkers can sign up until the day of registration at 1 p.m. Registration fees in advance are $25 for walkers, $30 for runners and $20 for all cancer survivors whether walking or running. Limited edition Survivor t-shirts are available on a first come, first served basis. Don’t wait until the day of the event, but if you do, it’s an extra $5. 

    The opening ceremony will start on April 10 at 2 p.m. with the emcee Don Chase from WKML, Special Forces Association Parachute team jump, Miss Fort Bragg singing the National Anthem, survivor recognition with photo displays and a fun Zumba warmup by the HealthPlex.  The race will begin at 3 p.m. with runners starting first,  and walkers following. 

    Also new to the event this year is a large jumbotron digital billboard, where friends and family can submit photos in memory or in honor of loved ones. The display photo forms are available on the website and the deadline for submission is April 4. 

    The Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Cape Fear Valley Health and all funds donated the Health Foundation are directed to programs and services. The Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’s Friends of the Cancer Center helps provide hundreds of cancer patients with emotional support, informational resources, free mammograms, food supplements, wigs and gas vouchers, free hats and turbans, massages and reflexology, Artful Reflections art therapy and emergency needs funding such as mortgage and utility payments. In addition, each year Friends of the Cancer Center sponsors Camp Rockfish, a camp to celebrate life for cancer patients and their families.

    There are three signature fundraising events according to Hinton, including this race. The two other events include the Friends of Children Golf Classic, which will be held on Oct. 6 to benefit children at Cape Fear Valley including the NICU and the Cape Fear Valley Gala in January. Throughout the year, there are also 30+ third party events such as the Fort Bragg Federal Credit Union charity golf tournament, the Methodist University Play for Kay and the Fayetteville State University Ball in Pink. 

    “Community support extends whether they know someone personally and are trying to raise needed funds, or our annual events,” said Hinton. “There are others throughout the year and they help support our mission.  The most important part is these funds being raised stay at home and go directly in the door of Cape Fear Valley. By supporting this event or the various ones during the year, you may be helping someone you know.”

    For more information about the 2016 Run/Walk, to start a team or signup or to donate, visit www.ribbonwalkforcancer.org. 

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    True love can be hard to find. Some people are hopeless romantics who want the fairytale while others end up living a nightmare. But the key is to not let a bad relationship stop you from giving someone else a chance because there is someone who will eventually realize that you are a pot of gold. 

    The Gilbert Theater presents Women of Manhattan from April 1-17. The play is a comedy by John Patrick Shanley. Jeremy Fiebig is the director of the play. 

    “We are kind of doing it as a Sex in the City tale,” said Robyne Parrish, artistic director of the Gilbert Theater. “It is all about women and there are a couple of guys in the show, but it is mainly about women and their relationships with men and the struggles they go through living in the big city of Manhattan.” 

    Parrish added that they are three girlfriends who have been friends since college and work together through the trials and tribulations of life with each other and the men they are in relationships with. 

    Billie is the only married woman in the play. She is in a marriage that is going south. There are two single women, Rhonda Louise and Judy, in the play. Rhonda Louise has trouble letting go of her former relationship. She is having trouble getting out and back into the dating world. Judy has her own set of problems. She cannot seem to meet the right kind of man. The characters are played by Nicki Hart, Loston Riser and Vera Varlamov. Jamale Johnson is playing the character Duke and Grant Harris will play Billie’s husband.   

    “Every female on the planet will identify with the struggles of these women,” said Parrish. “They are a good group of women in different places in their lives and have had several relationships dealing with different issues.” 

    Parrish added that a lot of the festivities are around drinking so the women go out on the town and meet at the House of Margaritas. 

    “We encourage everyone to come and see this play,” said Parrish. “It is funny and it is an opportunity for people to see themselves in these women.” 

     

    For more information or to purchase tickets call 678-7186. 

     
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    For the past eight years, young girls throughout Cumberland County and the surrounding area have put their passion for dolls to work to help children who are less fortunate through the annual American Girl Fashion Show.

    “It’s like labor,” said Julia Adkins, who has been a co-chair of the event for the past eight years. This year, Adkins is joined again by her fellow co-chairs, Cindy Williams and Carol Wheeler. New to the team this year are Robbie Strickland and Melissa Johnson.

    “When you are in the middle of it, it’s a little rough, but then when it’s done you look back and say, ‘It wasn’t that bad.’ Let’s do it again next year. It’s really a labor of love for everyone involved,” said Adkins.

    Putting the show together is a 10-month process and includes casting calls for the 140 models who will perform during the four shows at the Crown Ballroom. Many of the girls return year after year, although the show is hard work. Not only do they have to spend several days in rehearsals, they also have to raise money for the Child Advocacy Center. The goal is for each girl to raise a minimum of $100, but over the course of the year, the girls raise close to $25,000 through ticket sales and sponsorships. For the past several years, the show has netted more than $60,000, with more than $700,000 raised during its history. 

    It is important to Atkins and the staff at the Child Advocacy Center that the girls who participate understand the mission of the Child Advocacy Center. The center is a place of healing and hope that brings together 19 community agencies to offer a safe and child-friendly location to interview, investigate and provide support for abused children. In fiscal year 2015, the CAC served 661 child victims of abuse. The CAC also provides prevention education for parents, professionals and agencies in the community.

    With the mission of the center in mind, the American Girl Fashion Show is a unique and fitting fundraiser. The American Girl line of dolls, books and fashion provides positive historic role models for young girls. Each doll has a unique story that resonates with today’s young girls. Each year, the show adds a new Doll of the Year. This year’s doll, Liza Clarke is a proponent of wildlife conservation and protecting the rain forest. That theme carries over to the decor of the show, which will have a definite tropical rain forest feel.

    Also new this year is a change in the format of the show. In the past, girls and their adult companions were treated to light refreshments. This year, attendees will have a full meal. Those who have attended in the past need not worry. Their favorites like the doll beauty salon and the hair and nail salon for girls will still be available, as will the opportunity to take portraits with their dolls. 

    While many girls may have visited the American Girl Store in places like Charlotte or New York, they will be able to purchase unique items that can only be found at the fashion shows. 

    If you want to delight a young girl in your life, you don’t want to wait too long to get tickets. The shows have sold out every year, and organizers do not expect this year to be any different. Shows are planned for Saturday, April 9 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and on Sunday, April 10 at 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. Tickets are $41, with VIP tickets selling for $66.

    For more information, visit www.CACFayNC.org or call 910.486.9700. 

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    Last year Alton Brown, the popular Food Network personality brought his culinary skill, scientific knowledge and sense of humor live to people across the country with his tour Edible Inevitable.The tour was both successful and fun for the audiences and the host. With that experience under his belt, Brown is bringing an even bigger and more challenging tour called Alton Brown Live: Eat Your Scienceto fans across the nation. The show makes a stop in Fayetteville on April 7.

    Brown is well known for his work as a host on many Food Network programs like Iron Chef Americaand Cutthroat Kitchen. He is also an acclaimed author winning a James Beard Award for I’m Just Here for the Food. He may be most strongly associated with his 13 years spent on the show Good Eats,however. 

    “My live shows are not Good Eats Live. However, the DNA is there. If you are a fan of Good Eats, then you will probably enjoy this, but I do things that I would never be able to do on TV. I write food songs and play and sing. I do demonstrations that are so much larger and theatrical on Good Eats — at the end of the day I did things you could do at home. In my live shows I do demonstrations that you could never do at home unless you have experience welding, a large workshop space and several advanced degrees in electrical engineering. Some people have described it as Good Eats on steroids. I don’t know that I see it quiet that way, but the DNA is there. They are related,” he explains. 

     For those that enjoyed Edible Inevitable this new performance is a must see; it’s going to be even bigger and better. “With the Edible Inevitabletour we learned the model and structure works. It is like a recipe, this much potato this much butter, this much milk. We are using the same structure but with all new songs and all new stuff. The guts are new,” Brown, explained, “This new show we required even more people to help with building and planning. We have brand new demonstrations … we are using technologies that no one has ever used on food before. It is exciting and a little bit terrifying because if things don’t work out the way I think they will, I will be in a little bit of trouble. “

    Eat Your Scienceis full of grand demonstrations, jokes, live music and much more. Brown himself plays both the guitar and keyboard. Though not known as a musician now, he says that in his youth he often wrote and performed songs. For him relearning those skills was one of the most rewarding parts of preparing for these tours. “Everyone who grew up like me in ‘70s wanted to be a rock star. This has some of the same vibes so it’s a bit like a fantasy come true,” he says. 

    Much of this tour is focused on fun and enjoyment for the audience naturally, but also for Brown. The best performances are ones that are as fresh and exciting for the performers as for the audience. “This is new and exciting and a wonderful antidote because it is the opposite of TV, in a good way,” Brown says “ When you spend a lot of time every day on a sound stage like a do for Cut Throat Kitchen making TV this sort of gives you the other side of life.”

    Alton Brown Live: Eat Your Sciencewill be at the Crown Theatre on April 7 at 8 p.m. Tickets star at $39.75. For more information or to purchase tickets visit http://www.crowncomplexnc.com/events/detail/alton-brown or call 910.438.4100. The Crown Theatre is located at 1960 Coliseum Drive.

  • SIDEWALK PROJECT

    The City of Fayetteville and the North Carolina State Department of Transportation have agreed to construct nearly two miles of sidewalks along Owen Drive. Sidewalks will be built from Eastern Boulevard (US301) to the
    All American Expressway at Old Owen Drive. 

    The $549,000.00 project won’t get underway until the summer of 2017, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation, but it has been funded. Eighty percent of the funds are provided by the federal government. The city will pay the other 20 percent or $112,000.00. 

    “This will be a great project to improve pedestrian connectivity along one of the highest travelled corridors in the city,” said Fayetteville Traffic Engineer Lee Jernigan. 

    Construction is estimated to take from six to eight months.

    The 1.8 miles of sidewalks will be constructed along the east side of Owen Drive. That’s the side the ABC Store and Briarwood Apartments are located on. Fayetteville Area System of Transit patrons will also benefit. 

    Eight bus stop pads will be built along the route. Some of them will be mini-projects in and of themselves. Narrow berms along some portions of the shoulder of the highway in the vicinity of Briarwood have served as bus stops. They are extremely dangerous because the berms are adjacent to steep drainage ditches. Those areas will require a major buildup for the walkway. Some of the bus stops may have to be relocated in order to better accommodate patrons, Jernigan said. 

    “This is part of the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s safety improvement project,” Jernigan noted.


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    Some local officials believe, and even fear, that Fort Bragg is growing too big, too fast from a business perspective. While officials welcome the military growth, there is some concern about the self-sufficiency Fort Bragg is building, from a new convention center to a huge entertainment complex. Add to that growth the 12,000 seat stadium being built by Major League Baseball on the post while Fayetteville is debating the construction of a minor league ballpark. 

    Local government, some merchants and others are privately worried that the massive commercial development on post could eventually damage the civilian economy. 

    “They’re building their own economy,” said Bill Crisp, a long-time member of Fayetteville’s City Council. 

    Crisp recalls efforts five years ago to lure Embassy Suites to Fayetteville. The attraction for the hotel was its proximity to Fort Bragg. Five Points Hospitality, Inc., manages the property, which is owned by MBM Hospitality, LLC, of Fayetteville. The City of Fayetteville pulled out all the stops to make sure the owners chose a location off Yadkin Road, offering tax incentives, spending half a million dollars improving drainage issues, waiving building permit fees and providing a low-interest loan. Adequate conference space was an important element in order to meet the demand created by the relocation to Fort Bragg of the Army’s four-star Forces Command from Atlanta. 

    The Army decided to build a convention center of its own on the site of the old Noncommissioned Officers Club. Military leaders called it their “crown jewel.” A new hotel is planned next door, all of which will duplicate Fayetteville’s Embassy Suites. The post also recently renovated the three-story Landmark Inn and military guest houses. Meanwhile, hotels in the civilian community are seeing a downturn in business. 

    “It’s going to hurt Spring Lake and hotel occupancy overall,” said John Meroski, president and CEO of the Fayetteville Convention and Visitors Bureau. 

    Meroski told Up & Coming Weeklythere has been a large growth spurt in hotels locally. According to Meroksi, two hotels are under construction and four more are planned. 

    “In the last six months, for the first time in seven years, occupancy is trending stable,” added Meroski. Sixty-five to 70 percent occupancy is considered full, he explained. The market occupancy rate now is 60 percent. 

    At Fort Bragg, a $20 million-plus entertainment center with a multiscreen movie theater, restaurants and specialty retailers is planned. Known as Freedom Crossing, it is under development by the Army & Air Force Exchange System. 

    “Nothing like it quite exists in Fayetteville,” said AAFES Spokeswoman Julie Mitchell. Fort Bragg Spokeswoman Christina Douglas said the facility will open in 2018 on a site off Woodruff Street near the North Post Exchange. 

    When the complex was announced, Mitchell said six to nine national restaurant chains will be part of it. Douglas indicated the exchange system has not made public the franchises likely to locate on post. But a similar development at Fort Bliss, Texas, has a Texas Roadhouse, Smashburger, Buffalo Wild Wings and other restaurants and retailers. The complex will fill gaps in entertainment and dining options for families at Fort Bragg, Mitchell said. 

    The saving grace, Meroski notes, is that soldiers still enjoy leaving post when off duty for entertainment and shopping options and there are a number of military families that live off post and are integrated into the community. 


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    Where's Sheriff Butler?

    Sheriff Earl “Moose” Butler is rarely seen in public these days and, except for a recent radio interview, hasn’t been heard from. For his more than 20 years in office, Butler has maintained a high profile presence, until recently. Sheriff’s Office Attorney Ronnie Mitchell has become his surrogate, leading many to wonder why Butler is no longer speaking for himself. When asked if Butler was ill, Sgt. Sean Swain, the office spokesman, said, “The Sheriff is just fine. He has been delegating a lot of events and engagements to others so he can focus on other more pressing issues.” Butler has indicated he’s serving his last four-year term. He was elected to a sixth term in 2014 which puts him about two years out from retirement. If he follows tradition, Butler may decide to step down early and ask county commissioners to appoint a successor. As a lifelong Democrat, he would likely recommend the person he would like to see succeed him.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

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    Revised Congressional Districts

    “There’s a lot of cynicism in the country because of the way we draw maps, where people feel their vote doesn’t count, and that the results are predetermined,” says Michael Li, senior counsel for the Brennan Center’s democracy program and a voting-rights expert. The North Carolina situation, in particular, “is a mess,” he added. As the result of a recent appellate court decision, North Carolina Congressional elections were postponed until June 7 because new maps had to be drawn to straighten out unlawful gerrymandering.

    It has been alleged that the Republican legislature packed more black voters into districts where they already had a plurality, thus boosting Republican odds by “bleaching” surrounding districts. Eleven of the state’s 13 Congressional districts had to be redrawn. Fayetteville, Fort Bragg and Cumberland County are now in the new 8th and 9th districts. The new  Congressmen are Richard Hudson, Republican of Concord and Robert Pittenger, Republican of Charlotte. The districts are adjacent to one another. They stretch horizontally along south-central North Carolina from Rowan County in the west to Cumberland County in the east. Members of Congress David Price, Renee Ellmers and David Rouser no longer represent the Fayetteville area. 

     

    Medal of Honor Recipient Honored

    Fayetteville’s Airborne & Special Operations Museum will host a Medal of Honor Day Ceremony March 25 at 10 a.m.  The late Staff Sgt. Felix M. Conde-Falcon, Company D, 1st Battalion, 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division is the highlighted recipient. Staff Sgt. Conde is the only the 82nd Airborne Division Medal of Honor recipient during the Vietnam War. The 3rd Brigade deployed to Vietnam in 1968 answering the nation’s call in response to the Tet Offensive. President Lyndon Johnson came to Pope Field to see the paratroopers off. Guest speakers for the upcoming event are Col. (Retired) Stan Dodson and Lesley Hayes. Dodson was Conde’s platoon leader and Hayes was the radio operator the day of the action. Some of the platoon members present that day will attend. Immediately after the ceremony, all Vietnam veterans present will be honored and presented with lapel pins thanking them for their service during the war.    

     

    Red Cross Dedication

    American Red Cross workers are on the ground, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, helping those who need it most. Whether they’re providing essentials to a family impacted by a home fire in the middle of the night, or supporting affected communities after a severe storm, they’re there nearly every 8 minutes across the country. The Red Cross provides impacted families with essentials like warm meals, a place to stay, and clean-up kits , as well as guidance on how to take the next steps to recover from tragedy. Here in Fayetteville, it’s not unusual for volunteers with the Highlands Chapter of the American Red Cross to get phone calls day and night from the fire department. Families who are burned out of their homes are given temporary lodging in local motels and other necessities as they struggle to get back on their feet.  Right now, the Red Cross is hard at work delivering hope and help for people impacted by flooding along the Gulf Coast.  Record flooding is occurring along a stretch of the Sabine River, and will result in long-lasting after effects along the Texas and Louisiana border. One night more than 380 people found safe places to stay in 31 Red Cross and community shelters outside flooded communities in Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana. It’s the fifth major disaster this year alone. Families face a long road to recovery as they wait for the water to recede.


  • 032316donald.jpg

    I am approaching being fully convinced that treating all people fairly is not the strong-suit of most politicians, the media or a good many American citizens. This fact is demonstrated in the responses to conflicts between supporters and protesters at Donald Trump rallies. Media reports are replete with charges that Trump creates an atmosphere where violence is encouraged and found acceptable. 

    I am not a Trump supporter. However, I do believe totally in treating all people fairly. Idisagree with his tactics and what appears to be his overall strategy in this Presidential quest. The bothersome tactics include, but are not limited to, his foul language, verbal personal attacks on others and speaking in generalities. The overall strategy seems to be one of addressing the public’s anger in ways that excites and attracts loyalty but demonstrates no likelihood of productivity. In spite of these objections, I stand solidly in support of fair treatment for Trump. Without reservation, I hold that he is not being treated fairly.

    As a starting point, consider what happened at Trump’s rally in Fayetteville on March 9. Various media reports indicate that Rakeem Jones, a 26-year-old black male, was protesting inside the venue. His conduct led to sheriff’s deputies leading him out of the coliseum. As they were escorting Jones up the inside steps, John Franklin McGraw, a 78-year-old white male, walked from his seat and hit Jones in the face. Media reports abound that focus on the conduct of the deputies in that they did not immediately arrest McGraw. Even more widespread from media, all 2016 Presidential candidates (Republicans and Democrats), political leaders and many citizens is the absolute contention that Trump is responsible for this incident and similar ones at some of his other rallies. The case is made that he creates an atmosphere that invites this kind of behavior. I have not seen that any responsibility is placed on Rakeem Jones, the protester.

    A Trump rally scheduled for March 11 in Chicago was cancelled due to public safety concerns but drew Fayetteville-type responses. That is, claims that people were prepared for violence and disorder because Trump inspires this behavior. Even though the rally was cancelled, there were still scuffles between protesters and Trump supporters. 

    That is some of the background. Now on to why I hold that Donald Trump is being treated unfairly when he is held almost solely responsible for the clashes at his rallies. Start with the matter of free speech. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution states: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances. “

    Addressing the freedom of speech portion of the First Amendment, writer and speaker Chad Kent says, “Most of the examples that people like to use to justify limits on free speech — yelling ‘fire’ in a crowded theater, libel laws, slander — have nothing to do with limiting your ability to speak your mind. Those laws don’t put limits on your rights. They prevent you from violating the rights of others. There is a big difference.”

    The First Amendment looked at, in light of what Kent writes, leads me to conclude Trump is not limiting the rights of others to speak, but his right to free speech is being limited. Those who want to hear him are also having their free speech rights limited and in Chicago totally denied. 

    Michael Futch, reporter with the Fayetteville Observer, wrote about the incident at Trump’s rally in our city. The title was “Protester punched while being escorted from Trump rally.” Futch attributes the following to Rakeem Jones:

    He said he didn’t go to the rally to protest but as a “social experiment” with a diverse group of four friends. Jones said the woman who was with the group started getting loud once Trump began to address the audience. “Our friend was talking along the lines of, ‘Trump is disgusting.’ That was her opinion, and she was saying it out loud,” he said. “People around us were like, ‘Ya’ll need to shut up.’ Then it got to the point where the police were called in and escorted us out. 

    That was Fayetteville. Now to Chicago. Jeremy Diamond and Theodore Schleifer write about what happened after cancellation of the Chicago rally was announced. The article is “In Depth: Trump supporters, protesters clash.” 

    Several fist fights between Trump supporters and protesters could be seen after the announcement, as a large contingent of Chicago police officers moved in to restore order. Supporters of Trump still inside chanted “We want Trump” after the event was canceled. Protesters, meanwhile, shouted “We shut s*** down” and “We stumped Trump.” 

    Beyond all that is said above about limiting or denying free speech, reporting from many sources indicate there is an organized effort to prevent Donald Trump from speaking at rallies. The effort to shut him down is real and I hold it is unfair, maybe illegal.

    The conduct of protesters also endangers Trump and his supporters. Given that there is legal provision for not allowing protesters into a Trump rally, an appropriate official should explain why that authority is not being used. The applicable act is summarized below:

    Federal Restricted Buildings and Grounds Improvement Act of 2011 [sic] - Amends the federal criminal code to revise the prohibition against entering restricted federal buildings or grounds to impose criminal penalties on anyone who knowingly enters any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority. Defines “restricted buildings or grounds” as a posted, cordoned off, or otherwise restricted area of: (1) the White House or its grounds or the Vice President’s official residence or its grounds, (2) a building or grounds where the President or other person protected by the Secret Service is or will be temporarily visiting, or (3) a building or grounds so restricted due to a special event of national significance.

    Since Donald Trump has Secret Service protection, not using this provision seems unfair, even unsafe, to Trump and his supporters.

    Futch’s article noted that the Fayetteville protester says he didn’t go to the rally to protest but as a “social experiment” with a diverse group of four friends. I have seen nothing in any reporting where Jones was asked to explain his “social experiment.” Given that his experiment ended as it did, he should have to explain the goal and make-up of this exercise. People who want to prevent recurrence of this kind of incident would be helped by the information. Is anybody asking? No! Just blame Trump. Fair to Trump? No!

    And how about the 78-year-old man who hit Jones. Is anybody seriously working to understand why he did it? Two statements are repeatedly attributed to McGraw: (1) Liked “clocking the hell out of that big mouth;” (2) “Next time, we might have to kill him.” In Ferguson and Baltimore, when people roamed the streets burning and looting, there was tremendous effort to understand why. I see absolutely no effort to determine why a 78-year-old man would do what this man did. The immediate conclusion is that he was just caught up in this violence-producing atmosphere created by Donald Trump. Fair to Trump? No!

    Dealing fairly with Donald Trump in this matter of physical confrontations at his rallies requires identification of causes and forthright actions to address those causes. This will not happen because American society dispenses fairness according to an unfair formula. In short, that formula requires conduct that Donald Trump seems to have no intention of delivering. High on the listing of conduct “do nots” is not challenging the political status quo so rigorously maintained by career politicians. Republicans and this nation are going to pay a very costly price if this unfair treatment of Donald Trump continues. Don’t believe it … check the primary results from March 15. 

  • 032316pubpen.jpg

    There was an air of excitement, confidence and achievement at the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Gala last Friday night. And why not? It was the perfect end to a week celebrating what appears to be a brand new beginning for Fayetteville. 

    On Tuesday, March 15, to the surprise of many Fayetteville residents, the local $35 million parks and recreation bond was approved by Fayetteville residents. Maybe I should say “overwhelmingly” approved. Not only did it earn nearly 60 percent of the votes; almost every voting precinct in the city gave it an enthusiastic thumb’s up. This was a huge win for our community. Now, we can begin enhancing our community with amenities and quality-of-life venues that will allow us to catch up with neighboring North Carolina communities. Senior Centers, splash pads, skateboard parks and a riverside park are not the ultimate solutions for a community suffering from decades of neglect, but it is a good start. 

    The outcome could have been different, but I think we have learned some major lessons here.

    First, the bond opposition that was organized and characterized as the Hate Eight, failed to effectively articulate their number one objection to the bond proposal: Property tax increases. The opposition adamantly declared they were not against parks and recreation but rather against increased taxes. Their words rang hollow when you look at the miniscule tax rate increase. The mere fact that they organized against the bond, regardless of reason, was enough to rally, activate and mobilize pro-bond people, businesses and organizations. This force was partially responsible for one of the largest voter turnouts we have seen in Fayetteville for a very long time. Without this surge of support the outcome could have been very different.

    Second, the City of Fayetteville initiated one of the most impressive educational media/marketing campaigns we have ever seen in this community. Kevin Arata, the new city director of corporate communications, executed the nearly perfect multimedia program needed to guarantee success. He reached out to every resident and touched every neighborhood, using buses, radio, social media, daily and community newspapers and an effective speakers bureau. In other words, they got the message out. The city educated the public on what the parks and recreation bond represented, what it would do and how much it would cost. There is no substitute for good communication. In this case, the city gets an A plus rating and should adopt these techniques to better serve and communicate with citizens on an ongoing basis.

    Third, the Mayor and the City Council worked together with other pro-bond advocates who got out and worked hard and diligently to educate the public on the need for and importance of the bond and the impact it will have on Fayetteville’s future. To this end, no one worked harder promoting the bond than District 2 City Councilman Kirk deViere, who literally spent hours upon hours nurturing this project as if it was his and his alone. His efforts serve as the perfect example of the type of energy, enthusiasm, dedication and leadership we need in all of our city and county leaders. No longer should we tolerate “placeholders” whose main objectives are to occupy an elected seat and contribute nothing to our community. 

    We need people with ideas and ideals. 

    We need people who are willing to speak out and execute those innovative ideas. 

    This kind of leadership is extremely lacking at all levels of our local government. I overheard someone assess our local elected leadership as follows:

    Cumberland County School Board - incompetent

    Fayetteville City Council - arrogant

    Cumberland County Board of Commissioners - complacent

    That’s pretty sad. 

    Don’t shoot the messenger. Perception is reality, and we all are responsible and need to work on this. 

    Stay in touch and thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.


  • 032316margaret.jpg

    Dear Up & Coming WeeklyReaders:

    Super Tuesdays have come and gone in North Carolina and other states, and even though the fields have narrowed to a handful of candidates still standing and time is growing increasingly short, we do not yet know who will bear our parties’ standards as we choose a Ppresident in November.

    At the risk of sounding like a grouchy old lady, this entire, remarkable, and in my lifetime, unprecedented election season strikes me as heading down at least two tracks. We Americans — party affiliation notwithstanding — are behaving in two ways. We have either suspended our disbelief about what our wannabe officeholders tell us or we have thrown all reason to the wind and allow nothing to offend us. Stunningly, some of us are doing both.

    Let’s talk about suspending rational thought.

    I know Ted Cruz cannot singlehandedly do away with the Internal Revenue Service, because American presidents have no magic wands. In fact, they have Congress just down the street. Our Constitution created balances of power — thank you, thank you, Founding Fathers! 

    I also know the United States cannot afford to provide universal healthcare and free college educations to everyone who might seek them, no matter what Bernie Sanders says on television. We simply do not have enough money. And, goodness gracious, The Donald cannot build a fortress wall along our nation’s southern border, nor can he bus or fly everyone in our nation illegally home to Mommy. Here again, there is not enough money — unless, of course, the Donald wants to spring for all this himself, and, of course, there is that pesky Congress again to manage.

    Worth mentioning as well is the U. S. Supreme Court, which can smack down both president and Congress, at which point the cycleof figuring out new plans kicks in, and we are off again. Ours is far from a perfect governmental design, but I agree with Winston Churchill who famously observed about our messy system, “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.”

    Hear! Hear! Anyone up for another system?

    On the other front, American presidential politics have historically been rough and tumble from our earliest elections.  Even so, I am hardly the first person to fret about civility and decorum in this year’s campaigns. Our candidates have called names, accused entire groups of people of crimes, joked about the disabled, impugned a former prisoner of war’s courage, made negative remarks about each other’s physical appearances and commented on their own
    and others’ body parts and bodily functions. 

    Many Americans would not allow this kind of talk at the family dinner table, but we are not only tolerating it from our candidates, we are embracing it. 

    It is as if we are having a collective temper tantrum.

    Turn on your TV most any time, and the talking heads are chatting about anger in America, much of it centered on economic insecurity and inequality felt acutely by our nation’s shrinking middle class. I get that. I feel it, too, and worry about the Precious Jewels’ generation of young adults whom economists and sociologists say may not attain their parents’ level of physical or financial health. Our nation
     is in a period of transition, and change makes people uncomfortable and anxious.

    I have to wonder, though, whether we are doing ourselves any favors by accepting candidate promises that simply cannot be true and by cheering on candidate words and behaviors that we would spurn in our own lives. Is choosing our leader and our face to the rest of the world out of anger and anxiety our best decision?

    Elections almost always generate strong opinions and sometimes the passion we are seeing in the 2016 cycle, but I struggle to imagine that decisions based on emotion instead of rational thought will take us where we want to go. That has rarely worked in my personal life, and I do not think it will work in our collective public life. 

    Having a temper tantrum in the voting booth is not rational decision making.

    Thank you for letting me vent.


    Fondly,

    Margaret

  • 032316margaret.jpg

    Dear Up & Coming WeeklyReaders:

    Super Tuesdays have come and gone in North Carolina and other states, and even though the fields have narrowed to a handful of candidates still standing and time is growing increasingly short, we do not yet know who will bear our parties’ standards as we choose a Ppresident in November.

    At the risk of sounding like a grouchy old lady, this entire, remarkable, and in my lifetime, unprecedented election season strikes me as heading down at least two tracks. We Americans — party affiliation notwithstanding — are behaving in two ways. We have either suspended our disbelief about what our wannabe officeholders tell us or we have thrown all reason to the wind and allow nothing to offend us. Stunningly, some of us are doing both.

    Let’s talk about suspending rational thought.

    I know Ted Cruz cannot singlehandedly do away with the Internal Revenue Service, because American presidents have no magic wands. In fact, they have Congress just down the street. Our Constitution created balances of power — thank you, thank you, Founding Fathers! 

    I also know the United States cannot afford to provide universal healthcare and free college educations to everyone who might seek them, no matter what Bernie Sanders says on television. We simply do not have enough money. And, goodness gracious, The Donald cannot build a fortress wall along our nation’s southern border, nor can he bus or fly everyone in our nation illegally home to Mommy. Here again, there is not enough money — unless, of course, the Donald wants to spring for all this himself, and, of course, there is that pesky Congress again to manage.

    Worth mentioning as well is the U. S. Supreme Court, which can smack down both president and Congress, at which point the cycleof figuring out new plans kicks in, and we are off again. Ours is far from a perfect governmental design, but I agree with Winston Churchill who famously observed about our messy system, “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.”

    Hear! Hear! Anyone up for another system?

    On the other front, American presidential politics have historically been rough and tumble from our earliest elections.  Even so, I am hardly the first person to fret about civility and decorum in this year’s campaigns. Our candidates have called names, accused entire groups of people of crimes, joked about the disabled, impugned a former prisoner of war’s courage, made negative remarks about each other’s physical appearances and commented on their own
    and others’ body parts and bodily functions. 

    Many Americans would not allow this kind of talk at the family dinner table, but we are not only tolerating it from our candidates, we are embracing it. 

    It is as if we are having a collective temper tantrum.

    Turn on your TV most any time, and the talking heads are chatting about anger in America, much of it centered on economic insecurity and inequality felt acutely by our nation’s shrinking middle class. I get that. I feel it, too, and worry about the Precious Jewels’ generation of young adults whom economists and sociologists say may not attain their parents’ level of physical or financial health. Our nation
     is in a period of transition, and change makes people uncomfortable and anxious.

    I have to wonder, though, whether we are doing ourselves any favors by accepting candidate promises that simply cannot be true and by cheering on candidate words and behaviors that we would spurn in our own lives. Is choosing our leader and our face to the rest of the world out of anger and anxiety our best decision?

    Elections almost always generate strong opinions and sometimes the passion we are seeing in the 2016 cycle, but I struggle to imagine that decisions based on emotion instead of rational thought will take us where we want to go. That has rarely worked in my personal life, and I do not think it will work in our collective public life. 

    Having a temper tantrum in the voting booth is not rational decision making.

    Thank you for letting me vent.


    Fondly,

    Margaret

  • 050416cos.jpg

    As the 2015-2016 performance season draws to a close, the Cumberland Oratorio Singers prepare for Ola Gjeilo’s “Sunrise Mass” on May 13. Dr. Michael Martin, the COS artistic director and conductor sees this as a good choice for ending the season on a high note. 

    “What’s interesting about the ‘Sunrise Mass’ is that it is not full of conflict and discord. Not that there is anything wrong with dissonance: It’s part of everything and certainly, part of music. Sometimes, we even use the term ‘ear candy’ to describe singers’ ‘giddiness’ to explore the richness associated with that kind of resolution of musical conflict,” he said.  

    “While it is great fun to perform that kind of music, it is also nice to enjoy the ease of simple, yet beautiful chords. It’s almost as if Gjeilo wanted to compose something is directly pleasing to sing and easy to hear. It’s quite refreshing!”

    According to Martin, the text comes from the Ordinary of the Mass. While Gjeilo set the meaning of the Latin text respectfully and observes the traditions that masses are expected to exhibit, his overall vision for the piece lies within the titles of the work, i.e., “The Spheres” for the “Kyrie,”  are only loosely related to the meaning of the Latin. In so doing, he reveals a metaphysical journey from the heavens to Earth. The Cross Creek Chorale will couple this with pieces by Eric Whitacre, Z. Randall Stroope and Morton Lauridsen. 

    Although this is the last official performance of the season, Martin’s love for the community is strong and he is always looking for ways to engage the singers with audiences. Later this summer, they will sing, once again, for the outdoor concert at Festival Park near the July 4 holiday. Martin is also hopeful that there will be more joint ventures with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra.

    Next year marks the 25th season for the oratorio singers and Martin is planning with that in mind. “Our first concert will be a nod to the very first piece performed by the COS back in 1991: Mozart’s Requiem,” he said. “We hope to feature area high school choir members as part of this performance and bring back charter members of the organization. Of course, we will perform “Messiah” at the holidays and have pieces featuring organ and brass, as well as feature an area high school choir. For our 25th year, it will be a wonderful celebration of choral music!”

    COS continues to grow and prosper, and the group is always looking for new members. Interested singers can contact Martin through the website, www.singwithcos.org. 

    The “Sunrise Mass” takes place at 7:30 p.m. at St. Ann Catholic Church on May 13. 

  • 031616_cover.jpg

    The Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority holds the distinction of being the first Greek letter organization established by African-American women. That was in 1908. The local chapter, Upsilon Kappa Omega was started on Dec. 1, 1996. In the 20 years since its inception, Upsilon Kappa Omega has worked tirelessly to make a difference in the community. On Saturday, April 16, the group is set to host An Evening at the Oscars. It is the group’s main fundraiser.

    “The theme for the night is Evening at the Oscars, and we really want people to come out and enjoy the event. Our VIP sponsors can look forward to an area dedicated to them with hors d’oeuvres and drinks along with a private session with our featured musician, Marcus Anderson,” said Tracy Allen, UKO publicity and marketing representative. 

    “In true Oscar night fashion, we will have gift bags and other Oscar-related things. We will also have a DJ to play between band sets. There will be dancing and networking. And of course, everyone will be dressed in their finest, which always makes for a fun evening.”

    A night of lively jazz music and dancing, An Evening at the Oscars features the music of Marcus Anderson. A South Carolina native, Anderson has toured with Prince as a saxophonist for New Power Generation. He’s played prominent festivals including the Essence Music Festival, Monteux Jazz Festival and the Curacao North Seas Jazz Festival.  He’s known for great music, of course, but his stage presence and showmanship are what make his performances so special. Influenced by great musicians like Michael Jackson, James Brown and, of course, Prince, Anderson’s music is relatable and catchy.

    Anderson’s repertoire includes R&B, pop, rock and funky grooves. His latest release, Style Meets Substance is his fifth solo effort. The 13-track album showcases his talent on the saxophone with sax melodies, jazz, funk and Latin sounds. The album also features collaborations with Morris Hayes and Nicholas Cole.

    Guests at the event are in for a night of great music and fun, and while that is exactly what Upsilon Kappa Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated wants for the event, the proceeds go toward making a difference locally – all year long. 

    With the motto “Service to All Mankind” serving as inspiration, the ladies of UKO are constantly seeking ways to make Fayetteville better. The group’s programs include areas like health, educational enrichment, strengthening the family, environmental ownership and global impact and are a direct result of the AKA’s focus on launching new dimensions of service. Because the UKO members believe so strongly in their vision to empower lives by acts of community through service, they work tirelessly to find ways to make a difference. And with nearly 100 members, the reach is significant and vast.

    The group sponsors asthma camp and participates in Reading Rocks. The members collect back packs to give away to school students each year. UKO sponsors the Bicycle Man Giveaway, Shop with the Sheriff and the Lupus Walk. The members hold workshops to educate the public about human trafficking and ways to keep kids safe. They hold financial workshops on everything from how to bounce back from a bankruptcy to how to save money to how to purchase a home. They offer classes about mental health related issues like PTSD, depression and anxiety. They routinely team up with other organizations to feed and clothe the homeless, give them personal hygiene items, haircuts and more. The most recent event touched the lives of about 1,000 local homeless.

    As the designated Fort Bragg Chapter, while UKO cares deeply for the community and everyone in it, Fort Bragg holds a special place in the group’s heart. “We go visit the VA home. A lot of the people there are  forgotten by their families,” said Allen. “We buy them games and hygiene items and spend time with them. We offer service to all, but without the military and vets we would not have our freedom. So it is important to us that we help military as much as we can - including spouses and families when their soldier is deployed.”

    It is no secret that education is a great equalizer and with that in mind, UKO awards scholarships to students each year. The sorority recognizes “outstanding high-school seniors, already accepted by an accredited four-year college or university, who demonstrates high scholastic achievement; proven leadership; and, have
    actively participated in community service.” 

    Students from Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke and or Sampson counties are eligible to apply. This is a topic that is dear to many, including some sorority members. “I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth but I knew I wanted to be successful. I ended up going in the military. I made a career of it and used my benefits to go college,” said Allen. “We want students to be successful. That is part of what this scholarship is about. We would love to eventually fund an entire year or even all 4 years of college for someone.” 

    UKO goes beyond scholarships when it comes to working with youth and preparing them for the future. The sorority sponsors teacher-led workshops to help students with study skills, career options, how to prepare for the SAT/ACT, how to apply for college and financial aid and more. 

    The Evening at the Oscars is on April 16 at the Crown Expo Center, Hall C. at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 and are available at www.ukoaka-2nd-Evening-at-the-Oscars.eventbrite.com. For information, call 663.1527 or visit www.ukoaka1908.com. 

  • 031616_alzheimers.jpg

    Do you remember where your keys are? What about what you had for breakfast? What year you graduated from high school? What about your son’s name? Yes, Alzheimer’s is a progressive loss of memory and it does not stop there. This is one of the deadliest diseases not to have declined in the last several years. It cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed. Pat and Julie McKee started the first Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s in 2011 and formed their company, McKee Homes, in his father’s honor by creating the Joe McKee Memorial Alzheimer’s Fund. A portion of every home sold goes to this fund, and it is used to support the Alzheimer’s Association in its mission. The company has been the main sponsor of the walk since its inception. 

    “We have been very fortunate to have started this walk in Fayetteville because the community as a whole has embraced the cause,” said Julie McKee, “Our partners in the homebuilding industry were some of our earliest supporters. Over the years, several different industries have joined the cause from Rhudy’s Jewelry to Team Elite, Coldwell Baker.”

    Sponsors are the heartbeat of the walk including local media outlets getting out the word and other in-kind sponsorships, which have reduced overhead allowing for more funds to go directly to care and research. 

    This is a personal story for the McKees, with his father Joe being diagnosed and his mother, a primary caregiver for 10 years, watching his cognitive abilities slowly deteriorate over time. Julie McKee has been motivated to help others currently affected by the disease connect with the Alzheimer’s Association. She is a major sponsor, a member of the Eastern N.C. Alzheimer’s Association board of directors and co-chair of the Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s. 

     “Anyone with a brain can get Alzheimer’s. Every individual in this country, whether they have a direct connection to the disease or not, will be affected by it,” said McKee, “The only way to stop people from dying from this disease is to fund research.”

    According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s and as many as 16 million will have the disease in 2050. Nearly one in every three seniors who dies each year has Alzheimer’s or another dementia. It is an unforgiving, expensive disease to fight. Indeed, the McKees have been affected and now work diligently to help others and the growing need.

    The 5th Annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s this year will be held on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 9 a.m. beginning at the SwampDogs Stadium (2823 Legion Road, Fayetteville). There are other events coming up through the Fayetteville chapter including a corporate breakfast at the Hutchens Law Firm on March 24, booths at the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival and 4th Friday, a Team Captain Workshop on May 25 and a Swampdogs Alzheimer’s Association Night on Aug. 4. To learn more about the walk, to donate or find out how to get involved, visit www.alz.org/walk or find them on Facebook at fayettevillewalktoendalz.

    There are 10 early warning signs for
    Alzheimer’s including:

    • Memory loss that disrupts daily life

    • Challenges in planning or solving problems.

    • Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home,            at work or at leisure.

    • Confusion with time or place.

    • Trouble understanding visual images and        spatial relationships.

    • New problems with words in speaking or           writing.

    • Misplacing things and losing the ability to        retrace steps.

    • Decreased or poor judgment.

    • Withdrawal from work or social activities.

    • Changes in mood and personality.

    For more information on these signs, promising research or other facts, visit www.alz.org.

     

  • 031616_margaret.jpg

    In case it blew by you, the world celebrated the 107th International Women’s Day last week. I will be honest. The festivities paled in comparison to, say, the Carolina Panthers playing in the Super Bowl with nearly nude cheerleaders and a dancing Beyonce.

    That being said, it remains instructive to take an annual look at the state of women on our planet — the good, the bad and the truly ugly. As Ann Simmons reports in the Los Angles Times, no nation has achieved gender equality. Of 145 nations, Iceland comes the closest in terms of economic participation and opportunity, health and survival and political empowerment. At the other end of the spectrum, Yemen prohibits women leaving home without their husbands’ permission, and a Yemeni woman is counted as half a witness in court proceedings. Not much ahead are Tanzania and Lesotho, where women may not inherit land.

    Areas of continuing concern in most nations include education. About two-thirds of girls in developing nations receive the same education as boys in primary schools, but boys are almost twice as likely to complete secondary school in Africa and South Asia. Sadly in 2016, education does not translate into employment for many women who are disproportionately responsible for family and household obligations, almost always — unpaid labor. Not only is this problematic for women, it hurts the global economy — translation you and me. The McKinsey Global Institute says that $28 trillion dollars — yes, with a “T” — or 26 percent could be added to the world economy if women played the same roles in labor markets as do men.

    It is painful to think about some of the legal, social and cultural barriers women face in nations and cultures outside our own. Here is a sampling. Saudi Arabian women can neither drive cars nor open bank accounts without spousal permission. Ugandan women who divorce cannot have permanent custody of their children. Women in Vatican City are the only women in the world who cannot vote. About 1,000 women die every year in honor killings, a punishment for having brought dishonor upon one’s family. In some cultures, young girls can be “gifted” to men for various reasons, and in others women can be “inherited” by their husband’s brother. In some places, women can be forced to marry their rapists. Early marriage continues to be an issue, with 250 million women alive today wed before their 15th birthdays.

    Harder still is to realize how little control many women have over their bodies and health. In El Salvador, a miscarriage or stillbirth can send a woman to jail. Genital mutilation continues in Africa and southern Asia, and simply being pregnant remains high-risk in developing nations. 

    These women are mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, cousins and best friends — just like us. We may have come a long way, baby, but many of us still have a long way to go.

    Syndicated columnist Froma Harrop recently penned her support for high school dress codes. While acknowledging that women have a right to wear what they please, she slams the current fashion of serious newswomen pouring themselves into tight, short, sleeveless dresses and stiletto heels no matter the weather. Harrop correctly notes that the “fact remains that in most professions, the fully clothed man projects more authority than the woman flashing her flesh. It’s sad to see smart women on serious news shows exposing their arms, their lower thighs and often their cleavage while the men’s dignity and paunch are protected in tailoring.”

    Well said, and I hope parents of girls and some boys are paying attention.

    Lastly, a friend recently shared a little book with me — Porn for Women of a Certain Age. Not to worry — no inappropriate photographs or words you cannot use at the dinner table. What there is are pictures of good-looking men — clothed, of course — saying things women can only dream about. 

    I loved the one with a fellow adjusting bathroom scales with a screwdriver whose caption reads, “As I suspected, it’s reading 10 pounds high.” The same delightful man says in another photo, “Explain it to me again. Why did all your friends at the reunion look so much older than you?” He appears again surrounded by a mountain of drab luggage and holding a golden pocketbook. That caption reads, “You take the yellow one. I’ll get the rest.” 

    My fave, though — probably because the three most important men in my life have each at some point literally lived to fish —  is of a handsome young man perusing a flower book and saying into the phone, “Well, fishing sounds nice, but we never miss the flower show.”

    Neither my friend nor I can understand why none of her four young adult daughters found any of these even remotely funny while we were laughing our heads off. 

    That must be what “a certain age” means.


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    No means no, but sometimes it is ignored and sexual assault occurs.  In fact, 1 in 5 women will be sexually assaulted at some point in their lives. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The goal is to raise public awareness about sexual violence and educate communities on how to prevent it. 

    One event that brings the issue front and center locally is the Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County’s participation in the international event Walk A Mile in Her Shoes, which is planned for Friday, March 25 at 7 p.m. at the Capital Encore Academy in downtown Fayetteville. It not only raises awareness, it is a lot of fun and also helps local victims of sexual assault. 

    “This is our one big fundraiser of the year and we have the event right before the month of April starts as a kick-off for sexual assault awareness month,” said Marilyn Brooks, president of the board of directors of Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County. “The men will wear red high heels and walk to support the victims of sexual violence.” 

    Brooks added that men and boys of all socio-economic levels and ethnicities are making a very powerful statement about women because women are the most frequent victims of sexual assault.           

    The walk begins at the Capital Encore Academy and continues straight down Hay Street. It ends at the AIT building. 

    “We will have a reception at the AIT building after the walk,” said Brooks. “Awards will be presented in various comical categories such as the man who showed his most inner-woman award.” 

    The goal of the event is to raise $30,000. Charlie Baxley is a member of the committee and he is challenging his friends to sponsor him if they want to see him walk in red high heels. 

    “We would love to have a couple of really prominent men in the area do the same thing,” said Brooks. “We have not found anyone with that kind of courage yet.”   

    The Fayetteville Police Department will come in their uniforms and red high heels being led by Chief Harold Medlock. 

    “It is really a strong statement when you see a group of uniformed law enforcement folks making the statement that they support the victims of sexual violence,” said Brooks. “Deanne Gerdes, Gloria Medlock and I have worked very hard to make sure this event is a huge success.” 

    Last year Bethel AME Zion Church in Spring Lake brought a group of men to walk in support of the event and a group of women that cheered for them as they walked. “We are encouraging more people to come with their groups and bring their banners,” said Brooks. “We want everyone to come out and support the men as they walk.”   

    Sponsorships are needed for the event. Sponsorship  starts at $500. The cost is $20 for the event and $25 if you need red high heels to wear for the walk. Registration begins at 6 a.m. For more information, call 485.7273.

     

     


     

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    Cumberland County Commissioners and all but one member of the local legislative delegation came together Friday to talk over issues of joint concern, ranging from unfunded mandates to loss of revenues. Sen. Ben Clark (D-Cumberland/Hoke) was absent. Commissioner Ken Edge recited three concerns of special interest.

    The county is asking the legislature to authorize local option revenue sources available to some, but not all, of the state’s 100 counties. Edge pointed out that counties are in the best position to understand local needs and should have the flexibility to direct sales tax revenues to local programs without strings attached. Commissioners encouraged the delegation to support Senate Bill 605 which gives local counties flexibility to enact a mix of sales taxes and use the receipts for general purposes.

    On the subject of the North Carolina Education Lottery, Edge said Cumberland County is losing $5 million a year because of legislative action that changed the appropriation for school construction. 

    The original law dedicated 40 percent of lottery proceeds for building schools. Changes since then have reduced lottery proceeds to about 20 percent. This comes at a time when “the school board has asked for a new school in the Ramsey Street/Andrews Road area,” according to Edge. Those changes had been made “before the GOP took over,” said Rep. John Szoka (R-Cumberland). Szoka told county commissioners that he isn’t encouraged that the law is likely to be changed. 

    The third item of concern to commissioners is another source of lost revenue. Cumberland County Tax Administrator Joseph Utley told legislators that a new law enacted by the general assembly had exempted builders from property taxes on homes and commercial buildings not yet sold. Utley told the delegation that’s already costing the county more than $100 thousand in previously available revenue. Legislators had little sympathy for the county on this one. 

    “It’s a hard hit for anyone trying to grow a business,” said Rep. Billy Richardson (D-Cumberland), of home builders having to pay a tax on property that’s sitting dormant.

    Commissioners also spoke of their disappointment in the recent legislative redistricting of the state’s congressional districts. 

    “We’ve lost effectiveness because Cumberland County is on the far edge of both the 8th and 9th congressional districts,” said County Commission Vice Chairman Glenn Adams. 

    Also discussed was greater demands being placed on administering services for the poor. Social Services Director Brenda Jackson noted that Cumberland County’s 30 percent population of poor residents is the highest in the state. She asked that the state consider providing resources to support programs that assist welfare recipients in finding work.

    Counties need to be more aggressive in making their needs known to the legislature, according to Rep. Szoka, who is serving as chairman of the six-member legislative delegation. He urges county commissioners to strengthen their support for legislation in the form of resolutions and detailed reports.

     
  • The Fayetteville Public Works Commission has decided to treat Town of Hope Mills utility customers the same way it does City of Fayetteville customers. Hope Mills residents will enjoy so-called ‘in city’ water and sewer rates thanks to a decision last week by the PWC Board. 

    PWC purchased the Hope Mills water and sewer system 18 years ago. Officials recently determined that language in the purchase agreement was ambiguous. PWC spokesperson Carolyn Justice-Hinson said the discrepancy had just recently come to the utility’s attention. 

    “A couple of neighbors were comparing their bills and wondered why they were different,” said PWC Chairman Darsweil Rogers. 

    Public Works Commissioners decided language regarding rates had been interpreted in different ways resulting in rates for Hope Mills residents that were not being applied consistently. 

    “The PWC Board wanted to resolve the confusion related to this agreement and ensure rates are applied in a fair and consistent manner,” said Rogers. “We value our customers and are happy that we have been able to work with Mayor (Jackie) Warner and other Hope Mills officials to work out a resolution for our customers,” he concluded.

    From now on, customers located inside the town limits who have been billed outside-the-city rates will be changed over to the lower in-city rates. Not only that, they’ll be refunded the difference they have paid for water and sewer services, presumably retroactively to 1998. 

    “PWC is very responsive to Hope Mills, and I appreciate the cooperation and concern they have shown by looking into this matter and making this decision that benefits our citizens,” said Mayor Warner. 

    PWC officials say they will work with Hope Mills town officials to identify customers affected by the change who are eligible for refunds. 

     A joint committee will identify current and past Hope Mills residents who will receive in-city utility rates. Those customers will be individually notified about pending changes and the refunds to which they’re entitled. Because the Hope Mills town limits have changed over time the review is expected to take several months to identify the customers who will receive refunds. 


  • MEDIA SCRUTINY

    Army Spec. Nicholas D. Roberts, a native of Longwood, Florida, and a resident of Spring Lake, died in a parachute training accident at Fort Bragg’s Sicily Drop Zone, April 28, 2015. Roberts joined the 82nd Airborne Division following a stint in the U.S. Army Reserve. The Army Times this month revealed previously unreleased details of an investigation into the accident by the XVIII Airborne Corps. A Freedom of Information Act request forced the disclosure. 

    Roberts wore a loaded rucksack and a modular weapons case during his first night-training jump. He had jumped six times before but never after dark. The weapon case struck the door of the plane as he jumped, causing him to spin during his exit. He died instantly when the static line struck his neck, according to the report. His inexperience was cited as a contributing factor to his death. His passing came 12 days after the death of another 82nd paratrooper, Pvt. Josh Phillips. His death also came during a night jump at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Coincidentally, it too was Phillips seventh jump.

    Sgt. Richard Wheeler was one of Roberts’ friends. They served together, but lost touch when they went separate ways during deployments. 

    “He enjoyed the Army, he enjoyed what he did” Wheeler told Up & Coming Weekly. “He always found a way to stay motivated,” Wheeler added.

    In Roberts’ death, video and eyewitness accounts confirmed that because his weapon case was rigged too loosely, it was nearly horizontal. The Army Times quoted the next in line soldier whose name was redacted as saying “I observed Roberts rotating on the jump platform to his left. He ended up exiting backwards, facing toward me.” 

    Roberts’ parachute opened normally, as his lifeless body descended to the ground. No one knew he had been killed until a search party found him about 20 minutes after he was determined to be missing.

    The report said the rigging on the paratroopers’ weapon case was improper in that it had too much slack. The leg strap had not been tightened before the jump, which is standard procedure, The Army Times reported. (The investigation noted it’s common for soldiers to keep their leg straps loose for comfort, but that they’re supposed to be tightened when they stand in the door.)

    The XVIII Airborne Corps investigative report cited the failure of jumpmasters to attend a mandatory pre-jump training session. The investigation found that the assigned team of jumpmasters had been told instead to meet with their commander, which is why they missed the required pre-jump briefing. The Deputy Commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, Brig. Gen. Brian Winski, “formally admonished” the jumpmaster team. The report did not indicate whether the commander was also admonished. An airfield control officer conducted the meeting in the jumpmasters’ absence. 

    After the deaths of Roberts and Phillips, the XVIII Airborne Corps temporarily suspended all airborne operations. It adopted 15 directives including changes to the training progression of new airborne soldiers. 

    The new directive states, “Paratroopers should not move on to subsequent stages of training unless their leaders deem them ready.” 

  • Army Spec. Nicholas D. Roberts, a native of Longwood, Florida, and a resident of Spring Lake, died in a parachute training accident at Fort Bragg’s Sicily Drop Zone, April 28, 2015. Roberts joined the 82nd Airborne Division following a stint in the U.S. Army Reserve. The Army Times this month revealed previously unreleased details of an investigation into the accident by the XVIII Airborne Corps. A Freedom of Information Act request forced the disclosure. 

    Roberts wore a loaded rucksack and a modular weapons case during his first night-training jump. He had jumped six times before but never after dark. The weapon case struck the door of the plane as he jumped, causing him to spin during his exit. He died instantly when the static line struck his neck, according to the report. His inexperience was cited as a contributing factor to his death. His passing came 12 days after the death of another 82nd paratrooper, Pvt. Josh Phillips. His death also came during a night jump at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Coincidentally, it too was Phillips seventh jump.

    Sgt. Richard Wheeler was one of Roberts’ friends. They served together, but lost touch when they went separate ways during deployments. 

    “He enjoyed the Army, he enjoyed what he did” Wheeler told Up & Coming Weekly. “He always found a way to stay motivated,” Wheeler added.

    In Roberts’ death, video and eyewitness accounts confirmed that because his weapon case was rigged too loosely, it was nearly horizontal. The Army Times quoted the next in line soldier whose name was redacted as saying “I observed Roberts rotating on the jump platform to his left. He ended up exiting backwards, facing toward me.” 

    Roberts’ parachute opened normally, as his lifeless body descended to the ground. No one knew he had been killed until a search party found him about 20 minutes after he was determined to be missing.

    The report said the rigging on the paratroopers’ weapon case was improper in that it had too much slack. The leg strap had not been tightened before the jump, which is standard procedure, The Army Times reported. (The investigation noted it’s common for soldiers to keep their leg straps loose for comfort, but that they’re supposed to be tightened when they stand in the door.)

    The XVIII Airborne Corps investigative report cited the failure of jumpmasters to attend a mandatory pre-jump training session. The investigation found that the assigned team of jumpmasters had been told instead to meet with their commander, which is why they missed the required pre-jump briefing. The Deputy Commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, Brig. Gen. Brian Winski, “formally admonished” the jumpmaster team. The report did not indicate whether the commander was also admonished. An airfield control officer conducted the meeting in the jumpmasters’ absence. 

    After the deaths of Roberts and Phillips, the XVIII Airborne Corps temporarily suspended all airborne operations. It adopted 15 directives including changes to the training progression of new airborne soldiers. 

    The new directive states, “Paratroopers should not move on to subsequent stages of training unless their leaders deem them ready.” 

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    New Four Star in Command at Kabul         

    Yet another former 82nd Airborne Division commander received his fourth star. America’s Guard of Honor is on the career fast track of assignments for general officers. Gen. John Nicholson took command this month of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, beginning a tour that will require big decisions about future force levels for a mission that’s now in its 15th year. Nicholson got his second star in the fall of 2012 when he became commanding general of the All American Division. He served the traditional two years at Fort Bragg before getting his third star and moving on to NATO’s Allied Land Command in Turkey. Then in February of this year, “Mick” Nicholson received his fourth star and took command of American forces in the war in Afghanistan. Nicholson will lead a force of about 10,000 American troops at a time of mounting violence in some parts of the country. It’s a much different situation than the one predicted several years ago by top Pentagon and White House officials who vowed that the military mission would end in 2017. 

    “I think that Gen. Nicholson has certainly inherited a mission that has sadly gone wildly off course,” said Michael Kugelman, an Afghanistan expert with the Wilson Center, a think tank in Washington.


     

     

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    New Congressman for Our Area           

    Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC) represents the state’s reconfigured 8th Congressional District. The newly designed district includes all or parts of seven counties along the N.C. Highway 24/27 corridor from Fayetteville to Concord. Hudson is new to congress but not to the 8th district. He was district director for former Congressman Robin Hayes for six years. The revised district includes the northern half of Cumberland County including Fort Bragg. The balance of the county is now in the 9th district which parallels the 8th along the South Carolina border.           

    Hudson introduced himself last week to interested Fayetteville residents during a visit with Mayor Nat Robertson. The pair held a question and answer forum at city hall. Hudson was elected to Congress in 2012 and noted that 40 percent of the members of the house have been elected since 2010. He conceded it’s been frustrating adjusting to the Washington, D.C., way of governing.
    “I come home every weekend to get a fresh dose of common sense,” Hudson said.


     

     

     

     

     

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    All American Marathon                                                                           

    The City of Fayetteville and Fort Bragg will hold the second annual All American Marathon on Sunday, April 3. The race will begin at 7 a.m. at Festival Park in downtown Fayetteville and finish at Fort Bragg’s Main Post Parade Field. Registration is open. Racers will run up Ray Avenue to Hay Street where they will run through the heart of downtown Fayetteville, past the Market House. The route will then take runners past Veterans Park and the Airborne and Special Operations Museum, which is the home of the historic Iron Mike Statue. Runners will continue to Morganton Road and through Haymount. Runners will dash to the All-American Freeway where for half-marathoners, the course will extend approximately two miles on Fort Bragg. Half-Marathoners will exit the All-American onto Normandy and finish the race at the Main Post Parade Field at the replica Iron Mike Statue. Full marathon racers will enter the installation on Gruber road. The race course will then lead runners past the home of the 82nd Airborne Division and Pope Field. Marathoners will finish their course after passing FORSCOM headquarters to the finish line at the Main Post Parade Field.


     

     

    Golf is Therapeutic

    Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, has announced the Department of Veterans Affairs’ new partnership with the PGA of America in support of PGA HOPE. It’s a project designed to assist with the physical, social and mental rehabilitation of disabled military veterans. The VA will help the PGA identify disabled veterans who are candidates to participate in PGA HOPE.  Tillis and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) say the idea is to assist vets with the social interaction golf provides. PGA professionals certified in instruction for golfers with disabilities will assist veterans to refine their skills. “An important part of truly transforming the VA and doing the right thing for veterans are the kinds of things we will do with PGA HOPE,” said Tillis. “The therapeutic value of veterans sharing their stories, and making friendships among themselves cannot be overstated,” Tillis added.

     
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    Do you remember where your keys are? What about what you had for breakfast? What year you graduated from high school? What about your son’s name? Yes, Alzheimer’s is a progressive loss of memory and it does not stop there. This is one of the deadliest diseases not to have declined in the last several years. It cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed. Pat and Julie McKee started the first Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s in 2011 and formed their company, McKee Homes, in his father’s honor by creating the Joe McKee Memorial Alzheimer’s Fund. A portion of every home sold goes to this fund, and it is used to support the Alzheimer’s Association in its mission. The company has been the main sponsor of the walk since its inception. 

    “We have been very fortunate to have started this walk in Fayetteville because the community as a whole has embraced the cause,” said Julie McKee, “Our partners in the homebuilding industry were some of our earliest supporters. Over the years, several different industries have joined the cause from Rhudy’s Jewelry to Team Elite, Coldwell Baker.”

    Sponsors are the heartbeat of the walk including local media outlets getting out the word and other in-kind sponsorships, which have reduced overhead allowing for more funds to go directly to care and research. 

    This is a personal story for the McKees, with his father Joe being diagnosed and his mother, a primary caregiver for 10 years, watching his cognitive abilities slowly deteriorate over time. Julie McKee has been motivated to help others currently affected by the disease connect with the Alzheimer’s Association. She is a major sponsor, a member of the Eastern N.C. Alzheimer’s Association board of directors and co-chair of the Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s. 

     “Anyone with a brain can get Alzheimer’s. Every individual in this country, whether they have a direct connection to the disease or not, will be affected by it,” said McKee, “The only way to stop people from dying from this disease is to fund research.”

    According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s and as many as 16 million will have the disease in 2050. Nearly one in every three seniors who dies each year has Alzheimer’s or another dementia. It is an unforgiving, expensive disease to fight. Indeed, the McKees have been affected and now work diligently to help others and the growing need.

    The 5th Annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s this year will be held on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 9 a.m. beginning at the SwampDogs Stadium (2823 Legion Road, Fayetteville). There are other events coming up through the Fayetteville chapter including a corporate breakfast at the Hutchens Law Firm on March 24, booths at the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival and 4th Friday, a Team Captain Workshop on May 25 and a Swampdogs Alzheimer’s Association Night on Aug. 4. To learn more about the walk, to donate or find out how to get involved, visit www.alz.org/walk or find them on Facebook at fayettevillewalktoendalz.

    There are 10 early warning signs for
    Alzheimer’s including:

    • Memory loss that disrupts daily life

    • Challenges in planning or solving problems.

    • Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home,            at work or at leisure.

    • Confusion with time or place.

    • Trouble understanding visual images and        spatial relationships.

    • New problems with words in speaking or           writing.

    • Misplacing things and losing the ability to        retrace steps.

    • Decreased or poor judgment.

    • Withdrawal from work or social activities.

    • Changes in mood and personality.

    For more information on these signs, promising research or other facts, visit www.alz.org.

     

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    In case it blew by you, the world celebrated the 107th International Women’s Day last week. I will be honest. The festivities paled in comparison to, say, the Carolina Panthers playing in the Super Bowl with nearly nude cheerleaders and a dancing Beyonce.

    That being said, it remains instructive to take an annual look at the state of women on our planet — the good, the bad and the truly ugly. As Ann Simmons reports in the Los Angles Times, no nation has achieved gender equality. Of 145 nations, Iceland comes the closest in terms of economic participation and opportunity, health and survival and political empowerment. At the other end of the spectrum, Yemen prohibits women leaving home without their husbands’ permission, and a Yemeni woman is counted as half a witness in court proceedings. Not much ahead are Tanzania and Lesotho, where women may not inherit land.

    Areas of continuing concern in most nations include education. About two-thirds of girls in developing nations receive the same education as boys in primary schools, but boys are almost twice as likely to complete secondary school in Africa and South Asia. Sadly in 2016, education does not translate into employment for many women who are disproportionately responsible for family and household obligations, almost always — unpaid labor. Not only is this problematic for women, it hurts the global economy — translation you and me. The McKinsey Global Institute says that $28 trillion dollars — yes, with a “T” — or 26 percent could be added to the world economy if women played the same roles in labor markets as do men.

    It is painful to think about some of the legal, social and cultural barriers women face in nations and cultures outside our own. Here is a sampling. Saudi Arabian women can neither drive cars nor open bank accounts without spousal permission. Ugandan women who divorce cannot have permanent custody of their children. Women in Vatican City are the only women in the world who cannot vote. About 1,000 women die every year in honor killings, a punishment for having brought dishonor upon one’s family. In some cultures, young girls can be “gifted” to men for various reasons, and in others women can be “inherited” by their husband’s brother. In some places, women can be forced to marry their rapists. Early marriage continues to be an issue, with 250 million women alive today wed before their 15th birthdays.

    Harder still is to realize how little control many women have over their bodies and health. In El Salvador, a miscarriage or stillbirth can send a woman to jail. Genital mutilation continues in Africa and southern Asia, and simply being pregnant remains high-risk in developing nations. 

    These women are mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, cousins and best friends — just like us. We may have come a long way, baby, but many of us still have a long way to go.

    Syndicated columnist Froma Harrop recently penned her support for high school dress codes. While acknowledging that women have a right to wear what they please, she slams the current fashion of serious newswomen pouring themselves into tight, short, sleeveless dresses and stiletto heels no matter the weather. Harrop correctly notes that the “fact remains that in most professions, the fully clothed man projects more authority than the woman flashing her flesh. It’s sad to see smart women on serious news shows exposing their arms, their lower thighs and often their cleavage while the men’s dignity and paunch are protected in tailoring.”

    Well said, and I hope parents of girls and some boys are paying attention.

    Lastly, a friend recently shared a little book with me — Porn for Women of a Certain Age. Not to worry — no inappropriate photographs or words you cannot use at the dinner table. What there is are pictures of good-looking men — clothed, of course — saying things women can only dream about. 

    I loved the one with a fellow adjusting bathroom scales with a screwdriver whose caption reads, “As I suspected, it’s reading 10 pounds high.” The same delightful man says in another photo, “Explain it to me again. Why did all your friends at the reunion look so much older than you?” He appears again surrounded by a mountain of drab luggage and holding a golden pocketbook. That caption reads, “You take the yellow one. I’ll get the rest.” 

    My fave, though — probably because the three most important men in my life have each at some point literally lived to fish —  is of a handsome young man perusing a flower book and saying into the phone, “Well, fishing sounds nice, but we never miss the flower show.”

    Neither my friend nor I can understand why none of her four young adult daughters found any of these even remotely funny while we were laughing our heads off. 

    That must be what “a certain age” means.


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    Time is short. It’s fleeting. In a blink of an eye, things change, times change, people change. If we are lucky, we grow and become better in those moments. Over the past weekend, I’ve thought a lot about time and how quickly it goes. The catalyst for my pondering on time was an unlikely source – a Garth Brooks concert.

    With a large cohort of North Carolinians, I made the trek to Raleigh to see Brooks in one of his three shows in our capital. Oddly enough, my 15-year-old son is what took me to the concert. He is what some would call an “old soul.” He loves music – all kinds – from Johnny Cash to The Knack to Bad Company to Garth Brooks. So, it was at his urging that I purchased tickets to the show as his Christmas present. 

    Listening to Brooks sing his hit list, I was carried back to different times in my life and what those songs meant to me then and what they mean to me now. It’s amazing how their meaning has changed in my current stage of life. And, on Saturday night, it hit me that my little boy is now a young man. It also hit me that this young man will truly only be mine for two more years, and then, he will spread his wings and move on to college and what I believe will be a successful life.

    That’s a hard realization for a mother – but not a scary one.

    I believe that with the help of a loving community of teachers, mentors and friends who are family, we have given our boy the tools that he needs to succeed in this crazy thing called life. I see this in the way he deals with conflict, in the way he steps up to be a leader, in the way that although he is big, he always takes care of the littles. Even knowing that he is more than ready to take on what life throws at him, I am saddened that my generation and the previous generations have failed his generation in so many ways.

    We have left our world a pretty chaotic mess. Common decency and respect for human life seem to be at an all-time low; of course, countless other generations have probably felt the same. But I haven’t lived them or watched the decay of all that I believe is good about America. This past week has made that abundantly clear.

    Demonstrations, protests, fights – all over the election – have dominated the news cycle. It is beyond comprehension that freedom-loving people cannot have an intelligent debate and agree to disagree without becoming violent. But that comes down to the hard truth that we have so devalued life and freedom that a majority of Americans do not exercise their greatest freedom: their right to vote. And a vocal few shout down the voices of reason and feed the fire of chaos. This has to stop. Time passes quickly. Words said can’t get unsaid and a gun can’t be unfired.

    America is hard work. It is a struggle. But it’s one that is worth it. Freedom has a price, and for many in our nation, that ideal is coming home to roost. Time passes quickly. We need to stop the political gamesmanship and hate-filled dialogue that is tearing down this great nation. And we have to do it one person at a time. It’s up to you. It’s up to me and it’s up to young men like my son who are coming of age to recognize that the greatness of America is worth saving – even if it is one word at a time.


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    Spring is returning and 4th Friday is set to welcome the warmer weather with fresh new examples of all that downtown Fayetteville has to offer. In addition to 4th Friday events, the weekend calendar is full of Easter-centered celebrations including Easter egg hunts, breakfasts and of course appearances by the Easter Bunny himself. 

    The Arts Council is located at 301 Hay St. On March At this month’s 4th Friday, the Arts Council opens the exhibit Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tales, Fables and Myths. This exhibit is presented by Ellington-White Community Development Corporation. It is on display through April 26. On 4th Friday’s the Arts Council will stay open late. It is a great opportunity to stop by, see new exhibits and find out about upcoming events.

    Fascinate-U is the perfect place for families and kids to enjoy an evening in downtown Fayetteville. Every 4th Friday, Fascinate-U stays open late from 7 until 9 p.m., and offers free admission into the museum. Unlike traditional museums, the exhibits here are designed specifically for young children to touch and explore. It is through interacting with these miniature versions of real life that kids can learn about it. It is a fun, engaging and safe way to learn. In addition to the exhibits Fascinate-U also has a free craft for kids to enjoy. This month the theme is Easter Eggs. Fascinate-U is located at 116 Green St. For more information, visit www.fascinate-u.com.

    The Airborne and Special Operations Museum celebrates Easter with a delicious breakfast and pictures with the Easter Bunny on March 26. The breakfast features eggs, pancakes and sausage. Reservations are required for breakfast and can be made by calling 643.2778 or by stopping by the ASOM Gift Shop. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for 12 and under. Ages 2 and under are free with a paying adult. Pictures with the Easter Bunny are from 9:30 a.m. until noon and are $5 each.

    An Easter Scramble (egg hunt) is planned in the Reflection Garden from 9:30 until 11 a.m. Children must pick up their own eggs and bring their own baskets. Parents may accompany children under 2 onto the field. Participants are separated into age groups, with two egg scrambles per age group during the morning. The Egg Scramble is fee to the public thanks to the generosity of First Citizens Bank. For more information, visit www.asomf.org/event-calendar. The Airborne and Special Operations Museum is located at 100 Bragg Boulevard in historic Downtown Fayetteville. 

    Epicenter Church is once again hosting its annual Hop in the Park at Festival Park on March 25 from 6 until 10 p.m.  This is a giant family-friendly event with all sorts of entertainment options. Plans include a giant Easter egg hunt, inflatables, carnival rides, face painting, live music, food and a special guest skydiving into the event. Be sure to register at www.hopinthepark.com/i-wanna-hop/! Everyone is invited to attend regardless of religious affiliation. The goal of this event is to provide a safe place for children to celebrate and have fun. 

    Find out more about 4th Friday and other downtown events at www.theartscouncil.com

     
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    The Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority holds the distinction of being the first Greek letter organization established by African-American women. That was in 1908. The local chapter, Upsilon Kappa Omega was started on Dec. 1, 1996. In the 20 years since its inception, Upsilon Kappa Omega has worked tirelessly to make a difference in the community. On Saturday, April 16, the group is set to host An Evening at the Oscars. It is the group’s main fundraiser.

    “The theme for the night is Evening at the Oscars, and we really want people to come out and enjoy the event. Our VIP sponsors can look forward to an area dedicated to them with hors d’oeuvres and drinks along with a private session with our featured musician, Marcus Anderson,” said Tracy Allen, UKO publicity and marketing representative. 

    “In true Oscar night fashion, we will have gift bags and other Oscar-related things. We will also have a DJ to play between band sets. There will be dancing and networking. And of course, everyone will be dressed in their finest, which always makes for a fun evening.”

    A night of lively jazz music and dancing, An Evening at the Oscarsfeatures the music of Marcus Anderson. A South Carolina native, Anderson has toured with Prince as a saxophonist for New Power Generation. He’s played prominent festivals including the Essence Music Festival, Monteux Jazz Festival and the Curacao North Seas Jazz Festival.  He’s known for great music, of course, but his stage presence and showmanship are what make his performances so special. Influenced by great musicians like Michael Jackson, James Brown and, of course, Prince, Anderson’s music is relatable and catchy.

    Anderson’s repertoire includes R&B, pop, rock and funky grooves. His latest release, Style Meets Substance is his fifth solo effort. The 13-track album showcases his talent on the saxophone with sax melodies, jazz, funk and Latin sounds. The album also features collaborations with Morris Hayes and Nicholas Cole.

    Guests at the event are in for a night of great music and fun, and while that is exactly what Upsilon Kappa Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated wants for the event, the proceeds go toward making a difference locally – all year long. 

    With the motto “Service to All Mankind” serving as inspiration, the ladies of UKO are constantly seeking ways to make Fayetteville better. The group’s programs include areas like health, educational enrichment, strengthening the family, environmental ownership and global impact and are a direct result of the AKA’s focus on launching new dimensions of service. Because the UKO members believe so strongly in their vision to empower lives by acts of community through service, they work tirelessly to find ways to make a difference. And with nearly 100 members, the reach is significant and vast.

    The group sponsors asthma camp and participates in Reading Rocks. The members collect back packs to give away to school students each year. UKO sponsors the Bicycle Man Giveaway, Shop with the Sheriff and the Lupus Walk. The members hold workshops to educate the public about human trafficking and ways to keep kids safe. They hold financial workshops on everything from how to bounce back from a bankruptcy to how to save money to how to purchase a home. They offer classes about mental health related issues like PTSD, depression and anxiety. They routinely team up with other organizations to feed and clothe the homeless, give them personal hygiene items, haircuts and more. The most recent event touched the lives of about 1,000 local homeless.

    As the designated Fort Bragg Chapter, while UKO cares deeply for the community and everyone in it, Fort Bragg holds a special place in the group’s heart. “We go visit the VA home. A lot of the people there are  forgotten by their families,” said Allen. “We buy them games and hygiene items and spend time with them. We offer service to all, but without the military and vets we would not have our freedom. So it is important to us that we help military as much as we can - including spouses and families when their soldier is deployed.”

    It is no secret that education is a great equalizer and with that in mind, UKO awards scholarships to students each year. The sorority recognizes “outstanding high-school seniors, already accepted by an accredited four-year college or university, who demonstrates high scholastic achievement; proven leadership; and, have
    actively participated in community service.” 

    Students from Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke and or Sampson counties are eligible to apply. This is a topic that is dear to many, including some sorority members. “I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth but I knew I wanted to be successful. I ended up going in the military. I made a career of it and used my benefits to go college,” said Allen. “We want students to be successful. That is part of what this scholarship is about. We would love to eventually fund an entire year or even all 4 years of college for someone.” 

    UKO goes beyond scholarships when it comes to working with youth and preparing them for the future. The sorority sponsors teacher-led workshops to help students with study skills, career options, how to prepare for the SAT/ACT, how to apply for college and financial aid and more. 

    The Evening at the Oscars is on April 16 at the Crown Expo Center, Hall C. at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 and are available at www.ukoaka-2nd-Evening-at-the-Oscars.eventbrite.com. For information, call 663.1527 or visit www.ukoaka1908.com. 


  • COVER

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    Pattern painting has a rich history in nonwestern and western cultures. The patterns of Islamic art, Chinese art and Medieval manuscript illuminations (to name only a few) range from the decorative to the sacred. Distinctive in this country was the Arts and Crafts movement in the late 1800s and the P&D (Pattern and Decoration) movement in the 1960s; both had their own stylistic approach to the revival of pattern and decorative painting that is still popular today.

    Gallery 208 celebrates the pattern painting tradition, with an original approach, an exhibit titled Beyond Pattern: the Works of Rose-Ann San Martino Bryda. Bryda shares her personal vision, values and her interpretations of archetypes by exhibiting 12 paintings of various sizes. The opening reception is Tuesday, March 15, from 5:30 -7 p.m. at the Up & Coming Weekly office at 208 Rowan Street. 

    It’s not necessary to know the history of pattern and decoration in art history before visiting Beyond Pattern: the Works of Rose-Ann San Martino Bryda; her paintings immediately speak to the uniqueness of rejecting the traditional figure-ground relationship or a window-to-another-world approach to painting. Bryda shares her intent when she noted her painting was about “archetypal images, symbols, universal patterns, intricate designs, the compulsive filling of the picture plane and a carefully chosen palette.”

    Bryda does not clearly distinguish between background and foreground in her work, she is not interested in portraying traditional landscape or portrait compositions. Instead, the entire surface has a skeletal surface, a grid-like, organic lattice, restraining the movement and depth emerging from behind the grid. One can’t help but peer through the grid looking for the spatial clues of color and shapes that create a narrative. 

    The artist commented how she is “drawn to contrasts and often uses a complementary palette.” She stated: “I like to experiment with depth and flatness in the two-dimensional plane and often achieve this by completing an under painting with depth and modeling and then draw patterns over it … My style has evolved through thought and instinct.” 

    After reflecting on the body of work in the exhibit, visitors may leave the gallery sensing there are always small pools of concentric circles emerging throughout the works — thoughtful pools of balance and possibilities in the repeated patterns. The repeated textures, shapes, outlines and colors evoke the mandala — a generic identifier for charts or geometric patterns representing the metaphysical. If the historical significance of the true mandala is to focus on a sacred space and encourage meditation, Bryda creates her own universe of contemplative possibilities. 

    Bryda confirmed she had “become enamored with the mandala” and said “I find it throughout nature: in flowers, snowflakes, spider webs, the cross section of a tree trunk or an orange since they have a mesmerizing structure of the center moving outward.” 

    Whereas most of the works allude to the stylistic influence of the mandala, two works in the exhibit are intended to be a mandala. In the work titled “Faces Mandala,” a mixed media 24 inch square in size, colors vibrate from the surface pattern revealing three, stylized faces behind the concentric circles of the lattice. In this mixed media, as well as all the paintings in the exhibit, the whimsical nature of her work and her sense of humor is ever present.

    Evoking the contemplative, you can see easily see how Bryda also interjects a sense of humor in many of her paintings. In the painting titled “Tic Tac Toe” nine pears are in a row; three pears in each of the three rows across the surface. A subtle patterned background has been carefully detailed with patterns to create a wallpaper effect in richly glazed browns and dark reds. The light values of the patterns in the pears reference the game when three of the pears of the same color create a subtle directional movement - similar to winning the Tic Tac Toe game! 

    When asked about the humor in her work, Bryda quickly noted: “I prefer my work to be not merely a mirror, but transformative in some small way. I have no answers, but find it useful to ask questions. I strive to create work that promotes positive thought, is not merely beautiful, but beautiful all the same. If you smile when you look at my paintings, then they serve a purpose and are useful.”

    Gallery 208 is pleased to exhibit the work of a regional artist who has been an advocate in the local arts community for many years. You will recognize the artist and her work since she has an extensively exhibited her work in the area, attends art openings regularly, and has worked for many years with the Fayetteville Art Guild and Ellington White CDC Discovering Art Program for at-risk students. 

    A distinguished regional artist, she received the Regional Artists’ Grant in 2002/2003 from the Fayetteville and Cumberland County Arts Council. Her work is regularly exhibited at Ellington-White Contemporary Gallery, the Fayetteville Arts Council, the Cape Fear Studios and Bryda exhibits with the Fayetteville Art Guild. 

    Her education includes the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C.; a post graduate diploma in drama from University of Kent in Canterbury, England; and a B.S. degree in Special Education and Art form Keene Sate College in Keene, New Hampshire. 

    The public is invited to attend the opening reception at Gallery 208, 208 Rowan Street, on March 15,  between 5:30 -7 p.m. Beyond Pattern: the Works of Rose-Ann San Martino Bryda will remain in the gallery through the end of April 2016, gallery hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and free to the public. 

    For more information, call
    484-6200.

     
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    I first heard about the idea of Downrange: Voices From the Homefront  more than two years ago. Tom Quaintance, the Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s artistic director, had passed my name on to one of the volunteers who was working on setting up interviews to hear stories from military spouses. I was intrigued with the idea, but elected not to participate.

    In my opinion, my story was not dynamic. It was simply the day-to-day life that military spouses live, punctuated with frequent deployments, long nights, upset children and walking around feeling like you are in this big thing all alone. What I missed is that is exactly what Quaintance and company were looking for. They were not looking for the Hollywood story — the happily ever after — but rather the true grit of day-to-day life when your spouse is on the frontline.

    Fortunately, other military spouses took them up on the opportunity to tell their stories, and with more than two years poured into it, the CFRT has produced perhaps one of its best plays to date. 

    Downrange: Voices from the Homefront is a real look into the lives of military families — warts and all. It cracks the code on the sister — and brother — hood of military spouses. We aren’t a hard club to join, but it is very hard to retain your membership. No whiners allowed.

    My friends and I often joke that like the movie A League of Their Own, there is no crying in our military spouse club. Crying doesn’t get the yard mowed or the oil changed in both vehicles. Whining doesn’t keep the flu away or help us juggle work, kids, household chores and the various other commitments that keep military spouses jumping. At least that’s what we tell ourselves.

    In Voices from the Homefront, the CFRT lays open the quirks of our secret club. It lets those who have never been a member see what true strength looks like. It gives them a glimpse of what it takes to break us — and how quickly we bounce back. It puts those things that we choose not to share front and center, and in doing so, brings understanding from a community that thought they knew what went on in our heads and homes, but really didn’t have a clue.

    The play, which was compiled from the interviews with military spouses by playwright Mike Wylie, flows seamlessly. We watch from the sidelines initially, how a young couple becomes one and then how that couple becomes one person holding it together while their spouse is deployed. I have to admit, I was worried about this play before I saw it.

    I was afraid that the play would take on a “poor, pitiful me” approach when it came to military spouses. And, that’s the last thing we want. We made our choices when we married soldiers. We knew what we signed up for, and I didn’t want anyone to cast us in the role of victim. And they didn’t. The play masterfully and with a great deal of compassion tells the story of four military spouses and how deployments, and ultimately death, affects them. It draws you in. You can see the humor, the strength, the fear that lies behind every laugh, every joke, every heartbreak.

    Actress Nicky Hart has walked the boards at the CFRT for many years. She has made us laugh until we cried, but in this show, she makes us cry until we laugh. Those who know Hart will see a master craftsman telling the story she knows best; turning herself inside out to do so. This may be her finest hour on the stage.

     And, it might just possibly be one of the theatre’s finest hours. They took their time. They listened. They learned – and they produced a play that will make you laugh. It will make you uncomfortable. It will make you cry, and, just when you think you have nothing left, it will make you proud to live in a place like Fayetteville, North Carolina. A place peopled with  heroes — those who wear uniforms and their spouses who carry an invisible badge of courage. 

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    It’s been a long time coming, but one of Fayetteville’s more unusual landmarks will soon get a long overdue paint job. Call it a work of art. Call it a wireless cell tower because that’s what it is. What’s become known as the Sprint Voyager has been neglected for 14 years… not intentionally, but because of unforeseen changes in the communications industry. Sandy DeSosta, director of marketing and communications for Crown Castle of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, tells Up & Coming Weekly, “We have been in touch with code enforcement of Fayetteville with regard to the tower… and will move forward with painting the tower.”  

    People new to the area have likely wondered about the unique aeronautical-looking structure that sits upon what used to be a colorful pole near the Rowan Street bridge near downtown. Art intersected with functionality when former Fayetteville artist Tom Grubb unveiled his sculpture that aided Sprint in achieving stronger wireless signals throughout the community. Grubb says he will happily assist in painting the Voyager. 

    “The Fayetteville community holds many special memories for me,” said Grubb.

    As for the City of Fayetteville, former City Manager Roger Stancil says, “It was the first tower with public art required as a condition” of its construction. “What Sprint is doing really is spectacular,” said Stancil at the unveiling in October, 2002. He was instrumental in bringing about this marriage of form and function. 

    “We are delighted to be able to support the launch of the Voyager project,” said Jim Greene, director of site acquisition, Southeast Region for the PCS Division of Sprint. 

    Grubb was director of the now defunct Fayetteville Museum of Art when the work was commissioned and said his inspiration for the piece was “the dynamic combination of technology and nature.” 

    The result was the largest kinetic sculpture ever created in the United States at the time. For its dedication, Grubb himself sky walked to the tip of the 128-foot tower to affix the 1,000-pound sculpture while suspended from a hoisting device.

    Why has it taken so long for the Voyager to get some attention? Up & Coming Weeklylooked into the history of the tower and found Sprint hasn’t owned it for many years, but its equipment is part of the apparatus. “Sprint’s obligation is to the communications equipment itself… the tower owners are responsible for its maintenance,” said Corporate Communications Spokeswoman Adrienne Norton. 

    Sprint sold the tower to Global Signal, Inc., which declared bankruptcy many years ago. That’s when Crown Castle picked it up, and late last month Up & Coming Weekly reached out to the company. In a matter of days, Crown Castle confirmed its obligation and committed to paint the tower. To put the company in perspective, as a result of numerous acquisitions, including that of Global Signal in January 2007, Crown Castle owns more than 40,000 towers in the United States as well as 1,600 sites in Australia. It is the leader in the shared wireless infrastructure industry.

     

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    The Army is bolstering housing opportunities for more military families at Fort Bragg. Corvias Military Living says that national Guardsmen and Reservists and their families are now eligible to live on post in certain areas. Until now, these service members could live on post only when on active duty. “The Reservists are already a vital part of the Fort Bragg community,” said Col. Karl Schmitkons, Commander of the 440th Airlift Wing. “Affording them the opportunity to live on post helps strengthen and diversify our community and supports those serving our nation,” he added. Schmitkons serving as Fort Bragg’s spokesman is ironic since his airmen are leaving the area over the next six months because the Air Force reserve unit is being deactivated. 

    Eligible residents are being encouraged to contact the Corvias leasing center as soon as possible because of limited availability in Bragg’s housing communities. Several home types are available to reservists and guardsmen. They include two-, three- and four-bedroom floor plans. Rents will be established at competitive market rates and include utilities, lawn care, 24-hour maintenance, access to Corvias’ community centers and pools as well as all other on-post amenities.

    “More than 21,144 military members and their families currently live on Fort Bragg in a blend of homes, many of which are new or recently renovated,” according to Brandon Masters, Regional Public Affairs Manager for Corvias Military Living. He went on to say “Our top priority is to serve active duty service members with families.  When we face challenges in occupying certain homes with active duty service members, we expand our eligibility and fill those homes with other tenants, such as military reservists.”  Masters went on to say the decision to open eligibility to the additional groups was made to ensure the Army has the ability to reinvest in future home construction, modernization, upgrades and repairs on the installation. Corvias won a 50-year contract to provide Fort Bragg family housing, an agreement which began in 2003.

    National Guard members and reservists interested in moving on post should request information from the Corvias leasing center. Applicants from the newly eligible categories will be required to pass credit checks and income requirements. Children of National Guard members and reservists who live on post are not able to attend the installation’s Department of Defense Schools, adds Masters.

     

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    Harold Medlock has been Fayetteville’s Chief of Police for more than three years. His idea of community policing is in sharp contrast to many other urban police executives. 

    “I just think the police department needs to be engaged in the community,” said Medlock when asked about the high profile he keeps. “It’s more about the police department being part of the community rather than an occupying force.” 

    Medlock granted Up & Coming Weekly an interview in the wake of a young black man being shot by police in Raleigh. He believes investigations of officer-involved shootings must be completed quickly. 

    “I will put out all relevant information, good, bad or indifferent,” said the chief. “We owe it to our citizens to share as much information as we can as soon as we can rather than to allow rumors and anger to fester. If, God forbid, we have an officer-involved shooting, you can expect me to release all that I can before the evening news.” 

    An internal investigation shouldn’t take more than 90 days, Medlock says. His decisions on police conduct would come immediately thereafter. Medlock said he would not wait for an SBI investigation to be completed, because the investigations can sometimes take up to a year. 

    “Yes, I think I would,” was his response when asked if he would encourage city council to immediately release video camera footage of officer involved incidents. Council has that authority according to City Attorney Karen McDonald. 

    “It would have no bearing on criminal or civil cases because it is what it is,” said Medlock. 

    He says the state legislature should loosen privacy laws that prevent full disclosure of misconduct. The chief also believes videos of day-to-day situations faced by the police should be made public. 

    The chief’s transparency policy requires that the names of officers involved in use-of-force situations be released as soon as their families are notified. “We just don’t believe in the Fayetteville Police Department that anything should be withheld,” he said.

     Medlock brought big city law enforcement philosophies to Fayetteville when he came here from Charlotte in 2013. 

    As for appearances, he believes “cops ought to look like cops,” that they don’t need to be walking around in intimidating uniforms. He was quick to add that American police these days must be able to match the firepower of the bad guys. Semi-automatic high-velocity rifles are standard issue for most Fayetteville police officers, in addition to their side arms.

    Medlock says communicating with the public in difficult circumstances is critical. He spoke of situations that result in tactical teams using armored vehicles. He recognizes the need to keep crowds that gather informed of what’s going on and why. The chief’s wish list includes a camera-equipped unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or drone, which could provide officers full view of certain settings. He says unconventional equipment has become mandatory in order to keep people safe. 

    “The difference is when we use them we need to be able to tell the people who are watching us what we’re up to,” Medlock added. 


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    Fayetteville OutFront                       

    The City of Fayetteville is holding another OutFront community meeting Tuesday, March 8 at 6 p.m. at Northwood Temple Church on Ramsey St.  Residents will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback about city services. The city’s senior management team led by Senior Deputy City Manager Kristoff Bauer will be there. He’ll be joined by Assistant City Manager Jay Reinstein, Police Chief Harold Medlock, Fire Chief Ben Major and other department directors.  And Fayetteville Public Works Commission General Manager David Trego will also be in attendance. The idea is to “provide residents an opportunity to talk directly with city leadership,” said spokesman Kevin Arata. 

    For those who are unable to attend the meeting, they can log onto the city’s website and submit their questions online. 


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    PWC Water Treatment Begins

    Beginning Tuesday, March 1, 2016, the Fayetteville Public Works Commission temporarily stopped adding ammonia to its water treatment disinfection process. The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources requires all water systems that add ammonia to their drinking water to discontinue its use for a one-month period annually.  PWC will resume adding ammonia to the water treatment disinfection process on Friday, April 1.

    During March,  fire hydrants on the PWC water distribution system will be opened frequently to flush the water distribution system.  As a result of the change, chlorine may be more noticeable and some customers may  experience discolored water as a result of the system flushing. 

    Water customers should be aware that during this time, traces of ammonia could remain in the water.  PWC recommends that water customers who pre-treat should continue to follow procedures to remove chloramines.

    Information about the water treatment process is available at the PWC website, www.faypwc.com. 


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    He’s Going to Survive!

    A couple of weeks ago a Cumberland County deputy sheriff shot a family pet after responding to a disturbance call at a home on Marsh Road off NC 87, south of Fayetteville. Since then, Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Ennis Wright and Legal Advisor Ronnie Mitchell issued a lengthy joint news release through Sheriff Moose Butler’s spokesman, Sgt. Sean Swain.

    According to Swain, 911 call takers received a call from a woman who reported a disturbance on her property. Two officers were sent to the woman’s home. The deputies knocked several times and received no answer. The officers knocked twice more, and according to Swain, the woman reluctantly cracked the door open a few inches and then closed it. The deputies knocked again and Abraham opened the door narrowly again as the officers announced their presence. It was at that point, according to the news release, that the woman opened the door. And it was then that her German Shepard bolted out of the house and “advanced on one of the deputies. As the deputy was retreating, he discharged his firearm one time,” added the spokesman.

    The bullet struck the dog on the bridge of his nose and exited behind an ear, according to County Animal Control Director Dr. John Lauby. The dog, Astro, was taken to an emergency veterinarian. Swain says he “was treated and is doing well.” Animal Control officers took the dog to the Cumberland County Animal Control facility and later to the Grays Creek Animal Hospital for follow-up treatment and recuperation. Dr. Lauby did not concur that Astro was “doing well” describing the exit wound as “horrible,” but saying that he will survive. 

    Lauby indicated that if the woman is unable to pay for Astro’s care, the expense would be covered using funds from Animal Control’s Injured Animal Stabilization Fund. Swain said the Sheriff’s Office was informed that a non-profit organization had said it would pay for Astro’s emergency treatment. Animal Control records indicate Astro has a history of being dangerously aggressive. He once bit a little girl on the leg. The wound apparently was not serious. The dog was quarantined for 10 days. 

     

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    Tremendous concern for the country I love and appreciate weighs heavily on my mind. More and more, I fear maybe the Fat Lady is preparing to sing about America. The “fat lady singing” is based on a supposed tale about a child sitting through an opera who asks a parent when it will be over. “Not until the fat lady sings” is the answer. America has been a great country, but I fear the end of this greatness that has not only served Americans well, but has helped make the whole world a better place is coming to an end. 

    All around us I see indications of this possible impending doom. It shows in the current Presidential election process. The two Democrat candidates, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, are promising what clearly cannot be delivered and would be disastrous for the country. They are also pandering to various groups, especially black and Hispanic voters. In addition, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton faces suspicion of questionable, if not criminal, actions.

    Then there are five remaining Republican candidates whose debates, in part because of format, have become devoid of substance. Further, Donald Trump and Marco Rubio are (as of  Feb. 29) carrying on what I consider a disgusting display of meaningless verbal exchanges that are beneath the reasonably expected conduct of an American President. These men are talking about each other’s sweating, make-up, water-drinking, lying, poor spelling and so forth. Granted, Ted Cruz is in this fray, but with less of a school-yard brawl approach.

    It is this brawling like kids and avoidance of serious issues that make citizens wonder what we have come to by way of electing a president. As though this is not enough, add to it an astronomical national debt, unfunded liabilities that make the national debt look miniscule, a Congress that is doing absolutely nothing, a President who conducts himself as a dictator determined to destroy all that made America great, courts that legislate, terrorism raging, immigration (illegal and legal) out of control and a deafening entitlement mentality across the nation. I could go on with issues not being addressed, but this is more than enough to show that the “fat lady” has to be warming up.

    My frustration and disgust because of what is described in the preceding three paragraphs is made worse by the fact that this is nothing new. The anger level among citizens might be higher than usual, but everything else seems unchanged. With the exception of Ben Carson and, to a lesser extent, John Kasich, it is business as usual. That is, play to the crowd, do not inform and press to win. 

    I spent about 18 months deeply involved in the political process leading up to the 2014 elections. I pushed for efforts that would educate citizens regarding issues. One man who was far more involved than me said, “We have to win in order to govern.” The problem with that approach is politicians do the kinds of actions described here and when they win cannot govern because divisions have been created and promises made that cannot be kept. For the most part, this result occurs because of uninformed voters who act on emotion and self-interest. 

    In the midst of my lamenting all of this, a new friend told me about a book by John P. Kotter titled A Sense of Urgency.Kotter talks about why many businesses fail or do not perform anywhere near full potential. While focusing on businesses, he comments that what he presents as a danger to businesses can also “undermine a whole country.” As I started reading the book, I had that thought and then he said it.

    So, let me share some of what Kotter writes and relate it to addressing the rapid decline of America. He opens by stating that what is needed is a “true sense of urgency. In this context, urgency means “of pressing importance.” When people have a true sense of urgency, they think that action on critical issues is needed now, not eventually... Now means making real progress every single day. Critically important means challenges that are central to success or survival, winning or losing.

     I see nothing happening at any level of government in this nation that indicates there is a true sense of urgency about anything. Look around. Show me one issue that is being addressed with urgency as Kotter defines it. Healthcare, the Veterans Admiration, terrorism, infrastructure maintenance, unemployment, economic development … give me one, just one. 

    Then there is the danger in failing to recognize when change is needed. If people do not have a sufficient sense of urgency, very likely they will not look for changes that are happening externally that require internal change. For example, the world around us is changing. Nations that see the United States as their enemy are getting nuclear weapons, developing enhanced military capabilities and even funding terrorists who want to destroy America. I do not see that we are responding to these external changes with appropriate internal change. 

    Kotter says, “The first step in creating a true sense of urgency is to deeply understand its opposites: “complacency and false urgency.” Of complacency he writes: “The dictionary says complacency is a feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction, especially when coupled with an unawareness of danger or trouble.”

    I contend complacency is an issue in our nation. There is growing anger, but it is accompanied by tremendous unawareness of the danger and troubles facing us. For example, Ben Carson talks about unfunded liabilities. The Federal Government has a responsibility to pay benefits such as Social Security, military retirees and so forth into the future. In order to make those future payments, the government must have a certain amount of money invested in the present. The extent to which that current amount is not available for investment creates an unfunded liability. A February 2014 article by Gary North reports that Professor Lawrence Kotlikoff of Boston University says the Congressional Budget Office did two reports. One which Kotlikoff does not trust put unfunded liabilities at $47 trillion while the one he trusts showed $205 trillion. Either is an astounding figure. How many Americans are watching this kind of destructive situation and acting to correct it? I suggest not many and that is complacency.

    Given the definition of complacency, I contend politicians in general are even more complacent than the general public. They maintain the status quo while giving no indication of a true sense of urgency.

    Kotter continues, “Anxiety and anger drive behavior that can be highly energetic, which is why people mistake false for true urgency. But the energy from anger and anxiety can easily create activity, not productivity, and sometimes very destructive activity.” I say we are surrounded by what he describes here. People get angry about some situation and politicians respond with activity. That is happening in this Presidential election. There is a lot of activity in response to citizens’ anger, but no productive addressing of the critical issues facing us. Now the process is turning destructive. 

    All of this reveals a picture of a great nation in serious trouble as reflected in: 1) a failing presidential election process; 2) the multitude of critical issues not being addressed with true urgency; 3) almost non-existent recognition of threatening changes happening around us; 4) complacency among citizens and far too many politicians in a debilitating state of complacency; 5) anger running rampant and generating activity, but no productivity … only movement toward destruction. 

    I pray there is still time to prevent the Fat Lady from singing. If we are to do so, we must look for critical opportunities and hazards now... then address them with true urgency. This is serious. 


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    I’ve been off the grid for the past three weeks and have counted myself lucky not to have the daily influx of political emails, telephone solicitors, news stories, sound bites and outlandish headlines beating me down. Coming back home, my reprieve from death by politics was rescinded and I find myself quickly becoming overwhelmed.

    I am a political person by my nature. When most second- graders were worried about recess, I was worried about the electoral college and what would happen if they all suddenly went rogue. Yes, this is a conversation I had with my parents. In fourth grade, when girls were worried about whose leather bracelet they would wear, I was worried about Jimmy Carter seeming like a yahoo living in the White House. History has proven that I was right to worry about that.

    All that being said, most of the shine of the political process has worn off for me. I now no longer yearn to watch the political conventions (and, yes, even as a child, I watched every minute.) I purposefully make plans so that I won’t have to watch the debates. Why? Because I want someone who knows what they are talking about to make a substantive point, not just heckle their opponents. If our political process is going to continue to sink into these low depths, then let’s do it right. If we want a political process that is fraught with name-calling and potential fisticuffs, then let’s take a page from the English and Irish parliaments.

    Instead of our current crop of presidential hopefuls throwing weak insults at each other, let’s let them go at it old school like they do in England. You insult my party, you will pay. You insult my platform, prepare to be taken down. If candidates see that there is a real consequence to their petulance, perhaps they won’t be so quick to act like fourth graders, and maybe they will up their game and talk about real issues, offer real solutions and seek to find a middle ground that we can all live with.

    I don’t know that a battle royal, with the last man (or woman) standing is the answer to our political problems, but I do know that the childish, juvenile campaigns that are in full swing are not the answer. I do know that simply belittling another candidate’s suggestions without offering your own is not the answer. To quote the movie the The American President: “For the last couple of months, it has been suggested that being President of this country was, to a certain extent, about character. I can tell you without hesitation: Being President of this country is entirely about character… America isn’t easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, ‘cause it’s gonna put up a fight. It’s gonna say ‘You want free speech? Let’s see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who’s standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you, (fill in the name of any candidate currently running) is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things and two things only: making you afraid of it and telling you who’s to blame for it.’”

    The world is scary enough. I don’t need a President who makes me fearful, I need a President who has answers. One who can clearly articulate the problems facing our country, give me his solutions and then stand by what he says.

    Again from The American President, “People want leadership, Mr. President, and in the absence of genuine leadership, they’ll listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone. They want leadership. They’re so thirsty for it they’ll crawl through the desert toward a mirage, and when they discover there’s no water, they’ll drink the sand.”

    I think we are all tired of drinking sand. Which candidate will step up to the plate with a tall drink of water? I’m waiting.


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    For more than 40 years the federal government’s Community Development Block Grant program has provided communities across America with funds to address a wide range of community development needs. Since 1974, the CDBG program has become one of the longest, continuously run programs of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The CDBG program provides annual grants to more than 1200 cities and counties. 

    HUD believes community development activities build stronger and more resilient communities through an ongoing process of identifying and addressing needs and priority investments. Community development activities are designed to support infrastructure, economic development projects, installation of public facilities, community centers, housing rehabilitation, code enforcement, homeowner assistance and other identified needs. 

    “Federal support of community development encourages systematic and sustained action by State, and local governments,” according to HUD. The CDBG program works to ensure decent, affordable 

    housing, to provide services to the most vulnerable and to create jobs through the expansion and retention of local businesses. CDBG is an important tool for helping local governments tackle serious challenges facing their communities. HUD says “the CDBG program has made a difference in the lives

    of millions of people and their communities across the nation.”

    Annual grants are made to larger cities identified as Metropolitan Statistical Areas. HUD determines the amount of each grant by using a formula comprised of several measures of community need, including the extent of poverty, population, housing overcrowding and age of housing. Fayetteville is an SMA. The HUD grant application, or annual action plan, is a voluminous 78-page fill-in-the-blanks document which requires predictable responses. It outlines in exhaustive detail the federal government’s expectations of general program objectives with which Fayetteville Community Development Director Victor Sharp is intimately familiar. He has been with the city for 19 years. The city’s application will likely be automatically approved if the application is received by May 15. Available funds will total $3.2 million, some of which are unspent allocations from the current fiscal year. Cumberland County is not an ‘entitlement’ county but receives three quarters of a million dollars in CDBG funds from the state.

    Ten days ago City Council tackled the local CDBG action plan for the coming year during a lengthy and sometimes testy exchange with Sharp. He noted in his action plan that “the City of Fayetteville has identified goals and objectives to address the City’s priority needs. Programs and projects have been designed to carry out the goals and objectives.” They are contained in a comprehensive five-year program which is consistent with HUD’s national objectives and outcomes. But the action plan includes only a few targeted areas of the city that are in need of housing rehabilitation or other economic development.

    Council seemed frustrated that Sharp’s presentation did not provide a report of accomplishments this past year or detailed plans for the coming year. Council members Mitch Colvin, Kirk deViere and Ted Mohn appeared annoyed  that they were being asked to review a plan that had just been presented two weeks earlier. Sharp injected that council was initially given the plan in January. At Mohn’s suggestion council voted to require that annual CDBG action plans be presented in detail to council three months before they must be submitted to Washington. Sharp took a lot of heat April 25 as he attempted to defend the FY17 plan. He was quick to correct council objections, and at one point was gaveled out of order by Mayor Nat Robertson for not allowing members to complete their sometimes lengthy questions. Interim City Manager Doug Hewett intervened to tell council he had heard their concerns and would have some answers for them at their next work session. 

    “This level of interest by Council is reflective of their desire in revitalization efforts across the city, and ensures that we are properly focused on their priorities during the process,” Hewett told Up & Coming Weekly. The money isn’t the issue. The action plan for the new fiscal year outlines how Community Development plans to spend the funds, but there are only those few specifics. Mayor Pro Tem Colvin has asked for details on areas targeted for revitalization and what they are. 

    Kirk deViere wanted to know if funds could be moved around once the grant application is submitted. “City staff is aggressively working to address blight issues across the community. We constantly review buildings and properties to ensure they meet the high standards we expect, and when they don’t, we address them as quickly as possible,” said city spokesman Kevin Arata. His reference was to monthly targeted communities in the city where abandoned houses are being demolished with tax liens placed on the properties. He added that in addition to federal grants, the city has budgeted $100,000 for gateway improvements. 

    The city recently created a Business and Economic Development Department with a staff of three to recognize that high quality city services are to a large extent dependent on a strong business community and local economy. The stated mission of the department “is to support existing and new high quality retail and commercial enterprises, redevelop under-performing corridors and catalyst sites, expand our local incentives portfolio, and to assist a diversity of business interests with a wide range of needs.

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    With spring creeping around the corner, it is time to prepare for the 70th annual Camellia Show hosted by the Fayetteville Camellia Club. The show is set for March 5-6 and promises to add some color to the weekend. Often the first question for those unacquainted with the flower is “why Camellias?” 

    Diane R. Libecki-Long, the recording secretary and membership chairman for the Fayetteville Camellia Club, explains it by saying, “My personal opinion is that they defy winter and introduce spring. Camellias begin blooming in late October and various varieties bloom through March in this area. There are a number of varieties of camellias. They come in miniature, small, medium, large and huge. Their shapes are amazing. Once you walk through a show you see colors, variations and shapes that make you fall in love. While all flowers are wonderful, very few hold the same beauty as a red camellia defying the snow that may fall in January, February and March. Unless, of course, you live in the North, then the mighty crocus is a welcome sight popping through the snow.”

    Thirty years ago, the Camellia Show was held at the Cross Creek Mall. Since then it has outgrown that space – and it is still free to attend. It is now held at the Ramada Plaza at the Bordeaux Convention Center at 1707-A Owen Dr. With this relatively new space, the Camellia Show has more freedom. As a result the show not only features beautiful flowers but also hosts events during the two-days run. From 1-4 p.m., Saturday, March 5, there will be an opening ceremony in memory of Martha Duell and an exhibit on the “History of Tea.”  On Sunday, March 6, there will be a Japanese Tea Ceremony and air layering demonstrations. Both days will also features artwork from about 250 students all from local schools working to capture the varied beauty of the Camellia. 

    Of course, the highlight of the show is the flowers. Naturally, members of the local Camellia Club can’t judge their own show. Instead they invite judges from surrounding areas, as far away as Virginia. Each judging team is made of two American Camellia Society certified judges and one novice judge. Entering flowers to be judged can be stressful, but Libecki-Long has a suggestion, “For first-time growers, the best advice I can give is buy healthy plants, learn how to plant them – not too deep and not too wet – and just fall in love. We will be selling Camellia plants at our show and our sales people can assist in how to properly plant the Camellia. Membership in both our local club and the American Camellia Society is your best bet for education. Our members are knowledgeable in planting, caring for and showing Camellias and are always happy to assist anyone. We also offer members discounted prices on plants during the year and obtain plants from a variety of reputable growers.” For first time attendees she recommends bringing a pen and pencil to write down favorites to add to next year’s garden. 

    Even after decades of working with the Camellia Club and attending the annual shows, Libecki-Long is still entranced by the many beautiful flowers. “I don’t know why I’m so captivated by them, but it is exciting just to see their beauty. The various shapes, colors, sizes are fascinating. When the weather is right and the varieties abundant, there is nothing like walking through the tables and spotting a bloom that captivates you,” she says.

    For more information visit www.fayettevillecamelliaclub.org. 


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    After a two-year journey, Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s Artistic Director Tom Quaintance brings Downrange Voices from the Homefrontto the stage March 3 – 20. Downrange is one of the few original works CFRT has commissioned in its 53-year history.

    The journey began for Quaintance when his wife, Wallis, brought home stories of military families she’d heard from other parents. Quaintance said he and Wallis were moved by the challenges, heartbreak, adventures and resilience of military families in their adopted community of Fayetteville. They both agreed these stories needed to be shared.

    “There is something we can do here to be better neighbors to these people going through these deployments,” Wallis Quaintance, an actress in the production, recently told an audience at a preview performance. She said that the play allows for open communication that can be part of the healing process for some.

    CFRT received a national grant to support the development of the project and enlisted North Carolina playwright Mike Wiley, who used interactive workshops to collect stories of military spouses from Fort Bragg. The voices heard in those workshops were transcribed and transformed into a staged reading in May 2015, before becoming the current version of the play.

    Nicky Hart was one of the voices brought into the project. Involved since the beginning, Hart, a former military spouse, is also a well-known local actress. She plays a role in Downrange, and said seeing some of her own story played out on stage has been a positive experience.

    “The rehearsal process for this show has been a lot of work,” Hart said. “I remember the years, so many things keep coming back.” Having good and bad memories triggered has also helped in her own healing process, Hart said. She believes seeing the play can help others who might be coming to terms with their own experience. Hart hopes that sharing so much of her personal story will help other military spouses feel validated.  

    With Downrange Voices from the Homefront set for its world premiere, Quaintance said he is grateful for the production’s two-year journey.

    “It was the most humbling and inspirational experience of my life,” Quaintance said. “A play that started out as an exploration of the impact of deployment on families became how 9/11 has redefined what it means to be a military spouse.”

    Wiley, who also wrote The Parchman Hour,specializes in documentary theater, said Quaintance. For Downrange, Wiley delivers an accessible and funny play that is also gut-wrenching at times. The play follows couples from courtship to marriage and military life with deployments and struggles. Included are separations, reunions, heartbreak, mysteries of life in the military, and of course, love.

    “We didn’t want to sugarcoat it… it gets difficult,” Quaintance said. “We deal with some difficult subject matter like loss and death. The range of things that families deal with is gigantic — we don’t deal with everything, but we deal with what we deal with in a way that is respectful and honest.”

    “The heaviness of it comes from that feeling of responsibility to getting it right… telling it truthfully,” he said.

    Leslie Flom, the marketing director for CFRT, said the play gives voice to military spouses and fills a void. “It’s so important for these stories to be told,” Flom said. “There are many stories told from the soldier’s perspective… few from the spouse’s perspective. It is a valuable and important experience to hear these stories.”

    The voices included in the play may resonate with some military spouses more than others, Quaintance said. It shows some people’s experiences, not others. He said “if it is not about us, it allows us to feel emphathy. If it’s about us, it allows us to gain perspective.”

    Quaintance is quick to dispel the notion that the play should be viewed as simply a show of support for military families that offers a hard dose of what military life and marriage is. 

    “We didn’t want the play to be medicine,” Quaintance said. “Don’t come to the play because it’s good for you. Come to the play because it’s a good play.”

    Downrange Voices from the Homefront will run March 3 - 20 with shows at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. shows on Saturday and Sunday. Fayetteville Technical Community College will sponsor a Military Spouse Night on March 11 and Fort Bragg Credit Union will sponsor one on March 18. Both nights will offer $15 discount tickets, a reception and free onsite childcare for military couples.

    On display during the run of the play will be artwork by Trish Brownlee, a local mixed media artist with a background in documentary photography. Brownlee served in the Air Force and Army as a photographer, and is a military spouse. 

    “The art is special not only because it is done by a former soldier,” Flom said. “But also, the material is made from military uniforms.” Part of Brownlee’s artwork is incorporated into the set for Downrange.

    Brownlee’s technique of making paper from military uniforms is known as “Breaking Rag,” her initiative to use art as a tool for veteran advocacy in a community art project. A Breaking Rag demonstration/workshop with Brownlee is scheduled for March 12 at CFRT. The workshop is free and open to the public, but play tickets must be purchased through CFRT box office.


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    The Crown Coliseum presents Boyz II Men in concert on Friday, March 11 at 7:30 p.m. The trio holds the distinction of being the best-selling R & B group of all time with 60 million albums sold. The members consist of Nathan Morris, Wanya Morris and Shawn Stockman. 

    During the 1990s, Boyz II Men gained international success. Their success began with “End of the Road” in 1992, which reached the top of the charts worldwide. The song also set a new record for longevity staying at number one on the Billboard Hot 100 for thirteen weeks breaking the record held by Elvis Presley. Throughout their musical career, they have won four Grammy awards, nine American Music Awards, nine Soul Train Music Awards, three Billboard Awards and a 2011 MOBO Award for Outstanding Contribution to Music. I recently reached out to the group for an interview: 

    Shanessa Fenner, Up & Coming Weekly: What should the audience expect on March 11 at the Crown Complex in Fayetteville, North Carolina?

    Shawn Stockman: Fans can expect to hear all of our old hits that everyone knows and can sing along to. We love North Carolina — we’ve played there a lot over the years — so we’re really looking forward to this show. 


    UCW: Have you been working on some new projects? What kinds of projects are you working on? 

    SS: Recently we performed on FOX’s Grease Live, which was an incredible experience and we also got to sing a parody of “End of the Road” on the Late Late Show with James Corden. We have been able to do some really cool things lately as we gear up for our 25th anniversary. Also, we are working on a Doo-Wop project that will be coming out within the next year. 


    UCW: Have the dynamics of the group changed being that there are only three members now?

    SS: We had to adjust in terms of the parts we used to sing, but otherwise we continue to have a smooth group dynamic. 


    UCW: Who are your musical influences/favorites?

    SS: As a collective, we all admire Prince! He’s a legend and definitely one of our favorite musicians of all time. 


    UCW: What do you do in your down time?

    SS: Lately I haven’t really had down time with all the projects we’ve been doing, but any chance I get I love to spend time with my wife and kids. 


    UCW: What are future plans for the group? 

    SS: Recently our residency at The Mirage Hotel and Casino has been extended through 2018 so we will continue to perform for our fans and create timeless hits! 

    Ticket prices are $75.50, $65.50, $55.50 and $45.50. For more information call 438-4100.


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    The business people of Fayetteville’s Haymont, or is it Haymount, community are making another effort to organize themselves much like downtown merchants have.  “We all call it Haymont,” says Elle Williams, general manager of the Runner’s Spot at 1221 Hay Street. The epicenter of the business section is at the top of Haymont Hill where Hay Street, Highland Avenue, Oakridge Avenue, Fort Bragg Road and Morganton Road converge. 

    Bobby Wiggs and his parents are natives of the community. The elder Mr. Wiggs is 87 now, and Bobby Jr. is pretty much the unofficial mayor of Haymont. He owns Haymont Auto Repair at the corner of Morganton Road and Broadfoot Avenue. The community is a cluster of “unique little family owned businesses,” Wiggs said. He and about 30 other business owners are trying to put together a small business alliance similar to the merchants group downtown. “They’ve got some traction,” he noted.

    Williams described the area as “a hidden gem.” She says a main objective of an organization is to cross promote and raise public awareness. Parking is an issue everyone has to deal with, she added. Williams told Up & Coming Weekly that her business agreeably shares a small parking lot with Latitude 35 Bar & Grill. 

    Haymont is loosely defined as the region of the city bounded by Bragg Boulevard, Woodrow Street, Glenville Avenue, Pinecrest Drive, McGilvary Street and Turnpike Road. It’s one of the oldest areas of Fayetteville marked by nearly four dozen antebellum houses, upper-middle class homes, an historic civil war arsenal site and state-owned museum and the Cape Fear Regional Theatre. The Haymont Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. (Portions of the content of this article were adapted from a copy of the original nomination documents. Adaptation copyright © 2011, The Gombach Group.)

    A recent brouhaha over the future of the Fair Oaks mansion at the Fort Bragg Road crossover brought out Haymont’s wealthy home owners who persuaded the Fayetteville Zoning Commission not to allow a prospective owner to turn the mansion into a private school. They prevailed in a 4-0 vote of the commission.

    When it was developing in the early nineteenth century, Haymont bordered but was situated outside of the city limits. It was not until approximately 1910 that lower Haymont residences on Hale Street, Brandt’s Lane, Hillside Avenue, Athens Avenue and Hay Street up to Fountainhead Lane were incorporated into the city. Haymont is one of Fayetteville’s oldest and most cohesive neighborhoods. 

     

    But there is another side of Haymont. From Broadfoot Avenue, on the other side of Arsenal Avenue, over to Turnpike Road, are small, low income houses. It’s a very poor area separated from well kempt homes along Valley Road by a large privacy fence. It was once drug-infested, especially along Branson Street. But twenty years ago, Highland Presbyterian Church built a community center at the end of Davis Street. Local residents got involved and police cracked down. Today, while that area of Haymont remains impoverished, it’s safer than before. 


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     (State) Governor Pat McCrory has urged North Carolina voters to approve $2 billion for public service investments such as building projects at state universities and technical institutes, new facilities for the National Guard, and sewage renovations in small towns. 

    McCrory spent much of last year convincing state lawmakers to put the referendum on the ballot. He was joined at a kick-off event by a handful of key legislators. Organizers said Senate Leader Phil Berger, often considered the state’s most influential elected official, did not attend because he had a scheduling conflict. “North Carolina is the ninth most populous state,” McCrory said. “We have a choice. Do we prepare for the future, or do we want the leaders of the future to have to react to what we didn’t do?”

    Organizers, led by former state Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr, solicited financial contributions for a multi-million-dollar advertising campaign to include social media, mailers and phone calls. The Connect NC bond referendum campaign went statewide and culminates in the vote on March 15.  It’s been 15 years since the last general obligation bond was approved by voters to upgrade the state’s infrastructure. McCrory points out that since then North Carolina has added 2 million people in population. 

    The governor likes to say passage of $2 billion in bonds will connect North Carolina to the 21st century through statewide investments in education, parks, safety, recreation, and water and sewer infrastructure. The Connect NC bonds will allow the state to pay for 50-years’ worth of assets with 20-year financing. No tax increase is necessary because of the state’s strong revenue growth and ample debt service capacity. McCrory points out North Carolina is one of only 10 states that have earned coveted triple-A bond ratings from all three major ratings agencies.

    The state university system would be the biggest beneficiary of passage with nearly half the amount designated for campus improvements. Fayetteville State University would receive only $10 million, for renovation of the Lyons Science Building. It’s the least amount designated for each of the 16 campuses in the UNC system. Community colleges would share $350 million. Fayetteville Technical Community College  is one of only two schools to receive 8-figure amounts, $10.66 million. FTCC is the 4th largest of the state’s 58 community colleges. 

    (Local) A separate bond issue on the ballot is a $35 million proposal for City of Fayetteville park facilities and improvements to existing recreation centers. Passage of the referendum could result in an ad valorem tax rate increase of $.0135 per $100 dollars of property valuation. All facilities would be located within the Fayetteville city limits. The bond package includes two senior centers, a tennis center and sports field complex; also, two skateboard parks, a Cape Fear River Park, seven splash pads and improvements to seven existing parks. The tennis center would be built at Mazerick Park for players of all ages and ability levels. It would include four clay courts and thirteen hard courts, plus a tournament championship court with seats for 1,000 spectators. 

    The sports complex for baseball, soccer and softball would be located on city-owned property off Field’s Road on the east side of town. One of the skateboard parks would be a large in-ground concrete facility to serve the entire Fayetteville-Cumberland County region. There would be two smaller parks. A river park is planned to provide recreational activities on the Cape Fear. 

    Six more popular splash pads would be located at Cliffdale Recreation Center, E.E. Miller, Gilmore Therapeutic Center, Kiwanis, Massey Hill and Myers Park Recreation Centers as well as an additional location to be determined. Improvements would be made to seven existing parks to include the renovation of some existing buildings and various park grounds. The updates would be at Clark Park & Nature Center, the Dorothy Gilmore Therapeutic Park, Brentwood School Park, Massey Hill Recreation Center, Martin Luther King Jr. Park, Mazarick Park and Seabrook Park. 

    The referendum will not allow voters to pick and choose selected projects. It’s an all or nothing proposition. The city says some of the facilities included in the bond proposal would be able to function with little or no additional operating funds. The city also says that membership costs and entrance fees would be required. Memberships would be offered at different levels (family, couple, senior, etc.) and daily passes would be available for those who go less often or could not afford yearly memberships.


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    Combatting Homelessness Dealt a Setback

    Fayetteville City Council and Cumberland County Commissioners treated homelessness as a top priority last year. They met last spring to coordinate their efforts. The city earmarked $50,000 and the county set aside $100,000 for homeless initiatives. In the last two weeks, Fayetteville’s emphasis on ending homelessness has fallen from a top priority last year to number eight this year. Cumberland County is the lead agency under federal guidelines, and city council members have had a hard time adjusting to that. In November, commissioners approved a plan to fill two positions, a homeless coordinator and a data analyst, and to fund a federally mandated Homeless Management Information System for the county’s Continuum of Care on Homelessness. The remainder of the money would be used to fill gaps in services for rapid re-housing and preventing homelessness. City Council balked at the idea of funding a county employee, and tabled the issue until January. Then late last month, it discussed an approach offered by freshman Councilman Kirk deViere. Council discussed details of deViere’s plan out of sight of the public… during a dinner meeting held in a small room that cannot accommodate an audience. Council decided to spend its $50,000 on direct services for the homeless, as deViere suggested, rather than help fund the county employee. The city hopes to meet with the county to develop a plan that provides direct services to those in need.


     

     

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    Hiring Vets Remains a Priority for Governor

    “One of my highest priorities is to connect veterans with jobs in North Carolina where they can put their military training and experience to use,” Governor McCrory said. “We must encourage North Carolina businesses to take advantage of our veterans’ skills and talents and realize the value they bring to the workplace.” This was a message Greensboro-area employers heard during a military employment summit aimed at promoting veterans. Senior industry, government and military leaders came together to share their knowledge and success stories in hiring ex-military candidates to drive bottom-line business results. McCrory has tried to make North Carolina the most military- and veteran-friendly state in the nation. The governor launched North Carolina for Military Employment in March 2015 to find jobs for the more than 20,000 service members transitioning into civilian life from North Carolina bases each year. Fort Bragg is the state’s largest military post.


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    Army Wellness Fair

    Womack Army Medical Center will host a Health and Wellness Fair for active duty service members, retirees and their families on April 16, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fair will feature a variety of health and fitness screenings; information booths on nutrition, diabetes, legal services and more. Yoga classes, blood donation, child safety seat checks, plus activities for children, will also be available. Admission is free. There will be booths and tables in the clinic mall area at the All American Expressway entrance to the hospital and Weaver Auditorium, as well as events outside in the parking lot near the All American Expressway entrance and in the traffic circle outside of the WAMC Orthopedic entrance.


    Applications Available for Citizens Academy

    Cumberland County government is accepting applications for its upcoming Citizens’ Academy weekly sessions to be held from Mar. 22 through Apr. 26. The academy is free and will be held on six consecutive Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m. at various locations. The Citizens’ Academy is designed to help residents learn more about county government and how it works. People interested in participating must be residents of Cumberland County. Class size is limited. Available slots are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. The academy application is available online at www.co.cumberland.nc.us/publicinfo/citizensacademy.aspx. 


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    A year or so ago, a cousin announced she had read a book that changed her life.   

    Her overstocked closet was suddenly rehabbed to the point of minimalism, and out went extraneous sheets, towels, even furniture.  She began giving away her books, of which she had hundreds. Family and friends received tomes with her name penned on the flyleaves along with notes saying something like, “I loved this book so much, I wanted you to have it.”  

     The litmus test for all of her clearing out was this:  “Does whatever it is bring me joy?” If not, it was outta here.

     By now you have probably figured out that my cousin read and was overwhelmed by Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, which at this writing sits atop The New York Times’ bestseller list as it has for 68 weeks.  Kondo has more recently followed up with Spark Joy, an illustrated companion on the virtues of tidying up, also a bestseller.

    Kondo’s “magic” requires some organizational work.

    First, we must inventory our possessions.  

     For someone who lived for decades in a family of five, most of whom are now elsewhere but many of their possessions are still hanging around, the word “inventory” is daunting, perhaps even terrifying.  Kondo obviously understands this, because she suggests inventorying by category, not by room. I take this to mean starting with my clothes, which span all seasons and many sizes. If they were human beings, some have reached legal age to vote. The stern looking and joyless “go to work” suits will be no problem to let go.  As Kondo suggests, I will thank them for jobs well done all those years in long meetings, and off they will go to an organization that provides such clothes to women who need them. Ditto for the well-used towels I just took to the Fayetteville Animal Protection Society, our community’s no-kill shelter, for drying wet critters and bedding.  A family of five with years of summer camp and college generates a lot of towels.

     More problematic, I suspect, are the records of our lives — photographs, Mother’s Day cards, letters from camps and college — although emails can stay around forever, long-ago awards, sweet notes from Valentine’s Day bouquets, holey-but-much-loved yoga pants, and the like.  They carry no actual value but — oh, my! — do they bring joy!

     Unlike my more industrious cousin, I have not actually undertaken Kondo’s daunting process of tidying up, but I am thinking about it as downsizing becomes more appealing.  We Americans are so blessed in so many ways, but we do have too much stuff.  Way too much stuff.

     Kondo offers a tidying-up method in her chapter titles.

     “Why can’t I keep my house in order?” My excuses include the fact that the Precious Jewels — all grownup and long flown the coop, bless their hearts! — still have possessions at Mama’s and Lilly the Lab who is getting messier as she ages. I wonder whether that is true for human beings as well…

     “Finish discarding first.” Kondo recommends doing this “all at once, intensely and completely.” This is where the “sparking joy” standard comes in, and it has got to be harder than she makes it sound. 

    In fact, I can hardly bear to think about it.

    “Tidying by category works like magic.” This makes sense, but the sheer volume of stuff at chez Dickson makes this directive challenging. For example, Kondo says “place every item of clothing in the house on the floor.”  Since some of my clothes could vote, I am not sure there is enough open space to do this. She also counsels, “downgrading to ‘loungewear’ is taboo.”  In other words, yoga pants cannot be worn 24/7.

    “Storing your things to make your life shine.” This seems to be the reward for getting rid of so many belongings. Her tips: “Make the top shelf of your bookcase your personal shrine” and “Decorate your closet with your secret delights.” We all know rewards work better than punishments, so Kondo is probably onto something here.

    “The magic of tidying dramatically transforms your life.” After all the work of tidying and the trauma of letting go, Kondo assures us that “Being surrounded by things that spark joy makes you happy.”  She also asserts that “Your living space affects your body”— think detox and weight loss. She guards her clients’ privacy but writes that with post-magic tidying, her clients have been transformed. “Their figures are more streamlined, their skin is more radiant, and their eyes shine brighter.”

    What’s not to love about that?

    I think I am sold — at least on giving tidying up a try and hoping to find the magic.

    I am a bit concerned, though, about keeping wine and chocolate in my closet.

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    “Oh, where have you been Billy Boy, Billy Boy? Oh, where have you been, charming Billy?” What happy childhood memories that little perky song conjures up for me. Actually, I have not given that song the first thought in over 60 years until I left humming it last week after an enjoyable afternoon lunch with District 44 State Representative Billy Richardson. A local Fayetteville attorney and longtime friend, Richardson was appointed to complete the term of Democrat Representative Rick Glazier,  who resigned in August 2015 to take the position as Executive Director of the N.C. Justice Center. 

    Billy ran for the Senate 19 seat and lost to Wesley Meredith in an ugly, contentious and expensive race. Hmmmm. Ugly, contentious and expensive are words that pretty much describe the nature of 21st century politics these days at all levels of government. But, not on this day. Not at this luncheon. I really got the feeling that Richardson wants to do the best job he can for children, education and the citizens of District 44, as do his Republican rivals. Come November, Richardson will defend his seat from either District 9 Republican Fayetteville City Councilman Jim Arp or fellow Republican contender, retired engineer Richard Button. Button ran for the State House in 2014 and lost to Rick Glazier by a narrow four-point margin. Both are good men and all three, I believe, want to do their best for this community and our state. 

    To me, this means keeping an open mind, eliminating barriers, cooperating with each other and working across the aisle for the betterment of all. Taxes, education, energy, economic development, health care, redistricting. Oh, so many important issues that can only be addressed successfully through empathy, honest leadership, hard work and cooperation. State Representative John Szoka of District 45 is of this ilk. Honest, hardworking, logical and extremely dedicated describes Szoka. He is definitely, not a “placeholder.” Szoka, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel whose campaign slogan is “Principles, not politics,” thrives on principle and logic while taking head on important, tough, complicated issues with the fortitude and tenacity of a combat-ready soldier. 

    My point is this: maybe, just maybe, the tide is starting to turn in local and statewide politics where a person’s character is becoming more important than the political party they represent. Richardson himself told me that regardless of party affiliation, he would work with anyone if it meant the betterment of Fayetteville, Cumberland County and the state. I believe him and that is the way it should be. 

    It’s sad that on the national scene, presidential candidates Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz are wrongly criticizing Donald Trump for wanting to make deals. The art of the compromise is compromise. Stubbornness and blind dedication to party affiliations get us nowhere. So, unless we support and elect people with character and cooperative attributes, we will never be able to achieve the goals needed to build sound, secure communities and a great state.

    Vote, and make your vote count this year. Vote for honesty and integrity. Vote for people who take on responsibility. Vote for people with character. Those people are out there. All we have to do is find and encourage them. Agree? Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.


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    When Willie Bradley was 10, he begged his mom to buy him a trumpet. He even wrote her a letter promising her that if she would buy him a trumpet he would never stop playing it. He’s 52 now and plays internationally with the James Brown Band. Bradley spent last April touring in France and spent the beginning of this year playing in Japan. He’s getting ready to go to Europe on tour over the summer. On March 28, he’s playing at Lowkey Productions’ Spring Fling at the Holiday Inn on Cedar Creek Road. 

    Even though Bradley is thriving as a professional musician, he has always loved playing the trumpet, he took a circuitous route to get here. He was a Cumberland County school  teacher for a while and a volunteer at Camp Sunshine and then worked at a music store for a time. He worked as a substance abuse counselor, too.  He faced some personal demons, and fought long and hard to conquer them. It was worth it. Now it’s his turn to give back. 

    “The reason for the Spring Fling is twofold,” said Bradley. “When I was a school teacher, every summer I worked at Camp Sunshine, which is operated by the Autism Society of Cumberland County. I worked with the Lucero’s. Their son was one of the students at the camp. I learned that their son, Ben Lucero, died and that there was a scholarship in his name that makes it possible for autistic kids to go to Camp Sunshine. A lot of people couldn’t afford to pay for it and I wanted to do something to help.” 

    So, a portion of the proceeds will go to the Ben Lucero Scholarship fund. 

    “The other reason for the Lowkey Spring Fling is that because I am so busy flying all over the world these days, I don’t get to play much at home anymore,” said Bradley. “The people in this town are generous and supportive like no others. They believed in me and supported me through so many things. I just want the chance to play in my home town and give back to the people who have stuck with me.”

    For Bradley, the trumpet is more than a job. It’s part of who he is. 

    “My dad had records of all the great jazz musicians,” said Bradley. “When I was a kid, we had to clean the house and iron our clothes before we could go outside. We weren’t allowed to watch TV, but my dad would let us listen to his music. We would sing into broomsticks like they were microphones and dance and sing along with the those records. Jazz has always been a part of my life.”

    Once he decided to follow his dream and become a professional jazz player, Bradley knew he wanted to become more than a local musician. He wanted to reach for the stars. 

    “I wanted to send my message and my music worldwide,” said Bradley. “A lot of it is about being at the right place at the right time and being prepared. But for a person to follow their dreams and find success, they need to find a god of their understanding, they need to find their passion and pursue it by any means necessary and they need to surround themselves with professional and positive people working in that industry. And, don’t be afraid to take a chance,” he concluded.

     Spring Fling features International Smooth Jazz Recording Artist Willie Bradley and the Main Street Band with special guest Michael Macias. It starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $15. For tickets and information, call 920.8505 or 476.1300. To make a donation to the Cumberland County Autism Society, visit www.autismcc.org/donate.php.

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    Raisin’ Cane,a dance production, is a one-of-a-kind experience on many different levels. It combines some of today’s best artists with some of the best artists of the Harlem Renaissance; and it will be on stage at Fayetteville State University on April 10.

    The goal of this show is to provide a glimpse back to that magical period of artistic growth. Many artists take inspiration from this integral period, but Raisin’ Cane, written and conceived by Harry Clark, is unique in its presentation. It does not focus on just one medium of art. Instead it combines, “text, song, music, movemenT and imagery.” This bold combination creates and engaging performance that encompasses the soul of the Harlem Renaissance. 

    One of the stars of this show is Jasmine Guy. Born in 1962, Guy has had an incredible career that began with a dancing role on the 1982 television show Fame. Since then she has appeared in numerous TV shows and films such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Drop Dead Diva, School Daze and the Vampire Diaries. She may be best known for her role as Whitley Gilbert, the spoiled Southern diva on A Different World, the spinoff from The Cosby Show

    She received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. Ever the Renaissance woman, her talents are not limited to acting. She was a dancer with the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre and is also known for her singing, directing, and writing. It is her multitalented nature that allows her to so fully embrace her role in Raisin’ Cane and influence it with her own flair.  

    Accompanying Guy, is the Avery Sharpe Trio. Avery Sharpe not only composed the original music score for Raisin’ Cane, he is also an acclaimed Jazz bassist. He mastered his first instrument at the age of 8 in Valdosta Georgia, a piano, which he learned from his mother. It wasn’t until high school that he began to play the electric bass, picking up acoustic in college. He has played with numerous artists such as Archie Shepp, Art Blakey and McCoy Tyner. He started his own record label in 1994 and has created more then 10 titles for JKNM Records. He has also had tremendous success as a composer. He created and conducted the soundtrack for An Unremarkable Life and several other orchestral pieces. The other two components of the trio are percussionist Kevin Sharpe and jazz violinist Diane Monroe. 

    One of the major inspirations of this piece is the 1923 novel Cane written by Jean Toomer. Caneis not a traditional novel. It is a series of vignettes, which stand alone as a work of art but combined create a multifaceted story focused on the experiences of African-Americans. Some of the characters reoccur through the vignettes that alternate in structure. The book was not very well received at first, but now is admired for its creativity and courage to depict the truth; especially in a period where caricatures were the norm. 

    Raisin’ Cane will be performed on April 10 at 8 p.m. in the Seabrook Auditorium at Fayetteville State University. The auditorium is located at 1200 Murchison Rd. For more information visit www.fsuarts.com or call 910-672-1571.

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    “Give me your tired, your poor, 

    Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, 

    The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

    Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

    I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” 

    Inscribed on the statue of liberty


    A nation of independent thinkers, adventurers, entrepreneurs and lovers of freedom, America consists of every stripe and color of humanity. It is this diversity that makes America strong and unique, full of promise and potential. Sadly, these differences that should make our country stronger also divide us and throw up barriers between people and communities — even churches. Ask most Americans if this is their dream for their country and their children and the answer will likely be “No.” Yet here we are, divided by race, denominations, socio-economic status and more. It is hard to believe that this is what is right for America and her citizens. Jeremy Wright and Craig Morrison don’t believe this is America’s destiny. Neither do the 15,000 or so participants in the As One Prayer Walk on April 11. Thousands will gather at Festival Park for a prayer walk through downtown Fayetteville. There are no dividing lines here. Everyone is welcome.

    “We decided to call this the As One Prayer Walk because it is all inclusive,” said Event Spokesperson Jeremy Wright.  “We are separated enough already. We want a movement that looks like the body of Christ should look.” 

    Judging from the response, Wright and Morrison are not alone. Busloads of people are scheduled to come from Georgia and Florida and requests for lodging information have come from Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Clearly, there are many who consider America worth their time and prayer.

    “The park opens at 9 a.m. There will be music and singing. The prayer walk starts at 10 a.m.,” said Morrison. “For the participants, this will be a silent walk, but there will be pastors and chaplains at every station praying aloud.”

    The stations are scattered throughout downtown and include the Veterans Memorial, where participants will have the opportunity to pray for service members and their families; veterans and their families; and military leaders. 

    The next stop is Fayetteville City Hall to pray for local leaders and also state and national leaders.

    The walk stops at the Cumberland County Detention Center to pray for persons incarcerated and their families.

    At the Market House the prayers are for racial diversity and for all racial barriers to be broken down.

    Educators, students, teacher and the homeless will be the focus when the walk stops at the Headquarters Library.

    As the walk returns to Festival Park, the focus turns to spiritual leaders. Singing and a short praise and worship ceremony rounds out the walk.

    “The walk is about two miles. For kids or people who would like to participate but cannot walk that far, we have a station in Festival Park they can come to and pray and participate in the prayer walk that way,” said Morrison. 

    The As One Prayer Walk is about more than just one day of prayer, though. While it is a celebration event, this is about a bigger movement to bring God’s people together to make a difference in the world around them. Breaking down the walls that divide them is just one piece of the equation. 

    “This really is a unifying event,” said Wright. “I was at McDonalds on Skibo Road earlier this year. I am a black guy, but I saw an older white couple come in wearing the As One T-shirts and I had to go over and talk to them. We were automatically united because of our shared experience.”

    Morrison shared a similar story. “About two months after last year’s walk, I was at the mall and saw someone wearing an As One T-shirt. I went over and said ‘Hello,’ and it was like we were family. We shared stories and I introduced them to my family. This is what we want to see all over. It is all about relationships.” 

    There are indicators that change is on the horizon and that barriers are falling down. 

    “God’s people know what we should do but it doesn’t always happen that way,” said Wright. 

    It seems that more and more, local pastors are inviting each other to visit and preach at churches throughout the community. They are building relationships between the congregations. Organizations like Operation Inasmuch and Habitat for Humanity have always brought people together, but Wright and Morrison see God working here, too, and in a very personal way.

    “One of our church partners donated an acre of land. We donated it to Habitat for Humanity. They are going to build four homes on that land. It is all interconnected,” said Wright. “We were praying about how to make a difference, someone else was praying about what to do with this plot of land, people at Habitat were praying about building homes for families and families out there were praying for a safe place to live. It all came together because of prayer.” 

    “Operation Inasmuch started here and has gone around the world,” said Morrison. “People are working together, people are coming together and doing good in the name of Jesus.”

    Most any believer will testify to the power of prayer, and the same is true for Wright and Morrison and the other initiatives they support. 

    Walk the Halls is a another silent prayer initiative that takes place the day before school starts. Participants walk through the schools and pray for the students, teachers, administrators and for the entire campus. 

    “Two days before Walk the Halls, we only had two campuses to pray for,” said Wright. “Within just a day we were able to add more and more campuses and on the day of the event, we had 13 campuses. We will be doing it again when the year-round schools start in July and the traditional schools start in August.”

    With the As One Prayer Walkjust around the corner, on April 11, there is still time for pastors to register their churches or register to pray at one of the stations. There is time for individuals to plan to attend. T-shirts are available at the website www.asoneprayerwalk.org. Morrison encourages all participants to purchase a T-shirt not only as a show of unity on the day of the walk but as a way to stay connected throughout the  year with others who participate in the event. Visit the website and follow the As One Prayer Walk on twitter, Facebook and instagram. 

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    Recently I read in the Fayetteville Disturber a report from Myron Pitts in regards the homeless situation in the main library area downtown. I beg to differ with him on several issues as I don’t believe the library is for everyone especially the homeless [unless] they have a library card, are checking out books, doing research or other acceptable things customary to most library patrons. 

    The library is not a home away from home. The libraries have a mission and it is not providing shelter and bathing facilities for the homeless. 

    A lady told me of her visit to the main library restroom where she encountered a nude female bathing in the sink. I would guess some find these behaviors educational for the youngsters visiting the facilities. While I do believe in helping hands I don’t think the community needs to be a collection point for the homeless within the southeast. 

    When the community goes beyond a ‘helping hand up’’ the word spreads and the town becomes saturated with ne’er do wells taking advantage of the offerings. According to Pitts, it is public knowledge; “the library has become a de facto day care center for homeless people, or folks who are otherwise down on their luck.” 

    We do not have to accept that the library should fill a gap in our social safety net as there are other places for them to go. When you provide shelter, food and clothing, why should they not flock here to take what is made available at no cost to them? Not long ago we counted homeless in the tens and twenties but now in the hundreds and nobody has to wonder whythey are collecting here. 

    In the late 1990s, the Downtown Alliance requested assistance from the city council citing unacceptable numbers of homeless, vagrants and panhandlers who were loitering on downtown streets, sleeping on benches and in bus stop shelters, urinating and defecating in the tunnels and recessed store fronts. Action was taken to lock the tunnels, remove bus stop shelters and benches and police patrols in the area kept the vagrants moving elsewhere which greatly improved the downtown situation. 

    The Fayetteville area has a big heart and goes well beyond the norm in helping people in need, but people need to be vetted for any assistance to be given. Readers need to be informed about the whole situation as many of our so-called homeless are that way because of choice, as they do
    move from town to town seeking better opportunities for
     free things. 

    Some of the people you see loitering about have mental problems and should be residing in state-run facilities but we know the state has been closing homes and turning their patients loose to roam communities. I recommend to the citizens of the Fayetteville area to jointly create a facility to “manage” the needs of the homeless and vagrants where they can be vetted, and do so away from shopping areas, libraries and key visitor locations. 

    Create and enforce vagrancy ordinances! Since most of us reading this are paying the freight on this overall situation we need to have a say in what goes on in and about our public facilities. As taxpayers, we do not have to accept the homeless and vagrant population in their abuse of our common sense, good nature and facilities. We need to look forward to having less of them about.

    Finally, please do not give panhandlers cash who beg on our street corners as it encourages more of the same behaviors. 

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    It is beginning to look like 60 is the new 20.

    We Baby Boomers — and, yes, I am among the 76 million or so Americans born between 1946 and 1964 to men who made it through World War II and women who kept the home fires burning while they were gone — have changed our country in all sorts of ways since the day we began arriving. More schools had to be built to accommodate all of us. Ditto for colleges. We changed the American work place as women muscled our way into jobs and professions traditionally closed to us.   

    We shook up marriage by demanding that men participate more in family life and household chores, and we put forward ideas of personal growth and individual satisfaction. We necessitated commercial day care, and we indulged our children the way no prior generations had done. Now, as we begin heading off into the sunset —about 8000 of us have turned 65 every day since 2011, we are still shaking things up.

    The question, though, is whether our latest--some might say, our old age —changes are positive ones. Frankly, it is hard to make a case for that. 

    Last fall I wrote a column about “silver” divorce, the recent and dramatic rise in divorces among Americans over 50, which has doubled over the last 20 years. Among women 65-plus, the rate has tripled.

    Boomers in these age groups are divorcing at rates higher than their children, the Millennials. In some cases, both parties wind up less financially stable and far more lonesome than they were in the marriages they wanted out of, but we are divorcing anyway. We are answering the Beatles’ musical question, “Will you still need me, will you still feed me, when I’m 64?” with a firm “no.”

    And there is more. As Boomers find themselves moving into retirement communities, other issues are cropping up. Apparently, the Boomers who pioneered — at least publicly, the concept of “free love” are sticking to it. No less mainstream organizations than the Centers for Disease Control and the AARP both say that sexually transmitted diseases are “spreading like wildfire.” CDC stats confirm that STD rates among seniors doubled — yep, doubled — between 2000 and 2010. And the state with the highest rate of all — you guessed it, Florida! And the group with the highest rate? Men who use drugs like Viagra and Cialis. Researchers say the rates could be lowered if couples use condoms, but since birth control is not really an issue, few do. And think about this for a moment. The only other group of Americans with such a high rate of STDs is the 20 to 24 year old crowd. The rest of us are apparently watching a lot of television. All of which reminds me of a good friend, another Boomer, whose charming 85-year-old father moved to an assisted-living facility and was much sought-after by the far more numerous women residents. My friend bemoaned his situation, saying that he no longer remembered her mother, what business he had been in, but “unfortunately he does remember how to kiss!”

    And, just last week I read about this in the Wall Street Journal. Boomers went to Woodstock and those of us who were not there wish we were, in part because of all the “substances.” Not all of us, of course, but many of us went through periods of experimentation with all sorts of drugs at rates greater than any other American generation. It seems we still are. The WSJ reported that aging Boomers are getting arrested for drug offenses, including DWIs, and dying from drug overdoses at steadily increasing rates. More than 13,000 seniors died of accidental drug overdoses in 2013, according to the CDC. That is more than died in car accidents or from flu or pneumonia. Some Boomers are bringing the habits of their younger selves into their senior years, while others are abusing prescriptions initially given for pain and later used for the high. Alcohol is also an issue for many seniors, sometimes in tandem with other substances. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services estimates that nearly 6 million people over 50, Boomers all, will need substance abuse treatment by 2020. That starting figure comes at a time when teen drug abuse, the crowd most of us think of as voracious substance consumers, is actually declining.

    Much has been written about Boomers since Americans realized there had never been a generation like us. We have thought of ourselves as special, even unique. We have not been afraid to try new things. We are epic consumers of everything and continue to garner criticism of excessive consumption. For many of us, it really has been all about us.

    It looks like we are still thinking that was as we head toward the door.

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    Dear Readers,

    Our success over the past 20 years can pretty much be attributed to the fact that we love this community and we listen to and care about our readers. Hey, you are very important to us. You are our customers and it matters to us how you feel about our publication – your community newspaper.  You are local and we are local. We promote local and shop local. We work hard to keep you up to date on all the events, news, views and issues that impact our community and your quality of life. As you know, many of the issues impacting this community linger around for a long time, like Sanderson Farms. Other events, issues and celebrations are short lived or barely fleeting moments that may sometimes escape us altogether. And, there are some issues and events that we just enjoy and want to be reminded of every now and again. That is why we are working on creating a new section in our weekly newspaper called “A PEEK at last WEEK”. This section will highlight and briefly outline a few of the most noteworthy stories and events that have taken place in our community during the past week. We have provided a sample of the format. Let us know what you think. Do you like it? Not like it? Is it relevant, helpful or entertaining? Tell us. We want to know.

    On behalf of everyone at Up & Coming Weekly, thank you for reading our newspaper.


    Chamber of Commerce Honors Fayetteville’s Best at Gala

    The Fayetteville Regional Chamber proudly announced the winners of the 2015 annual awards at their  Annual Meeting & Awards Gala at the Crown Complex Expo Center. Taking home the honors were:


    Hutchens Law Firm - Business of the Year Winner

    …. advocating on behalf of the Fayetteville community for nearly 35 years. The firm boasts a team of over 30 attorneys, with more than 200 support staff throughout their five locations in Fayetteville, Southern Pines, Wilmington and Charlotte, as well as a recent expansion to Columbia, South Carolina.


    Miriam Landru - Fayetteville Young Professional of the Year

    Successful in her profession, involved in the community and an active member of FYP. Landru embodies the mission of the Chamber and FYP. She encourages her peers to shop local and understands the value of professional development


    Tim Richardson - Chairman’s Award

    Richardson, Area Vice President for First Citizens Bank, was presented this prestigious award by Chamber Chairman George Breece recognizing him as a person who has gone above and beyond in their support and participation of the Chamber and its programs during the past year. In addition, Richardson has served as chair of the Economic Development Alliance for the past year.


    Linda Huff - Athena Award

    A strong leader for women in a male-dominated industry, Huff did much to help H&H become an industry leader. She was recognized as a person who has demonstrated excellence, creativity and initiative in their business while contributing time and energy to improve the quality of life for others in the community.


    Dr. Menno Pennink - Realtor Cup

    The Realtor Cup is one of the most prestigious awards to be bestowed upon a citizen of Cumberland County.  It was presented to Dr. Pennink for his outstanding contributions to the civic, economic and cultural growth of our community


    Man Stabbed at Cumberland 

    County Main Library

    Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office responded to a stabbing at the Main Headquarters Library located at 300 Maiden Lane, Fayetteville.  The victim was transported to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center for treatment. Sheriff’s Office detectives have a person of interest in custody. 


    Debra Smith (Debbie Tanna Dismissed by Cumberland County Sheriff’s Dept..

     Debra Smith (also known as Debbie Tanna) was terminated from her job as  Public Information Officer with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office. Reasons for dismissal: unbecoming conduct, truthfulness (untruthful statements), unauthorized dissemination of information, unsatisfactory performance and insubordination.


     Confirmed: Rabies Exposure after Fox Bites Child

     A fox jumped the fence at E.E. Miller Elementary School at 1361 Rim Road and bit an 8-year-old student at about 4 p.m..  Animal Control officers captured the fox.  The State Public Health Lab in Raleigh confirmed a positive case of rabies in the fox and the child has started post rabies exposure treatment. This is the fourth case of rabies in the county since Jan. 1, 2015.


     Sex Offender Arrested

     Cumberland County Sheriff’s Detectives arrested 29-year-old Andrew Edward White of 340 Moore Street, Fayetteville, a registered as a sex offender, and charged him with one count of the felony of use of a social networking website. White is being held on a $100,000 secured bond.  Sheriff Earl “Moose” Butler, thanked the public for their assistance.


    Sheriff’s Detectives Search for Missing Teens

     Cumberland County Sheriff’s Detectives are searching for a 15-year-old boy who is missing.  On Tuesday, March 17, 2015, 15-year-old Juan Sebastian Zabala Cando attended school but did not return home. Zabala Cando is believed to be in the company of a 14-year-old female friend Sara Archuleta.  He was last seen on March 17, 2015, in the area of Fillyaw Road, between Yadkin Road and N. Reilly Road.

    Cumberland County Sheriff’s Detectives are also searching for a 14-year-old Sara Yvette Archuleta who went missing at the same time. Archuleta attended school and was present for all of her classes, but she did not return home from school. Archuleta is believed to be in the company of 15-year-old male friend Juan Sebastian Zabala.  Archuleta was last seen on March 17, 2015, in the area of Fillyaw Road, between Yadkin Road and N. Reilly Road.


     Arts

    Cape Fear Regional Theatre received a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts to place Theatre Artists in Cumberland County Schools.  The grant supports CFRT’s Artists on the Go program, which places visiting theatre artists in area schools. This year’s Artist on the Go program coincides with a joint production of Amadeus, which is produced in partnership with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra and Cumberland County Schools. The Classic Theatre Series provides free theatre to over 2,000 Cumberland County students.

     

     


    Appoint New Tax Administrator


                                                                


    The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners appointed Joe Utley as the County’s new tax administrator at last weeks board meeting. Utley has worked for the County for 23 years and will replace Aaron Donaldson on April 1. Donaldson is retiring after serving as the tax administrator for 13 years. The board approved a two-year appointment.  Mr. Utley is currently  the County’s real estate appraisal manager and  joined the Tax Administration department in 1992. He will manage a department of more than 70 employees and lead the County’s 2017 property tax revaluation.


     


    Cumberland County & Fort Bragg Renew Army Community Covenant


                                                             


    Cumberland County and Fort Bragg officials signed an Army Community Covenant during a brief ceremony Monday, March 23, at the Cumberland County Courthouse. The ceremony highlighted the partnership between the Army and the County in supporting soldiers and their families. The program started in 2008 as a way to foster and sustain effective state and community partnerships with the Army. The event was attended by Lt. Gen. Joseph Anderson, Commanding General of the XVIII Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg, and Command Sgt. Maj. Isaia Vimoto, Chairman Kenneth Edge and County Manager Amy Cannon.


     


    Buck Wilson Elected President of N.C. Health Directors Association


     


    Congratulations to Cumberland County Health Director Buck Wilson who has been elected the president of the N. C. Association of Local Health Directors for 2015. Wilson has been a member of the association for 13 years and served in several capacities including secretary, treasurer and vice-president as well as chairman for several of the association’s sub-committees. The association is committed to ensuring the public’s health through leadership and commitment to the principles of public health practice throughout the state.


     


    Task Force to review Chamber of Commerce


     


    Many local business and organizations do not feel the Chamber of Commerce is operating effectively or in the best interest of its members. A special task force has been formed to review the Chamber’s structure and mission. It will be headed up by local real estate developer Jack Rostetter, CEO of H&H Homes.


     


    Hanbin Koo, 14 , Wins National Competition


    Cape Fear High School student and former Kiwanis Talent Night winner Hanbin Koo won national honors in the Music Teachers National Associations Junior Woodwind competition in Las Vegas, Nevada. Hanbin plays the flute and the piano.


     


     


     


     


     


     

     

     


     

     

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  • 031815uac031815001.gif From their first princess dress, to their prom dress to their wedding dress, most little girls take delight in dressing up and having a moment in the spotlight. For the past seven years, girls in Cumberland County have had the opportunity to do more than dress up, they have had the opportunity to take a walk down the runway during the American Girl Fashion Show.


    Of course, these girls are getting more than a moment in the spotlight, they are taking the opportunity to help children who have suffered abuse by supporting the work of the Child Advocacy Center. This annual fundraiser for the organization is unique in that each of the models chosen to participate in the fashion show has to help raise money for the organization, so the fashion show actually becomes a lesson in civic participation.

    One, which many of the girls continue throughout their lives.

    Julia Adkins has been working with the American Girl Fashion Show since its inception. Adkins, and her co-chairs, Cindy Williams and Carol Wheeler, were members of the Junior League. The Child Advocacy Center came to the Junior League looking for a grant to help put the show together. The idea intrigued them. The Junior League not only gave them the grant, but the three ladies volunteered to help with the first show. For the past seven years, they have organized the entire event.

    Adkins explained that all three had daughters who were of the age to have American Girl Dolls and to participate in the show. As their daughters aged out of the show, they continued to support it because of the need in the community that the Child Advocacy Center fills.

    Adkins, whose daughter is a freshman at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, said that most girls who participate return as long as they can. She noted her daughter was in the show until she was too old to walk the runway, and then she became a commentator.

    “Even now, she is very involved,” said Adkins. “She will call home and ask me what the show schedule is and if we have fittings or anything, she will come home to participate. She will be commenting again this year. A lot of the girls who participate in the show take child abuse and prevention on as a personal platform throughout their lives.”

    But for the little girls who love American Girl Dolls, the fashion show isn’t a serious event. Instead it is a magical afternoon filled with everything they love: their dolls and their families. It’s an elegant afternoon of tea and party food. As in years past, girls are encouraged to bring their dolls with them to the show and shop at the American Girl store for more outfits or maybe let their dolls have a spa day at the beauty parlor.

    And while they marvel at the excitement that surrounds them, they will support children much less fortunate. Last year the show raised $64,000 to help fund the work of the Child Advocacy Center.

    Show times are at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. on March 21 and 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. on March 22. Tickets may be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com or in person at the Crown Center Box Office. VIP tickets with seating close to the stage are available. For more information, please visit the CAC website at www.childadvocacycenter.com or call 910-486-9700.

  • 031815misbehavin.gifSunday afternoon matinees at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre are usually fairly sedate. The audience, usually filled with those over the age 60, claps politely, laughs politely and exits politely. That was not the case for the performance of Ain’t Misbehavin’ that I took in on Sunday.


    The crowd, and yes, there was a crowd, filled the theatre. Prior to the show’s beginning, they chatted and laughed. It was an animated bunch that came out to enjoy great music and have a good time. People were discussing the music, the play, the theatre. The energy in the lobby was high and the performance on stage only took it higher.


    Ain’t Misbehavin’ is a collection of music by Fats Waller. Waller was the trend setter in jazz music during the Harlem Renaissance. He was a talented jazz musician who tickled the ivories on the piano, as well as the organ. He composed his own music, sang it and presented it in a comedic way. He was also an innovator, developing the Harlem stride style of playing, which laid the foundation for modern jazz. To do justice to a musical revue of Waller’s music, it was imperative that the Cape Fear Regional Theatre pull together a talented cast, and they succeeded in doing just that.

    The backbone to the cast was, in my opinion, the music, which was directed by Fayetteville native Brian Whitted. Whitted is a nationally recognized entertainer who got his start on the CFRT stage as a child, and returns from time to time to do shows that appeal to him. This show was perfect for Whitted. Without him on the piano, it would not have had the impact nor the appeal. Kudos for bringing such an amazing talent to the CFRT show.

    While the entire cast played well off of each other, the heavy lifters were David LaMarr, Tony Perry and
    Gigi Ritchey.

    Ritchey, also from Fayetteville has a deep, rich voice that reaches all the way down to her toes and comes back out of her mouth as pure gold. Ritchie also has a sense of fun and joy that comes from within her when she sings.

    LaMarr and Perry, both national performers, brought comedy, as well as rich voices to the stage. The duo got the audience into the act with their performance of  “Fat and Greasy” and LaMarr stole the show with “The
    Viper’s Drag.”

    When LaMarr and Perry launched into “Fat and Greasy,” the audience was clapping, and hold on to your hats, singing along.
    If you see one show this year at the CFRT, make it Ain’t Misbehavin’, you’ll never have as much fun being bad, as you will at this performance. You have one weekend left, so visit www.cfrt.org to purchase your tickets.

  • 031815whatskeepingyd03ar07dp01zl_mdm registered.jpgI was a bit taken aback recently when someone I do not know well asked me at a social event, “What keeps you up at night?”  
    I stumbled, but said something about the health and safety of my family and others dear to me, which is certainly true enough. Like parents around the world, the children — now well into adulthood — and their wellbeing are never far from my mind, and when the telephone rings in the middle of the night, my heart races. That is simply the nature of having family and other loved ones.

    The question, though, continued to rattle around in my mind even after I said the expected thing about family and friends. Truth be told, other thoughts keep my mind going in the dark of night.

    I worry about the state of our country and our society.

    Statistics and our own experiences tell us that even though the Great Recession is over and recovery is apparent on paper, many Americans are not feeling it. Those who are working may be working at jobs that pay less than their pre-Great Recession employment, and many are working at several jobs. Nevertheless, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer, a fact that is shrinking the middle class, which made our nation strong and brings our citizens’ growing wealth disparity into sharp focus. I roll among the pillows fretting over the very real possibility that the children of Baby Boomers like me will be the first American generation to live in lesser circumstances and perhaps poorer health than their parents.

    My heart breaks a little more every time I hear the latest about the students at Oklahoma University who were videoed chanting racial slurs aboard what appeared to be a party bus. The university dealt with the situation promptly and appropriately, but there is no repairing the hurt and damage caused by ugly words and sentiments. The students involved, some of whom are apparently teenagers, will regret the scarlet letter branded by this incident the rest of their lives, and the entire university community from athletics to alumni, will feel the fallout for years. Allegations about similar occurrences on other campuses have followed.

    The OU situation further sharpens the focus on race relations that has been part of our national dialogue throughout our country’s narrative since before we were a nation, and which seems to have ramped up in recent years.  

    The deaths of young black men at the hands of armed white men, several of them uniformed law enforcement officers, continues to unsettle Americans in all corners of our country. I have heard it said that the recent focus on racial issues comes because we have our first President of African-American heritage. I have no idea why this is happening and could not prove it if I did have a theory, but it is clearer than ever that living in racial harmony in a color-blind culture remains a goal and not a done deal.

    Mitt Romney and I have rarely been on the same page, but in his January announcement that he will not seek the Presidency in 2016, he said something that had me saying “YES!” to my TV screen.  

    In taking himself out of the picture, Romney said it is time for younger people to step up and take their turn. He is right. I see this void in every organization I work with from boards to civic groups to religious institutions, and it both annoys me and worries me to no end. Baby Boomers and older folks continue to do the work with fewer folks coming behind them. I know young folks are busy with jobs, families and personal interests, but so were the Boomers. Just saying…

    Finally, news that has troubled me since I read it earlier this month concerns girls and young women. Most suicides in our country occur to white men, 70 percent in 2013, and most of them are middle-aged and older. The new news is that the suicide rate for girls between 10 (yes, 10!) and 24 is rising faster than for boys in the same age group. It has more than tripled since 1994, with the steepest rise between 2007 and 2013. No one knows why this is happening, but the timing does correlate with the Great Recession. It is stunning to think young girls are so discouraged by anything they simply do not want to see what happens next.

    I hope that when your head hits the pillow, that you sleep like a baby, but if not, I would love to know what, if anything, is keeping you up at night.

  • The Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda Press Release That Never Was or Will Be

    To: Cumberland County Commissioners
    (specifically Commissioner Charles Evans)

    From: All of those whom you have let down, betrayed and disappointed

    Subject: The Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda Press Release That Never Was or Will Be

    031815th.gifPublisher’s Note: Good leadership is scarce here in Cumberland County. The proof is all around us. In a community of such fine, loving and generous people, you would think we would do better and get better. No. The selfishness, greed and incompetence of ego-driven ideologues are trumping those who truly care about growing our economy and making this community a better place to live, work and play. Well, Sanderson Farms is gone now. It’s over. We hold no hard feelings to our Robeson County neighbors and congratulate them on their tenacity and perseverance. Good things will come of this, and we will celebrate their growth and development.

    But, since Fayetteville and Cumberland County are still a long way from such a celebration, I thought maybe I could bring some inspiration and motivation to our leadership if they actually heard, or read, a press release that celebrated a Cumberland County achievement. Maybe yes, maybe no. However, it is worth a try. At least it will accentuate the devastating impact our commissioner’s “no” cast upon us. Enjoy!  
    The Press Release (that never was):

    Sanderson Farms, Inc. to Create 1,100 New Jobs with Expansion into Cumberland County

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE        919-814-2100
    Thursday, March 12, 2015        govpress@nc.gov

     Raleigh, N.C. —  Governor Pat McCrory, N.C. Commerce Secretary John E. Skvarla III and the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina announced today that Sanderson Farms will construct a new state-of-the-art poultry complex in Cumberland County. The new processing plant and hatchery will create approximately 1,100 new jobs during the next three years. Sanderson Farms expects to invest approximately $139 million in the complex, which includes upgrades to its Kinston, North Carolina, feed mill.

    “Sanderson Farms will have a huge positive impact on the Cumberland County economy,” said Governor McCrory.  “When a strong, successful company brings 1,100 new jobs to North Carolina, especially a rural community, it is a game changer.”
    Sanderson Farms, Inc. is headquartered in Laurel, Mississippi. Incorporated in 1955, Sanderson Farms is a fully integrated poultry processing company engaged in the production, processing, marketing and distribution of fresh and frozen chicken and other prepared food items. It is the third largest poultry producer in the United States with production of more than 9.3 million chickens per week. It has 11,800 employees in 11 plants across the country, including Kinston.

    “Sanderson Farms expansion will provide a boost to the state’s southeast region,” said Secretary Skvarla. “We appreciate the company’s commitment to not only increase its footprint in Cumberland County, North Carolina, but also enhance its operation in Kinston.”
    “Poultry is the number one agricultural industry in North Carolina and the state ranks third in the nation in poultry production,” said N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “It is great to see the poultry industry continuing to grow in our state with this expansion by Sanderson Farms.”
    The company will hire supervisors, maintenance technicians and line operators among other jobs with an average annual payroll of approximately $28 million.

    “We are grateful for the cooperation from the economic development and governmental officials in the City of Fayetteville, the Cumberland County Commissioners and the State of North Carolina,” said Joe F. Sanderson, chairman and chief executive officer of Sanderson Farms, Inc. “The additional capacity of 1.25 million birds per week represented by the new complex will provide new marketing opportunities for the company in the fresh food service market.”

    The project was made possible in part by a performance-based grant of up to $1 million from the One North Carolina Fund. The One North Carolina Fund provides financial assistance, through local governments, to attract business projects that will stimulate economic activity and create new jobs in the state. Companies receive no money up front and must meet job creation and investment performance standards to qualify for grant funds. These grants also require and are contingent upon local matches. The state’s One North Carolina Fund is specific to the company’s new processing plant with an investment of $98.6 million and the announcement of 1,000 new jobs.

     “I am thrilled that Sanderson Farms has chosen to locate in Cumberland County,” said Senator Wesley Meredith. “Creating more than 1,000 jobs will mean more of our residents will have work to support their families, and i turn the additional income in our county will translate to increased revenue for local businesses. The nearly $140 million of private investment the company will spend here will help our county in numerous ways and means more revenue to support local schools and other important county functions.”

    “Today’s announcement is the result of the concerted efforts of local officials, the Governor’s office and the Department of Commerce,” said Representative John Szoka. “I am pleased to have played a small part in what could be an economic game changer for our part of the state.”
    In addition to the N.C. Department of Commerce and the Economic Development Partnership of N.C., other partners that helped with this project include: Fayetteville Technical Community College, Cumberland County Economic Alliance, the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, the City of Kinston, Lenoir County and Lenoir County Economic Development.

    Now, wasn’t that inspiring? It is the Press Release that Woulda, Shoulda, Coulda been ours. Well, maybe next time. That is, if there is a next time! Thanks for reading the Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 031815abg_11.gifWith hits like “You Should Be Dancing,” “Jive Talkin’,” “Stayin’ Alive,” “How to Mend a Broken Heart,” and “To Love Somebody,” the Bee Gees dominated the music charts in the 1970s. The group, inducted in to the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame in 1997, has sold more than 220 million records ranking them among top musical performers of all time, including the Beatles, Elvis and Michael Jackson.


    The Bee Gees, comprised of Australian-born brothers Barry, Robin and Maurice Gibb reached a pinnacle with their contributions to Saturday Night Live’s musical score; however, they had a long string of hits prior to that break-out recording. With the death of Maurice, followed by his twin Robin, the group ceased as a performing entity, but their legacy lives on in their music and through the performances of the Bee Gees tribute show, The Australian Bee Gees Show, which comes to the Crown on March 25.

    The second to last performance in the Community Concerts 2014-2015 season, The Australian Bee Gees Show promises a multimedia theatrical experience that celebrates the legacy the Bee Gees left behind and showcases the four decades of the infectious music written by the Gibb brothers. The unsurpassed and state-of-the-art sound, live camera images and vivid graphics will have the audience dancin’ in the aisles.  

    From early favorites like “Massachusetts,” “New York Mining Disaster 1941” and  “To Love Somebody” to later classics like “Stayin’ Alive” and “You Should Be Dancin’,” this show offers a walk down memory lane for Bee Gees fans and a peek in to one of music’s most popular bands.
    Matt Baldoni plays Barry Gibb. He’s been with The Australian Bee Gees show for about three years.

    “When I auditioned for The Australian Bee Gees, I was touring as a sideman with other artists like Melissa Manchester and Taylor Dane. I was in the pit for a lot of shows, too, like Spamalot,” said Baldoni. “Playing Barry Gibb is different from that. It is very challenging. I have grown to be a huge fan of the Bee Gees. I respect them and their contributions to music. It is amazing to be a part of this group. We work hard to nail the authenticity.”

    A musician since the age of 8, Baldoni realized at a young age that to make a living as a musician he would need to be able to do more than play the guitar. So he learned to sing and read music, too.

    “When I was young I thought I would just join a band like Eddie Van Halen and tour the world and play music and write songs and be famous,” Baldoni said. “But for me, the magic is in performing.”

    Since 1935, Community Concerts has delivered the finest in entertainment to Fayetteville. Each year, the all-volunteer organization brings diverse and interesting shows to the community. The big name entertainment is great, but the organization contributes to the community in other ways, too.

    Community Concerts awards college scholarships to promising musicians each year. To date, 24 young students have benefited from this program. Community Concerts also showcases local musicians and performers by providing opportunities for them to open for many of the main acts. Since 2008, the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame has been a part of the Community Concerts program, honoring people in the community who have brought musical distinction to the area. In 2014, the 82nd Airborne Division’s All American Chorus was inducted into the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame.

    For tickets and information about The Australian Bee Gees Show, visit  www.community-concerts.com or http://crowncomplexnc.com/events/australian-gee-bees-show. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. and takes place in the Crown Theatre.

  • jazz.png

    Jazz: noun 

    A type of American music with lively rhythms and melodies that are often made up by musicians as they play.


     Jazz lovers, get ready  for a fun-filled weekend. Methodist University is hosting a jazz festival on Saturday, March 21 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Huff Concert Hall in Reeves Fine Arts Building on the campus of Methodist University. 

    “The festival is really geared towards people who are actively looking at learning about how to perform jazz better,” said Dr. Daniel McCloud, director of Methodist University Band. “We have some school groups performing and they are Methodist University, Fayetteville State University and Pine Forest Middle School.” 

    McCloud added that there will be a hands-on clinic taking place on the morning of the festival. 

    The music performed will have a distinctive sound. 

    “Methodist University Band will play a Ragtime piece and a fairly contemporary Latin jazz piece,” said McCloud. “Then we are going to perform something that is straight swing.”  

    McCloud added that Mike Wallace is the guest musical clinician, who will impart his knowledge to all of the groups.    

    Jazz is a genre of music that originated in African-American communities in the late 19th and early 20th century and is defined as one of America’s original art forms. When you think of jazz music, you think of Louis Armstrong, Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis. The history of jazz has its roots firmly planted in the cities of New Orleans, Chicago, and New York City. The music often has a strong rhythmic under-structure and includes blue notes as well as solos. Call-and-response patterns and improvisation of melody are all part of jazz music.

    The Methodist University Jazz Ensemble is a seven-piece jazz combo. Most
    of the students joined the group because they were curious and did not have
    prior experience. 

    “The students involved in our performance are part of the Methodist University Jazz Ensemble,” said McCloud. “This is our big outreach project for the year.”  

    McCloud added that the group continues to grow and develop every time
    they perform.   

    “This event is about generating an interest in jazz music within the schools,” said McCloud. “It’s a really distinct American art form and there have been some of the greatest jazz players in the history of playing right here in North Carolina and it is a little sad for me to see that there are very few schools that actively teach it.”   

    The event is free and open to the public. For more information call 630-7100. 

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    timmons.png 

    When the Association of Social and Behavioral Scientists gathers on March 19-21 for its 80th annual 
    conference, some serious topics are up for discussion. The ASBS works tirelessly to address issues that impact African-Americans. The event is also about celebrating triumphs and progress. 

     

    On Friday, March 20, the Honorable Justice Patricia Timmons-Goodson, a former AssociateJustice of the N.C. Supreme Court, will be honored at the W.E.B. Du Bois Award Luncheon which is open to the public. The W.E.B. Du Bois award is the highest and most distinguished award the ASBS presents each year.  

    The ASBS was founded in 1935 in Charlotte, N.C., at Johnson C. Smith University. The association meets annually and spends several days discussing topics that are relevant to African-American citizens throughout the country. The goal of the annual meeting is open dialogue and development of ways and means to influence positive changes and outcomes for communities and African Americans. 

    The attendees then return to their homes and use what they have learned to make a difference in their communities. While the topics vary from year to year, there is never a shortage of issues. This year, discussions include mental health of veterans, HIV AIDS prevention, educational challenges, which is important because of budget cuts at public schools and higher education levels. Some of the education sessions will deal with teacher retention and the high dropout rate of students across the country. Health issues like diabetes and cancer are on the agenda, as well.

    Among the challenging topics scheduled throughout the weekend, the ASBS will reflect  and celebrate the progress of Civil Rights. That is the focus of the W.E.B. Dubois Award Luncheon on Friday, March 20, where Timmons-Goodson is the keynote speaker and  honoree.

    W.E.B. Du Bois is known to many as one of the most important Civil Rights activists in the early 20th century. He was the first African-American to earn a Ph.D. from Harvard University and was  the co-founder of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1909. In 1970, the ASBS established the W.E.B. DuBois award to “honor outstanding social and behavioral scientists and civic leaders who have made significant contributions to improve the lives of black Americans.” 

    Dr. Doreen Hilton, president-elect and program chair for the conference noted that Timmons-Goodson was the perfect candidate for this award. 

    “Her lifelong commitment to civil rights equality and justice fits right in with the beliefs and cause of our organization. She was appointed to the N.C. Court of Appeals by North Carolina Governor Jim Hunt. Governor Mike Easley appointed  her to the N.C. Supreme Court, and  of course, last year President Barack Obama appointed her to the Commission on Civil Rights,” said Hilton. “We looked at all of that combined with her work and her presence in the community.”

    Cumberland County Commissioner Jeanette Council has known Timmons-Goodson for more than 35 years and applauds the ASBS’s choice for this year’s award. 

    “Pat is an inspiration to all women — especially those who have not had a very easy road ahead of them. She exemplifies what hard work and doing an excellent job and receiving a good education can do for women everywhere,” said Council, adding, “I have admired her for a long time.”

    Timmons-Goodson received her Juris Doctorate from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Law in 1979. She worked as an assistant district attorney and a staff attorney before she was elected to the 12th District Court in 1984. In 1997, Timmons-Goodson was appointed to the North Carolina Court of Appeals by then Gov. Hunt. On Feb. 1, 2006, Timmons-Goodson was appointed to the North Carolina Supreme Court where she served until 2012. In July of 2014, she received her appointment to the Commission on Civil Rights. 

    “As a member of the Civil Rights Commission, our mission and charge is to identify issues affecting the civil rights of our citizens and to try to influence and impact the conversation regarding federal civil rights,” said Timmons-Goodson, adding that the topics are diverse and plenty.

    “In April we will look at excessive use of force by law enforcement. The latter part of last year, we conducted a hearing on “Stand Your Ground” laws and whether they adversely affect African-American males,” she said. “We conducted a hearing about immigration detention centers and the families held there.”

    In her keynote speech, Timmons-Goodson is hoping to remind those who are present of the tremendous contributions to Civil Rights made by Du Bois. 

    “It is on his shoulders and the shoulders of other Civil Rights mothers and fathers that I stand and that they stand,” said Timmons-Goodson.

    Timmons-Goodson said she is humbled to receive such a distinguished award and credits her success to many great people who influenced her throughout her life. 

    “There are, of course, the ones that would readily come to mind such as Charles Hamilton Houston, who was a mentor of the late Justice Thurgood Marshall and viewed by many to be the architect of many civil rights cases. There are many others — ordinary citizens on whom I stand and others stand. These are ordinary citizens who made extraordinary contributions in the sense that they offered themselves and their efforts at great risk to bring about change.” 

    Tickets for the W.E.B.  Du Bois Award Luncheon are $35. For tickets and information, call 551-6761 or email ASBSConference2015@gmail.com.

  • president_official_portrait_hires.png

    Dictionary.com defines politician as “a seeker or holder of public office who is more concerned about winning favor or retaining power than about maintaining principles.” 

    This is just one of several definitions provided by the reference. My observation is that we have far too many aspiring and elected officials to whom this definition applies. The fact that we as a nation have so many politicians as defined here explains why there are so few leaders in our nation; consequently, our county and the world are coming apart and clearly headed for disaster that might never be overcome. Because there are so many people who know how to win elections but care little or nothing about leading, our terrible circumstance is that we have a multitude of “Successful Politicians…Failing Leaders.” 

    Chief among these “Successful Politicians…Failing Leaders” is President Barack Obama. Here is a man who absolutely knows how to win elections. His ascendancy to the presidency in 2008 followed by reelection in 2012 when every indication was that he should have lost, demonstrates his astounding ability to win elections. However, his campaigning, governing strategies and tactics defy all that is essential for effectively leading. An article by Peter Economy titled “7 Traits of Highly Effective Leaders” provides a framework for examining President Obama’s effectiveness in leading America and influencing the world for good. The writer talks about leading employees, but these traits apply to any person in a position of leadership. Here are Peter Economy’s 7 traits:

    1. Inspire action.

    2. Be optimistic.

    3. Have integrity.

    4. Support and facilitate your team.

    5. Have confidence.

    6. Communicate.

    7. Be decisive.

    Now to why I submit that the President fails on the first two traits.

    Inspire Action: Inspiring people to act requires vision. That is the ability to see what needs to be done in order to address a given problem or situation and present it in such a way that people can visualize the action and positive outcome. A prime example in this area is his failure to take advantage of a golden opportunity to lead the way to improved race relations in America. 

    Consider the incident in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where black Harvard Professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. was arrested for “loud and tumultuous behavior in a public space.” The President admitted to “not having been there and not seeing all the facts,” but went on to declare the police “acted stupidly.” Before the facts were in, he took a similar position supportive of the view that the shooting and killing of Trayvon Martin, a black teenager, in Sanford, Florida, by a non-black was related to Martin being black. When Michael Brown, an unarmed black 18-year-old, was shot and killed by a white police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, the President’s comments followed his usual pattern. Given the unrest and heightened racial tension that was fueled in part by President Obama’s comments and tone, I contend he failed to come near inspiring positive action in these racially-charged situations. 

    A reasonable question is what would an effective leader have done in these circumstances? The first answer is encouraging calm, unity and waiting for the facts in each case. President Obama said some of this, but not nearly with the force of conviction required to have weight. Not only would this message need to come directly from the President but also from other positively influential individuals on whom he could have called. Finally, a president should be about working to have every American feel respected and fairly treated — not just in times of crisis. President Obama has, like no other President in my lifetime, succeeded in dividing us by race, financial condition, religion, citizenship statua and even occupation. The division by way of occupation especially refers to the President seeming to always blame police officers for strained relations between them and black citizens. I do not hesitate to say all of the groups are manipulated one against the other for political gain.

    Be Optimistic. Peter Economy writes: “We all want to work with and for people who lift us up into the clouds instead of dragging us down into the mud. Make sure you seek out the positives in your people, helping them overcome their own feelings of self-doubt and spreading optimism throughout your organization.” 

    Under this heading, consider what President Obama said at the 2015 National Prayer Breakfast when talking about the horrible actions of radical Islamist terrorists (“radical Islamist terrorists” is my wording): “Lest we get on our high horse and think this is unique to some other place, remember that during the Crusades and the Inquisition, people committed terrible deeds in the name of Christ. In our home country, slavery and Jim Crow all too often was justified in the name of Christ.” 

    In our time we are dealing with people who want to kill Americans and destroy our way of life, people who behead innocent individuals, and even in a cage burned a man to death. In a time when we are under attack and need reason to believe that there is a way out, the president goes back hundreds of years to make what point? I have no idea and will not speculate. However, this is the kind of comment he has made time and time again regarding America. When does he ever passionately speak in terms that inspire our citizens to optimism? Certainly not here.

    So, this lack of leadership by President Obama and too many other politicians is disappointing and scary. It is made worse by the fact that we are destroying this country and then passing it on to innocent young Americans. I get to talk with a very smart 11-year-old boy about the happenings in our nation and world. In one of our conversations, he shared an ancient Indian quote with me. It says, “We did not inherit this earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” 

    Those who are in positions of governmental leadership should give attention to the truth and weight of this statement … then act accordingly. Break free of being “politicians” as defined in the opening paragraph. Lead!!!

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    No matter where you are on the Sanderson Farms issue — pro-chicken plant or not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY), the whole sorry and embarrassing episode has probably spurred you to ponder the quality of leadership in
    our community.

    I have pondered and continue to do so with each new revelation in this contorted and continuing local drama.

    In no particular order, here are some of the questions I ask myself.

    Some of our elected officials are clearly less informed than some of their constituents. Are their informational packets lying unopened on their kitchen counters? How did they come to make the votes they did?

    Why was the chicken processing plant allowed to become an issue of “us” against “them?” Lower income people pitted against others with more means? People with less education facing off with those with more?  

    How did Sanderson Farms find our community in the first place? Livestock processing plants generally seek rural locations with lots of space and sparse population, not sites adjacent to major metropolitan areas. Was the project suggested to, some would say thrust upon, our community by anxious economic developers frantic for new jobs of any sort? Did political interests elsewhere in the state play their own game of NIMBY by sending Sanderson to us?

    Only a handful of people know the answers to such questions, and they are not talking. You and I can only speculate and wait for the next installment.  Eventually, though, the Sanderson Farms fiasco will pass, one way or another, becoming either part of our community or part of our history.

    One question that does linger — at least for me, is why so many smart, able people of good will decline to run for public office at any level even though many do participate in our community in civic and philanthropic ways? 

    I am thinking of people who run our community’s businesses, people who are respected within their own professions, who are our community’s success stories and whose families are invested here in many different areas. Having a few political genes myself, as well as a deep interest in seeing our community grow and prosper, I have asked more than a handful of people I admire to consider running for one office or another. With only one exception, the answer has been not just “No” but “Heck, no!”— or some stronger variation of that sentiment.  

    I cannot help but believe such responses constitute a great loss to all of us.

    When I ask them why, the responses have always been some version of “Why would I want to associate with ‘those people?’ I am not a politician.” “Why would I want to put myself and my family through all that?” Sometimes they throw in comments like “I do not have time for all those meetings” or “I travel a lot.” Never has one of them said something like, “I guess it is time I give some of my time and talent to my community.”

    Believe me, I get it. 

    Serving in public office is truly rewarding when you know you have done something positive for other people, but it does require significant sacrifices not only by the office holder but by their families. The politics of getting elected areexpensive and can be brutal. All of this is ramped up depending on what office is being sought. Last year’s U.S. Senate race between Kay Hagan and Thom Tillis cost nearly $100 million and featured mostly misleading ads and half-true pronouncements. It will be worse in next year’s Presidential contest.

    Pay is also an issue in some offices. State legislators, including those in North Carolina, are mostly poorly paid. North Carolina’s legislators’ base salary is just under $14,000. That alone precludes service for many people who simply cannot afford to be in Raleigh four days a week at that salary. No wonder that “retired” is the occupation most legislators report. Our local offices pay a little better and no one has to rent an apartment or get a hotel room. 

    That being said, I yearn for capable and selfless people who are not only willing but who want to contribute to their communities, especially to ours, through elective service. There have been many over the years on our school board, city councils and county commission, but there have also been a number of people who sought and achieved public office for more personal, less noble reasons.  

    No wonder the American public, including those of us who make our homes in Cumberland County, are so cynical and vote in declining numbers.

    I am profoundly grateful for the many capable, courageous and dedicated people who have served our community in elective office over the years, sometimes at significant cost and sacrifice to themselves and their families. I also hope there are others like them in our community who are willing to consider such service.

    I would go so far as to say it is their duty.

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    Times are changing in regards to local leadership, and as I see it, they are changing for the good. Look around and pay attention, folks. 

    The Fayetteville community is starting to come alive in many new and exciting ways. Leadership is starting to change as new faces and new ideas start to surface. This was evident last week at the Cumberland County Republican Party Convention held in downtown Fayetteville.

     When all the ballots were in and counted, Susan Mills was handily elected for a two-year term as chairman over challenger John Czajkowski. Mills replaces the controversial conservative,Linda Devore who did not seek a
    second term. 

    This event marked a major change in the leadership and direction of the local Republican party. Mills, no stranger to the Republican Party politics, brings enthusiasm, energy, experience and a steadfast desire to bring unity to the notably fractured party. This is reflected in Mills’ new slate of officers and reinforces the notion that change is in the air. 

    With a young real estate agent, David Guy, as first vice-chair and lawyers Drew Dempster and Jordan Stewart as second vice-chair and secretary, it looks like Chairwoman Mills may have just become the Republican Matriarch of the young “legal eagles” and “30 somethings.” 

    That is not such a bad thing. 

    Matter of fact, it just may have telegraphed a message to the leadership of the Cumberland County Democratic Party of what lies ahead for it at their county wide convention coming up in April. Finally, we are starting to encourage a healthy blend of experienced and talented leadership with enthusiastic, energetic young minds willing to step into local leadership roles. 

    This is also evident in Downtown Fayetteville where more and more new faces are starting to appear on the local scene; faces of those who want to be involved. Here, individuals like Tony Chavonne and Kirk deViere have taken the reigns to encouragedowntown community involvement and provide the direction, vision and leadership needed to enhance the downtown community, encourage residency, spur investment and economic activity while defining Downtown Fayetteville as a “must see” destination. 

    It’s happening right now. 

    Aggressive new leadership is also visible at the newest Downtown Fayetteville resident, the Fayetteville Regional Chamber of Commerce. Last week, the chamber’s executive committee announced a new 2025 Task Force that will look at the chamber’s future over the next 10 years. This charge will be led by chamber member Jack Rostetter. I consider this a very good thing.

    Hopefully, at best, this task force will uncover the obvious. Basically, that the organization needs to get back to the basics of serving its members by being a respected voice, advocate and tour de force for local businesses and economic development. Notably, we have way too much government involvement in our local business sector as evidenced by the plethora of rules, regulations and ordinances that rather than enhance our business economy, stifle growth and profitability and discourage new business and entrepreneurship. 

    All of these regulations are imposed, managed and regulated by the same city and county agencies that now fund the chamber. Well, so much for advocacy. This being the case, it’s time for the chamber leadership to take a stand, examine its core values and mission, and position itself as a true advocate for its members. Accomplish this, and local businesses will get involved, support and take ownership of the organization by providing, leadership, advocacy and strong economic prosperity. Guaranteed. 

    It’s happening in other communities it can happen right here. 

    Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

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    When it comes to making a difference, solving community problems and being an agent of positive change, Dr. Doreen Hilton, a professor at Fayetteville State University’s Department of Psychology takes a committed but somewhat unconventional approach. 

    Since the 1980s Hilton has been a member of the Association of Social and Behavioral Scientists. The organization is hosting its 80th Annual Conference at the Embassy Suites at 4760 Lake Valley Dr. on March 19-21. The conference is open to the public and will cover a broad range of topics. 

    “The Association of Social and Behavioral Scientists was founded at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte,” said Hilton. “The conference has a long history — the association, too — of addressing issues that impact the lives of blacks. The association is an embracing organization committed to making a difference. That has always been a highlight for me.”

    What makes the conference significant is that scholars in a wide array of disciplines come together and exchange ideas. They generate and discuss theories and practical applied solutions. The scholars come together at the meeting every year and it is at this conference that they share those ideas and research. Many go back to their home institutions and home agencies and continue the work that was shared and inspired at the conference. 

    “Every year that I have gone, I have come back with new information and ideas and new energy to infuse into the teaching and work I do with students here,” said Hilton. “It is also an excellent opportunity for networking with scholars from across the country.”

    As President Elect and Program Chair, Hilton knew Fayetteville would be a great fit for the conference. 

    “We have many universities in North Carolina, we also have a large military presence here. This is a good place to bring scholars together to highlight the work that goes on in this area of our country that fits with the mission of our organization,” she said. 

    Concurrent breakout sessions are planned throughout the course of the conference. The topics of discussion deal with everything from mental health of veterans to HIV AIDS prevention to educational challenges, which Hilton noted is important with budget cuts at public schools and higher education. Some of the education sessions will deal with retention and the high school dropout rates across the country. Health issues like diabetes and cancer are on the agenda as well. 

    “All of these health issues are far too prevalent in the African-American community,” said Hilton. “This conference gives us the opportunity to address some of the issues and go back to our communities and implement programs and research that will improve our communities. There are many in our area affiliated with military: active duty, veterans and family members. They have experiences that are very different from the general population and it is important for us to address those and take a look at what we can do to make a difference there, too.”

    The Association of Social and Behavioral Scientists 80th Annual Conference is open to the public but registration is required. The cost is $260 and includes the W.E.B. DuBois Luncheon. Tickets for the W.E.B. DuBois Luncheon on Friday, March 20 are $35. To register for the conference and/or purchase tickets to the W.E.B. DuBois Luncheon, call 910-551-6761 or email ASBSConference2015@gmail.com.

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    Anyone who has been to downtown Fayetteville recently already knows that it is the place to go for great food, fun shopping, unique art and local entertainment. There are no chain stores to be found. Instead, unique shops, galleries and eateries offer experiences that you just can’t find anywhere else in town.  

     

    If you haven’t been recently, this is a great reason to check out downtown: March 11-13, the Downtown Alliance and The Downtown Restaurant Association invite you to come taste all of the delicious downtown restaurants in the Spring Edition of the Small Plate Crawl. Local restaurants are eager to offer up their tastiest dishes and show the community that downtown really is a destination with a lot to offer. So get your passport for the Small Plate Crawl and check out the many flavors of downtown.

    “We did the first small plate crawl last fall and had a great turn out,” said Anthony Jackson, owner of Circa and event spokesperson. “We had close to 2,000 people come and it was the perfect way for the local restaurants to showcase our specialties to the public and to let them see what all we have to offer.”

    The answer to that is plenty. Participating restaurants include Blue Moon Cafe, Circa 1800, First Date Coffee Shop, Happiness Is Bakery & Sweets, Huske Hardware House, Marquis Market, Off the Hook Taco Emporium, Pierro’s Italian Bistro, Sherefe, Sweet Palette, Taste of West Africa, The Coffee Cup, The Wine Cafe and The Tap House. Truly, the offerings are vast and varied with something for everyone. 

    How to participate:

    1. Pick up your FREE Passport at any participating location downtown or from a participating restaurant during the event. 

    2. Crawlers travel from restaurant to restaurant, purchasing plates over the three day event. Price of plates are from $5 to $10.

    3. If anyone in a group purchases a plate, everyone in the group gets the Food Passport validated. Validation is simply the initials of your server with the date of your visit.

    4. Those wishing to enter prize drawings will present a Food Passport for validation when paying at each restaurant. Food Passports must be validated at three or more restaurants to be eligible for the prize drawing. Anything over three validations will give participants an extra entry into drawing.

    5. Qualifying restaurants are indicated on the
    Food Passport.

    6. Crawlers leave their Food Passport at the last restaurant they visit during the crawl. Participant passports are collected from restaurants throughout the weekend.

    7. Each qualifying Food Passport is entered into a drawing on March 16. Winners are notified by email. 

    Prizes include a one night stay for two at the Doubletree including a couple’s massage, facial and pedicure and $50 gift certificate towards dinner (a $500 value). Lu Mil Vineyard is donating a one night stay in a deluxe cabin and a wine tasting for two. Other great prizes include a movie date night from The Cameo with tickets for two, cooking class for two at Sherefe’s and wine class for two at The Wine Café.

    “One of the great things about being a restaurant owner downtown is that we are each original.” said Jackson. “It is easy to work as a team to put together something fun like this when we each have different flavors and dishes to offer. We have the restaurants that participated last year, and some new ones, too. So every plate won’t be appetizers, there are dessert plates and coffee, too. That will add a new aspect to the plate crawl that I think participants will enjoy.” 

    Jackson credits the hard work of the downtown community with making it such a fun place and this is one more event to engage the community and share all that downtown has to offer. 

    “With things like the Dogwood Festival, the International Folk Festival and 4th Fridays, it seems like there are more people coming to see what downtown is all about,” he said. “We are seeing a much more diverse crowd these days, and that is very exciting. We love seeing more military families and young people coming downtown.

    “Incredible, things are coming together. Our hope is that downtown is a destination for going out to eat, going shopping — for pretty much everything.  Anything you can do at a chain you can do here and it will support local business owners, their families and the community,” he concluded.

    Find out more about the Small Plate Crawl at www.visitdowntownfayetteville.com/event/small-plate-crawl-4. 

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    If royalty has ever visited our fair city, other than the Marquis de LaFayette, for whom the city is named after, we can’t find a record of it. So, it is with great excitement that Cumberland County residents are set to welcome not only a member of the British royalty, but also a member of rock-n-roll royalty: Sir Elton John.

    John is well known, if you don’t know his face, you at least know and probably love at least one of his songs. He is one of the most highly acclaimed artists of all time holding five Grammys, a Grammy Legend Award, a Tony, an Oscar, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriter Hall of Fame, a knighthood from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain and he holds the record for best-selling single of all time — just to name a few of his accomplishments. He has permanently and globally left his mark on music and he is coming to Fayetteville on March 11. 

    Sir Elton (as the international press have deemed him) was born in 1947 in Middlesex, England under the name Reginald Kenneth Dwight. He changed his name to Eton Hercules John in 1967. He demonstrated skill on the piano at the incredibly early age of 3 by picking out a popular song by ear. By 11, he had a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. His childhood was often restrictive, but with the support of his mother and stepfather, he began his music career at 15, playing piano at a local pub on the weekends. This gave him an outlet to play not only popular songs, but also those that he composed himself. His music caught the ear of people in the recording industry, and became a staff writer for Liberty records, routinely composing music for the lyrics written by Bernie Taupin. The pairing of John and Taupin created a beautiful partnership that still produces incredible music.

    John’s first hit that rocketed him into success was “Your Song,” which was released in 1970 on the B-side of “Take Me to the Pilot.” It was extremely popular in the United States and in the United Kingdom, and in 1998, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Since that very first hit, he has remained in the public’s eye — and ears. Just a few of his other popular works include “Can you Feel the Love Tonight” from The Lion King, Billy Elliot the Musical, ”Candle in the Wind” and “The Road to Eldorado.” 

    The March 11 concert is part of the All the Hits Tour. John and his band will perform classic and well-loved album tracks from throughout his career. The band includes incredible musicians familiar to Elton John fans: Davey Johnstone on guitars, mandolin, banjo and vocals. Matt Bissonette on bass guitar and vocals. Kim Bullard is on keyboards. John Mahon is on percussion, drums and vocals. Nigel Olsson is on drums and vocals. This concert is the perfect opportunity for longtime fans to experience all of their favorites and for new fans to experience the height of his entire five-decade career in a single evening. 

    Elton John will perform at the Crown Coliseum, located at 1960 Coliseum Dr., on March 11 at 8 p.m. Ticket prices vary, with tickets ranging from $50 to several hundred dollars. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com or by phone at 800-745-3000 or at the Crown Box Office. The limit is 8 tickets per customer. 

    For more information visit http://crowncomplexnc.com/events/elton-john/ or call 910-438-4100. 

  •  

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    Can you imagine being one of only 90 women in the entire world who summited our globe’s tallest mountain, Mount Everest?  

    Can you imagine being one of only eight — yes, eight — women in the world who summited the highest mountain on each of the world’s seven continents?

    Donna Decker can. She has been atop the seven highest mountains on earth, culminating with Mount Everest in 2012.  

    Just to put this in perspective, the last plane you traveled in probably flew below the height that Decker climbed.

    This is not a feat she took lightly.  

    She is a world-class athlete who was in the process of qualifying as a swimmer on the U.S. Olympics team when President Carter announced the U.S. would boycott the 1980 Olympic games. Disappointed as she and the other athletes were, Decker returned to college and to a dream born during the sixth grade, when a teacher told her class that only men were strong enough to climb Mount Everest.  

    Without talking much about it, Decker began climbing mountains and learning the necessary skills from other climbers. She was a natural, and without really planning to do so, she eventually managed to climb the highest mountain on six continents. In far away Asia, though, Everest both beckoned and loomed.

    Life happened, and Decker married, became a mother and then a teacher and coach. Along the way, she found and nurtured an interest in combating sub-standard housing, and her dreams of climbing Everest took a backseat to the pleasures and challenges of work and family life. As happens in most families, the chicks leave the nest, and Decker and her husband finally found themselves alone in their Haymount home.  

    Her dream of Everest resurfaced and tugged hard.

    After consulting with her family — attempting to summit Mount Everest is so dangerous that 1 in 10 climbers dies on the mountain and would-be climbers are required to file body disposal plans — Donna began preparing. She attended a climbing school in Alaska where the other students were very fit, very young men. She climbed Denali, North America’s highest peak. She climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak. 

    She began training for Everest, training that included 100-mile bicycle rides, days long hikes with heavy packs, a ladder contraption her husband put together in their backyard because climbing Everest requires navigating ladders laid across ice crevasses and sleeping with a mask to limit her oxygen intake.  

    She was 49-years-old.

    Her first attack on Everest in 2011 was backed by sponsors and followed by people far and wide, including me. She was only 147 feet short of the summit when her Sherpa guide told her she could make it, but she would die on the way down. With thoughts of her family in her mind, Decker turned around.

    Her dream was far from dead.

    Quietly, with the blessing of her family but without the sponsors and media frenzy of her first try, Decker resumed training and headed back to Mount Everest in the spring of 2012. She was one of two women among 510 climbers. She and her three Sherpas avoided the crowd and climbed behind the others and summited Mount Everest after just under 10 hours in the death zone.  Decker took with her an American flag, prayer flags and a statue of Iron Mike, which she left on Everest’s highest point.  

    When I asked her why she wanted to climb Everest, why she was willing to risk her own life not just once but twice knowing her death would devastate her family, she had this to say.  

    “I wanted to see what I am made of.”

    What did she learn from her experience?

    “I learned that there are no limits” and that “my life is totally in my hands.”

    What is more, she is glad she did not climb the world’s highest mountain when she was younger.

    Decker has not spoken publicly about her achievement, what it took to climb Everest and what it means to her. It has been a private experience, one she continues to process and examine. 

    Until now.

    On March 12, Decker will talk about Mount Everest and her journey to get there for the benefit of another cause dear to her heart, safe and adequate housing. Proceeds from Decker’s first public speech will benefit the Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity’s revitalization of B Street downtown. Habitat’s plan is to improve the quality of life for B Street residents, many of whom have lived there for generations.  

    Decker is the project’s biggest cheerleader and will tell her extraordinary story complete with photographs and some of her climbing gear to launch the B Street revitalization, which is her “next mountain.”

    Tickets for the event at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden are available at Habitat’s website at www.fayettevillenchabitat.org or by calling 910 483-0952.  

    My chums and I have our tickets and are counting the days until Decker tells her extraordinary story of climbing and of life.

    Hope to see you on March 12, and, if you have a daughter, bring her with you.

     

  •  

    obama-executive-order-2.png  

    A few weeks ago I was talking with a young man who is a frequent voter. We often talk about political and social issues, but routinely disagree on how most matters should be addressed. During this last conversation, in order to make a point, I mentioned the danger of an $18 trillion national debt that is still increasing. His response was, “The national debt is a figment. It is not a problem.” 

      

     

    I almost broke down in tears because this is the kind of destructive thinking that is too prevalent among American voters. They think this way and vote accordingly. My struggle has been to understand how an individual can think in this fashion. A thoughtful 31-year-old lady explained it to me in a single statement. She said, “Many people operate in the 140 character limit of Twitter.” That is, they see a headline, maybe read a few words beyond it, and conclude they have all the information needed for reaching an accurate conclusion. 

    Because so many voters follow this pattern and politicians exploit it, I contend we are a nation experiencing “Death by 140 Characters.” What happened in Congress this past week is a prime example of how this “Death by a 140 Characters” process plays out. 

    For several years President Obama has been pressing for legislation that would allow illegal immigrants to stay in America. He and Congress have not been able to agree on legislation to address this matter. The primary roadblock to progress has been that many Republicans argue the first step in immigration reform should be to secure our borders. Given that the president has not been willing to take this first step, no legislative progress has been made. Yes, I know there are those who contend that the borders are more secure than ever. When after some time Congressional Republicans refused to pass immigration reform acceptable to him, Obama issued executive orders in November 2014 to protect about 4 million undocumented immigrants from deportation and allow them to work legally in the United States. 

    The Republican-controlled House of Representatives reacted by passing legislation that would, except for dollars needed to carryout actions under the president’s immigration executive orders, fund the Department of Homeland Security through Sept. 30. That legislation has not been acted on in the Senate because Democrats filibustered and prevented consideration or a vote. If DHS funding was not approved, the department would shut down except for essential personnel who would not be paid until funding is authorized. 

    In the face of this prospect, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (Republican) proposed legislation that would fully fund DHS. A separate bill would be considered that will stop implementation of President Obama’s immigration executive orders. The first bill would pass the Senate with support from Democrats. I think there is no guarantee that the second would pass and it would be on the House to reject the funding legislation. In my estimation, McConnell and most Senate Republicans are caving again in the face of unreasonable and even unconstitutional actions by President Obama. (On Sat. Feb. 28, they voted for a one-week extension of funding.) 

    When there are very legitimate reasons for stopping the president’s immigration executive orders by refusing funding, why are Republicans caving? The answer is the “140 Characters” strategy. There is no way for Republicans to make their opposition case in a few words. On the other hand, Democrats are geniuses at working the “140 Characters” voter manipulation technique. 

    Here is how they do it. Every day for the past week or so I have received emails like the ones below from some Democratic entity. They are paid for by the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. Note that these emails provide no details regarding the DHS funding situation... make no reference to reasons for Republican objections or to Democrats’ filibuster of the funding bill. They simply play to those who act on very little information: 

    “Friend: This isn’t good. The GOP is taking us closer and closer to a shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security and they’re trying to blame it on PRESIDENT OBAMA!! That isn’t OK. The truth is pretty clearcut. They shut down the government in 2013 and now, Speaker Boehner is catering to the Tea Party and refusing to keep the Department of Homeland Security open. Here’s how Boehner feels about his imminent shutdown:

    Boehner just doesn’t care that his petty politics will cause the SECOND government shutdown in two years. That’s EXACTLY what’s wrong with these obstructionist Republicans. But here’s the good news: more than 7,000 of you have stepped up to stop Boehner from shutting down Homeland Security. We’re SO close to our $10,000 donation goal — but we can only count donations before tomorrow at midnight. “

    In the face of this shutdown bashing by Democrats, too many Congressional Republicans are afraid to take a stand even though the facts are on their side. Republicans are so afraid of being blamed for another shutdown and, thereby, possibly losing elections they are unable to lead in this demanding situation. Leading requires that there is no fear of failing. 

    Against that backdrop, here are some solid considerations that support Republican opposition to President Obama’s immigration executive orders: 

    1. They are unconstitutional

    2. They are cost prohibitive

    3. 26 States have filed suit because they have to ‘bear the burden’ of unauthorized migration; and a federal judge agrees.

    This listing could be continued substantially. The point is, Republicans in Congress have overwhelming justification for refusing to fund President Obama’s immigration executive orders. I hope they will take a stand... choose to show themselves as leaders. In spite of my hoping, my expectation is that they will yield to the “140 Characters Mentality” and to the fear of losing.

    Same old thing.

  • 03-04-15-abs.gifWhen it comes to making a difference, solving community problems and being an agent of positive change, Dr. Doreen Hilton, a professor at Fayetteville State University’s Department of Psychology takes a committed but somewhat unconventional approach.

    Since the 1980s Hilton has been a member of the Association of Social and Behavioral Scientists. The organization is hosting its 80th Annual Conference at the Embassy Suites at 4760 Lake Valley Dr. on March 19-21. The conference is open to the public and will cover a broad range of topics.

    “The Association of Social and Behavioral Scientists was founded at Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte,” said Hilton. “The conference has a long history — the association, too — of addressing issues that impact the lives of blacks. The association is an embracing organization committed to making a difference. That has always been a highlight for me.”

    What makes the conference significant is that scholars in a wide array of disciplines come together and exchange ideas. They generate and discuss theories and practical applied solutions. The scholars come together at the meeting every year and it is at this conference that they share those ideas and research. Many go back to their home institutions and home agencies and continue the work that was shared and inspired at the conference.

    “Every year that I have gone, I have come back with new information and ideas and new energy to infuse into the teaching and work I do with students here,” said Hilton. “It is also an excellent opportunity for networking with scholars from across the country.”

    As President Elect and Program Chair, Hilton knew Fayetteville would be a great fit for the conference.

    “We have many universities in North Carolina, we also have a large military presence here. This is a good place to bring scholars together to highlight the work that goes on in this area of our country that fits with the mission of our organization,” she said.

    Concurrent breakout sessions are planned throughout the course of the conference. The topics of discussion deal with everything from mental health of veterans to HIV AIDS prevention to educational challenges, which Hilton noted is important with budget cuts at public schools and higher education. Some of the education sessions will deal with retention and the high school dropout rates across the country. Health issues like diabetes and cancer are on the agenda as well.

    “All of these health issues are far too prevalent in the African-American community,” said Hilton. “This conference gives us the opportunity to address some of the issues and go back to our communities and implement programs and research that will improve our communities. There are many in our area affiliated with military: active duty, veterans and family members. They have experiences that are very different from the general population and it is important for us to address those and take a look at what we can do to make a difference there, too.”

    The Association of Social and Behavioral Scientists 80th Annual Conference is open to the public but registration is required. The cost is $260 and includes the W.E.B. DuBois Luncheon. Tickets for the W.E.B. DuBois Luncheon on Friday, March 20 are $35. To register for the conference and/or purchase tickets to the W.E.B. DuBois Luncheon, call 910-551-6761 or email ASBSConference2015@gmail.com.

    Photo: Dr. Doreen Hilton is the President-Elect and Program Chair for the 80th Annual Conference of the Association of Social and Behav-ioral Scientists, which will be in Fayetteville March 19-21.

  • Anyone who has been to downtown Fayetteville recently already knows that it is the place to go for great food, fun shopping, unique art and local entertainment. There are no chain stores to be found. Instead, unique shops, galleries and eateries offer experiences that you just can’t find anywhere else in town.

    If you haven’t been recently, this is a great reason to check out downtown: March 11-13, the Downtown Alliance and The Downtown Restaurant Association invite you to come taste all of the delicious downtown restaurants in the Spring Edition of the Small Plate Crawl. Local restaurants are eager to offer up their tastiest dishes and show the community that downtown really is a destination with a lot to offer. So get your passport for the Small Plate Crawl and check out the many flavors of downtown.

    “We did the first small plate crawl last fall and had a great turn out,” said Anthony Jackson, owner of Circa and event spokesperson. “We had close to 2,000 people come and it was the perfect way for the local restaurants to showcase our specialties to the public and to let them see what all we have to offer.”

    The answer to that is plenty. Participating restaurants include Blue Moon Cafe, Circa 1800, First Date Coffee Shop, Happiness Is Bakery & Sweets, Huske Hardware House, Marquis Market, Off the Hook Taco Emporium, Pierro’s Italian Bistro, Sherefe, Sweet Palette, Taste of West Africa, The Coffee Cup, The Wine Cafe and The Tap House. Truly, the offerings are vast and varied with something for everyone.

    How to participate:03-04-15-cover-story.gif

    1. Pick up your FREE Passport at any participating location downtown or from a participating restaurant during the event.

    2. Crawlers travel from restaurant to restaurant, purchasing plates over the three day event. Price of plates are from $5 to $10.

    3. If anyone in a group purchases a plate, everyone in the group gets the Food Passport validated. Validation is simply the initials of your server with the date of your visit.

    4. Those wishing to enter prize drawings will present a Food Passport for validation when paying at each restaurant. Food Passports must be validated at three or more restaurants to be eligible for the prize drawing. Anything over three validations will give participants an extra entry into drawing.

    5. Qualifying restaurants are indicated on the Food Passport.

    6. Crawlers leave their Food Passport at the last restaurant they visit during the crawl. Participant passports are collected from restaurants throughout the weekend.

    7. Each qualifying Food Passport is entered into a drawing on March 16. Winners are notified by email.

    Prizes include a one night stay for two at the Doubletree including a couple’s massage, facial and pedicure and $50 gift certificate towards dinner (a $500 value). Lu Mil Vineyard is donating a one night stay in a deluxe cabin and a wine tasting for two. Other great prizes include a movie date night from The Cameo with tickets for two, cooking class for two at Sherefe’s and wine class for two at The Wine Café.

    “One of the great things about being a restaurant owner downtown is that we are each original.” said Jackson. “It is easy to work as a team to put together something fun like this when we each have different flavors and dishes to offer. We have the restaurants that participated last year, and some new ones, too. So every plate won’t be appetizers, there are dessert plates and coffee, too. That will add a new aspect to the plate crawl that I think participants will enjoy.”

    Jackson credits the hard work of the downtown community with making it such a fun place and this is one more event to engage the community and share all that downtown has to offer.

    “With things like the Dogwood Festival, the International Folk Festival and 4th Fridays, it seems like there are more people coming to see what downtown is all about,” he said. “We are seeing a much more diverse crowd these days, and that is very exciting. We love seeing more military families and young people coming downtown.

    “Incredible, things are coming together. Our hope is that downtown is a destination for going out to eat, going shopping — for pretty much everything. Anything you can do at a chain you can do here and it will support local business owners, their families and the community,” he concluded.

    Find out more about the Small Plate Crawl at www.visitdowntownfayetteville.com/event/small-plate-crawl-4.

  • The Camellia is an incredible plant, so much so that it has been celebrated for nearly 70 years at the Fayetteville Camellia Festival by the Fayetteville Camellia Club. For the unaware, it is natural to wonder why so much attention is given to this specific flower.03-04-15-camellia.gif

    “Due to the different types of camellias available, the season of bloom is quite long. Many gardeners in this area grow and love them, so it’s a natural fit. It makes sense to have a group devoted to the propagation, showing and education of this iconic flower. The festival seeks to expand the appreciation and knowledge of camellias to all who may want to learn more,” said Adriana Quiñones, Cape Fear Botanical Garden Director of Horticulture & Education.

    “There are 267 species of camellia spread throughout the world. None are native to North America, but they have been here so long that they are iconic and synonymous with great southern gardens,” she continued. “At the Cape Fear Botanical Garden, we have more than 250 different camellias. Most are the Japonica and Sasanqua types along with some of the hybrids.”

    The Festival is held March 7 -8 at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden, and brings with it ample opportunity for lovers of flora to spend time in their favorite habitat. There will be a tremendous amount to do at this year’s Camellia Festival, which has been expanded to two days. Of utmost importance is the ever-anticipated Camellia Show. This is an opportunity for camellia cultivators from the area to show off their skills and for observers to witness a nearly perfect camellia specimen.

    This year, Cathy McCamish, the president of the Fayetteville Camellia Club, expects there to be around 1,000 blooms on display. She also explained that judges are certified by the American Camellia Society, judging on four criteria: form, color, size and condition.

    In order to participate in the show, gardeners must deliver their blooms to the garden between 7 and 10 a.m. on Saturday. The show will officially open for the public at 1p.m.

    In addition to the Camellia Show there are several speakers through out the weekend. At 10:30 a.m. on March 7 and 8, Hal Broadfoot will present “Talk and Walk Among the Camellias While Birds Sing & Fly.” Saturday afternoon, Pam Beck will speak on “Hanging Out with Shady Characters.” Later that same day, Brie Arthur will present “Cover the World in Camellias,” which deals with propagation. On Sunday afternoon, Roger Mercer, who has 30 years of growing experience, will host a question and answer session.

    The speaker sessions and Camellia Show are just the tip of the iceberg. This may seem overwhelming, but to get the most out of this festival Quiñones advises,

    “Check out our website for information of what is happening and what educational events are available and plan on spending the day at the garden learning about the culture and care of camellias. Visit the vendors and information booths, go on a tour of the McLaurin Camellia Garden and ask questions of the experts on hand, look at the displays of blooms and check out the awards that are given for the different divisions.”

    The Festival is March 7 and 8 at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday in the Cape Fear Botanical Garden Orangery. The garden is located at 536 N. Eastern Blvd. The festival is free to garden members and for visitors who pay garden admission, which is $10. For more information, visit www.fayettevillecamelliaclub.org/Camellia-Show.html or call 486-0221.

    Photo: The Cape Fear Botanical Garden will host the Camellia Festival March 7-8.

  • 03-04-15-elton-john.gifIf royalty has ever visited our fair city, other than the Marquis de LaFayette, for whom the city is named after, we can’t find a record of it. So, it is with great excitement that Cumberland County residents are set to welcome not only a member of the British royalty, but also a member of rock-n-roll royalty: Sir Elton John.

    John is well known, if you don’t know his face, you at least know and probably love at least one of his songs. He is one of the most highly acclaimed artists of all time holding five Grammys, a Grammy Legend Award, a Tony, an Oscar, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriter Hall of Fame, a knighthood from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain and he holds the record for best-selling single of all time — just to name a few of his accomplishments. He has permanently and globally left his mark on music and he is coming to Fayetteville on March 11.

    Sir Elton (as the international press have deemed him) was born in 1947 in Middlesex, England under the name Reginald Kenneth Dwight. He changed his name to Eton Hercules John in 1967. He demonstrated skill on the piano at the incredibly early age of 3 by picking out a popular song by ear. By 11, he had a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. His childhood was often restrictive, but with the support of his mother and stepfather, he began his music career at 15, playing piano at a local pub on the weekends. This gave him an outlet to play not only popular songs, but also those that he composed himself. His music caught the ear of people in the recording industry, and became a staff writer for Liberty records, routinely composing music for the lyrics written by Bernie Taupin. The pairing of John and Taupin created a beautiful partnership that still produces incredible music.

    John’s first hit that rocketed him into success was “Your Song,” which was released in 1970 on the B-side of “Take Me to the Pilot.” It was extremely popular in the United States and in the United Kingdom, and in 1998, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Since that very first hit, he has remained in the public’s eye — and ears. Just a few of his other popular works include “Can you Feel the Love Tonight” from The Lion King, Billy Elliot the Musical, ”Candle in the Wind” and “The Road to Eldorado.”

    The March 11 concert is part of the All the Hits Tour. John and his band will perform classic and well-loved album tracks from throughout his career. The band includes incredible musicians familiar to Elton John fans: Davey Johnstone on guitars, mandolin, banjo and vocals. Matt Bissonette on bass guitar and vocals. Kim Bullard is on keyboards. John Mahon is on percussion, drums and vocals. Nigel Olsson is on drums and vocals. This concert is the perfect opportunity for longtime fans to experience all of their favorites and for new fans to experience the height of his entire five-decade career in a single evening.

    Elton John will perform at the Crown Coliseum, located at 1960 Coliseum Dr., on March 11 at 8 p.m. Ticket prices vary, with tickets ranging from $50 to several hundred dollars. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com or by phone at 800-745-3000 or at the Crown Box Office. The limit is 8 tickets per customer.

    For more information visit http://crowncomplexnc.com/events/elton-john/ or call 910-438-4100.

    Photo: Ever flamboyant, the talented singer/songwriter Sir Elton John is making a stop at the Crown Coliseum on March 11.

  • 03-04-15-fireantz-1.gifFireAntz right winger Kyle McNeil, is in his fourth professional season in Fayetteville where he has recorded 17 points on 10 goals and 7 assists through 42 games. The Cambridge, Ontario native has spent his entire professional career in Fayetteville and says that he “really appreciates the fans, the city, and the FireAntz organization.” During his time here in Fayetteville, McNeil has enjoyed the opportunity to give back to the community through the Heart of Carolina Food Drive every year.

    Growing up, McNeil looked up to legends like Wayne Gretzky and Wendell Clark, who inspired him to pursue a career in professional hockey. On game day, McNeil enjoys lunch from Fazoli’s after a morning skate followed by 2-3 hours of sleep. On the way to the rink, McNeil makes his routine pit stop at Starbucks. Just like most, McNeil dresses one foot at a time, but he is a bit superstitious when gearing up pregame, dressing from left to right for every game. Once he is finished playing, McNeil hopes to pursue a career in coaching while also becoming certified in03-04-15-firenatz-2.gif Crossfit.

    This season, McNeil’s roommate is rookie Austin Daae who is also a race car legend. McNeil says something that the public may not know about Daae is “he enjoys cartoon movies.” In the off season, McNeil spends time in Canada with family, but also makes it back down to Fayetteville and Myrtle Beach, where he enjoys the golf courses as well as a good steak from none other than Texas Roadhouse.

    Favorite Song: Talladega by Eric Church

    Favorite Movie: Goodfellas/Breakfast Club

    Favorite Alcoholic Beverage:  Bud Light

    Favorite Sports Team: Toronto Maple Leafs

    What would you do for a Klondike bar? “I would go 0-100 real quick.”

    Photo:  Kyle McNeil, FireAntz right winger

  • Downtown Fayetteville’s Trifecta for Success:

    One Man’s Opinion03-26-14-pub-notes.gif

    Every city needs a downtown. It’s the character of the locality — especially in these times when the past four decades have turned our entire nation into one huge homogenized “Stepford” community. My goodness, everything looks the same.

    The skylines have all become redundant with silhouettes of McDonald’s golden arches, Cinema 15 marquees, box stores like Walmart, BJ’s, Sam’s and Bed, Bath and Beyond all dominating the landscape.

    Well, at least you won’t go hungry. Look around. You’ve so many choices: Golden Corral, Waffle House, Olive Garden, Moe’s, Chili’s, Ihop, etc.

    Every time I drive down Skibo Road, I hear Aretha Franklin singing in my head: “Chain, chain, chains, chains of fools.” Who wouldn’t want to get away to someplace different?

    While I’m on singers, Petula Clark had it right in the early ‘60s. Downtown: “When you’re alone and life is making you lonely you can always go, Downtown. When you’ve got worries all the noise and the hurry seems to help, I know. Downtown.” Well, she made a believer out of me, but I’m living in Cumberland County and it’s taking a painfully long time for our downtown community to take root. No doubt it will be successful if it ever comes to fruition.

    Yes, I know. For those of us who love this community, it is extremely painful to watch. For dozens, it has been financially devastating. But, you would think with time and pain and a countless number of consultant recommendations we would be further along.

    Well, at the risk of stating the obvious, I would like to offer up my Trifecta for Fayetteville’s Success. Yes, here are the three things I feel would replace the lost momentum for developing our Historic Downtown as a preferred destination point in this community and region. The three things I refer to are actually structures and businesses in their own right. But, statistically placed they would create the foundation for growth, economic development and quality of life.

    These are: 1. HOTEL. It doesn’t matter if it is a Marriott, Fairfield Inn or Hampton Inn. Our guests need somewhere to stay for Heaven’s sake. If you don’t want them at the mall, don’t make them stay at the mall. Even the people coming to visit the Crown Coliseum would stay downtown because of the convenience and nightlife.

    2. PERFORMING ARTS CENTER. Yes, wouldn’t it be wonderful if people could visit downtown, shop, enjoy a relaxed casual dinner then attend a cultural event all in the same evening? They wouldn’t even have to go home. (See #1). In order for this to happen, the entire arts community will have to rethink the fortification of their silos.

    And, my favorite, 3. A BASEBALL STADIUM. Yes, a “come one-come all” sports complex that any minor-league team would be proud of. Put it right smack dab downtown. Name it the Fayetteville-Cumberland County “Babe Ruth” Memorial Stadium. Anchor it with the Babe Ruth Museum and a few small novelty shops and have John Meroski of the Fayetteville Convention and Visitors Bureau work his marketing magic and you would literally suck people off I-95 into downtown Fayetteville. Why? Because now they have something to see and do. And, they have someplace to stay. What is so hard about this? Let’s do it! Look at the 300 Block of Hay St. Look at Ralph Huff’s Park View development across from the Airborne and Special Operations Museum — simply beautiful and extremely reflective of what we want our community to be. However, we cannot expect Ralph Huff to rebuild our city all by himself.

    We don’t just need a plan, we need an action plan. We have the talent in this community and we have the leadership. It’s time for the City of Fayetteville and the County of Cumberland to set some real priorities for future growth and prosperity. Everyone needs to think differently and act differently. We need to become committed and aggressive toward these goals.

     “High tide floats all boats.”

    Every successful community has a strong city center. Positive, aggressive cooperation will get us there. Shall we begin? Thanks for reading the Up & Coming Weekly.

    P.S. The Prince Charles Hotel has got to go!!!!!

    Photo: The development of Person Street is bringing growth to downtown, but there is more to be done.

  • uac032614001.gif It’s been about four months since Jim Grafstrom started managing the Crown. In that time, there have been several policy changes, a lot of maintenance and upgrades to the facility and a general shift in the attitude and culture of the employees and staff — and that is just the beginning. Now a member of the Global Spectrum family, the Crown is part of a conglomerate that operates entertainment venues internationally, which will be a boon for both the Crown and the community. On March 27, the public is invited to visit the facility, meet the staff, enjoy some food and entertainment — and it’s all free of charge. “Whatever the public perception of the Crown is, we are making as many changes as fast as we can,” said Grafstrom. “When people come in, we want them to see a big difference. We want there to be a ‘wow’ factor.”

    There are some changes that will be obvious as soon as people walk through the doors. Anyone who has dealt with the staff in recent months has probably already noticed the implementation of the “How ya doin’?” initiative. Whether it is making a phone call for information or purchasing tickets at the box office or asking for directions at one of the venues, engage the staff and you will be greeted with “How ya doin?” and a smile. “It’s a way to engage people and initiate a friendly exchange,” said Grafstrom. “Is it casual? Sure. Do some people think it is a bit much? Maybe. But it makes the staff approachable and leaves an opening for guests to start a conversation and feel comfortable.”

    Once the cultural change was established, Grafstrom set about tidying up the facility and doing some much-needed maintenance. Taking cues from patrons and just walking around and taking note of the state of the property, it quickly became clear that there were some big projects to tackle. A professional janitorial service was hired to do some deep cleaning, with a special focus on the restrooms. The concourse was resurfaced and damaged seats repaired, along with a variety of other projects.

    While the changes that are highly visible are well underway, there are some other things in the works that Grafstrom says will also make a difference in polishing the Crown’s reputation both locally and with performers it hosts. Getting a handle on the budget is a given and a priority, but that will take some time. Bringing more high-quality entertainment that the public wants to see is doable and something that Grafstrom is excited about. Among performers, Fayetteville has a reputation for waiting until the last minute to purchase tickets. That can make artists nervous about committing to a show, especially if it means they might lose money by coming here. Additionally, in the past, the Crown was a stand-alone venue. When an act committed to come to the Crown it was only to perform at one venue. “Because the Crown is part of Global Spectrum, when we are booking acts we can go to the artists with an entire six-stop tour that includes Fayetteville. This is a great complex. Fayetteville is a great city and fits right into the routing. There is a ton of potential here,” said Grafstrom. “As we bring in more acts that people are interested in seeing, we hope to see early ticket sales improve.”

    Bringing in outside talent is just a portion of what the Crown offers the community. Local sports teams play at the facility regularly and local groups plan everything from concerts to conventions, theatrical productions, military formals and more at the Crown. Grafstrom is looking to bring in even more local events and build relationships with more organizations in the community. At the Your Town Your Crown Open House, all of the different venues in the Crown complex will be open and on display.

    “When you walk in, we will have some of the spaces divided and set up to show people different things that areas can be used for,” said Katie Mikos, the Crown marketing director. “We will have one space set up like a ball room, another set up for a conference so that people can easily visualize the many possibilities. We are looking to grow our conference and meeting business.”

    To make it easy to get to know the Crown complex, be sure to participate in the Golden Egg Scavenger Hunt. The grand prize is a trip to Las Vegas. During the scavenger hunt, guests will encounter a variety of entertainment provided by local radio stations as well as live performances by local musicians. Look for the Kidsville News! Stage for kid-friendly activities and entertainment. The Crown’s caterer, Centerplate, is pulling out all the stops to showcase its menu at the event. “Centerplate will be sampling a little bit of everything,” said Mikos. “They offer more than just concessions, and we want to showcase them right along with the rest of our facilities.”

    Newly promoted Events Manager, Victor Landry, has worked at the Crown for nine years. He’s excited about what the future holds for the area’s premier entertainment venue. “I’m excited about being busy and working with entertainers. I’m looking forward to seeing the public at the open house and having them come out and see the venues and have a good time. This is exciting and I am happy for the challenge.”

    Visit the Crown facebook page to find out more about the event, check out the new logo and enter The Big Ticket promotion. The Big Ticket winner receives two tickets to every event at the Crown for a year. The Your Town Your Crown Open House runs from 1-8 p.m. Visit www.atthecrown.com or call 438-4100 for more information.

  • I03-26-14-methodist.gift’s not about the money. A university fund-raising campaign never should be.

    On Feb. 19, Methodist University launched the most ambitious capital campaign in the institution’s history. The long-anticipated “Building Excellence: The Campaign for Methodist University” will generate $35 million for new facilities, endowment and special projects. More than $25 million, or 71 percent of the goal, has already been received from generous donors who are committed to ensuring excellence.

    The real story, however, is the transformational experiences that will be possible for every Methodist student as a result of these funds. A culture of excellence requires signature people, programs and facilities, so we will be putting philanthropy to work through endowed scholarships, professorships and new buildings to support programs.

    I hope every member of the University community will join us in celebrating our heritage and exciting plans for the future through attending one of the many “Building Excellence” events scheduled during the 28 months of the public phase of the campaign. We will travel across the country, and around the world, sharing news about the university and inviting people to participate in our bold journey.

    Visit www.CampaignForMU.org for more information and news about the campaign, or feel free to write to me personally at Bhancock@Methodist.edu to share your story with me. Methodist is truly an amazing place, and through your engagement in the life of the university, our students will directly benefit.

    There has never been a better time to be a Monarch. Building excellence has never been more relevant or critical. Your support has never been more needed.

    I have the best job in America because of these amazing students and their stories of commitment, sacrifice and dedication. I feel truly blessed to be President of our university at this time in our history. We need to be successful with this campaign to ensure our students success. We have a promise to fulfill — a promise we make to every entering student that we will do all we can to maximize their university experience and prepare them to live lives of meaning and purpose.

    It’s not about the money. It’s about the students. It has always been that way, and always should be.

    Best wishes,

    Ben Hancock, President

    Photo: A culture of excellence requires signature people, programs, and facilities.

  • 03-26-14-my-learned.gifAs I campaign to represent the people of Cumberland County as County Commissioner, I feel it is important to explain how I learned my work ethics and values using them to continuously strive for success in life. I cannot express the importance of persistence better than Calvin Coolidge, our 30th President of the United States, in his quote “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘press on’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”

    My work ethic, values and appreciation of the value of the dollar were learned during my high school years while living at the Drumm Farm Institute in Independence, Mo., a 360 acre farm where boys from broken homes could go and live until they graduated from high school at that time. While I was there, from 1965-69, the Drumm Farm consisted of 50 boys ages 6-18 years of age.

    I was sent to Drumm Farm to live due to a couple events in my early life. When I was 10 years old, my mother and younger brother had sudden tragic deaths, which left my father to raise me as a single parent while still serving in the Army. My father retired from the Army in 1964 but soon after became very ill. He had to be hospitalized for an extended period of time. It was then that I went to the Drumm Farm to live — thanks to the help of the sisters at the elementary school I attended.

    At the Drumm Farm, we were 90 percent self-sustaining. We slaughtered our own meat, raised our own vegetables, had dairy cows for milk, gathered eggs from our chickens and cut and baled hay for the livestock. Each boy had his own chores he was responsible for in the morning and evening, before and after school. We were rotated among the different chores to learn all the different aspects of farm life. We also learned domestic skills such as washing, ironing clothes, cooking and setting tables. We were taught all the skills we would need to know to function on our own in society.

    I remember receiving a $2-a-month allowance as a high school freshman and $3 a month as a sophomore. This was money we could spend on ourselves (usually treats) when the house parents would take our list and go to the grocery store to buy on a Saturday evening. We did not have cars and had little money so not much dating occurred with the Drumm boys on weekends. My time at Drumm Farm Institute is where my work ethics, values, and respect for others were formed, and I believe I am a better man because of my time there.

    Photo: John Czajkowski Candidate for Cumberland County Commissioner (At Large).

  • On Saturday, March 29, the Junior League of Fayetteville and First Presbyterian Church will hold a Women’s Conference. Event Coordinator and Junior League of Fayetteville member Kelly Sherrill described the conference as, “... a wide variety of speakers and topics reflecting all aspects of a woman’s life. There is03-26-14-conference.gifsomething for every woman at this conference.”

    The Junior League of Fayetteville is a women’s volunteer organization, founded in 1960, that emphasizes developing the potential of women through volunteerism. “The current focus area of the Junior League of Fayetteville is children’s mental health … for over 50 years, the Junior League of Fayetteville has supported many worthy local organizations with much-needed funds as well as volunteer hours,” Sherrill said.

    First Presbyterian Church is a Christian congregation that has been an integral part of the Fayetteville community since 1800. First Presbyterian Church is active and involved in many charitable organizations that address the needs of the local community. The church also helps impoverished people globally through international missions.

    The Women’s Conference is a one-day event that begins at 8:30 a.m. at the First Presbyterian Church on Ann Street. The event features Brigadier General Barbara R. Holcomb speaking on achieving a healthy life balance. Also speaking at the conference is Dr. Sharon Cooper. Sherrill is truly excited about the two speakers the conference has secured “The ability to bring such great speakers as Brig. Gen. Barbara Holcomb and Dr. Sharon Cooper to a new audience that might not normally have the opportunity is incredible,” said Sherrill.

    The featured speaker, Brig. Gen. Barbara R. Holcomb, is currently the Command Surgeon for U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg and will soon become the Commanding General of Northern Regional Medical Command, at Fort Belvoir, Va. Brig. Gen. Holcomb is a Registered Nurse and has served the country during Operation Desert Storm and during NATO operations in Bosnia. Her experience of leading in the United States Army puts her in a key position to speak on the dynamics of balancing the needs of a profession with the personal aspects of daily life. She will also conduct a workshop focusing on her path to leadership and development of her leadership skills.

    Dr. Sharon Cooper M.D., F.A.A.P., is the CEO of Developmental and Forensic Pediatrics and is a widely-recognized expert in the field. Dr. Cooper has testified as an expert witness on many occasions in cases of child abuse. She has also testified before the United States Congress and other international governing bodies. She will use her expertise in the areas of child abuse and developmental pediatrics to hold a discussion on how a community can protect its girls.

    Following the speakers, attendees will have the opportunity to attend workshops led by experts in the fields of leadership, financial planning, nutrition, business, aging, health, family dynamics and more. A full listing of the workshops and a schedule of events is available on the Junior League of Fayetteville website www.jlfay.org.

    The registration deadline is Friday, March 28. Register online through the Junior League of Fayetteville’s website. The cost is $15 per registrant and childcare is available with registration.

    Photo: The featured speaker, Brig. Gen. Barbara R. Holcomb, is currently the Command Surgeon for U.S. Army Forces Command at Fort Bragg.

  • uac031914001.gif For the past couple of months, more than 150 local girls have been preparing to participate in a fashion show that is so much more than just pretty clothes. The girls in question are the models for the 7th Annual American Girl Fashion Show, which benefits the Child Advocacy Center.

    The show, held in the Crown Center Ballroom on Saturday, March 22, and Sunday, March 23, supports the Child Advocacy Center. Last year, the show, which showcases historical and contemporary fashions for girls and their dolls, raised more than $60,000 for the CAC.

    The show, which revolves around the highly popular American Girl dolls, features fashions for girls and their dolls, complemented by “lively commentary, music and decorations.” Contemporary clothing from the My American Girl Apparel will also be on display during the fashion show. Attendees will partake in “elegant refreshments, party favors, raffles and door prizes.” Last year, all four shows on the schedule sold out, and organizers expect the same kind of reception this year.

    Support for the show has grown over the past six years, which is evident by the return of the volunteer chairpersons, Julia Adkins, Cindy Williams and Carol Jones, who have headed up the campaign since its inception.

    “This show is our largest fundraiser for the CAC. Funds raised from this show are critical to our ability to provide services to child victims of abuse in our community,” said Roberta Humphries, the executive director of the CAC. “Having three experienced and highly committed chairpersons like Julia Adkins, Cindy Williams and Carol Jones is critical to the success of this event every year. It would be extremely difficult to have such a successful and well-organized show each year without their expertise.”

    Williams explained her commitment to the event and the organization.

    “It is important for me to continue my involvement with this event because I believe wholeheartedly in the CAC’s purpose, vision and mission,” she said. “They have such an enormous impact on our community serving the most vulnerable of victims, while striving for a safer and nurturing community free from abuse.”

    While the nature of the CAC’s work is somber, organizers look forward to the joy in the girls’ faces who participate in the fashion show and in the faces of the girls who attend.

    “My favorite memory of the event is seeing the excitement on the children’s faces as they go out on stage having a wonderful time and knowing that they have helped other children in our community,” explained Humphries. “It is an opportunity for children to learn that they can have fun while helping others.”

    Williams echoed that sentiment.3-19-14-american-girl1.gif

    “My favorite memory of the event is seeing models return year after year excited not only to model again but that they’re making such a difference within their own community” said Williams. “The greatest beauty of this event is it creates a tradition and heart of giving back to others at such a young age th3-19-14-american-girl-2.gifat will stay with these girls throughout their lifetimes.”

    Williams’ work with the CAC was an offshoot of her involvement with the Junior League of Fayetteville.

    “I’d say to anyone interested in volunteering with the CAC that it will be one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have,” she said. “You truly walk away feeling you’ve made a difference and had an impact.”

    Humphries added that there are many ways to volunteer with the agency.

    “There are many opportunities for people to volunteer with the Child Advocacy Center from assisting with special events such as the American Girl Fashion Show to working in the office and providing clerical support,” she explained, adding that the next volunteer information session is on Wednesday, May 7 from 1-2 p.m. Anyone interested in volunteering with the CAC should contact Faith Boehmer, the volunteer coordinator at the CAC. Register for the event by emailing programs@childadvocacycenter.com or by calling 910-486-9700.

    If you want to attend the fashion show, you shouldn’t delay buying your tickets. As of March 11, the CAC has sold all but 200 of the available tickets.

    “We anticipate another sell-out this year,” said Williams.

    Tickets may be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com or in person at the Crown Center box office, 1960 Coliseum Drive in Fayetteville. VIP tickets with seating close to the stage are available.

    Photos: The American Girl Fashion Show has raised more than $60,000 for the Child Advocacy Center. 

  • Coal Ash: McCrory Owns It Now

    3-19-14-pub-notes.gifPersonally, I like Governor Pat McCrory. Makes no difference that he is a Republican. He won the top North Carolina seat by proving his competency as Mayor of Charlotte, the state’s largest city. Caring about our state and its people got him elected. Now, he is faced with making some extremely difficult decisions; ones he needs to make quickly.

    John Skvarla, head of the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, is under fire and many feel he needs to go. In fact, many think he needs to go now. If he doesn’t, McCrory runs the risk of mimicking President Barack Obama’s self-serving management style of no blame, no responsibility and no consequences by allowing bad conduct to go unpunished. Further, by not holding anyone accountable — no matter how offensive or treacherous the deed — McCrory is setting himself up for a failed administration. Attorney General Eric Holder, IRS Director Lois Lerner and Department of Health and Human Resources head Kathleen Sybellius are just a few examples that come to mind from the Obama administration.

    Now, with tons of Duke Energy’s coal ash polluting the Dan River and contaminating wells and drinking water, it becomes pretty obvious that Skvarla and Duke Energy were derelict in their duties by failing to look out for, and protect our natural resources. Granted this cushy relationship between Duke Energy, big business and state politicians has been going on for years, and has been nurtured under the auspices of state Democrats. The shoe is now on the other foot, and with a Republican majority in charge, McCrory and his administration must deal with the aftermath.

    No doubt Skvarla and his DENR chums are playing footsie with Duke Energy at our expense. Not good. However, we should not be too hasty to indict McCrory just because he was a former employee of Duke Energy. That being said, where there’s smoke there could be fire. Duke Energy has poured millions of dollars into the campaigns of high-ranking politicians on both sides of the aisle. Is ignoring environmental safety concerns in favor of big business profits what’s at play here? Perhaps. One thing is paramount, McCrory owns the problem now. All eyes are on him waiting to see how he will move forward. With Skvarla at the DENR helm, if McCrory doesn’t act quickly, he could go down with the ship. Let’s hope not.

    Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

    Photo: Tons of Duke Energy’s coal ash is polluting the Dan River.

  • 3-19-14-walking-away.gifRape, sexual assault and gender violence are often seen as problems that women face when, in fact, these are society’s problems. Sexualized and gender-based violence not only affect the women who are victimized, they impact the people who care for the women, too. And because this tragedy affects all genders, all genders can play a part in preventing it.

    Men are invited to speak out against domestic violence at Walk-Awhile in Her Shoes, on March 28. This is an opportunity for men to step out in a unique and fun way and proclaim that they will not tolerate such violence within their community.

    The goal of this event is to promote communication about sexualized violence and to combat stereotypes that women face. To do this, all the participating men will walk a mile literally in “her” shoes, meaning high heels. This may give men a new awareness as to what women experience in fashion and creates a strong, if humorous, visual symbol of solidarity. The participants who sign up in advance can have shoes provided by the Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County (RCVCC), which is sponsoring the race. Men purchasing their own heels, are also welcome and encouraged to participate.

    In the past few years, the Fayetteville area has had a tremendous turn-out for this event. The variety of walkers that participate shows that rape and abuse affects people of every walk of life. “There are a diverse group of men and women who come out every year to support the walk. Last year, brothers from the Tau Gamma Gamma fraternity walked side by side with bikers in red high heels. Fire fighters showed up in turn-out gear to walk. This year, Chief Medlock has authorized police officers to support Walk-Awhile by wearing their uniforms while walking in heels,” Deanne Gerdes, the Executive Director of RCVCC said. The large show of men also helps to bring a fun and festive atmosphere to the march in spite of the serious issues it supports.

    Though the march is designed for men, there are also ways for women to get involved and support the cause. “In the past, women have cheered on the men and escorted the parade of high heels from the Market House back to the AIT building for the reception. Last year, we even had cheerleaders come out with pom-poms to show their support for the walkers. This year, we are introducing a ‘shoe-gram’ where anyone, whether male or female, can sponsor and pay for a man to walk in high heels for Walk-Awhile. Our volunteers will then deliver the shoe-gram and the recipient can then choose to accept and walk or graciously decline the invitation. Anyone interested in purchasing a shoe-gram can contact RCVCC at 485-7273.” Gerdes said. Monetary donations are also welcomed at www.rapecrisisonline.org. This website can also provide information about volunteer opportunities.

    For men walking in high heels for the first time Gerdes offers some advice, “Move your hips and swing your arms for balance. Swing your arms. Do not flap them. You cannot fly, though with shoes like these you’ll feel like you can soar.

    While standing still, place weight on heels using toes for balance. Don’t wobble. If you start to fall, fall gracefully and roll, shoes in the air. Do not break a heel. Do not take anyone down with you.”

    To register, call the RCVCC at 485-7273 or fill out a registration form at https://www.facebook.com/pages/RCVCC-Walk-A-Mile-In-Her-Shoes/266266913408980. Registration costs $20 person but it is $10 for students. To include shoes is an extra $5. Registration includes a T-shirt, two admissions to the reception and two drink tickets. The student registration includes a T-shirt and one admission to the reception. The march starts on Hay St. and is on March 28. Check in is at 6 p.m. and the walk will begin at 7 p.m.

    Photo: To raise awareness about domestic violence, participating men will walk a mile literally in “her” shoes, meaning high heels, on March 28.

  • 3-19-14-passion-for-dance.gifSpanish dancing is known for its passion. The dancers not only demonstrate incredible skill, but also reveal their souls in their dance. It is an art form like no other, and people in the Fayetteville area will have an opportunity to experience it. Fayetteville State University (FSU) is set to host a performance by Flamenco Vivi Carlota Santana, a highly renowned dance group.

    Flamenco Vivio, named after one of the founders, Carlota Santana, is one of the nations best and most respected Flamenco groups. It was founded in 1983 under a different name: The Spanish Dance Arts Company. The mission is still the same, though. Through incredible performances these dancers aim to promote the art of Flamenco, inspire the next generation of dancers and create new dances for both the audiences and the dancers to enjoy. They also reach out in arts education through Project Ole, which provides school-aged students across the nation with artistic experiences.

    The performance at FSU features a unique mix of innovation that shows flamenco is a living art and traditional dance that promotes Hispanic heritage. “Flamenco is a centuries-old form of folk music and dance that originated in the Andalusia region of Spain. This performance by Flamenco Vivio features ‘classic’ flamenco dancing and music along with ‘new’ flamenco styles that show other musical and cultural influences. The entire family will enjoy an evening of music and dance by one of the world’s most respected flamenco groups,” says Earnest Lamb, the chair of the Fine Arts Series Committee at FSU.

    So far the Fine Arts Series have brought a wide variety of dance troops to perform for Fayetteville audiences. African, ballet and modern dance have graced the Seabrook Stage in the past. The combination of the lively and theatrical nature of Flamenco and the skill of the Flamenco Vivio dancers will make this show a cant miss opportunity. “This group is celebrating 30 years of performing flamenco for audiences from around the world. We are lucky to have them stop by Fayetteville,” said Lamb.

    Tremendous amounts of work go into organizing events such as this, but they are done in the interest of the entire community. Lamb explains by saying “The tag line for the Department of Performing and Fine Arts is ‘Building community through the arts.’ We hope to bring a diverse audience together, through this and all of our Fine Arts Series events, to experience something that might perhaps be new to them. The community should know that FSU has great fine art programming right here in their own backyard.”

    Despite the hard work, Lamb also has a personal interest in bringing dancers to FSU’s stage, though he is not a dancer himself. “As chair of the Fine Arts Series Committee at FSU, I’m interested in bringing cultural events to campus and to the community that represent the range and scope of expressive arts from around the world. The committee hopes that introducing an art form to students or the community is a means to foster cultural understanding. I’m glad play a part in that,” he said.

    Flamenco Vivio Carlota Santana: The Soul of Flamenco will be held in the Seabrook Auditorium at 7 p.m. on March 24th. Tickets are $10. Seabrook Auditorium is located at 1200 Murchison Rd. For more information visit http://www.uncfsu.edu/arts/fine-arts-series. Tickets are available for purchase online at etix.com.

  • Detox diets are all the rage, and for good reason: We Americans have dozens of toxic chemicals lurking in3-19-14-slash-toxin.gifour bodies, many of which arrive through food (get a 2012 report on human chemical exposure at cic.gov). Although cleanses are useful, preventing toxin intake up front is even better. Slash toxin exposure with these five proven strategies, listed in order of likely impact.

    If implementing all five feels overwhelming, start with one. Focus on progress, not perfection.

    Commit to organic meats and dairy. Many shoppers opt for organic produce to avoid pesticides. But animal fatty tissue can be just as much of a danger. That’s because many toxic offenders are fat soluble, so animals and humans store them in fat cells rather than releasing them in urine. Eating organic meats and dairy minimizes exposure to pesticides, chemical fertilizers, steroids and other toxins rampant in conventional products. It’s worth the extra cost and basic market forces dictate that as more people buy organic animal products, the prices will drop, as we’ve seen with produce.

    Think like a European. You know to choose whole over processed foods whenever possible, but when reality dictates otherwise, which ingredients should you shun? Start with those that are already banned abroad. The short list includes hyperactivity-inducing artificial colors such as Red 40, Yellow 5, and Blue 2; aspartame (think gum, diet drinks), which recent studies link to cancer and diabetes; and GMOs — found in nearly all nonorganic corn, soy, canola, and non-cane sugar—which have not been tested for long-term effects on humans but are designed to withstand high pesticide exposure. Look for the Non-GMO Project Verified seal on foods containing these ingredients.

    Ditch the package. Nearly all Americans have hormone-disrupting phthalates and bisphenol-A (BPA) — found in plastics and cans — in their bodies, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But a 2011 Silent Spring Institute study proved that you can cut levels in half or more in just three days by switching from packaged to fresh, whole foods and not eating out. Especially avoid the packaging perfect storm: warm fatty foods (such as grilled deli sandwiches, hot creamy soup or rotisserie chickens) encased in plastic. Liquid and acidic products also absorb more toxins from plastics. For staples such as rice, nuts, beans, cereals, and spices, hit the bulk bins. Bonus points if you take your own containers or remove items from the plastic bags when you get home.

    Go glass. Plastic storage bins, wraps, and dishes also leach chemicals into your food, especially when the food is warm or heated in the plastic. Running the container through the dishwasher can accelerate toxin leakage by 55 percent in subsequent uses, according to a much-heralded 2008 study in Toxicology Letters. Trade plastic storage containers for glass, ceramic, porcelain, or stainless steel.

    Eat less. Take a lesson from wood rats: These Southwest U.S. desert dwellers live on toxic plants — and thrive. A 2011 study in Functional Ecology revealed how: When toxins begin to build, wood rats eat less, sample a wider variety of foods, and increase time between meals — all of which lower their overall toxin intake and prevent buildup of any one contaminant. They also drink more water, which flushes out toxins and raises satiety when caloric intake is lower. Smart rodents.

    Photo: Eating organic meats and dairy minimizes exposure to pesticides, chemical fertilizers, steroids, and other toxins rampant in conventional products. 

  • 3-19-14-methodist.gifJazz music is a national treasure. Along with musical theater, it is one of the rare true American art forms with roots dating back to the early 20th century. Its impact has shaped the modern world of music and has influenced a myriad of musicians to pick up instruments and learn to play the wonderful art that is music. With music legends like John Coltrane, Louis Armstrong, Miles Davis, Charlie Parker, Dizzy Gillespie and the great Duke Ellington, it is easy to see the mark that jazz music has made not only on our country, but the world over.

    Join Methodist University as it hosts its annual Jazz Festival. This free event is scheduled for March 22, at the Huff Auditorium on the campus of Methodist University. To make it as convenient as possible for the general public, it will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., with a break for lunch. The point of this festival is to share jazz with those who may have an interest, a curiosity or who may have never considered it before. It is also a time to focus and exhibit the talents of musicians who are already proficient in the discipline of jazz music.

    The day will begin with Methodist University instructor Skip Walker conducting a workshop entitled “Thinking Jazz” in which he will discuss what it takes to think and play improvised music. A number of classes including those involving performance-based discussion are scheduled, too. Following lunch, the Methodist University Jazz Orchestra, with guest performer Mike Wallace will perform.

    Methodist University’s Director of Band, Dr. Daniel McCloud says that this festival is important because the art of jazz music is dissipating in American culture. He discussed why he believes this to be so.

    “I think that the single biggest factor for jazz losing its appeal is that jazz musicians simply don’t make as much as they used to. Maybe it’s because people are afraid of improvising music or playing with someone who has more experience,” he said.

    McCloud went on to say that he feels North Carolina has a special relationship with jazz music given artists like North Carolina native John Coltrane. In addition, Branford Marsalis was an instructor at North Carolina Central University. McCloud also stated that fewer and fewer public high schools in the state offer classes in jazz.

    Having received his bachelor’s and doctorate degree from Ball State University as well as master’s from University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Dr. McCloud is a percussionist with 14 years of experience in higher education. He comes to Fayetteville to serve Methodist University with professional experience in music. Join Methodist University in this free event to promote awareness of jazz music. With a half day of amazing performers and classes, the Jazz Festival is a great opportunity to begin a new hobby and learn about a true American art form. For more information, call Dr. Daniel McCloud at 910.630.7673.

    Photo: Join Methodist University as it hosts the annual Jazz Festival.

  • 3-19-14-dance.gifIf ballet is not your cup of tea, you can enjoy the Innovative and Modern Dance concoctions served up by Avis Hatcher-Puzzo when Fayetteville State University Dance Ensemble performs in Dance Works, The Concert, at Seabrook Auditorium, March 21 and 22.

    On the other hand, if it is all about the ballet, then you can enjoy the North Carolina State Ballet’s Classics in the same program.

    Directed by Charlotte Blume, the North Carolina State Ballet presents Act II, Swan Lake with guest artists Jessica Fry and Robert Royce along with the ever-popular Fairies from the prologue of Sleeping Beauty Ballet. “Jupiter” from Holst’s The Planets will be the final entry and the finale of the show.

    Ballerina Jessica Fry dances Odette the Swan Queen. Robert Royce dances Prince Siegfried in Swan Lake.

    Wei Ni, Assistant Director of the ballet, portrays Rothbart, half man half owl, a sorcerer that has turned girls into swans in a medieval forest of legend.

    Jessica Fry is from and trained in New Orleans. She has worked with several professional companies, including Joffrey II in New York, Ballet Austin, Ballet Theatre of Maryland, and Burklyn Ballet Theatre. She has danced many principal roles such as Aurora in Sleeping Beauty, and Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. With Burklyn Ballet, she was invited to perform in the Fringe Festival in Edinbourgh, Scotland, three times. She was Sugar Plum Fairy in the North Carolina State Ballet Nutcracker 2013.

    Robert Royce is a Greensboro native who received his major training at the North Carolina School of the Arts and the School of the American Ballet in New York. He has been a principal dancer with the Cincinnati Ballet, the Dayton Ballet, the Alabama Ballet and the Ballet Theatre of Maryland.

    The Fayetteville State University Dance Ensemble, directed by Avis Hatcher-Puzzo will present choreography and performances by some of their graduating seniors in the University’s Dance Minor Program. The Koffee Dance Company, a modern/jazz dance company based in Raleigh, N.C., will be guests in the performance. Additionally, Puzzo has choreographed several pieces that reflect perspectives on American life and life on campus.

    The performance of Dance Works, The Concertis on March 21 and 22 at Fayetteville State University’s Seabrook Auditorium. Tickets cost $16 and are available through etix.com and the Seabrook box office. Curtain times are Friday, March 21 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, March 22 at 3 p.m.

    An encore performance of the entire ballet portion of the program by the North Carolina State Ballet Company is scheduled at Methodist University’s Reeves Auditorium on Sunday, March 30 at 3 p.m.

    Photo: Dance Works, The Concert features ballet and modern dance.

  • Breaking Up Is Hard to Do

    Will the conduct of business in our nation’s capital by the members of Congress ever make sense? Sometimes I think they are so out of touch with the American people that they are dismantling America one Constitutional right at a time. This has gone from a national pastime to cruel and unusual punishment. Shall our sovereign states go unprotected? Who knows? No one can begin to guess what our leaders in Washington are thinking.

    These are just a few of the thoughts going through my mind when I received the news of the Defense Department’s decision to recommend taking the C130H aircraft out of service as part of its 2015 budget. Certainly, it is a puzzling and disheartening scenario. The Air Force’s 440th Air Wing Command has called Fort Bragg home for many years. Fort Bragg is the ho03-12-14-pub-notes.gifme of the renowned 82nd Airborne Division, which when paired with the 440th Air Lift Command, assured the rapid response of American troops, supplies and equipment. There are no such assurances anymore and many see little logic in the process.

    Sure, the loss of the 440th and the C 130H would devastate our local community’s economy (1,000+ jobs and millions in economic impact) and we are very concerned about that; however, this situation at best pales in light of what we will lose in terms of integrity, military readiness, national security and American pride.

    This is not a well-thought-out recommendation and every citizen from the mayor’s office to the Chamber of Commerce, including every state and local politician, needs to weigh in on this serious issue. An issue, I might add, that is not partisan and has no bearing on what race, religion or sexual preferences you may have. This decision, if it becomes reality, is another example of Washington trying to balance its budget without recognizing or acknowledging the billions of tax-payer dollars lost to rampant and unbridled government waste, fraud and abuse. Amazing and disheartening.

    Let’s all hope that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagle, by reducing our military to 1940s levels (450,000), is trying to rally the American people by sending a message to Congress. That message? “Cut the military budget? What are you thinking?” Our world is unsafe. Are we not interested in protecting our nation’s interest?

    Locally, separating the 82nd from the 440th would be an extremely bad decision. Breaking up is hard to do. In this case, it could be deadly.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

    Photo: The Defense Department’s decision to recommend taking the C130H out of service will impact the local economy as well as national security.

  • There is always press about the newest diet and how to get the perfect swim suit body, but let’s not lose focus on the most important aspect, health. Health and weight issues affecting our youth are on the rise. The CDC reports “Childhood obesity has more than doubled in children and tripled in adolescents in the past 30 years.”

    As with many aspects of life, there are barriers that contribute to childhood obesity, whether they are in the home, in the school or in the community. The key is how we deal with them and how we teach our children to deal with them. Obesity puts our youth at a higher risk for issues such as cardiovascular risk factors, diabetes/pre-diabetes, musculoskeletal issues, sleep issues, asthma and psychological issues. Obesity in childhood also put individuals at a higher risk of being obese as an adult, something that has added health risks such as higher risk of stroke, cancer, osteoarthritis, heart disease and diabetes.

    A well-balanced and healthy lifestyle is an important factor in targeting this growing issue. A03-12-14-obesity.gifsignificant factor with obesity is increased caloric intake with not enough activity. There can also be genetic and hormonal factors, and that is why it is important to consult the child’s doctor so his/her health can be monitored. We have to get children moving, limit the time they spend taking part in stationary activity such as watching television or playing computer/video games. Remember that it doesn’t have to be a strict exercise routine, just get moving and have fun.

    Find activities that they find fun and enjoyable and vary them so it keeps kids interested. Children tend to look up to their family members, so lead by example and take this challenge as a family. This can also be a great way to make for more quality family time. Each family member can alternate and choose a different activity during the week, which will also allow for variety so the children can have the opportunity to meet new friends, improve their social skills and help increase confidence. It is important to educate children about why it is important for them to eat healthy and stay active.

    When cooking family meals, speak to them about nutritional value and what food choices may be better than others. Teach them how to make their own healthy snack choices versus feeling like they are being told what to eat, giving them some independence in their choices so they have an active part in their health. As a community, let’s help our youth to decrease the risk of potential health and weight issues that can interfere with their life ahead of them. Let’s challenge ourselves to educate and find ways to keep them active, meet new friends, and have fun. Let’s get moving.

    References: cdc.gov, mayoclinic.org.

    Photo: A well-balanced lifestyle is an important factor in raising healthy kids.

  • 03-12-14-fireantz-pic.gifYour Fayetteville FireAntz Hockey Team begins the last month of the regular season in the hunt for a playoff spot. It has been an exciting season on the ice and off, thanks to the different promotions that the FireAntz have had at each of their games. It looks to get even better in March.

    Friday, March 14, it is the FireAntz vs. the Louisiana Ice Gators. The FireAntz meet the Ice Gators for the fourth time this season and continue their late-season push toward the playoffs. It’s Faith and Family night with the FireAntz. There are group rates available at the FireAntz office, if you have a large group that you would like to bring to the game.

    On Saturday, March 15, the FireAntz take on the Louisiana Ice Gators. The FireAntz host Louisiana for the second game of a weekend doubleheader. It’s Ray Price of Fayetteville Bike Night. Everyone who rides a motorcycle to the game will get one free ticket, per bike, courtesy of Ray Price of Fayetteville. Also, the FireAntz will wear specialty jerseys that will be auctioned to fans after the game. Be sure to get there early.

    Tuesday, March 18 the team plays the Knoxville Ice Bears: This game is to make up for the one originally scheduled on Feb. 11. Fans may use tickets for the Feb. 11 game at the Box Office and they will be accepted. The game is brought to you by ERA Strother Real Estate. There will also be a live performance by Nashville recording artist, Trae Edwards, brought to you by Cape Fear Heroes. Go to any local Kangaroo gas station and get a voucher for a $2 ticket at the Crown Box Office, courtesy of Coca Cola.

    Friday, March 21 the FireAntz face the Peoria RiverMen: This is the second to last home game of the season and you won’t want to miss it. The FireAntz will battle hard for a playoff spot and the action will be intense. Check the FireAntz website for more information on special pricing and details.

    Saturday, March 22 the team plays the Peoria RiverMen: Don’t miss the last game of the regular season. There is a lot going on at this FireAntz game. It’s Race Night featuring the local dirt track and drag racers and their vehicles. There will be a display of local race cars in the parking lot for fans to see, up close and personal. It’s also Scout Night. Scouts who come in their Class “A” uniforms will get a scout patch and free admission to the game! Group rates for the game are available, in advance.

    It’s an exciting final month of the regular season for the FireAntz. Find out more about the FireAntz and purchased tickets at 321-0123 or www.fireantzhockey.com.

    Photo: Forward #7 John Clewlow

    Photo Courtesy Carter/ Groves Photography

  • uac031214001.gif On March 22, Community Concerts closes out its 78th season of stellar entertainment with a bang as Joan Rivers takes the stage. A world-renowned comedienne, Emmy-award-winning television talk-show host, Tony-award-nominated actress, bestselling author, playwright, screenwriter, film director, columnist, lecturer, syndicated radio host, jewelry designer, cosmetic-company entrepreneur and red-carpet fashion laureate, Rivers is the perfect choice for ending this season on a high note. Joan Rivers is a high-energy entertainer and a great option for grown-ups looking for a fun night out. “I do want to caution that it is an adult show,” said Michael Fleishman, attractions director for Community Concerts. “She uses adult language, but most people know who she is and the kind of show she puts on. She is hilarious. She is 80 and has more energy than two 40 year olds.”

    Finding and bringing great shows to Fayetteville is a fun job and something the all-volunteer organization does with enthusiasm each year. While the Joan Rivers show is sure to be a ꀀrecracker of an evening filled with humor and spunk, overall the season was well balanced and offered a variety of entertainment choices.

    The season opened in October with Earth, Wind and Fire. It was a celebration of the group’s versatility and showcased many fan favorites in genres like soul, funk, gospel, blues, jazz, rock and dance music.

    Mannheim Steamroller kicked off the holiday season with a Christmas concert in November with the one-of-a-kind sound that audiences look forward to each holiday season.

    In December, Honor Flight celebrated the Greatest Generation with a tribute to World War II vets. Governor Pat McCrory attended the event. Local residents Ginny and Dean Russell donated a check to The Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery to upgrade the committal structure at the facility. The state matched the contribution, which brought the Friends of the Sandhills State Veteran’s Cemetery closer to the $350,000 goal that will fund the entire project.

    “The high point of the season was Honor Flight. This was a show we were especially proud of, along with the Music Hall of Fame induction,” said Fleischman. “We were glad to be able to say a big thank you to our military.”

    Kenny Loggins cut loose at the Crown on Feb. 4, and entertained the crowd with more than four decades worth of his creative works. The rock-n-roll icon is known across generations for his talent as a performer, and he did not disappoint at this concert. “Kenny Loggins was a big success. Everyone loved that show,” said Fleishman. “He was fantastic. This has just been an excellent season,” said Fleishman. “Earth, Wind and Fire was a smash hit. Mannheim Steamroller was a classic that drew an enormous crowd and the Honor Flight program was new and different and special.”

    While Community Concerts is all about “bringing the finest in top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville,” the organization has a much broader reach than some might realize. The Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame was founded in 2008 and honors citizens who have brought musical distinction to the community. This year, the 82nd Airborne All American Chorus was inducted into the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame at the Kenny Loggins Concert. “This was the first group we have inducted,” said Fleishman. “The 82nd Airborne All American Chorus has done a lot for Fayetteville. They are good-will ambassadors for Fayetteville and the country. We wanted to honor them and this seemed like the perfect way to do that. They performed several songs and the audience loved it.”

    The chorus is an a cappella group that performs at events, sometimes as often as 500 times a year. It is composed of 26 paratroopers and represents all the units in the 82nd Airborne Division.

    Community Concerts brings amazing talent to Fayetteville each year, but the organization is also03-12-14-joan-rivers.gifserious about showcasing local talent. Voices of the Heart, students from Linda Kinlaw’s School of Dance and the 82nd Airborne All American Chorus have opened for Community Concerts performers in the past.

    The organization also offers college music scholarships to local high school graduates. The program was established in 2004. Since then, Community Concerts has awarded more than 22 scholarships.

    Because not everyone can afford tickets to local music-related events, Community Concerts provides opportunities for groups ranging from kids to seniors to attend music events. The Vision Resource Center, Fayetteville Urban Ministry, the Sunshine Center, high school students, military members and local police and fire departments have all benefited from the generosity of Community Concerts.

    “We are always looking for new ways to keep this fresh and different — and new ways to put the community into Community Concerts,” said Fleishman. “We have done a lot to do that in the last couple of years. We gave away more than 1,000 tickets to kids in the community to attend Honor Flight for free. We also featured the Cumberland County Schools All County Band as part of the performance. We do the Hall of Fame and give tickets to groups and seniors. We do a lot more for the community than just host concerts.”

    While Community Concerts audiences beneꀀt from the groups commitment to low ticket prices and reinvesting time, talent and energy in the community, throughout the year, the dedication of the volunteers is commendable. “Putting on shows is an enormous undertaking,” said Fleishman. “It takes about 10,000 man hours and it is a year-long process to plan and host a Community Concerts season.”

    It’s not too late to get tickets to see Joan Rivers. Visit www.community-concerts.com to learn more about Community Concerts and to purchase tickets.

    Photo: Joan Rivers is set to close out the Community Concerts season at the Crown on March 22. 

  • Scooby-Doo fans are in for a treat — Scooby-Doo and the gang are coming to Fayetteville on March 28.03-12-14-scooby-do-logo.gifThey have been travelling all around the country solving mysteries, and now they have come to help Fayetteville. The theatre is haunted and a ghost is causing some big trouble. No one knows what is happening, and it could ruin the show. Luckily, Scooby-Doo and the Mystery Inc. Gang are here to solve the mystery and save the day with clues and lots of Scooby Snacks.

    Moms and Dads, don’t miss out on the hijinx as the gang kicks it into high gear to solve the mystery. This show is great for families. The fun and excitement of the show is great for kids, parents and anyone who loves Scooby and his funny friends. Laugh as they unravel the mystery and the enthrall the audience in standard Scooby style.

    The entire gang will be on the job. Scooby, Shaggy, Fred, Velma and Daphne will all be here. They are even bringing the Mystery Machine with them. Even though it is a new show, it’s the same old gang and the same hilarious antics. There are also a few new characters that will premiere in this show. While solving the case, the gang will meet all kinds of new and quirky people.

    This show is like any other Scooby-Doo episode with the fun and adventure, but it is a completely new story line. One of the fun features in this production is that it is set to music. While they search for the ghost, the cast will sing songs like the theme song that so many know and love — “Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?” and “We’re Mystery Inc.”

    Audience members are invited to tap their toes and sing along to familiar songs with their favorite characters. Even the new songs will be fun for everyone.

    For more information visit http://www.lifeliketouring.com/scoobydoolive. Lifeliketouring is based in Australia and has produced high-quality live entertainment for international audiences for more than 10 years. Other Life Like Touring productions include Nickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer Live! Search for the City of Lost Toys (Asia, Australia, Egypt, Middle East, New Zealand, Russia, Spain and United Kingdom), Dora’s Pirate Adventure (Australia, India, Singapore) Cartoon Network’s Ben 10 Live: Time Machine (Asia, Australia, South Africa, Middle East, Egypt, India and New Zealand), Scooby-Doo Live! Musical Mysteries opens starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com or by calling 1(800) 745-3000. They will cost between $14 and $68 depending on the seats. The show will be at the Crown Coliseum at 1960 Coliseum Dr.

  • 03-12-14-crown.gifA long-time entertainment venue, the Crown Center has a new look and is rebranding. Come check out the brand new logo on Thursday, March 27 ,from 1-8 p.m. There will be an open house for the public to take a tour and check out the rebranding efforts in the facility and have some fun while doing it.

    “This is an open house that is free and open to the public, “said Katie Mikos, director of marketing at the Crown Center. “We will be offering a wide variety of activities throughout the day that are family-friendly.” Mikos added that they are showcasing their new management and some of the changes that they have made since they have assumed their new leadership role.

    The fun-filled event includes taking a tour of the facilities and a big scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt entails receiving a map of the facility. Guests then have a chance to visit the starred areas, booths and other spaces in all of the buildings in order to get your game card stamped. Each area will stamp your card. Once a is card completed, participants are entered to win a four-day trip for two to Las Vegas that will be announced at 7 p.m.

    Visitors can also enter to win two tickets to every event for a year at the Crown Complex. The winner will be announced at 7:30 p.m. Various bands will perform on three stages throughout the main coliseum. The entertainers specialize in urban, country and other genres of music. Centerplate will showcase some menus items. Free prizes will be given away all day. There will be a children’s area in the Expo Center that will feature a performance stage sponsored by Kidsville News!Look for a varoety of games, activities, live karaoke and a kid’s band for the whole family to enjoy.

    The Crown Center is the entertainment hub in southeast North Carolina. It consists of 관ve facilities — the coliseum, expo center, ballroom, theatre and arena — and can accommodate most any type of event. The Crown vision is to be recognized as the most professional, respected, and well-managed entertainment and sports complex in the region while providing safe, convenient and accessible facilities with an atmosphere that creates memorable experiences for all. The team strives to provide excellent customer service and the highest level of professionalism.

    “We would love for everyone to come out and enjoy the day,” said Mikos.

    “We want you to have a positive experience and feel welcome when you come in the building because this is your community facility.” For more information call Katie Mikos at 438-4117.

    Photo: Don’t miss the Your Town, Your Crown event on March 27, as the Crown introduces its new look to the community. 

  • Well into the 2013-2014 season, Cape Fear Regional Theatre opens August Wilson’s The Piano03-05-14-piano-lesson.gifLesson on March 6 for a run that will last through March 23. The Piano Lesson, a modern day classic won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1990 and was a 1990 Drama Desk Award winner for Outstanding New Play.

    The story is set in 1936. Boy Willie, played by J. Alphonse Nicholson, arrives in Pittsburgh in a beat up truck loaded with watermelons. He’s just come from the South and has an opportunity to buy land down home. He needs money to make it happen. He decides to sell the old piano that has been in his family for generations. The problem is that he shares ownership of the piano with his sister — and the piano is in her living room. Previous attempts to buy the piano have been rebuffed because the piano is covered with beautiful carvings that tell the story of the family’s rise from slavery. Boy Willie is determined to get his sister to sell the piano. His sister is determined to keep the treasured heirloom in the family. Like many productions at Cape Fear Regional Theater, there is story, but there is so much more in this piece.

    Director Jade King Carroll comes to CFRT with a long list of accomplishments including Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (Portland Stage); A Raisin In The Sun (Juilliard & Perseverance); Seven Guitars (People’s Light and Theatre & Point Park University); King Hedley (Portland Playhouse); The Etymology of Bird (CitiParksSummer Stages); Cherry Smoke (Theatre Row); Sex on Sunday(BE Company @ Urban Stages); The Basset Table (Adelphi); Marisol (NYCDA); Black Girl, You’ve Been Gentrified(Joe’s Pub); Radio Golf (Penn State); The History of Light, Samuel J&K and The Summer House ( Passage Theatre). She sees the play as an opportunity for the audience to connect and start a conversation.. “It’s exciting to watch this piece evolve. Everyone will walk in with different experiences to draw from. It is a chance to share a space and an experience with someone you might not have otherwise.”

    Nicholson, who is no stranger to CFRT performed in The Parchman Hour on his last visit to town. Other recent credits include A Raisin In the Sun (Playmakers Rep); Blood Knot (Street signs), and The Brothers Size (Manbites Dog). He sees the play as a realistic look at people and at life. “There are no good guys and no bad guys in this story — just people. Family. We all have families and we have all said and done hurtful things and had to deal with hard decisions that cause strife and pain between people. I think everyone will be able to relate to that.”

    Lawrence Hamilton has performed in several CFRT productions over the years including Big River, Dream Girls, Ragtime, Driving Miss Daisy. Hamilton carries the role of Wining Boy. “Coming to CFRT is like coming home,” said Hamilton. “I was always interested in being in a play by August Wilson. To be asked to do an August Wilson play is an achievement.”

    Hamilton debuted on Broadway in 1979 in Timbuktu. Hamilton is a 2003 inductee into the Arkansas Black Hall of Fame, a 2005 inductee into the Arkansas Entertainers Hall of Fame and a recipient of the 2004 Little Rock Arts and Cultural Alliance Award.

    The Piano Lesson is part to of the CFRT 18th Annual Classic Theatre Series play, providing more than 1500 students from Cumberland County free tickets to see this American masterpiece. “We are partnering with Cumberland County Schools to bring this to local 11th grade students at no cost,” said CFRT Marketing Director Leslie Flom. “The students are reading the book in their English classes. There are a limited number of performances and two shows have already sold out.”

    Visit www.cfrt.org or call 323.4233 for find out more or to purchase tickets.

  • Till Terrific! Good Decisions

    As other North Carolina counties continue to struggle with how to make up lost school days caused by North Carolina’s freaky back-to-back snowstorms, Cumberland County School Superintendent Frank Till and his administrative staff wasted no time in examining the many options at their disposal.

    Working as a team, they made a plan to implement the right solution for making up lost school days — all while keeping the children’s best interest at heart. A decision, no doubt, that will not be pleasing to everyone but yet one that will not damage or interrupt the educational development of our children.03-05-14-pub-notes.gif

    Tough, tough decisions but logic and common sense prevailed. Saturdays are it! Year round schools will attend three Saturdays in order to fulfill the North Carolina state mandatory attendance requirements while traditional schools will attend classes on Good Friday and two Saturdays. The good news is: Make up school days will be shortened by a couple hours. Even though these arrangements may be inconvenient for some, the fact remains that our children’s welfare and education must come first.

    So ball practice, dance classes, part-time jobs and trips to the mall will need to take a back seat to the first priority and that is to educate our children and keep them on par with their constituents throughout the state and nation. This situation and decision also serves as another indication of solid, smart and competent Cumberland County management and leadership.

    These types of decisions are not easy; however, it is good to know that Dr. Till, his staff, teachers and support staff are working hard in the best interest of our children.

    Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 03-05-14-ftcc-logo.gifIt’s unlikely that anyone would argue the value that Fayetteville Technical Community College brings to the community. From general education credits to continuing education programs and certìcations, FTCC plays a huge role in making sure that the local workforce is educated and well-trained for whatever challenges they face. After a recent economic impact analysis, FTCC can attach numbers and dollar amounts to the ways that the institution positively impacts the community.

    The economic analysis measured the impact of college operations, the impact of the spending of students who relocated to the county and then the impact of the increased productivity of former students that were employed in the regional workforce during the time of the study.

    The analysis is for the 2012-2013 ̀scal Year, and found that during that time the college employed 973 full-time and part-time faculty and staff, 87 percent of whom lived in Cumberland County. The total payroll at FTCC was $58.5 million. Much of this was spent in Cumberland County on things like groceries, dining, clothing and other household expenses. As a consumer, FTCC spent $44.5 million on goods and services to cover its expenses for professional services, facilities and supplies. Just from its day-to-day operations, FTCC generated $75.7 million.

    A little more than 10 percent of FTCC’s students relocated to Cumberland County to attend college during the 2012-2013 ̀scal year. If FTCC did not exist, these are students that would not have moved to Cumberland County. Out-of-county students spent $34.1 million while attending FTCC. They spent this money on groceries, rent for accommodations and transportation, resulting in $13.8 million in income for the local community.

    Once students leave FTCC, the community really starts to benèt from the education and training of local residents. Thousands of students have passed through the halls of FTCC and left with newly acquired skills that they used to further themselves and the community. Thousands of them still reside and are employed in Cumberland County. As students put their new skills to use they are typically rewarded with higher incomes. Their efforts and skills add value to local businesses and increase productivity, which results in higher pròts for local enterprises. These higher incomes and increased pròts are spent locally, which benèts the community. For the 2012-2013 ̀scal year, FTCC’s students currently employed in Cumberland County added $440.8 million to the local economy.“

    Approximately 88 percent of FTCC’s students remain in North Carolina upon completing their educational goals,” said Dr. Larry Keen, FTCC President. “As our students earn more, they and their employers pay higher taxes through increased output and spending. Over the students working lives, state and local government in North Carolina will collect a present value of $234.2 million in the form of higher tax receipts. Additionally, as our students earn more because of the skills and qualìcations they acquire at FTCC, employers will earn more as their businesses become more productive. Over their working lives, the FTCC student population will generate present value of $2.5 billion in added income in the state of North Carolina. For every dollar that state and local tax payers spend on FTCC, society as a whole in North Carolina will receive a cumulative value of $41.90 in benèts for as long as our students remain active in the state work force.”

    To find out more about the FTCC 201-2013 regional economic impact analysis, call 910.678.8373.

  • uac030514001.gif Spring is in the air and Ducky is on the move as the 4th Annual Fayetteville Duck Derby approaches. A newly sanctioned Dogwood Festival event, The Duck Derby is scheduled for Saturday, May 3, at Campbellton Landing. The Duck Derby mascot, Ducky, is busy attending local events to get the word out about the race. While the race is still weeks away, there are many ways to participate beforehand. This event is designed to be fun — the grand prize is a 2014 Toyota Scion XD. There will be prizes for second and third place, as well. In the end, everyone wins because the money raised goes right back into the community.

    Brandon Price, community liaison at Fayetteville Urban Ministry, is excited about how much The Duck Derby has grown and the many ways that this event has helped the community. “Four years ago, two young ladies stepped up to put on The Duck Derby. We are so grateful for their efforts and for the many ways this event has benefitted the community,” said Price. “Each year we send multiple thousands of rubber ducks down the Cape Fear River. We are looking to make this a banner year and to raise as much as we can on behalf of the community we serve.”

    While the event is hosted by Fayetteville Urban Ministry, this is a chance for all local nonprofits to benefit their respective causes. Nonprofits and area schools have already registered their teams at www.fayettevilleduckderby.com. The public is invited to visit the website and purchase a duck — or several ducks — to enter in the race. Each team receives $1 per duck registered to that team. “We are really excited to partner with Cumberland County schools this year, too,” said Price. “We have several schools registered already and Dr. Till (Superintendent of Cumberland County Schools) has been very supportive. We are excited to welcome them on board this year. Nonprofits and schools are signing up daily. The sooner they sign up, the sooner they can start generating funds for their agency.”

    Corporate teams are also encouraged to participate. A separate corporate race is scheduled for the big day as well. This is a chance for local businesses to step up and support nonprofits of their choice. The winner of the corporate race gets bragging rights for a year and a year-long presence in the Fayetteville Urban Ministry newsletter. Last year’s winner, Bizzy, from BizCard Express, will be in attendance to defend his title. Another fun aspect of the Corporate race is that the ducks are a little bit bigger and the teams are encouraged to decorate them for the race.

    Between now and race day, the public is encouraged to stop by Fayetteville Urban Ministry, purchase a duck and send pictures of Ducky to the event Facebook page. People can adopt ducks using Duck Papers (available at Fayetteville Urban Ministry) or by going online. In previous years, pictures from around the world were submitted leading up to the event.

    On race day, the public is invited to Campbellton Landing for an afternoon of fun. There will be live entertainment, food vendors and a Kids Zone where youngsters can play and enjoy activities for free. Many of the nonprofit teams will be on hand to share information about their causes and answer questions. The event starts at noon and ends at 3 p.m. The Corporate Duck Race is at 2 p.m. and is followed by the main event.

    While Fayetteville Urban Ministry takes the lead on this fundraiser, one of the reasons Price loves being a part of it is that it is a time when the community works together to benefit those among us who need it most. “We are not the only nonprofit out there, and for this event we all come together as a team. We are all looking for ways to save and serve the community as best we can. That we are able to change lives through this program is what I love best about the Duck Derby.”

    Proceeds from this event that go to Fayetteville Urban Ministry are used to support all four of the03-05-14-duck-derby-pic.gif outreach programs at the organization. “Although I feel like Fayetteville Urban Ministry is the most unique nonprofit in Fayetteville, it warms my spirit when we get to connect with other local nonprofits and schools doing good work in our community. I feel like Fayetteville Urban Ministry is the most unique due to our four programs: Adult Literacy Program, Emergency Assistance Program, Find-A-Friend Program, and Nehemiah Home Repairs Program. We serve people from all type of backgrounds. We serve a number of veterans, active military service members, single parents, grandparents, dual parent households, and the list goes on. Not everyone we serve is poor or a single parent. Many of the people we serve are in crisis, or they moved to our area due to natural disasters from different parts of our country. Fayetteville Urban Ministry is a place people come to when they simply need some help. We give a hand up not a hand out. We are able to do all of what we do because people continue to support The Fayetteville Duck Derby. Everything we do, whether it is teaching someone how to read, tutoring or mentoring a child, helping with food or clothing, or helping to make homes safer…we do it 100 percent free of charge. Johnny Wilson, our Executive Director, has a vision is to touch every community in Fayetteville through time, talent or treasure. No one can do everything, but everyone can do something.”

    Fayetteville Urban Ministry thanks its annual funding partners, The Re-Store Warehouse (205 Forsythe St), United Way of Cumberland County, Juvenile Crime Prevention Council, the City of Fayetteville, and The Fayetteville Urban Ministry Board of Directors.

    Find out more about Fayettville Urban Ministry at www.fayurbmin.org. Sign up a corporate team or purchase ducks at www.fayettevilleduckderby.com. It costs just $5 to adopt a duck and the money goes right back to the community.

    Photo: Each year, thousands of ducks are dumped into the Cape Fear River to race to benefit local nonprofits.

  • Music has always been one of the most important forms of art. According to scripture, it was a gift03-05-14-fayetteville-symphony-orchestra.gifheld by the angels even before the creation of man. As a boy, David used it to soothe the raging heart of Saul, Israel’s first king. Throughout the ages of Wolfgang Mozart, Duke Ellington and John Williams, it has served as a relevant barometer to reflect the zeitgeist of an era. Now, it returns to Methodist University with an invitation for all.Join the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra Sunday, March 9, at 4 p.m. as it hosts this year’s Youth Concert. Held at the Huff Concert Hall (formerly known as Reeve’s Auditorium) on the beautiful campus of Methodist University, this performance is sponsored by the Arts Council and other Cumberland County community fundraisers. It is free of charge and will be an enchanting time for those in attendance. The concert includes many great classical pieces including two from winners of the Harlan Duenow Young Artist Concerto Competition. Performing Franz Liszt’s “Piano Concerto #1” is the 2012-2013 winner, Hannah Wang. From Charlotte, this 16-year-old is talented beyond her years and shows great promise with her instrument. The 2013-2014 winner, Mary Catherine Cox, will perform Peter Tchaikovsky’s “Violin Concerto.” The 21-year-old virtuoso was also the winner of the East Carolina University Concerto Competition.Also in the concert will be an original piece arranged and performed by the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. Conducted by Maestro Fouad Fakhouri, the orchestra will perform “Carolina Folk Dream” along with “Overture to Nabucco” by the great Giuseppe Verdi. Featured with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, the Cumberland County Youth Orchestra will be conducted by Kristin Stiteler. Performing the patriotic pieces “America the Beautiful” and “The Star-Spangled Banner” are students of the Music Makers Program conducted by Susan Grzesnikowski and Amalia Hutchinson.Julia Atkins, Orchestra Personnel and Marketing Manager of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, is very happy to be a part of this concert. She said, “My expectations are fabulous. I hope that the students have a great experience.” Atkins plays an integral part in making the event a success each year.Founded in 1956, the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra enjoys a prestigious history of enriching the minds and culture of the Fayetteville and surrounding areas. It is the goal of the FSO to inspire and educate the citizens of the greater Fayetteville are — and they do just that each time they perform. For more information, call Julia Atkins at 910.433.4690.

    Photo: Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra Maestro Fouad Fakhouri.

  • 03-05-14-harlem-globetrotters.gifIf fun entertainment for the whole family is what you’re looking for, you need go no further than the Crown Center this March.

    The Harlem Globetrotters, who combine basketball, comedy and theatre, make a stop in Fayetteville on March 20 for a fun-for-all-ages show that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

    Not a fan of basketball? Don’t worry! Dizzy Grant, Globetrotter guard and the first pro basketball player to ever hit a four-point shot, says that’s what makes the show so special. “You don’t have to be a fan of basketball to be a fan of the Globetrotters,” Grant said. “Expect a lot of high-flying dunks, and some of the best ball handling you’ve ever seen in your life.”

    The Globetrotters’ stop in Fayetteville is part of their 2014 Fans Rule Tour. Show goers are encouraged to visit the Globetrotter webpage (www.harlemglobetrotters.com/rule) to vote for their favorite, craziest rule. The winning rule will be put into play during the March 20 game. Rules up for vote include:

    •Hot Hand Jersey – A player wearing this jersey gets double the points when scoring.

    •Make or Miss – The quarter starts with two players on each team. When a team scores, a teammate may enter the court. When they miss, a teammate must leave the court.

    •Trick Shot Challenge – The team’s challenge each other to make trick shots, with five points awarded to a team that makes a trick shot, and five points given to the opposition if the shot is missed.

    One of the great things about the Globetrotter show is that it is appealing and appropriate for all ages. Grant calls it one of the few forms of entertainment you can bring the whole family to. “Everyone is going to be having a good time.”

    Originally known as The Savoy Big Five, the Globetrotters’ history is remarkable. When the Savoy Ballroom opened in Chicago in November 1927, the team was hired to put on shows and play exhibitions before concerts and dances there. Since then, they have played more than 22,000 games and have traveled to 121 countries. Known worldwide as the “Ambassadors of Goodwill,” the Globetrotters’ initiatives include The ABCs of Bullying Prevention, a community outreach program designed for 6- to 12-year-olds on ways to stop bullying.

    One of Grant’s favorite things about being a Globetrotter is being able to entertain the troops, which makes coming to Fayetteville especially important. “Anytime you have a chance to play in front of service men and women is special,” Grant said.

    Ticket prices are $23, $30, $39, $46 and $66, with military ticket prices of $18, $31, $46 and $66 with valid military ID. Discounts are available at the Crown Box Office only. Tickets are available online at Ticketmaster.com, in person at the Crown Center Box Office and all Ticketmaster outlets or by phone at 1.800.745.3000.

    Photo: Harlem Globetrotter Dizzy Grant is not only a stellar basketball player, he is also a great entertainer.

  • uac032713001.gif New York has its Easter Parade and Lexington, Ken., has its derby, but the biggest spectacle of spring in North Carolina is right in our backyard with the 62nd running of the Stoneybrook Steeplechase on Saturday, April 6 at the Carolina Horse Park.

    The race, which features everything from a 5K run to tailgating to a hat contest to the actual race has been a tradition in the area since its inception in the 1940s. The race itself was the realization of a dream by Michael “Mickey” G. Walsh. Walsh, an Irish immigrant came to Southern Pines in 1939, where he used his passion and skill with horses to become one of the preeminent trainers of steeplechase and timber horses. At this point, you might be asking yourself what excactly a steeplechase is. Steeplechase is a form of horse racing, which derives its name from early races in which orientation of the course was by reference to a church steeple, jumping fences and ditches and generally traversing the many intervening obstacles in the countryside. Today, a steeplechase is a distance horse race with diverse fence and ditch obstacles.

    In 1940, Walsh brought his love of horses to and the race to Southern Pines, when he purchase his own riding and training stable which was home to the first Stoneybrook Steeplechase. The race continued until 1993 when the farm was sold following Walsh’s death.

    Local horse enthusiasts, who shared his passion for the not only the race, but the social event it had become, formed a nonprofi t charitable foundation, now known as the Carolina Horse Park. Following an eight year lapse, the Stoneybrook Steeplechase was restarted in 2001 in celebration of its 50th anniversary. Since that time, those who grew up with the Steeplechase as the marker of spring have gathered to celebrate not only the beauty of the race, but also the tradition. The race has grown03-27-13-stoneybrook.gifexponentially each year, with attendance reaching more than 10,000 in recent years. Don’t let the numbers put you off. There is ample space and more than enough to do on race day, and, the event itself invites you to meet new people and make new friends during the day-long tailgating event.

    Race day offers more than just the races. Each year, the event has grown and organizers have added more entertainment. The 2013 running03-27-13-stoneybrook-2.giffeatures activities for both children and adults. From the 5K/1K Run for the Ribbons to the traditional tailgate and hat contests to stick horse races, expansive Kid Zone, vendor area, pub tent, beer tent and opening ceremonies, there is something for everyone. While the tailgating area opens at 9:30 a.m., the fi rst horse race doesn’t start until 1:30 p.m.

    General Admission tickets and parking passes are available for $25 in advance and $30 on race day. Children under the age of 12 are admitted free with a ticket-holding adult. advance sale / $30 on race day; kids 12 & under free with ticket holding adult. Tailgating spaces are available all the way up to race day and range in price from $150 to $450, which includes a limited number of tickets. Tailgate spaces are designed for parties of 12 or less. This year, you can forget about cooking and enjoy the day in the Pub Tent located in the infi eld, which is sponsored by Huske Hardware. Admission to the tent is $50 and includes a Southern Style BBQ with beverage. Discounted tickets may be purchased at Harris Teeter Grocery Stores in Whispering Pines, Aberdeen, Fayetteville and Laurinburg. Military members may also receive a 20 percent discount. For more information, visit www.carolinahorsepark.com/stoneybrook.

    Photo: Stoneybrook Steeplechase offers more than exciting horse races.

  • The difference between entertainment and art is that art strives to teach us something about human nature.03-27-13-gilbert.gifThis statement holds true across all mediums of self-expression, though art and entertainment are not mutually exclusive.

    Art may still be entertaining and entertainment may still be emotionally touching or jarring; but a work is only truly art when it illuminates a truth about humanity. The play The Effect of Gamma Rays on The Man-In-the-Moon Marigolds is art. It is on stage at the Gilbert Theater from April 4-21.

    The play was written in 1964 by Paul Zindel. Zindel, a science teacher, received the Pulitzer prize in 1971 for the play. The story, set in the ‘60s, centers around the dysfunctional Hunsdorfer family.

    Matilda “Tillie” is the protagonist of the story and the youngest of the family. Throughout the story she struggles against the darkness in her life and serves as a symbol of an individual who can rise above their circumstances.

    Ruth is the oldest sister, and unlike Tillie she cannot defy her controlling and abusive mother. Beatrice is the main antagonist of the story, and the mother of the family. She is a single mother who is overwhelmed with the abuse and destruction she rains upon both herself and those around her.

    It is obvious that the story is a dark one, but it is often by exploring the darkness in ourselves that the beauty and strength we hold internally is revealed.

    Amanda Brooks Learner, who plays Beatrice in the show, says that the play “is a compelling story. It is suspenseful, and the audience should expect to be taken on a trip. It is full of painful, beautiful and painfully beautiful moments. There are horrible moments and the story will force the audience to ask questions such as ‘what is the meaning of life and how can we take this circumstance and find hope?’

    “Throughout the play, the audience sees true cruelty and the affects of alcoholism. Most people have been affected by alcoholism in some way, be it a family member or relative, and in this story we see the affects of truly hopeless alcoholism, abuse and cruelty on children. We see that some can rise above it and some can’t,” she said.

    The antagonist is often an under-rated character. Without the evils in the world there could be no good, the same principle holds true within this play. Without Beatrice, Tillies amazing story of perseverance would not be as powerful as it is. Learner expresses this sentiment in her excitement to portray the character.

    Learner says, “I (Beatrice) can help to tell her story and bring humanity to Beatrice so that the audience can relate to a poor, struggling woman in a time period where divorce is unheard of. I can speak to the audience and help them to identify with the pain of being lonely. I live through them and this is an opportunity to journey into myself and explore the darkness within myself. The darkness scares me, but through it I am able to support the light.”

    The Gilbert Theater is located at 116 Green St. For more information or to order tickets, contact the theatre at 678-7186 or at www.gilberttheatre.com

  • 03-27-13-produce.gifAh, spring, with its bright, sunny days, buds and blossoms, gardens and festivals — and for area locavores, foodies and residents who enjoy fresh, locally grown foods and original crafts — the ramping up of activity at the Fayetteville Farmers Market and City Market in downtown Fayetteville.

    The Fayetteville Farmers Market operates on a year-round basis from 3-6 p.m. on Wednesdays and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturdays on the grounds of the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum at 325 Franklin St. People may purchase seasonal fruits and vegetables, eggs, honey and other farm products as well as candles, jewelry, plants and fl owers, pottery, soap, tea and more. But every April, the market kicks-off the new growing season, and Bruce Daws, historic properties manager for the City of Fayetteville, hopes this market season sees even greater growth in the size of both the market and its offerings.

    “This will be the market’s third year coming up at the transportation museum,” said Daws. “We are working to build. We are recruiting vendors. We want it to become, especially on Saturday, a destination for people not just to come and buy produce or a piece of art and leave, but also to come and stay.

    “We’re adding more so people have the opportunity to eat. From time to time, we’ll have a band playing or music or some other activity on the grounds,” continued Daws. “We’re trying to make it more of a destination for people to come and just hang out.”

    And Daws notes that the museum has plenty of space to “grow the market.”

    “The vision for the market is to wrap it all the way around the museum. We’ve got the Russell Street side, which is not at all occupied currently. We’ve got the front of the museum, we’ve got the front parking lot and we’ve got a covered shelter on the Russell Street side. We’ve got a lot of room to grow this to its fullest extent property-wise.”

    Also located on the grounds of the museum is the City Market, now in its second year. Daws explained that while the focus of the farmers market is on farm products, the City Market’s emphasis is on art and original craft-type materials.”

    He noted that all vendors are vetted.

    “As far as the crafters,” said Daws, “we want original work. It’s not a fl ea market.”

    Daws also stressed that along with the space to grow is ample space for visitors to park.

    “Half a block from us is the brand-new parking deck,” Daws said.

    The deck rate is just .50/hour until 5 p.m., Monday-Friday. Additionally, free hourly parking is available around the museum on Maxwell and Franklin Streets, in front of Pennmark Place Townhouses on Ray Avenue and in unnumbered spaces behind the townhouses, as well as at the two-hour parking lot on the Russell Street side of the museum. Neither the hourly or paid parking is enforced after 5 p.m. and on weekends.

    Want to sell your agricultural products or crafts at the markets? Daws encourages prospective vendors to stop by the museum and pick up an application.

    “We are growing all the time, and we are recruiting vendors,” he said.

    Please note that, according to the Fayetteville Farmers Market website, www.thefayettevillefarmersmarket.com, anyone who wishes to sell prepared foods, baked goods, canned goods, meat, poultry, eggs, seafood or dairy must meet North Carolina Department of Agriculture regulations.

    If you want to sell arts, crafts or antiques only, contact Amanda Klinck at AKlinck@ci.fay.nc.us for an application. For more information, please call (910) 433-1457, 433-1458 or 433-1944.

    Photo: The Fayetteville Farmers Market, located at the Transportation Museum is open every Wednesday and Saturday morning.

  • Cruise the Main Drag on memory lane — a whiff of suntan lotion and hair spray … hot summer days and hotter nights, with cool music that stirs the soul.03-27-13-embers.gif

    Carolina beach music is more than a lifestyle … it is a genre. Its roots go back to the 1940s. The music captures tunes from blues, rhythm and blues and southern soul and has been heard in the pavilions and beach clubs along the beaches of North Carolina and South Carolina for at least six decades. The thin beach strand of these two states is the place where true beach music originated. And for those who must move to the beat and the songs that speak to youth and love, the Shag was born.

    So forget fighting the traffic across the bridge at Wilmington, finding a place to park on Ocean Drive or worrying about the weather. The beach is coming to Fayetteville. It is Spring Break and the fun is rolling into Hay Street.

    The Headquarters Library will begin the festivities with a program on the rich cultural legacy of music that is also our Carolina history. John Hook, an author of eight books on beach music and one of the people who lived the times as a radio personality in Myrtle Beach will immerse us in memories of bands like The Embers, The Drifters, the Tams and the Chairmen of the Board

    .The evening begins with Warren McDonald and Classic Soul taking us to the audio “fountain of youth” with songs like “Carolina Girls,” “My Girl” and “I Love Beach Music.” Our own Fayetteville shaggers will demonstrate the dance.

    The music and shag begins in the Pate Room at 6:45 p.m. for audience enjoyment. Hook will speak to the times and remembrances with a special announcement of Fayetteville’s special link to beach music — The history of beach music: A Fayetteville first.

    Friday afternoon, March 30, the “beach crawl” begins along Hay Street. Downtown merchants will offer beach “specials.” Find sandals, wine, books, picnic goodies, cute fashions and other goodies to prepare for the coming summer. Sample food and special drinks (i.e. “Sex on the beach” at Huske Hardware) while shopping or taking a break from dancing.

    Classic Soul, our own sidewalk beach band, will play beach music starting at 3 p.m. in front of the Parkview Offices on the 320 block of Hay St. Wear your shag shoes because the Fayetteville Shag Association will be giving shag lessons.

    The classic cult movie, Shag, is scheduled to be shown at the Cameo at 3 p.m. and at the Gilbert Theatre at 7 p.m. for donations only. So bring the family for this feel-good film that shows the Myrtle Beach culture of the ‘60s along with crinoline slips, tailfin convertibles, beach parties and beach music with the some of the original groups.

    The evening will culminate with a “fun” raiser for the Cameo Theatre. Classic Soul will open the concert and shag dance (of course) with The Embers.

    Curtiss Carpenter, the “voice of beach music” will emcee the evening. Mellow Mushroom will offer a cash bar for wine, beer and soft drinks … and pizza!

    Tickets are $25 and are limited. So buy early. Tickets include a chance to win a free weekend at Myrtle Beach. Tickets can be bought at the Cameo Box Offi ce (910-486-6633) or Up & Coming Weekly (910-484-6200).

    This event, like the original efforts to buy the digital cameras for the Cameo, started with a small committee of people committed to saving our art theatre; a “grassroots” movement that grew out of love for our downtown. So come down and enjoy. It is Spring and time to “Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy”—no matter how old you are.

    Photo: The Embers

  • 03-27-13-ftcc-logo.gifNonprofits serve a very important role in our current society, nationally, locally and globally, with one of the most important roles being improving quality of life. In the past, people have depended on government programs to care for many needs of our senior citizens, disabled veterans, physically/mentally challenged individuals and undernourished children, just to name a few. While federal, state and local governments are striving to rein in budgets and are cutting government programs, a tremendous number of needs that are unfulfilled or will be left unfulfilled remain. A family breadwinner who becomes unemployed and no longer meets qualifications for federal subsidies due to downsizing of government programs will look to nonprofit organizations and their volunteers for help in feeding his or her family. Uninsured individuals needing extensive medical treatments, such as cancer patients, turn to nonprofit organizations for financial and emotional support.

    While many label charitable organizations as nonprofit, they can be highly profitable. Nonprofits do not provide a balance sheet to shareholders with profits or losses reflected in bottom lines; their credence and standing as a “profitable” nonprofit is based on the value of service and/or goods they provide in fulfilling the needs of the community. There are numerous organizations locally that provide such services. These organizations are headquartered not only locally but also nationally and internationally.

    Nonprofits play a significant role in the current economy, and it appears they will continue to do so in the future. This impact is not only in services they provide, but also in the employment opportunities they provide. The Urban Institute reported in November of 2012 that while unemployment in the business and government sectors of employment was dropping, employment in the nonprofit sector grew by 4 percent, and wages increased by 6.5 percent from 2007 to 2010. Nonprofits employed 9 percent of the country’s labor force in 2010. In 2013, the N.C. Center for Nonprofits reported that nonprofits provide 1 out of every 9 jobs in our state or 11 percent of jobs, while paying $15 billion in wages to North Carolinians.

    A nonprofit organization is gauged on its ability to achieve its objectives, and therefore organizations are specifically seeking individuals with backgrounds in this area. As employment opportunities increase in the nonprofit sector, specialized training in nonprofit management, including fundamentals of compliance, ethics and stewardship, reflects positively on one’s resume and job applications. If you are interested in working with a nonprofit organization or starting your own, FTCC is now offering a certificate in Nonprofit Management as part of its Business Administration/Public Administration program. Certificates may be completed in one year and cover coursework in accountability, compliance, fundraising, stewardship, board governance, leadership, ethics, marketing and public speaking.

    The BA/Public Administration program also offers an Associate Degree in Public Administration, Community Leadership Certificate, and Government Procurement and Contracting Certificate. The degree and certificates may all be completed through online courses.

    For more information, contact Cheryl Campbell, Program Coordinator for BA/Public Administration at 910-678-8595 or by email campbelc@faytechcc.edu.

    ¹http://www.urban.org “Nonprofit Sector is Growing Faster than Rest of Economy”, 11/01/12.

    ²N.C. Center for Nonprofits, www.nonprofits.org, “Quick Facts: Nonprofits’ Impact on North Carolina”, 1/12/13.

  • Exorcism (Rated R) 1 Star03-27-13-movie.gif

    When you name your movie The Last Exorcism you had better mean it. Obviously, since there was money to be made, the producers of The Last Exorcism Part II (88 minutes) decided to ignore this one simple fact. I have seen some crap horror movies in my time but this one is right up there in the top ten. I would venture to say it is even worse than any crap horror movie I saw in 2012 — The Apparition and Silent Hill: Revelation don’t even come close to matching this level of bad. I can never claim I didn’t know in ad-vance just how bad it was probably going to be, but this week’s alternatives weren’t much more appealing. For example, I would rather drive rusty railroad spikes into my eye sockets then watch Jack The Giant Slayer.

    I’m not sure what is worse — that the first movie was actually a four star horror movie in my book (rendering the sequel that much more awful by comparison) or that this movie is so patriarchal it verges on satire. Of course, the first movie celebrated the patriar-chy just as much, but in the original version it worked by making male domination of the protagonist add to the horror of the narra-tive. Here, it just makes me roll my eyes.

    And while we’re on the topic of the patriarchy and male oppression, etc., which Big Book of Stereotypes did the writers use to come up with the dialogue in this movie? I swear if I never hear the word “chile” for “child” again it will be too soon. And writers, please tell me more about your made-up religion that vaguely resembles Voodoo!

    The film opens on some archival footage from the shaky-cam original. Then, the scene shifts to some kind of condo and a couple of randoms who are about to have a real bad day. When Random Male is attacked, the spooky musical cues clue us in that Something Demonic is Afoot. The scene ends on Nell (Ashley Bell, still looking like Michael Cera in a wig) crouched on top of a kitchen coun-ter, still wearing the filthy white nightgown from the first film.

    She is supposed to be about 17, not that she looks it. For most of the film she is dressed like a thirteen old who is channeling her great grandmother. Maybe her fashion sense is what gets her put into the group home? Since it is immediately obvious to the doctors treating her that she has survived an encounter with a cult (eye roll), she is promptly put into a home for Wayward Girls Who Have Been Through Some Stuff.

    The home is run by Frank Merle (Muse Watson) because if there’s one thing that girls from abusive homes need, it’s a strong male authority figure to fix their lives for them and tell them not to wear crosses for some undefined reason. Seriously — a group home, run by a creepy dude, who suggests to his young and vulnerable charge that she should not wear her cross.

    Nell’s roommate Gwen (Julia Garner) befriends her, but she is possibly involved in the cult from the last movie or possibly possessed, or possibly a poorly written character. It’s really hard to tell. They work at a motel together, where Nell meets a boy named Chris (Spencer Treat Clark from Gladiator). Chris is not as creepy looking as Caleb the Ginger from the first film, but he’s pretty close. He is also possibly involved in the cult from the last movie, or possibly possessed, or possibly a poorly written character.

    So, nothing really happens for most of the film, except her possibly dead or possibly not dead father Louis (Louis Herthum) showing up a few times. Then, there is this voodoo lady, and she is stupid and does stupid things with her stupid voodoo friends; the end. Thankfully, it was not filmed in shaky cam — the only thing that would have made this movie any worse.

    Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15.

  • Last year Barbara Spigner was a partner in the team Cape Fear Heroes. She has recently become its sole owner. She has a vision to take the team to the next level and wants do to some exciting things going forward. Being a successful business woman, Spigner knew her skills would allow her and the team to do great things with the right goals and objectives behind her. Part of her vision is for the team to be more accessible and active in the community and for the team to work more with charitable causes. That being said the Heroes were set up as a non-profit legal entity and although it will still take strong participation from team sponsors and ticket sales to make the Heroes successful. The non-profit status will help the team do many additional things within the community.

    The Cape Fear Heroes open up their 2013 professional indoor football season against the Washington Eagles on Friday, March 29 at the Crown Coliseum. The theme for the evening is “Celebration and Youth.” There will be a poster give-away to the first 700 fans through the door. Game-night festivities include the official unveiling of the 2012 Heroes Championship Banner, entertainment for all ages, recognition of area youth groups as well as City and County First Responders.

    The fun starts at 5 p.m. in the tailgating area with Heroes Fan Fest. Here, Heroes fans can enjoy a free kids inflatable area with various games. Bring your favorite food and tailgate with your family and friends before the game. City and County First Responder Units will have special vehicles displayed in the tailgating area.

    At 6 p.m., the band 45 RPM takes the stage for an hour long concert. 45 RPM is an all-female band. RPM stands for “representing positive music.” 45 RPM is made up of for multi-instrumentalists whose goal is to put out positive music along with a positive image. The band consists of Katie Goulet (bass guitar/keyboards/guitar/vocals), Tayler Morgan (drums/keyboards/bass/vocals), Teraasia Archer (percussion/keyboards/vocals) and Sarah Martinico (guitars/vocals).

    Just learning their instruments within the last two years, the band has performed as opening acts for cpuntry music artist Josh Thompson. They were asked to perform as Clarence Burke’s (“Ooo Child”) band for several shows and performed for ABC’s Extreme Home Makeover Fayetteville concert. They have performed at the Crown Coliseum (Fayetteville, NC) on various occasions, Fayetteville’s Amphitheater Festival Park multiple times and performed at many local fairs and school functions. The group was founded and produced by Grammy nominated producer Brian Morgan.

    Spigner has not wasted time in getting the Heroes involved in the community. This past season she donated five laptop computers to players from the Heroes Youth Football Organization, a member of the AIF for Kids program. Players were asked to write about one of their heroes in life, a player with the best essay was then selected from each age group. When the tragedy happened in Newtown Conn. recently, the Heroes we looking for a way to acknowledge the 26 people who lost their lives and offer a positive reinforcement for the surviving family members and loved ones.

    The Heroes sent each family (through the Newtown Police Department) a Build-A-Bear custom teddy bear in remembrance of their lost loved one.

    For game day tickets contact the Crown Coliseum Box Office or any Ticketmaster location or go online to ticketmaster.com. For group tickets contact the Heroes offices at 910-835-0919

    .For more information about the Cape Fear Heroes go to www.capefearheroes.com.

  • uac032013001.gif Spring Break is that magical marker in time that denotes the passing of winter and the promise of Spring. For thousands of college students that means an exodus to sunnier climes. For smaller children, it may mean a magical trip to Disney World or the first toes-in-the-sand visit to the beach. For those who work for a living, it usually passes without much notice — but not this year.

    On March 29, supporters of The Cameo will bring Spring Break to downtown and you’re invited to kick off the work-week blues and join in the fun. Step back in time when dancing the Shag was all the rage, when the soles of your Weejuns were slick from so much time on the dance fl oor and the beach was always hopping.

    The event, which is sponsored by Park View, Duggins & Smith Companies, Mellow Mushroom, Chuck Weber and Up & Coming Weekly, kicks off at 3 p.m. with Shag lessons and demonstrations at the Park View offices at 321 Hay St. Once you’ve figured out how to dance the Carolina’s favorite dance, slip out onto Hay Street for the Downtown Beach Crawl, which features beach bargains including everything from books and wine to beach music and art brought to you by Cape Fear Studios.

    Also at 3 p.m., you can slip into the Cameo to view the iconic film tribute to the dance, Shag. The movie, which pretty much went straight to video, is a coming-of-age story of four Carolina girls who shrug off their responsibilities and head down to the forbidden land of Myrtle Beach to participate in the Ocean Drive Shag Contest. The film is fun and, if it doesn’t get your feet itching to dance or at least to cruise the strand, you have been working way too hard. A repeat of the fi lm will be shown at 7 p.m. at Gilbert Theater.

    Following the movie, you may want to grab something to eat at one of your favorite downtown eateries before heading over the Metropolitan Room to dance the night away to the sounds of Classic Soul and the godfathers of Beach Music, The Embers. This event, which is being touted as a “Fun” raiser, will benefit the Cameo Art Theatre’s campaign to go digital. There will be a cash bar and pizza brought to you by Mellow Mushroom. Classic Soul will perform at 6 p.m. and at 7 p.m., The Embers will rock the house. The event is being emceed by beach music legend, King Curtis Carpenter, one of the founders of the CAMMY’S, North Carolina’s own Beach Music Awards Show.

    If you are not from the Carolinas, you might be wondering about this thing called the Shag, well here’s is a brief primer for you.

    “Beach Music is Coming to Town” is a headline you couldn’t see in the 1950s and early 1960s, even though Beach Music was all around. Fas’ dancers in the Carolinas were steppin’ to this music at the coasts, a few dozen inland armories, lakeside dance slabs, and other widespread pavilions. But it didn’t have a name.

    In 1965 Beach Music silently celebrated its 20th birthday. There still wasn’t a universal name which everyone understood, it had just blossomed. Jack Stallings, one of the early Catalinas from Charlotte remembered a party they played in Conway that summer. Several times that day, a few of the kids requested some ‘beach music.’ Jack fi nally asked what they were talking about.

    “You know, those songs you can hear down at the beach,” they named a few by the Impressions, Four Tops, and Drifters. Jack thought, ‘oh, rhythm and blues, we play that stuff all the time.’

    Two years earlier, Dillon County musician Rufus Oates took the first steps of his dream to open a music store to sell all kinds of instruments to school bands and musicians like himself (if it had strings, Rufus could play it — bass, mandolin, guitar, banjo, fiddle). Rufus opened his Music Center in September 1963 back at the beach where he’d wanted to return since he and his wife lived in Conway a few years earlier before moving to Tarboro, NC. The dream was on with his new Beach Music Center in downtown Myrtle Beach.

    Funny thing about that name … right away folks saw the sign, went in and asked if he had “Sixty Minute Man,” “One Mint Julep” or “Green Eyes.” Ever the capitalist, Rufus said he’d be getting them in pretty soon. That was the beginning of the section of his store which became the (*Beach Music* Center) inside the Beach *Music Center.*

    It took two or three years for the word to spread about the new ‘Beach Music’ store in Myrtle Beach. Apparently the term ‘Beach Music’ automatically made sense to people who had experienced the R&B heard almost exclusively on the Pavilion jukeboxes up and down the coast.

    Beach Music is a phrase that describes more than one phenomenon. It’s the convergence of at least three infl uences.

    There was the unnamed music which Shaggers and Boppers (or Fas’ dancers and Basic dancers) danced to from 1945-1965. A tiny percentage of those songs were retroactively named Beach Music.

    Local combos began to appear on college campuses before Rufus’ store opened: Gladiolas at Limestone College 1957, Clemson 1958, USC Chapel Hill 1958; Catalinas at Charlotte College 1958; Jetty Jumpers at Wilmington College 1959; Hot Nuts at UNC Chapel Hill 1959; 1961-1965 Plaids, Weejuns, Madras, Turk-Cords, Bob Collins and the Fabulous 5, Embers and a few others were playing the campuses, but they still weren’t *Beach Music* … The term wasn’t universal beyond the Beach and Conway. The fi rst documented mention of “Beach Music” we’ve found beyond the beach is in a May 1967 issue of the Robesonian in Lumberton, NC.

    Some bands played as early as 1960 and 1961 at the Magic Attic upstairs in the Myrtle Beach pavilion. Bands played at Folly Beach pavilion in the early 60s, the fourth Pawley’s Pavilion from 1960 onward, Atlantic Beach, North Carolina, and a number of other bandstands throughout the region. People showed up to Shag and Bop, but it still wasn’t called Beach Music until after the mid-point of the 60s.

    Randy Rowland of Statesville co-owned Groucho’s, one of the premier Shag clubs in Charlotte from the 70s to the 90s. Not surprisingly, he left a good, full-time job to be close to the music and dance he loved.

    Rowland also has one of those memories that are a researcher’s dream.

    The first three records he heard on his family’s vacation together there in 1959 were “Almost Grown” by Chuck Berry, “…some of them were half-timing to it and some of the jitterbugs were trying to dance to it straight up [at its natural tempo],” Rowland remembers. The other two songs were “There Goes My Baby” by the Drifters and Lloyd Price’s “Stagger Lee.”

    Occasionally, Rowland and a friend visited Kostakes Music in the NoDa district of North Charlotte. Kostakes was a jukebox and music distributor who sold used records in ‘grab bag’ boxes of 125 for $40. “We’d take those boxes home and look for treasures, Billy Stewart, Marvin Gaye, the Four Tops, and the Temptations to name a few,” Rowland went on. “We called it ‘soul’ music.”

    After Larry Pressley’s Cellar opened in 1965, Rowland and friends attended Wednesday nights to hear the Embers and dance to the music, but it still had no name.

    “We danced to it at Grace Park Recreation Center and George’s in Statesville, but I never heard it called ‘Beach Music.’ That was still true at the big 1967 dance contest Jimmy Kilgo of TV 9’s Kilgo’s Canteen at the National Guard Armory in Statesville. Kilgo had Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs set up at one end of the building and the Catalinas at the other. They’d alternate, playing the music we loved, but it didn’t have a name.”

    Randy first heard the term “Beach Music” in the Army in 1968.

    “One of the first guys I met was Durwood Martin. We used to talk about the music that we listened and danced to back home, the music Durwood’s band played. Durwood was an early member of the Embers. Once in a while someone would say, ‘yeah, I miss that good old Beach Music back home.’”

    We asked Randy how he thought that ‘Beach Music’ might have retroactively annexed songs from earlier years and moved them under the 60s’ umbrella term Beach Music?

    “The first record I bought was ‘I’ll Be Satisfi ed’ by Jackie Wilson in 1959. I’ve loved that song ever since. Funny thing is, most of the records on the jukebox at Sonny’s Pavilion on the Cherry Grove section of Ocean Drive, S.C., were still on the jukebox in 1966. They switched them out from time to time for some others, but the same records were being rotated.”

    Shag and Beach Music ended up in Panama City, Florida in 1953 as a direct, personal import by a young girl and two guy-friends who traveled to Ocean Drive just to learn the Shag. By the time they got home they’d turned the ‘basic’ dance around. The dance became known as the P.C. Bop. Bop music dove deep to find the right beat in Gulf Coast rhythm and blues and blues.

    In the Beach Music Guide Volumes 1 and 2 it is documented that the first Black music on jukeboxes in white venues showed up in 1945 simultaneously at Carolina Beach, Minnesott Beach, and Oriental Beach. It wasn’t by committee or telephone conference, it just happened.

  • No matter what suits your fancy, from Old World Charm to Carolina Beach Music, Givens Performing Arts Center delivers in April. Givens Performing Arts Center at UNC Pembroke is one of the best kept secrets in our local performing arts scene bringing in Broadway touring musicals, European Orchestras and more.

    During April, GPAC kicks off the month in the grand tradition of Russian Ballet on April 2 with Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake performed by the Russian National Ballet. This outstanding presentation is followed by The Acting Company’s performance of Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men on April 25, and the month is wrapped up by the ever-rousing performer of North Carolina Beach Music, Jim Quick and the Coastline Band, Robert Lee Smith and the original Tams and The Embers on Friday, April 26.

    If you wish to make your evening complete, match your musical tastes with culinary delights. Each of these performances is matched with a four-course meal served in the Chancellor’s Dining Room and deliciously prepared by Sodexo. The dining experience is $25 per person which includes a wine and cheese reception prior to dinner. Reservations are required.

    One popular misconception is that the shows which come to the Givens Performing Arts Center are not03-20-13-broadway-series.gif the same touring groups which perform in larger venues across the state, however, this is not the case.

    The Russian National Ballet Theatre was founded in Moscow during the period of Perestroika in the late 1980s with the help and support of the Ministry of culture of the Russian Federation. The company and its dancers are dedicated to the timeless tradition of classical ballet while incorporating new developments in dance from around the world. In 1994, the legendary Bolshoi principal dancer Elena Radchenko was selected by Presidential decree to assume the first permanent artistic directorship of the company.

    Swan Lakewill continue its U.S. tour later in April appearing in Pennsylvania and New York. Quoting from the Washington Post, “The Russian National Ballet Theatre is a cut above its rivals.”

    The Acting Company was founded in 1972 by two NYC graduates of Julliard’s Drama Division, producer/director/actor John Houseman and producing director Margot Harley. The company has won numerous awards for performance and education including the Obie, Audelco, Los Angeles Critics Circle Award and a TONY for Excellence in Theater “The Acting Company endures as the major touring classical theater in the United States,” according to The New York Times. After leaving Pembroke the show will continue its April offerings in N.C., Ky., Tenn., and Va.

    Beach Music requires no introduction in North Carolina, so whatever your tastes may be, don’t overlook these fi ne opportunities for an evening of dance, drama or songs offered and supported by UNC Pembroke and GPAC.

    All performances are at 8 p.m. with tickets available through the box office at (910) 521-6361. Find out more about GPAC and the Broadway Series at www.uncp.edu/gpac/broadway.

    Photo: GPAC features Of Mice and Men as part of its Broadway and More Series.

  • 03-20-13-explore-history.gifDowntown Fayetteville is the heart of the city, and 4th Friday is when it truly comes alive with all the culture the area has to offer. This month, 4th Friday falls on March 22. The streets will be full to the brim with food, music and culture for everyone in the area to enjoy. Nearly everything will be open late for anyone to explore.

    The art scene is one of the most prominent features of downtown, and this is the perfect time to explore it because everything will be open later than normal. Don’t miss Anne Frank: A History for Today and Propaganda in Nazi-occupied Holland. Both exhibits are featured this month at the Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County. The exhibits are free and open to the public and not only provide historical insight to the World War II era, but take a hard look at intolerance and how the issue is still relevant today.

    The Fayetteville Transportation and Local History Museum offers a companion exhibit that showcases the history of Fayetteville’s Jewish community. Learn of the many personal stories of sacrifi ce and challenge that Jewish immigrants face as they moved to the South. Explore the struggles they faced as they assimilated to a new land while keeping their cultural and religious identities. In addition, the Transportation and Local History Museum is open from 6 to 10 p.m. and will have its normal exhibits open, too.

    Cape Fear Studios will also be open late for 4th Friday festivities. The studios are located at 148 Maxwell St. and the artists who work there are passionate about providing the public a free way to view and experience art. The gallery of various mediums of art such as, paintings, photographs, sculptures, wood working and glass art will be open for the public to explore. There will also be pieces for sale.

    4th Friday is also a child-friendly experience. Fascinate-U is designed to interest and teach young children, and on 4th Friday admission is free and the hours are longer. This month, the museum celebrates the coming of Easter with an egg-decorating craft for kids. Families can make unique and beautiful foam Easter eggs using buttons, sequins and any other materials they would like. The craft and admission are free from 7 to 9 p.m.

    Art is not the only thing going on in downtown Fayetteville. The area is brimming with historical importance. The Market House will be open from 6 to 10 p.m. with a special exhibit just for March. The March exhibit is Cumberland County in the War Between the States. The Market House is located at 108 Person St. All the shops and restaurants along Hay Street will also be open late for festivities. Many of them will have free drinks and snacks; some will even have live music for patrons to enjoy. There is no time quite like 4th Friday to come to the center of the town and see all that it has to offer. From the shops, to the history and art there will be something for everyone to enjoy on March 22.

    In partnership with the Downtown Alliance, several shops offer special deals and discounts for the monthly event. Find out more about 4th Fridayat www.theartscouncil.com or www.faydta.org.

    Photo: Anne Frank. Photo credit: ©AFS/AFF Amsterdam/Basel

  • 03-20-13-dave-wilson.gifUsually a period of sweetness and light ensues when individuals are hired in high-profi le positions in local government. Such may not be the case in regards to Rochelle Small-Toney who has been announced as deputy city manager.

    In Fayetteville, her responsibilities will focus on community development in areas related to minorities that will include furtherance of the Murchison Road Corridor, public housing and addressing fairness for minorities and women in the city’s granting of contracts. These assignments are closely related to Small-Toney’s previous jobs in Charlottesville, Va., and Savannah, Ga.

    In Charlottesville she oversaw the Charlottesville Redevelopment and Housing Authority. In Savannah Small-Toney managed various community-development programs. She was appointed Savannah’s city manager in March 2011 and was asked to resign that position in September 2012. The relatively short tenure of Small-Toney’s career as Savannah’s city manager was marked with controversy beyond what might be considered normal.

    The Savannah Morning News reported that as she took her offi ce, the city was in the midst of general belt tightening. Still, she chose to redecorate her offi ce with a price tag of $40,000. That was preceded by a $7,500 welcome aboard party for 400 or so guests that she threw for herself. Meantime the police department was asked to reduce its budget by 5 percent. The African-America police chief had his knuckles rapped for having the effrontery to complain and was ordered to say no more by Small-Toney.

    A surprise development shortly after Small-Toney took office was the denial by the city’s bonding company of a $50,000 bond for her which is a requirement for Savannah’s city managers. The cause was a problem with Small-Toney’s credit history. But a more serious issue with Small-Toney’s tenure related to unprecedented salary increases for several staffers who received increases of more than 20 percent while city policy permitted no more than 2.5 percent. These raises also occurred while the city was in a severe budget crisis. To the dismay of the city council and citizenry, Small-Toney hired an Emergency Services Director at twice the salary of his predecessor. And, as it turned out, the new guy lied about his qualifi cations and was subsequently fi red for cause.

    These issues were among failure to timely report travel expenses, inappropriate travel and convention charges and a purchasing department in disarray. Six months into Small-Toney’s tenure the City of Savannah elected a new mayor, who like Small-Toney, is an ambitious and successful African-American woman. In the year that followed, the mayor and city manager had difficulty working together and in September 2012 the mayor asked for Small-Toney’s resignation, which was rendered.

    Had the issues that occurred during the brief year and one half that Small-Toney served as city manager been stretched out to five or 10 years she may have weathered the storm of criticism leveled at her. But the management style that Small-Toney demonstrated to the Savannah City Council, her staff and the people at large was too much and too soon. She clashed with a strong-minded female mayor and it was over.

    So the obvious question is which Small-Toney will fill this newly created position in Fayetteville’s city government? Will it be the progressive hard driving get it done Small-Toney that attracted Ted Voorhees or will it be her counterpart that led ultimately to her demise in Savannah?

    Hopefully she has profi ted by past errors in judgment and behavior and if such is the case Fayetteville will be the better community.

    Photo: Rochelle Small-Toney

  • 03-20-13-ftcc.gifAre you math phobic? Do you cringe when someone wants you to figure the amount of a tip or taxes? People avoid math like the plague with the common refrain, “I’m just not good at math!”

    You don’t have to learn about the Etruscans to study the Civil War; you don’t need to know how to diagram a sentence to study poetry. However, math is different; math builds on itself. Without a strong base, the upper stories of your math ability are a little shaky.

    Many students seeking admission to Fayetteville Technical Community College’s academic programs need to strengthen their mathematical skills. developmental mathematics courses are a key component of the college’s “open-door” admissions policy.

    Developmental mathematics courses offer students an opportunity to improve their mathematical and problem-solving skills, which will prepare them to enter the curriculum of their choice with a better probability of success.

    In an effort to better serve students who require developmental math courses, the North Carolina Community College System has redesigned the developmental math curriculum across the state. Students can now complete the curriculum sooner with an individualized plan to meet each student’s need.

    FTCC will offer these developmental classes with two options of delivery: (1) face-to-face delivery where students attend regular class meetings for one hour each day (Monday through Friday) and (2) customizable learning, where students work at their own pace in a computer lab setting with an instructor present to facilitate learning. These approaches will allow for quicker completion time of developmental coursework, and this will allow students to complete their degree in a shorter period of time.

    Along with these new developmental classes, a new placement test has been created. This test will allow students to be more accurately placed in the coursework appropriate to their skill level.

    The new developmental math curriculum at FTCC may not solve all of your math anxiety, but the redesigned developmental curriculum should make it easier to complete the math courses needed in order to enter your chosen program of study. FTCC will offer Developmental courses starting fall of 2013.

    For those students who aspire to obtain a four-year university degree, allow FTCC to provide the solid foundation for these plans with one of our college transferable, two-year associate degrees. We offer the Associate in Arts, Associate in Science and Associate in Fine Arts degrees, all of which are accredited and covered by the North Carolina Comprehensive Articulation Agreement for smooth transition to a University of North Carolina System school. FTCC truly provides education for life.

    Photo: Developmental mathematics courses offer students an opportunity to improve their mathematical and problem-solving skills.

  • Turning Over Control03-20-13-the-buzz.gif

    Plumb expriences first-hand the power of a song…her song.

    Christian artist Plumb has written or co-written many songs that have inspired and encouraged thousands of people. Her latest song, “Need You Now” is a great example, only this time she was one of those on the receiving end of that encouragement.

    Plumb was very vulnerable when sharing her story of how the song spoke to her in a time of desparation. “Literally God used this song to carry me through a really difficult, dark time in my life. Last year when everything seemed to be falling apart in my life I didn’t think I’d even still get to be who I am as an artist. Even though I’ve grown up in the church and I know Jesus and I love Jesus, I fell in love with Jesus for the first time when all that happened last year.

    What do I do now?

    I remember kinda repeating over and over as things were kind of unraveling, ‘I don’t know what to do; what do I do, what do I do?’ It sounds good to say ‘turn to Jesus’ but that’s a verb. When you’re in a crisis you can’t make sense of truly what am I supposed to do right now. And he reminded me in ‘Need You Now’ there’s no punch-card with him, there’s no limit. He doesn’t grow tired of our need for him.We have to trust him, we have to surrender.

    Giving up control is scary

    It took me about six to eight weeks of being in the midst of this real terrifying time in my life and my marriage and my home and some other things, and he finally got through. He got me out of the way. He needed me to quit talking. He needed me to just be still. That didn’t feel proactive. I wanted to fix things and it was very clear that I was making things worse. I’m being prompted to just be still and be quiet, and that felt scary.

    Peace finally returns

    The more surrendered I became, the more control I felt him take, and the more joy and the more peace I found. No matter how this turns out, whether I like it or not, I have a quiet confidence that God is in control of this now. And you know, joy is birthed from sorrow. Whatever sorrow someone is going through, and they may hear this song or a Matthew West song or an Aaron Shust song or any other song that makes them feel hopeful, it’s real. Hope is real. God wants to give us joy and he does not leave us and He does not give us more than we can bear. He really does carry the added load.

    We can always begin again

    Believe it or not, there is beauty from your ashes if you’ll let him turn it into that. You can have a confidence that I am pleasing the Almighty and I can trust him to protect me and to provide for me and to love me. It’s not contingent on whether or not I did the right thing 5 years ago or 10 years ago or 10 minutes ago. His mercies are new every morning. It’s good to remember to really live in the now and be hopeful about what is to come. Right this second, it’s a brand new breath, begin again.God is the master of begin-agains!”

    That is an excerpt from a recent conversation I had with the artist Plumb referring to her song, “Need You Now”.

  • 03-13-13-parchman-hour.gifThe Parchman Hour, on stage at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, may be the most socially relevant and important theatre to be staged this year in Cumberland County. Now, having said that, I realize it might sound pompous or may even make you want to run screaming from the idea of seeing the play — but don’t let it. This is the must see of the season.

    Written and directed by Mike Wiley, the show doesn’t just entertain; it challenges you to look inside, to do a reality check on your own ideals. As uncomfortable as that sounds, I would be remiss not to say that while it is a sanity check, it is also outstanding theatre. It entertains as well as illuminates the human condition, while visiting a dark era in our nation’s history.

    The show chronicles the hot summer of 1961 and the Freedom Rides to integrate the segregated bus lines of the South. Historically accurate, the show focuses mainly on the tribulations of nine of the students/activists who traveled South during this turbulent summer. The cast, comprised of just 16 individuals, is required to play the role of a number of characters that cross both gender and racial lines. As a whole, the cast was without equal.

    Wiley, who knows the material intimately, reworked the script for the staging of the show at the CFRT. Having drawn rave reviews across the nation, it was its opening at the Playmakers Repertoire in Chapel Hill, N.C., that drew the attention of the CFRT Artistic Director Tom Quaintance. In the notes for the show, Quaintance wrote:

    “Sometime in the middle of the first act, I started to shake,” wrote Quaintance, who is the son of an Alabama Civil Rights lawyer who was intimate with the Freedom Riders.“

    I grew up in a household where the Civil Rights movement was central to our identity, yet I knew very little about the Freedom Riders and their amazing story.”

    After seeing The Parchman Hour, Quaintance knew it was a project that he had to bring to the CFRT stage.

    “It was one of those ‘This is why I do what I do’ moments. This is why I became a theatre artist. This is why I moved my family across the country, so I could be in the position to support a production like this in a community like Fayetteville.”

    Quaintance believed it was a show that the community would embrace, and from what I saw, he was right. To talk about a show like The Parchman Hour, you have to be honest. So, I am honest in saying that as much as we as a community tout our diversity, we remain a fairly divided community. Those who are regular patrons at the theatre will, if they are honest, acknowledge that the audience at most of the shows is fairly white. That wasn’t the case with this show. This show brought our community together to talk about one of the most divisive times in our nation; I believe that common ground was found.

    You cannot see this show without having your biases, even if you don’t admit that you have them challenged — and that goes to people of all races. While the content is heavy and will leave you on the edge of your seat, you will feel uplifted at the ability of the human spirit to overcome hate and ignorance. The story is told through short vignettes that are interspersed with music; music that will uplift your spirit, even while it chronicles the sorrow of others. It was in music that the students and activists who were imprisoned in Parchman found their salvation and it is where we find it in the telling of this story as well.

    While the story and Wiley’s telling of it is the ultimate star of this production, the performances by cast makes it shine.

    Tim Cain, who portrayed Jim Farmer, the director of the Congress of Racial Equality (the group who organized the Freedom Rides), showed strength, wisdom and above all faith in the face of unadulterated hatred. What I particularly liked about Cain’s performance was the degree of humility that he brought to the role, rather than coming off as an extremist, he played the role of an elder statesman, who in the end, had to confront his own weaknesses. Sonny Kelly, a local minister who works with Fayetteville Urban Ministry and Christ Gospel Church, was a stand out. Kelly, who played the role of Stokely Carmichael, brought a passion to the role that shone through in his singing and dancing.

    Joy Ducree Gregory has a beautiful singing voice that can make you see heaven even in the face of hell. Her mastery was matched by Hazel Edmond. Quickly becoming a favorite on the CFRT stage, Samantha Fabiani wowed with her vocal prowess. Lack of space prohibits me from mentioning everyone, but the performances by the cast as whole were stellar.

    The show runs through March 24. To get your tickets, visit www.cfrt.org.

    Photo: The Parchman Hour chronicles the hot summer of 1961 and the Freedom Rides to integrate the segregated bus lines of the South.

  • 03-13-13-chalotte-blume.gifBallet Classics springs to life on March 17 at Methodist University’s Reeves Auditorium. Ballet Classics, danced by the North Carolina Ballet, is directed by Charlotte Blume and will feature three separate ballets.

    The lyric and beautiful “Les Sylphides” is set to music by Chopin and will headline the program. Holst’s The Planets will feature signature pieces “Jupiter” and “Venus.” The third ballet will be “Variations” and “Grande Pas Classique” from Paquita.

    “Les Sylphides,” with choreography by Fokine was first presented in Paris by the Russian Ballet in 1909. It was staged by Fokine in 1940 for the American Ballet Theatre and restaged by Mikhail Baryshnikov in 1984. Blume learned the choreography from Fokine in his latter years and has staged the ballet for the North Carolina State Ballet.

    The Planets, by composer Holst has bee performed in orchestral and electronic versions. The Tomita electronic version is the best known. The performance will feature Tomita’s electronic rendition of “Venus.” An orchestral rendition of “Jupiter” will accompany the dancers and contains the most well-known musical themes of The Planets. Choreographer Wei Nei has staged The Planets in a modern classic form.

    Pasquita was staged for the Russian Imperial Ballet by Petipa in 1847. It was the first work he ever staged. Some 40 years later, Petipa revised the ballet to music by Minkus and that version has endured. “The Finale” and “Grande Pas Classique” remain in the repertory of the American Ballet Theatre. Nei has staged Pasquita for the North Carolina State Ballet.

    A performance for Cumberland County and Regional Schools will be offered on March 14, at 10 a.m.

    Reservations may be made for both the school and public performances by calling the ballet company at 910-485-4965 or through the company website at www.ncstateballet.com. Tickets are $16 for general seating and may be purchased through quicktixx.com or at the door. Children under 12 are admitted free.

    Photo: Jupiter ‘The Bringer of Jollity’ from Holst’s The Planets will be a feature of the North Carolina State Ballet, Ballet Classics, March 17, at Reeves Auditorium, Methodist University. 

  •   uac031313001.gifFor five years, Cindy Williams has joined two of her best friends, Julia Adkins and Carol Jones in putting together the American Girl Fashion Show to support the Child Advocacy. For the women, it’s an opportunity to enjoy each other’s time while raising funds for a charity that is near and dear to their heart. More importantly, for Williams, it’s an opportunity to teach her daughter about giving.

    Her daughter has been modeling in the show for the past five years, and while this may be her last year in the show, Williams doesn’t see it as the last of her volunteer time with the Child Advocacy Center.

    “This is something we do together,” said Williams. “She loves to volunteer with me each year to put the show together. If she is not on stage, she is right by my side helping me get things done. She and her friends have told us (Williams and her cochairs) that we have to continue to organize the show until they are old enough to take it over.”

    It is that kind of caring and desire to give back to the community that Williams sees the fashion show promoting in the girls who participate in the event each year. She explained that there are 141 models involved in this year’s show, many of whom have returned year after year. The models, all volunteers from within the community, work hard to prepare for the show, but also in raising funds for the agency. So far, they have been very successful. With a goal of $50,000, last year the show raised more than $45,000 for the Child Advocacy Center.

    “We’ve been doing this for a number of years and several of the girls, like my daughter, are aging out. We have a lot of new girls this year,” she said, “but so many of them come back year after year. It is in their heart to give back to the community. It makes me proud to see that in them.”

    The $50,000 goal has been the target for a number of years, and each year the girls inch closer to it.

    “Every year we get higher and higher,” said Williams. “This year could be the year.”

    For those not in the know, the American Girl Fashion Show is a national fundraiser designed around the American Girl books. The show, originated by the makers of the books and accompanying dolls, is designed to raise funds for child-centered nonprofits like the Child Advocacy Center.

    The CAC, celebrating its 20th year, has as its purpose alleviating the “trauma children experience once a disclosure of sexual abuse or serious physical abuse occurs by creating a community of collaborating advocates.”

    The advocates come together under the auspices of the agency to coordinate services for child abuse victims and their families by providing a safe and child-friendly environment where professionals from 19 community agencies work together to interview, investigate and provide support for abused children by reducing the number of interview and providing specially trained personnel to conduct the interviews. In addition to the hands-on interaction with the children, the CAC provides continuing education to professionals who serve child abuse victims, as well as serving as an advocate in the community to raise awareness about child abuse.All of that comes with a cost, some of which is covered through state and federal funds as well as corporate and individual sponsorships. Started as a nonprofit volunteer agency, the CAC still depends on support of individuals in the community to fund its programs. That’s why the American Girl Fashion Show has been so successful. It lets the community take ownership of the agency by allowing children to provide support for other children.

    “The caring these children show is modeled in the American Girl books,” explained Williams. “They are so wholesome and show strong role models for girls.”

    Over the years the event has evolved from strictly a showing of the dolls with the models to a family event replete withe special events and refreshments. This year, the number of vendors who participate in the show has increased. They sell everything from clothes for the dolls to pretty things for the girls and their moms. The students at Paul Mitchell Beauty School are returning this year to provide manicures and hairstyles for girls and their moms the day of the event. All funds raised by the school go directly back to the CAC. This year’s show has a Western theme as it is based on the newest American Girl doll, Sage.“We’ve changed up the menu and the set is just beautiful,” said Williams. “It’s a complete Western theme.”

    In addition to the introduction of Sage, the new historical doll being unveiled is Caroline. Locals may recognize the doll as it is modeled after one of last year’s models, Mya Long. Long, who participated in last year’s show, went to New York to audition for the American Girl company, and was selected as the face of the new doll.

    The show is scheduled for Saturday, March 23 and Sunday, March 24 at the Crown Ballroom. The event includes elegant refreshments, party favors, raffles and door prizes. Tickets to the event are still available and can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com or in person at the Crown Box Office. VIP tickets with seating close to the stage is also available. For more information, visit the CAC website at www.childadvocacycenter.com.

  • 03-13-13-walk-awhile.gifIt’s been said many times and in many different ways: “Don’t judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes.” Many parents have said these exact words to their children. It’s easy to imagine their young minds wandering and suddenly an image of tiny feet inside of a big old pair of shoes comes to mind. They could be boots. They could be sneakers. They could be sandals or slippers. They could be oxfords or penny loafers. They could be cleats or fl ippers. Or they could be... high-heels.

    The Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County is hosting the third annual Walk Awhile in Her Shoes fundraiser event on March 22 in downtown Fayetteville. Walk Awhile is a part of the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes international project in which men are asked to wear high-heeled shoes to raise awareness of sexual violence in local communities. Yes, men. Yes, high-heels.

    These handsome guys will strut their stuff down Hay Street beginning at the Market House and ending at the AIT building where a reception will be held. Refreshments will be available for participants, whether they walked or simply donate to the cause. Band-Aids will also be on scene for those brawny, brave men who showed those stilettos who’s boss. General registration is $20 and includes a T-shirt, admission for two to the reception and two drink tickets per person. Student registration (must have ID) costs $10 and includes a T-shirt and admission for one to the reception. Participants can register onsite at the Market House at 6 p.m. and the walk starts at 7 p.m.

    Bill Cannon and his two sons, Tyler (20) and Trent (15), will participate in the walk. Cannon feels that it’s important to set a good example for his boys and get them involved in their community.

    “By getting my sons involved it teaches them that it’s okay to humble yourself, put yourself out there, and give back to your community for a great cause,” Cannon said.

    Sexual violence doesn’t stand out as a topic of discussion in most people’s minds. It isn’t pretty, so it’s sometimes diffi cult to raise awareness. The people at Walk a Mile in Her Shoes understand this and that’s why Walk Awhile works; because it’s fun. It isn’t uncomfortable (unless you’re a foot) and it makes a sensitive subject easier to talk about.

    “A lot of people don’t want to see it,” Cannon stated. “They want to close their eyes. This fundraiser can help open the eyes of those that may be too afraid to acknowledge the existence of sexual violence, but in a fun way.”In 2012, 100 men showed up to give their support and raise awareness in the community by taking that valiant, yet glamorous, stroll down those historic cobble-stone streets. This year the RCVCC hopes to raise at least $25,000 to help support the growing demand for volunteer and financial resources at the Rape Crisis facility. It is reported that in the 2011-2012 Fiscal Year, at least 378 victims of sexual assault were provided services by the RCVCC in our community; the number of cases continues to climb.

    “We need more men to go out and support things like this,” Cannon said. “These women need to know they’re not alone.”

    Statistics show that one in four American women are victims of sexual assault; meaning it’s likely that we all know someone who has been affected. Doing your part to support these victims can be as simple as putting one fabulous foot in front of the other, just be careful not to break a heel.

    If you have any questions, want more information or wish to sponsor the walk, contact Deanne Gerdes, executive director of the RCVCC at 485-7273 or by e-mail at gerdes.deanne@gmail.com.

    Photo: Real men wear heels.

  • 03-13-13-physician.gifDr. Howard Loughlin, M.D., has been selected as the recipient of the 2013 National Children’s Advocacy Center Outstanding Service Award in the category of Medical Care. He will be recognized at the 29th National Symposium on Child Abuse on March 20 in Huntsville, Ala.

    Dr. Loughlin was nominated by Fayetteville’s Child Advocacy Center in recognition of his many years of service to the children of Cumberland County. In 1991, Dr. Loughlin helped to found Friends of Children at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center to serve hospitalized children and their families. In 1993, Dr. Loughlin and other concerned professionals came together to establish the Child Advocacy Center, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year. Dr. Loughlin has served on its board throughout its history.

    Dr. Loughlin started the Child Abuse Evaluation Clinic at Southern Regional Area Health Education Center in Fayetteville in 1994 so he and other local physicians could provide the necessary examinations for child abuse victims. He was director of that clinic until July 2012, when he partially retired. He continues to work at SRAHEC part-time.

    In 2009, Dr. Loughlin was one of the first physicians in the nation to take and pass the exam to become a Board Certifi ed Child Abuse Pediatrician. In 2012, he received the Champion for Children award from the Cumberland County Break the Chain of Child Abuse Committee.

    Skirmishes & Shortages: NC in 1863

    On Saturday April 6, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the grounds of the old Fayetteville Arsenal will once again host Confederate soldiers. “Skirmishes and Shortages: NC in 1863 is a Civil War Sesquicentennial living-history event focused on what was happening in our state 150 years ago. Members of the 26th N.C. Regiment will set up camp and provide musket and drilling demonstrations for the visiting public at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. in Arsenal Park.

    The Carolina Citizens, a civilian living-history group, will portray female munitions workers employed by the arsenal and visitors can try their own hand at rolling cartridges. Demonstrations are ongoing throughout the day.

    Musical performances will be provided by the Huckleberry Brothers Band at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 pm. This popular group of musicians from eastern North Carolina performs songs, ballads and fiddle tunes from the 19th century. Instruments include five-string banjo, fiddle, guitar, accordion, mandolin, tin whistle, harmonicas, bones and tambourine.

    Want to learn more about women workers in the Arsenal? Guest speaker Raina Kellerman, adjunct professor at Mount Aloysius College in Pennsylvania, will speak on this fascinating topic at 1 p.m. in the museum. She has been involved in Civil War living history for 17 years and is currently in the process of writing a book about women who worked in Civil War arsenals.

    Have your tintype image taken by fine-art photographer Harry Taylor. Taylor uses the wet-plate collodion process, the same method used during the Civil War, which involves large format cameras up to 16x20 and on site processing in a mobile darkroom. Visitors are welcome to have their images taken and purchase a 4x5 tintype or ambrotype on glass for $50, or an 8x10 is available for $100. Photography will be available throughout the day.

    Discover the story of “Long Grabs” McSween, the unofficial war correspondent for the Fayetteville Observer. A Fayetteville native, McSween wrote more than 80 letters to the Observer in 1862-1863. He was twice wounded at Petersburg as a member of the 26th N.C. McSween returned to Fayetteville after the war and became editor of The Eagle newspaper. Learn more about his extraordinary life and listen to an interpretive reading of his letters at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

    Photo: Dr. Howard Loughlin

  • Each year Better Health hosts an Evening at the Theater. It is a night of fun and entertainment that is unique every time. While offering something different year after year must be a challenge, event organizer Cassandra Vallery delivers time and again. Mark the calendar for March 23, and plan to head to the Highland Country Club for a cabaret show featuring Georgia Rogers, with Cassandra Vallery as the opening act.

    A long-time supporter of Better Health and a performer in her own right, Vallery has had a hand03-13-13-cassandra.gif in both writing and performing Evening at the Theater for several years running. Her vision for this latest rendition is defi nitely something worth getting excited about according to Judy Klinck, Better Health executive director.

    “We have a professional cabaret performer coming to be the main performer in our show,” said Klinck. “She has done cabaret and stage plays and club singing and other theatrical work around the country and she writes her own shows. There will be a lot of opportunity for laughs — she is funny, and a great singer, too.”

    One of Klinck’s favorite things about this event is that it is one-of-a-kind theater that can’t be foundanywhere else in town.

    “People coming to this event won’t be able to go out next weekend and see this at a different venue, in fact as far as I know there is no other establishment in Fayetteville that provides this kind of entertainment,” said Klinck. “It is a unique opportunity to see a show you wouldn’t get to see ordinarily. It is also an opportunity to do good.”

    In addition to an evening of entertainment, Better Health has some impressive items to raffl e. Come prepared for a chance to win a 46-inch sterling silver and rose quartz necklace from the David Yurman Collection. Retail Value: $975; Dom Perignon 2002 vintage champagne, Andy Warhol Collection (3 bottles). Retail value: $600; or a gift certifi cate for $100 to Morgan’s Chop House. Raffl e tickets may be purchased in advance from Better Health a board member, or at the event. Tickets are $10 each or three for $25. Participants do not have to be present to win. Three tickets will be drawn.

    While this event is indeed a lot of fun, the proceeds benefi t a serious cause – the health of the community. Last year alone, Better Health fi nancially assisted 1,376 people with prescriptions, dental extractions and other emergency needs; served 488 people who participated in diabetes programs; loaned medical equipment to 277 individuals in the community and reached 1,221 through community programs about healthy lifestyle.

    “The $30,000 we hope to net from this event is 9 percent of our current budget,” said Klinck. “So it is a signifi cant piece of the annual revenue Better Health needs to operate. We can get so caught up in the excitement of the event that it is easy for participants to forget what we are doing this for and that is to continue our services. We exist 100 percent on donations. We are locally grown and supported. The people we help are here in our community — 24.5 percent of people here do not have health insurance. We have a 13.5 percent diabetes rate, which is very high in the state. That is why we are a doing this fun and exciting event.”

    Reservations for the event are $85 per person and are available at www.betterhealthcc.org or by calling 483-7534. Reservations include the show, heavy hors d’oeuvres, beverages, dessert and coffee. Find out more at www.betterhealthcc.org

    Photo: Cassandra Vallery

  • 03-13-13-pitt.gifWho wants to play pin the pink star on the foreigners? It’s an exciting new fun game brought to you by the all Republican all the time current government of North Carolina. President Obi created the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that prevents the deportation of illegal immigrants under 30 who were brought to the U.S. as children and are now high school graduates, enrolled in college or who have served in the military. As part of this program, these people are eligible for driver’s licenses.

    The N.C. General Assembly is not happy about issuing driver’s licenses to these folks. It came up with a colorful way to comply with licensing. Licenses issued to the undocumented will bear a pink stripe and the words “No Lawful Status.” How long do you think the General Assembly will be content with just putting the Pink Badge of Otherness on North Carolina driver’s licenses for this group? Pink Striping is not going to be enough for the Republicans. Some Republican representative is likely to introduce a bill requiring people licensed under this law to wear pink stars on their clothes to broadcast their status. Forcing people to wear the mark of Cain is what the strong do to the weak. Come on General Assembly, just do it. Make ‘em wear pink stars. You know you want to.

    Remember Chuck Conner’s old western TV show Branded? Of course not. But I do, so you don’t have to. The General Assembly could recreate Branded’s opening sequence in its grudging issuance of driver’s licenses to those dastardly foreigners. Consider Conner’s plight. He is in the U.S. Cavalry. Through an unfortunate turn of events he is wrongly convicted of cowardice during a fight with the Indians. His commanding offi cer marches Conner, in full Army uniform, out into the middle of the fort and ceremoniously rips off all his uniform insignia, takes his hat and breaks his sword. The CO tosses Chuck and his broken sword out the front gate. Chuck is now on his own. As the theme song goes: “All but one man died/There at Bitter Creek/And they say he ran away/Branded, scorned as the one who ran/ What do you do when you’re branded, and you know you’re a man?”

    The N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles could use that branding experience to create the ceremonial issuance of driver’s licenses to the undocumented. March the prospective driver’s out into the middle of the parking lot at the DMV. Put their new driver’s licenses in a vat of chicken fat filled with water moccasins. Make ‘em bob for their licenses. When they get their license, pin the Pink Badge of Otherness on them. Paint a pink stripe down their cars for easy identifi cation by law enforcement. What could possibly go wrong with this plan?

    The Republicans won the election and now we have them and they have us. We are in a world where Republicans frolic and run free to spread blessings upon the Haves at the expense of the Have Nots. A world of trickle-up economics with reduced unemployment benefi ts, increased sales taxes and rejected Medicaid benefi ts for people silly enough to be poor and sick.

    Recall the great political philosopher Meat Loaf who wrote the classic song of young love, “Paradise by the Dashboard Light.” Mr. Loaf sang of young love that parallels N.C.’s current young love affair with the Republicans. The boy is attempting to convince his girl friend to make whoopee: “We were doubly blessed/’Cause we were barely 17/And we were barely dressed/... Though its cold and lonely in the deep dark night/I can see paradise by the dashboard light.” The girl replies, “Stop right there!/Will you love me forever?/Will you take me away and will you make me your wife?” The boy tries to dodge the question by telling her “I’ll give you the answer in the morning.” She isn’t buying it. He is overcome by the moment and “I started swearing on my mother’s grave/That I would love you till the end of time”

    After the moment passes, as all such moments do. Mr. Loaf says “So now I’m praying for the end of time/To hurry up and arrive/ ‘Cause if I’ve got to spend another minute with you/I don’t think that I can really survive/I’m praying for the end of time/So I can end my time with you.” Some of us non-Republicans are now praying for the end of time so we can end our time with the Republican paradise by the dashboard light. Happy motoring!

  • 03-06-2013race.jpgEducation is more important than ever in the current age. In the fast-paced science- and math-driven world, a sound basic education enables children to face their higher education goals with a head start. It is never too early to give a child a great education or an advantage for the future. St. Patrick Catholic School is one institution known for the quality education it has provided local residents over the past 75 years.

    The school has educated thousands of students, but it had humble beginnings.

    “St. Patrick Catholic School opened in 1937 as a parish ministry of St. Patrick Catholic Church at 811 Hay St., with an enrollment of 33 students. Four Sisters of Providence staffed the two-story building, which held three classrooms and a library on the first floor and provided living quarters for the sisters on the second floor,” according to school officials. “The backyard was used for recess and games. By the end of the first year, the school had grown to 50 students with one each in sixth, seventh and eighth grades.”

    From there school moved to its new location on Fort Bragg Road where enrollment peaked at 295. In 1986, it relocated to a new building near Village Drive, and current enrollment is 225.

    In order to celebrate its 75th anniversary and the growth and development of the school, St. Patrick Catholic School will host many events including a Fun Run. This is a 5k run/walk that will help fund the improvements in its technologies, Beth O’Leary, the coordinator of Family Life Ministry at the school explained. The event is scheduled for March 16.

    Increasingly schools are turning to technology to supplement educational practices. It is often far more interactive and a very engaging form of education for the students — and an engaged student is a student that learns more effectively. Unfortunately, these technologies can be incredibly expensive, but proceeds from the registrations for the fun run will help to offset the cost of improvements. There is no better way to celebrate years of success than to raise money for more improvements.

    “This is just a fun run in which anyone who likes to run or has a goal to run a 5K can participate. People can walk the route too,” O’Leary says.

    There are no requirements to participate in the race, and everyone is welcome regardless of whether or not they are affiliated with the school.

    Improving the education of the youth of the area is a great investment for the community. Well-educated citizens improve a community, so supporting the education of the next generation of leaders is an event where everyone can contribute. The event also celebrates the success of a longstanding and well-respected institution in Fayetteville.

    Race day registrations is $25, with registration opening at 7:30 a.m. The race will start at 9 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic School, which is located at 1620 Marlborough Road off Village Drive. Register online at active.com or at the school.

  • 03-06-2013grinch.jpgFrustrating. How do we teach our children responsibility? How do we instill honesty, pride, dignity and integrity into their young developing characters when our entire country, from the President on down, continues to display such ridiculous and senseless levels of corruption, political correctness and irresponsibility? All of which results in no one, including our members of Congress, willing step up, man up and be responsible for the direction and well being of our country.

    The recent sequestration volley is an example of irresponsible political behavior and fi nger pointing in what seems to be our country’s fifth rendition of the Republican and Democratic blame game. Who’s at fault? Who is responsible? Who even cares anymore?

    Believe me, there is enough blame to go around for everyone. As a nation, we are reaching the pinnacle of obscurity when it comes to leadership. And, from where I sit, the reason nothing is getting done is pretty obvious. No one has to do anything. It seems that political entitlements now dictates that no longer does anyone have to be responsible for his or her actions, or inactions, in an American leadership position. How convenient.

    Why is this? Our leaders have eliminated all responsibility and consequence. More simply put, our politicians at all levels have become so adept at shirking their duties and responsibilities that every Washington victory comes complete with a wardrobe of Tefl on suits. Nothing sticks. No accountability. No consequences. It just doesn’t matter!03-06-2013cat-in-the-hat.jpgWhere do we go from here?

    I am concerned. Last Friday I attended a wonderful Dr. Seuss birthday party put on by the Cumberland County Association of Educators. It was a great community-supported event. There were hundreds of young children playing, reading, laughing and singing — all oblivious of the dismal future we adults are carving out for them. It made me sad to think of the kind of world we will be leaving them if we don’t come to our senses and start being responsible for our actions. We cannot continue to exist as a nation of no consequences. This is the core of what builds character in our young people.

    How can we teach our children one thing and continue to demonstrate and practice another? No wonder our children are distracted, detached and confused. In their eyes, moral lines that separate good and evil must not only be blurred but quickly disappearing. Consequences do matter!

    Today, it seems that it doesn’t matter what you do, what you saw or how bad, brutal, heinous, bazaar, corrupt or irresponsible the act or action was. It just doesn’t matter because there will be no consequences.

    Recent examples:

    Solyndra: We lost $500 million of taxpayers’ money. How? Why? It doesn’t matter — no consequences.

    Our American Embassy gets attacked and destroyed in Benghazi. Four people die including our American Ambassador. How? Why? Who is the culprit? Who is responsible? It doesn’t matter — no consequences.

    An American border guard loses his life because of a stupid gun-hustling plan — Fast and Furious. Who is at fault? Where is the justice? Who is in charge here? It doesn’t matter — no consequences. Thousands of imprisoned illegal immigrants were released from jail and no one knows who gave the order. Again, it doesn’t matter — no consequences.

    Billions of taxpayers’ dollars are wasted on documented cases of waste, fraud and abuse of food stamps, welfare and other numerous entitlement programs yet these practices are allowed to continue unabated. Why? Because political correctness has reached unheard of levels and a corrupt political system encourages, rewards and fosters such behavior allowing it to become an accepted way of life. How did that happen? Because, there are no consequences for such behavior.

    In closing, let me make it clear that this is not a Democrat or a Republican thing or a black, white or Hispanic thing or a rich, poor or middle-class thing. This is an American thing. A very sad American thing. So, breaking down this problem into it’s simplest form I will ask: In this kind of political environment how do you teach young children love, respect, honesty, a work ethic and integrity? At some point, there must be a consequence. Without it, there will never be truth.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

    picture caption: How do you teach young children love, respect,
    honesty, a work ethic and integrity? 

     

  • 03-06-2013anne-1_mk.jpgIntolerance is nothing new to humanity. Throughout human history individuals, and even entire ethnic and religious groups have been targeted not just for harassment, but for extinction. This spring several organizations in the community will come together to promote diversity and tolerance.

    The Arts Council opens two exhibits on March 18: Art and Propaganda in Nazi-Occupied Holland and Anne Frank: A History for Today. Anne Frank: A History for Today was developed by the Anne Frank House and is sponsored in North America by the Anne Frank Center USA.

    Unlike previous exhibits, visitors won’t enter through the front door. No, the exhibit opens in the Arts Council basement amid dirt and debris — a space reminiscent of a bombed-out building, dark and devastated; a potential hiding place for someone who is a afraid and on the run. Once inside, the walls are lined with Dutch Resistance Art and offi cial propaganda from the World War II era. There are original posters that were used by the Nazi-controlled Dutch government; linoleum and woodcut prints created by Marie de Zaaijer that show the hardships suffered in Holland during World War II; and original drawings created by Henri Pieck when he was interned at Buchenwald Concentration Camp.

    Amid the oppressive propaganda that urges people to “support the heroic struggle of the German Wehrmacht against the dark forces of Bolshevism,” is a dusty furnace door that leads to what could have made a safe haven for any of the numerous “undesirables” targeted by the Nazi party during that time period. As visitors move to the upstairs exhibit, there is a stop along the way to the main gallery to watch a 28-minute video, The Short Life of Anne Frank. From there the tour concludes with Anne Frank: A History for Today, which is a timeline of the story of the Holocaust through the life of Anne Frank.

     “This tells the story of the Holocaust and it introduces people to the great history of World War II,” said Marketing Director at Arts Council of Fayetteville/ Cumberland County, Mary Kinney. “It talks a lot about the importance of individual action whether then or now.”

    There are several other free exhibits throughout the community in March and April that parallel the message of the Anne Frank exhibits. From April 1-May 22, Cumberland County Public Library and Information Center will host a multimedia traveling exhibit from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. The exhibit showcases how book burning played a part in America’s battle against Nazism. From March 18 - April 21 the Fayetteville Transportation and Local History Museum will exhibit A History of Fayetteville’s Jewish Community. Images, information, and artifacts tell the story about the positive impact of Jewish emigrants on the economic, social and cultural welfare of the local community.

    The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex examines intolerance through a different lens with an exhibit called Fayetteville and the Wilmington Race Riot of 1898. Propaganda and race relations are closely linked in America, even as far back at the late 1800s. This exhibit examines the struggle that took place in Wilmington and Fayetteville’s response and connections.

    The JFK Special Warfare Museum offers a look at many of the propaganda posters used by different organizations during World War II. The four major themes in this exhibit are Support of Allied efforts; Security, Homeland Conservation and Production and War Bonds. The 82nd Airborne Division Museum has artifacts the division captured from the Dutch National Socialist movement during World War II on display. There is an additional exhibit featuring the liberation of Wobbelin concentration camp. The Airborne and Special Operations Museum features several examples of American propaganda posters from the World War II-era.

    Beth Israel Congregation invites the public to a community observance of Holocaust Remembrance Day. The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra and Cape Fear Regional Theatre will present Olivier Messiaen’s “Quatuor pour la fi n du temps” (“Quartet for the End of Time”) and selected readings from a stage adaptation of the Diary of Anne Frank.

    For more information, visit www.theartscouncil. com or call 323-1776.

    Photo credit: ©AFS/AFF Amsterdam/Basel

  • 03-06-2013uac030613001.jpg It had just started getting tense in the South during the month of May in 1961. Little did the people who called the South home know that the summer was just beginning to heat up. That month, the first group of young Civil Rights activists boarded interstate buses to make the long trip into the integrated South. The first group of Freedom Riders, as they came to be known, left Washington, D.C. on May 4, 1961 and was scheduled to arrive in New Orleans on May 17. The purpose of their trip was to challenge Supreme Court rulings in Boynton v. Virginia and Morgan v. Virginia, which challenged the segregation of interstate buses.

    The young idealists left Washington, with little or no idea of the reactions they would encounter in the Deep South. They were attacked by local mobs and did not have the benefi t of police protection. Instead, when the police arrived, the students were arrested for various reasons: trespassing, unlawful assembly and violating state and local Jim Crow laws.

    As they moved further south, resistance and anger boiled to the front. It came to a head on Wednesday, May 24, when the Freedom Riders boarded buses to head into Jackson, Miss. While the buses were surrounded by the state Highway Patrol and National Guard, the students felt somewhat safe. That feeling didn’t last long as the minute they stepped off the bus, they were arrested. Once the local jails were filled to overfl owing, the students were transferred to one of the nation’s harshest jails, the Mississippi State Penitentiary, which was commonly known as Parchman Farm. While at Parchman, the students were placed on Death Row. They were only issued underwear. They were not allowed to exercise or receive mail.

    All of this was intended to break their spirit. But it didn’t. Instead, it allowed them to keep their dreams of freedom alive through songs and the use of their imagination to take them beyond the walls of the dreaded farm.

     The stories of these brave students are chronicled in The Parchman Hour at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre from March 7-24. The show, directed by the author of the play, Mike Wiley, is one of the most anticipated shows of the season.

    “It has been a fabulous journey thus far,” said Wiley during a recent interview. “It has been a pleasure to know and work with the great professionals at the CFRT to get this production going.”

    Wiley was inspired to write the play following a visit with one of his friends.

    “Bill Saone is a writer and playwright, as well as a musician who most people know from the Roof Top Singers,” explained Wiley. “I was sitting on his porch with him one afternoon in Maine chitchatting about things when he mentioned his time in jail in Mississippi. That gave me pause, because I thought I knew a great deal about the man and his history and hearing he had been in jail really came out of the blue.”

    Once Wiley delved into his friend’s story, he found that he had been jailed while traveling as a Freedom Rider. He shared his story of his journey south and those of his fellow college students. The story gripped Wiley and he couldn’t let it go.

    “These college kids literally fi nished their exams and then wrote wills and got on a bus and traveled to the Deep South to try and stop segregation,” said Wiley. “I realized this was a story that needed to be told.”

    Wiley spent a lot of time getting to know other Freedom Riders and documenting their stories. They told him stories of abuse and terror. More importantly, they told him stories of triumph. They talked about how they overcame hate with music and imagination. They told him about the Parchman Hour. It was the time when the prisoners came together to sing and act and generally encourage each other. The state could take away their freedom of movement, but not their freedom to dream.

    The Parchman Hour was originally staged at PlayMakers Repertory in Chapel Hill. Wiley has traveled to various universities to share the story with students hoping to inspire a new generation of idealists. While in Mississippi, he was astounded to fi nd that one of the Freedom Riders was in the audience. This young man was a native of Mississippi, but joined forces with the Freedom Riders. He was brutally whipped for his involvement.

    “We were doing the Q&A after the show when he stood up and came up on stage. He said this was a story that needed to be told,” said Wiley.

    The show that is set to debut at the CFRT is an updated script and features music that seamlessly adds to the tale. The actors and musicians who have been cast have found that rather than just telling the story, they have found themselves immersed in it. They have been changed by their involvement.

    As one cast member explained, “This show makes you think about what you would do if you were faced with this kind of racism, with this kind of injustice. Would you act? Would you be moved? How would it change you?’

    That’s a question that Wiley hopes many will wrestle with after seeing the show. Beyond that, he believes it is an important show in the way it shows the resiliency of people and the way it deals with a really bloody time period in our history.

    The show will open on March 7 and will run through March 24. Throughout the run, there will be several special events.

    Freedom Riders in the ‘60s Saturday, March 9, 5 p.m. at CFRT. Dr. Ekwueme Michael Thelwell, founding chairman of the Department of Afro-American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, will talk about his personal experiences in the Civil Rights-era and give a contextual framework for the Freedom Rides. This is a free event.

    Author Visit Monday, March 11, 7 p.m. at Headquarters Library. Wiley will discuss the play. This is a free event.

    Pre-Show Conversations Each evening before the performance at 6:45 p.m., there will be an informative pre-show talk about the production, which will give insight into the time period and the historical characters.

    For tickets and more information, visit www.cfrt.org.

  • 03-06-2013martin.jpgPortsmouth where? Maine? Virginia?

    Like many North Carolinians, my friend had not heard of Portsmouth, N.C. He was resisting my push to visit Portsmouth in connection with a planned trip to Ocracoke Island to participate in a program for public school teachers organized by the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching, known as NCCAT.

    Take out a state road map, I said, and look for an island just south of Ocracoke. You will see Portsmouth Island, and on it is marked the town of Portsmouth.

    Portsmouth is just a small village with a few old buildings: houses, a store, post office, church, a former lifesaving station and a graveyard.

    But no living people.

    By the 1970s only three people remained on the island and they are long since gone.

    The buildings, maintained by the National Park Service, stand as reminders of what Portsmouth once was: a thriving and important commercial center.

    Portsmouth lies to the south of Ocracoke Island, separated by Ocracoke Inlet, which, according to the late Dirk Frankenberg’s recently reissued classic, The Nature of North Carolina’s Southern Coast, is “the only inlet on the Outer Banks that has been open continuously throughout recorded history. It was a major entry into North Carolina’s coastal sound and estuaries in colonial times — first for pirates and smugglers,” including Blackbeard, who was killed at the inlet in 1718. After the Revolutionary War, “the inlet became important as a transshipment site for materials used for developing the land resources of North Carolina and southern Virginia.”

    The village, established in the 1750s, Frankenberg wrote, “played a major role in the maritime commerce of North Carolina for the next century.”

    Local pilots were necessary to guide ocean-going boats across the shallow inlet. Later, facilities grew up to accommodate the need to transfer goods between larger ocean-going ships and the smaller boats that delivered cargo to local ports near the Pamlico and Albemarle sounds.

    Over time a sand build-up made the Ocracoke Inlet more tortuous, and Frankenberg wrote that it was “quickly abandoned for the clearer channels of Hatteras and Oregon Inlets that were opened by the hurricane of 1846.”

    My friend agreed to add Portsmouth to our trip. Our three-hour ferry ride from Swan Quarter got us to Ocracoke just in time to join NCCAT leader Alton Ballance and his group of teachers on a boat that gave us a long, cold ride across the inlet to Portsmouth with guide Rudy Austin.

    Austin told us about each building and the people who worked and lived there. But other than his voice there was no sound. The eerie quietness surprised and then delighted us.

    Ballance told us about once spending the night alone in the deserted village, feeling the spirits of the dead and departed villagers and trying to imagine what they were like and how they lived.

    Later I remembered how Michael Parker’s book, The Watery Part of the World, set out a fictionalized version of the last three people who lived on the island. In Parker’s version, university researchers visited a couple of times each year and asked questions about history and life on the island. They recorded the answers and preserved the distinctive way the threesome spoke. Their answers were not always totally honest, and their brogues became more pronounced for the outsiders they called “the Tape Recorders.”

    The history lessons and the spur to imagination that came from our visit to Portsmouth make such a trip easy to recommend, notwithstanding the difficulty in getting there.

    But, says guide Rudy Austin, be careful about going in the summertime when mosquitoes and other bugs “will eat you alive.”

  • Drunk Driving in Cumberland County

    If you enjoy two or three brewskis at your favorite watering hole and then enjoy getting in your car and weaving your way home, Cumberland County is the place for you. Not that your likelihood of arrest and receiving a citation is less here than other jurisdictions, it’s just that arrest, appearance before a magistrate and a court date are about as far as it goes.

    A case in point to support this thesis occurred Sunday morning, March 18, 2012.03-28-12-dwi.jpg One Omar D. McEachern was driving drunk, wrecked and his passenger was killed. He has been subsequently charged with second degree murder. That charge will undoubtedly be pleaded down to vehicularhomicide, a much less serious crime. His license had been revoked due to a 2010 arrest for driving while impaired. His case was continued for almost two years. Had it been heard on a timely basis, and had McEachern received his just desserts, a young life would likely have been spared, certainly not his, but that of his young passenger.

    A DWI charge anywhere should be serious business — but maybe not in Cumberland County. A DWI conviction surely affects your automobile insurance costs, your wallet and sometimes even your employment. But in Cumberland County, the offender only needs to retain a certain clique of local attorneys and then just sit back and relax.

    The attorneys’ fees for handling DWI cases are significant, so the miscreant needs to take a rather large check to the attorney/client sit down. From there, a strategy is developed to circumvent the intent of the law.

    And the assortment of available strategies can effectively keep someone charged with DWI out of a courtroom and facing a judge for years, if not forever. As of Feb. 25, 2012 there were 2,364 DWI cases in the Cumberland County court system, with some of them dating as far back as 1990, with 689 older than 2010. Many, if not most of those cases, will never be adjudicated. They will just drift into the night and fog of our county’s system of justice, as it applies to DWI cases.

    In 2009 Dominic Tearry was speeding early one morning on Yadkin Road. He was traveling at a speed of more than 100 miles-per-hour in a 40 mph zone when he, as one would expect, wrecked. The wreck killed his cousin, a passenger. Tearry’s blood alcohol was about three times the legal limit, which is .08. The legal limit can be reached by the average adult after the consumption of just two beers, two glasses of wine or two shots of liquor within an hour.

    He was charged with second degree murder. That sounds about right. But when Tearry’s case was heard in Judge Greg Week’s court, he was convicted of vehicular homicide, a lesser charge, with no explanation to the victim’s family from the district attorney’s offi ce. Superior Court Judge Weeks sentenced Tearry to 90 active days of incarceration. A young life, a husband, snuffed out and the penalty was 90 days. It gets more outrageous. Tearry may serve his time on weekends, and he may apply to his overworked parole offi cer to be excused from weekend jail time if it doesn’t fi t his schedule. So there you have it — in Cumberland County justice is not only blind, it is to drunken driving, inexplicable.

    One might well ask what the district attorney’s role is in this misdirection of the justice system. Certainly the judges should not get all the blame, nor should the sly defense attorneys get all the credit, if credit is the appropriate word. Assistant district attorneys try district court cases and are often inexperienced and therefore sometimes outmaneuvered by seasoned and sophisticated defense attorneys. Another aspect of this problem of a dysfunctional criminal justice system in regards to drunken drivers is the judges who assumed their seats after a career as defense attorneys or as public defenders. It would seem that in too many instances they cannot disabuse themselves from the concept of defending the defendant rather than awarding a measure of justice to the people.

    Consider carefully how, and for whom you vote for the judge seats up for election or reelection this year. Ask at public forums about the candidate’s position on DWI, repeat offenders and the clogged dockets, because judges leave court in the middle of the day and most importantly, why do they, if they are currently seated, grant continuances time after time?

  • DWI Victims and Advocates of Justice Speak Out

    Many people are frustrated and are beginning to think that American justice is under siege. Politics, slick lawyers, inept court systems and big money seem to be influencing how justice is meted out at all levels.

    Basically, our nation is slowly redefining the term illegal and the defi nition of justice. To many Americans, lady justice is no longer blind, and her scales are far from balanced. No place is this more evident than in our own community of Fayetteville/Cumberland County, where hundreds of families struggle with the consequences of being victims of someone charged with driving while impaired.

    Here, the wheels of justice turn much too slowly for victims, families and friends of those devastated by these people. DWI victims suffer every day, not only from their injuries and cherished loss of life, but equally from the indignities served to them by a judicial system that seems to have reached an all time high in new lows for how it uses the law, lawyers and the court system itself to become advocates for the perpetrators and criminals. This leaves the victims and their families frustrated, without justice or closure, sentencing them to a lifelong purgatory of sadness, humiliation and unreconciled grief.

    Over the next five weeks, you are going to hear from these victims and their advocates for justice. You will read first-hand accounts about their actual experiences in Cumberland County court. You will hear how they cope with a legal system that projects a greater advocacy for the crime and criminal than justice for the victim/plaintiff. 03-28-12-dwi.jpg

    Our purpose? To make our community aware that this problem really does exist. It is also to acknowledge that as long as this injustice continues to be perpetuated on the residents of Fayetteville and Cumberland County, our children, residents, streets and communities will never be safe from the growing and impending danger of DWI violations.

    During the next five weeks, we will try to find the answers to these questions and many more:

    Why is the state considering moving the federal courtrooms to Raleigh where local traffic and DWI offenses on Fort Bragg would be heard more than an hour away? If you think justice is slow now, wait until this move becomes a reality.

    Would this not further delay justice by creating hardships on the victims, their attorneys and the arresting law-enforcement offi cers by dragging out the adjudication process?

    What responsibility do the district courts have in actually trying to hear a case, as opposed to simply continuing them or dismissing them for inexplicable reasons? And, why are more cases not being heard?

    How much is it really costing Cumberland County taxpayers to have local police offi cers and North Carolina Highway Patrol officers sitting in a district court room needlessly for hours just because the case might be called? What is the cost in terms of loss of productivity, public safety and crime prevention as they spend most of a day doing nothing at taxpayer’s expense?

    Have the above procedures become the standard practice for granting “no reason” continuances while stalling for time, hoping for dismissal because the arresting offi cer has fi nally left the force and cannot testify? No testimony… no conviction.

    I hope you will read and study these accounts. Share them with your friends. Contact these victims. DWI is a very bad, bad, bad thing. DWI is not a victimless crime and it should not be made to look that way by a system that rewards the criminals, persecutes victims and makes a mockery of justice while slick lawyers get paid big bucks because they have learned how to manipulate our courtrooms like so many puppets on a string.

    Do criminals have more rights than their victims? Here in Cumberland County … I’ll let you be the judge of that.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly. We love to hear from our readers. Send your letters and comments to us at editor@ upandcomingweekly.com. If there is something you would specifi cally like to share with me, you can always reach me at bbowman@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • uac032812001.jpg The 61st running of Stoneybrook Steeplechase is scheduled for Saturday, April 7 at Carolina Horse Park in Raeford. Horse racing fans are in for a treat, but you don’t need to be an equine enthusiast to have a great time at the event.

    It’s a good time for all ages and walks of life, according Nicole White, marketing and communications manager at Carolina Horse Park.

    “We are thrilled to be experiencing growing crowds from Fayetteville and Cumberland County and want to extend a specific invitation to them for this year’s Stoneybrook,” said White. “This is one of the few events in our area that is this unique and is really for everyone. Stoneybrook brings together all walks of life. There is a great array of activities all day long and it’s fun to see all types of people come together and enjoy themselves.”

    The day starts bright and early with registration for the Cancer CARE Fund Run for the Ribbons 5K and 1K. The race starts at 9 a.m. Proceeds from the event benefit local cancer patients. Last year more than 600 runners participated, and White is hoping for even more this year. Not only is it a good cause, it is a beautiful run.

    “The race starts and ends on the race track, where mere hours later horses will be thundering by, and goes through portions of our 250 acres and the cross-country course,” White said. “Those who do the footrace get free admission into the event for the rest of the day,” she added.

    The vendor area, known as Merchants Crossing, and the beer garden open at 10 a.m. With the Kid Zone, Merchant Crossing and the Beer Garden in the same area, you won’t have to travel far to find something fun to do.

    Traditionally scheduled for the first weekend in April, Stoneybrook Steeplechase falls on Easter weekend this year and will feature Easter egg hunts and a visit from the Easter Bunny to entertain the younger guests.

    “We have some new kid’s events this year including a John Deer/Quality Equipment tricycle race,” said White. “The winner gets to take home their tricycle.”

    Other fun Kid Zone activities include pony rides, an appearance by Truman the dragon of Kidsville News!, pony rides, a climbing wall, bounce houses, a mechanical bull and more.03-28-12-steeplechase.jpg

    Merchants Circle promises to be a one of a kind shopping experience.

    “We are looking at more than 40 vendors including food and retail … anything and everything from sponsor booths to frozen yogurt and hotdogs to specialty equipment and high end clothing will be available.”

    The Huske Hardware House Beer Garden is located near Merchants Circle and will offer a variety of beers for the tasting and spaces for socializing throughout the day.

    At 11:30 a.m., the contests begin. There will be a wine cellar tailgate contest, the Hawkins and Harkness Hat Contest and the Jefferson Inn Kids and Celebrity Stick Horse Race.

    The opening ceremonies begin at noon and include the Turf Club VIP Luncheon, the raising of the flag and the singing of the National Anthem. Another highlight this year is the opening ceremony.

    “We will have the Dugan Briggs Veteran Parachute Team — many of whom are current and prior Golden Knights,” said White. “They are going to jump in with the American flag, which will kick off the opening ceremonies.”

    Fayetteville’s own Summer Collins plays a part in the ceremony as well, singing the National Anthem.

    Following the opening ceremonies, contest winners will be announced, and at 1 p.m. it’s the call to the paddock as riders and viewers prepare for the races.

    After the horses have run, there are Easter egg hunts for children 0-5 and 6-12 years old.

    Gates close at 6 p.m.

    03-28-12-steeplechase-2.jpgThis year Stoneybrooke Steeplechase has partnered with area Harris Teeter stores in Whispering Pines, Aberdeen, Fayetteville and Lauringburg. Stop by one of these Harris Teeter stores and purchase a general admission ticket with your VIC card and receive a 20 percent discount. This deal is good through April 6. Tickets are available at the customer service desk in the stores. Military members can receive a 20 percent discount on general admission and tailgate spaces by purchasing a ticket through Carolina Horse Park.

    Tickets cost $25 in advance and $30 on race day. Find out more about tailgating options and other race day events at www.carolinahorsepark.com/stoneybrook.

    Photos: (Middle right) The 61st running of Stoneybrook Steeplechase is scheduled for Saturday, April 7 at Carolina Horse Park in Raeford.  (Bottom left) Mad Hatters are always a big hit at the steeplechase.

  •  Window Box Gardening Cultivates Senior Interests

    As March comes to a close, people are thinking of Spring and the beautiful flowers that burst into color. It forces thoughts of getting the planters ready for the porch or patio. Gardening is one of the most popular activities for seniors. But many can no longer get outdoors to enjoy this activity. That’s what makes simple pot or window gardening so appealing. Companionship, too, can help.

    Q. My 82-year-old mother can no longer get outdoors much. She used to love to garden. What are ways that I can help her continue to enjoy this hobby?

    A. How about a window box? They’re easy to assemble and your mother can watch flowers and even vegetables and herbs grow all year round.

    03-28-12-senior-corner.jpgAccording to the National Gardening Association, you can help your mom assemble a window box with the following tools and procedures:

    • Use a container that’s at least eight inches wide and deep. Be sure the container has drainage holes or plan to drill your own. If mounting under a window, use a box that is a couple of inches smaller than the width of the window for best appearance.

    • A sterile potting mix containing peat, perlite and other ingredients that improve drainage, aeration, fertility and water-holding capacity. Consider using a water-absorbing polymer to decrease watering frequency. Fill your window box about half full with the potting mix, and add water to moisten the mix if it’s dry. (Do not use regular garden soil.)

    • Set plants about two to five inches apart in the box, depending on their mature size. Slip plants out of their pots without pulling on the stems and gently untangle any circling roots. Set the tallest plants, such as geraniums, in the back of the box. Let the trailing plants, such as lobelia, hang over the front and sides. Fill in with the fluffy plants, such as pansies or impatiens. Fill the spaces between plants with soil mix, tapping gently. Water thoroughly to settle the soil.

    • Window boxes require frequent watering — often daily in hot, dry weather. Soak the soil completely at each watering. Use a water-soluble flowering plant fertilizer dissolved at one-quarter strength once a week or according to package instructions.

    Making a window box-or more than onewill also be a fun bonding experience for you and your mom. For other project ideas, log on to the National Gardening association website at www.garden.org.

    If you don’t have time to help your mom with these projects, consider hiring a companion. Many like to garden, too.

    Photo: Making a window box with a loved one can be a fun bonding experience.

  • The Department of Defense continues to support the popular MyCAA program, with several key changes in eligibility and dollar amounts.

    Here is a summary of the changes:

    • Be available to spouses of active duty service members in pay grades E1-E5, W1-W2 and O1-O2 including the spouses of activated guard and reserve members within those ranks. Spouses of guard and reserve members must be able to start and complete their courses while their sponsor is on Title 10 orders.

    • Offer a maximum financial benefit of $4,000 with a fiscal year cap of $2,000. Waivers will be available for spouses pur-suing licensure or certification up to the total maximum assis-tance of $4,000.

    • Require military spouses to finish their program of study within three years from the start date of the first course.

    • Be limited to associate degrees, certification and licensures.

    The Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts (MyCAA) program provides up to $4,000 (over two years) of financial assistance for military spouses who are pursuing degree programs, licenses or credentials leading to employment in portable career fields.

    The MyCAA Benefit Details

    MyCAA Financial Assistance pays tuition for education and training courses and licensing/credentialing fees. This includes state certifications for teachers, medical professionals and other occupations requiring recognized certifications; licensing exams and related prep courses; Continuing Education Unit classes including those offered through professional associations; and degree programs leading to employment in Portable Career Fields. MyCAA also pays for High School Completion courses, GED tests and English as a Second Language classes.

    More Details

    : • MyCAA does not pay for education and training programs that include com-puters (CPUs or laptops); application, graduation or membership fees; student activ-ity cards; child care; parking; transportation; or medical services.

    • If a spouse enrolls in a course without an approved MyCAA Financial Assistance (FA) document, the spouse will be responsible for paying course costs.

    • MyCAA does not provide reimbursements of any kind to spouses for any reason.

    • MyCAA FA payments are made directly to schools using MyCAA’s electronic invoicing system.

    • Unfortunately, Coast Guard spouses are not covered by the MyCAA Spouse Employment Congressional mandate: PL 110-417 Sec 582. The Coast Guard is a part of the Department of Homeland Security, not the Department of Defense.

    The MyCAA Application Process03-28-12-ftcc.jpg

    Eligible spouses can establish a MyCAA Account by visiting the MyCAA website https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa. Once spouse profile information is provided, MyCAA will verify spouse DEERS benefit eligibility. Eligible spouses will be allowed to create the Career and Training Plan and request FA within 30 days of course start dates. Additionally, spouses are responsible for applying to their selected school or program and enrolling in each course included in their approved MyCAA Career and Training Plan.

    Military spouses can help themselves by:

    • Visiting www.careeronestop.org to explore Portable Career Fields and find schools that have programs of study leading to licenses, certificates and degrees.

    • Finding their school in the MyCAA website using the School Search function. If the desired school is not listed, follow the direc-tions shown at the end of the School Search.

    • Establishing and managing their MyCAA Account at https://aiportal.acc.af.mil/mycaa, use MyCAA resources to create a Career and Training Plan, and apply for FA.

    Photo: Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts provide tuition assistance to eligible military spouses.

  • 03-28-12-storytellers.jpgStory telling is an art form like no other. Long before Twitter or newspapers, oral story telling wove words together to impart wisdom, provoke thought and draw out emotions of listeners to educate, inspire and entertain. To celebrate that rich tradition, the Storytelling Festival of the Carolinas will be held March 29-31 in Laurinburg, N.C.

    The festival has been featured in Our State magazine and attracts people far outside the boundaries of the Carolinas. Last year, more than 4,000 visitors flocked to the event, traveling from as far away as Washington state and Texas.

    “It is such a big hit, we found no one around here does it like we do,” said Brenda Gilbert, the chair of the Storytelling and Arts Center of the Southeast.

    The festival features nationally renowned storytellers and published authors, but on a much smaller scale than the national festival. The smaller scale is attractive to a lot of people because of the intimate setting, Gilbert explains.

    “Story telling is give and take,” Gilbert said. “Storytellers draw the energy from the audience and thrive off it. The crowd connects to the performer and draws in all the details.”

    Both national and regional storytellers will host workshops as well as perform on different topics to share their talent and tips.

    “We really have fi ne tellers, no one as ever been disappointed,” Gilbert said.

    Eth-Noh-Tec, the San Francisco-based kinetic story theater group of Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo and Nancy Wang, will be on hand. The group brings precision choreography, lyrical word weaving, graceful, playful and poetic. Eth-Noh-Tec has created an exciting new blend of storytelling and physical theater.

    Gene Tagaban, whose heritage is Cherokee, Tlingit and Filipino, shares contemporary and traditional Native American stories, bringing them to life with the use of traditional flutes, drums, dance, masks and regalia.

    Donald Davis grew up in a family of traditional storytellers who have lived on the same North Carolina land since 1781. After 20 years serving as a United Methodist minister, Davis became a fulltime storyteller. Now he gives more than 300 performances a year.

    Whether he’s singing about catfi sh, pontificating on possums or extolling the virtues of dandelions, Doug Elliott will take you on an unforgettable, multifaceted cultural tour of North America’s backcountry.

    The Storytelling Festival of the Carolinas kicks off with a preview show on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m., at the Storytelling & Arts Center of the Southeast. The storytelling festival continues Friday and Saturday with one-hour storytelling sessions from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

    There will also be craft and food vendors on hand.

    You’ll become instant friends with people, whether you come with a group or head out to listen to stories yourself. You are sure to have a good time.” Gilbert said.

    Guests can register for one day or the entire weekend. For registration and more information visit www. storytellingfestivalofcarolina.org.

    Photo: Thousands flock to the Storytelling and Arts Center of the Southeast in Lauringburg, N.C.,
    annually to attend the Storytelling Festival of the Carolinas. 

  • Get ready! The East Coast Step Show is back, and even better, bringing Fayetteville captivating stepping at the Crown Coliseum on March 31.

    Stepping, for those not in the know, is a form of percussive dance in which the participant’s entire body is used as an instrument to produce complex rhythms and sounds through a mixture of footsteps, spoken word, and hand claps. Though stepping may be performed by an individual, it is generally performed by groups of three or more, often in arrangements that resemble military formations. Historically, it is linked to the first historically Black Greek organizations, with the first mention of stepping occuring in the 1920s.

    The East Coast Step Show dates back to 1998. It is one of the longest running step shows in the country and has attained glowing reviews since the event’s inception. Richard Smith, team coordinator for The East Coast Step Show, says that the first three years the step show was held at Fayetteville State University, but was eventually moved to a larger arena because of its growth.

    “We had to move locations because the crowd got bigger and we needed more space,” Smith says, “We eventually came to the Crown Center and have been here ever since.”

    The East Coast Step Show is performed in Rocky Mount, N.C., Florence, S.C., and of course, Fayetteville. The show has had the privilege of presenting teams from all over the country, showcasing their talents in the art of stepping.

    Smith noted that the show is so unique because of the variety of step teams from all over the country that bring their style of stepping to the audience. They are competing with other teams from all over the county.

    “It gives people the opportunity to view a wide range of step teams from all over that bring their own flavor,” Smith says, “It will be very eventful for everyone.”

    There will be a panel of judges, as well, that will choose the best team in the country and on the east coast.

    “It is kind of like American Idol,” Smith explains. “Our judges consist of alumni members and they will observe the team’s performance to make their final pick.”T

    he winning step team will be awarded cash prizes. This money is given to help the teams give back to the community by donating to charities, mentoring youth and for community projects. Of course, the show is to bring entertainment to the community, but the step show has an even bigger mission.

    “We want to bring about awareness through the culture of stepping,” Smith said. 

    The step show will allow the audience to get closer to Greek Life and gain that unique experience by viewing some of the best step teams in their state. Some of the teams that will attend are from the University of Maryland, Clafl in University, Virginia State University, New Jersey, Florida, Virginia, Georgia and North Carolina.

    “Each year we like to spotlight local elementary and high school step teams,” Smith adds.

    This year the Legacy Step Team from E.E. Smith High School and the SWA Elementary Steppers in Lumberton will h03-28-12-step-show.jpgave the opportunity to showcase their unique steps. National recording artist Travis Porter will also perform.

    “We always like to bring musical talent to the show,” Smith adds, “it’s something that we like to give back to the youth.”

    The show starts at 6 p.m., with doors opening at 5 p.m. For more information, contact the Crown Coliseum at 438-4100 or visit www.atthecrown.com.

    Photo: Step teams from across the East Coast compete for cash prizes at the East Coast Step Show.

  • 03-28-12-golf-turney.jpgAre you ready to hit the course and showcase your golfi ng talent? Well get geared up! The University of North Carolina at Pembroke’s Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) Chapter invites the Fayetteville community to come and out and enjoy the third annual Make Par for PR Golf Tournament on March 31. This fundraiser is being held at the Pinecrest Country Club Golf Course in Lumberton, N.C.

    The Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), one of the nation’s largest communities of public relations and communications professional, founded PRSSA in 1968. The reason for the creation of PRSSA was to encourage a relationship between students and public relations professionals that promotes beneficial opportunities. Through this organization, PRSSA aims to seek the expansion of careers in public relations through the advancement of student professionals. Networking and professional development are benefi ts for any student who becomes a part of the organization. PRSSA advocates academic standards for public relations education, the highest ethical principles and diversity in the profession.

    The organization consists of 10,000 students and advisors and has been organized into more than 300 chapters nationwide, including one organization in Argentina. The group is headquartered in New York and is led by a national committee of PRSSA and PRSA members. UNCP’s PRSSA chapter is one of 10 chapters on North Carolina campuses. It is safe to say PRSSA is a major organization that is a part of many different campuses. It is beneficial for those students who are seeking a successful and fulfi lling career in the public relations fi eld.

    Because of the success of the organization and the drive for student success, the Make Par for PR Golf Tournament fundraiser is an excellent way to support the students and keep the organization growing. George Harrison, faculty advisor for PRSSA, is thrilled about this up and coming fundraiser.

    “This is our biggest fundraiser of the year,” Harrison explains, “It is a chance for members of the community to support our students by providing them opportunity for more future public relations endeavors.”

    This is the third year for the fundraiser and preparations for the tournament are going well. The golf tournament allows individuals to play on teams, prizes are awarded for the top three teams.

    There are different participation levels. Sponsorship levels are available too, and they range from Bronze which is $150 to Gold which is $500. Sponsors receive recognition in the event program and other great opportunities depending on sponsorship level.

    Christopher Peterkin, president of UNCP PRSSA, says that the organization has raised $1,500 in sponsorship thus far.

    “We raised $2,500 last year but we are looking to raise more money this year.” Peterkin says.

    Peterkin feels that this year will be a great turnout and is encouraging everyone to come out and support the organization through this exciting and fun tournament.

    “We will be accepting any donations or new teams all the way up to the day of the tournament.” Harrison said. “If you want more information about registration just visit the website and print out the brochure.”

    All prices mentioned on the brochure are set prices and will remain that way through the day of the tournament. Registration includes an enjoyable dinner and refreshments, green fees, cart fees, range balls and a goody bag. Raffl e tickets and $5 mulligans will also be available for purchase at the tournament.

    “All the proceeds from the tournament will go towards funding for future PR trips and to help send members to the different conferences,” Peterkin explains.The Golf Tournament tees off at 2 p.m. at the stunning Pinecrest Country Club. For more information about registration or joining UNCP PRSSA visit www.uncp.edu/prssa.

    Photo: UNCP’s Make Par for PR golf tournament takes place in Lumberton on March 31.

  • A Peek at New Releases

    This week in “The Buzz” we will look at some new music just coming out, check out a few new songs coming to Christian radio as well as two new movies heading to theaters this month. We will find out which art-ist is expecting their own bundle of joy!

    Breathe In — Phillips, Craig & Dean

    Made up of full-time pastors Randy Phillips, Shawn Craig and Dan Dean, Phillips, Craig & Dean just released their latest project Breathe In this month. Th03-28-12-thebuzz.jpge new album features several worship songs including “Great and Glorious,” “Great, Great God” and the hit radio single, “When The Stars Burn Down”.

    The Christian Movie Scene

    There is some buzz this week in the Christian movie arena. Provident films releases October Baby on March 23. This powerful film reminds us that every life is valuable. John Schneider (Dukes of Hazzard) and Jasmine Guy (Different World) co-star in supporting roles. Also, Christian comedian Ken Davis brings us a comedy concert for the whole family as Fully Alive hits the big screen locally on March 22 and 25.

    What’s new with Jaci Velasquez?

    Not only is she a wife, mother and co-host of a morning radio in Nashville, Jaci also has a new album out. Diamond’s release through retail garnered Jaci’s highest chart position (#11) in more than a decade. Her lead single “Give Them Jesus” achieved Top 20 status and showed her pres-ence is valued again within our community.

    Look who’s having a baby!!

    After attending the Grammy Awards last month as a nominee, Laura Story and her husband, Martin, announced that they are expecting their first child, due this fall. “What an amazing season this has been!” says Story. “Martin and I have been so thankful to find out that we are expecting, and then this Grammy surprise was the cherry on top! Thanks to all who are cel-ebrating with us.”

    What’s coming to your radio?

    David Crowder Band with “After All (Holy)” is the latest single from their final project, Give Us Rest or (a requiem mass in c [the happiest of all keys]). If nothing else, David Crowder is a rather unique individual but we will be singing his songs for years to come.

    British worship leader Matt Redman released a new CD last year to rave reviews. If you’re a fan of the Passion projects or just like great worship music, 10,000 Reasons deserves consideration. The title track from 10,000 Reasons, should be playing on a radio near you very soon!

    Photo: Phillips, Craig & Dean. Photo courtesy of breathecast.

  • Imagine you are in a car wreck. You are trapped and injured. In the distance, you hear sirens coming. Who do you hope is in that ambulance? If you are lucky, it is one of the men and women of the Cumberland County EMS of Cape Fear Valley. The paramedics who man the rescue vehicles that respond to homes and accidents all across Cumberland County are among the best of the best in the nation, as recently demonstrated when a team from Cumberland County took fi rst place in the 9th Annual Journal of Emergency Medicine Games in Baltimore, Md.

    The annual competition draws teams from all over the United States and from around the world. This year 14 teams competed, including a team from the world-class New York City Fire Department.

    “These are really the best of the best, and we won the competition,” said Brian Pearce, a member of the team and the director of Emergency Medical Services/Lifeline.

    The team, comprised of Pearce, Lee Westbrook, Larry Smith and Joe Crowder, had to complete two separate timed events involving care of patients. The team was graded not only on their time, but on how well they treated their patients.

    The first test was an obstacle course. The team was required to complete six stations, all while moving and treating a “patient.” The obstacle course started at the ambulance. The team then had to climb through a window with their gear to reach the patient, stabilize the patient who had a compromised airway, and then move the patient to safety. This required the team to carry the patient and all of their equipment up a set of stairs, across a small platform and then back down the stairs. During the transport, the patient gets sicker, and the team has to treat them again and again, until they make it back to the ambulance.

    At each juncture, the professionals of the Cumberland County EMS were called on to treat the patient to a certain set of medical standards. The patient, a mannequin that is designed for training, tracks the level of care that the paramedics are providing and reacts to that care, either getting better or getting sicker.

    In the second round, the team is randomly assigned a scenario and then asked to react to it. This year, the scenario was familiar to the paramedics. A tornado had just hit a town, and they had to set up and man a shelter to treat the wounded and the displaced. Westbrook, was among one of the first paramedics to respond to the Yadkin/Reilly Road area last spring when a tornado devastated parts of Fayetteville.

    “We had seen this before,” said Westbrook. “We knew what to do.”

    During the competition, the team had 20 minutes to treat as many people as possible. People entering the shelter had a wide range of injuries from shrapnel, electrical injuries and injuries sustained during building collapses — not to mention people who were simply in shock.

    The team was graded on how appropriate their treatment was. In one scenario, a total of 62 points was available, with the Cumberland County EMS team earning 61. Pearce explained that the patient would have lived if you had treated 30 points, but that the level of care of the Cumberland County team was exceptional. Overall, the Cumberland County team garnered 349 points, with the second place team receiving only 209 points and the third place team earning only 190 points.

    “The first year we competed, we were a little intimidated going up against guys from places like the NYFD,” said Pearce. “But now, we go in expecting to win. We know that the care03-21-12-ems.jpg we give the people in Cumberland County is as good as, if not better than the care given anywhere else. All of our paramedics pride themselves on that.”

    Smith added that while there are only four people on the team, every paramedic on the Cumberland County Service has the same level of education and skill.

    Pearce noted that winning this prestigious competition goes a long way toward validating the high-level of skill and dedication of the men and women of the Cumberland County EMS. The competition also allows the paramedics to attend world-class medical lectures where they learn the latest and greatest in progressive treatments. This year, the team brought home $20,000 in prizes that will be used in training and on the street.

    Photo: The team from Cumberland County EMS of Cape Fear Valley, comprised of Larry Smith, Brian Pearce, Lee Westbrook and Joe Crowder earned top honors during the 9th Annual JEMS Games in Baltimore, Md. 

  • uac032112001.jpg If you happened to be driving down Ray Avenue recently and saw a gaggle of pretty girls in beautiful dresses, walking through the Linear Park with their dolls, you may have thought they were on their way to a tea party or a play date. But they were not. The girls, all members of the cast of the American Girl Fashion Show, were doing publicity shots for the show.

    That’s just one of the many duties the girls sign up for when they ask to be included in the show. They are also tasked with getting sponsors for the event, raising funds and attending tons of practices. At the end of the day, while they do have their moment in spotlight, it’s really not about them. It’s about the abused children who are helped through the Child Advocacy Center. And it is that idea, which keeps many of the girls returning year after year.

    Cindy Huguley and Carol Jones have seen the dedication to help others in their own daughters and match it with their own tireless efforts in planning the annual event. This is their fourth year as cochairs of the event, along with Julia Adkins.

    “I keep doing this because of the good cause, which is to help abused children in our community,” said Huguley. “I also keep doing it because the event is such a positive one for all the girls involved. Even at this young age, they learn that they can make a difference.”

    The American Girl Fashion Show is something my kids can relate to,” said Jones. “They have an opportunity to help other children and to participate in something that is fun for them.”

    In its fifth year, the American Girl Fashion Show is one of the center’s largest fundraisers. Last year, the girls raised more than $37,000 through their efforts. They are on track to raise that much and more this year. And according to the staff at the CAC, ticket sales are also going well.

    Each of the models is responsible for soliciting sponsorships and selling tickets. With four casts in place for the event, organizers expect to not only meet this year’s goal but surpass it. There are 129 models involved in the show and more than 50 parent volunteers. Work on the show begins the week after the show is over, and continues throughout the fall.

    “We have a lot of fittings and rehearsals before the show, and the girls are really active through the end of March,” said Huguley.

    The pay off is the fun of the event, and the joy it brings to so many other little girls from aro03-21-12-american-girl-logo.jpgund thecommunity.

    This year, the event is slated for the weekend of March 24-25 at the Crown Center Ballroom. The fun, engaging event showcases historical and contemporary fashions for girls and their dolls. The fashion show includes commentary, music and decorations. And if you bring your doll to a party, there has got to be tea involved. The tea party occurs throughout the fashion show and features a number of sweet treats, which can be shared by attendees.

    Additionally, there will be a style salon on hand where dolls and girls can get their hair fixed. There is also a store, where you can purchase matching outfi ts for your favorite little girl and her doll.

    “This is an extremely child-friendly event,” said Jones. “It’s all about the girls and it makes it a lot of fun for them.”

    The show lasts about two hours, which includes an intermission.

    “This is a very unique experience. There is really nothing else in Fayetteville that compares to it,” said Huguley. “It’s a great way to connect generations — grandmothers, mothers and daughters. The event really celebrates strong women, and in today’s society, it is really a good, fun thing to do.”

    Shows are Saturday, March 24 at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. and Sunday, March 25 at 1 and 5 p.m.

    03-21-12-american-girl1.jpgTickets are selling at a brisk pace, and organizers would love nothing more than to sell out all four shows. One show is already sold out. Tickets are $35, with a limited number of $60 VIP seatsavailable. Tickets include elegant refreshments, party favors, raffles and door prizes. They can be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com or in person at the Crown Center Box Office. Facility fees and or Ticketmaster fees will also apply.

    For more information or to order souvenirs, call 486-9700 or visit www.childadvocacycenter.com. The show is recommended for girls ages 6 and up.

    Photo; The American Girl Doll Company provides non-profi ts the opportunity to raise funds through the unique American Girl Fashion Show. Models come from all over the community. 

  • As it turns out, Fayetteville is comprised of an impressive variety of folks. This variation can be seen daily by simple distinctions like hometown, race and ethnicity as well as more involved differences in education, profession, perspective and attitude. Fayetteville Young Professionals also happens to be made up of a wide range of individuals who bring their own unique backgrounds to the table. I would like to introduce you to a few of these folks in the first installment of FYP Jeopardy. I promise you that all of the quality indi03-21-12-fyp.jpgviduals listed below are indeed up and coming. Send your answers to profdev@fayyp.org for a chance to win a $25 gas card, and don’t forget to start your answers with “Who is...” Reigning from the home state of former NCAA basketball champion Juan Dixon, this young gent works as a mechanical engineer at a local manufacturing plant. His employer is included in the Dow (see stock index) and has a laundry list of engineers on their payroll. After playing collegiate golf at his alma mater, Drexel, he regularly competes in amateur tournaments and is one of the premier golfers in Cumberland County. In his spare time he can be found roaming the outfield for the FYP softball team or helping students with intense robotics competitions.

    At a height of 6’6”, this tall young portfolio manager has a background in the credit side of finance and puts it to good use from his office in downtown Fayetteville. A bona fide SEC football guru, he earned his stripes as a Razorback by graduating from the maroon clad school. He is probably the only person working in town that relocated from one Fayetteville to another Fayetteville. Through his involvement in FYP he has found an awesome and compatible girlfriend who creates that twinkle in his eye. Currently in a leadership position with FYP, he is consistently finding ways to help FYP achieve its goals.

    Originating from the Eurasian country that doubles as a Thanksgiving Day staple, this young lady works in our great school system as a psychologist and expert problem solver. She has a penchant for traveling the world and would gladly contribute to any festive occasion. Lately you might find her spending time with her renowned attorney boyfriend or chipping in at school to help our youth reach their fullest potential. She also loves the color purple, and happens to be a Pirate. Arghhhhhhh!

    A native of a North Carolina river town close to the famous Camp Sea Gull, this young man will not shy away from a good conversation or heated discussion. A financial adviser with one of the larger firms in town, he relentlessly pursues insightful strategies to create quality returns and improve stability. A graduate of N.C. State, he wears a lot of red and can often be heard reciting the customary “Go Pack!” cheer.

    A military spouse and soon to be mother of one, this young lady resides in the Haymount area. Her home states’ abbreviation rhymes with another word for donkey, and their capital is home to the NBA team that wears green. As an accountant specializing in that dreaded three letter word, TAX, she is likely very busy at this very moment. You can usually find her enjoying our weekly Wednesday morning get togethers at the Haymont Grill.

    Fayetteville native and avid Atlanta Braves fan, this gentleman works in the world of screen printing and customized promotional items. With a penchant for the beach and access to a floater with a motor, he has probably caught more fish in his life than you have eaten. He is one of the biggest ECU fans in southeastern North Carolina and wishes for their return to greatness on the gridiron every day. You may find him eating dinner at a certain renowned Italian restaurant on McPherson Church Road or at a local pub cheering for the Carolina Panthers on Sunday afternoon.

    If none of these descriptions ring I bell, I invite you to attend an upcoming FYP event to meet them and the many others actively participating in our organization. Please check out our website at FAYYP.org for upcoming events and come join the fun. We really are blessed by a unique mix of military, education, industry and culture that brings people to town from all over and makes the Fayetteville area an ideal place to experience, learn and develop into more well rounded people. I encourage you to take advantage of our organization, and if you feel that you are too old or just not interested, please pass the news along to that friend, family member or colleague who is looking to broaden their Fayetteville horizons and mix things up.

  • Whether it is a toe-tapping, jazz-inspired tune or a slow-paced, moving ballad, people react to music on a primal level. The right song at the right place and time brings people to their feet, to tears … or to the cross. The Christian Classic Tour2012, which comes to Northwood Temple Church in Fayetteville on March 31, seeks to bring glory to God through classic Christian music that is worshipful and meaningful.

    Dennis Fioravanti, event promoter, grew up listening to this kind of music and was frustrated by the fact that he couldn’t find these generational favorites in record stores and they weren’t being played on the radio anymore.

    “I have a heart and a passion for this music and the message it brings,” Fioravanti said. “There is a lot of Christian music out there, but a lot of it seems to be missing depth and a theological message. Christian music isn’t immune to the bubble gum, pop-sounding, ‘let’s just sell records” mentality as opposed to ‘lets change hearts and lets change lives and win people for Christ.’ There has to be a difference.”

    These legacy artists toured in 2011 and are back for another run in 2012. Stadiums were full all last season’s shows and Fioravanti expects the same this year, too. In fact, the tour has been so well received that he is putting together three more groups similar to this one that will join the Christian Classic Tour in 2013.

    “We are planning to roll out with four foursomes,” said Fioravanti. “I wish I had names for you, but we are still working it out. We are talking to many artists, but pretty much if they were from the ‘80s and ‘90s and at the top of the charts, they are on our list. We are going from six cities in 2012 to about 100 in 2013.”

    Steve Green, Twila Paris, Michael Card and Wayne Watson are headlining this year’s concert, which promises to be a concert/worship service that the entire family can enjoy.

    Steve Green is no stranger to Christian entertainment; he’s been in the business for 27 years. Green has received four Grammy nominations, 13 number one songs and seven Dove Awards. 

    Twila Paris recorded her first album in 1981 when she was just 20. Since then, she’s become a permanent part of the Christian music scene. With 22 albums, 33 number one hits, numerous Dove Awards and more than 1.3 million albums sold, Paris has made a mark in the industry.

    Another mainstay in Christian music is Michael Card. His career has lasted more than 30 years and includes more than 31 albums. Card has also written or co-written more than 24 books and has authored 19 number one hits. “El Shaddai” and “Love Crucified Arose” are among many hits Card has authored.

    Wayne Watson entered the Christian music scene in 1980 with his album Working in the Final Hour. Since then he has produced 23 number one singles including “Friend Of A Wounded Heart,” “When God’s People Pray,” “Almighty,” “Be In Her Eyes,” “Watercolor Ponies,” “More Of You,” “Another Time,” “Anothe03-21-12-classic-christian.jpgr Place” and “Home Free.” Watson is currently focused on new music and national touring.

    The tour is excited to come to Fayetteville and entertain the community. “Fayetteville is part of thebuckle of the Bible Belt.” Fioravanti said. “You can’t get any closer to good solid values, and there is an awesome military community there, too. We have a 50 percent off discount for active-duty military and their dependents.”

    There is a VIP meet and greet at 5:15 p.m., doors open at 6 p.m. and the concert starts at 7 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets visit www.christianclassictour.com.

    Photo: The Christian Classic Tour brings favorite musicians from the ‘80 and ‘90s to the stage.

  • Supporting a great cause is a good thing; having a fabulous time doing so, well, what could be better? On March 31, Better Health hosts A Touch of Class, an elegant 15th Annual Evening at the Theater.

    Each year local performer and Better Health supporter, Cassandra Vallery spends hours creating a show for this fundraiser. When Better Health Executive Director, Judy Klinck first talked to Vallery about how to make the fundraiser better she was really just hoping Vallery would agree to sing a song during dinner. Instead, she got a whole show.

    The theme is different every year, and the show is performed only once. Klinck describes the format as almost a cabaret show, in that there is not much talking and the performers move from one number right into the next. It’s always elegant, but this year, Vallery has focused on an especially sparkly time in entertainment history.03-21-12-better-health.jpg

    “What Cassandra wanted to do this year is go back to the early days of movies,” said Klinck. “She is highlighting the big-band era and the days of elegant movies where every starlet wore a fancy gown.”

    While Vallery puts in the hours creating the show, there are several performers who donate their time and talent as well. This year, people attending the show can look forward to seeing local favorites Greg King, Jenny Beaver, Molly Griggs and Mary Mattison Vallery.

    “This event has evolved over the years,” said Klinck. “Cassandra and a number of local performers have been so generous with their time. It is a one-night show, and as you can imagine, it takes many hours and they usually have other jobs … I am constantly in awe at the generosity of the community and the people who support Better Health.”

    Held at the Highland Country Club, Evening at the Theater starts at 7 p.m. with heavy hors d’oeuvres and cocktails. The show runs from 8-9 p.m. and is followed by coffee and dessert from 9-10 p.m.

    Proceeds from this event benefit Better Health, whose mission is to provide for the unmet healthcare needs of Cumberland County residents through assistance, referral and education.

    “We help folks in general who are uninsured or not fully insured,” said Klinck. “But our diabetes clinics are open to everyone, at no charge.”

    Klinck pointed out that Better Health has been open since 1958. “We have been supported almost entirely by the county and it generous citizens — either through United Way or directly to us. In one way or another we have churches and businesses that support us, too. It all comes from the generous pockets of people and businesses in our community. I am always in awe of the generosity of the people in this community.”

    Reservations can be made by calling Better Health at 483-7534 or at the website www.betterhealthcc.org.

    Photo: Cassandra Vallery has put together an elegant show that shines a spotlight on the early days of moving pictures. The show features big band music. 

  • 03-21-12-veggies.jpgMarsha Howe describes herself as someone who cares a lot about food and sustainable living. When she moved to Fayetteville from San Diego, she searched the grocery stores for the local, organic food she had come to love, but according to Howe, “it was slim pickings.”

    Instead of complaining and resigning herself to the status quo, she decided to start a movement to address the accessibility of sustainable, local food. The result was the Neighborhood Grange Network, which is scheduled to meet on March 25, at the Museum of the Cape Fear from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.

    Howe says that Fayetteville is new to the idea of sustainability, citing the city’s relatively recent adoption of curbside recycling, and has a different type of soil and environment than what she was used to. She checked with the county extension office for more information on how to garden in her new surroundings, and the seeds of an idea were planted.

    “I feel called,” she says. She got excited when she realized that she could be part of bringing the locavore movement to Fayetteville. Since she was learning, she thought, “what a great time to help others learn” about sustainability and local food.

    In December, she first explored the idea of joining forces with like-minded people, and about a month ago, she set up a Meetup.com page for what she had come to call the Neighborhood Grange Network. According to the Meetup page, Howe was inspired by the rural tradition of farmers coming together in a community grange hall. According to Howe, about 12 people attended the first meeting, and now approximately 45 people are involved. “It has snowballed in a wonderful way,” she says.

    The group’s goal is to share sustainable skills, resources, and support for backyard gardeners and our local farmers. Howe says that she wants people to have access to good, safe food grown in a way that is good for the community. Through the Grange Network, she hopes to educate people on what it means to eat in season. She says that, based on what is available in a typical grocery store, it seems that everything is always in season, so people are no longer in touch with what is actually seasonal. “When people eat in season, the nutritional value of their diet doubles,” Howe said.

    In the future, Howe hopes that Grange Network members can support local farmers as well as educate themselves by participating in crop mobs, in which people volunteer to work at a local farm at a designated time. On the effectiveness of such efforts, she asks, “Do you know what a few people can do in an hour?” In addition to this, she hopes to establish a local Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA, in which people purchase produce directly from local farms, and the group is actively working to get more Fayetteville restaurants to serve locally grown food. Eating sustainably and locally, she says, is “a great way to support local farmers.”

    Howe has set up a booth for the Neighborhood Grange Network in the Transportation Museum on Franklin Street, and the Meetup page (www.meetup.com/NeighborhoodGrangeNetwork/) has more information for anyone who is interested in joining.

    “It’s more than about food,” Howe says, “It’s about community, neighbors, and sharing.”

    Photo: The group’s goal is to “share sustainable skills, resources, and support for backyard gardeners and our local farmers.”

  • 03-21-12-4th-friday.jpgWhere are the best museums, restaurants and street festivals in any city? Downtown — the answer is always downtown. The All-American city of Fayetteville is no different. With the revitalization of Fayetteville’s downtown, some of the best shops, restaurants and entertainment is housed within the same four and a half blocks of this historic area.

    The 4th Friday celebration of the downtown area and has become a tradition in Fayetteville that draws crowds every month. This month, 4th Friday offers a new historical perspective of Cumberland County, spring crafts for the kids and student art displayed by the Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County.

    The Market House is open to the public during this event from 6 - 10 p.m. The special exhibit for March is The Floods of Fayetteville. This exhibit showcases pictorial panels of two major floods in 1908 and 1945. The Cape Fear River is the largest river system in North Carolina and water rises and falls dramatically, which is vividly portrayed though the exhibit. Original photographs from 1908 will be on exhibit to depict the level of the floods at Liberty Point and other historical landmarks in the area. View pictures of people in rowboats where streets were before the flood came.

    A women’s history exhibit will be in the front lobby of the Fayetteville Area Transportation Museum. The exhibit shows women of Cumberland County breaking the stereotypes of their time frame; working in the heat of rural farm life, and thriving as business women. There will be special area displays of women who were the first in the county — such as the first female firefighter.

    Fascinate-U Children’s Museum is open from 7 - 9 p.m. for 4th Friday. Join the craft table to celebrate the arrival of spring. Children can use their imagination to decorate paper eggs with the bright colors of spring.

    High school students of Cumberland County will display their artwork during the 12th Annual Cumberland County High School Juried Art Exhibition open from 7 - 9 p.m. at the Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County building. This exhibition includes drawings, paintings, sculpture and mixed media artwork. Each entry will be judged by an art professional with recognition going to first, second and third place, along with honorable mentions.

    Students In Free Enterprise of Fayetteville State University, will host Community Can-do sponsored by Campbell’s’ Let’s Can Hunger initiative. Four college and four high school teams will build giant structures out of cans and nonperishable food items. Curious spectators can vote on their favorite structure by donating a dollar or a can of food per vote. The food and money collected will go to the Second Harvest Food Bank in Fayetteville. Last year, 7,600 pounds of food was collected and displayed in a rocket, pirate ship and Happy Meal for the event. The organization hopes to collect 20,000 pounds this year. Check out the displays and vote for your favorite at 321 Hay Street.

    If celebrating the history of Cumberland County, supporting young artists and do-gooders, enjoying the shopping and dining doesn’t attract you to downtown, seeing macho men walking in red stilettos heels might.

    During the second annual Walk Awhile In Her Shoes, a large group of brave men will walk for blocks downtown to raise awareness against sexual assault. Last year approximately 100 men walked, raising $15,000 for Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County. Company sponsors, individual walkers and non-walking supporters all contributed to the cause. Onsite registration begins at the Market House in downtown Fayetteville at 6 p.m. and the walk begins at 7 p.m. from the Market House to the AIT building.

    Whether dining and shopping, watching huge sculptures being made from cans or seeing men strutting their stuff in heels is your idea of a good night, you’ll be sure to find it March 23, downtown during 4th Friday.

  • The Lorax (Rated G) 4 Stars03-21-12-lorax.jpg

    Somehow The Lorax (86 minutes) manages to irritate almost everybody while still raking it in at the box office. While the film had the biggest open-ing weekend of any theatrical release based on a Seuss book, it is hard to find people with good things to say about it. Honestly, yes, the songs are cheesy and the movie is a simplified version of a philosophically complex story much-loved by children every-where. But you know what? It still made me cry.

    Director Chris Renaud (with some assistance from Kyle Balda) reunites with his Despicable Me screenwriter Ken Daurio to expand the classic story into a feature length piece, with mixed success. The wacky Thneed-Ville sub-plot takes away from the story of the boy and the Once-ler, and the chase scene at the end of the film goes on way too long.

    Of the three background species most affected by the industrial deforestation of the truffula trees, only the Bar-ba-loots (in their Bar-ba-loot suits) are men-tioned by name. For those of you wracking your brains in an attempt to recall the other two, they would be the Swommee Swams and the Humming Fish. You’re welcome.

    We start with Ted (Zac Efron), deep in the throes of puppy love. The object of his affection, Audrey (Taylor Swift), is pining after a real tree. Since Thneed-Ville is composed of plastic and Astroturf, real trees and the seeds that grow them are in short supply. Luckily, Ted’s Grammy (Betty White) knows where he can get more information. But instead of sending him to the Thneed-Ville library or showing him how to Google, Grammy (who clearly has it out for Ted) sends him into the polluted wilds that surround the town to speak with the creepy loner known as the Once-Ler (Ed Helms). While I would say this scenario definitely falls into the category of stranger danger, Ted willingly wanders through the sewage and smog of the devastated wastelands, searching for a copy of Al Gore’s An Inconvenient Truth.

    Once on the Street of the Lifted Lorax, he settles in to hear the story of how capitalism ruined the pristine wilderness and killed cute fuzzy creatures. He hears the story over several days, interspersed with travel in and out of his planned community. Periodically, he is bullied by Mr. O’Hare of O’Hare Air (Rob Riggles), who, despite running a major industrial concern, still has plenty of time to track and harass the citizenry.

    Thus is revealed the story of the Lorax (Danny DeVito), who speaks for the trees. Just as in the original, the Lorax spends a lot more time lecturing the Once-ler than he spends using his magic Lorax powers to actually save the Truffula Forest and its inhabitants. And, just as in the original, after the Once-ler figures out how to exploit a few natural resources, he brings in the rest of his family to finish despoiling the natural beauty. Eventually, he is left devastated and alone, telling his tale to pilgrims who come seeking knowledge.

    As much as I love the story, it seems to me to be marred by a few basic flaws. For instance, if the Once-ler spent so much time hoarding the last Truffula seed, why didn’t he plant it himself? And if Grammy knew where to find the Once-ler, why didn’t she take Ted herself instead of sending him through miles of rusting metal on a flimsy plastic scooter?

    Overall, if you can get past the environmentalists complaining about how poor sponsor choices undermine the essential message of the film (Really? A Truffula Tree approved SUV?), and then ignore the far right accusations that the film is a transparent attempt to indoctrinate the youth of America into becoming “eco-warriors,” you’ll probably enjoy it. That is, if you can get past the fact that the film spends a bit too much time subtly mocking a beloved kid’s classic.

    Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15.

  • On Sunday, March 25, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Eastern North Carolina is pleased to announce its 201203-21-12-wallk-for-wishes.jpg Walk for Wishes event. This fun 5K walk is held in five cities across eastern North Carolina on the same date. The Make-A-Wish Foundation relies solely on the generous donations of individuals, corporations and foundations, so Walk for Wishes helps increase awareness and engagement in the communities that Make-A-Wish Foundation serves. With a large number of wishes taking place in Cumberland County, Fayetteville is one of the largest of these communities.

    It is a priceless feeling to see the sparkle in a child’s eyes accompanied by a smile as wide as the Cape Fear River because you helped make their dreams come true. Jerry Peters, director of community engagement with Make-A-Wish of Eastern North Carolina wants everyone to know that with your help, it is possible. He wants everyone to know that you can help the children in our community who have life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. “Having grown up the son of a Marine Corps fighter pilot, I spent a good bit of my childhood in eastern North Carolina. Like a lot of folks in the area, I knew of the good work that Make-A-Wish did but was not aware that there was a chapter based here,” Peters said.

    We have all made wishes in our life and hoped that they could come true. Well, Make-A-Wish Foundation of Eastern North Carolina grants wishes — and they are going to make some wishes come true right here in our city. “I am extremely fortunate in my job that I am able to witness some of the hope, strength and joy that these wishes provide to the children. No matter how long the wish lasts, whether it is an hour, a day or a full week, these children can forget all about medicine, doctors and hospitals and just to be a kid,” Peters explained.

    In February, the Make-A-Wish Foundation started granting wishes to children in Fayetteville. The organization will continue granting wishes over the next few months until the wishes of eight very lucky children are granted. The children range in age from 5 to 18. This year marks the 25th anniversary for the local chapter, which has granted more than 2,300 wishes since it began in 1986. In an effort to get everyone in our community involved, the organization will host Walk for Wishes on March 25 at Festival Park. Registration lasts from 12:30-2 p.m. The walk lasts from 2-3:30 p.m. “Our Walk for Wishes event will help us spread the news about wishes we grant right here in Cumberland County and all of the other 48 counties that we serve in eastern North Carolina,” Peters said. This event will take place in five cities across N.C. on this date, so anyone who wants to make a contribution should come out and show your support.

    Participate as a walker, fundraiser, sponsor or volunteer. Visit www.eastnc.wish.org to register. Registration is $25. Kids 13 and younger are free.

    Members of any business, organization, school, hospital or religious group can make up a team. Even friends and neighbors can join together in this team effort. Teams consist of a minimum of four people. Each team member must register separately.

    For more information, please visit www.eastnc.wish.org or contact Jerry Peters at (919) 821-7111, ext. 203 or via email at jpeters@eastnc.wish.org.

    Photo: It is a priceless feeling to see the sparkle in a child’s eyes accompanied by a smile as wide as the Cape Fear River because you helped make their dreams come true.

  • 03-14-12-moulin-rouge.jpgThe Royal Winnipeg Ballet takes center stage performing Moulin Rouge at the Givens Performing Arts Center on March 20.

    Choreographed by Jorden Morris, the astound-ing ballet takes place in turn-of-the-century Paris where Moulin Rouge, the cabaret of addiction and personal expression, brings about forbidden love for Nathalie and Matthew.

    Moulin Rouge has been the subject of many books, musicals and, of course, the creation of a popular movie starring Nicole Kidman. This famous tale of a fanatical love triangle is cap-tured again through the art of dance and expression. Andre Lewis, artistic director at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, says the ballet performance pushes the envelope.

    “It a great show and the more we have per-formed, the dancers have become very comfortable,” Lewis said. “We have had standing ovations after every show from the audience. Moulin Rouge also has an incredible set with exciting lighting and great costumes,” he added.

    David Thaggard, assistant executive director at GPAC, added that the students and the general public will enjoy the show as well. Thaggard is enthusiastic about the ballet coming GPAC.

    “It will be a very exciting night that celebrates the art of dance,” Thaggard said. “Everyone should take the journey and experience ballet in a whole new way.”

    This will be the first performance by the ballet at GPAC.

    Canada’s Royal Winnipeg Ballet was founded in 1939 by Gweneth Lloyd and Betty Farrally. The ballet has a trademark of versatility, technical excellence and captivating style.

    “We are one of the oldest companies in Canada,” Lewis said. “We have a well-established brand.”

    The company is known for touring all round North America. Since 1954, it devotes 20 or more weeks a year to touring.03-14-12-royal-winnegpeg-ballet.jpg

    Lewis has had the privilege of being a part of the brilliant company for almost 35 years. He was accepted into the Professional Division at the Royal Winnipeg Ballet School in 1975. He trained there until being asked by Royal Winnipeg to join their company in 1979. He is known as a talented dancer and has strengths both as a soloist and as a partner. Lewis has been part of the artistic staff of the Royal Winnipeg Ballet since 1984. After serving as associate artistic director five years ear-lier, he officially became the artistic director on March 7, 1996.

    The curtain rises at 8 p.m. For more information about tickets, call 521-6287 or visit the website at www.uncp.edu/gpac.

    Photo: (Top) Moulin Rouge comes to Givens on March 20.

  • Are you a military health careprovider03-14-12-ftcc.jpg?

    Each year, thousands of men and women separate from military service at Fort Bragg. Many of the soldiers who have a Military Occupation Specialty in healthcare are unable to secure employment post separation from the service due to a lack of civilian credentials and education.

    The North Carolina GlaxoSmithKline Foundation has made funds avail-able to Fayetteville Technical Community College through a pilot program, Pathways to Second Service in Health Programs, to develop pathways for degree completion by maximizing credit for military education and expe-rience. Currently there are several bridge programs ready for enrollment:

    • Medic to Paramedic — This fast-track program will award a diploma in Emergency Medical Science. At the completion of the program, successful students will be eligible to apply for both state- and national-certification exams. Please contact Richard Criste, EMS department chair, at (910) 678-8515 or crister@faytechcc.edu.

    • Accelerated Radiography — This online program will provide ARRT registered technologists who are military trained or who attended a hospi-tal-based training program the opportunity to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Radiography. Practicing technologists can meet the educational requirements to sit for the ARRT national certification exam. Please contact Anita McKnight, Radiography department chair at (910) 678-8303 or mcknigha@faytechcc.edu

    • Advanced Placement to Associate Degree Nursing — This program gives the licensed practical nurse credit for education and work experience. Students will advance-place into the third semester of the program and complete three semesters. The student will earn an associate’s degree in nursing. Please contact Carolyn Stovall, department chair, at (910) 678-8482 or stovallc@faytechcc.edu.

    • Respiratory Therapy — The advanced placement option is designed for military-trained respiratory specialists who are transitioning to civilian life to obtain an associate’s degree in respiratory therapy. By obtaining the degree, an individual may take the certification exam through the National Board for Respiratory Care and become a certified respiratory therapist. Please contact John Holloman, department chair of Respiratory Therapy, at (910) 678-8316 or hollomaj@faytechcc.edu.

    • Surgical Technology — The Accelerated Alternate Delivery Program in Surgical Technology was developed to assist currently practicing non-certified surgical technologists to obtain the educational background required to sit for the National Board of Surgical Technology and Surgical Assisting (NBSTSA) certifying examina-tion. Surgical technologists interested in this program must fit in one of the three groups:

    1) On the job trained surgical technologists who com-peted training before March 1, 2000

    2) Formerly trained surgical technologists who completed their education from a non-Commission of Accreditation of the Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP) accredited program in Surgical Technology

    3) Military-trained surgical technologistsFor more information, please contact Terry Herring, department chair, at 678-8358 or herringt@faytechcc.edu.

    Additional fast-track options in other health programs are being evaluated. If you have been working in a healthcare field as a member of the military and would like more information, please contact Katherine Pugh, project coordinator at FTCC, at (910) 678-0054 or pughk@faytechcc.edu.

    There are many possibilities for you to expedite your educational process and go back to work in the same or related field!

    Photo: FTCC offers healthcare related cours-es with military and prior military members in mind.

  • Understanding Alzheimers Disease and Dementia

    Recently, Alzheimer’s disease has moved into the number six position as cause of death for senior citizens, according to the Alzheimer’s Association. It is important that families comprehend what is happening to their loved one.

    Dementia is the loss of cognitive functioning and intellectual reasoning due to changes in the brain caused by disease. Those with dementia tend to repeat questions, become disoriented in familiar places, neglect personal hygiene or nutrition or get confused about people or time. It can be caused by many things, some of which are reversible — such as vitamin deficiencies and poor nutrition, reactions to medications or problems with the thyroid. However, some forms of dementia are irreversible, such as that caused by mini strokes or Alzheimer’s.

    Alzheimer’s disease occurs when nerve cells deteriorate in the brain due to a build up of plaque and tangles, which results in the death of a large number of brain cells. Doctors are not sure why this occurs, but research is underway to determine causes and cures. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, 5.4 million Americans are presently living with Alzheimer’s disease.

    It is important to remember that Alzheimer’s is a medical condition and disease of the brain. If the brain affects thoughts, feelings, personality and behavior, then Alzheimer’s is going to affect how your loved one thinks, what he feels, who he is and what he does. The range of symptoms can be enormous. Also, people with Alzheimer’s don’t necessarily look sick. Although Alzheimer’s disease is a physical illness, it often doesn’t affect a person’s appearance until the later stages of the disease. This might be confusing to you because your loved one may seem as healthy as ever, but just acting differently.

    03-14-12-homeinstead.jpgIf you are caring for someone in this situation, you may find it helpful to read other information available on www.caregiverstress. com.

    Once they understand the situation being presented, the family needs to consider the many options available. Because custodial care is not covered by typical health insurance, families are mostly responsible for providing the care. Care is costly, time-consuming and can take its toll, physically and emotionally, on the family members.

    The Wall Street Journal (February 18, 2012) shared an article about resources for families struggling with the care of someone suffering with Alzheimer’s Disease. The focus of the article was the negative effects this devastating disease can have on the caregivers and some places to obtain assistance.

    Recently, Home Instead Senior Care in Fayetteville, has started training care givers in new techniques and strategies to improve care for dementia patients. In the fall of 2012, the local office will offer the same instruction to family caregivers. If you are interested in participating in this training call 484-7200.

    These simple strategies can help people with Alzheimer’s disease prolong their time at home, which is where most people want to be.

    “Rather than trying to force Alzheimer’s patients to live in our world in the here and now,” Home Instead’s president Jeff Huber says, “we need to meet them in the past.”

    Photo: People with Alzheimers’s don’t always look sick.

  • 03-14-12-mary-walker.jpgFrom Susan B. Anthony to Rosa Parks, women have made many positive contributions to society. These women deserve recognition for all they have accomplished during a time when society made it a challenge for women to be successful. The Museum of the Cape Fear celebrates the observance of Women’s History Month and the N.C. Civil War Sesquicentennial, with a presenta-tion about Dr. Mary E. Walker, on March 18.

    The program, presented by Dr. Matt Farina, a retired physician from New York, focuses on Dr. Mary E. Walker. Farina currently resides in Southern Pines, N.C. He is a member of the Rufus Barringer Civil War Roundtable.

    Lisa Greathouse, associate curator of education, said that Farina talked with her about doing this program a while ago. “He contacted me to discuss coming to the museum to speak about two years ago,” Greathouse said.

    This program celebrates and acknowledges women who aided in shaping an ever-evolving and perplexing society. There was a time in history when women could not even vote, let alone have a career. Brave women fought to change the system and gain equality.

    Walker is an example of a woman who brought about change and inspiration through her achievements.

    “I remember after reading about Dr. Walker, I went to visit Womack Army Medical Center,” Greathouse said. “I saw her picture in the hall and it caught my eye.” Greathouse said she has been to the hospital and has walked those same halls before. But now knowing who Dr. Walker is, and her great accomplishments, her picture stands out even more. “It was the icing on the cake, very fascinating.”

    Born on Nov. 26, 1832, Walker was always destined for something bigger than the typical female of her time. Working to make money for college, Walker graduated at what is now called Upstate Medical University in 1855. The only woman in her class, she received a degree as a medical doctor. She opened a joint practice with her husband, Albert Miller, in Rome, N.Y., which, sadly, did not succeed. This did not stop Walker from pushing forward, she later volunteered during the Civil War as a female surgeon. Working as an unpaid volunteer at the U.S. Patent Office Hospital in Washington, D.C., she became an unpaid field surgeon during the Battle of Fredericksburg and in Chattanooga after the Battle of Chickamauga. Walker was also captured as a prisoner of war. She was later released during a prisoner exchange.

    Her dedication and talent paid off and she became the first-ever female U.S. Army Surgeon in 1863. Walker is the only woman to ever receive the Medal of Honor. She went on to become a lecturer and a writer, and was a true supporter of the suffrage movement. In 1919, Walker died at the age of 86.

    “There is a lot of practicality behind discussing Dr. Mary Walker. Her contributions check a lot of boxes for an excellent role model,” Greathouse explains, “You will have a great educational experience.”

    The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical complex is known for having many programs and features that focuses on southern North Carolina history. The museum includes exhibits that range from the Paleo-Indian period through the American Revolution, through the antebellum period, and into the first decades of the 1900s.

    The Dr. Mary Walker: Union Army Physician program begins at 2 p.m. All programs at the museum are free. For more information about this program or the museum itself, contact 486-1330 or visit www.museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov/index.html.

    Photo: Dr. Mary Walker.

  • Wanderlust  (Rated R)  Four Stars 03-14-12-wanderlust.jpg

    Wanderlust(98 minutes) is classic David Wain, the comic genius behind Wet Hot American Summer. Most of the Wain stable of actors manage to make an appearance in one form or another, although not everyone is equally prepared to carry their share of the comedic weight. And after the toxic waste dump that was Couple’s Retreat, Malin Akerman really needed to do a better job at winning me back (her work on Children’s Hospital not withstanding). If only Marguerite Moreau had been cast instead of Jennifer Aniston.

    The film opens on some fairly stale material. George (Paul Rudd) and Linda (Aniston) are considering their first home purchase, a microloft in New York City. Although, it is refreshing to see a semi-realistic depiction of an actual New York apartment within the price range of the people who wish to live in it … the cute little condo is essentially a hallway with an attached oven/toilet. As small as it is, George and Linda still manage a moving in/housewarming party montage as they settle into their pricey new closet.

    After all this character establishing, the young professionals experience some setbacks. Apparently, penguins with testicular cancer do not fit well into HBO’s naked lady/big swords niche market, leaving Linda back at square one. And it turns out that George is not getting that bonus he was counting on, since his vaguely defined place of business is being shut down for shady business dealings of some kind.

    So, out of work, unable to afford or sell their microloft, the power couple head down to Hot-Lanta to live with George’s obnoxious brother (Ken Marino) and anesthetized wife (Michaela Watkins) in suburban splendor. Too bad George’s brother is a rage-a-holic.

    On the way from New York to Atlanta, contemplating the loss of their hopes and dreams, the couple pull over for a break … which seems premature, because if I can make it from Fayetteville to Pennsylvania in about 9 hours, they must have been driving down I-95 South at about 45 mph to end up in rural Georgia, in the summer, after nightfall, so late in the day that they are exhausted and ready to stop for the night. Maybe they left New York after lunch?

    Anyway, they spot a convenient Bed and Breakfast, and pull onto a dirt road. There they are confronted by a naked Wayne (Jo Lo Truglio). I can only imagine how I would react if confronted with a fully clothed Truglio, so the fact that they immediately reverse at full speed and end up overturning their car is a totally reasonable reaction. It turns out he’s not a psychopath, just a dirty naked hippy — in sneakers? (Birkenstocks really would have been more in character.)

    Naked Wayne takes them down the road to the B&B, which is run by Kathy (Kerri Kenney-Silver from Reno 911!) After their long drive, Linda is kept awake by some Didgeri-dooing. Because she is a bad person and a terrible actor, rather than taking care of this herself, she makes her poor tired husband go yell at their hosts. Which he doesn’t do, because the party downstairs is way more fun than his selfish, grouchy wife upstairs.

    Eventually she heads down to look for him, and finds a whole houseful of dirty, dirty, hippies doing hippy stuff. Hey! It’s Lauren Ambrose! I like her. Then, Seth (Justin Theroux) is introduced, and he is the dirtiest, hairiest hippy of them all.

    Overall, if you like the David Wain brand, you’ll like this. There is nudity, humor that most would consider to be in questionable taste, and Paul Rudd doing his Paul Rudd thing. I liked it more than I thought I would.

    Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15.

  • uac031412001.jpg Fayetteville is historically and culturally relevant on many levels. With a rich Gaelic history, a Revolutionary War and a Civil War connection, strong military ties, deep African-American roots, wonder-ful architecture and a bevy of international eateries it can be taxing to get a handle on it all. The Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau recognizes the treasures that the area has to offer and seeks to share these gems in fun and useful ways that connect both residents and visitors to what Fayetteville and Cumberland County have to offer. One of the many ways they do this is with Cultural Heritage Trails. The FACVB offers more than 750 miles of themed driving trails that educate, engage and enlighten visitors. They are self-guided and self-paced and include most any topic you can think of that relates to the area.

    The newest of these trails is the Antiquing Trail. There are more than a dozen shops in the Fayetteville area that offer a wide range of items. Whether you are looking for vintage furniture, housewares, clothing, toys, jewelry or Civil War memorabilia it is worth a look.

    Scattered throughout the area, a day on the antique trail promises to be a true treasure hunt.

    Old Heritage Restoration Inc., is located on Williams Street in Fayetteville, and has been in business since 1979. Not only does the business provide quality furniture restoration, including fire and water damage and transportation damaged furniture, they also sell furniture and accessories. Owner, James Canaday Jr. recognizes good quality when he sees it and enjoys being able to offer his customers something they won’t find anywhere else. If you are not in the market to make a purchase, but are looking to restore a family heirloom or other piece to pristine condition, Canaday is your man. He’s passionate about the quality, beauty and charm found in older furniture and has spent more than 30 years providing Fayetteville with great quality workmanship and unique furnishings.

    “The furniture industry has drastically changed over the last 30 years,” Canaday said. “Many of the items we sell are technically not antiques, but they represent a quality and style we will never see again.”

    What began as a hobby digging up a piece of Roseville pottery on the family farm, has shaped Canaday’s vision for his business and drives what he offers his customers. Give him a call at 484-6767. Even better, stop by and see what treasure is waiting to come home with you.03-14-12-antiques-pic.jpg

    Not Quite Antiques opened its doors six years ago on Roxie Avenue. Since then, it’s relocated to 2829½ Raeford Rd.

    It was her love of auctions, estate sales and “junking” that led Dr. Deon Faillace to open her shop.

    “We got tired of hearing that you had to go to Wilmington or Pinehurst to find a cool antique shop,” saidFaillace. “We are the most eclectic shop in Fayetteville. Every day we discover something unique and special for our customers. We are friends helping friends who share a passion for recycling, repurposing and supporting our local small businesses and neighbors.”

    Not Quite Antiques has a vast selection of mid-century modern items, country primitive pieces, work by local artists and quality consignments.

    Stop by the shop, or give them a call at 323-0300 to find out more about the treasures they offer.

    The FACVB website has more detailed information about the antiquing trail, as well as the many other driving trails they offer at www.visitfayettevillenc.com/cultur-alheritagetrails.

    Photo: The FACVB Antiquing Trail offers a variety of treasures, deals and fun!

  • If you’ve ever walked in two-inch stilettos along a busy brick sidewalk on a Friday night, you are a brave person. If you are a man wearing stilettos walking for blocks downtown, that takes bravery to a whole new level. For a large group of brave men, that its exactly what they will be doing March 23 in support of Walk Awhile In Her Shoes.

    The second annual Walk Awhile In Her Shoes event, hosted by the Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County, brings attention to sexual assault victims and raises money for the organization.

    Last year, approximately 100 men walked, raising $15,000 for RCVCC from company sponsors, individual walkers and non-walking supporters. The sponsors this year are Lafayette Business Machines, Shaw Construction Co., Michael Boose Law Firm, Valley Auto World, Fayetteville Police Department, Cape Fear Valley Health System, Dr. Mendes and Bill’s Mobile Crane Service.

    On-site registration begins at the Market House in downtown Fayetteville at 6 p.m. and the walk starts at 7 p.m., leaving from the Market House, ending at the AIT building.

    “It’s a fun, funny event that’s all profi t for a local charity,” Michael Boose, event walker and volunteer said. “That’s the most compelling part to me; helping people I know — maybe not by name, but extended family of friends or people my daughters went to school with.”

    Last year, his oldest daughter drove down from East Carolina University for the event because she couldn’t believe her dad would really walk in heels. To her surprise he even let her paint his toenails to match his pumps.

    “When you see this burly man willing to put on high heels for the cause, you don’t really have an alternative,” Boose said. “All these men scream testosterone.”

    Like most men, Boose tried to “manly up” his heels by wearing a leather vest but he doubts anyone noticed.

    “Before the event, the men dread it. Then they put on their heels and start getting attention from the viewers and steady their steps. Then they start to strut and really enjoy themselves,” Deanne Gerdes, RCVCC executive director said. “People enjoy the camaraderie and the lively, jovial attention.”

    “It’s a great time to poke fun, not take yourself so seriously and people have really enjoyed it,” Boose said.

    Clients of Boose told him a picture of him from last year’s event is hanging on their refrigerator so when people asked they could point at him and say “Oh, see him? That’s my lawyer.”

    Although RCVCC provides heels for the walkers, Boose has already begun shopping for his own pair.

    “I’m looking for a pair that isn’t too high; something I can actually walk in. If I wore two-inch stilettos, I’d be splattered all over the pavement,” Boose said. 

    “I appreciate women being able to walk in heels, with their calves stretched, pretending to be comfortable and looking suave while doing it. I just try to go slow and steady to finish the walk.”

    After the walk, men share war stories of that treacherous, toe-pinching walk and enjoy refreshments while awards are given out to those brave enough to take a stand in red stilettos. Band-Aids will be provided by RCVCC for those tired feet.

    “It’s difficult to raise money for victims when it’s rape because no one wants to talk about it, but this is a fun way to bring attention (to the cause) and involve men to take a stand against sexual assault.” Gerdes said.03-14-12-walking-in-heels.jpg

    More than 400 victims received services from RCVCC last year. The RCVCC provides a 24-hour crisis hotline, 24-hour emergency room responders, counseling, support groups, courtroom advocacy and community awareness.

    “One in four women will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, that’s why we are here — to help your neighbor, sister, or grandmother through the traumatic time,” Gerdes said.

    Photo: Eddie Bartlett, Michael Boose, Kenny Hardin, Gene Howell and Cal Coyer show off their shoes at the 2011 event. 

  • Although some would argue that marriage offers no benefi ts and is no longer a relevant institution in today’s society, there are numerous studies to the contrary. LaTricia Smith of A Stronger Bond disagrees and offers a few statistics support her argument. According to Familyfacts.org, married women report higher levels of physical and psychological health. Married people are more likely to volunteer. Being married increases the likelihood of affl uence. Married people tend to experience less depression and fewer problems with alcohol. Getting married increases the probability of moving out of a poor neighborhood. Married men make more money. Married women are less likely to experience poverty. Marriage is associated with a lower mortality risk.

    In support and celebration of marriage, A Stronger Bond is hosting the third annual Black Marriage Day on March 25, at the Business and Professional Women’s Club, at 1015 Clarendon St., Fayetteville. The event includes a three-course meal, a panel discussion, live entertainment, giveaways and a unity ceremony.

    A Stronger Bond is a relationship coaching and education company. “Our mission is to help foster healthy relationships. We want people to have healthy relationships. They are the cornerstones of our lives and how we fare in our relationships affects everything we do,” said Smith, event coordinator and A Stronger Bond representative. “Better relationships create better families, which create better communities, which create a better world. When things aren’t right in your relationships, wherever you go your issues go with you — no matter how much people like to believe they can leave them at home.”

    Don’t let the title fool you — because it is called Black Marriage Day doesn’t mean you have to be black and doesn’t mean you have to be married to attend, said Smith. “There are certain issues in the black community that we do intend to address. There are higher risk factors in the black community when it comes to marriage. They have the highest divorce rate, the lowest marriage rate and the highest (giving birth) out of wedlock rate, but everyone can benefi t from this discussion. This is a societal problem, not just a black problem. If we are not faring well in one sector of the community then society is failing.”03-14-12-black-marriage-025.jpg

    Smith is excited about the format this year. Like marriage, every year has been different for this even. The fi rst year, 2010, was themed “Let’s Stay Together” and featured three guest speakers. Last year, the format included four black couples from the community who had each been married more than 60 years. This year, the formal portion of the event is a panel discussion. Attendees are encouraged to bring questions for the panel. All of the panel members are pro-marriage, Smith said. The panel includes a pastor, an author and a success coach.

    Entertainment includes live jazz music and a dance troupe. The evening will end with a unity ceremony.

    In preparation for the event, and to get people thinking about the topic of marriage, the community is invited to enter the “What Marriage Means to Me” contest. In 250 words or less, describe what marriage means to you. “People don’t have to be married to enter this contest,” said Smith. “The event also includes a Married Couple of the Year award. We really need to hold up examples of successful marriages in our society and this award will go to couples that exemplify that.”

    Find out more about Black Marriage Day events and contests at www.celebratingblackmarriage.com. Tickets are $30 per person and $55 per couple. Call (910) 816- 9270 to purchase tickets or for more information.

    Photo: Last year, several couples, who had been married for more than 40 years attended Black Marriage Day, including William Henry and Beulah Carver pictured above.

  • 03-14-12-beethoven.jpgTake one great and very familiar piece of music, add 200 singers, four soloists and under the baton of Maestro Fouad Fakhouri, a symphony recognized as one of the fi nest regional orchestras in the state, and all the elements are in place for an extraordinary musical experience. In its largest endeavor attempted in terms of musical forces, the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, in partnership with the new Spring Festival Chorus, will perform Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125” or “Choral” on Saturday, March 24, at 7:30 p.m. at Reeves Auditorium on the Methodist University campus in Fayetteville.

    “Beethoven’s ‘Ninth’ is a work that I’ve always obviously wanted to do,” said Fakhouri. “It is ‘the’ piece of music in terms of Western classical symphonic music. It is the one that, if you ask most people which piece of music they know, they’ll either tell you Beethoven’s ‘Fifth’ or ‘Ode to Joy,’ which is the ‘Ninth’ symphony. It’s a seminal work. We want to encourage anyone and everyone to come. It’s going to be an incredible experience simply because the work is so good.”

    No doubt part of the popular appeal of Beethoven’s “Ninth” is the familiar and rousing choral “Ode to Joy,” which incorporates part of the poem “Ode an die Freude” by Friedrich Schiller in the last movement and which will be performed by the newly formed Spring Festival Chorus, a partnership coordinating the Cumberland Oratorio Singers with other university and community choirs in the area. According to the COS website, the Spring Festival Chorus hopes “to make major choral works a tradition in Fayetteville!”

    Also on the program is Fakhouri’s “Gargoyle,” a piece that until this concert event has only been performed in Europe, premiering in Sofi a, Bulgaria in 2004.

    “It started out as a chamber piece that I wrote in 1997 or 1998,” Fakhouri said. “... and then six years later, I orchestrated it for the orchestra. I had this idea for a story line, so I built the piece around the story line.”

    In the story, which is set in the mid 1800s, one of the gargoyles atop the Notre Dame Cathedral breaks free to avenge a murder that takes place underneath the cathedral.

    “It is quite a diffi cult piece,” said Fakhouri. “It features the brass and the percussion. The tempo is quite quick. It’s loud and aggressive.”

    Fakhouri explained his approach to pairing pieces like Beethoven’s “Ninth,” which premiered in May 1824, and the contemporary “Gargoyle” in a concert program.

    “Typically when I put the program together, I try to provide the listener over the entire season with a variety of styles and even periods of music. I try to pick music that is romantic music, classical music, contemporary music. I’m always keeping that angle in mind, as well as more popular music and family-oriented music. I try to always diversify in that regard,” said Fakhouri.

    “Beethoven’s symphony is such a well-known and loved piece, and people come knowing that work. Whenever I am performing newer works, whether it’s my piece or another new work, I try to pair it with a piece that is well established and well loved so that the audience will come in and hear something that they would have never heard before. They would hear it simply because they are coming to hear this other work.”

    For more information or tickets for the performance, call (910) 433-4690 or email info@fayettevillesymphony.org Tickets are also available online at www.fayettevillesymphony.org.

    Photo: Ludwig van Beethoven

  • Failure Is Not An Option03-14-12-postal-service.jpg

    In 1994, I watched the debate in the legislature, on where the proposed Mercedes-Benz manufacturing plant would be built. What happened? The State of Alabama would have the fi nal say in this matter. The same opportunity presented itself with the BMW plant, which would fi nd a home in South Carolina.

    Since World War II, North Carolina has prided itself as the “Good Road State.’’ North Carolina’s most notable selling points were precisely the facts. We had more paved roads than most southern states, a fi rst-rate education system K-12 (because the State had taken over the School System during the fi rst Great Depression), tranquil vacations on the majestic Blue Ridge Mountains and the beautiful coastal beaches for hundreds of miles down east. Our economy was driven by agricultural products, but tobacco was king. We were the furniture capitol of the world, and textile plants dotted the landscape. A very modern, sophisticated Research Triangle Park was thriving and growing on cutting-edge technology. We had it all!

    Political leaders boasted “this is the place to be” to new industry. In 1995, we saw a major shift to Republican control of the House of Representatives and an opportunity to revisit the state’s public policies from a business perspective. Emphasis was placed on the question, “What can we do as a legislature to make North Carolina more business friendly and competitive with other states for Economic Development?” No one had done it like first-term Gov. Jim Hunt, who led a delegation to Japan to recruit new industry.

    This continued with others, I went along with Gov. Jim Martin when he took a delegation to Japan. These men were after businesses that would bring jobs to North Carolina. In order to be competitive with other states, we had to give incentives to companies. Finally, through Gov. Hunt again, the language began to change. After much discussion, a Democratic governor and Senate with a Republican Speaker agreed on a bill that would offer various incentives for businesses that built plants, made capital investments and created jobs. This was new, acceptable bipartisan public policy that would forever change the way N.C. conducted business with taxpayers’ money; a policy in which I strongly advocated for and supported, against prevailing conventional wisdom. This bill was passed overwhelmingly by both parties in the general assembly. The William E. Lee Act marked a shift in public policy, allowing N.C. to receive hundreds of billions of dollars in investments, which created tens of thousands of new jobs for this state.

    This brings us to BRAC, which we’ve heard so much about, with personnel upwards of 30,000 relocating to this area and thousands of jobs. In order to keep its military installations open, N.C. offered concessions to Congress, like forgiving the collection of gasoline taxes on fuel purchased on post. Locally, we should consider doing something similar to keep the regional postal service here in Fayetteville. When we were up against the closing of Kelly Springfield, the state’s policy was incentives for new businesses only! Many of us fought to change/amend the act to save jobs and modernize existing plants and equipment. Those 3,000 Kelly Springfield jobs would be in Mexico now if we had not done so. The leadership of Fayetteville needs to get behind this issue of post-office closings, or risk losing countless jobs that will not be replaced soon.

    The state’s rainy day fund could offset costs and weigh the benefits of 500 jobs and the loss of a $200,000 million operation with contracts for local business. Everything I’ve said earlier related to taxpayer funds being used for the greater good of society, was to call attention to the face that everyone has to give up something to make this work.

    To make this work, the local leadership, state legislative delegation, mayor, city council, county commissioners, our two U.S. Senators and local union need to come together and offer an incentive package for the Postal Services Commissioners to consider. To offer them nothing will most certainly mean the loss of a valuable community asset. In summation, the closing of post offices is more than the lost of 500 jobs, it is the loss of households and livelihoods for families. It is the loss of healthcare benefits. Failure is not an option!

  • Asleep at the Wheel03-07-12-pub-notes.jpg

    It’s very easy to get excited and wrapped up in a feel-good story. When I fi rst started writing for a newspaper, my editor and publisher had to dampen my enthusiasm for some of the stories I came back with. They taught me, or rather reenforced in me, one of the most important rules of journalism. You can’t take a story at face value. You’ve got to dig

    .I think that’s pretty much true about most things in life. You have to consider the source, consider their angle and consider what’s in it for them. Then you have to make sure that everything you hear and are led to believe is factual.

    This is where a lot of people fall into a trap. Some would argue that its only the cynic that looks at life this way. I would say they’re wrong. Case in point, the trials and tribulations of the Jubilee House.

    When the news first broke that Extreme Makeover: Home Edition was coming to Fayetteville, I was a little excited. I watch the show from time to time, and like the feel-good stories it promotes. My first thought was that maybe some old retired veteran whose home was destroyed by the tornado would be helped, or maybe some young Soldier and his family who had purchased a house with mold or something like that would benefit from the show’s arrival in Fayetteville. When they made the announcement about the Jubilee House, it sounded good. But I had never heard of the organization, so I went into research mode.

    They were not registered as a 501(c3) with the Secretary of State’s Office. And other than the announcement, I couldn’t really find anything out about them. That’s when, as a management team, we decided not to be involved. The idea didn’t seem to pass the common sense test. Turns out, we were right.

    In the past few days, I have followed all of the coverage about Jubilee House, and no matter those who say, “It’s all good,” I see dark days ahead for Barbara Marshall and a big black eye for our community.

    I really wanted to know how things got this far. So I started asking questions. How did this start? How did an unvetted, unqualified organization get such resounding support from community leaders that thrust them into the national limelight?

    And, the answer was kind of surprising. A young journalist from the Fort Bragg Paraglide went down and did a story on the Jubilee House. The journalist went back to the paper with a heart-warming, feel-good story, that got everyone excited and the ball started rolling. Unfortunately, no one tempered the excitement, and everyone took the story at face value.

    But there were a lot of different places in this cycle where someone, anyone could have asked... Is this actually a charity? Where is the organization’s bylaws? Who are its board members? Is there a board-certified and approved budget? Is there a financial means of support for the organization?

    If any of these questions had of been asked by our community leaders, we would not be where we are now.

    I’ve worked in nonprofits. I’ve sat on boards and I’ve run an organization. Donations are earmarked for specific things, and, when you are struggling to pay your light bill, you don’t make a facility investment like buying two new houses for homeless veterans to live in, especially when the facility you already have sits empty. Your board, also has to impartial, because they are the stewards of donated money. That means that it can’t be someone who could possibly benefit from that money — like your family.

    Marshall says she didn’t know the rules, and that she made a bad mistake by buying new properties. At face value, that argument could be made. But Marshall, as a military chaplain has been responsible for public funds. She is an educated woman. A mistake? We aren’t buying it.

    Photo: Last summer First Lady Michelle Obama showed sup-port for the Jubilee House. The organization is now under investigation.

  • On Tuesday, March 13, Robin Greene, an author and professor, will present Augustus: Narrative of a Slave, Woman at the Pate Room of the Headquarters Library.

    Greene, an author, professor, director of the writing center and editor at Longleaf Press at Methodist University, grew up in the fast-paced city of Long Island, N.Y., where she enjoyed the multicultural atmosphere with her husband, fiction writer Michael Colonnese.

    She attended college at the age of 16 to take her 11th grade curriculum. After a brief return to high school for her senior year, she discovered that high school was no longer suitable for her. At age 17, she was accepted at Shimer College.

    “I really enjoyed Shimer College, The Great Books College, where we were ex-pected to read really big books that contained between 500-1,000 pages a week,” Robin said.

    It was not the traditional way to complete school, but this feminist artist enjoys doing things the non-traditional way.

    In 1989 Greene, along with her husband and two children, relocated to North Carolina. “I was transplanted to the south after growing up in New York. Coming down here, race seemed (to Greene) to be a different kind of issue then what I was used to, it seemed to underscore things here,”she said.

    “My brother is married to an African-American woman and my two nieces identify as African American,” explained Greene. 

    Puzzled by what she perceived as dirty looks from strangers when she was out with her nieces, Greene began her quest for a better understanding of the racial dynamic in the south. One day in the public library, she discovered a collection of WPA (Work Progress Association) — first person accounts of blacks talking about their slavery experiences.

    “It was like I opened up a treasure chest of stories and lives of women. It was like I could hear the voices of the women as they told their stories. I read all 2,300 narratives of the slaves and I just was riveted by their stories,” said Greene. The story that resonated most regarded Sarah Louis Augustus, from Fayetteville. It is this experience that Greene has agreed to share with the residents of Fayetteville.03-07-12-robin-green.jpg

    Join Greene as she discusses Augustus: Narrative of a Slave, Woman. She will present a first-person account of Sarah Louise Augustus, who came of age dur-ing the Civil War and whose story involves a head-on collision with the moral ambiguities of slavery.

    Greene becomes Professor Greene in this historical novel, the fictional narrator whose commentary frames the story and whose own scholarly need for authen-ticity and precision nearly costs her more than she is willing to lose. This event is on March 13, in the Pate Room at the Cumberland County Headquarters Library at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the pub-lic. For more information call 483-7727.

    Photo: Robin Greene, author/professor, will speak at the Pate Room at the Headquarters Library on the life of Sarah Louis Augustus, a slave who came of age during the Civil War.

  • Shelter or Boarding House?03-07-12-jubilee-house.jpg

    There is something about Fayetteville’s Jubilee House that simply does not pass the smell test. More precisely, there are many things. Navy veteran Barbara Marshall’s good works of housing homeless women veterans gained national attention. From there ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Editionjumped into action and in short order produced a $500,000, 7200 square-foot house where once a $24,000 house stood. Well and good if the intent and purpose as Marshall described it was, in fact, the truth of the matter.

    This then brings me to the truth as we might perceive it. The house can accommodate ten clients. Currently there may be none in Marshall’s care. Fayetteville has plenty of women in need of shelter for an abundance of reasons, yet Marshall cannot provide a roof and meal for any? The most acceptable reason for this puzzling mission failure is the absence of money. But that doesn’t equate because Marshall has received about $50,000 since her brand new house was completed. So show us the money or show us how those funds were applied to her clearly stated mission.

    Look no further than Marshall’s real estate investments. She purchased two homes, one in the Summerhill area, and one near the Jubilee House location, for a total of $35,000 to use as “transitional shelters” for female veterans. But hold on here. Is that not the purpose of the Jubilee House — which is empty? Marshall’s real estate purchases have all the earmarks of a rental-housing investment. Then consider that buying a house in Summerhill or Gilmore Street requires a loan, and that requires (these days) a careful analysis of the borrower’s ability to manage the loan. But Marshall got one heck of a deal. She received a discount, as the VA has explained it. If the discount was such that the houses are free and clear, Marshall got the deal of a lifetime — or was the VA gullible beyond belief?

    Then there is the donation of $75 per week required of homeless women. A donation is a voluntary contribution. It is not a requirement — that would be rent. But Marshall expects payment from her clients, if she had any, for shelter and food, which the community, again, was led to believe was offered out of goodness of heart and charity to the less fortunate. So this sets up the question. Is Marshall running a boarding house in the guise of a charity for the homeless, or is she honestly just a good hearted woman who is woefully incompetent? I suspect the former. This situation needs to be addressed and brought back to functioning as intended by overview and guidance of a competent and vitally involved board of directors. That board must obviously not include Marshall’s family members.

    Current news about that is not reassuring. It is somewhat laughable. Board member Rebekah Sanderlin has reported that all is well with the Jubilee House. But then what else would one expect from the leading board member?

    Surely, do not expect objectivity and truth about the matter. Tell us more about the Summerhill house and the Gilmore Street house and their financing, if any. Explain the Jubilee House’s lack of clients. And where exactly did the $50,000 go? I wonder if Marshall is as uninformed as she claims about the state’s requirement for a license to solicit funds as a non-profit charity — or was she trying to fly under the radar in that regard?

    Fayetteville leadership has so often failed to adequately investigate situations before jumping in with both feet. The Jubilee House is a case in point. Perhaps the same city staffer that gave the mayor the go ahead on the Moorish-American declaration recommended city endorsement of Jubilee House and Barbara Marshall. Jubilee House will not become a tremendous disappointment to the many who devoted time effort and money to the understood cause if accountability and complete transparency guide the project’s future.

    Photo: The Jubilee House, a 7,200-square-foot home intended for homeless veterans is empty.

  • The Ringling Bros.® The Greatest Show On Earth® is bringing Barnum Bash to the Crown Coliseum March 8-11. Barnum Bash is a new show featuring international acts and a pre-show that offers all circus goers a backstage look at circus life.

    An hour before the actual show, clown D.J. Dean Kelley hosts the rockin’ pre-show party. Guests are invited on to the arena floor to practice their juggling and balancing skills, experiment with circus style in glitzy costumes, as well as talk and take pictures with the stars of “the greatest show on earth.” Even the elephants come out and join the party. One elephant will make a piece of art — a footprint using canvas and paint — which will be raffled off to party-goers.

    New for this show, audience members can step behind the curtains for an exclusive backstage look at the exotic animals featured in the show.“

    Something we’ve never done before is open up the curtain and let guests take a back-stage tour,” Kelley said, explaining that the audience gets the opportunity to be part of the whole experience.

    “The pre-show party is my chance to interact and get to know the audience. I’m there to make sure everyone is enjoying themselves and having a good time.”

    Kelley wears a bright orange wig with a cowlick that stands straight up. His flamboyant personality is just as outrageous as his appearance; a sight to behold. The audience can’t help but enjoy Kelley and the rest of the stars as they share circus tricks and wow the audience.

    “We have a saying ‘For kids of all ages…’ and it’s true — we have something for everyone, if you are 2 or a 102,” Kelley said. “It’s really cool when I can look into the audience and see a child and parent and grandparents all responding in the same way and all enjoying themselves.”

    Barnum Bash brings together a number of international acts including the Mighty Dmytrio, Motorcycle Mania, Epic Asian Elephants, Wheel of Steel, and Hand Balancers. All are tricked-out for the circus party and ready to perform wild feats of wonder and strength to contemporary pop music in 21st century Barnum style.

    Kelley is excited about some of the new acts that have joined the show.03-07-12-barnum-bash.jpg

    “I really like the hand balancing act by Duo Fusion. You know people might say … ‘Oh it’s a balancing act, it’s boring,’ but it’s breathtaking every time I see it,” he said.

    Duo Fusion is a married couple who trained as gymnasts before joining the show. The duo combines their Latin heritage with strength, agility and balance to create an incredible show.

    “Also, there is a troupe of acrobats from Cuba that are outstanding and do some things you’ve never seen before. That’s why they’re in the ‘greatest show on Earth’,” Kelley said.

    Troupe members execute swift spins; bar-to-bar jumps; and high-fl ying, trapeze-like maneuvers where they are caught and released by a catcher as they perform fl ips and twists in mid-air.

    “Growing up knowing what a treasure Ringling Bros.® is to the world, and then being able to perform in the show, is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s something I have always dreamed of doing and I’m glad I have the opportunity to do so,” Kelley said.

    For more information, visit www.Ringling.com or visit Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey on Facebook. All seats are reserved. Tickets are available at the Crown Coliseum Box Offi ce and through Ticketmaster at 1-800-745-3000.

    Photo: Dean Kelley, the host of Barnum Bash is excited about the stop in Fayetteville.

  • uac030712001.jpg Walk into the exhibit of photographs by Carlo Pieroni at Gallery 208 and you are walking into the world of a highly successful Italian photographer whose favorite subject is women — beautiful women. Visitors to the opening reception will immediately sense the joyfulness in Pieroni’s work; his passion for life and his art exudes when you talk to the artist.

    Visitors will easily understand how Pieroni is currently the world’s leading photographer of pin-up art.

    Pieroni’s portfolio includes various lifestyle genres, but this striking exhibit is all about the pin-up girl. Pieroni has taken a style with a long history and made it his own. Just think about where you may have seen the pin-up — old movies, popular magazines, calendars and even cartoons.

    Remember the cartoon character Betty Boop, or the silent film star Theda Bara? Then there is the long list of modern pin-up gals: Carole Lombard, Marilyn Monroe, Betty Gable, Rita Haywood, Jane Russell and many, many more.

    Pieroni has made the traditional pin-up girl a timeless modern beauty by changing the wardrobe and the environments the models are situated in. Somewhere between reality and fantasy Pieroni’s pin-up girls find themselves in just about any situation. They can be posed standing on a pier holding fishing gear, being lifted into the air by a group of blue helium balloons — even cooking on a grill!

    If you think the pin-up girl is limited to the “male gaze” in magazines, think again. His work has been commissioned by many international magazines and plenty of commercial companies. Those companies include Liz Claiborne Cosmetics, M&M candy, Everlast and Playtex.

    So how did this career start? Pieroni was born in Florence, Italy, and practiced photography while still a student in high school. After graduating, he started his own commercial studio as a self-taught artist, and later becoming an art director for an advertising agency. His connection to Fayetteville is a model he met while on a job in the Sahara Desert. The model, Carol Wilson, is from Fayetteville. She later became his wife and the couple has three children and split their time between Italy and North Carolina.

    Pieroni is a man who truly enjoys his work. “(I) began creating photographic imagery in the 1980s and enjoy having an international career in fashion and beauty photography shooting for several international magazines and advertising agencies.”

    Although Pieroni discovered the pin-up girl style for himself, the origin of the magazine pin-up is difficult to pin point. The pin-up style historically began as an attractive young woman used to illustrate stories or ads. The art emerged when magazines left the story behind and we are left with an illustration — an art form independent of a narrative story.

    Visitors to Gallery 208 will enjoy the charm and beauty of Pieroni’s pin-up girls. They are tasteful; the images are full of joy, and are campy and vampy. No need to be concerned about offending anyo03-07-12-pin-up.jpgne, Pieroni quoted the following in “Crazy Girls”, in Black + White Magazine, when interviewed by Nick Dent; “More women than men told me they liked the pictures when they were exhibited in London and Paris. They say they love the happiness, the elegance.

    It won’t be difficult to identify the typical pin-up style. The women will all be beautiful. She will bewearing very high heels, clothes that hug her body to accentuate her shape, sometimes wearing lingerie; and often wearing a belt around her waist! Her hair will usually be long or pulled back to show her perfect makeup and smile. You will leave the exhibit knowing beauty is still a popular art form in our culture.

    The opening reception for the exhibit is on Thursday, March 8 from 5:30-7 p.m. Gallery 208 is located in the corporate offices of Up & Coming Weekly at 208 Rowan St. The event is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call 484-6200.

    Photo: Gallery 208 will highlight the works of Carlo Pieroni during a reception on Thursday, March 8. 

  • Enjoy a weekend of indigenous music, art and culture March 9-10, at the 2012 River People Music and Culture Fest hosted by Givens Performing Arts Center at UNC Pembroke. The festival kicks off Friday, with a morning performance at 10 a.m. At 6 p.m. on Friday, the River Roots Arts Guild hosts an Emerging Artist Showcase in the University Center Annex.

    The showcase highlights artist works inspired by the Lumbee River. These works include paintings, sculpture, spoken work, poetry and musical performances. The showcase also features a juried art show by local artists.

    On Saturday, the festival continues at GPAC at 6:30 p.m. General admission is $10; $5 for students and children; and $3 for UNCP students.

    03-07-12-river-dark-.jpgThe event features Native American Music Award winners Pura Fé and the Trio and Dark Water Rising. Other performers include the Deer Clan Singers, The Henry Berry Band, Unheard Voices, flutist Jonathan Ward and blues guitarist Lakota John, Layla & Friends.

    Pura Fé has been a performing artist for more than 25 years. She opened for Neil Young with one of her fi rst solo performances for Aboriginal Voices.

    The name, Dark Water Rising, originates from the home of its members. Famed for being the birthplace of Lumbee culture, Robeson County is nourished by cypress-lined swamps and the black water of the Lumber River. These swamps are legendary for hiding Lumbee outlaws during and after the Civil War. Dark Water Rising has been called “One of the most original and charismatic bands to rise from the ‘middle of nowhere.’”

    The Deer Clan Singers from Robeson County, are Tuscarora Indians, the Southernmost band of the Iroquois. As strong singers, harmonizers and extensive travelers, they keep the traditions of their ancestors alive through their performances.

    03-07-12-river-jonathan-ward.jpgLayla Rose Locklear, 19, is a well-known and talented performer and violinist.

    Lakota John plays the bottle-neck slide guitar, harmonica and sings. He blends traditional styles of the Delta and Piedmont acoustic blues with bottle-neck slide guitar.

    Jonathan C. Ward started playing the Native-American flute in July 2008 when he worked at a retail store that carried flutes. Ward found a strong love for the instrument. Within eight months, he recorded and released his debut album Native Flutin: A New Beginning.

    Officially founded in the ‘70s as a group of spoken-word performers, Unheard Voices is now a sub-group of the Carolina Indian Circle.

    Henry Berry is an ongoing studio project by two of the original members of The Henry Berry Band, the notorious outlaw Southern Rock group that terrorized Robeson and surrounding counties in the ‘70s and ‘80s.

    The Chavis brothers — Danny, Earl, Frank, James and Ernie brought a national spotlight to Pembroke in the 1950s. The members will be honored for their achievements in music on Saturday, March 10.

    Jackie Jacobs is the mistress of ceremonies. Jacobs is a motivational speaker and is known nationwide as the publicist for the Quileute Tribe from the Twilight Saga phenomenon and has worked closely with the native actors.

    The River People Music and Culture Fest will spotlight American-Indian culture from across the nation. Many of the performers have connections to North Carolina and Robeson County. Organizers believe this event will showcase some of the most outstanding talent in the American-Indian community. The nations represented include the Eastern Band of Cherokee, Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, Tuscarora, Waccamaw Siouan Tribe and Haliwa Saponi.

    For more information, please contact GPAC at (910) 521-6361 or email tasha.oxendine@uncp.edu.

    Photos: Dark Water Rising and Jonathan Ward are among the performers at the festival.

  • 03-07-12-mira.jpgMany children are faced with the challenge of loss of sight. This is a difficult condition for many human beings. All around you is darkness and heavy reliance on your four other senses is vital.

    Mercifully, there is a foundation that focuses on providing help to blind children. The MIRA Foundation USA, is a national non-profit organiza-tion that offers guide dogs, free of charge, to blind children. The foundation’s mission is to provide targeted educational outreach to promote public awareness and services for support to the adult population and their families.

    Beth Daniels, executive director of the MIRA Foundation USA, says the foundations is going into its third year and has placed eight guide dogs with blind children so far.

    “Historically, guide dogs are not given to blind people until the age of 18,” Daniels explains. “We are the only foundation that provides guide dogs for blind children between the ages of 11 and 17,” Daniel explains.

    Guide dogs produce a social bridge for the children. The dogs allow for more independence and freedom that they can’t achieve with the use of a cane. A cane may be useful in some ways, but in no circumstance can it be compared to the better usage and stability of a guide dog.

    Of course, the Mira Foundation owes much of its success to the heroes that are changing these children’s lives one day at a time — the guide dogs of the MIRA Foundation. Careful breeding is important to the success of the foun-dation. The goal, when breeding the best dog, is to look for the best physical and behavioral features. The foundation wants to ensure compatibility with their necessary requirement for creating the best guide dogs for these children. Foundation staff has discovered the best breed is a mixture of Labrador and Mountain Bernese, which creates the Labernese.

    Michael Moore, 18, is a resident in the Fayetteville community and attends the Governor Morehead School for the blind in Raleigh. Moore has one of the guide dog. Robbie, Moore’s dog, came from the MIRA Foundation. His mother, Michelle Moore, could not be more pleased to have this dog in their lives.

    “The foundation has been awesome and the expe-rience has been wonderful for Michael,” Moore says. “Had he gotten this dog in middle school he would have stayed mainstream in Cumberland County.”

    Moore explained that the bond between Robbie and Michael is strong.

    “He is the sweetest dog,” she said. “A lot of places do not advocate guide dogs for children but the Mira Foundation does and we are so pleased.”

    Currently, the Mira Foundation has plans to place two more dogs with blind children in Fayetteville.

    MIRA Foundation USA has many events in the Fayetteville area. The third annual Sandhills Dining in the Dark Dinner on April 28, will be held at the elegant Pinehurst Member’s Club. The event will allow guests to eat their meal blindfolded to experience being blind.

    The Mira Foundation has its only office in Aberdeen, N.C., on 112 N. Poplar St., but they are continuing to expand. The foundation is focused on making a better life for children who are blind.

    For more information about the MIRA Foundation USA or to volunteer, visit www.mirausa.org or contact the main office at 944-7757.

    Photo: The Mira Foundation has discovered the best breed for their guide dogs is a mixture of Labrador and Mountain Bernice, which creates the Labernese. 

  • Kari Jobe’s Musical Styling Finds a Home

    The contemporary Christian music world is rapidly falling in love with the music of worship leader and artist, Kari Jobe. Though often compared to fellow artists, Christy Nockels and Sara Groves because of musical styling, Jobe has a sound all her own. Her passion to encourage people can be heard in every word she sings.

    “I remember hearing a worship song that applied perfectly to a family that I knew and I knew that I wanted to write songs like that, for hurting people, songs that someone could speak to the Lord when they can’t find the words,” she said.

    In the midst of singing on the very popular Winter Jam Tour and serving as worship pastor at her church in 03-07-12-the-buzzkari.jpgSouthlake, Texas, Jobe has still found time to record and release her highly anticipated sophomore album, Where I Find You.

    “After singing about the importance of making time for intimate worship on my first album, I wanted to take the next step on Where I Find You,” she explained. “These songs come from such an honest place of praising God for what he’s done — and what he’s continuing to do in our lives — because of his grace and goodness.”

    Jobe’s songs warmly express God’s unwavering love. Her music is great to listen to anytime but especially when you need that extra encouragement to know you can make it through your struggles by relying on God.

    “That’s the reason I’m doing what I’m doing at this specific moment — to see God’s name lifted high, to encourage the hurt and the broken and to remind everyone to draw close to him because he really, truly does care about each and every one of his children,” she concluded.

    Jobe’s work has been recognized by her peers in the music industry as well. Recently she won two Dove Awards for Special Event Album of the Year and Spanish Language album and was nominated for New Artist of the Year.

    Produced by Ed Cash and Matt Bronleewe Where I Find You, which includes the new hit radio single “We Are,” is a clarion call for listeners to experience God’s presence to the fullest.

    The album reached number one on iTunes upon release and debuted at number 75 on the Canadian Albums Chart.

    Where I Find You is on sale now at local Christian music stores. To learn more about Jobe’s and her music check out her website at www.karijobe. com. And, for more “Buzz” on the latest in Christian conte mporary music dial up Christian 107.3 on your radio or online at www.christian107.com.

    Photo: Kari Jobe sang during the 2010 GMA Dove awards. She has won two Dove awards 

  • “The earliest years of childhood are critical. Experiences during this time literally shape the structure of the brain. Because today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders, parents and workers, everyone has a stake in making sure that all children have the experiences they need to thrive.” 03-30-11-smart-start.jpg

    Those are the words that are emblazoned across the Smart Start website. They are also words that North Carolinians need to take to heart, and North Carolina leaders need to ponder over as they make decisions concerning the funding of the Smart Start program.

    Everyone needs to look at the achievements being made through programs directed to and affecting early childhood development here in Cumberland County and across our state.

    Smart Start and More at Four are proven and timetested programs that have had positive, long-term effects on the development of children and their educational achievements. Those programs are now in jeopardy.

    You might ask yourself what is Smart Start? In short, Smart Start is the state’s early childhood infrastructure. Smart Start local partnerships serve to bring stakeholders to assess local needs; ensure accountability; and leverage community, state and federal resources. Local partnerships have established community networks that bridge education, health services and family supports to best meet the needs of young children and their families.

    The Smart Start network of 77 local partnerships serving all 100 North Carolina counties is the envy of the nation. Federal and private funders have invested millions of dollars in North Carolina’s early childhood system because Smart Start provides the network on the ground that is needed to produce effi cient and effective results.

    The power of Smart Start is in its public/private partnership that mandates outcomes, while giving communities local control to determine the best approach to achieving them.

    When state and local governments are focused on fi scal responsibility some tough decisions have to be made. These decisions should not be based on “fi scal desperation.” Young children are the innocent, bipartisan, foundation of our nation. Cuts in these programs are short sighted and devastating to the development of our children and our nation.

    North Carolina’s Democratic leadership needs to man-up with the facts about the Partnership for Children and its progress. Governmental leaders need to look at the impact and success the organization has had in implementing these programs, rather than bantering over that weak redundant cliché “It’s for the children.”

    Republicans need to get focused on what’s really important and stop fl exing their majority muscles while advocating a “onesize- fits-all” mentality when it comes to funding cuts directed at balancing North Carolina’s budget.

    This is not an issue that needs to be determined along party lines. Both sides of the aisle in Raleigh need to focus on the existing and blatant waste, fraud and duplication of services that have a choke hold on the North Carolina taxpayer.

    Smart Start: A Smart Move. We hope common sense and compassion prevails. We’ll soon see where our priorities are.

    Thanks for reading.

  • uac033011001.jpg Fayetteville City Councilman Bobby Hurst talks a lot of trash. But not in a bad way. Hurst, the chairman of the Fayetteville Beautiful Committee, is always ready to talk about his drive to make the community a better place by cleaning it up and getting rid of all the trash.

    These days Hurst is particularly busy as the organization gears up for its annual Fayetteville Beautiful Citywide Clean-up that is scheduled for April 16. The day-long event brings people from all walks of life together to work toward one goal: beautifying our community by eliminating the rubbish that makes its ways to our city’s streets, side roads and fields.

    Founded several years ago by Hurst and like-minded citizens, Fayetteville Beautiful’s goal is to encourage others to take greater responsibility for improving their environment.

    The group looks at why people litter and where they litter. According to Hurst, people littler because:

    • They don’t feel a sense of ownership;

    • They believe someone else will pick it up; and

    • They litter in areas where litter has already accumulated

    Hurst believes the key to a long-term sustainable solution for a more beautiful Fayetteville is its success at changing individual behavior and attitudes about litter.

    In order to change those attitudes, Hurst sees sweat equity as a big piece of the puzzle. The volunteers who come out each year for the cleanup themselves into the project. They go into areas where the litter index is the highest and walk the roads picking up the trash. The trademark orange bags dotting the roadside are a sign of the clean-up’s success.

    Each year in the weeks prior to the clean-up, Hurst and several other key city leade03-30-11-cover-story-11.jpgrs go out into the community to create the litter index. The index is a measurement tool that is essential to identifying and understanding the extent of the litter problem in Fayetteville. Designed by Keep America Beautiful for local communities, the index helps defi ne problem areas and then drive discussions about solutions.

    Last year, the solution included the pick-up of 20,075 pounds of litter by more than 800 volunteers. Over the course of the past six years, almost 6,000 volunteers have banded together to make Fayetteville more beautiful one road at a time. Those volunteers have picked up 72 tons of litter spread across more than 250 miles of road.

    03-30-11-cover-story-3.jpgBut there is still more work to be done. Each year school groups, community groups and individuals come together for this campaign. This year, the call for volunteers is being sounded again. If you would like to be a part of this campaign to make Fayetteville Beautiful, you can register to volunteer by calling Lynn Hughes at 910-433-1587 or by completing the volunteer form at www.fayettevillebeautiful.com or signing up at the Fayetteville Beautiful page on Facebook.

    Once a list of volunteers is generated, groups will be assigned a specific section of road. The assignments help to focus the clean-up in the most critical areas, rather than groups randomly picking spots to clean. This also allows the trucks to come by and pick up the trash once it is collected.

    On the day of the event, volunteers should report to the kick-off at the entrance to the Martin Luther King Expressway on Ramsey Street. There, volunteers will receive, gloves, vests and trash bags, as well as receive encouragement from local leaders and thanks for their participation.

    Fayetteville Beautiful is an affi liate of Keep America Beautiful.

    (Photo, top right); Bobby Hurst, chairman of Fayetteville Beautiful, encourages volunteers at last year’s kick-off.

  • 03-30-11-iphone.jpgI’ve noticed that I rely more and more on my iPhone for my day to day and my traveling pleasure. This little device makes my life a little easier for my day to day life and now there are a few apps that make motorcycling a little easier. So I thought I would share a few of them with you.

    AAA Roadside App is great if you have a break down. The best part of this app is that it displays your AAA card which is great when you are getting discounts at hotels.

    Trip Journal was created more for hikers but has a very nice journal feature for documenting your trip. It allows you use Google Maps and Face Book your trip.

    Greatest Road finds your location and will plot routes near you that other riders have uploaded to their site. This is great if you are just wanting to go for a drive and don’t know the area or looking for something a little different.

    Motor Club is All-States App. This is the insurance company that is used by KOA membership.

    MapQuest is a GPS program. This program does a good job of showing delays in traffic. When traffic is heavy it will display red lines on your route. This will help you decide if you want to find another route to your destination.

    Bank Of America happens to be the bank that I use. Lots of banks have apps but the nice thing for the BOA app is that it will find you the nearest ATM.

    Just Light is an app that is just that. It turns your phone into a little flash light. Handy when you are looking through your tank bag at night.

    My Ride is the best app that I’ve found to track the maintenance of my motorcycles. It allows you to sort your bikes by pictures and stores lots of information from your bike’s information to safety checklist to maintenance log and much more.

    Are you hungry for Chinese or Italian food? I use Siri to find what places and service I might need. This app helps you find restaurants, movies, events, local businesses, taxis, weather, Twitter and it will even let you set up reminders if you need it.

    The Weather Channel. There are a lot of weather apps out there. I use a couple of them but The Weather Channel has the Doppler radar which is great when the rain is coming in. I use it to judge if I need find a place to park for a while like a dinner or something. It is always a great tool in deciding which direction you want to head based on upcoming temperatures. For example, this weekend I want to go to the mountains but it will be chilly for the most part so I’ve decided to explore the beach.

    Vingo is an app that allows you to speak into the microphone to find a variety of information. This is handy if you have cloves on and need an address for something. For example, I say “find the Up and Coming”. It will then go to Google and give me the results. Two taps later I either have directions on my phone or a phone number to call there. It’s a great.

    Weather. This app comes on the iPhone. It is a simple app that gives you the current temperature and upcoming forecast in a simple screen shot. It is one of the first things I look at when I wake up in the morning to decide how to dress for the day.

    The Harley Davidson app has preloaded rides on it and the app will take you to either starting point of the trip or to the closest point from your location. I like these kinds of trips because I just ride. I know someone else has made the route but for me it is relaxing and think that if it was a good enough ride for someone to load up in a computer then it is probably a pretty good trip.

    Maintenance Minder is another app for keeping track of your bike. I used it until I found the My Ride app but it is worth mentioning.

    State Farm App. This app is good for locating hotels, gas, tow trucks, locksmiths and more. It gives you information on what to do after an accident, as well as holds your insurance information. There are other apps for insurance companies so check and see if your company has one for you.

    My camera is awesome for most pictures. The iPhone has a 5 megapixel camera which is nice if you don’t want to carry a separate camera. It also has a built in video camera that does a decent job but the sound is not that great. .

    As much as my iPhones does things I have not added a mount to replace it for my other tools. This is mainly because I use the Outerbox to protect it and it just does not fit the current mounting systems. The other thing about the iPhone is that during the summer it will tell you that it is too hot to operate. Once this summer I was at a stop and wanted to check my mail and had to actually put it in a freezer at the gas station. I asked the attendant if I could freeze my phone. Believe it or not, she knew why.

    There are many apps and with the various platforms more and more are on the street every day. So keep looking for them. If you find a good one for riding please let me know about it.

    If there is a topic that you would like to discuss you can contact me at motorcycle4fun@aol.com. RIDE SAFE!

  • RANGO (RATES PG)   3 STARS03-30-11-rango.jpg

    I was looking forward to Rango (107 minutes) as a cute little animated comedy western. Then I realized that it was directed by Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean). I mean, he looks good on paper and so does the Pirates trilogy; he just falls short on execution. I keep trying to watch his movies, but once you get beyond the pretty colors there isn’t much there worth re-watching. And with Johnny Depp in the lead role, why even bother? Although it was fun to watch him shift from Captain Jack Sparrow to the Mad Hatter to Willy Wonka to Don Juan DeMarco without ever really making it to Clint Eastwood or Gary Cooper.

    A nameless pet chameleon with a weird neck and aspirations towards stage acting (Johnny Depp) is bounced from his aquarium because his owners are morons and failed to properly secure their pet when traveling. He meets an armadillo (Alfred Molina, channeling George Lopez) seeking the Spirit of the West. Armadillo sends him out to a desert town, and on his way he almost gets eaten by a hawk. It’s a cute character establishing scene that leads into a Dali-esque nightmare. Remember when Homer Simpson ate the Guatemalan Insanity Peppers? Yeah. Like that.

    He wakes in a wash of water to the oddly appealing lizard Beans (Isla Fisher). She is a rancher’s daughter with an out-of-whack survival instinct that sends her into mini-comas at inconvenient moments, and she reminds me of when Bugs Bunny used to put on a wig and dress up as a girl bunny. She offers him a ride back to town in between working out her daddy issues, and nameless chameleon ends up in Dirt.

    Not that he stays nameless for long! In scene reminiscent of Mickey Mouse’s “Brave Little Tailor” from 1938, our hero names himself Rango and brags that he has killed the seven Jenkins’ Brothers with one bullet. His hyperbole gets him the attention of the entire town, which is a bit risky and leads him into a bar fight with some local toughs (including Ray Winstone). Which in turn catches the attention of a hawk with a silver beak (raising the question … how can a hawk afford such a costly accessory?) He manages to evade and destroy the hawk by dropping a house on it and claiming its ruby slippers. At least I assume there were ruby slippers involved, because Gore Verbinksi is not all that original as a director.

    Having established his reputation, Rango is taken to meet Mayor Tortoise John (Ned Beatty) and is appointed the new Sheriff. Beans then demands that he investigate the local water shortage. On his first night as Sheriff, Rango inadvertently makes the water shortage worse by sending Balthazar the Thieving Prairie Dog (Harry Dean Stanton) directly to the town’s only remaining water. Rango is finally forced to do some actual work, and he puts together a posse to go after the town’s water.

    The posse tracks down the thieves by using the tunnels built underneath the town, and find the covered water cooler/safe at their Prairie Dog hideout. Following a pretty nifty chase scene that involved racing roosters and passenger bats, the posse captures their targets only to find out that the water was long gone before the water cooler was taken. Too bad Rattlesnake Jake (Bill Nighy) has returned to town before Rango can figure out what happened to the water.

    Jake kicks Rango out of town and according to the Greek chorus of Mariachi Owls, he hits bottom. Luckily, the Spirit of the West (Timothy Olyphant channeling Clint Eastwood) helps him out, and he heads back to the town to call out the villain behind the water shortage.

    Overall I didn’t mind sitting through it, and fans of Westerns (and Hollywood in general) will need more than two hands to count up all the movie references.

  • The Radiography Accelerated Non-Traditional Program offers students who are military trained or who have previously attended a hospital-based training program the opportunity to obtain an associate of applied science in radiography through an accelerated program of study. Students who enter this learning option also have the opportunity to sit for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) national certification examination if needed.

    Eligible candidates are formally trained radiologic technologists who are currently employed in radiography with three years’ consecutive experience. All candidates must meet the program prerequisites and related courses in the curriculum prior to acceptance into the accelerated program, as well as meet the admissions requirements of Fayetteville Technical Community College.

    Candidates may take prerequisite or related courses online through FTCC. Each accelerated course will be offered online with the exception of clinical courses. Candidates will have the opportunity to take a proficiency test on the first day of the online course. With a passing score, the student will be given credit for that course. If the score i03-30-11-ftcc-pic.gifs not passing, the student will proceed in completing the course online for eight weeks. Clinical courses will be assigned a “portfolio” for completion of the course requirements.

    Through the accelerated non-traditional option in radiography, candidates can receive an associate degree in only one year. This accelerated program is designed to help candidates who are interested in continuing their education in a four-year baccalaureate degree program by allowing them an expedient way to complete their education quickly. Completing the associate degree at FTCC also helps students save on tuition costs, as tuition expenses at FTCC are less than those at four-year universities.

    Learn more about FTCC and the accelerated non-traditional program of radiography at www.faytechcc.edu or call (910) 678-8264. 

    PHOTO: The Radiography Accelerated Non-Traditional Program offers students who are military trained or who have previously attended a hospital-based training program the opportunity to obtain an associate of applied science in radiography through an accelerated program of study. 

  • When people hear the phrase “child sex traffi cking” it is quite likely that a Third-World country comes to mind, and not the streets of small town America. It’s sad, it’s dirty, it’s scary and it is a big problem right under our noses. According to International Crisis Aid:03-30-11-national-center.jpg

    • In 2009, a University of Pennsylvania study estimated nearly 300,000 youth in the United States were at risk of being sexually exploited for commercial uses — “most of them runaways or thrown-aways,” said Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

    • Almost 300,000 American children are at risk for traffi cking into the sex industry, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of State.

    • There are girls as young as 5 and 6 years old in the U.S. that are forced to do sexual acts for economic gain by their pimp, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

    • In December 2007, research by the U.S. Department of Justice’s National Institute of Justice based on interviews with pimps and sexually exploited children in several U.S. cities found that most pimps manage one to three girls at a time and operate as follows:

    • At least half appear to operate at the local level only.

    • At least one quarter may be tied to city-wide crime rings (often engaged in drug sales as well as prostitution) and are constantly looking for new recruits.

    • About 15 percent are tied to regional or national networks that are well financed and organized, in which the pimps communicate easily with one another electronically; provide support services such as recruitment, selection, indoctrination and movement of new girls; and occasionally assist in locating and disciplining girls who escape from other pimps.

    • About 10 percent appear to be tied to international sex-crime networks and, through them, actively participate in the international traffi cking of children. Some pimps also are part of international drug networks and may use children to move drugs in to and across the U.S.

    On April 8, the Methodist University, the Sociology, Social Work and Justice Studies Programs at Methodist University, Lyn and Michael Green, Christiane Thompson and Manna Church present the documentary Playground, in which Libby Spears, the director, investigates the domestic roots of the child-sex industry and seeks to raise awareness of the commercial sexual exploitation of children.

    “One thing we’d like people to know is that this film has been praised for avoiding to sensationalize the issues of child traffi cking while still raising public awareness,” said Methodist University Professor of Sociology Dr. Vida Bajc. “That is really what we would like to achieve. It is not about blaming. It is not about sensationalizing, but rather thinking critically about this issue. By organizing such events we would like the community to understand that sociology is the study of social relations, social problems and social change. So we encourage our students to learn how to do critical analysis of social phenomena by making connections between local and the global issues so they can realize that when something happens locally it is always connected to larger global issues.”

    Following the film, there will be a panel discussion featuring three experts:

    Sharon W. Cooper, M.D., F.A.A.P, is a Forensic Pediatrician and Board member of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Cooper has been a pediatrician for more than 30 years and is the lead author of the most comprehensive text on child sexual exploitation and Internet crimes against children. She cares for victims of child pornography, cyber-enticement and prostitution.

    Elzbieta M. Gozdziak, Ph.D. is the director of Research at the Institute for the Study of International Migration at Georgetown University. She is also editor of International Migration, a scholarly journal devoted to research and policy analysis of contemporary issues affecting international migration, including human trafficking for sexual exploitation. She has published several articles on research on human traffi cking and on child victims of traffi cking for labor and sexual exploitation, including a special issue of International Migration on “Improving Data and Research on Human Traffi cking.”

    Charity Magnuson is the director of N.C. Stop Human Traffi cking. She turned a website into an organization in 2009 and has been running nonstop ever since. She is a published author on human rights and development at Harvard University and on human-traffi cking issues in North Carolina. She has presented to thousands of people in her professional career in marketing and public relations and in her work as a human rights advocate.

    The event starts at 6 p.m. at the Medical Lecture Hall, which is located at 5400 Ramsey St. Refreshments will be provided by The Fresh Cafe. This event is free and open to the public, but it should be noted that it does contain mature subject matter. Find out more at www.methodist. edu/sociology/events.htm

  • Fayetteville is home to many organizations and each organization holds a unique footprint in our03-30-11-india-fay.gifcommunity and adds personality to the community at the same time. The local SENCAIA — South Eastern North Carolina Asian Indian Association is one such organization.

    Every year SENCAIA hosts the annual India Festival, donating all of the profits to a chosen charity each year. This year the festival will be held on April 9 at the Crown, and will feature authentic Indian cuisine, fusion Indo- Chinese dishes, Bollywood-themed performances, a live instrumental concert, live-cooking demonstrations, a fashion show and more.

    Since 2005, SENCAIA has hosted the annual festival in Fayetteville, donating all proceedings to local charities such as Better Health for Cumberland County, Army Wives Association, armed forces, firefighters and the Boys and Girls clubs. To date the organization has donated $85,000 to these local charities.

    According to SENCAIA member, Sharmila Udyavar, “The main purpose of this annual event is to create awareness about the Indian culture, adding to the great cultural diversity of Fayetteville, N.C.”

    A range of vendors will also be on hand to display different cuisines of India varying from the street foods to delicacies full of exotic spices. For food lovers, there will be various live-cooking demonstrations throughout the day that will feature different Indian recipes. Other vendor booths will also offer a variety of spices typical to India, ethnic Indian wear, intriguing gold jewelry, arts and crafts and more.

    No festival can be complete without some dance and music, and the India Festival has invited professional artists/ performers from different parts of the United States, and is even bringing on group of performers from India. These artists will display and array of folk dances, Bollywoodthemed dance numbers, classical and contemporary dances.

    Overall, the goal of the festival is also to familiarize our community with various colors of the Indian culture, by focusing on the spirit of the local Indian population. Fayetteville indeed is a melting pot, full of wonderful surprises. The India Festival is an event not to be missed, as it takes you away to a world full of hospitality, delicious food, beautiful people and great bargains.

    Since sponsors and vendors mostly fund the event, there is a small entry fee of $2 for adults and children under three are free. The fun starts at 11 a.m. and runs through 7 p.m. Call 438-4100 for more info.

    PHOTOS: Dancers perform at the 2010 India Festival.

  • In 1955, something miraculous happened that would change the world of dance forever, and help shape race relations in the theatrical world. Arthur Mitchell, a Harlem native and African-American ballet dancer, was selected by George Balanchine and Lincoln Kirstein to join the New York City Ballet. This historic occurrence in pre-Civil Rights America set the stage for many firsts by Mitchell, which changed the face and future of dance forever.

    Shortly after the assassination of Martin Luther King, Mitchell and Karel Shook, the first teacher and ballet master of the Dutch National Ballet founded the Dance Theater Of Harlem which upheld and nurtured the idealism of the Civil-Rights Era.

    03-30-11-fsu-dance.jpgWith a less than auspicious start in a garage in Harlem, Mitchell threw himself heart and soul into the school, making it his goal to give the children of Harlem the same opportunities he was blessed with, and that spirit still lives on in the institution today, training more than 1,000 students annually.

    The Dance Theater of Harlem has since gone on to tour internationally, receive countless awards and acclaim and is still the benchmark of success among aspiring dancers all over the world. At home or abroad, DTH is met with sold-out performances and accolades. After successfully returning to the United Kingdom in 2002 and 2004, DTH celebrated its 35th Anniversary with an extensive U.S. tour, followed by performances in Greece prior to the opening of the 2004 summer Olympics, and now Fayetteville State University is pleased to host this inspirational dance company.

    Dr. Earnest Lamb, chair of the Department of Performing and Fine Arts at FSU realizes the importance of the arts in Fayetteville. “One of the priorities of Fayetteville State University is to become the cultural and intellectual center for city and region. The Fine Arts Series at Fayetteville State University helps realize this priority by bringing nationally recognized talent to campus for the benefi t of the entire community. The university is pleased to be able to bring the Dance Theater of Harlem for the cultural enrichment of Fayetteville,” said Lamb.

    Lamb encourages the community to take advantage of this unique opportunity to see one of the most recognized dance companies in the world, while at the same time supporting the Department of Performing and Fine Arts at FSU. All proceeds from tickets to the event will go directly back into the department for future performances.

    A free lecture/demonstration for students will be held April 4 at 9:30 a.m. This presentation will give students a glimpse into the lives of the dancers from rehearsal to performance.

    The Dance Theater of Harlem will perform an evening of classic ballets at Fayetteville State University on Sunday, April 3 at 6 p.m. in the J.W. Seabrook Auditorium. A silent auction will begin at 5 p.m. Tickets are $50 general admission, $70 VIP single reserved seating and $120 VIP couple with reserved seating. Children and students with identifi cation will be admitted for $35. Tickets are available through the FSU Box Offi ce at 910-672-1724 or www.etix.com.

    For more information about the event including silent auction items, please visit the Opus I website: http://www.uncfsu.edu/fah/opus.htm.

    For more information about the Department of Performing and Fine Arts, please visit www.uncfsu.edu/fah or call 910-672-2143.

    PHOTO: Members of the Dance Theater of Harlem perform.

  • 03-30-11-better-health-logo.gifIt doesn’t take a lot of study to find that many Americans are not always vigilant about their health and taking care of themselves. Of course, there are a variety of reasons for this...laziness, lack of understanding, stressful lives, lack of funds for medical care, you name it. In many cases it doesn’t have to be that way. There are people and resources out there ready to encourage, educate and advocate for individuals in their quest for better health and a better quality of life — and to help get folks back on the road to better living.

    Better Health is just one of those organizations. Its mission is to provide for the unmet healthcare needs of Cumberland County residents through assistance, referral and education. The organization seeks to “impact the quality of life for all Cumberland County residents, through a commitment to improving access and availability of health care services for the under-served, low-income resident.”

    Better Health has been meeting that goal since 1958 and has no plans to stop anytime soon. It takes money though, and being a nonprofit, there never seems to be enough of it to go around.

    On Saturday, April 9, Better Health is hosting its 14th Annual Evening at the Theater at Highland Country Club.

    The entertainment “A Gleeful Evening at the Theater” features local musical theater talent, including students from Terry Sanford and Fayetteville Academy. The piece is produced and directed by Cassandra Vallery and will feature a wide range of songs.

    “This is our fifth year to do a live musical show and our 14th for an Evening at the Theater,” said Judy Klinck. “About fi ve years ago Cassandra Vallery, who is one of the local theater performers, put together a show, and it was just such a hit that she has done it every year since. She uses some of the volunteer theater talent in the community and puts together a really professional show. It is sort of a little cabaret-style song and a little bit of dance. We have serious romantic songs and the comedic songs. It all adds up to a real nice evening.”

    Attendees can look forward to beverages and hors d’oeuvres before the show and coffee and dessert following. Usually about 200 people attend the event and this year, Klinck hopes, will be not exception as the goal for the event is to raise $38,000, which will be used to support all four of Better Health’s programs.

    Fifty-three years ago the organization founded a fi nancial-assistance program, which is designed to fi ll the gap for people with little or no medical insurance. It covers both medical and dental concerns, but the program is need based. Last fiscal year, this program helped 1,217 individuals.

    The diabetes program is something that Better Health is well known for. It is a full program that includes a diabetes management class covering everything from A to Z related to diabetes, and includes weekly monitoring classes. This program is free to everyone in Cumberland County. Last fi scal year 370 people were served.

    Closely related to the diabetes program is the healthy lifestyle program that reaches out to organizations and churches and will provide speakers to cover healthy living issues.

    A medical equipment loan program is another popular service offered by Better Health and it is also free of charge to Cumberland County citizens. People donate medical equipment that they no longer need — things like walkers, wheelchairs and bath chairs — and Better Health loans the equipment to those in need of such devices. Last fi scal year 280 people benefi tted from this program.

    Seeing those numbers makes it clear to Klinck that there is a strong need for the programs that Better Health provides.

    “We feel that we really do have an impact on the community, especially with folks who have diabetes and are uninsured or where there is a gap in their insurance that is not being fi lled,” said Klinck , adding that “We don’t want to be the best kept secret in town. We’ve been operating for 53 years and we are glad for this opportunity to be exposed to people who haven’t heard of us.”

    Tickets are $175 per couple or $100 per individual. Funds from the show will benefi t Better Health. Last year, because of the generosity of the community Better Health provided diabetes education to 365 people and emergency assistance for medical needs to 1,435 families in Cumberland County.

    Call 483-7534 or visit www. betterhealth.CC.org. to make a reservation.

  • 03-30-11-operation-inasumch.gifSince having their vision fulfi lled in January 2007 of becoming a recognized 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization, Operation Inasmuch (OIAM) has served thousands of less fortunate residents in Cumberland County.

    The mission is simple: “To walk among the broken and struggling, being the hands and feet of Jesus.”

    On Saturday, April 9, Operation Inasmuch will continue its mission, with the annual Blitz Day. This year’s Blitz Day will mark the 16th year for the project, and will grant Operation Inasmuch an opportunity to add to the 30 neighborhoods it has already served since fi rst beginning.

    Blitz Day is a day where a “neighborhood is selected to receive home repairs, yard maintenance and a block party for those young and old.”

    Who is responsible for providing all of this? Community volunteers and local churches sign up to help make the day a success. Blitz Day is covered with “dedicated Christians fulfi lling their calling of service to03-30-11-inasmuch.jpgothers,” by doing this, “they become the hands and feet of Jesus.”

    The selected neighborhood to reap the benefi ts of Blitz Day this year is the neighborhood of Evan’s Hill. Seventy churches have signed up to volunteer. Some of the activities they will perform are: painting houses, building a wheelchair ramp and throwing a neighborhood block party. OIAM Executive Director, Sue Byrd, says that “neighborhoods are stronger when we leave” because “neighbors who weren’t talking to each other, are now talking to each other.” The Blitz Day helps to create a family in the neighborhoods.

    Blitz Day is the signature project, but Operation Inasmuch offers a host of other programs for the less fortunate. One of the programs offered is the Jobs for Life Program. The program is designed to prepare community residents with the requisite skills needed to fi nd employment. The Breakfast Ministry provides a healthy and nutritious breakfast for homeless men and women; and the Home Sweet Home Program awards individuals with permanent shelter.

    Recently, OIAM renovated its first house on Frink Street, fi ve men were able to move in. These men have been with OIAM and have participated in several of the programs, which helped them get back on their feet. OIAM calls this project the Frink Street Transformation Project. This project will allow them to put the homeless in homes and not in shelters, because one night in a shelter “does not change your life.”

    Blitz Day will take place on April 9 in the neighborhood of Evans Hill. The event will kickoff at 7:30 a.m. The block party will begin at 11 a.m. and will last until the mission to transform the neighborhood is complete. Sue Byrd says that at the end of the day, they just want to “cover the whole neighborhood and community with the love of Jesus.”

    To learn more about OIAM and the services they provide, visit their website at www.faoiam.org.

    PHOTO: Hundreds of volunteers contributed to Operation Inasmuch Blitz Day last year.

  • 03-30-11-dancing.jpgIf you are homeless, you have very little to dance about. But on Saturday, April 9, some local Fayetteville celebrities will put on their dancing shoes to help fight homelessness in our community as Dancing With the Fayetteville Stars hits the stage to benefi t the The Center for Economic Empowerment and Development.

    Formerly known as the Women’s Center, CEED has a hand in providing opportunities to a wide demographic in Fayetteville. This nonprofit organization’s mission is to “provide resources and advocacy to individuals and families in order to restore personal dignity for economic empowerment and development.”

    The Lease-to-Home program, one of the agency’s many programs, assists people in transitioning from homelessness to homeownership. The goal is to provide people of all backgrounds the chance to own their own home. This year alone, Lease-to- Home Program has created 60 jobs and helped 40 individuals become home owners. It is this program that will benefit from the dance event.

    More than 30 local celebrities will dance to impress the crowd and raise funds for CEED’s Lease-to-Home Program.

    “We use all the money that we raise, after we pay expenses, to go to renovation of a house. Those houses are then rented to someone with 50 percent or less of the median income,” said Sylvia Ray, executive director of CEED. “Once they have been in the house and saved money and gotten their credit straight, they are eligible, to purchase the house. The people we deal with are not ready to buy a house right a way. They need to get a much better credit score so that they can get a much better loan and they can be prepared to be home owners.”

    Some of the celebrities participating are Bert Hassell, Hope Mills police chief; Bill McMillan, director of the Re-Store Warehouse; Dr. James Anderson, chancellor of Fayetteville State University, Jo Ann Ruff with Dr. J. Michael Ruff, Periodontics & Implants; David McCune, Jr., vice president of McCune Technology; Tim Price, owner of LaFayette Ford; Chris Rey, candidate for mayor of Spring Lake, Liz Tomalesky, co-host of La Voz Presenta at WITN-TV and Andrew Pennink with HomeFront Mortgage.

    While the evening promises to be both lively and entertaining, if you are unable to attend you can still help. Go to www.ncceed.org/dance and vote for your favorite celebrity, because just like the Dancing With the Stars TV show, competitors get to stay based on the number of votes they receive. It costs $10 per vote.

    On the night of the event, the audience can expect a rip roaring good time filled with dances ranging from ballroom to Broadway, disco to the Carolina Shag.

    In addition to supporting a good cause, local support helps the CEED gain credibility with other funding organizations that partner with them in improving the community.

    “Other lines of funding like the North Carolina Housing Finance and the city fund our housing projects and they always want to know ‘Are you getting private money? Do other people really care about the issue of folks trying to stay off the streets and own affordable housing?’ What it says back to those organizations is that yes the people in our local community really do care,” said Ray. “They are concerned just as much as we are.”

    Included in the $125 ticket price is a buffet dinner including wine and beverages. Tickets are tax deductible and may be purchased at www.ncceed.org or by calling 323-3377.

    PHOTO: Bill McMillan, of the Re-Store Warehouse is one of the performers in this year’s event.

  • Humbled by Gratitude

    I do not think I am alone in feeling unsettled and on edge these days.

    Our world seems to be spinning completely out of our control — a natural and a man-made disaster in Japan and a madman in Libya. Vicious partisan politics at both the state and national levels. It did not help when my copy of Newsweek arrived with the its cover screaming, “Apocalypse Now: Tsunamis. Earthquakes. Nuclear Meltdowns. Revolutions. Economies on the Brink. What the #@%! Is Next?”

    Factor in one’s own demons and distresses and it is tough not to feel queasy.

    A friend recently mentioned an Up & Coming Weekly column I wrote several years ago that he found hopeful and inspiring, and perhaps because of my glum humor, I decided to look it up. It was originally published in May of 2005, and because it struck a chord in me for a second time, I am using a portion of it again during these trying times in our world.

    “If we could shrink the earth’s population to a village of precisely 100 people, with all the existing human ratios remaining the same, it would look something like the following:

    There would be 57 Asians, 21 Europeans, 14 from the Western Hemisphere —both North and South America.

    There would be 52 females and 48 males. 03-30-11-margaret.jpg

    Seventy people would be non-white and 30 would be white.

    Seventy people would be non-Christian and 30 would be Christian.

    Eighty-nine would be heterosexual, and 11 would be homosexual.

    Six people would possess 59 percent of the world’s wealth, and all six of them would live in the United States.

    Eighty would live in sub-standard housing.

    Seventy would be unable to read.

    Fifty would suffer from malnutrition.

    One would be near death, and one would be near birth.

    One — yes, only one — would have a college education.

    One would own a computer….

    If you woke up this morning with more health than illness … you are more blessed than the million who will not survive this week.

    If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the pains of starvation … you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

    If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death…you are more blessed than 3 billion people in the world.

    If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead, and a place to sleep … you are richer than 70 percent of this world.

    If you have money in the bank, in your wallet and spare change in a dish someplace … you are among the top 8 percent of the world’s wealthy.

    If your parents are still alive and still married … you are very rare, even in the United States and Canada.

    If you can read this message, you are more blessed than more than 2 billion people in this world who cannot read at all.”

    This has been floating around the Internet, another great blessing, for some time now. I cannot vouch for its total accuracy, but from what little I do know about demographics, it strikes me as close to our world’s reality. All of us face problems in our work, with our families, and in other aspects of our lives, and at times, they overwhelm us. What we too often lose sight of, though, is how truly privileged our lives, even the lives of those among us with the fewest advantages, really are compared to much of the rest of the world.

    As I write this, I sit at my home computer. I have had breakfast and am looking forward to lunch. I am warm and dry in my exercise clothes even though it is a little damp and chilly outside. I live on a safe street in an older but still vibrant Fayetteville neighborhood surrounded by neighbors I have known and trusted for many years.

    My family is not home with me, but I know where they are and they are safe. When I fi nish writing, I will get into a car fi lled with gas to run errands. I have recently returned from a quick trip to the other side of our state. I complained about the high price of gas, but I went anyway.

    Years ago, an American child of my acquaintance traveled to a Third World country with his family. Shocked by seeing young children playing naked in the warm streets, he approa

    ched his mother who explained that more people in the world live that way than live the way he does. His stunned and very American response was, “You’re kidding!”

    “No,” his mother replied, “I am not.”

  • A few weeks ago Bill Bowman of the Up & Coming Weekly and Kidsville News! called and asked for my help. He asked me to co-captain with him on the committee for the upcoming Hogs and Ragscharity event. After we talked a few minutes I agreed to help. I don’t know Bill very well but his enthusiasm is contagious. Over the past few weeks I have found it very exciting to be a part of something that really will help a lot of people. 03-23-11-motorcycle-ride.gif

    Saturday, April 30, is going to be a great win/win event for everyone.

    Hogs and Rags is an annual event for owners of motorcycles and convertibles to raise money for a variety of charities. This year, the proceeds will go to the Shriners Hospital for Children, the American Cancer Society and Kidsville News!of Cumberland County.

    The event is part of the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival. The ride is a very nice route from Fayetteville that will end at Landry’s Seafood Restaurant at Boardwalk on the Beach in Myrtle Beach, S.C.

    The ride is $50 per entry and $30 for additional passengers. At first that seems like a lot of money, but remember it is for a good cause. The best part is that it includes a breakfast and lunch. The event will start at 8 a.m. at Cape Fear Harley Davison with breakfast. Kickstands up at 9:30 a.m. Once you reach Myrtle Beach you will be treated to a wonderful lunch. You just can’t beat that!

    I know I keep saying this is a win/win event (because it is), but it is not the Shriners Hospital for Children or the American Cancer Society or Kidsville News! of Cumberland County that wins but the people that they touch.

    I had a nephew that burned himself from his chest down and the Shriners Children’s Hospital helped him through rehab and put his family up during this terrible ordeal. They helped him heal and go through rehab. They bless so many children and families when they need the help the most.

    Cancer is a terrible thing to go through. Cancer is one of the few illnesses that medical breakthroughs are changing before our eyes. Twenty years ago the “C-word” was a death sentence. Today, there is still a long way to go. The news is frightening but usually delivered with hope and options in many cases. The fight is not over and there is still a lot of research, treatments, and people that really need your help.

    The Kidsville News! publication is a great literacy and educational resource provided free to children, teachers and families in Cumberland County. It is a wonderful way to help our children read and learn. Check it out at www.kidsvillenews.com/cumberland.

    The Hogs and Rags charity fundraiser is for all types of motorcycles and convertibles. This includes Jeeps. So all of you bikers and open-air lovers in town please come out and join us!

    This is going to be a great time so mark your calendar and tell your friends.

    You can pre-register or make donations online at www. hogsandrags.com. See ya there! Hogs and Rags is an annual Dogwood Festival event for motorcycles and convertibles to raise money for a variety of good causes.

  • 03-23-11-burn-the-floor-logo.gifSince 1997, The Crown Coliseum has hosted great entertainers and family events. In addition to being the home of Fayetteville’s beloved hockey team the FireAntz, the Crown has been been honing its reputation for bringing the brightest, most entertaining and enjoyable acts to Fayetteville ever since the doors opened.

    On Tuesday, March 29 at 7:30 p.m., The Crown continues this tradition with the Burn the Floor dance show. Called a mix of dance and acrobatics, Burn the Floor is not what you would expect from a ballroom-dancing show. 03-23-11-burn-the-floor-at-crown.gif

    The ballroom dancing the world recognizes competitive ballroom dance, sometimes known as dance sport. It is comprised of ten dances, which can all be danced in “closed ballroom” hold. The style danced in Burn the Floor is called “international style” and has been danced in competition since 1920.

    International style ballroom dance consists of 10 dances, split into five Latin American dances and five ballroom dances (standard). Each Burn the Floor dancer has spent a lifetime training to compete against other dance couples. This show allows the dancers to demonstrate their love and passion for their art, in their stark simplicity of simple outfits and bold dance moves, compared to the cavalcade of ruffles, sequins, tassels and over choreographed acts found in other dance acts.

    Flashing lights, mirrored balls and clouds of billowing smoke add flair and create an exhilarating background for the talented artists to perform.

    There are moments of real beauty, moments between two ubertalented dancers that will make you forget you are watching a performance, and become consumed in the magnitude of the dance.

    Burn the Floor has been taking the world by storm, making stops in New York, London, Toronto and now of course, Fayetteville. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact the Crown Center at 438-4100.

  • 03-23-11-swampdogs-logo.gifHave you ever thought about how great it would be to have all of your favorite restaurants under one roof? If so, consider the sky as the ceiling and head out to the “The Swamp” on Saturday, April 2 for the Fayetteville SwampDogs 1st annual Big Bite. You may even want to skip lunch so you’ll have plenty of room to try all of the delectable delights

    Big Bite is a gathering of some of the best local chefs, giving them the opportunity to showcase some of their fabulous culinary creations. Participating restaurants will have displays set up featuring samples of some of their most popular items as well as dishes that may not yet be on their menus. Riverside Steakhouse, Shalimar and Gyro City are just some of the restaurants that will participate.

    In addition to the food samplings, there will be plenty of entertainment on hand. Live bands will play all afternoon and there will be bouncy houses set up for the kids. Also in attendance will be Fun-Go, the SwampDogs mascot, who will be there to greet guests. Everyone is encouraged to gather up their friends, pack up lawn chairs or blankets and spend the entire evening relaxing and enjoying some great music. Get there early because the first 500 folks, to03-23-11-big-bite-tasting.gif arrive, age 21 and over, will receive their choice of a complimentary commemorative beer or wine glass to take home for free.

    When asked about why our local ball team chose to host this event, Trey Wright, for the SwampDogs responded, “We want the residents of the Fayetteville area to be able to come out and enjoyFayetteville’s local fare in an affordable manner.” 

    He also stated that while admission is free, sampling tickets must be purchased in order to sample the food. There will also be beverages available for purchase, including adult beverages from some of the participating restaurants.

    Finally, if you are a chef or restaurant owner, there’s still time to sign up. You may do so by calling the Fayetteville SwampDogs Baseball office at 910-426-5900. That same number may be used if you need further information about the event. Once again, Big Bite will be held on April 2 at the Swamp. The sampling will begin at 3 p.m. and the final samples will be served at 8:30 p.m. The Swamp is located at 2823 Legion Rd. right here in Fayetteville.

    Photo: Head out to the “The Swamp” on Saturday, April 2 for the Fayetteville SwampDogs first annual “Big Bite.”

  • Open since 1994, the Gilbert Theater has always been successful in bringing excellent plays and productions to Fayetteville. 03-23-11-long-days-journey.gif

    In keeping up with that fine tradition, a Pulitzer Prize winning play, Long Days Journey into Night written by American playwright Eugene O’Neill will open March 31 at this charming and intimate venue and will run through April 17. 

    Originally written in early 1940s, the play takes place in a cottage known as Monte Cristo, located by the seaside in Connecticut. The play revolves around a cobweb full of family drama that contains addiction and the dysfunctionality of the family that comes along with such severe issues.

    The main characters of the play are James Tyrone Sr., Mrs. Mary Tyrone, James Jr. and Edmund. James Tyrone Sr. is the patriarch of the family who owns several pieces of land making him well off financially, yet struggling because his wealth is tied up in land. Along with his two sons, James Jr. and Edmund, James Tyrone Sr. are all addicted to alcohol which adds fuel to the fire of other family issues going on in the Tyrone household.

    “Be always drunken. Nothing else matters: that is the only question. If you would not feel the horrible burden of time weighing on your shoulders and crushing you to the earth, be drunken continually. Drunken with what? With wine, with poetry, or with virtue, as you will. But be drunken” a line by James Tyrone Sr. explains his conclusion to all problems.

    The play invokes many emotions of frustration, anger, resentment and more. Life is full of different spices, which helps keep it interesting. Certainly, that is the case here as well. Long Day’s Journey into Night is something we all can relate to in a sense that we all are busy working, juggling, and rearranging our lives to end that journey into the night every day.

    Long Day’s Journey into Night has also won many awards such as the Tony award for Best Play in 1957. The play has also been made into a movie, making this play a must see. The Gilbert Theatre is also encouraging guests to take advantage of the opening night as they are offering, “Pay what you Can.” This allows everyone to have a chance at enjoying Long Day’s Journey into Night for whatever they can afford to pay.

    Gilbert Theatre is located at 116 Green St., Downtown Fayetteville. Tickets are $12, (except for opening night) and can be purchased by calling 678-7186 or vy visiting ww.gilberttheater.com.

  • It’s been awhile since Fayetteville has heard from the Cumberland Oratorio Singers, since before03-03-11-oratorio.gif Christmas, in fact. But they’ve been hard at work and on Friday, April 1, they’re performing at Berean Baptist Church.

    The performance will include two works, both of them composed by John Rutter. The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra is working with the Oratorio Singers and will provide the instrumental portion of the performance.

    “One of the works is mostly strings and such,” said Mary Potter, president of the Cumberland Oratorio Singers. “And the other will include some brass and other instruments.” Potter loves both pieces, but for very different reasons and fi nds it diffi cult to choose a favorite.

    “These pieces are very different with the Requeim being the more somber of the two,” she said, and added “I guess Gloria, for me, is more interesting because it does have brass and percussion instruments and it is more lively. I guess you could say everyone’s taste is different, but the Requiem has some beautiful passages to it. There is the “Pie Jesu” that comes from this work. It is mainly a soprano solo and it is just a glorious piece of music.”

    In addition to the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, the Cumberland Oratorio Singers are partnering with the Child Advocacy Center to help them spread their message of keeping children safe.

    “We are partnering with Child Advocacy, in the sense that they will be there with a table and some information about child advocacy, because April is Child Abuse Prevention Month,” said Potter. “We are partnering with them on this to get out the word that this is Child Abuse Prevention Month and to make people aware. We will also have someone speak before the concert about child advocacy.”

    With such close ties to the community it is no wonder that the membership numbers for the Oratorio Singers has swelled these past few years. They not only partner with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, but they’ve reached out to the youth of the area as well. According to Potter, there will be several local students performing in this concert. In addition, with such a transient population, the voices are always changing for the group.

    “This being a military community, we have people coming and going a lot,” said Potter. “We are about 60 singers strong right now, and we have members from all age and ethnic groups — all walks of life.”

    One of the benefi ts for young singers is that when students sing with the Cumberland Oratorio Singers they are not required to pay the dues. All high school and college students can sing with them for free.

    It’s been a great season so far and Potter mentioned that their last performance of the 2010-2011 season will be in partnership with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra on April 30 at Reeves Auditorium.

    “We will be singing with them for Serenade. It is one of the pieces they will be doing, and we have auditions, not for the whole chorus, but within the chorus and we are really looking forward to that.”

    Get your tickets for the April 1 concert for $12 at the door. College students (of any age with ID) and school age children are admitted free. Find out more at cumberlandoratoriosingers. org or call 822-4447.

    Photo: Cumberland Oratorio Singers Artistic Director and Conductor Michael Martin.

  • Womack Army Medical Center will open two Community-Based Medical Homes (CBMHs) in March. One clinic will be located 3351 South Peak Dr. in Hope Mills, and one will be located at 2350 Bentridge Ln. in Fayetteville off Raeford Road. The clinics will serve active-duty families who would like to enroll in these two clinics.

    “The idea behind this concept is that the Army is delivering the promise of improving access to care and increasing customer satisfaction in a community based setting,” said Col. (Dr.) Niel Johnson, director of Community-Based Medical Homes (CBMH) at Womack Army Medical Center.

    “In many ways, these clinics will represent a great improvement in how primary care is provided across the Army. The staffing, funding and design of the CBMHs are our chance to get it right.”

    The entire staff will be permanent civilian employees, which eliminates the problems that arise when military providers deploy or get called away for nonclinical duties.

    “Continuity of care is very important. These two clinics will be designed so that the patients will see their healthcare provider 90 to 95 percent of the time. It will allow our patients to establish a relationship with their provider and will be able to develop a more personalized and comprehensive care plan for each patient,” added Johnson.

    Enrollment has begun, and is on a voluntary basis, based on specifi c zip codes surrounding the communities where the clinics are. “Patients satisfi ed with their current doctors on or off post will not be forced to move,” Johnson says. New families moving to the area, however, will be enrolled to the new clinics if they live in the affected zip codes.

    Each clinic will serve approximately 8,000 family members, most of whom will shift from existing Fort Bragg clinics. “This will help us right-size enrollment across the entire WAMC system and increase capacity for retirees and their family members to return to WAMC for their primary healthcare,” according to Lt. Col. Charles McKeithen, special projects offi cer for WAMC’s Clinical Operations Division.

    The new Community-Based Medical Homes will offer support services similar to existing Fort Bragg clinics. Each will be equipped with its own lab and pharmacy, however, radiology services will be available at a local radiology imaging center near the clinics or at WAMC.

    These clinics are designed with the medical-home model design concept in mind which promotes a team approach to every single patient. Each clinic’s two teams will have two board-certifi ed family physicians and one family nurse practitioner serving as primary care managers. A complete nursing staff of four registered nurses and 18 licensed practical nurses will support the providers on the care teams. In addition, a physician assistant will be on hand to augment the teams and provide coverage whenever and wherever it is needed, and a licensed clinical psychologist will be available for all behavioral-health needs.

    The medical-home model is more than providing episodic care and allows the care teams to be more proactive with their population. “Personalized, synchronized case management is the hallmark of the medical-home concept,” says Johnson. “We willbe looking out for our patients’ needs when they’re healthy, and, of course, we’ll be more than ready to take care of them when they’re not.”

    “The medical-home team concept allows us to be more effi cient and focus on the patient. We’ll also see an increase in staff satisfaction as they will all be operating within the scope of their licensure — physicians will do physician work, nurses will do nurse work and administrators will do administrative work” said James Alarcon, group practice manager for the Fayetteville Clinic. “It will allow the care team to focus on the patient and deliver care within the s03-23-11-womack-opens.gifcope of their training and experience.”

    “When a patient receives care outside of the community-based medical home, in the emergency room, hospital orsubspecialist’s offi ce, the patient’s care team ensures that care is coordinated and integrated into the comprehensive care plan,” said Terry Oaks, group practice manager, Hope Mills.

    All active-duty family members who wish to enroll, that are currently enrolled to either an on-post primary-care clinic or to a civilian network provider and who live within the appropriate zip codes should go to their Fort Bragg Primary Care Clinic patient representative or registration clerk for details. For those family members currently enrolled in a civilian network, they can contact any of these clinics in order to enroll.

    Photo: Hope Mills Medical Home.

  • It’s not nice to fool Mother Nature. Don’t make her mad. She will turn you into a zombie. Consider the curious case of how a brain controlling fungus evolved from turning ants into zombies into a brain controlling fungus that turned the highest levels of the American government into zombies. Let us ponder the Brazilian carpenter ant and the U.S. Treasury as a case in point. 03-23-11-fungus.gif

    Scientific guys in white coats have identified a brain controlling fungus, Ophiocordyceps unilateralis which crawls into carpenter ants and controls the ants’ brains. When the fungus infects an ant, it uses some creepy chemical to take over the ant’s free will and turn it into a zombie following the instructions of the fungus. The ants become Calvinists lacking free will. Their actions become predetermined by the fungus. The fungus tells the ants to take a hike away from their home sweet ant colony to go off on a frolic and detour of their own. Nonzombie ants do not leave home alone. Once the ant is zombifi ed, it marches to the fungi drummer.

    The Ophi fungus tells the ant to chomp on the bottom of a leaf and hang on. The zombie ant does what it is told, hanging there until the fungus kills it. Jaws locked in place, the dead ant becomes a vessel for more Ophi mischief. Ophi eats the inside of the ant and shoves a tendril out of the ant’s head. Yuck. Tendril is the night as the fungus shoots out spores at passing ants to create more zombie ants in its nefarious plot to take over the world.

    Right now you are probably asking yourself, who really cares about zombie ants? If the ants are zombies, they won’t come to my picnic. Don’t be short sighted. This could happen to you. It has already happened to the U.S. government. Remember The Invasion of the Body Snatchers? In that movie, Kevin McCarthy had a parade of patients complaining their loved ones were imposters. They had been taken over by pods from outer space. The space pods were clearly advanced Ophi spores.

    A more evolved version of the ant infesting Ophi fungus is the government infesting fungus Goldman Sachs, Goldmanyceps Sachalis which has taken over America’s fi nancial system. The Goldy fungus has turned the American government into a zombie doing the bidding of Goldman.

    It doesn’t matter whether the President or Congress are nominally controlled by the Republicans or the Democrats, it is Goldy fungus that controls the government. Ponder recent Goldman Sach’s alumni who have been in charge of America’s fi nancial system: Henry Paulson, chairman of Goldman until appointed by George W. Bush as Secretary of Treasury, Rahm Emanuel — on retainer to Goldman before serving as chief of staff to Obama; Robert Rubin, 26 year employee of Goldman and Secretary of Treasury under Clinton, Timothy Geithner, protegee of Robert Rubin and Secretary of Treasury under Obama.

    The Goldy fungus has eaten the brain of the U.S. Government. The U.S. Treasury has been forced to bite on the hind parts of a pig and crank out money at the whim of Goldy. In the recent fi nancial troubles, Goldy sent out tendrils from the US Treasury spewing out vast spores of money to such worthy entities as Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, AIG, Bank of America, General Motors, JP Morgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and Wells Fargo.

    Some soreheads have questioned why the government would bail out the very companies that caused the global melt down. The answer is simple, the brains of the government are controlled by the Goldmanyceps fungus. The government is fi lled with Pod People who have no free will. The U.S. Treasury will do whatever Goldman tells it to do.

    When the fungus came for the ants, I remained silent. I was not an ant. When the fungus came for the U.S. Treasury I remained silent. I was not a bureaucrat. When the fungus came for me, there was no one left to speak for me. Remember what Kevin McCarthy yelled in The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, “They’re here already! You’re next! You’re next!” Sweet dreams.

  • uac032311001.gif Hope you’re feeling lucky on Friday, March 25, because that is the evening that the Highland Country Club will be transformed for Casino Night, complete with roulette wheels , black jack and poker tables.

    One night a year since 2006, the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville brings Vegas to Fayetteville. The glitz, glam and adrenaline that come with a night of gaming not only offers attendees a fabulous night out, it also benefi ts the community.

    “Two years ago we made a commitment that this event would always benefit a nonprofit organization,” said Natalie Woodbury, executive officer of the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville. “This is the 6th Annual Casino Night and we have raised $81,372 over the past five years.”

    This year, Habitat for Humanity will be the lucky benefi ciary of the proceeds. The Executive Director for Habitat, Ann Griffi n, is excited about how the money will be put to good use in the community. “I want to say how excited and proud we are to be the chosen charity this year for casino night. It is a real honor,” she said. “The money will go towards our mission — we build and sell homes to partner families who cannot afford a conventional mortgage ”

    This year Griffin has plans in the works for Habitat to build nine houses. That’s nine families that would not otherwise be able to afford a home. Both Woodbury and Griffin see this as a great fit for their organizations, since the vision of the Home Builders Association is that home ownership can and should be within the reach of every American family and Habitat for Humanity works to help families achieve the dream of home ownership.

    “It is a perfect fit, the Home Builders Association and Habitat for Humanity — it just goes together,” said Griffin.

    On the night of the event, there is a place for everyone at the (poker) table, even if you’ve never played before.

    “There are all kinds of games complete with professional dealers,” said Woodbury. “And for those that don’t know how to play, the dealers are really nice and will teach you, which is great for people who maybe have never played those games but who still want to participate and join in the fun.”

    Tickets are $75 and every ticket includes entry to the event, one drink ticket and $500 in funny money. There is no real cash at stake, unless you choose to spend yours to purchase additional funny money as the night progresses. Heavy hors d’ouevres will be served throughout the evening as well. 

    When it’s time to cash in your chips, Woodbury says that there are plenty of impressive prizes that are up for grabs. “At the end of the night the top three winners will choose from our three top prizes. One is from Hinkamp Jewelers, another is a flat-screen TV and the third is cash.” She added that “For every $1,000 that you win, you get a raffle ticket. Once the top three winners are a03-23-11-casino-night.gifnnounced, then we start pulling tickets. We have more than 50 prizes, so a lot of people leave that night with something in their hand — which is good.”

    The fun goes from 6:30 - 9:30 p.m. Prizes will be distributed at 10 p.m. Tickets must be purchased in advance at the Home Builders Association of Fayetteville Offi ce. Find out more at 826- 0648 or www.fayhba.org.

    Photo: The Homebuilders Association of Fayetteville is hosting Casino Night on March 25. Proceeds will benefi t Habitat for Humanity..

  • When a big rig passes by, Little Johnny straightens up in his seat. When he hears the engine roar his heart speeds. He ogles the enormous tires. He hopes the driver, who sits much higher than he does, will shoot a glance in his direction. This month, Johnny will touch, climb and sit in the driver’s seat.

    St. Andrews Academy will host its fourth annual Truck Touch event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 26 at 121 Lofton Drive off Ramsey Road in Fayetteville. The event is a fundraiser for the school, which is hoping to raise monetary support to improve classrooms and buy additional supplies and books, according to Candice Moody, the organizer of the event.

    “The purpose for Truck Touch is to provide a great family event that everyone can enjoy. Last year the money we raised went to our beautiful new playground. This year we will use it for improvements and expansion,” said Sara Ryberg, the coordinator of St. Andrews Academy’s parent group, Parents of Preschoolers.

    Truck Touch will feature more than 15 different vehicles ranging from basic street vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler to humongous headliners like a cement truck and 18-wheeler. The City of Fayetteville is providing a Police K9 Team and street sweeper truck. 

    “This is the first time we’ve been involved with something like this,” said Scott Thornall, Street Maintenance Superintendant for Fayetteville. “The kids will have fun with it and it will give us a chance to educate the community.”

    03-16-11-truck-touch-fundraiser.gifIt’s important to Thornall that the kids learn something about street sweeping and storm water maintenance. “It’s not just about aesthetics, we are cleaning oil and greases that could be harmful to the environment,” Thronall said.

    Not to worry, Mom and Dad will have something to do as well. In addition to the trucks, St. Andrews Academy will host a silent auction, a yard sale featuring community-donated items, vendor sales, face painting, bounce houses and more.

     “I am very excited for this year’s TruckTouch. Besides the vehicles and bounce houses, we have added an inflatable racetrack for the kids to enjoy. The adults will also be able to have fun while shopping at our small-business expo and yard sale,” Ryberg said.

    Tickets for the event are $4 and can be purchased at the event. Early birds can save a dollar and buy tickets at the school office prior to March 26. The rain date for the event is April 2.

    “I liked big trucks as a kid,” said Thornall. “The truck has lots of knobs and controls and the kids will be able to sit in the cab.”

    Next time Little Johnny heads down I-95, he’ll see another big rig. This time, when his eyes meet the trucker’s, he’ll nod with a respectable, “I’ve sat in your seat before.”

    PHOTO: St. Andrews Academy will host its fourth annual Truck Touch event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on March 26.

  • Gnomeo and Juliet (Rated G)

    Gnomeo and Juliet (84 minutes) leaves some burning questions unanswered: where was Torchwood when all the gnomes were running around? Exactly how many poorly chosen Shakespeare references can you squeeze into 84 minutes? Why don’t the owners of the side-by-side houses get along better? Why don’t those owners ever notice all the destruction caused during mid-afternoon/overnight gnome romping? What are the Freudian implications of the big hats? How much money do you have to pay Sir Patrick Stewart to voice act in your horrible movie? And most importantly, where do little gnomes come from? How long do their parents treat them like children? And how is their apparently eternal childhood (which resembles the protracted adolescence of Claudia in Interview with a Vampire) not super-creepy?

    There’s more, but it’s time to move on to making fun of Director Kelly Asbury — who took an idea with tons of potential and turned it into stale flavorless marshmallows. I mean, he may have started out on Stallion: Spirit of the Cimarron, but he moved on to do Shrek 2, which was totally cute! For all the talent involved, he got nada out of his actors. There are no genuinely likable heroes to root for, no attempt to reach beyond a straightforward Romeo and Julietrip-off for kids, and all the secondary characters sound like they are voiced by Robin Williams. And that is not a good thing.

    At least the opening of the movie is fairly cute. A little guy in a big hat stands on a stage and introduces the “two houses, alike in dignity …” while avoiding a cane that aims to remove him from the stage. Enjoy the laughs while they’re easy to come by, because they get few and far between as the movie progresses.

    Mrs. Montague (Julie Walters) and Mr. Capulet (Richard Wilson) own two halves of a duplex. Their yards are filled with tribes of warring garden gnomes and other kitschy objets d’art. The blue gnomes include Gnomeo (James McAvoy), Benny (Matt Lucas), and Gnomeo’s Mother (Maggie Smith). The red gnome camp consists of Juliet (Emily Blunt), Nanette the Frog (Ashley Jensen) Tybalt (Jason Statham), Fawn the Deer (Ozzy Osbourne), and Lord Redbrick (Michael Caine).

    Wait — for real? Michael Caine? Maggie Smith? Am I missing something? This movie sucks! Where did all the star power come from and why isn’t it helping the movie to not suck so much? Maybe I’m getting cynical in my old age, but the script seems to go from set piece to set piece without any real plot or substantial narrative innovation. And let us not forget the soul-destroying Elton John reboots!

    A child begins screaming in the middle of the theater. I am sure we would both feel a lot better if the movie would just end already. Or maybe we just need the introduction of a cool Mercutio type character to make this all a bit more int

    eresting. Hey! A pink lawn flamingo (Jim Cummings) just showed up! Maybe he’ll be cool? No. Nope. The pain goes on. The movie limps to an unsatisfying conclusion. I have no idea where all the box-office success is coming from. You’re welcome to send an e-mail and explain it to me. 

  • 03-16-11-ftcc-mentoring.gifThe Mighty Male Mentoring Program (3MP) is a goal-oriented program designed to support the educational and professional aspirations of minority males (also known as mentees) at Fayetteville Technical Community College (FTCC). The 3MP seeks to increase completion of developmental and curriculum courses, retention, graduation rates, and transfer to a UNC four-year institution. To accomplish this, the program increases exposure to academic and financial aid advising and to educational, professional, and civic opportunities.

    It’s uncontroverted that minority males face many personal challenges and obstacles when it comes to college education-program admittance, financial resources, job skills, job placement, stereotypes, low grade point averages, low Accuplacer test scores, and a sense of future direction, to name a few. This is where the 3M Program steps in with mentors and academic advising.

    Advising students in the Mighty Male Mentoring Program at FTCC involves developing a more personal relationship between student and advisor/mentor. Regular contact (at least twice a month) allows the student to bond and identify with his mentor.

    Larry Vick, a 3MP mentor/criminal justice instructor, notes that “As college faculty and staff members, we’re often called upon to lend our time, effort, and expertise to various projects. These projects are often worthwhile, but sometimes we’re left to wonder if our investments have achieved the sought-after results. For those involved with the Mighty Male Mentoring Program, or 3M, as it’s called, the answer is clear. The 3M Program is more than just worthwhile – it’s a game changer. That’s because its benefits are permanent. By matching students who have demonstrated a desire to succeed with dedicated faculty and staff members who serve as mentors, relationships are forged that create win-win situations. Not only do the mentees reap tremendous rewards, but the mentors benefit greatly.”

    The process begins with potential mentees filling out an application that memorializes their commitment to improve both as students and as male members of their communities. Upon acceptance, the mentees complete a contract with their mentors wherein they attest to a plan of action. Mentors are pre-screened to identify their areas of expertise and level of commitment. To ensure program participants stay motivated, twice monthly plenary meetings are scheduled to augment any individual meetings between mentor and mentee. In addition, there are numerous activities available that reinforce the program’s mission, purpose, and expectations.

    FTCC’s 3M Program is still in its infancy, but significant strides have been made under the leadership of Theodore Thomas, James Steadman, and Bryant Youngblood. Their efforts have been supported by a group of dedicated volunteer mentors. Equally encouraging has been the caliber of the mentees who have been participating.

    Recently, there have been trips planned to Tarboro and Winston-Salem to engage in 3M leadership conferences and mentor training. Mentees are also scheduled to participate in such hands-on activities as mentoring eighth graders from the Ramsey Street Alternative School as part of the Future Seekers Career Exploration Project.

    Please take the time to speak with members of the 3M Program when you see them in your neighborhoods performing community service. They’ll be the young men with looks of determination and purpose, as well as a smile.

    PHOTO: The Mighty Male Mentoring Program (3MP) is a goaloriented program designed to support the educational and professional aspirations of minority males.

     

  • 03-16-11-senior-corner.gifThe 50/50 Rule

    A national study of U.S. family caregivers, sponsored by the Home Instead Senior Care® network, shows that the dynamics of family relationships can thrust one sibling into the role of primary caregiver for an aging parent. This can create an “anything you can do I can do better” tug and pull between brothers and sisters who should be working together for the best interests of their senior loved ones.

    The study, conducted by The Boomer Project, included 711 adults ages 35-64, with living siblings or stepsiblings, who said they either currently provide care for a parent or older relative, or did provide care in the past 18 months.

    This inability to effectively work together often leads to one sibling becoming responsible for the bulk of caregiving (true in 43percent of families) which can contribute to a deterioration of sibling relationships.

    Three key factors, more than any others, will determine if relationships between the adult children will deteriorate, and whether the quality of care to the parent will be compromised. Those factors are the adult children’s ability to make important decisions together; their ability to divide the caregiving workload; and their level of teamwork. The lower the self-reported scores on these measures, the lower the overall grade they give themselves and their siblings in working together to provide care to their parents.

    Forty-six percent of caregivers who say their sibling relationships have deteriorated say their brothers and sisters are unwilling to help.

    Furthermore, survey participants were much more likely to give themselves excellent ratings for important personal caregiving traits than they were their brothers and sisters.

    The implication is that sibling relationships and caregiving quality suffer when there are not effective family processes or dynamics in place to help brothers and sisters make successful decisions, equitably divide the workload and build a caregiving team.

    In response, the Home Instead Senior Care network has developed The 50-50 RuleSM (www.solvingfamilyconflict.com). The 50-50 Rule refers to the average age when siblings are caring for their parents (50) as well as the need for brothers and sisters to more equitably share the planning responsibility (50/50).

    The stakes are high — sibling relationships and the quality of their parents’ care are at risk. But with new approaches and a focus on building better family relationships, caregiving can make families stronger.

    Over the next several weeks we will share specific approaches suggested to siblings who are caring for their parent(s). So stay tuned, help is on the way!

    If you would like a copy of “The 50-50 Rule” booklet, stop by the local Home Instead Senior Care office at 2825 Arlington Avenue, Fayetteville, NC 28303 or call us at 910-484-7200.

    PHOTO: With new approaches and a focus on building better family relationships, caregiving can make families stronger.

  • According to www.rapecrisisonline. org: one out of every six American women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in her lifetime and about nine out of ten rape victims are female. One out of every 33 American men has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape in his lifetime. Ages 12-34 are the highest risk years. Girls ages 16-19 are four times more likely than the general population to be victims of sexual assault.

    Adding to the outrage of such a horrific event, almost 2/3 of sexual assaults are committed by someone known to the victim and only about 6 percent of rapists ever serve a day in jail.

    On Saturday, March 19, the Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County and Musha Dojo are offering a free women’s self-defense class. According to Ze Suratt-II, the victim’s advocate and volunteer coordinator, “The main purpose is to help empower women so that they can feel more safe when they are out and about. They won’t be learning how to fight per se, but they will be learning some key strike moves.”

    She added that the instructor “is very passionate about helping women to prevent, as much as possible, an attack — by teaching about the somewhat small things they can do that would possibly give them those few valuable seconds or minutes to scream out loudly or run.”

    The class is free, and runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Space is limited though. Participants should be at least 15 since the material will be sensitive. Physically impaired women are especially encouraged to attend. Call 485-7273 to make a reservation. Space is limited, however, there will be more self-defense classes offered on April 23 and July 19 as well.

    While preventive measures are always a good thing, the Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County are there to help when the damage has already been done. They take calls from victims of sexual assault, rape or domestic violence and provide them with local resources and help guide them through the different stages of reporting(if a victim chooses to report the crime) and healing. 

    “There are a lot of resources available that women are not aware of,” said Suratt-II “We try to give them all the information that we can about these resources so that they can make decisions about the things they may want to do next. We also advocate for victims.”

    That includes going to the hospital with them after an attack, should the victim choose to go, and helping them through the hospital exam and dealing with the police by letting the victim know what is going to be happening and how it is going to happen as well as what courses of action are available. T

    he support does not stop there. The Rape Crisis Volunteers will go with a victim to court proceed03-16-11-self-defense-classes.gifings too. Surrat-II pointed out that reliving their experiences in the court room is also a very traumatic time.

    While the goal is to help in healing and recovering from such traumatic events, the Rape Crisis Volunteers are very firm in their belief that each person must feel safe and confident in how they choose to handle their situation.

    “It is our job to let them know what is available and let them make that decision (whether or not to report the crime) themselves. We are not going to tell a victim what they should or shouldn’t do. We want them to be able to make their own decision. It is important that we keep it that way,” said Surrat-II.

    “When we do speak with victims we do try to suggest and recommend that they go for counseling because we do believe in counseling being a very healing tool for recovery.”

    The organization is always looking for kind hearted and compassionate volunteers and theyhold training sessions quarterly. They next rape sensitivity training sessions will be held May 14 and 21. Call 485-7273 to find out how you can be a part of the healing. 

    PHOTO: On Saturday, March 19, the Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County and Musha Dojo are offering a free women’s self-defense class.

  •   uac031611001.gif For more than 20 years the Cape Fear Botanical Garden has been inspiring, educating and enriching the lives of visitors. Its self-proclaimed role in the community is “In addition to showcasing nature’s beauty, our garden serves in many roles: environmental stewardship, education and research, the preservation of our agricultural heritage, a unique setting for activities and events, a prime attraction for visitors from near and far, a valuable economic resource for our community.”

    On April 1, the CFBG is hosting the Second Annual Rhythm and Blooms Benefit Concert. The gates open at 7 p.m. and the concert is at 8 p.m.

    “We are featuring the Blue Dogs who are from Charleston, S.C. Their sound has kind of like a blue grass, bluesy, kind of country feel,” said Anna Grantonic, assistant director of development and marketing at Cape Fear Botanical Gardens. “It is going to be kind of neat because you will get to see the new pavilion — it won’t be open but it will be kind of a sneak peak before the grand opening the next day. It will be a fun and relaxed event where you can hear some good music, have some drinks and eat some good food.”

    The food will be provided by the Invisible Chef. It will be light fare including things like sandwiches and salads, according to Grantonic. There will be food and drinks and a cash bar available. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

    With all that the garden provides to the community, this is an opportunity for nature lovers, gardening enthusiasts, music lovers and folks who want to see Cape Fear Botanical Gardens prosper to come out and not only support a good cause, but enjoy a fun and relaxing evening in the garden.

    Rhythm and Blooms is a fundraiser for the garden,” said Grantonic. “Proceeds will go toward our expandedprogramming. With the new building and future special events we want to expand the type of events we offer. And of course, it will also support general operations. We are facing big changes and want to be ready.”

    On April 2, the public is invited to come and check out the new Wyatt Visitors Pavilion Complex. According to Grantonic, the visitors pavilion has been on the drawing board since the garden was founded more than 20 years ago. After much planning, fundraising and construction, it is finally ready to unveil to the public. The garden will open at 10 a.m. that day and there is no admission charge.

    “We will have children’s activities and special speakers. Since it is the grand opening it is the fi rst time the public can come and tour the building,” said Grantonic. There are going to be tours available, face painting, live music, food and drinks. “Local columnist and gardening expert Roger Mercer — he was one of the gardens founding members — will be there to talk about the journey of the garden, its history and how it got to this point. It is going to be a fun day; we want everyone to come and enjoy it,” she added.

    The visitor pavilion is 33,000 square feet and boasts several different areas perfect for meetings or other special events. The biggest special event area is called “The Orangery” and it is 9,000 square feet. It has wood decked ceilings and is designed to provide a lovely natural feel. It has the capacity for a standing reception of about 1,000 people making it perfect for things like wedding receptions. It also has arched glass doors so even though it is an indoor space, it has an outdoorsy feeling. The pavilion also boasts a grand hall which can be partitioned into three smaller rooms, which Grantonic pointed ou03-16-11-cover-story.gift is great for a conference or meetings. The garden staff will also benefit from the building, and will have new offi ces.

    Once the pavilion is offi cially opened, the folks at the garden are planning to maximize its use. They have a new gift shop which will have specialty garden items, souvenirs and nature related things. The public is welcome to browse and shop there and they will be able to do that without having to pay admission to the garden.

    During nicer weather, and on peak days, they are also are going to have the Invisible Chef providing lunches, so visitors can come and have lunch at the garden, without paying admission.

    “There is a lot of new stuff,” said Grantonic. “We are so excited.”

    They aren’t wasting time putting their new space to good use. On April 9, the public is invited to the Spring Plant Sale and Symposium. It’s an expanded version of the spring plant sale that the garden has offered for years. The vendors and garden centers that people have come to expect and anticipate will be there. What is different is the addition of speakers and presentations. The sale starts at 9 a.m.

    From 10-11 a.m. check out the Orchid Potting Demonstration and Help Session with Keith Clayton of the Sandhills Orchid Society. From 11 a.m. to noon walk and talk with Roger Mercer about his favorite plants and places, including Cape Fear Botanical Garden.

    At 12:15 p.m. stop by and catch a Container Gardening Demo with Sandy Connolly of Green Biz Nursery and Landscaping.

    With all of the extra activities going on, don’t forget that the garden is open daily as an oasis to the public. Take a walk, get inspired, catch your breath and refresh your spirit. It is open Monday through Saturday: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m.

    Admission is currently $6 (Military and AAA receive a $1 discount), children ages 6-12: $1 and children 5 and under are free. Prices are expected to increase slightly after April 2. Find out more about Cape Fear Botanical Gardens at 486-0221 or www.capefearbg.org.

    PHOTO: On April 1, the CFBG is hosting the Second Annual Rhythm and Blooms Benefit Concert.

  • March 25 is a special day in Downtown Fayetteville. That’s the day community residents are invited downtown to03-16-11-4th-friday.gif participate in another 4th Friday.

    Sponsored by the Downtown Alliance in partnership with Miller-Motte College, an evening filled with laughter, music, food, art and other forms of entertainment is planned. This 4th Friday is centered around the theme Community Can Do. The result? A host of downtown businesses and other local organizations will be collecting canned goods to donate to local hunger-relief agencies.

    Students of Free Enterprise from Fayetteville State University are holding a contest inviting high school students to put together teams to compete in the Campbell’s Let’s Can Hunger Challenge, sponsored by Campbell Soup Company. With an FSU mentor, each team must use a minimum of 500 cans to build a structure during the 4th Friday event. A challenge that sounds so simple can prove to be quite diffi cult. Teams are only allowed to use rubberbands to hold each sculpture together, all other adhesives are prohibited.

    Tammy Frutchey, from FSU, says that this is not “just an opportunity” for “FSU students to get involved and give back,” instead it is an opportunity “for the entire community to come together; and create an awareness that there is a very serious hunger issue in our town, state and country.”

    Like all competitions, there will be a winner. The contest winner will be determined by votes. Each vote is $1. At the end of the contest Students of Free Enterprise have a goal of collecting at least 5,000 pounds of non-perishable foods and $1,000 in cash donations that will be donated to the Fayetteville Second Harvest Food Bank.

    Sponsors of 4th Friday are doing their share to make sure this event helps the Fayetteville community. However, one featured merchant wants to give to community residents. While enjoying the downtown events, stop by the Downtown Alliance table at 222 Hay Street and register to win dinner for two at Pierro’s Italian Bistro.

    Young country-pop duo Summerfield is scheduled to perform at the Twisted Jeweler throughout the evening. The duo, which was recently featured in Up & Coming Weekly, will perform songs from their new CD. Called a cross between Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum, the duo has a pop/country sound much like that of another country duo, Sugarland.

    Jill Charles is also a scheduled performer. She will perform from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Horne’s Cafe and So Chic Bebe. Charles will be perform some original songs as well as some familiar country and pop cover songs. First arriving in Fayetteville by way of the military, Charles has become a part of the community through her musical abilites. She has performed “God Bless America” for the SwampDawgs baseball team, the “National Anthem” for the Fireantz Hockey Team and has been in concert several times at local churches. Charles is a well known local, but she is no stranger to big name stars and she has opened for Chris Daughtry.

    At the Arts Council, join in the celebration of the opening of We Are the Ship: The Story of Negro League Baseball. The Fayetteville State University Jazz Trio will perform. Join the Arts Council for smooth jazz, great food and an awesome exhibit.

    See amazingly talented artists demonstrate their work every 4th Friday Arts Alive on Maxwell Street from 6 to 10 p.m. Artists inside Cape Fear Studios also demonstrate their techniques — and you are invited to watch them create!

    Be sure to catch free rides around downtown on the Cotton Exchange Express.

    Arts Alive artists showcase baskets, jewelry, glasswork, painting, loom weaving, pottery and photography. Artists interested in participating in Arts Alive must submit a jury application. Jury and booth fees are waived through April! The only fee is a $10 city selling permit, if you plan to sell your artwork. (Demonstrating only is free.)

    For more information, call Ashley Hunt, the Arts Council’s special events coordinator, at (910) 323-1776, ext. 230.

    4th Friday’s have received great responses since the initial conception, the March 4th Friday is hoping to continue this trend.

  • When visitors to our community stay in Cumberland County, we hope that they also play in Cumberland County. To that end, the Cumberland County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) oversees the monies collected from the 6 percent occupancy tax funded by visitors to area hotels. The TDA is responsible for the distribution of these funds to promote travel and tourism. The Arts Council, the Crown Center and the Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (FACVB) receive dedicated funding from the TDA. A percentage is also used to fund specifi c grant requests.03-16-11-facvb.gif

    The Cumberland County Tourism Development Authority recently received grant requests of $25,000 each from the City of Fayetteville to help fund marketing for Veterans Park and Downtown Fayetteville. The Airborne and Special Operations Museum also requested a $25,000 grant for marketing. The TDA requested that the Convention & Visitors Bureau coordinate a marketing plan incorporating the three requests.

    “The TDA stepped back and looked at the fact that if we give each of these grants individually, they will promote themselves singularly. So, why not combine those resources with what the CVB is already doing?” said John Meroski, CEO of the FACVB. “Then, go back into the private sector and get matching dollars so we can have a 12-month marketing strategy for the downtown area.”

    According to Meroski, it’s a matter of effi ciency and putting out a unifi ed message. The TDA questioned “What’s the best return on investment? How can the investments be measured and know they are used in the most effi cient manner?” Meroski adds, “You get a bigger bang for the buck when it’s used in a co-op fashion.”

    Vivek Tandon, chairman of the TDA, echoes that. “We felt since all three requests were positive downtown assets, that a combined effort by the CVB would give each asset a better return on the investment that TDA would make on their behalf,” said Tandon.

    “The CVB is hired for marketing and that is their specialization, so with their abilities to market in the right areas, streamline from their databases, and their experience of knowing what works and does not work, we feel that the CVB would be the best source for each of the downtown assets,” Tandon added.

    The TDA contracts with the FACVB to promote travel and tourism for Cumberland County. “I think it works well for Cumberland County. You contract with the CVB who does an ongoing program, 24/7, 365 days a year,” said Meroski. “Since 2006, all of the downtown attractions are already worked into the CVB products.”

    On March 28, the Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (FACVB) will host a meeting for downtown area merchants and organizations to discuss the TDA marketing initiative which will include $75,000 from the TDA and $50,000 from the CVB. But according to Meroski, downtown is more than Hay Street and the area near the Market House.

    “When I say downtown, I mean from the Botanical Gardens, to the river, all the way through downtown to Haymount,” explained Meroski. He went on to explain that the Airborne and Special Ops Museum has 100,000 visitors a year, but Cumberland County has 160,000 overnight visitors a month. “That’s nearly two million people staying overnight in our community. Our job is to get them to Veteran’s Park, to the restaurants to eat, to attend events and to plan return visits,” Meroski says. “Why not add to that and encourage people to stay longer. If you are going downtown to eat, let them know, here are the shops that are open when you will be there; here are specifi c things to do during different times of the day.”

    Currently, the different organizations and businesses downtown do not have a consistent marketing message. Millions of dollars from the city, county, state and private organizations have been invested in downtown projects. “But whose responsibility is it to market downtown?” asked Meroski. “The CVB, Chamber of Commerce, city, Arts Council events, the private businesses through the Downtown Alliance? What’s contributed to the revitalization of downtown is all the agencies that help promote downtown.”

    “We’re talking about packaging destinations, working together. It’s really facilitating information and getting a consistent message out there and really working together.”

    “On March 28, that’s where the CVB can really help,” Meroski continues excitedly. “We can deliver that target audience of visitors, military, visiting family and friends. That can be done by sharing our knowledge. We can build on a good co-op plan that matches the TDA funds, some CVB funds, and we will be selling other partnerships so people can invest in this. Then we can leverage it over a 12-month p

    eriod to build a consistent marketing message. Really get the message to resonate with the people.”The meeting will be held at 9:30 a.m. on March 28 at the Cumberland County Headquarters Library, and is open to people in the greater downtown area who are interested in a 12-month marketing plan.

    “If people are interested in co-promoting, we would really like to hear from them. The Downtown Alliance has 70 business members, but in this area there are over 500 businesses. We are trying to reach those folks to be part of this effort,” said Meroski.

    Jami McLaughlin, Downtown Development Manager for the City of Fayetteville, is optimistic about the marketing initiative. “I think partnerships are always a good thing, especially when it comes to marketing. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” said McLaughlin. “As downtown continues to grow and we have more vision, more possibilities, this is the best time to all come together and unify those marketing decisions. All in all, this is a good thing.”

    Chris Villa, the President of the Downtown Alliance, is also optimistic about the future of downtown. “For us, our intention is to get people to shop local and shop downtown. Shop, eat, play, live is our mantra,” explained Villa. “We are encouraging our members to come out to the meeting and have a voice.”

    The CVB will build the marketing plan and then they will go back to the TDA to present the plan. “We’ll present the plan, the funding requests, who the supporting partners are and a recommendation of how to proceed with the funding — whether in full, in part, individually or not at all,” he said. “We can facilitate something that is very much needed. If we can get all the players around the table with the common goal of a 12-month plan, some really good things can happen.”

    To say he is excited about the prospects of the project is an understatement. Meroski says “In our business we say ‘everything begins with a visit.’ It takes getting that person to visit fi rst. It’s a big task and there are some fun challenges. But like our mascot of Uncle Sam, I’m ready to roll up my sleeves and work hard at providing a solution.”Photo courtesy of FACVB, by Tim Sciandra.

    PHOTO: The proposed TDA and FACVB marketing initiative will shine a new light on the greater downtown area.Photo courtesy of FACVB, by Tim Sciandra.

  • WHAT'S YOUR BEEF?

    I have never understood quite why, but we Americans do love our statistics.

    03-16-11-margaret.gifWhich NBA basketball player who once played for Carolina scored the most points ever in a second half?

    What was the box offi ce take for The King’s Speech the weekend it opened?

    How are President Obama and Governor Perdue doing in North Carolina’s political polls this week?

    What are the top 10 vacation spots in the world?

    North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper has just released some stats from his office in honor of National Consumer Protection Week, so now we know our state’s Top 10 consumer areas that drive us crazy — what we and our fellow Tar Heels, almost 22,000 of us, complained about last year.

    And for the sixth year running, the winner is — what else? Healthcare!

    More than 4,600 of us were so upset about some aspect of healthcare that we took the time and effort to complain to our Attorney General. Complaints included medical care providers, their services and charges, medical insurance providers and how they handle or do not handle claims and various healthcare products. More than 4,600 more reasons our country needs healthcare reform.

    Next up, lending issues.

    More than 3,900 of us were unhappy with some lending practice, including high interest rates, various fees for late payments and pre-payments, adjustable rates mortgages and continuing foreclosure problems. Our AG reminds us that it is illegal to charge an upfront fee for foreclosure assistance. Sadly, we in North Carolina are hardly alone in facing such lending issues with the industry many believe brought us the Great Recession.

    Numbers 3 and 4 include my personal pet peeves, unwanted telemarketing calls and telemarketing fraud. Both my home phone and my cell phone numbers are listed on the Do Not Call Registry, but I still get those calls on both phones. It is to the point that I simply do not answer any 800 or like calls, and I delete their voice mails without listening to them as do many people.

    But enough of us must be taken in by whatever they are saying, because they keep calling. It is frightening to think about how many people must be hoodwinked by these callers, including senior citizens. Roy Cooper would tell you that if someone we do not know calls and asks for personal information — Social Security numbers, credit cards, bank accounts — we should just say no and hang up.

    Scams to “repair” poor credit, pushy debt collectors and identity theft generated more than 1,600 calls, and with good reason. In our electronic world, unscrupulous people are indeed stealing the identities of others and running up debts in their names. In many cases, the victims do not even find out about this until well after the fact, and these cases are diffi cult to unravel, much less prosecute.

    Most of us cannot do without our vehicles for transportation to and from our jobs and other places, so it makes sense that there are often issues in this arena. They include problems with purchases and repairs, trouble getting titles from sellers and warranty disputes. I would be hard pressed to think of anyone I know who has not dealt with several of these.

    If our homes are our castles, then we want them just the way we want them, and that sometimes presents problems. More than 1,600 of us had issues 7 and 8, revolving around home furnishings and home repairs. A friend learned a hard lesson when she convinced her skeptical hubby to spring for a custom sofa costing several thousand dollars. Payment was made and but no elegant sofa appeared. Not surprisingly, the seller quit taking her calls. The sofa did turn up a full fi ve years late — after my friends had moved to another community and had a new home and a new decorating scheme.

    Home repairs can be equally painful, often involving contractors who disappear with money, leave an incomplete job, miss deadlines and go over project budgets. And then there are scammers who talk people into unneeded repairs and sometimes simply disappear with the money. Trusting seniors are often the targets of these cheats.

    In our electronic age, there are bound to be complaints in this area, so television services and cell phone issues round out the Consumer Protection Top Ten. Whether the problem was bundled bills that do not provide the promised savings or poor reception, about 2,000 of us got mad enough to contact Roy Cooper.

    Just thinking about some of my own experiences in these areas is enough to make me consider giving Roy’s offi ce a buzz. If you share my sentiment or if you have specifi c issues you need advice about how to resolve or you want to fi le a complaint, the Consumer Protection Division is just a few keystrokes or a phone call away at www.ncdoj.gov and 1-800-5NO-SCAM.

    Our tax dollars at work for us.

  • Unknown (Rated PG-13)      3 STARS 

    Unknown (113 minutes) is an entertaining drive through the spy genre even if the plot holes are big enough to drive a finely made German taxicab through. This particular version of a well-tread story is based on a French novel, but Director Jaume Collet-Serra doesn’t do a whole lot to distinguish his material from any other mysterious man films.

    Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) and his daughter Elizabeth (January Jones) arrive in Berlin for a biotechnology summit. He gets a little handsy with her during the taxi ride over, which might explain her overall shirtiness when dealing with the hotel staff. That’s no way to love your daughter, Dr. Harris!

    While his daughter checks them into a fancy suite, he realizes he left his briefcase with all his secret spy papers and espionage stuff at the airport so he runs to get it. He ends up in Gina’s (Diane Kruger) cab, and then Gina’s cab ends up in the river. In the first of many, “Gosh, should I save him? Yes, Yes I will save him” moments, Gina pulls an unconscious Harris from the river, and he is taken to a hospital.

    During his coma he has many inappropriate flashbacks about his daughter — whoops, my bad, apparently that’s his trophy wife — and then wakes up to find that he has been in a coma. Since patients recently woken from a coma with no identification or any way of proving who they are get to do whatever they want in German hospitals, he checks himself out.

    He manages to get back to the hotel he left from only to find another man macking on his wife and claiming to be Dr. Martin Harris (Aiden Quinn). Since secret agents have absolutely no survival instincts to draw on when they find themselves in bizarre situations, the man with no proof of his identity proceeds to raise a ruckus and draw lots of attention to himself. When that doesn’t work in his favor, he gathers his wits and tricks hotel security into getting him a cab back to the hospital, then tricks the cabdriver into letting him out immediately. Very tricky, this guy.

    He draws on the apparently limitless funds he was carrying (while leaving all his important paperwork in a briefcase that he totally left at the airport) to blunder around Berlin for most of a day, never thinking to check in at the embassy. Because of the conspiracy? Or something? Eventually he decides that he is, in fact, as crazy as all the conspirators keep telling him he is, so he heads back to the hospital and stays safely out of the way until the end of the movie. Just kidding! A dude totally kills like, a million important people, and tries to assassinate him thus revealing that all is not as it seems. Duh. All in all, it’s not an awful movie.

    Why the three stars? Well, when 58-year-old January Jones (or Kruger, for that matter) gets to run around with a 33-yearold James Franco, then we’ll start talking about an extra star. I would LOVE to provide a simpler example … but the male actors who are 25 years younger than January Jones are all currently starring on the Suite Life of Zack and Cody. So the only film where they work as romantic leads is the Lifetime Movie Network’s The Mary Kay Letourneau Story. And I don’t think January Jones has the chops for that. Because she can’t act. And while we’re on the subject, Maggie Grace, who played Neeson’s daughter in Taken is only five years younger than January Jones. Yeah. Think about that.

    Wow. What a shame that busting on Unknown is so easy … it’s really not such a bad little movie. True, Liam Neeson has pretty much played out his “man with certain skills” range, but that doesn’t make it any less enjoyable to watch him drive around crashing into things.

  • Always a huge production, Winter Jam is set to be bigger and better than ever this year. It’s Christian music’s largest annual tour and breaks attendance records every year. Produced by Premier Productions and presented by Holt International, the tour will feature the most artists and dates in its 16-year history. The concert is on March 19, at the Crown. 03-09-11-winterjam.gif

    The concert will be hosted by GRAMMY nominated performers Newsong. NewSong’s 28 years in ministry have yielded 17 albums, 20 #1 singles, a Dove Award, and a GRAMMY(r) Award nomination, among numerous other achievements. The band’s latest recording, Give Yourself Away, released last fall.

    Newsboys; David Crowder Band; Kutless; Francesca Battistelli; RED; KJ-52 and guest speaker Tony Nolan will be featured too. In addition, the show includes a Pre-Jam Party presented by the American Bible Society with Sidewalk Prophets, Chris August and Chris Sligh.

    “This year’s tour will be unlike any other Winter Jam in history,” says Roy Morgan, owner, Premier Productions, producer of Winter Jam. “Winter Jam 2011 will have tons of surprises that no one is expecting. You will not want to miss this. Also, if someone has never experienced a Winter Jam event before, then this is the year to come.”

    Winter Jam was the number one tour in America for the first quarter of the year. It landed at number 2 in pollsters 2010 Worldwide Ticket Sales “Top 100 Tours” chart with a showing of more than 400,000 people in attendance.03-09-11-winterjam-photo.gif

    Approximately 74,000 people made decisions for Christ in 2010. More than 10,000 sponsorships to Holt International were garnered through Winter Jam 2010 too. Holt International helps to meet the needs of orphaned children around the world.

    “It’s amazing and humbling to see how God has continued to bless the Winter Jam Tour over all these years,” says NewSong’s Eddie Carswell. “We specifically created and designed this tour to impact the lives of others for the sake of the Gospel. Our prayer is that God will continue to use Winter Jam for His glory and honor.”

    The show starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door. Call the Crown box office at 438-4100 for tickets.

    PHOTO: NewSong will host the 2011 Winter Jam.

     

  • 03-09-11-fyp-logo.gifAs Chair of the Fayetteville Young Professionals, I would like to thank Up & Coming Weekly for the first of what will be a monthly column written by a member of the Fayetteville Young Professionals on topics of interest to our members and the community at large. I hope that you will look for this column, or check us out if you have not already.

    As many of you may know, the group was started in August of 2009 by the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce to bring together young professionals from across the community to not only socialize, but to organize a number of professional development and civic events. The Chamber was responding to younger chamber members who felt a disconnect with some of the events which were geared toward networking, but they felt were only attended by more established members of the community.

    As one of those members who only attended Business After Hours because my dad asked me to, I can attest that I did not really get what was in it for me or frankly for my business.

    Also, as someone who moved back into this community after college to work at my family’s business, it was really hard to meet people unless you went to school with them or worked with them. Many of my peers were simply not going to Chamber events. Now you can be guaranteed to see a Young Professional member at every Chamber event.

    While this group was started by the Chamber, it was led and created by 20 outstanding steering committee members who stepped up to organize it and make it the group that you see today. From creating a website, to decorating an event, to leading professional development seminars, this organization was formed and maintained by the vibrant young individuals that make this community so great.

    Over the next several months you will hear from the members of the FYP executive committee who have stepped up to lead this effort. These are people like you and I who are just as busy at their jobs, with their families and with other community organizations. However, they step up to lead FYP because they want this group to be successful and they are willing to squeeze one more minute out of everyday.

    From their leadership, we have raised thousands for area civic organizations, hosted more than 15 professional development events, placed second in co-ed softball, played close-quarters dodge ball and partied like it was 1999. I know that personally I have made so many friends, that my social calendar is booked into 2012.

    Even though we are a young organization, we have more than 350 members who are teachers, entrepreneurs, doctors, airmen, realtors, bankers and yes, we even have some lawyers too.

    While we have a lot of differences, the one thing that we have in common is that we enjoy meeting each other and giving back to the community. If you have not had an opportunity to join us at a Fireantz Tailgate or at our lunch and learn seminars at Sammios’ please contact me at chair@fayyp.org.

    I look forward to meeting you and telling you more about the organization and how you can get involved. For more information, please visit www.fayyp.org or look up Fayetteville Young Professionals on facebook.

  • Methodist University plays an integral part in Fayetteville’s arts and culture scene. The Friends of Music offer concerts several times a year and Reeve’s Auditorium is often filled with the musical talents of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. Now add to that the William F. Bethune Center which holds 2D visual arts courses as well as art history courses. The 8,844 square foot fl oor plan includes a printmaking studio, a painting studio, a graphic design lab, a photography lab, a digital photo studio, and a drawing and art education space — as well as an exhibition gallery. The exhibition gallery is named after local artist and contributor to the project and is called the David McCune International Art Gallery. The gallery hosts student shows as well as local, regional, national and international artists.

    On Saturday, March 12, Methodist University welcomes the public to the latest exhibit opening in the David McCune03-09-11-heavy-metal.gif International Art Gallery.

    The works of the gallery’s namesake, David McCune will be on display in an exhibition titled Heavy Metal. The Heavy Metalopening reception is from 6-8 p.m. on March 12.

    Although McCune works in water color, acrylics, makes furniture and jewelry and even has a few songs to his credit, just like the name implies, this exhibit is all about fabricated metal. “It is all one of a kind with lots of colors and lots of interesting shapes,” said McCune. “It is amazing how you can take a fl at piece of metal and within moments give it shape and form that makes it look real. That is what I am doing in this exhibit, too — shape and form.”

    With everything from ecosystems and wildlife to abstracts and patterns represented in his work, McCune brings life and color to each piece, striving to create work that will have an emotional and visual impact on the viewers.

    “That is pretty much it — what I try to do is just to create the magic for people,” said McCune “That is what I try to do in art — create the magic the mystique and the illusion.”

    McCune uses two different techniques when he creates metal wall art. First he makes the piece into its shape, from there it is either powder coated in black and then color is a03-09-11-heavy-metal-3.gifdded to it, or a clear coat is applied and then color is added. Because McCune’s work can be displayed indoors or outdoors he is careful to make sure that everything is very well protected from the elements.

    Once the surfaces are prepared, the creativity and fun kick in.

    “The way I paint, it is like looking through a microscope,” said McCune. “Under a microscope you can see different layers of the tissue. That is how I paint — in layers. It really adds an element of depth.” Look for annual exhibits by McCune, but the other eleven months of the year expect to see high quality work from students, local talent and national and international names as well.

    “Another reason for the art gallery is to try and step up our art community. We have a really nice art community right now,” said McCune. “But we are trying to bring it to another level where people can start seeing all the different arts and artists... to bring in some international artists that our community can enjoy and then get to the point to where people from Raleigh and Greensboro will drive to Fayetteville to see art displays.”

    The exhibit will be open from March 14 to April 4. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Call 630-7100 or visit www. methodist.edu/art/gallery.htm for more information.

    PHOTO: David McCune works on a piece for the Heavy Metal exhibit.

  • 030911001.gif For 25 years, American girls have been playing with, and reading about, American Girls. The books and dolls at the center of the American Girl company have put a new spin on play by encouraging young girls to be confi dent and strong, much like the girls in the books.

    Since 1993, the Child Advocacy Center has been working to build strong, healthy children in Fayetteville. The center, located on Ray Avenue, just across from Festival Park, provides a safe, child-friendly place where its 19 partner agencies come together to interview, investigate and provide support for abused children. In the absence of the center, victims of child abuse would be required to visit numerous agencies and tell their story over and over.

    Each year, the agency hosts a number of events to raise funds to support its operation. None are as highly anticipated as the annual American Girl Fashion Show. This year’s event is slated for March 26-27 at the Crown Center Ballroom. The fashion show, which features hundreds of local girls, showcases historical and contemporary fashions for girls and their dolls.

    This is the fourth year that the Child Advocacy Center has hosted the American Girl Fashion Show, and according to Jean Harrison, the marketing director for the Child Advocacy Center, each year the attendance has grown. Last year 800 people attended the event, which netted more than $28,000.

    “We hope to sell out all shows this year,” said Harrison. “We have a capacity for, 1200 people at all four shows.”

    Harrison added that there are more than 120 girls modeling this year.

    “Many of the girls are from Cumberland County but we also have some models from Raleigh, Wake Forest, Holly Springs, Leland, Jacksonville, Raeford and other North Carolina communities,” she explained. “The event could not happen without the dedication of many volunteers under the leadership of Julia Adkins, Cindy Huguley and Carol Jones.”

    For Adkins, participation in the event stems from her strong belief in the organization’s mission.

    “I became involved with this project for a couple of reasons. I believe in this center and what it does for its victims,” she said. “It takes special people to deal with the stories that come through these doors. The people here are amazing.

    “Another reason for my involvement is that this event is a way to involve today’s youth in volunteerism and community03-09-11-cover-article-2.gifawareness. My daughter is a prime example. Through my involvement she has now actively become an advocate for the CAC. My dream is that after becoming involved with the American Girl Fashion Show these little girls and their moms will fi nd something to dedicate their time to.”

    While at the fashion show, attendees will be delighted with the fashions while lively commentary, music and decorations will create a memorable experience. Audiences will delight in historical clothing that resembles what the popular American Girl characters might have worn.

    Contemporary “Just Like You” outfi ts for older girls and sweet Bitty Baby fashions for little ones complete the program. This year’s show will include new, special occasion fashions and commentary and a celebration of the 25th birthday of American Girl dolls.

    The event includes elegant refreshments, party favors, raffl es and door prizes. Tickets may be purchased online at www.ticketmaster.com or in person at the Crown Center Box Office, 1960 Coliseum Dr. in Fayetteville. In addition, tickets are available at Ft. Bragg Leisure Travel Services.

    Advance orders of souvenirs, party packages, guest model opportunities and more are offered at the Child Advocacy Center’s website, www.childadvocacycenter.com, or by calling(910) 486-9700.

  • The Airborne and Special Operations Museum Foundation will host its Second Annual Golf Tournament on March 18, at 12 p.m., at the Stryker Golf Course, located on Fort Bragg. Paul Galloway, the Executive Director of ASOM, said that the museum “had a great turnout last year.” Jim Ryder, a representative for the museum, says that the museum hopes to reach their goal of 120 golfers, exceeding last year’s numbers.

    The tournament is to benefi t the museum with all proceeds going towards programs and direct support to ASOM. Ryder says “that the museum has a number of projects they are supporting including the Medal of Honor Wall, the Vietnam/POW exhibit and the NC Veterans exhibit.”

    To participate in the golf tournament registration is required. Individual and group registration costs are offered for the event. The price for individual registration is $65 and $22503-09-11-asom-welcomes.giffor a four-person group team. Registration will be available the day of the golf tournament. However, there is no need to wait until the day of the event to register; teams and individuals can register one of two ways. Register by calling 910-678-2778 or by accessing the registration form online via the Airborne & Special Operations Museum website at www.asomf.org. To offer further help with this community event, businesses and individuals can become sponsors by calling 910-678-2778.

    The Airborne and Special Operations Museum Golf Tournament is a highly anticipated event. Ryder hopes that people in the community plan to attend “because it’s a lot of fun, a great way to relax and enjoy some time with friends and meet new friends.” He also says that the tournament “supports a wonderful cause — the Airborne & Special Operations Museum Foundation.”

    ASOM Features Author for Book Signing

    On March 12, the ASOM will welcome Douglas Waller, author of Wild Bill Donovan: The Spymaster Who Created the OSS and Modern American Espionage. The author will talk and sign copies of his book at the ASOM, from 12:30 to 3 p.m.

    Donovan was one of America’s most exciting and secretive generals and was director of the Offi ce of Strategic Services (the country’s fi rst national intelligence agency) and the father of today’s CIA. He introduced the nation to the dark arts of covert warfare on a scale it had never seen before.

    Donovan’s life was packed with personal drama. He fought heroically in World War I, where he earned the nickname “Wild Bill” for his intense leadership and the Medal of Honor for his heroism. After the war, FDR tapped him to be his strategic intelligence chief. A charismatic leader, Donovan was revered by his secret agents. Yet at times he was reckless, risking his life unnecessarily in war zones and engaging in extramarital affairs that became fodder for his political enemies.

    Wild Bill Donovan reads like an action-packed spy thriller, with stories of daring young men and women sneaking behind enemy lines for sabotage, breaking into Washington embassies to steal secrets, plotting to topple Adolf Hitler, and suffering brutal torture or death when they were captured by the Gestapo. It is also a tale of political intrigue, of infi ghting at the highest levels of government, and of powerful men pitted against one another.

    The book is available in the museum gift shop.

  • Hey, where has good customer service gone? “When the going gets tough... the tough get going!” Really?

    Well, economically speaking, it seems the last few years have been as extremely “tough” as it can get for maintaining a business and customer service. Recordhigh unemployment, cutbacks, exploding gas prices and a wave of fi scal restraints are crashing over our community like a tsunami. This has many business owners struggling and wondering whether they can or will survive. 03-09-11-customer-service.gif

    Well, of course, we hope they do.

    However, the low-level of customer service we are experiencing in the marketplace does not refl ect much of this “sense of urgency.” Usually, when business is off and sales and production quotas are not being met, the level of customer service, which costs next to nothing, gets better as businesses compete and attempt to attract new customers and retain existing ones. Well, at least you would think it would. However, not so much, in reality.

    In too many cases, customer service is getting worse or being eliminated all together. This is not good. As a community, and as a nation, we must be careful not to forget or diminish the positive effect customer service has on our productivity and how it defi nes and fulfi lls the American dream. In other words, we should be working harder in these tough economic times and all Americans need to step up their customer service and productivity levels for the betterment of the community and nation.

    Everyone must realize that we cannot work at the same intensity during a recession and tight economy as we did in a vibrant, stable economy. It just doesn’t work.

    Businesses need to work harder, smarter and more effi ciently in a tight economy. Eliminating and cutting back services and productivity are the worst things a person, business or organization can do in these challenging and stressful economic times.

    So, to improve our community and our local economy, I recommend that businesses step up their levels of productivity and customer service. Consumers should expect and demand excellent products and customer service and settle for nothing less. In doing this, everyone one will be contributing to getting America back on the road to fi scal stability and out of the grips of this stifl ing recession. So, let’s all get to work.

    Thanks for reading.

  • 03-09-11-sunflower-fibers.gifPam Kelly loves fiber — every aspect of it. She enjoys knitting, dyeing, nuno felting, needle felting, spinning and weaving.

    In fact, she is so enamored by the world of fiber and fiber art that she opened her own shop this past August where customers can not only purchase supplies, they can also take classes. It’s called Sunfl ower Fibers and is located just of Hay Street at 123 Anderson St.

    One of the things that makes Sunfl ower Fibers unique in this day of big-box stores and one-size-fits-all establishments is that Kelly builds relationships with her customers and does everything in her power to meet their needs.

    “If someone comes in and tells me that they are interested in learning a certain technique, I try to put a class together for them as quickly as I can,” said Kelly. “If you come in here with a question about fi er and I don’t know the answer, call me back in a few days and I will have answer for you.”

    Kelly is so dedicated to her customers that she’s been known to loan out her personal knitting needles for them to use while they wait for her to special order the right size.

    “It’s always worked out,” said Kelly. “I always get my needles back and they end up buying the one I’ve ordered for them.”

    The list of yarns that can be found at Sunfl ower Fibers is enough to thrill any knitter or crochet buff out there. There is everything from Abuelita, Feza, My Muench, Louet yarns, Shepherds wool and even hand-painted knitting yarns. If she doesn’t have it in stock just ask and Kelly will make a special order.

    “I have the staples like wool and angora. I’ve got cashmere and other higher end yarns too,” Kelly noted. “You won’t find the types of yarn that I have at Wal Mart. Most of what I carry are novelty fi bers that you can use to make very high quality pieces”

    Being just the slightest bit fascinated in fi ber is reason enough to check out the store. Once you cross the threshold, Kelly will help match you up to a class that most fi ts you, if you are interested in learning something new or want to meet new people and make some new friends. If getting in and out with supplies in hand is the primary goal, rest assured, that is not a problem either.

    In addition to teaching the basics, Kelly offers things like Flick night where participants bring their fi ber project and watch a movie while they work. There is a sweater knit along club, a scarfof- the-month club, a club that makes an afghan block each month and at the end of 12 months they assemble the blocks into a quilt. There is a shawl class as well. If there is a class you are interested in, just mention it to Kelly, and chances are it will be offered before you know it.

    If needle work is not your thing, pick up a loom, either triangle or square, and weave your own wearable work of art. The looms come in 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 foot sizes and are handmade by Kelly’s husband Jim.

    They are adjustable and designed to bring countless hours of pleasure to the owners, with wonderful results to show for it.

    “I’ve used my loom for more than making shawls,” said Kelly. “I’ve been able to make sweaters with it too, and they just turn out wonderfully.”

    Visit her website www. sunfl owerfibers.com or giver her a call at 223-1314 to find out more.

    Photo: A loom and sample of yarn that can be found at Sunflower Fibers.
     

  • OMG. Is Cumberland County on the road to becoming North Carolina’s “county of corruption?” Or, is our county leadership just overwhelmed and helplessly mired in a tradition of ignorance and mismanagement?

    The recent situation involving the Cumberland County Work Force Development Program begs the question: Have our trusted county offi cials again turned a “blind eye” to blatant in-house waste, stupidity, neglect and mismanagement of Cumberland County taxpayer’s hard-earned money? Well, the answer to these questions will be forthcoming as we wait to see how the Cumberland County staff and elected officials deal with this saddisturbing situation.

    One thing is for sure; county residents will need and deserve an explanation as to how the Cumberland County Work Force Development Program, under the direction of Geneva Mixon, could be so blatantly mishandled. Especially, under the oversight and stewardship of the recently retired, and honored, Cumberland County Deputy Director Juanita Pilgrim.

    03-02-11-the-three-monkeys.gifThis is the near perfect example of why taxpayers are disgusted and frustrated with government, politicians and political hacks at all levels.

    As Americans work, struggle, sacrifi ce and contend with swollen, unprecedented budget defi cits on the local, state and national levels, cutbacks, layoffs, benefi t reductions, rampant unemployment and tax increases, there remains an alarming reality that, in spite of a tough and tight economy, there is always plenty of taxpayer’s money to waste, steal, mismanage and squander away. 

    The Cumberland County Work Force Development situation recently brought to our attention demonstrates and accentuates such irresponsible behavior and our unsavory reality.

    The question now is: Who will be held responsible and what is going to be done about it? After all, it certainly looks like all the Cumberland County foxes have been in charge of guarding Cumberland County’s hen houses. And, let it be known, Cumberland County residents are getting pretty fed up and weary of the “Oops, sorry. My bad!” defense and, the meted out “wink-wink, nod-nod, gentle slap on the wrist” justice.

    Probably the most disturbing facet of this situationis that it surfaced in a redfl ag “anonymous” letter to Roger Shackleford, the North Carolina director of the organization. Anonymous? Why anonymous? Allocations refl ect that the County Manager, James Martinand some county commissioners were aware of the situation for nearly a year and took no action. After all, it’s not as if these were small subtle indiscretions. Think about it — a Cumberland County organization (mis)spends more than $18,000 on an out-of-county re03-02-11-cumberland-county-seal.giftreat at Fearrington Village and no one notices? Worse yet, no one objects? Oh, my aching wallet. Grant money designed to train military wives is returned to the state because it is not used. Really? We hear cries of nepotism and overbooking of the program so that no one is trained. Were we really paying people to oversee this program? What were there qualifi cations?

    Worse still is that there was a designated 23-member Cumberland County board charged with the oversight of this organization where services are not rendered, grant money is not spent, crucial deadlines are ignored or missed and millions upon millions of taxpayers dollars are misspent, wasted and unaccounted for. What kind of board is this, and when are county leaders asking for their resignation?

    Cumberland County residents will want to know: Who is responsible and what is going to be done about it? Yes, curious taxpayers and Cumberland County voters want to know!

    Make no mistake about it, Up & Coming Weekly is a quality-of-life newspaper publication and this is a “quality-of-life” issue. Stay tuned. Thank you for reading.

  • So, if you read my preview of this play, you know that I forecasted that this play would be funny. Little did I know just how funny it is. This play is Hysterical with a capital “H.”

    Ongoing at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, Rumors, written by Neil Simon, and fantastically directed by Dirk Lumbard, might just be the “must see” theatrical production this year. (Never mind the might be, it is!)02-23-11-rumors.gif

    The production has it all: stellar talent, a great script, wonderful physical comedy and the perfect setting. It just doesn’t get much better than this. And, I know of what I speak. I’ve been seeing shows at the CFRT since late 1997, and this show is, bar none, the funniest show I’ve seen there in the past 14 years.

    Bjorn Thorstad, playing Lenny Ganz, was a laugh-a-minute. From the moment he stepped on the stage, he owned it. Thorstad, from New York, has marvelous comedic timing. At times, his style reminded me of funny man John Lithgow — think Third Rock From the Sun — but he never missed a punch line and his delivery was always on the mark.

    Veteran CFRT actor Nicki Hart played Thorstad’s wife in the farce. Hart is a multi-talented actress, but she shines in comedy. If you saw her in The Odd Couple, multiply that performance by 10 and you have her hilarity factor in Rumors. With her big red wig and mile-high shoulder pads, she personified the ‘80s trophy wife, but she gave as good as she got.

    Also stellar in their casting and their chemistry were New York artist Lynne Rosenberg and Robbie Gay as Chris and Ken Gorman. The two sparked off of each other. Rosenberg, who plays the self-medicating yuppie lawyer, plays one of the best drunks I’ve ever seen. And, Gay is the master of physical comedy. I think that element in the show owes a lot to him.

    Libby Seymour, another CFRT veteran, kept the audience in stitches with her back spasms and one liners. John Doerner, a transplanted New Yorker, played her spouse and was a perfect match. The first act is going to leave you in stitches, and while the second act starts out a little slow, the ending is going to leave you breathless. With this in mind, unless you are hurt, dying or in another country, clear your calendar and get down to the Cape Fear Regional Theatre. You don’t want to miss this one!!

    Rumors runs through March 13. For tickets, call 323-4233 or visit the website at www.cfrt.org.

  • It goes without saying, a large part of the arts community, art venues and art patrons miss the Fayetteville Museum of Art. Yet, as the museum board reorganizes, local galleries are still doing their part to support the arts in Fayetteville.

    Two galleries in particular, Cape Fear Studios and Fayetteville Technical Community College Gallery, are raising the standards for their exhibition space. In the effort, both galleries are hosting exhibitions that are well worth visiting during the month of March.

    03-02-11by-charmine-ortiz.gifThe Cape Fear Studios opened February 24, 2011 with Robert Levin: Glass Artist. From Burnsville, North Carolina, Levin, an internationally known glass artist, was invited to exhibit his blown glass works in a one person exhibition. As an art form, Levin brings a level of glass blowing to Fayetteville that has only been viewed in the past at the Fayetteville Museum of Art.

    The craftsmanship and artistry of Levin is masterful. Visitors to the Cape Fear Studios will immediately see how hand crafted glass objects from a master are dramatically different from the machine made object. In Levin’s glass, an essence of hand and spirit exude from forms having extraordinary fluidity, beauty, grace and luster.

    Levin’s artist statement best describes the glass experience visitors can have if they think about his results from the process of working with hot liquid glass. He stated, “I have always tried to capture an element of the elegance, fluidity and whimsy which I feel are inherent properties of glass. The glass itself can be a symbol of human characteristics: fragile, but durable; fl uid, but hard-edged. This all has something to do with the possibilities for change and transformation, both with the material and with the person doing the creating.”

    Levin’s resume is lengthy and high powered. Formerly the resident glass artist at Penland School of Crafts, he has lectured and taught throughout the United States, in Ireland, and in New Zealand.

    He has exhibited widely in the US, Europe, Japan, and the former Soviet Union. His work is in many public and private collections that include, but are not limited to, the Corning Museum of Glass, the Museum of American Glass, the High Museum in Atlanta, the Contemporary Glass Museum in Madrid, the Ebeltoft Glasmuseum in Denmark, the Great Synagogue of Jerusalem and the Museum of Arts and Design in New York.

    In addition, he has received many grants and fellowships, to include the Southern Arts Federation/NEA Visual Arts Fellowship, two North Carolina Arts Council Fellowships and a NC Arts Council Project Grant. His work has been featured in more than 36 publications and includes American Craft, New Zealand Crafts, Craft Arts International, New Glass Review and many other noted magazines and text books.

    Levin includes mixed media, often wood, with his glass objects. So it’s easy to see why his most recent commission involves creating a mixed media sculpture near or on the Town Square in Burnsville, NC. As stated on Levin’s website, “the sculpture will be part of the Toe Valley Trail Project, a program that brings public art by local artists to one of the most attractive “built” environments in our state. The sculpture will be made of local locust wood and native stone and will stand 7 - 10 feet tall.”

    An established and recognized artist, visitors in Fayetteville and the region should take the time to visit the exhibit Robert Levin: Glass Artist, the exhibit will remain up until March 23, 2011.

    Before, or after, seeing the glass exhibit, the 2nd Annual International Juried Exhibition at Fayetteville Technical Community College Gallery is another striking exhibit. Fayetteville Technical Community College has a gallery tucked away next to their performance theater and opened February 18, 2011 with their 2nd Annual International Juried Exhibition.

    FTCC’s second international competition is small, but well worth the trip to the gallery. Twelve artists were selected to exhibit multiple works to include prints, paintings, textile and photography. All 12 artists represent 10 different states.

    Local artist and lecturer at Fayetteville State University, Dwight Smith, juried the competition and awarded fi rst place to Charmaine Ortiz from Carolina Beach, NC for her work titled “GR 1”. A monoprint mounted on panel board, Ortiz fi nished the surface by applying graphite to create greater depth to a work that straddles two mediums — painting and a large mixed media print.

    Smith selected a range of mediums for his awards so textile artists will enjoy seeing that a wall hanging earned 2nd place. Pat Kumicich from Naples, FL earned a 2nd place award with her textile wall hanging titled the “The Eyes Have It”.

    Beautifully detailed, the textile is a close up of three women. Not only is the work well crafted, but the composition is strong and the glance of each woman is haunting. A beautiful arrangement of fabric and quilting, the red lips on all thre03-02-11-glass-by-levin.gife women unifi es the work.

    Next to Kumisich is a relief work titled “Either/Or Sebago” by Eric Standley from Blacksburg, VA. Winning 3rd place, “Either/Or Sebago” is a relief sculpture that seems to reference a book format — yet viewers will look into layers and layers of delicately cut paper as they look into the form. A fragile mini-world, Standley draws us into his work as a heightened sensoryexperience.

    There were many works in the exhibit which could have easily received honors. From the silk screen print integrated with dry point mark making or the many small paintings — all the works are well crafted, the subjects vary and many are thought provoking.

    When I think about the art faculty at Fayetteville Technical Community College, I know that teaching itself takes a lot of time and much effort out of class. When I visit the gallery at FTCC, I have to honor Chuck Lawson and Sean McDaniel, members of the art faculty, for coordinating exhibitions for the public and their students. And that they have both been raising the caliber of their exhibitions for years.

    In particular, I like the reflective statement on the gallery sheet by McDaniel, Chairman of the Fine Art Department, about the value of the 2nd Annual International Juried Exhibition. He states, “In a show such as this we do not have a common thread to connect the artwork. What we have is the common denominator of the need to create and the power of observation.”

    He continues, “Although we do not always understand what the artist is saying or why they have chosen to present us with a particular image, we know that each of these works were the product of many hours of labor. Perhaps the piece is a moment we have seen and can relate to; in other works we are challenged to understand a concept which is foreign to us. In the end, we must look and strive to appreciate what we are standing in from of.”

    In short, McDaniel’s words fi t both the gallery at FTCC and the Cape Fear Studios. Both galleries are working to bring artists from outside the area to share their vision and ways of working in an effort to bridge the big world of art with Fayetteville.

    For information you can call Cape Fear Studios at 433-2986. The exhibit at FTCC runs until March 27, 2011 and interested visitors can call 678-8209 for hours of operation.

    PHOTO: Top left: “GR 1” by Charmaine Ortiz. Bottom right: Glass by Robert Levin.

  • 127 HOURS (Rated R) 4 Stars03-02-11-127-hours.gif

    So, allow me a moment to make a Public Service Announcement. Yes, The King’s Speech is all kinds of classy, and way more sophisticated than watching a dude cut off pieces of his body. But just because you are retired and walk with a cane and want to see the classy movie, you still have the wait your turn in line behind those of us there to watch James Franco cut pieces off of himself. In other words: the person behind the counter opened up that extra line for those of us who had been waiting … they did not see you walk in the door and think, wow, older people need a special line. Please apply this rule to the line for getting into Aspen Creek, depositing money into the bank, and checking out at the grocery store as well.

    The Internet Movie Database manages to sum up 127 Hours (94 minutes) pretty quickly: “A mountain climber becomes trapped under a boulder while canyoneering alone near Moab, Utah and resorts to desperate measures in order to survive.” Now I ask you — how can I possibly write 500 words when that is literally all that happens? Luckily for the readers, I know a bit of background, and when I run out of interesting historical details I can always make fun of James Franco for his guest role on General Hospital.

    Danny Boyle knows what he is doing as a screenwriter and behind a camera. I mean, if he can turn five minutes of a little boy swimming in crap into two hours of Oscar Gold (his 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire), he’s doing something right. It took him four years to translate the true story of climber Aron Ralston into the big screen, and he made very few alterations to do so. In fact, the only major change occurs in the beginning of the narrative.

    Ralston (Franco) prepares for his midnight drive into the canyons of Utah by listening to some pretty killer high energy techno-pop … carefully chosen/crafted/arranged by previous Boyle collaborator A.R. Rahman. The high energy introduction allows for periodic breaks that give the audience a sense of Ralston’s ability to pause and appreciate life, only to jump immediately back into action. The frenetic early action is especially intense when compared to the later moments of forced inaction … although even when pinned under boulders Boyle and Franco manage to inject the scenes with purposeful motion.

    After the techno drive, followed by starlit camping, it is time for techno bike-riding and then techno running. Which is interrupted by lost, hot, girls (Amber Tamblyn and Kate Mara). Who are hot both appearance-wise and because it is the middle of the day and they are hiking in the desert. Here is where the dramatic narrative veers off a bit … in real life Ralston showed them some climbing moves. In the movie, he manages to convince them that following a scruffy dude into the middle of nowhere is a great life choice. And that there is nothing wrong with following him into a situation he is deliberately vague about. And when he jumps off a cliff, you should totally jump off the cliff after him.

    So after his love of life utterly charms them, they invite him to a Scooby Doo party and he runs off. Because he is full of life! And, why walk when you can run? Once he is on his own he does some nifty canyoneering moves. Unfortunately, about 30 minutes into the film, just as he is well into the outdoorsy spirit, his nifty moves turn a rock into a projectile, projected at him. So, prepare to spend the next hour or so watching Ralston get progressively nuttier, wishing you had lots of water to drink, and, if you’re me, laughing at the other people in the theater who are closing their eyes for all the best scenes. Or, possibly laughing at all the best scenes. Because I find humor in people drinking their own pee to survive. Is that wrong? No. No it is not.

  • Firmly ensconced on the music charts since his debut with “Austin” in 2001, Blake Shelton has spent the last 10 years 03-02-11-blake_shelton1.gifrecording hit after hit for his fans. On Friday, March 11, Shelton is performing at the Crown Coliseum. Tickets have been on sale for awhile, so don’t miss your chance to see this big music star.

    Born in Ada, Okla., in 1976, Shelton wrote songs as a teenager and played in honky-tonk bars. When he was 17, Shelton met Mae Boren Axton at an event honoring her contributions to music. Axton is most famous for her role in co-writing “Heartbreak Hotel,” Elvis Prestley’s first single with RCA. Shelton was in the entertainment line up at the event. Axton heard Shelton sing and told him that she believed he would find success as an entertainer, but to do it he would have to move to Nashville. Shelton had been out of high school only two weeks when he decided to pack up and move to the country music capital.

    It wasn’t long until Shelton was pumping out hit after hit and had made a name for himself on the country music charts. His tunes are catchy and easy to relate to. His series of chart-busting hits can attest to that.

    Rik Knopp, the director of Marketing and Sales at the Crown Center, had this to say, “We couldn’t be more excited about the upcoming Blake Shelton show. To get such a high caliber performer at a time when he is one of the hottest acts touring is a big win for this community.”

    With 17 singles on the country charts in the past decade, Shelton has seen seven of his songs race to the number one spot; “Austin” (2001), “The Baby” (2003), “Some Beach” (2004–2005), “Home” (2008), “She Wouldn’t Be Gone” (2009), “Hillbilly Bone” (2010), a duet with Trace Adkins, and “All About Tonight” (2010). Additionally, three more of his singles have reached Top Ten: a cover version of Conway Twitty’s “Goodbye Time”, “Nobody but Me” and “I’ll Just Hold On.”

    Shelton’s latest release LOADED: The Best of Blake Shelton debuted on the country charts in the top 10 placing him in the unique position of being one of the few artists who have charted three records in one year. Garth Brooks, Kenny Chesney and Alan Jackson are also in this group.

    Shelton was recently nominated for his first Grammy award for “Best Country Collaboration with Vocals” for his single “Hillbilly Bone” which has won an award at every major Country award show this year — the ACA’s for “Music Video of the Year” and “Music Video: Male,” the ACM Award for “Vocal Event of the Year,” CMA Award for “Musical Event of the Year” and CMT Award for “Collaborative Video of the Year.”

    Knopp added that “A Grammy nominated winner of two American Country Awards and the Country Music Awards Male Vocalist of the Year, not to mention that just this week he hit number one on the Billboard charts for the third time in 10 months and eighth time overall — this is a homerun for us. Just check Ticketmaster’s fan reviews if you’re sitting on the fence about coming – fan’s are raving about his live performance and opening acts — they give him a 4.8 out of 5 stars. While you’re checking those out go ahead and buy your tickets and make March 11th a night to remember.”

    Tickets are $49.50, $37.50, $32.50 and are available at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling the Crown box office at 438-4100.

    PHOTO: Country music star Blake Shelton will perform at the Crown on March 11.

  • Avoid Identity Theft

    One of the most prevalent forms of consumer fraud is identity theft, according to Erik Miley of eHow.com. This occurs when person-al information is used by an individual who is not lawfully authorized to possess or use that information. Examples include the illegal acquisition of a credit card, bank account number or Social Security number. When an individual other than the lawful owner of an account or line of credit obtains information that al-lows him to access funds within those accounts, identity theft has occurred. This individual may use information to transfer money from a victim’s account to one previously established and held by the perpetrator of the theft. Such funds can be extremely difficult to track down once the theft has occurred.

    To protect yourself from becoming a victim, Mr. Robert Valentine, a Certified Senior Advisor from seniorjournal.com has the following tips to prevent identity theft.

    Checks:

    • Use your initials and last name when ordering printed checks. A check forger won’t know how you sign your checks, but your bank will.

    • Do not have your home phone number or Social Security number printed on your checks. Use your work phone number. Use a post office box or work address instead of your home address.

    • Order new checks from your bank and pick them up at the bank, rather than having them sent to your home mailbox.

    Credit cards

    • When paying credit card bills, write only the last four digits of the account number in the check memo line.

    • Do not sign the back of your credit card. Instead write, “Photo ID required.”

    • Photocopy both sides of your driver’s license, credit cards and other impor-tant contents of your wallet. In the event it is stolen, you’ll know exactly what is missing.

    • Keep a list of your credit card numbers and their toll-free customer service numbers so you can cancel cards quickly if lost or stolen. Keep the list in a safe place in your home, not in your wallet.

    Social Security Number

    • Do not carry your Social Security card in your wallet. Memorize the number and put the original card in a safe place.

    • If you believe your Social Security number has been compromised, contact the Social Security Administration fraud line 800-269-0271.

    PINs and Passwords

    • Do not write your PIN on the back of the card or on anything else in your wallet.

    • Use different PINs for each debit and credit card. If you have too many to remember, consider reducing the number of cards you carry in your wallet.

    • Do not use easily available information, like your birth date, phone number or part of your Social Security number, for PINS and passwords.

    Mail and Trash

    • Use post office collection boxes for outgoing mail, rather than your home mail box.

    • Shred any trash that may contain personal information, including charge re-ceipts, credit applications, insurance forms, medical statements, checks and bank statements, expired credit and debit cards and direct mail credit offers.

    • You can opt not to receive direct mail credit offers by calling 888-567-8688.If your wallet is stolen, you should immediately:

    • File a police report to document the theft and the wallet contents.

    • Contact one of the national credit reporting organizations (listed below) to have a fraud alert placed on your name and Social Security number. The orga-nization you contact is required to contact the other two. If the thief’s purchases initiate a credit check, the credit reporting organization can alert the merchant. Placing a fraud alert entitles you to free copies of your credit reports.

    • Equifax 800-525-6285

    • Experian 888-397-3742

    • Trans Union 800-680-7289

    • Close all accounts for missing credit cards. Check your credit reports for accounts opened fraudulently.

    • File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, which maintains a da-tabase of identity theft cases, online at www.consumer.gov/idtheft. This database assists law enforcement agencies and helps the FTC learn more about identity theft.

    • Notify your bank if your wallet contained a checkbook or debit/ATM cards.

  • uac030211001.gif When is a football team more thanjust a football team providing fans withaction-packed entertainment? When itbecomes a Force in the community —make that a force for the community.

    And that’s exactly what AndrewBondarowicz, president of the FayettevilleForce, hopes to bring to the Fayettevillearea with the return of indoor footballplay — and the revival of a familiar teamname. The Fayetteville Force, one of 16teams in the Southern Indoor FootballLeague (SIFL), will open its inauguralseason at the Crown Coliseum againstthe Carolina Speed on Friday, March 18.

    Bondarowicz, successfulsports agent, lawyer and founder ofFanteractive, LLC, a new subscriptionbasedinteractive system enabling fans totake part in the game from the sidelines,sees the team as a force for good.

    “It’s kind of funny because theForce name actually has a two-fold recreation,”said Bondarowicz. “One is forthe Fayetteville Force hockey team, andsecondly, there was a team called theForce in the Southern Indoor Football League (SIFL) in Greenville, S.C. And in both ofthose instances, I would say that the situations ended badly; however, the name Forcereally embodies a lot of the things that we wanted to espouse here.”

    Bondarowicz sees a far more positive future for the Force, and the community.“The notion with a lot of sports teams is, ‘Hey, we have a team in town. Come supportus and buy tickets,’ and that’s kind of where the relationship remains, whereas one ofthe things that we want to really try with this team is to be an impact on the community.Being a force in the community, being a force in the classroom, being a force ineverything you do. It’s not only a tagline, but it’s really a theme around what ourorganization is looking to do.”

    And the Fayetteville Force is certainly looking to do more than just scoretouchdowns on the field.

    “I mentioned about being a force in the community,” Bondarowicz said, “and oneof the things we want to do is recognize a lot of unsung heroes. There’s a lot of peopledoing a lot of good things every single day and most go unnoticed, and we can kindof use the platform that we have to bring some recognition to those people. Secondly,volunteerism, especially03-02-11-force-playerred_1681.gif in difficult economic times, is something that’s very important,too, because nonprofi ts as much as anybody are stretched with donations going down,and an extra pair of hands always comes in handy. So one of the things we’re looking todo later this spring is have fans and friends of the team essentially volunteer for differentorganizations around the city. And not just the city, but in the region to build on thatcommunity aspect and also to lend a hand in need. We have some school programsthat we’re working on that we want to establish before the end of the school year. Ourchallenge has been that there’s a limit to how much we can accomplish in a very shorttime frame.”

    In addition to promoting and contributing positive things in the community, theFayetteville Force expects to play the kind of football fans won’t want to miss. 

    “Basically, we expect to put a strong product on the field every week,” saidBondarowicz. “We have a veteran coaching staff. We have a lot of players that havea game-established history, and we expect to have a strong showing and make thecommunity proud that way.

    “We plan on adding fun events and unique aspects to every game. We kind of lookat each individual game as its own event, so we have six different events that we’re goingto be running during the regular season that are built around a football. You can expectsomething different every time, and we hope to have some entertainment, a lot of pregametailgates. We’re going to make this a fun atmosphere because one of the uniquethings about football, is that it’s part of Americana, and the more entertaining we canmake it, the more engaging we can make it, the better it is for the community at largeand their fan base.”

    For more information on the Fayetteville Force, includingschedule, team members and coaching staff, Fanteractive and ticketsto the inaugural season’s games, as well as sponsorship opportunitiesand more, call 910-920-9200 orvisit www.fayettevilleforce.net.

    PHOTO: Fayetteville Force Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator Charles Gunnings.

  • 03-02-11-jazz-fest.gifMethodist University is putting together a unique weekend of jazz, with its 3rd Annual Methodist University Jazz Festival March 18-19.

    The evening concert begins on March 18, followed by an all-day concert on March 19 featuring an orchestra, a jazz ensemble and more.

    The Jazz Festival will start with an evening concert featuring the Methodist University Jazz Ensemble and special guest Howard Lamb.

    Lamb is the director of the Memphis Jazz Orchestra, and a retired member of the Navy Commodores Jazz Band, where he was the featured trombone soloist. The concert starts at 7:30 pm in Reeves Auditorium on the campus of Methodist University. The concert is free to the public.

    On the second day, the Jazz Festival gives an opportunity to local talent that features various middle school and high school jazz bands. The students will perform in front of the audience as well as with the guest clinician who will work with each group sharing knowledge and experience for the advancement of these local talents.

    Proceeding with the evening at 5 p.m., The Methodist Jazz Ensemble will perform, followed by the Fayetteville Jazz Orchestra at 7 p.m.

    The culmination of the festival will include an exclusive event held in conjunction with WFSS, featuring nationally recognized smooth jazz artist David Wells.

    Dumas who is the Director of Jazz Band at Methodist University noted, “The entire weekend is designed as a kick-off to recognize April as Jazz Appreciation month, which will include several major events.”

    This event makes it an ideal way to appreciate Jazz while supporting our local talent at the same time.

    Tickets are available for Wells’ portion of the event and can be purchased by contacting WFSS or by contacting Charles Dumas at cdumas@methodist.edu.

    PHOTO: Enjoy some jazz at Methodist University March 18 and 19.

  • It’s time for the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce’s top-ranked trade show. ShowBiz 2011 Surviving and Thriving will be at the Crown Expo Center from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on March 9.03-02-11-showbiz.gif

    The Chamber is excited about the opportunities this brings to the community and businesses alike and they are betting that when the doors open, both vendors and attendees will catch the spirit of excitement too.

    Showbiz is our premier business to business networking trade show. It is an opportunity for small businesses and businesses in the Fayetteville, Cumberland County area to come together and to showcase their products and services to the community,” said Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce Events Manager Sonia Ramirez-Garza. “We tell the vendors who are participating that what they need to take away that day is networking amongst themselves but also with the attendee’s that come in, since the show is open to the public and it is free admission.”

    The Chamber of Commerce chose this year’s theme, Surviving and Thriving, to illustrate “the resiliency of our community’s real estate and retail markets, show how Fayetteville and Cumberland County are working through the economy’s shortcomings and gives businesses the opportunity to showcase their business practices and products in a thriving community. ShowBizis a gateway to a world of resources that enables attendees to buy locally and boost the economic activity of Fayetteville and Cumberland County.”

    Last year’s show brought in about 100 vendors and more than 1,000 attendees — that’s plenty of opportunity to make a few connections.

    This year looks to be just as busy and exciting.

    There will be three seminars throughout the day, centered around the Surviving and Thriving theme.

    The American Red Cross will host a CPR demo along with fi re safety and other home-related safety and survival issues.

    Goodyear Tire and Rubber Plant Manager Billy Taylor is scheduled to speak about leveraging a business in our economy.

    Elite Training Group will also be on hand to do a demonstration on survival techniques and how you protect yourself in survival situations.

    “It is going to be really fun,” said Ramirez-Garza. “I am excited to see what everyone has to offer.”

    03-02-11-tradeshow.gifDuring the day Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center will conduct a blood drive from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. so not only is this a chance to make a few connections, there’s an opportunity to potentially save a life and help your fellow man. Blood donated to the Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center goes right back into the community and keeps our local hospital patients surviving and thriving.

    Of course, the day will be filled with fun give-aways and prizes, too. The prizes will be provided by the vendors at the event.

    Look for everything from hotels, car dealerships and banks, to beauty consultants and other home-based businesses and some of Fayetteville’s newest small businesses, too.

    “I love the fact that it is different every year,” said Ramirez-Garza. “Every year it brings new challenges and exciting vendors and people. People always want something different and that makes it really fun.”

    Contact the Fayetteville-Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce at 484-4242 or www.fayettevillencchamber.org for more information.

  • 03-02-11-raisin-in-the-sun.gifEach year the Fayetteville Technical Community College Foundation hosts a dinner theatre event as its annual fundraiser. This year, local audiences will have a chance to view a familiar and classic play while they support a classic institution.

    Planned for March 11-13, the event will feature A Raisin in the Sun.

    According to Sean Davidson, the chair of the Fine Arts Department, they wanted to produce a play that the community could relate to, adding that he feels the audience will enjoy seeing their friends, family and other members of the community involved. Davidson believes A Raisin in the Sun will resound with the audience, especially in today’s economy, because they will be able to relate to the harsh struggle that many families are going through.

    Ever since Lorraine Hansberry’s play debuted in 1959, it has been a relevant piece of contemporary African-American history, as well as one of the standards to which many playwrights hold their work. Done and re-done numerous times, from stage play to television program, and featuring phenomenal stars like Sidney Poitier, Ruby Dee, Louis Gossett Jr, Phylicia Rashad and Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, A Raisin in the Sun continues to strike a chord amongst all who have a chance to view this amazing production.

    Derived from a poem titled “Harlem” by Langston Hughes, the play tells the story of the Youngers, a disadvantaged African-American family struggling to make ends meet in Chicago, sometime between World War II and the 1950s. As the play opens the family is on the brink of a dramatic change in their circumstances, due to a $10,000 check they are due to receive in a few days.

    The money comes from the life-insurance policy left by the deceased Mr. Younger. His wife, the leader of the family, has decided to use it to buy a house and fulfill the dream she shared with her husband.

    Her son, Walter Lee, wants to use the money to invest in a liquor store, which he believes will solve the family’s financial problems and give them a more solid future. His mother disagrees however, not only with the plan but with the type of business he is looking to invest in, as it is against her religious beliefs. You also get the impression that this is not the only “fl y by night” scheme that Walter has invested in or attempted to invest in with dismal results.

    Walter’s wife Ruth wants to put the money toward something more concrete, to give their son Travis a better future, and agrees with Mother that they should move to Clybourne Park (a predominantly white neighborhood).

    Walter’s sister Beneatha, wants her mother to use the money however she wishes, although her Mother did mention that she may use it on Beneatha’s medical-school tuition. The family continues to clash over what to spend the money on throughout the duration of the play.

    While on the surface the production seems to be just about the family’s investment, it quickly becomes clear that there are many other underlying issues. The Mother’s struggle to keep the family together despite their newfound wealth, Walter’s feelings of insecurity at not being able to fi ll his father’s shoes and take care of his family, and Ruth’s conflicted feelings between wanting to stay loyal to her husband and do what’s best for her family.

    When a representative from The Clybourne Park Improvement Association approaches the family to “buy them out” to keep them from moving, the family is ultimately forced to make a decision. Stick together and continue to help each other, or separate and strike out each on their own.

    The play will be staged in two locations. On March 5-6, the show will be on stage at Fort Bragg’s York Theater. On March 11-14 and March 18- 20, the show will be on stage at Cumberland Hall Auditorium on the campus of FTCC. The March 18 performance is slated as the foundation’s dinner theater. This annual event raises funds for scholarships and materials for FTCC students. Tickets to the March 18 performance are $15, while all other performances are free.

    For more information, call the Fine Arts Department at 678-0042.

  • The Gravitational Pull of Family

    Each and every human life is unique, and the path of each and every human life is different as it traverses our diverse world.

    There are, though, common threads woven through our life stories, and one of them is the seemingly universal desire to connect with our families — with the people whose genes we share even if we have not shared their lives and their experiences.

    People who left their birth families for whatever reasons and who were brought up in other families, however loving and nurturing, often want to know about their biological relatives. People who relinquished children for whatever reasons often want to know how those children have fared both as youngsters and as adults and maybe even want to meet and know those now grown children. People who adopted the biological children of others often have mixed feelings about this yearning from both biological sides of what is called the “adoption triad.”

    North Carolina continues to have among the most restrictive laws in the nation regarding access to identifying information contained in sealed adoption records, even though a Confidential Inte03-02-11-family.gifrmediary program requiring mutual consent among birth relatives has been established in recent years. The yearning to know continues, though, as both a birth mother and an adult adoptee related to me recently.

    Claudia’s words make her mother’s pain clear.

    “I had five beautiful children, three boys and two girls, in Germany between 1971 and 1976. The relationship with their father was terrible and mainly physically abusive. I fi nally managed to flee from him but the Social Services took four of the children away from me and later forced me to agree to adopt the children out. I could not stand to see my children suffer any more and figured adoptive parents would better their lot in life. I never ever got over having to make this agonizing and soul tearing decision. My two oldest kids went to the same family. Turning 17 my daughter found me in the USA and I was reunited with them and later on also with my youngest daughter. My two oldest were abused and neglected for 13 years and no one helped…. To find that out was agony for me. My adoption story is a lot longer and contains the story of my children who are now back in my life but too far away to see them in Memphis and Virginia. I want to have my children at one table before I die!”

    Katie is a young adult who grew up in an adoptive family and yearns to know about her birth mother.

    “I was put up for adoption at birth. North Carolina is really hard to search for answers as an adoptee, but with luck I have learned so far that I was born by C-section in New Hanover County in October 1987 at 11:27 to a 37-year-old woman. She is now 60-years-old and was known to have many problems. One major one was drinking.

    “I am a very forgiving person and hope to find her and tell her that there is nothing to be ashamed of and I would just love to know where I came from. I also learned that I have two half sisters, one 42 and the other 26 and a half brother who is 40. The 42- and 40-year-old siblings are full brother and sister. The 26-year-old has a different father.

    “It has been tough growing up wondering who I look like and wondering where my artistic traits came from! I hope that I can fi nd my family soon and that they are open to meeting and helping me find out who I really am!”

    Katie was unaware of the Confi dential Intermediary program and is interested.

    “I am just glad that people are starting to take interest in this situation now instead of forcing adoptees to ignore their feelings of wondering…and the urge to know the truth. Then a lot of people like to make adoptees feel very ashamed that they want to know the truth because they say adoptees should be grateful for having been adopted. I am grateful but it doesn’t take away my want to know my original family.”

    I feel blessed that the family photos in our house sport images of people who look at least a little bit like me and that I know who they are.

    PHOTO: North Carolina continues to have among the most restrictive laws in the nation regarding access to identifying
    information contained in sealed adoption records,

  • Rock Shop owner Shawn Adkins has always been about the music scene. In fact, before he opened the Rock Shop he was throwing huge03-31-10-rock-shop.gifparties in his yard — complete with an outdoor stage — and showcasing local bands from there. One day, a friend put an idea into his head.

    “Dave Johnson of Huske Hardware at the time said ‘Hey, if you owned a bar you would do re-ally well.’ So I said ‘When do you want to go in 50/50 on it? Let’s do it!” and the next day we were look-ing at the old John Jays building.”

    About six months later Adkins bought him out and has been the sole proprietor ever since. That was in December 2006.

    Since then, the Rock Shop has flourished and become an integral part of the Fayetteville music scene, hosting local talent and winning several people’s choice awards, including Up & Coming Weekly’s Best of Fayetteville awards in 11 categories including Best Live Music Venue and Best Live Music Club.

    In just a little more than three years the Rock Shop has out-grown its Eastern Boulevard. location and is looking to relocate and upgrade to its new home. On April 2, just across the street from its current home, The Rock Shop will open the doors at 128 S. King St., in the former Kings Billiards building.

    With two bars, a full kitchen and two stages, Adkins in anticipating a lot of activity and good times for both customers and performers.

    “We’ll be open everyday,” said Adkins. “We’ve got six pool tables... all the art that was in The Rock Shop will be here and we have new artists com-ing in to do murals. We’re gonna do all kinds of stuff from country to rock to plays to wrestling — it is going to be sort of like an event center.”

    Adkins is anticipating more national bands on the playlist in addition to the local talent that he currently books. A strong supporter of home-grown talent, he is seeking to fill a gap in the Fayetteville music scene, and believes that now is the time to do it.

    “All my friends had to go out of town to see their favorite bands. Now I get a chance to bring it in,” said Adkins, noting that supporting area musi-cians is still a priority as well. “I’ll never not have local bands. The local bands are very important to me. I’ve always been about the music scene. I don’t plan on selling out. I think they deserve a place they can have a lot more fun, buf-fer crowds, play with the nationals they want.”

    Opening night will feature The Fifth,Nephilym, Rookie of the Year, Dark Water Rising, Sir Ben Marx, Paddy & Bill and Playing With Guns. Adkins is ready to show his customers a good time and is anticipating a big crowd.

    “These are really good local bands,” Adkins said. “There are a lot of people who are ready for this.”

    You can find more info at http://www.facebook.com/therock-shoplive or http://www.myspace.com/therockshoplive.

  • 03-31-10-the-big-read.gifWith The Big Read now in full swing, we hope you have already attended one of Cumberland County Public Library and Information Center’s special events associated with this year’s novel The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers.

    One reason The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter was chosen is because McCullers fi nished writing it while living here at Cool Springs Tavern on North Cool Springs Street. But, what happened after she departed from Fayetteville to New York City?

    As the keynote speaker for The Big Read on April 6 at 7 p.m. in the Pate Room of Headquarters Library, author of February House, Sherill Tippins will tell us about that fascinating time.

    Tippins first learned about that part of McCullers’s life while volunteering for a program that delivered meals to the elderly and homebound in her Brooklyn, N.Y., neighborhood.

    According to the publisher of February House, Tippins was intrigued when one of those neighbors began telling her about the “extraordinary experiment in communal living — involving a British poet, a southern novelist, one of the world’s great opera composers, and a celebrated stripper — that had taken place 60 years earlier just a few blocks from her home.”

    From those stories, Tippins began collecting facts and anecdotes about that shared life of W.H. Auden, McCullers, Jan and Paul Bowles and Gypsy Rose Lee.

    With her work complete, February House was published in 2005 and chosen as a Best Book of the Year by the San Francisco Chronicle.

    For more information about Tippins’s visit and other The Big Read programs, go to www.Cumberland.lib.nc.us where you can download a Schedule of Events or stop by your nearest library location.

    The Big Read Programming Notes

    Programming takes place throughout April and includes a recycled art show and contest, movies, Depression Era kitchen gardens, activities for children and more! Admission to all programs is free.

    Our community partners include: Cumberland County Schools, Charles W. Chesnutt Library, Fayetteville State University; Davis Memorial Library, Methodist University, Fayetteville Technical Community College, Fort Bragg John L. Throckmorton Library and the Museum of the Cape Fear.

    Cumberland County’s The Big Read is sponsored by The Friends of the Library, The Fayetteville Observer, Up & Coming Weekly, The Drive 96.5 FM and KISS 107.7 FM.

    The Big Readis an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) designed to restore reading to the center of American culture. The NEA presents The Big Read in partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services and in cooperation with Arts Midwest.

  • Take out your old, broken or mismatched jewelry, those buttons, patches or paint you no longer use and create something for the03-31-10-dont-thrown-it-away.gifCumberland County Public Library’s Recycled Art Contest.

    “The sky is the limit, pretty much!” said Jennifer Carrico, who is in charge of the contest.

    This is the fi rst time the Cumberland County Public Library has held a Recycled Art Contest and participants are encouraged to use items from around their own homes that may have otherwise been thrown away. One participant is making a quilt from recycled materials.

    Participants are encouraged to keep the size of their artwork within an 18 by 24 inch perimeter, but if you want to make something larger, Carrico can work something out. If your artwork is supposed to hang or needs to be propped up by an easel Carrico will also assist you with that. Her phone number at the library is 910-864-3800, extension 235.

    Contestants’ artwork will be on display from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 17, with judging and awards at 3 p.m. There will be staff members on duty during the display and signs will be up to ensure the artwork is not damaged.

    The contest is split into five age groups and each will receive prizes for first place and honorable mention. The groups are divided into 8 years-old and younger, 9-12 years-old, 13-18 years-old, and 18-years-old and up. There will also be a “group” category where two or more members can enter the contest together. Entry forms along with artwork must be submitted to the Headquarters Library, at 300 Maiden Lane, during the hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, April 16. Artwork should be taken into the Pate Room of the library, which is immediately to the left of the front door. For an entry form visit the Web site at www.cumberland.lib.nc.us/PDF/RecycledArtShow.pdf .

    Artists may include written pieces about their artwork, but it must be 150 words or less. Artwork will not be sold during the show and artists will be responsible for picking up their work by Monday, April 19. Any unclaimed work will be thrown away.

    Guest judges will be brought in from the community, but no fi nal decisions on them have been made at this point.

    Carrico cautions contestants to work with what they know how to use, read warning labels, and if unsure contestants can stop by the library for assistance.

    “I love it and I’m very excited about it!” said Carrico.

    This contest is centered around the Big Read, which features The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers. The Heart is a Lonely Hunter was written in 1940, and is set in a small Georgia mill town during the Great Depression. The idea of recycling items for the art contest came from this book

    .For more information go to the library Web site at www.cumberland.lib.nc.us .

  • 03-31-10-community-has.gifReduce, reuse, recycle. It’s a phrase that has been around for awhile and a concept that promotes good stewardship and wise use of resources. Whether or not one follows this advice and to what degree is pretty much up to the individual. For folks who are looking to live healthier, more earth-friendly lives though, there is quite a bit going on in the community that supports this greener way of life.

    In 2008 Fayetteville began its curbside pick up recycling program to much fanfare. It was a long time coming and the community embraced it.

    “It started off with a bang,” said Gerry Dietzen, City of Fayetteville environmental services engineer. “People accepted it very well. I believe we have a very high participation rate in Fayetteville compared with other cities — somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 percent.”

    This program brought in about 9,000 tons of recyclable materials in the fi rst year. There are no numbers for the current year, but support for the program remains strong.

    Since then, the city has taken on servicing the many recycle drop-off centers through out the city. This used to be the responsibility of contractors, but once the city took over, Dietzen maintains that stations are not left to the point of overfi lling like they were before.

    All of the city’s buildings recycle now as well, to include the many recreation centers and athletic fi elds, police and fi re stations, and the administrative buildings.

    Once the waste is picked up for recycling, it is processed locally which is a boon for the community in the form of local jobs.

    “The MRF (Material Recovery Facility) in town came on line in November of ‘08,” said Dietzen. “It is doing very well. I think that our curbside recycling program may have infl uenced Hope Mills and some other smaller communities around, and I think a lot of them now bring their materials here (to the MRF) for processing and that is good for our economy.”

    The community also benefi ts because there is less waste being put into the local landfi lls. When matter is added to the piles of garbage, it gets buried and is in an anaerobic state. That produces methane gas, which is just one more pollutant added to the air.

    “I think the biggest benefi t that comes from this is that we are reducing the amount of waste in the landfi lls,” said Dietzen. “This material is no longer decomposing and creating methane gas, and we are certainly benefi tting from that in more way than one — cleaner, healthier air to breath and that kind of thing.”

    According to Buildings.com, on a national scale, total building-related construction and demolition (C&D) waste is estimated to be 135.5 million tons — a fi gure that represents, at 30 percent, the largest single source in the waste stream. The average new construction project yields 3.9 pounds of waste per square foot of building area. Example: A 50,000-square-foot building = 97.5 tons of waste. The average building demolition yields 155 pounds of waste per square foot. Example: A 50,000-square-foot building = 3,875 tons of waste. With all the growth and construction going on locally, we’ve got our share of opportunities for construction waste.

    Enter the Restore Warehouse. Located at 205 Forsyth St., this business prides itself on helping neighborhoods, the environment, homeowners and builders alike. Their mission is to promote affordable housing in the Fayetteville area by providing inexpensive building materials to local businesses and homeowners while supporting conservation of the environment and by funding the programs of Fayetteville Urban Ministry and Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity.

    They take in donations of new and sellable, used building materials and sell them for 50 - 75 percent off the retail price. You never know what you may fi nd, cabinets, fl oors, and possibly even the kitchen sink. They also accept monetary donations, and volunteers are welcome too.

    The Restore Warehouse is open Monday through Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more information give them a call at 321-0780 or visit http://www.restorefaync.org.

  • uac033110001.gif Somewhere, in a daydream-fi lled science class way back when, we learned that carnivores eat meat, herbivores dine primarily on plants and omnivores munch on both.

    But a relatively new critter has linked up with the food chain: the locavore.

    The WHAT? The locavore. The term, according to Wikipedia, was coined in 2005 by Jessica Prentice, professional chef, author and founding member of Three Stone Hearth, a community-supported kitchen in Berkeley, Calif., and selected by the New Oxford American Dictionary as its word of the year in 2007. A locavore is “a person who seeks out locally produced food,” and their numbers are growing every day as people choose to consume seasonal foods that they either raise themselves or that are produced within a radius of 50 to 150 miles of their abode.

    But why? Sounds like a lot of extra effort when we have supermarkets fi lled with a seemingly unending variety of food available year round. Shoot, we can get blueberries, peaches, watermelon, apples — almost anything — in the dead of winter. Why wait until they’re “in season”?

    Locavores offer many reasons for their food-source preference. Local food travels less and has a smaller carbon footprint. Buying local means money stays in the local economy. Locally produced food is fresher and riper –– farmers don’t have to pick it early, so it won’t be damaged in transit, and the nutritional value is greater. And choosing local food allows you to meet some of the folks that grow your food and share their stories. Still others are concerned about food safety. But tops among reasons for joining the locavore movement are that local food tastes better –– can the taste of a peach allowed to ripen on display even touch the juicy sweetness of one picked at its peak just a few hours before one bites into it? And supporting local farmers and ranchers helps them to stay open and preserve undeveloped land, all vanishing resources in a world of increasing big-corporation farming.

    Residents of Cumberland County are fortunate to enjoy several opportunities to join the ranks of local “foodies.” For those willing to get a little dirty, backyard gardens may bless them with more tomatoes than they and their neighbors can eat. And those without access to a yard can grow their own food while building community at the Fayetteville Community Garden, located in the Old Wilmington Road community at the corner of Vanstory and Mann Streets in downtown Fayetteville. A project of the Sandhills Area Land Trust (SALT) and a member of the American Community Garden Association, the garden celebrated its grand opening last spring.

    “It took us five years to get a tomato plant in the ground,” said Candace Williams, executive director of SALT. “This was one of the SALT projects to save urban agricultural lands, and we’re the only land trust to accomplish this goal. We’re on the cutting edge, and we’ve been recognized nationally –– one of our garden interns was featured on the cover of the National Land Trust Alliance publication, Saving Land, last fall.”

    Once a vacant lot with beautiful old pecan trees, the garden’s fi ve acres, historically used by African-American farmers, are owned by the city and are the centerpiece of an area slated for redevelopment under a Hope VI grant.

    “The Fayetteville Community Garden was the brainchild of Candace,” said Nancy Talton, SALT contracts and grants administrator. “She had experience establishing some of the fi rst community gardens in Boston. SALT partnered with the city, public works and other various community organizations to come up with a vision of what they wanted the garden to be. That’s the key to our success. We haven’t spent a dime on the gardens. Everything has been donated. PWC put in the water. The community leaders all came together.” Landscape architect Jeffrey Blake donated the design, which will ultimately include a community pavilion, gardener’s sheds, playgrounds, rain garden, fl ower and woodland garden, fruit trees and orchards, raised cultivated planters, arbors and trellises.

    “There will be 100 available garden plots. We rent them on an annual basis for $25. It’s open year round during the daylight hours. Everything is organic. They’ve got a compost pile going. The fi rst potting shed is complete, and it’s really cute. The plots are all raised beds, about 20 x 20 feet. Water is available to each plot, and the gardeners share the cost of the water. It’s just been wonderful.”

    Presently 70 plots are complete, and work has started on the gazebo. For more information, contact Candace Williams at (910) 483-9028 or visit http://acga.localharvest.org/garden/M2116 on the Web.

    Those who don’t wish to play in the dirt and grow their own food may still reap the benefi ts of locally produced food at the Fayetteville Farmers Market. Starting with four or fi ve vendors three years ago on Wednesdays only, the open-air market in historic downtown Fayetteville has grown to 14 or 15, “the most we’ve ever had,” said Melissa Rodriguez of the Farmers Market. In addition to Wednesdays from 3 to 7 p.m. in the overfl ow back parking lot behind the AIT and old Prince Charles Hotel on Maiden Lane, the market is now open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Cumberland County Parking Lot off Gillespie Street in front of the courthouse.

    “We’ve seen quite an increase in people coming and vendors applying,” Rodriguez said. “We take applications once a year. Our requirement is that vendors have to grow their product within a 50-mile radius of Fayetteville. Vend0rs may now bring 25 percent of their products from other farms, but it still has to be local and labeled. We are about 50/50 organic, and most farmers practice minimum spraying.”

    The market r03-31-10-eat-local.gifuns all summer and will open on Saturday, April 10.

    “This year, we’re coordinating our kickoff with the Sustainable Sandhills’ Urban Farm Tour,” said Rodriguez. “We’ll have special guests, including the Cumberland County Beekeepers and George Quigley, a master gardener who will give talks on gardening and address questions. We’re planning other events throughout the season, such as contests for basket giveaways and a tomato-tasting day, to help us get the word out.” For more information, visit www.thefayettevillefarmersmarket.com, email info@thefayettevillefarmersmarket.com or call (910) 964-8559.

    Joseph and Vicky Allen own Carolina Grown, Inc., “a food cooperative connecting average consumers with farmers throughout North Carolina.” After enrolling, co-op members select a flexible subscription level based on a point/box size system instead of a flat fee per box, and weekly, monthly or yearly billing. Sunday through Tuesday, members may choose the products they want from a menu that features grass-fed beef; pasture-raised pork, duck, rabbit and chicken; organic produce; local sustainable produce; cage-free chicken and duck eggs; fresh herbs; goat cheese products and dairy products. They may use all or some of their points, and any remaining points are rolled over for use the next week. On Saturday, Carolina Grown delivers a box of products grown or made in North Carolina right to the member’s door!

    “Everything is from North Carolina,” said Allen. “We actually became accepted as part of the Goodness Grows in North Carolina program two weeks ago.”

    Allen explained that the point system allows members to customize their purchases.

    “We label the products so people know from whom it comes. Eventually each farmer will have his or her own page on the Web site. People know exactly what they are getting. They pick favorites based on personal taste.”

    The fastest-growing coop in North Carolina, Carolina Grown has more than 200 members. Orders are double checked as they are put together, and Allen will refund points before selling bad products. “We have excellent quality control.” Allen said. “We let the farmers set their own prices. We deliver 52 weeks a year, and we’re looking for new farmers.”

    When asked where he got the idea for Carolina Grown, Allen replied that he had seen the movie, Food, Inc. “Afterwards, I didn’t want to buy at the grocery store.” Part of Carolina Grown’s mission, in addition to providing healthy food from North Carolina, is to “help sustain local farms and the local economy.”

    “I grew up on a farm. I don’t want to see them all auctioned off and turned into subdivisions.”

    For more information or to enroll, visit www.carolinagrown.org, email sales@carolinagrown.org or call (919) 720-9484.

    03-31-10--eat-local-2.gifThe Cumberland County Center of the N.C. Cooperative Extension offers instructions on how to preserve backyard or market bounty so you can enjoy it all year long. Depending on the food, one can dehydrate, freeze or can items for longterm storage. Candy Underwood, extension agent for Family and Consumer Sciences, sees a real increase in the number of people who want to “put up” their own food.

    “People are getting back to growing their own food for safety reasons in the food supply and because it just tastes better,” said Underwood. “We’re offering a canning class for the pressure canner on June 17 from 9 a.m. to 12 noon. We will process green beans. People can bring in two pounds of green beans, and they will leave with a quart jar of canned beans.”

    The class is limited to 10 people and costs $5. The canning jar and lid are provided, as are handouts on canning.

    The Cumberland County Center is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. For more information, visit http://cumberland.ces.ncsu.edu/ or call (910) 321-6860.

    Whatever the reason –– a healthful diet, concern for the environment, supporting local and sustainable small farms, avoiding food-borne diseases, saving money in a challenging economy or because food acquired locally simply tastes better –– the locavore movement is gaining momentum, providing nourishment not only for the body, but also for our communities.

  • Sustainability is the capacity to endure. In ecology the word describes how biological systems remain diverse and productive over time. For humans it is the potential for longterm maintenance of well-being, which in turn depends on the well-being of the natural world and the responsible use of natural resources. — Wikipedia 032410grnventurepic2.jpg

    For many, mixing ecology and the corporate world is a foreign idea. Production numbers and sales figures don’t always flow seamlessly into resource conservation and air quality at first glance — but maybe it should. At least that is the thinking behind the first annual Green Business Conference hosted by the Fayetteville State University Center for Entrepreneurship, Sustainable Sandhills and the Fayetteville- Cumberland County Chamber of Commerce on March 31.

    The day is going to be packed with interesting lectures and discussions covering topics like green consumer products, green jobs and green economy, what federal, state and local governments are doing with available funds, community sustainability, green construction and public/private partnership in making green economy.

    There will be subject-matter experts from the local, state and national level.

    “It is really a broad scope from the national and multinational corporate perspective like Wal Mart all the way down to a local electric membership co-op,” said Sustainable Sandhills Executive Director Jon Parsons. “What I’ll be talking about is some of the efforts of local government — specifically Fayetteville and the Cumberland County schools. They have got some great green programs underway. We are trying to give it broad brush strokes so there is a little something for everybody in the conference.”

    With the economy like it is, Parsons is aware that many businesses are just looking to make it through the recession and going green may not be the first thing on their to do list. It is certainly not always obvious that going green can save money if you just look at the short term adding of costs, but Parsons contends that in the long run it is important for long term profitability and competitiveness.

    “Greening your business really is important and I think the fact that we’ve got multinational corporations like Wal mart and Herman Miller — these are companies that are certainly profitable — speaks volumes. Let’s just be honest Wal mart is a very controversial company to have at a sustainable conference,” said Parsons. “They do have a story to tell — as do the other companies — for local businesses that might not have that perspective. I think that is what is important about the conference.”

    On a smaller scale, there is also a lot going on at the state-level through the stimulus funding. Larry Shirley who is the Director of the Green Economy in the North Carolina Department of Commerce has a lot to do with how the stimulus funding comes down into the local community to grow the green economy. It is a natural tie to this green business theme.

    “Larry is working closely with Sustainable Sandhills in a couple of sessions at the conference,” said Parsons. “The sessions the I am in involved in are on more of a community scale. Larry will be talking in our sessions about state funding and how that comes down and we have a speaker from Bladen County because agriculture is the biggest business sector in the state. Agricultural sustainability is a big topic. We also have a speaker from Lumbee River Co- Op because there is a lot of focus in the funding about green energy. He will be presenting a pilot project that they are working on — a smart grid project.”

    The event starts at 8 a.m. and lasts until 4 p.m. Contact the Chamber of Commerce at 484-4242 ext 233 for more information or to register.

  • uac032410001.jpg For the fourth consecutive year the Cumberland County Public Library and Information Center is rallying the folks ofCumberland County for a month long celebration of reading, history and community with The Big Read. There will be book clubs, readings, exhibits, performances and more — and all centered around The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers.

    “The big read was created about fi ve years ago by the National Endowment for the Arts to encourage literary activity and to get Americans reading classics again,” said Marketing & Communications Division Manager Kellie Tomita, and also noted that the library system has written a grant for the previous four years that has funded part of The Big Read throughout the community. “This year we selected The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers because of her local ties to Fayetteville and because she is a southern writer,” she added.

    McCullers fi nished writing the novel while she lived in Cool Springs Tavern in downtown Fayetteville. She was born in Columbus, Ga., and wanted to be a classical musician growing up. Because she was sickly, McCullers gave that up to become a writer. She married a man who was leaving the military at Ft. Benning and they moved to Fayetteville where he worked in the credit industry. They were here a short time while she fi nished writing the novel and then they moved to New York.

    The program kicks off at 4th Friday on March 26 with a special event at Headquarters Library. Violinist Laurel Wachtler and Cellist Zack May will perform from 7-9 p.m.

    “We’ll kick it off with the classical music that was either mentioned by one of the characters in the book or was one of Carson McCullers favorite compositions,” said Tomita. “That should be really interesting. We will also be giving away some novels, too.”

    This family-friendly, free and month -ong event has more than 60 activities planned that reach every age group. “One of the really positive things about the big read is that it brings the community together,” said Tomita. “The whole aim of The Big Read is even if you are not one to sit down and read an entire book, you can still be exposed to the literature and part of American history through other parts of this program.”

    Book club kits are available for check out at any of the Cumberland County Libraries. Each kit includes a bag, 10 copies of The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter, bookmarks, a readers guide and a schedule of events for The Big Read. The kits are designed to make it easy to put together a book club of your own, whether it is at work, church or in your neighborhood.

    Because the book is set in a small town in Georgia in the 1930s, there is plenty of opportunity to explore the depression era in the south, and several of The Big Read events do just that.

    “One thing I would really recommend is going to the Museum of the Cape Fear to see the exhibit that they are going to put together. It is called Connecting to Carson McCullers,” said Tomita. “They went to Columbus, Ga., and got artifcts and personal effects of hers. It will also look at the history of the south during the depression era — that will be one of the highlights.” The exhibit will also include a presentation called Segregation: Life Experiences on March 27. The focus will be growing up in “Jim Crow North Carolina.”

    A master gardener will explain how to start your own vegatable garden in a presentation called “Depression-era Kitchen Gardens” that will take place several times through out the month and at various library locations. Tomita pointed out that this is a particularly timely topic with people trying to save money and eat more fresh, healthy foods these days.

    Other events include a walking tour of downtown Fayetteville with local historian Bruce Dawes on April 18. It is about 3-miles long and will include businesses and buildings of the 1930s that McCullers may have visited while living here in 1938 and 1939.

    On April 19, there will be a tour of Cool Springs Tavern where part of The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter was penned, with a librarian-led book discussion to follow.

    Ft. Bragg is involved in The Big Read as well. Throckmorton Library is hosting a month long display called Fort Bragg: The Depression Years. It opens on March 26. On Wed. March 31, the Cliffdale Regional Branch is hosting a present032410bigreadlogo.jpg.jpgation on Fort Bragg and the Army, circa 1930s. It starts at 7 p.m. Throckmorton Library on Ft. Bragg is hosting a presentation on Evans Metropolitan Church on April 14 where the audience will learn about this sanctuary of hope on Cool Springs St. Teens and kids events include a trash fashion show, a 1930s soiree, depression era game and afternoon tea.

    The Cape Fear Regional Theatre has staged another Carson McCullers’ classic The Member of the Wedding, which will give the audience a view of the lifestyle and the environment that permeated small southern towns during that time period.

    “It is exciting to see the community come together — we have all walks of life involved in this. Everyone from gardeners to our county commissioner, they are all on board for this,” said Tomita. “It is something the community can rally around and focus on — one book, one topic. You may not be interested so much in reading specifi cally, but you might be interested in history so we have programs about the history of Fayetteville and Hope Mills. There are so many different aspects to literature that we hope to get everyone involved.”

    Visit www.cumberlandlib.nc.us for a complete list of activities and opportunities. The Web site will be updated throughout the month so if you have any questions about The Big Read or events associated with it, McKnight recommends that you check there fi rst or call any of the local library branches.

  • 032410chain.jpgOur children are the future and it is our duty to love, educate and protect them. During April, which is Child Abuse Prevention Month, we pay special attention to the problem of child abuse.

    Child abuse and neglect reports rose 32 percent during the second half of 2009 in Cumberland County. During a six-month period in 2009, the county Department of Social Services logged reports of 3,647 children who may have been abused or neglected.

    Cumberland County Schools, The Child Advocacy Center, the Cumberland County Department of Social Services, Cumberland County Family Court, Cumberland County Partnership for Children, Fort Bragg Army Community Services, Fort Bragg Schools and the Cumberland County Guardian Ad Litem Program are hosting a Break the Chain of Child Abuse ceremony on Thursday, March 25 from 9-10 a.m. at the Crown Coliseum Agri-Expo Center.

    “The purpose of this event is to bring together community stakeholders with a passion for decreasing child maltreatment rates in Cumberland County,” said Pamela Story, Cumberland County Schools’ social work coordinator.

    The itinerary includes a skit performed by students from the Fuller Performance Learning Center and Judge Elizabeth Keever will read Mayor Tony Chavonne’s proclamation. The culminating activity involves Senator Margaret Dickson leading the students in breaking the chain that symbolizes the need to prevent child abuse in our city.

    There will also be displays and opportunities for the students to have their picture taken with local dignitaries. Champion for Children awards will be presented to the professional, volunteer and agency/ group who have gone beyond the call of duty to reduce child abuse in our community. Nominations were provided through community referrals.

    “Maltreatment can be physical abuse, sexual abuse and neglect,” said Story. “If anyone suspects a child is being abused or neglected please call Child Protective Services at 677-2450.”

    Story added that this event promises to be bigger than ever and every Cumberland County school will be represented.

    The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact your child’s school social worker, guidance counselor or Story at 678-2621.

  • 032410stoneybrook.jpgYou have but to drive through the quiet roads leading into Southern Pines, N.C., to know that you are entering horse country. The well-tended farms, populated with prime horsefl esh, hearken back to another time, a more genteel time.

    It is in this environment that The Stoneybrook Steeplechase was initiated in Southern Pines by Michael G. Walsh in 1949. The race, which saw riders competing across a well-manicured course with numerous obstacles, was held annually in the spring until 1996, with attendance nearing 20,000. After a short hiatus, the race resumed as an annual spring event at the Carolina Horse Park in Raeford in 2001. On Saturday, April 3, the tradition will continue as throngs gather for the 59th running of this definitive southern spring ritual.

    “It is a true spring tradition in North Carolina,” said Abby Schlicht, the Stoneybrook sales manager. “It is an all day event and there is a big range of people who attend — from people who have been going since the old Stoneybrook races to younger groups who are just getting interested in the races and who enjoy tailgating.”

    Whether they are coming for love of the sport, tradition or for fun, Stoneybrook promises to bring all three together for an unforgettable event.

    “It’s kind of a big party all day long,” said Schlicht, noting that some people honor the event’s traditions and wear great hats and dress up, while others come more casually.

    “We are really working to make it a family event,” she added, noting that a children’s activity area will be set up for this year’s event.

    “We are also going to have a party tent with live music all day,” she said. “That will continue on into the evening.”

    Of course, the party actually starts earlier in the week at the Casablanca Casino Gala, which will be held at the Members Club at Pinehurst Resort. The semi-formal event is a high-stakes evening of glamour and dancing, all to benefi t the Foundation of FirstHealth Cancer CARE Fund and the Carolina Horse Park Foundation.

    The evening will include cocktails in “Rick’s Bar,” followed by dinner, dancing and gaming, which includes blackjack, poker, craps and roulette. But don’t worry, it’s all in fun. The highlight of the evening will be a silent auction featuring fabulous vacation getaways including a Cayman Islands condo on a private beach, a home in Twin Rivers, Montana (a true fl y-fi shing mecca), a condo in Beaver Creek, Colo., and an ocean-view home on Bald Head Island, N.C.

    Tickets to the event are $150 per person, and can be purchased from the Carolina Horse Park.

    Tickets for the race are going fast. Schlicht said, “To date we are a little bit ahead of last year’s sales as far as tickets go, and we’ve sold a lot of tailgate spaces and gala tickets.”

    For many in the area, the tailgating is the big draw. Yes, it is a lot like going to a football game, people bring out their grills and picnic baskets, but instead of being in a parking lot, they are right on the rail, where they can see the race while they socialize.

    Spaces are still available and can be purchased through the horse park’s Web site at www. carolinahorsepark.com/stoneybrook/ticket-sales. There are many different levels of ticket pricing, along with corporate party tents as well.

    It is one of the social events of the year,” said Schlicht. “You don’t want to miss it.”

  • This is the time of year for change. It’s almost springtime; the grass is getting greener, the days are lasting longer and0324104thfriday.jpglife seems to be swirling about everywhere.

    This is the time of year when people start venturing out again, because the evening air is warm and inviting. It’s the perfect time to head downtown to Hay Street for Fayetteville’s 4th Fridays.

    The Arts Council of Fayetteville has been hosting this celebration of the arts and downtown for quite some time now. Each year seems to get better and better, with more venues and exhibits to experience than the year before. They’re planning on continuing that trend in 2010, with new opportunities at the Arts Council starting on March 26.

    If you haven’t been to a 4th Friday celebration, you’re truly missing out on the beautiful and eclectic culture that exists in Fayetteville. There are men and women here from all over the world, and their crafts and talents shine brightly downtown during these exhibitions. As you mingle around, you’re sure to find something that catches your eye, your ear or even your taste buds.

    By featuring art in all forms, 4th Fridays offer something for everyone. You’ll come across things like ceramic art pieces by local artist Warner Hyde at Cape Fear Studios, and beautiful beadwork done by Ann Flaherty, at Strung Out on Beads. Catch a demonstration on the making of hammered silver jewelry with Up & Coming Weekly’s own Stephanie Crider at Belle Curve. And don’t miss out on the 10th Annual Cumberland County Schools High School Juried Art Exhibition at the Arts Council.

    Once you’re eyes have been filled with the artistry of craft, let your ears be entranced by the liveliness of music. You can feel the soul of Fayetteville as you pass by street performers with tambourines and guitars. You can choose to join in as the crowd sways and dances, or just stop and enjoy the sounds. You might be surprised to find that many venues feature live music on 4th Fridays. Listen to the beats of the Raiford Street Band as they perform at Horne’s Deli Café, or relax with the sophistication of a violin and cello, as Laurel Wachtler and Zack Mae kick off the annual Big Read at the Cumberland County Headquarters Library. March is Women’s History Month, so this 4th Friday City Center Gallery and Books will feature books and art by women. You can groove to live music here as well.

    4th Fridays’ celebration of art and downtown can be enjoyed by the entire family. Kids can even get crafty by decorating Easter eggs a little early this year at Fascinate-U Children’s Museum.

    Admission is free to all of the 4th Friday venues, and the festivities last from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. As the night comes to a close, don’t leave your taste buds in the dust. Grab a chocolaty delight from one of the bakeries to take home with you, or a warm vanilla latte from Rude Awakenings coffee shop before you head to the car. If you have time, you might want to sit on Pierro’s patio and sip a glass of vino, while Frank Sinatra tunes play in the background, or grab a pint of Filthy Kilt Scotch Ale with your friends at Huske Hardware House. Mark your calendars, because this month’s Fourth Friday is just around the corner. Come and experience Fayetteville like you never have before, as downtown comes to life on March 26.

    For more information, visit www. theartscouncil.com.

  • “We’re off to see the Wizard, the wonderful Wizard of Oz …” The children’s novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was originally published in 1900. It made its way to the stage in a matter of a year or so and was made in to the much loved movie, The Wizard of Oz in 1939.

    Now this American favorite is making its way to Fayetteville as NETworks presents “The greatest family musical of all time, The Wizard of Oz” on March 23 at the Crown Theatre. The show prides itself on great special effects including the infamous tornado that carries Dorothy from her03-17-10-_rubyheels.gifKansashome and over the rainbow to the magical, mystical Land of Oz where she encounters munchkins, fl ying monkeys, and befriends the Cowardly Lion, the Tin Man and the Scarecrow.

    Directed by Nigel West and choreographed by Leigh Constantine, the production is art deco through and through, right down to the Technicolor backdrop and elegant costumes designed by Tim McQuillen-Wright.

    In an exciting twist, NETworks invited local children to be part of the cast and 12 Fayetteville youngsters will perform as munchkins in the musical, singing memorable and much loved songs like “Ding Dong the Witch is Dead.”

    Students from the World of Dance Studio will have the opportunity to gain real-life touring theatre experience. They will discover what it’s like to be part of a professional company, learn choreography by Leigh Constantine and be outfi tted in the costume designs of Tim McQuillen-Wright. Children involved in the production include: Maddie Green, Jacquelyn McGaha, Meghan Flynn, Haley Raper, Elise Mahon, Logan Hallas, Savannah Hicks, Lauren Geske, Tatgiuana Parker, Ella Lewis, Johslynn Ebidag and Nia Manning.

    According to a March 2009 review of this production in The New York Times “Though the tornado scene is pretty good, and the Wicked Witch fi reballs are startling, the high point of the stage version of The Wizard of Oz at the WaMu Theater at Madison Square Garden is unexpected. It’s “The Jitterbug,” a colorful, somewhat hallucinogenic dance number in which Dorothy and friends are bitten by bugs that make them dance till they drop (allowing fl ying monkeys to carry them away). The abundance of stage gimmickry is another thing that by sheer contrast makes “The Jitterbug” the play’s best moment. The number has no tricks, just the old-fashioned ingredients: colorful costumes (by Tim McQuillen-Wright), witty choreography (Leigh Constantine) and cool lighting (Bob Bonniol). Works every time.”

    The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at www.Ticketmaster.com or by calling 438-4100.

  • In today’s society, a lot of the etiquette seen in the Victorian era has been lost and people have strayed from the ideals accepted in that time.03-17-10-garden-party.gif

    The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex hopes to remind today’s society of those ideals by holding a Women’s History Month Garden Tea Party at the 1897 Poe House on Saturday, March 20, the fi rst day of Spring.

    The party will last from 2 to 4 p.m. and men and women of all ages are invited. The Poe house is located at the Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex at 801 Arsenal Ave. in Fayetteville.

    “We’re super excited about this event!” said Heidi Bleazey, 1897 Poe House education coordinator.

    This is the first time the tea party is held in conjunction with Women’s History Month and the tea party will focus on that.

    Guests are encouraged to dress in Victorian-era clothing, but it is not required. You can bring a garden hat, a simple blouse with lace or a floral-patterned scarf to add a bit of history to your tea. Guests should also bring their own tea cup and saucer to enjoy hot or iced tea along with scones, jams, cucumber sandwiches and other sweets. Historical recipes will also be available to guests. If you do not have a tea cup and saucer both are available in the Cape Fear Museum’s gift shop or you can bring your own mug.

    Carol Fleitz, director of horticulture and facilities at the Cape Fear Botanical Gardens, is the guest speaker. She will talk about the different varieties of roses, planting, preparation and care for them. Bleazey will also talk about Victorian etiquette including the social customs and practices that strictly defi ned that era.

    Bleazy hopes that guests bringing their own tea cup and saucer will help them sit up a little straighter and act a bit more proper in the 1897 Poe House setting. Bleazy said the tea party is perfect for any mother and daughter pair, Girl Scout or Red Hat Society, though men are invited, too.

    Bleazy feels that this tea and garden party came at an excellent time with the fi rst day of Spring and the release of Alice in Wonderland, a movie which has a tea party in it.

    In case of rain the tea party will be moved inside to the Museum of the Cape Fear. The Museum of the Cape Fear Historical Complex is located on the corner of Bradford and Arsenal avenues in Fayetteville. The historical complex is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.

    Tickets are $5 and can be paid by cash or check to the Cape Fear Museum. Space is limited and tickets will be sold on a fi rst come, first served basis. Tickets that have not been sold prior to the party will be available at the door.

    For more information call 910-486-1330 or visit www.museumofthecapefear.ncdcr.gov.

  • Along the heels of Salvador Dali’s Illustrations of Dante’s Inferno and coinciding perfectly with Tim Burton’s production of Alice in Wonderland, the Fayetteville Museum of Art presents Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland illustrated by Salvador Dali.

    Along with the exhibition, the museum has several exciting themed events through out the next several weeks. A boon for the community, the museum staff found this treasure quite by accident, and right here in town, through a private collector.

    “We stumbled upon it when we were doing research about his (Dali’s) illustrations of the Divine Comedy,” said Michele Horn, Fayetteville Museum of Art assistant director/curator. “It was certainly interesting and intriguing because the Alice in Wonderland movie was about to premier in theaters. When we were down at the Dali exhibit and were working with collectors, there were a couple of works of Dali’s on loan from some private collections here in Fayetteville. It was brought to our attention that a private collector actually owned Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland illustrated by Salvador Dali.”

    03-17-10 alice-in-wonderland.gifIn keeping with the offbeat nature of both Dali and Alice in Wonderland, the pieces are unframed.

    “We are working on creating a method of displaying it so that the work is protected and it is easily viewed by visitors,” said Horn. “But it is gorgeous.”

    With 13 pieces, this exhibit is much smaller than the previous Dali showcase.

    “It is hard to compete with 100 works,” said Horn. “There are certainly not as many images to see but there are so many layers in this work that you can spend much more time looking at different symbols that Dali used in the work. There is this image of Alice throughout the collection. In each work she is depicted in a silhouette form and she is always holding a jump rope. It is very interesting.”

    March 26 and 27, Barnes & Noble is partnering with the museum in hosting a book fair at the Glensford Drive store. Look for characters in costume, art activities and events for the kids and story time all centered around the Wonderland experience.

    April 17 at the Fayetteville Museum of Art, on Stamper Road, there will be a Down the Rabbit Hole Event — family style — from 2-5 p.m. Along with face painting and art activities for the kids, Alice and friends will be on hand hosting a tea party. Participants are encouraged to come in costume and be a part of the festivities. Tickets are $10 per child.

    Later that evening, from 8-11 p.m. an adult soiree will unfold on the museum grounds. For $45 guests can relive the adventures of their youth with the Wonderland theme.

    “Adults have fond childhood memories, Alice in Wonderland was a part of their youth and certainly now looking through the eyes of Tim Burton and Johnny Depp it is bringing that childhood memory back to life,” said Horn. “We have talked to so many folks who are excited about getting dressed up for the event. Having an adult soiree in addition to the the Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland illustrated by Salvador Dali, we are also going to have a special exhibit that will open during the adult soiree.”

    A group of local artists that call themselves the Outsider Artists are putting together an exhibit that follows this theme of Alice in Wonderland. Area artists in this group will put on an exhibit that evening for folks to see their interpretation of Carrol’s work.

    Visitors will see what inspiration the artists gleaned from illustrating or just taking from the subject matter already on display and applying it to their own body of work. Pieces will be shown in various mediums — some are painters, some are photographers, some are mixed-medium professionals and some are sculptors, so there will be a lot of variety.

    For more information about any of these events, visit www.fayettevillemuseumart.org or give them a call at 485-5121.

  • March is turning out to be a month that reminds me time and time again that not only is life short and fl eeting, it can change in03-17-10 carpediem.gif an instant. What seems our reality — even our destiny — one moment can be something entirely different in the blink of an eye, perhaps because of some decision or action on our part, but then again, perhaps not.

    So far this month, I have attended a bridal shower where the bride, already an enthusiastic and accomplished cook, was almost buried in kitchen gadgets and a baby shower, where the expectant mother received all things blue for her fi rst child which modern technology has revealed will be a son. Both these young women are excited and full of hope for their futures.

    Our bride, as do many young women in this military community, came to our country to be with her beau and will marry him in only a few weeks. Her family will come from thousands of miles away, and when the festivities are complete, she and her new husband will settle into married life. For her, it will also be a permanent settling into life in a country far away from her native land and far away from the people and places she knew and loved as she grew up.

    Our mother-to-be is thrilled that she and her husband are about to become parents, as are both of their families. What I did not really understand when I fi rst became a mother, and what she may not yet thoroughly grasp, is that being a parent is forever. It is a job, a responsibility, and a labor of sheer love that changes but will continue as long as one draws breath and beyond. My parents have been gone for many years, but I still hear their words in my head and ask myself what they would think about something going on in my life or in the larger world.

    Marriages and babies are life-changing, of course, but March has also brought changes as life ends. So far this month, I have been stunned by three passings. One was a friend of long standing with whom I recently made a lunch date for early April. Days later, she was dead, under circumstances no one understands and which have yet to be resolved. I believe there will be answers to the questions surrounding her death, but she is gone nevertheless, leaving her family and friends with a sense of loss and bewilderment and of a life cut short.

    The others were acquaintances who died in a car accident on a sunny weekday morning as they went about their daily routines, in the same way you and I drive to our offi ces, to school and run our regular errands. Again, there is the sense of lives ended before they were fi nished.

    I cannot help but remember one of the pivotal experiences of my motherhood, the day one of my precious jewel’s arm was pinned under another mother’s car pool vehicle, which had been struck and overturned on the way home from an ordinary school program. His arm was badly injured, but blessedly he recovered.

    In the 20 years since that accident, the thought that comes to me time and time again is how very different our lives would have been had it been his head under that van instead of his arm.

    I am reminded of the school of 17th century English poetry taught to college English majors, exemplifi ed by the likes of Robert Herrick and Andrew Marvel. Taking a cue from ancient poets, they encourage their readers to “seize the day,” carpe diem in Latin, lest life pass you by before you have a chance to experience all it holds for you. Herrick famously put it this way:

    “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may,

    Old Time is still a-fl ying,

    And this same fl ower that smiles today

    Tomorrow will be dying.”

    Amorous college students are fond of sharing this advice with girlfriends in hopes a little affection, and the poets certainly thought of that as well. But the poetic advice and the reality of human life is much broader.

    None of us really knows what any day holds for us.

    My friend did not know that she and I would never have our lunch together any more than I can be sure that I will arrive safely in Raleigh this week or that you will wake up next Tuesday. Life may be predictable most of the time, but it is ultimately unknowable.

    Neither our bride nor our mother-to-be has asked my advice, but if they do I will remind them of the poet’s advice to enjoy and treasure each day as if it were their last, to love their family and friends as if they will not see them again, and to take care of themselves not only for themselves but for those who love, need and depend on them.

    Life is indeed a gift.

    Carpe diem.

  • uac031710001new.gif Benefits Agency With Big Dreams

    On Saturday, March 27, Fayetteville residents will Dream Big!at the 13th Annual Evening at the Theater. The signature fundraising event benefits Better Health, the first independent non-profit organization in Cumberland County, and will be held at Highland Country Club.

    Dream Big!is produced and directed by Cassandra Vallery and features local theater performers Ken Griggs, Greg King, Jenny Beaver and Libby Seymour. Most of the performers have volunteered for the event for several years and are regulars on stage at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre.

    “I think it’s really remarkable that we are able to put together this caliber of show and they all volunteer their time. Needless to say we couldn’t do it without them,” said Judy Klinck, executive director of Better Health. “They put all of this work into a show that will only be seen one time. But that’s also an incentive for people to come out and see the show.”

    The show, Dream Big!, has been created exclusively for this event and is a lively production of song and dance, both dramatic and comedic.

    It features favorite Broadway hits such as “Dream the Impossible Dream” from Man of La Mancha, and other recognizable standards like “Dream” by Johnny Mercer.

    “We try to choose stuff that we’ve always wanted to do,” said Vallery, who has produced and directed the show for four years.

    Dream Big! is a cabaret-style show. What that means is it’s an intimate show. It’s not big on props or sound effects, but strictly about the audience and the performers. It’s a special relationship. In a cabaret the material is unique. Each song stands alone. Each is separate and has a different message or story,” she explained.

    “I hate to be called the director of the show. A director’s job is 90 percent done in casting. Ninety-fi ve percent of mine is done in asking the right people,” said Vallery. “Libby Seymour (joining the show for the fi rst time) is an actress of the highest level. Jenny is adorable and funny and everyone loves her. The two guys — Ken and Greg — are amazing voices and great people.”

    This year the individual acts of the show are pulled together with a common theme, explained Vallery.

    “The theme is dream big — I was trying to tie in with what they do so beautifully at Better Health. For an agency like that to succeed you have to see the potential of your community and its people, and really dream big. Having a dream — having a goal — is so important in order to have 52 years of service. Its something I also learned through working at the theatre [CFRT] — it doesn’t come from thinking small — you’ve got to have an idea of something big to reach it.”

    Better Health has certainly seen the realization of big dreams. The organization has been serving Cumberland County since 1958 by bridging the gaps in healthcare for under-served, low-income residents. The organization has grown from the initial vision of Ruth Peters, the organization’s founder and fi rst executive director, who housed the organization in her apartment for 25 years.

    “Better Health was founded in 1958 on the need for prescription assistance. Even though healthcare has changed a great bit in 52 years, that need is still here. That’s part of our direct aid — the most funding is spent on prescription aid. We also do a lot of help with medical supplies,” explained Klinck.

    Better Health has certainly seen the realization of big dreams. The organization has been serving Cumberland County since 1958 by bridging the gaps in healthcare for under-served, low-income residents. In those 52 years, the organization has grown from the initial vision of Ruth Peters, the organization’s founder and fi rst executive director, who housed the organization in her apartment for 25 years, to its move to its own facility on Bragg Boulevard.

    “Better Health was founded in 1958 on the need for prescription assistance. Even though healthcare has changed a great bit in 52 years, that need is still here. That’s part of our direct aid — the most funding is spent on prescription aid. We also do a lot of help with medical supplies,” explained Klinck.

    In 2009, Better Health provided diabetes education and management to 338 people, fi nancial assistant for medical necessities for 1070 individuals, medical equipment loans to 190 families, and information and referral series to 1,587 residents of Cumberland County.

    “We’re best known for our diabetes education programs. We have a seven-week management course — and it’s A to Z. It’s a free class and we have clinics that meet every week where anyone could walk in and be checked and seen by a nurse to check weight, blood pressure, blood glucose. And we screen at those clinics for hypertension and diabetes.”

    There is no income qualifi cation for those services. Better Health also has a unique medical equipment loan program. They have commonly used medical equipment that is donated to the organization and then loaned out to people in need.

    “We have an exercise class for people with diabetes that is fl ourishing. They have a great time. Exercise is like insulin for people that have diabetes,” continued Klinck. “A few years ago we decided to get into prevention. We use a state program “Eat Smart, Move More.” It’s very informative and entertaining. We’ll present it anyplace there is a group gathered that wants to learn about a healthier lifestyle, such as churches or civic groups.”

    Better Health is a United Way partner agency, and also receives funding from individuals and corporate donations. According to Klinck, the organization is almost entirely funded by funds from within Cumberland County. Funds from the Evening at the Theater event go into the general operating fund and are used for all of the organization’s programs.

    “We usually raise about $30,000 with this fundraiser. That’s our goal this year, after expenses. At least 200 people will attend the event,” said Klinck.

    Reservations for Evening at the Theater are $175 per couple or $100 single. The evening includes beverages and hors d’oeuvres before the show and coffee and dessert following. For reservations or more information, please call Better Health at 483-7534 or go to www.BetterHealthCC.org.

  • 031010scott&michael52.jpgThe Cumberland Oratorio Singers (COS), the CANTATE Chamber Choir and St. Patrick Church Parish Choir, under the direction of Stephan Barnicle, will combine their choral talents in a performance of Franz Schubert’s Mass in G and Giovanni Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater as part of the St. Patrick Music for Charity Series on Friday, March 19, at 7:00 p.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 2844 Village Drive, in Fayetteville.

    The mission of the St. Patrick Music for Charity Series is to “provide outstanding musical performances to the Cumberland County community” and “heighten awareness of and raise funds for local charities through the performing arts.”

    “The event is the first time that COS will partner with the Music for Charity Series,” said Michael Martin, Artistic Director and Conductor of COS. “It’s a great opportunity to work with Stephan, who is nationally known and an accomplished composer.”

    Barnicle, Director of Music Ministry at St. Patrick Catholic Church and Artistic Director for the Music for Charity Series, is equally excited about the concert.

    “Both composers were very young when they wrote these pieces,” said Barnicle. “Pergolesi was only 26 when he died. Stabat Mater was one of his later works and is regularly used for devotion of the Stations of the Cross, and we will be performing the piece during Lent. Schubert only lived to 31 and wrote his Mass in G when he was 18. It is very simple and a great piece for choruses to sing. The pieces are very contrasting in style. Pergolesi composed during the baroque period, and Schubert was a master of the early romantic period.”

    The CANTATE Chamber Choir will open the evening’s program with Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater. COS and the St. Patrick Parish Choir, accompanied by a small string orchestra, will perform Schubert’s Mass in G.

    Proceeds from the performance will benefit CONTACT of Fayetteville, Inc., a nonprofit Christian-based 24-hour telephone crisis hotline and referral service. Anne Rogers, Associate Director for Music Ministry at St. Patrick Church and soprano soloist in the concert, volunteered at CONTACT upon first moving to Fayetteville.

    “It was one of the most valuable things I’ve ever done,” said Rogers. “It is a very worthy cause.”

    The Cumberland Oratorio Singers began in 1991 and currently has 65 members. Supported by the Arts Council of Fayetteville and Cumberland County through private contributions and grants from the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County and the North Carolina Arts Council, the group offers three full-length concerts and a free community Messiah sing each year.

    “We have members from all walks of life,” said COS President Mary Potter. “Retirees, senior citizens, students, teachers, doctors, young and old. We pay dues to buy music and raise money from ticket sales and through donations. If you have a love of singing, show up, buy the music, and sing!”

    Tickets are available at the door for $12; students are admitted free.

    For more information about the concert, call (910) 323-2410, ext. 117 or email arogers@stpatnc. org. For more information on COS, call (910) 822- 4447 or (910) 630-7153.

  • 031010dwts.jpgKate Gosselin and Pam Anderson are just a couple of the celebrities who are set to wow the nation when the hit show Dancing With the Stars returns to TV.

    While names like Val Applewhite, David Hinkamp and Soni Martin might not cause a papparazzi feeding- frenzy like the national stars, they will cause quite a stir locally, as the Women’s Center of Fayetteville asks local celebrities to tap, swing and shake their groove things in the 2nd Annual Dancing With the Fayetteville Stars on March 20 at the Crown Coliseum Expo Center from 5:30-10 p.m.

    Last year’s event had people talking, and organizers hope this year lives up to the hype as more chatter means more votes and more votes means more money for the Women’s Center to impact the lives of local families through the Lease to Home Program.

    Lease to Home is designed to help people transition from homelessness to homeownership. So far, this effort has changed the lives of 33 families, moving them from either shelters or transitional housing or being on the verge of eviction to being property owners. The program includes support, guidance and counseling throughout the process.

    In case you missed the event last year, here is how it works: 20 couples made up of local celebrities (in some form or another) will perform. They are working hard to put on a good show, but they are working just as hard to raise money, so they will be out in the community asking for votes (you can vote for them at www.wcof.org). Each vote costs $10.

    “It is incredible how hard they work because no one wants to get on stage and do a bad job,” said Teresa Dagaz, The Women’s Center of Fayetteville project director. “They do a phenomenal job dancing and spend lots of time working on their routines, but it is actually about votes. They go out into the community and request votes. We have this thing called vote box, so they get vote boxed ahead of time and then at the event people can purchase votes. It is the only event where the contestants can win by having all of their votes paid for.”

    The night of the “competition” will play out much like the TV show — except it will be even better for the audience. There will be a buffet dinner, with two wine tickets and there will be a cash bar as well.

    Not only will there be emcees on stage, but there will also be two roaming emcees out in the crowd chatting with the audience. The dancers’ performances will be broadcast on big screens for those not seated near the stage. The three judge format will be the same as the TV show as they provide comedy, critiques and commentary.

    “The food will be catered by Center Plate, that is always done by the Crown,” said Dagaz. “Last year the food was absolutely fabulous. We are doing it again at the Crown because they have been exceptional to work with and Moonlight Communications.”

    “All of the proceeds go directly to our home program — no administrative costs are taken out it goes just strictly towards Lease to Home to build low to moderate income housing for needy families,” said Dagaz. “It is all worth the work we put into it because we know the end result — everything goes into housing. This is a collaboration with the city, the county, Restore Warehouse and the Women’s Center. It is so great to have all of these resources going back into the community.”

    To reserve your ticket, vote or get more info call the Women’s Center of Fayetteville at 323-3377 or visit the Web site at www. wcof.org.

  • 031010haiti-help.jpgIs there any better feeling than to be able to lend a hand to someone who really needs it — to change a life (or country) for the better because it is the right thing to do? The soldiers of the 82nd’s 2nd Brigade Combat Team know the answer to that question. They have been providing relief to Haiti since a 7.0 earthquake on Jan. 12 reduced a portion of the country to a pile of rubble, affecting millions of people and crippling the Haitian government.

    The first paratroopers stepped off the plane on Jan. 15 and got right to work “We’ve done a little bit of everything since we got there,” said 2BCT Public Affairs Officer Capt. Christopher Brautigam. “We started off just handing out food and water and we came in as fast as we possibly could. We treated a lot of people for injuries. If there was anyone still in the rubble, we were going to help as best we could and help the search and rescue teams find those people and get them out.”

    Used to taking the lead and doing the heavy lifting in executing their missions, the paratroopers have played a big part in working with other non-governmental agencies to deliver the goods and services that will help in putting the country back together.

    “We didn’t actually do the search and rescue. Our goal was to secure areas and provide logistical support for the search and rescue teams because they are really the experts and they’ve done this all over the world,” said Brautigam. “We provided security and gave them room to work and allowed them to go in. In one case though, the White Falcons heard some rumors and had time to get a search and rescue team there and they were actually able to dig through some rubble and help save a guy. It was a really great thing.”031010haitian-gilr.jpg

    While the 82nd trains hard to be ready for most any mission, it has been a while since they’ve provided disaster relief.

    “Most of the brigade are combat veterans and this is definitely different from what we have been doing — but for the most part we have been able to apply the lessons learned, the things that we did while we were in Iraq and Afghanistan, and some of the help that we provided to the people of Iraq and Afghanistan and we have been able to apply that here,” said Brautigam. “We were able to use a lot of those lessons in how to help people and how to organize and how to run the logistics of these things to get the most help to the Haitian people as quick as possible. The best thing we were able to provide was the ability to solve problems and to get there quickly with a lot of soldiers and equipment. We were able to get there fast and get right to work. We just go and say ‘Okay, we need to help people’ and everybody fi gures it out with little guidance. Every one of the paratroopers is glad to be helping out.”

    Add that All American can-do spirit to the tenacity and scrappiness of the Haitian people and big changes have come quickly to the island, although there is still much to do. When the hard work of soldiers is met with hard work and cooperation from the people, lives are changed. Brautigam was impressed by the Haitians.

    “They’ve shown their resilience in so many ways. A few days after the earthquake people — on their own, without any help — were starting to rebuild their homes, or if their home was destroyed they were starting to tear down the homes to see what they could sell for scrap and to see what they could salvage and begin trying to start over. There are countless people who went into their homes, got their things and basically said ‘Okay, I used to run an Internet cafe — that is gone, but I have some of my equipment so I am going to go to one of the camps and set up Internet at one of these camps and get my business restarted till I can get a new house.’ There were guys who were barbers before — they grabbed a couple of their sets of clippers that survived the earthquake and went out and started cutting hair again.”

    According to Brautigam, what happened to the Haitian government was the equivalent of our White House, pentagon and five or six of the big federal buildings in Washington, D.C., falling. That would be devastating for any country.

    “They are working as best they can out of the facilities they have. We are really working to be a conduit between the government of Haiti, the U.N. troops and the non-governmental organizations... bring it all together, get people to meet face to face, find out where the problems are and to find the best solutions to the problems because at the end of the day, they know that our presence is temporary. NGO’s, (non-government agencies) they are equipped to do this. They are humanitarian aid on the long term and they are positioned and structured better to do that than we are. So we are doing our best to set them up for success — find those places that needed the most help and let them provide that help.”

    As conditions improve and plans for redeployment draw closer, the 82nd will once again leave its mark on the pages of history and bring home tales of glory to share with the families.

    “They (the soldiers) have seen a lot of devastation and to some extent they will keep some of these memories, but I think for the most part they are going to take back the positive experience we are the 82nd — we were there first and we were able to help in doing something very positive, not only on behalf of ourselves, but as ambassadors for our entire nation,” said Brautigam. "They’ll take that back just like every one of us who have been to Afghanistan and Iraq and we will tell our grand kids we were able to go to Haiti when they had this catastrophe and we were able to help — that is who we are and how we train.”

  • uac031010001.jpg Addy, Molly, Julie, Josefina and Kaya. No these aren’t the names of the latest girl band, and you won’t fi nd their faces gracing the pages of the tabloids. These are the names of five of the dolls that make up the American Girl Historical Character Line.

    These are also the names of girls who have won the hearts of uncounted girls across America who have read the books, bought the dolls and who may just have bought the clothes to match their dolls.

    On Saturday, March 20 and Sunday, March 21, the American Girl Fashion Show will return to Fayetteville for an event that is sure to delight the hearts of the little girls who collect the storied dolls, and their mothers and grandmothers who remember a simpler time and understand the fascination of these heroines.

    The American Girl Fashion Show is an annual event to benefi t the Child Advocacy Center of Fayetteville. In its third year, the event is made possible through the American Girl Corporation that authorizes the fashion shows to raise funds for nonprofi ts that work directly with children.

    Cindy Huguley, one of three co-chairs of the event, explained that the event was brought to the Child Advocacy Board by a former chairman, Beth Perry. “She was aware that the American Girl organization offered an opportunity to non-profi ts that benefi t children,” she explained. “This is a really great event — not only as a fundraiser. The dolls and the stories they represent help to build self-esteem in girls. They read about, and have these dolls, that represent very strong historical fi gures. The whole concept is very wholesome and lets little girls know that it’s okay to play with dolls.”

    The American Girl Company only awards regional events, so the show held in Fayetteville will draw people from all over Eastern North Carolina. “It’s a really good event for Fayetteville,” she said. “It will bring families into town from Raleigh to Wilmington. We even have models from as far away as Wake Forest.”

    While there are some models from out of the area, the majority of the models will come from Cumberland County. In November and December of 2008, the organization had open calls for models at the Downtown Library and the Hope Mills Library. Girls that fi t into clothes 6X to 10 could tryout to be a model in the show. The co-chairs looked for a very diverse goup of girls.

    “We looked for girls who look like the dolls,” explained Huguley.

    The historical line includes an African-American doll, Addy; a Native-American doll, Kaya; and a Hispanic doll,031010brianna.jpgJosefi na.

    In total, there are 130 models who will work the four shows.

    “We wanted to give a lot of little girls the opportunity to participate, so we created four casts,” she continued.

    In adddition to modeling on the day of the show, the models have the opportunity to go out into the community to raise funds for the center. Last year’s cast raised in excess of $17,000.

    “It’s great that the girls have the opportunity to model, but it’s better that they have the opportunity to help children in need,” she continued. “That’s the underlying point in everything we do at the show.”

    Besides getting a chance to see their favorite dolls comes to life, attendees will also have the opportunity to shop for “girly” things in the vendor area and to enjoy a tea party.

    The event will be held in the Crown Coliseum Ballroom, with shows at 11 a.m., 3 and 7 p.m. on Saturday and a 3 p.m. show on Sunday. Tickets are $30 per person. For more information on the show or tickets, call (910) 486-9700 or visist www. childadvocacycenter.com.

  • 03-03-10-oscaraward.gifAh, the glamour of the Academy Awards... does anything compare to the sparkle, so-phistication and pomp and circumstance of the Oscars? While most of us aren’t going to make it to this much-anticipated Hollywood event, several local venues are pulling together to provide an equally high-end, sparkly experience for Fayetteville including paparazzi,frenzied fans and red carpet interviews.

    The Arts Council is rolling out the red carpet for a fabulous pre-Oscar party at 7 p.m. on Sunday March 7.

    “We have paparazzi and screaming fans... and then we have some ac-tors from the Cape Fear Regional Theater,” said Maureen McKeon, com-munications manager for Partnership for Children of Cumberland County, Inc.

    “They are going to be interviewing people on the red carpet, so you walk the red carpet into the party and then we’ll have heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks inside.”

    Just like the Academy’s event, come dressed to impress. It is the red carpet after all, and you never know who is watching.

    “There is also a costume contest,” said McKeon.“We are encouraging people to come dressed as their favorite movie char-acter, favorite actor or actress or in their Hollywood finest — however they feel they want to come.”

    Once inside, plan to bid on any of the several items that will be featured in the silent auction. There will be ev-erything from a trip for four to Disney World to a night-on-the-town pack-age, lunch with the mayor, a teeth whit-ening package, lawn services and more.

    Inside the Arts Council there will be a big screen featur-ing Hollywood’s pre-Oscar party as well.

    The Academy Awards begin at 8 p.m. (feel free to hang out at the pre-party until 9 p.m. if you like). The Cameo Art House Theatre will be showing the awards in their entirety, so it will be just a few steps down the block to catch the ceremony.

    “It is really fun,” said McKeon. “We are going to have dessert and cof-fee available at the Cameo Theatre, too. Last year we had some impromptu things during the commercials — one of our guests (who played Gomer Pyle’s girlfriend on TV)Elizabeth McRae, she got up and sang during one of the commercials. I’m not sure if she is going to do that this year. You just never know what is going to happen.”

    The funds raised will benefit the Partnership for Children of Cumberland County, Inc.“We have some programs for military fami-lies, and it also benefits the partnership’s Kids Stuff — the children’s area at the Dogwood Festival,” said McKeon.

    “It allows us to bring in some really great stuff for children and families. We have some really awesome programs — we pretty much touch every child from birth to five-years-old in Cumberland County in some way.”

    Tickets cost $60 per person, $40 for Cameo members, and $100 per couple. Call 867-9700 for reservations. Visit the Web site at www.ccpfc.org for more information.

  • 03-03-10-fayetteve-symph.gifWith the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra’s season in full swing, the organization is putting the spotlight on Classical Masterpieces during its performance on Saturday, March 13 at 8 p.m. The performance will be held in Reeves Auditorium on the campus of Methodist University.

    The fourth performance in the orchestrat’s five concert season, will feature works from three well-known composers: Antonio Vivaldi, Franz Joseph Haydn and Ludwig van Beethoven. Under the direction of Maestro Fouad Fakhouri, the symphony has a unique performance in store for its audience.

    Showcasing the talents of Dr. Timothy Atlman and Dr. Larry Wells, Vivaldi’s Concerto for Two Trumpets will be one of the highlights of the performance. Concertos for two trumpets were quite popular during the Baroque.The Republic of Venice had long tradition of ceremonial music for brass instruments, especially the trumpet. The instrument in Vivaldi’s time was technically primitive compared to today’s instrument, having no valves or keys to permit the full range of chromatic notes. The composition is bright in character and was probably written for some festive event. It was unknown until its discovery in the 1920s, but it follows the composer’s usual three movement fast-slow-fast format. 

    The symphony will also present Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 in B fl at Major. It is also a festive composition that03-03-10-symphony-3.gif

    Haydn’s Symphony No. 88 in G Major is a well-respected piece, and served to give Haydn recognition as one of the most innovative and creative minds of his time. Unlike the other two featured performances, Haydn’s work is initially somber in nature; however, the development becomes increasingly dramatic in mood, and the recapitulation is a re-orchestration of the original material, including a charming flute solo.

    If you want to attend the show, there will be free shuttle rides from Highland Presbyterian Church to Methodist University. Tickets for Classical Masterpieces are $25 for adults, $20 for seniors and members of the military, $8 for students and Methodist University ID holders are free with their student ID.

    On March 7, the symphony will host a special performance at Highland Country Club to announce its next season. The event is open to the public.

    For more information on the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra, call (910) 433-4690 or visit the Web site at www.fayettevillesymphony.org.

  • If there is one thing that Fayetteville is not short on, it’s restaurants. With new restaurants opening on a regular basis, you’re03-03-10-take-a-bite.gif sure to have missed out on trying one of them. Well, don’t worry, you have your chance to take a bite out of the city and help two great non-profi ts at Fayetteville’s fi rst every Taste of Fayetteville on March 13 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m..

    The event, sponsored by Cumulus Broadcasting and the Holiday Inn Bordeaux, where the event will be hosted, came about not just as a fun thing to do, but also as an event that will benefi t the community.

    “We are going to have a minimum of 24 vendors participating,” said Flo Knight, marketing and promotions director at Cumulus Broadcasting. “The event ends at 3 p.m. Just come to the door, it is free to get in but costs $10 to taste.

    ”Vote for the vendor who deserves bragging rights as Fayetteville’s best restaurant. There will be awards for fi rst, second and third place.

    “It is just something fun to go out and have the community vote on who they like,” said Knight. “It is a small fee but something fun for the community to participate in.

    ”Each person will receive a punch card that they can fi ll up as they make their way around the room. The cards can then be entered in a drawing for an opportunity to win a $100 dollar gift card from WalMart. You don’t have to purchase a card to enter for the prize drawing.

    The restaurants represented include Holiday Inn Bordeaux, Cold Stone Creamery, Big Apple, Subway, Chef Mei, the Doubletree Hotel’s Marquis Bistro, Sherefe Mediterranean Grill and more. There is no theme, as there is a little bit of everything, according to Knight, who promises that you are sure to fi nd something you can enjoy.

    “I am looking forward to the opportunity to offer a little taste of different things, again it is a taste test. It is not going to be large portions, people will be getting a taste of many different items,” she said.

    Proceeds will benefi t the USO and the American Red Cross Highlands Chapter. The USO is a private nonprofi t organization that serves and supports soldiers and their families in a variety of ways. According to the Web site they provide morale and recreation services to 220,000 service members and their families annually.

    The American Red Cross Highlands Chapter serves Bladen, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke and Sampson counties. It offers a wide range of services to the public as well as the military community. Covering everything from disaster services and preparedness, to life guarding and fi rst aid classes to blood drives, the American Red Cross serves the greater Fayetteville community 24/7, 365 days a year.

    Attendees can expect some great food, musical entertainment — provided by Chris Hurst — and a chance to help the organizations that help our community. The inaugural Taste of Fayetteville is something that Knight hopes you will not miss.

    “We are really excited to have this event, in fact, we plan on having it become an annual event,” she said

    .For more information, check out www.q98fm.com.

  • 03-03-10-monster-trucks.gifMonster trucks will roar into the Crown Coliseum on Friday, March 12 and Saturday, March 13 for a jumping, crunching evening of fun.

    The shows will feature some of the biggest and best monster trucks on the circuit, including Eliminator, Twisted Dragon, Dragon Fly, Viper and Defender. Additionally the evening will feature an extreme freestyle motorcyle FMX show much like what you see on the X Games and Dew Tours. The riders will jump from ramp to ramp doing tricks more than 60 feet in the air. There will also be an aerial assault acrobatics team featuring back-fl ipping rider Tyler Polk.

    If that’s not enough for you, local riders are also invited to bring out their bikes for a “winner take all” competition of humps, bumps and jumps. To participate, pre-register at www.amptour.com. The pit gate will open at 5 p.m.

    Fans will also have the opporunity to meet their favorite driver during a pre-show party that begins 90 mintues prior to show time. All ticketholders will be admitted free to the party.

    Tickets range in price from $15 to $30, with VIP tickets available. There are also two package deals, with a VIP Party 4 Pack offering three VIP tickets with one free, which offers a $25 savings. The Family Fun Pack allows you to take a family of four out for under $50 and includes two adults reserved seats and two children’s reserved seats.

    Shows begin at 7:30 p.m. on both nights, with gates opening 90 minutes earlier for the pre-party.

    For more information, visit www.amptours.com or www.atthecrown.

  • “There’s a whole lotta crankiness going on,” as Jerry Lee Lewis once almost sang. Everywhere you look the crabbiness of03-03-10-vicodin-for-sould.gifLucy Van Pelt from Peanuts has taken root in the body politic. It’s not just the Republicans versus the Democrats for breakfast any more. Americans are atomizing into tribal warfare like Afghan tribes. Factions of the Republicans hate each other with a hatred both true and pure, as shown by the booing of Ron Paul as the winner of the straw poll at the CPAC convention. The Democrats are equally at odds with themselves over everything. As Rodney King once asked in a different context, “Can’t we all just get along?” At this point, the answer seems to be a resounding, “Nope.”

    Fortunately, Time magazine’s cover just sported a picture of Washington, D.C., frozen in a chunk of ice as a place where nothing gets done anymore due to partisan poopyheadedness. Let us consider for a moment a few of Robert Frost’s lines on this subject from his ditty, Fire and Ice. Ol’ Bob, while writing about the end of the world, said: “But if it had to perish twice/ I think I know enough of hate/ To say that for destruction ice/ Is also great/ And would suffi ce.” Bob’s poem brings up the global-warming issue, which itself opens up even more cracks in the thin ice of civility that used to bind us together as a nation.

    If you paid much attention to the news, you might begin to feel less than optimistic about the future of the country. However I take comfort in the proven theory that by the time a trend becomes a cover story on Time magazine, the trend is almost over. Now that the winter of Washington’s discontent in an ice cube story has run in Time magazine, can a Spring of reconciliation be far behind?

    What we need now is something to ameliorate the angst that affl icts America. Fortunately we’ll soon have just the ticket to ride out of our slough of despondency. Yep, Big Pharmaceutical is about to release another super drug to fi ll up the psychic pot holes on the road to happiness in the early 21st century. The Acme Drug Cartel is about to release the latest cure for what ails us: Vicodin for the Soul. Vicodin for the Soul works by cauterizing the Spite Center in the Medulla Oblongata of the soul. It’s a theological/political lobotomy for the masses. Prepare to be mellowed out and love your enemies. You will cooperate with people you previously could not stand. Nancy Pelosi will link arms and sing Kumbaya with Glen Beck. Tea Baggers and Acorners will intermarry and reproduce.

    Vicodin for the Soul is a new wonder drug that is going to make us all love each other. Faster than a speeding Thorazine tablet. More powerful than a case of Abilify. Able to paper over towering political differences in a single dosage. Look up in the sky! It’s a feathered dinosaur! It’s Balloon boy! It’s Vicodin for the Soul! Yes, it’s Vicodin for the Soul, a strange visitor from a Chinese Petri dish that came to your local pharmacy with powers and abilities far beyond those of mere commercial mode altering drugs. Vicodin for the Soul can change the course of political philosophies, bend frozen opinions with only 500 milligrams three times a day; and when, disguised as Diet Soda, a mild mannered drink in a great metropolitan pharmaceutical store chain, fi ghts the never ending battle for political placidity, the appearance of justice and the American way.

    Vicodin for the Soul transmogrifi es the human Spite Center into the gentleness of a barrel of fl uffy kittens on a Spring morn. Political crankiness will be eliminated by better living through chemistry. Your soul will be at peace. Flo the grinning brain dead sales lady for the car insurance company is on Vicodin for the Soul. With regular daily usage of Vicodin for the Soul, political arch enemies can become as happy together as Flo and the guy who wants to buy car insurance. Don’t you want to be as happy as Flo? Don’t you want to love your enemies?

    With industrial strength Vicodin for the Soul replacing fl uoride in America’s water systems, the entire country will be just as blissfully zoned out as the couples who sit around all day in bath tubs at the beach in the Cialis commercials. Sink yourself into happiness. Empty your mind and fl ood your brain with love. Buy Vicodin for the Soul, a couple of hot tubs and never think again. You’ll be glad you did.

  • uac030310001.gif Ah, the glamour of the Academy Awards... does anything compare to the sparkle, so-phistication and pomp and circumstance of the Oscars? While most of us aren’t going to make it to this much-anticipated Hollywood event, several local venues are pulling together to provide an equally high-end, sparkly experience for Fayetteville including paparazzi,frenzied fans and red carpet interviews.

    The Arts Council is rolling out the red carpet for a fabulous pre-Oscar party at 7 p.m. on Sunday March 7.

    “We have paparazzi and screaming fans... and then we have some ac-tors from the Cape Fear Regional Theater,” said Maureen McKeon, com-munications manager for Partnership for Children of Cumberland County, Inc.

    “They are going to be interviewing people on the red carpet, so you walk the red carpet into the party and then we’ll have heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks inside.

    ”Just like the Academy’s event, come dressed to impress. It is the red carpet after all, and you never know who is watching

    .“There is also a costume contest,” said McKeon.“We are encouraging people to come dressed as their favorite movie char-acter, favorite actor or actress or in their Hollywood finest — however they feel they want to come.

    ”Once inside, plan to bid on any of the several items that will be featured in the silent auction. There will be ev-erything from a trip for four to Disney World to a night-on-the-town pack-age, lunch with the mayor, a teeth whit-ening package, lawn services and more.

    Inside the Arts Council there will be a big screen featur-ing Hollywood’s pre-Oscar party as well.

    The Academy Awards begin at 8 p.m. (feel free to hang out at the pre-party until 9 p.m. if you like). The Cameo Art House Theatre will be showing the awards in their entirety, so it will be just a few steps down the block to catch the ceremony.

    “It is really fun,” said McKeon. “We are going to have dessert and cof-fee available at the Cameo Theatre, too. Last year we had some impromptu things during the commercials — one of our guests (who played Gomer Pyle’s girlfriend on TV)Elizabeth McRae, she got up and sang during one of the commercials. I’m not sure if she is going to do that this year. You just never know what is going to happen.

    ”The funds raised will benefit the Partnership for Children of Cumberland County, Inc.“We have some programs for military fami-lies, and it also benefits the partnership’s Kids Stuff — the children’s area at the Dogwood Festival,” said McKeon.

    “It allows us to bring in some really great stuff for children and families. We have some really awesome programs — we pretty much touch every child from birth to five-years-old in Cumberland County in some way.

    ”Tickets cost $60 per person, $40 for Cameo members, and $100 per couple. Call 867-9700 for reservations. Visit the Web site at www.ccpfc.org for more information.

  •      The Fisher House is a home-away-from-home for the families of injured soldiers in military hospitals all over the world.
         At Fort Bragg, the Fisher House is located at the corner of Normandy Drive and Reilly Street. The house, which is overseen by Paula Gallero, provides a comfortable, welcoming environment for families who travel to Fort Bragg to help take care of or visit their loved ones who are in the hospital.
         {mosimage}On Saturday, April 4, The Vietnam Vets Motorcycle Club will host Patriot Run VII to benefit The Fisher House. With a theme of “Never Forget,” the run will begin promptly at 10 a.m. at the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post #9103 located at 14258 Hwy. 210 S.
         The route will take riders through the countryside to the N.C. Capitol building in Raleigh for the POW/MIA ceremony at noon. On the first Saturday of each month a ceremony is held on the state capital grounds in Raleigh to memorialize those missing from the Tar Heel State.
         Following the ceremony, riders will head out again and wind their way back to the American Legion Post 382 in Sanford, where they will fellowship and enjoy entertainment.
         There is a $15 donation per person to participate in the ride. The fee includes the meal, door prizes, a T-shirt and entertainment. All checks should be made payable to The Fisher House.
         The Vietnam Vets Motorcycle Club USA is an international organization with members in Europe, Canada, Australia and the United States. The club has members in all 50 states including Alaska and Hawaii. It is made up of two highly compatible groups of former U.S. military men: Those who served in the country of Vietnam and earned the Vietnam service ribbon and those who served honorably in the military during the Vietnam war and earned the National Defense ribbon.
         The club devotes its time, energy and resources to help build a better future for all vets and their families. Their main focus is on bringing home POW/MIAs and getting a full accounting of each and every one of the missing men.
         For more information, visit the Web site at www.vnvmc.nc.org. For information about the Fort Bragg Fisher House, visit www.fisherhouse.org/theHouses/northCarolina.shtml.
  • In the Motherhood tweaks modern attitudes    

        {mosimage} In the Motherhood (Thursday, 8 p.m., ABC) is the rare sitcom that “gets” the way we live now. Gets it — and skewers it mercilessly. The subject is modern mothers and modern attitudes. Jane (Cheryl Hines) is recently divorced, trying to balance career, dating and child-rearing with the help of an earnest male nanny (Horatio Sanz). She fails spectacularly in contrast to her sister (Jessica St. Clair), who strives to live by the perfect politically correct rules with her own family. Then there’s Rosemary (Megan Mullally), who lives by no rules. She’s a wickedly self-centered wiseass with no use for the values we currently hold dear.                                                                                                                                                If you lack a sense of humor about “enlightened” parenting, environmental awareness, organic food and enforced sexual-harassment training on the job, stay far away from In the Motherhood. The rest of us are in for a treat.

    Reno 911
    Wednesday, 10:30 p.m. (Comedy Central)
         The hilarious COPS parody begins a new season, and watching it is the surest way to cheer yourself up during a recession. The hapless officers in the Reno Sheriff’s Department plan undercover stings with names like Operation Cobra Fist, realizing only later that “cobras don’t have hands.” They cultivate informers who speak in impenetrable street code: “There’s a big diarrhea embargo goin’ down at midnight.” They have morning briefings that set a dubious tone for the day. “Let’s not all go running out of the building when we hear the ice cream truck,” says Lt. Dangle (Thomas Lennon). “It doesn’t look right.”
         Reno 911 is the quintessence of deadpan humor — that is, until it goes wildly over the top, as when a crackhead flees officers while wearing a cow suit. In my opinion, the show is…
    …wait a minute, I think I hear the ice cream truck. Gotta run.

    Party Down
    Friday, 10:30 p.m. (Starz)
         Another premium network tries to match HBO’s half-hour comedies of humiliation, like Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage and Extras. All the ingredients are there — the low-key ensemble, the casual profanity, the awkward scenarios — but the soufflé fails to rise.
         Ron (Ken Marino) is the team leader of a catering crew, one of those fools who don’t perceive how foolish they are. He makes jokes that aren’t funny, but he thinks they are; and we’re supposed to think that’s funny. Would you be surprised to learn that this strategy doesn’t result in high comedy?
         Ron works with a group of losers, including an untalented writer working on a screenplay about wormholes. Sad to say, but the wormhole project might be more entertaining than Party Down.

  •      What an interesting evening show. Soon after I sat down, I noticed something peculiar. I was the only chick in the theater. I began counting. Groups of men came in until finally there were about seventy people in the theater. An informal count showed that of those seventy people, there were only 10 women (including me). 
         Clearly, I Love You Man (104 minutes) is generating a lot of interest among the testosterone-fueled set.  That’s not entirely surprising when even the supporting female actors built their careers on man-friendly comedy. And this is certainly a man-friendly comedy! When you stop to think about it, there are very few movies that deal with the emotional connections men share — with the obvious exception of anything that Judd Apatow had had anything to do with, ever.    Director John Hamburg (who also co-wrote) does not share an obvious Apatow connection, despite borrowing some of his favorite players…but  a quick review of his Internet Movie Database credits reveal that he did three episodes of Apatow’s canceled-too-soon cult classic Undeclared. Mystery, solved.
        {mosimage} Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd) gets engaged to Zooey (Rashida Jones from The Office). Interestingly enough, Zooey never gets a last name, and we never hear anything about her family…sign number one that this is a movie by, for, and about men. Even though Peter seems to have a very busy life and a supportive family, he does not seem to have any close male friends. This doesn’t seem to bother him until he overhears Zooey and her five million friends smacktalking his freakish, friendless status.
         Once he realizes he doesn’t know anyone well enough to request their services as a best man, he embarks on a series of ill-advised man-dates with Lonnie (Joe Lo Truglio), Doug (the hysterical Thomas Lennon), and Mel (Murray Gershenz). Enter Sydney Fife (Jason Segal AKA Marshall from How I Met Your Mother). Sydney impresses Peter with his vast knowledge of grilled Italian sandwiches, male farting signifiers and progressive Canadian rockers Rush. Their relationship quickly evolves until the two are jamming in Sydney’s man-cave, eating lunch together every day, and tuxedo-shopping. 
         In the middle of all this male bonding, Peter attempts to sell Lou Ferrigno’s house, without much success. Subplot A focuses on the evil Tevin Downey (Rob Huebel) and his efforts to force Peter off the listing.
         Subplot B focuses on the comedically abusive marriage of Zooey’s friend Denise (Jaime Pressley) to Barry (Jon Favreau). There’s nothing healthier (or funnier!) than watching two married people emotionally abuse each other while planning to have children together.
         Subplot C focuses on the unhappiness of Hailey (Sarah Burns). See, without a boyfriend of her own, her life is just so meaningless and empty.
         Playing small roles as Mrs. and Mr. Klaven are the dried out remains of what used to be Jane Curtain (Jane! Botox is not your friend!) and the fabulous J.K. Simmons. 
         Overall, this is a pretty funny movie.  There is a little bit of gross-out humor (vomit and dog poo, though not altogether in one scene), but it is used to good effect. And yes, there is an after-credits sequence that is worth sticking around for.   

  •      {mosimage}There are very few acts that sell-out the Crown Coliseum, and those that do usually have a number of acts that draw people in. That wasn’t the case last year when veteran comedian Steve Harvey opened at the facility. Harvey packed the house on the strength of his comedy alone, and that’s saying a lot.
         Harvey, a West Virginia native, is best known as the star of the WB comedy that bears his name, The Steve Harvey Show, but he came to fame as one of the four comedians featured in the Spike Lee film The Original Kings of Comedy. These days, you can catch Harvey on re-runs or live on The Steve Harvey Morning Show, a nationally syndicated radio program.
         He began his comedy career doing stand-up in the ‘80s, which eventually led to a stint hosting It’s Showtime at the Apollo. His show The Steve Harvey Show was very popular in the African-American community, but never gain the critical acclaim he thought it would outside the community. The show featured his friend, Cedric the Entertainer, who he also toured with on the Kings of Comedy Tour.
         Beyond his comedy, Harvey has released a hip hop and R&B CD, authored a book and launched a clothing line. On the big screen, he gave voice to one of the flies on Racing Stripes, and had a role in The Fighting Temptations, alongside Cuba Gooding and Beyonce.
         When not performing, Harvey invests his time with the Disney Dreamers Academy. The first iteration was in 2008. The Disney Dreamers Academy with Steve Harvey is a teen-focused personal and professional enrichment event at the Walt Disney World Resort. One hundred teens were involved in the event.
         He also works with the Steve Harvey Foundation, whose main goal is to improve public schools in urban areas by upgrading facilities; purchasing books; technology; and other essential resources that will allow middle and high school students to envision and realize their dreams.
         Harvey will headline the show at the Crown on Saturday, April 4 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $41 and $34; with military ID, tickets are $40 and $33. Tickets may be purchased at the Crown Box Office or online at ticketmaster.com
  •      I want to start an organic vegetable garden in my yard and I would like to know how to combine crops to make better use of time and space.               
    — Val Thomason, Denton, Texas


         Most commercial farms concentrate on growing a few select crops to supply a wide variety of customers, but gardening at home is a different story entirely. Most backyard food gardeners are looking to augment their family’s diet with a variety of seasonal fruits, vegetables and herbs throughout the growing season.
         For those of us who face time and space constraints in our gardening endeavors, combining crops within the same planting areas makes a lot of sense. Such techniques are particularly well-suited to organic gardens where chemical fertilizers and pesticides aren’t used to artificially boost crop productivity.
         {mosimage}The most common way to combine garden crops is via an age-old technique called interplanting, which in essence means planting various garden edibles with different growth and spacing attributes together in the same soil beds or rows. One example involves combining fast-maturing vegetables, such as lettuce, field greens or beets, with slower-maturing ones like winter squash or pole beans. According to the informational “Our Garden Gang” website, mixing tall plants, like sweet corn, peas or staked tomatoes, with low-growing crops such as melons or radishes, is another way to maximize diversity and yield.
         Building on the idea of interplanting, Better Homes & Gardens magazine suggests that gardeners combine plants that produce vines and can be grown on trellises or fences along with low-growing crops. So-called “vertical gardening” concentrates much more production into each square foot of planting area. Also, the magazine reports, crops grown off the ground “tend to be healthier because they are less likely to contract fungus infections or soil-borne leaf diseases.” Tomatoes, pole beans, cucumbers, snap peas, melons and winter squash are all examples of crops suitable for vertical gardening if staked or supported properly.
         Another common technique often employed by “weekend” gardeners, organic or otherwise, is succession planting, which entails replacing a finished crop with a different one, or planting a single crop in small amounts over an extended period of time. One example would be to replace a spring crop with a summer crop, such as planting cucumbers — which thrive in warmer weather — where the peas had been growing earlier. Another form of succession planting involves staggering the planting of seeds from one specific crop throughout its growing season to ensure a continuing supply as long as possible.
         Some crops particularly well-suited to succession planting include bush beans, lettuce, spinach and radishes, each of which have long growing seasons but can be harvested after only a few weeks. A related technique would be to plant both early- and late-maturing varieties of the same type of crop around the same time, and harvesting the resulting crops successively. Tomatoes and corn, for example, each come in varieties that ripen at different times during their respective growing seasons.
         And while it may be easy to get carried away with edible gardening, don’t forget to plant a few flowers to spruce up the look of your garden and also attract bees to help pollinate your food crops. Marigolds and sunflowers are good choices as they are relatively easy to grow organically and tend to attract lots of bees.
         CONTACTS: Our Garden Gang, http://ourgardengang.tripod.com; Better Homes & Gardens, www.bhg.com.
    GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com.
  •      There is a bumper sticker that reads “Army Wife – Toughest Job in the Military.” I do not think there is much doubt in anyone’s mind that being a military spouse is an extremely challenging role to fill, but where does being a military child rank? As we celebrate the Month of the Military Child in April, we need to reflect on what it truly means to be a military child. {mosimage}
         For those on the outside looking in, it means mom and/or dad is fighting a war in Iraq or Afghanistan. It means having to live without their soldier for six, nine, 12, maybe even 15 months. It means not having their soldier home for holidays and birthdays. It means constantly moving. It means facing numerous challenges on a regular basis.
         To the civilian world, this is often what is thought of in regards to military children. I do not know about you, but to me, this is not what being a military child is about. Yes, much of this is true, but it is not the essence of our children. 
         So, let me ask the question again. What does it mean to be a military child? It means the chance to live in foreign countries and several different states. It means the opportunity to visit places others only read about in books or see on television. It means understanding at a very young age that there is a whole world out there beyond your street, school and city. It means having “best friends” all over the world. 
         It means having brothers and sisters born in different states, maybe even different countries than you. It means having a bond with your family that is stronger than many; after all, they are with you no matter where the Army sends you. It means swelling up with pride when you hear the National Anthem. Above all else, it means the ability to say, “My mom and/or dad is a United States soldier!” 
         If you ask five children what it means to be a military child, you will likely get five very different answers.    Being a military child is challenging, exciting, rewarding and unique. They are a special group who begin to make sacrifices at an age so young they do not even know what the word sacrifice means. Children growing up on or near a base with a soldier for a parent rarely realize the extraordinary lives they lead.
         Being a military child may indeed be one of the toughest jobs in the Army. These kids are definitely worth celebrating this month, and all year long.
  •      Rogue Roller Girl reporter Risky Biscuit is on the derby trail again this time in search of an infamous recluse.  As luck would have it, the trail was not difficult to trace for she followed the stench that could only be the sweat, tears and humility of the many outwitted opponents of Leif Mia Lone.{mosimage}
         Q: First of all, please explain your extraordinary name.
         Leif Mia Lone:  I’m the Viking warrior from the barbaric North that doesn’t play well with others...“Leave Me Alone”... Get it? Good. Now go away... Just kidding!
         Q: What is your favorite part of derby?
         Leif Mia Lone: The girls. *grin*? But no — really — the girls. They rock. They’re some of the coolest ladies I’ve met in my lifetime. I feel like I learn a lot from them.  Plus, you know, beating up other chicks on skates is fun, too. Oh, and the after parties. You know how much Vikings looove to party! *grin*
         Q: Describe “derby funk.”
         Leif Mia Lone:  “Derby Funk” isn’t a dance. It’s actually the raunchy scent that your gear (socks, helmet, pads, skates, etc) takes on as you play more and wash them less. I am the QUEEN of derby funk. I’m the “smelly girl” on the team. I just let them fester in my bag. I just take it out for derby. And let me tell you — the smell? It’s kickin, that’s for sure. The girls can smell me coming a mile away. But it works as a good defense, because nobody wants to touch me. *grin* But in all reality, I have to wash my pads soon — they’re even starting to make ME gag now...
         Q: Are you superstitious?
         Leif Mia Lone: Yes. Very. I had this one pair of lucky tights — key word: HAD. I got them before a bout in Columbia, S.C., back in November ‘07. I wore them for EVERY bout and did well. Then after our bout in Jacksonville, Fla., somebody threw them away. The next bout after that — Season’s Beatings — I separated the AC joint in my shoulder.     Go figure.
         Q: Give me a basic rundown of the typical derby girl.
         Leif Mia Lone: There is no such thing as a “typical” derby girl! We’re all so different. But we all share one common bond — the love of the game. We love to skate hard, play hard and hit hard...if it wasn’t for derby, I never would have approached the majority of these women and yet some of them are the most amazing friends I’ve made. They’re my Rogue family.
         Q: You’re also a pro-wrestler for Ring Wars Carolina (The Scandinavian Sweetheart). If Leif Mia Lone and the Scandinavian Sweetheart were to ever bout, who would win?
         Leif Mia Lone:  Oooh. That would be a GREAT match-up. Honestly? I think it would end up being a draw. They would beat each other senseless, each out-smarting the other over and over again. But in the end, they’d probably end up going out for some Aquavit or something.
         Q: What do you want to be when you grow up?
         Leif Mia Lone: I want to be an achiever of my dreams. I want to be happy.
         Q: What makes you so awesome?
         Leif Mia Lone: Um, I’m not. Not really. I’m just me. *shrug* your typical average girl with flaws all her own, trying to find her way in the world.
  • Easter Egg Hunt
    E.E. Miller Recreation Center
    April 3
    The hunt is free, but bring your own basket. Parents or guardians must attend with each child. For more information, call 433-1220.

    Easter Egg Hunt
    Spring Lake
    April 4
    The City of Spring Lake will host an Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 4 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Mendoza Park. Kids up to 12 -years-old are welcome, as are their families. There will be free baskets for the first 25 children who show up. The Easter Bunny will also be on hand to lead the children in games and activities. And, there will be great food as well. For more information, call 436-0241.

    Easter Egg Hunt

    Stedman Recreation Center
    April 4
    The Stedman Recreation Center is pulling out all the plugs for this special Easter celebration. Bring the family for a breakfast of pancakes, sausage and scrambled eggs. In case you didn’t guess, the Easter Bunny will be your host. The cost for breakfast is $3 per person, and it starts at 9 a.m. and ends at 10:30 a.m. At 10:45 a.m., there will be an Easter Egg hunt, which is free, but you have to bring your own basket. Tickets will be sold in advance. Call for reservations. For more information, call 433-1440.

    {mosimage} 

    Easter Cantata and Drama
    Green Springs Baptist Church
    April 3 and 5
    The music ministry of Green Springs Baptist Church will present an Easter drama on Friday, April 3 and Sunday April 5 at 7 p.m. Join the church family for refreshments following each performance. For more information, call 425-8602.

    The Last Living Supper
    Village Baptist Church
    April 5
    Village Baptist Church will present The Last Living Supper at 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. For more information, call 678-7178.

    The News That Changed the World

    Northwood Temple
    April 9-12
    The music ministry of Northwood Temple will present the musical The News That Changed the World at 7:30 each night, with a matinee performance on Saturday, April 11 at 3:30 p.m. For more information, call 488-7474.

    Easter Egg Hunt
    Eastover Central Recreation Center
    April 9
    The center is hosting an egg-dyeing event on Thursday, April 9 from 6-8 p.m. Supplies are provided, but you need to pre-register before April 6 or you will miss out on all the fun. For more information, call 433-1226.

    Easter Egg Hunt
    Smith Recreation Center
    April 11
    The center is hosting an Easter Egg Hunt for children ages 6-12. It runs from 10-11:30 a.m., and costs $5, but all supplies are provided. Pre-register by April 9 to save a spot. For more information, call 433-1435.

    Easter Egg Hunt
    Stoney Point Recreation Center
    April 11
    The center is hosting an egg-dyeing event for children ages 6-12 on Thursday, April 11 from10-11:30 a.m. Supplies are provided, with a fee of $5. Pre-register by April 9. For more information, call 433-1435.

    Spring Carnival
    Tolson Youth Center on Fort Bragg
    April 11
    There will be plenty of games and activities. The party is from 2-4 p.m., with an Easter Egg Hunt at 3:15 p.m. For more information, call 396-5437.

    Easter Egg Hunt
    Green Springs Baptist church
    April 11
    The Children’s Ministry of Green Springs Baptist Church is sponsoring a community-wide Easter Egg Hunt in the Grey’s Creek community from 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. There will be kite flying, crafts and lunch. For more information, call 425-8602.

    Easter Egg Hunt
    Snyder Baptist Church
    April 11
    Snyder Baptist Church is having an Easter party and the public is invited. The event will run from 10-11:30 a.m., and is open to children up to grade 6. There will be activities, crafts and games. For more information, call 484-3191.

    Spring Fling
    Spring Lake
    April 18
    Spring Lake is hosting its 8th annual Spring Fling on Saturday, April 18. There will be live entertainment, local bands, cloggers, kid games, food, carnival rides, bounce houses and more. The event will be held at Mendoza Park, and it’s free and open to the public. For more information, call 436-0241.

  •      The Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation Friends of Children was started in 1991, and is based on the premise that both children and their families are in crisis when a child is ill. Over the years the organization has contributed in a mighty way to help sick kids in our community. 
         “We’ve done things such as starting a pediatric asthma program, which serves all of Cumberland County and the surrounding area,” said Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation Friends of Children Coordinator Marian Morgan.
        {mosimage} “Another thing that we have done is the regional Diabetes and Endocrine Center — we donated about $50,000 to them and they are using that for things that they need with pediatric endocrinology. We’ve also helped out the rehabilitation department with an outdoor playground so that kids can receive their therapy outside like other kids. It looks like a regular playground but it is designed to help the kids with their therapy.”
         When an organization is making contributions of that scale on behalf of children, 18 holes of golf may be the last thing that you would think that they would be doing. Au contraire, golf is a big part of how they raise the money to pull it all off, in fact, they’ve raised more than $1 million in the past 13 years.
         On Friday, April 3, Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation is hosting the 14th Annual L.B. Floyd Friends of Children’s Classic at Cypress Lakes Golf Course. This year’s proceeds are earmarked for the purchase of a bed for the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). “This bed is designed so that the babies don’t have to get moved,” said Morgan. “We bought one two years ago and now we see that the need is great, so we want to buy another bed for the neonatal intensive care unit.”
         While the Pediatric Emergency Department sees tens of thousands of kids every year, the Friends of Children consider it their duty to make as many of those experiences as good as they can be. “One of the things we feel is very important is that a child’s perspective is never lost. It is nothing for an adult to go into the hospital and have a procedure because we’ve done it or we have seen it on TV. It is something we are familiar with or we can ask the right questions and get some answers, but for a child the terminology and the machines are scary and a lot of times you have people coming in with masks on,” said Morgan. “Just the little things you take for granted but for a child it is a big deal.”
         That fact is not lost on the event organizers. “All these people work really, really hard. They are working together for kids that they’ll never meet,” said Morgan. “Everyone coming together to help kids in our community is what is most rewarding to me and like I said, the kids don’t know we are doing it but that is our responsibility as a community to look after the kids.”
         The adult tournament has various levels of sponsorship but it is $500 per person to play. That includes a shirt, golf shoes, a hat, lunch and dinner, which is provided by Texas Roadhouse. Two tickets to the awards banquet are also included in the registration fee. Trophies area warded for the top performers and there is also a raffle with great prizes like a 42’ flat screen TV donated by Best Buy, a 13-month Healthplex membership, a round of golf for four at Pinehurst #7, two tickets to the Coca Cola 600, jewelry items from Carlyle & Co. and Jim’s Pawn Shop, and some Nike items.
         Even if you can’t play everybody is welcome to come out.  “Cypress Lakes is so beautiful and there are so many places that you can stand and actually watch foursomes come in,” said Morgan. For more information or to become a sponsor, call Marian Morgan at 609-7521.
  •      The peak of the marrying season is upon us.
         So far, the Dicksons have six weddings of dear cousins and wonderful friends on our social calendar between now and August, including two on the same spring day. {mosimage}
         Five are of young couples marrying for the first time. Each has sent out a “save-the-date” mailing; two of which are refrigerator magnets with color photographs of the good-looking prospective brides and grooms. The other three are handsome cards with the names of the happy couples, their special dates and listings of hotels where one might stay if attending their weddings from out of town.    
         I am so relieved that no one seems to be referring to save-the-date notices by initials.    
         The sixth couple is baby boomers with grown children; marrying for the second time with no save-the-date announcement. Theirs will be a family wedding, followed by a larger celebration at the home of a close friend.
    Three of the 20-somethings are having large church weddings, followed by wingding receptions with music, dancing and plenty of food and drink. The other couples have planned festivities at two of North Carolina’s loveliest beaches, both with amenities. 
         A tremendous amount of thought, planning, energy, not to mention money, is going into the five younger generation weddings. I am blessed to count the brides’ mothers among my friends. Each can converse quite knowledgeably about caterers, wedding gowns and bridesmaid’s dresses — long or street length; strapless or with sleeves; up-dos or down-dos; and which churches require what in the way of pre-marital counseling. Houses are being painted and yards re-landscaped. New furniture is on order.       
         Their daughters — the brides — have just as much infor mation about all things wedding and even more opinions.  
         The last time I inquired, my friend, the “mature” bride, was not quite sure what she was wearing on her big day, but she knows she will find something. Nor was she confident about the time of the wedding ceremony or who was to be where when.
         She and her intended just know they are showing up at the appointed time and place and that they will be married. They are both radiant. The rest is gravy.
         Getting married can be among the most exciting times in one’s life. The brides and grooms become stars in their own nuptial dramas, with family and friends acting as the supporting cast. Their every wish is considered, and many of them are granted. Their photographs are taken, new clothes are purchased and activities are planned with them always at the center of the wedding universe.     
         For most of us, the spotlight will never be so bright and focused again. 
         My mature bride and groom know, though, as do many of us who have been married since before these young couples were even born, that getting married is the fun part.         
         Being married is something else.   
         It is an evolving challenge that ebbs and flows throughout the stages of marriage; newlywed-dom; parenting; juggling family and work; inevitable ageing and all the unimagined joys and crises along the way that make all human life both an awesome wonder and the deepest of mysteries. 
         None of the young couples has asked my advice on marriage. But if they do, I will tell them several things.      I hope they always love each other, recognizing the intense emotions they feel now that often shut out everyone else will, over time, expand to welcome others into their circle; and those relationships with family and friends will enrich their marriage. It is true that you do not marry just one person. You marry everyone that person knows and loves.   
         I will tell them to find and enjoy mutual interests and activities, but to reserve something special just for themselves. She does not have to go to every game with him, nor does he have to go on every shopping jaunt with her. No one human being is ever going to have exactly the same interests and inclinations as another.   
         Try to know and enjoy each other’s family and friends, but if one or two just are not your cup of tea, be pleasant and polite and keep going. You do not have to love them just because your spouse does.
         Both of you are going to succeed some of the time and fail some of the time, as all of us do.  Rejoice with and support each other as need be.
         As with all aspects of life, honesty is always the best policy. Yes, it can be painful, but if you are in a marriage for the long haul, dishonesty and deceit are like acid. They will corrode, even explode, a relationship more thoroughly than anything else.
         My mature couple will never ask me for any advice. They know where they are heading and are going there lovingly and with eyes wide open.
         I wish all my upcoming brides and grooms, young and mature, long and happy years together.
           
       

  •      The last thing I wanted to do on a Saturday morning was get up and go to work. But, I’m glad I did. My destination was the Crown Coliseum, and the Fayetteville Futures II event. If you didn’t make it, you don’t know what you missed.
        {mosimage} I have to admit, I was surprised when I pulled into the Crown parking lot. There were more cars in the parking lot than I have seen at some entertainment events. To say that I was pleasantly surprised is an understatement.
          I slid in just a few minutes late (remember, the last thing I wanted to do on Saturday morning was go to work,) so I missed a lot of the welcoming remarks. I did get a chance to hear Kirk deViere explain how the process works; to hear George Breece thank the long and varied list of people who made the event happen; and to hear Congressman Larry Kissell applaud the community for its efforts.
         As I looked across the room, I was again amazed by the sheer number of people in attendance. Remember, this was 9:30 a.m. on Saturday morning. The hospitality room, where the event was held, was filled almost to the point of overflowing. A rough count put the number at 500, but more people came in as the morning wore on.
         Yes,  there were the people you expected to see there: local politicians and business leaders. There were community activists and educators. But what impressed me the most was the everyday citizens of Cumberland County who took time out of their hectic schedules to become part of the process. There were men and women, and people of all races. They all had one goal: making our city better.
         If there was anything disappointing in the event it was the lack of involvement by young professionals - the 25 to 35-year-old demographic was by-in-large absent. It is those people who must take ownership of our community. They are the ones who, in the coming years, will step into roles of leadership.
         So, to all of those involved, kudos for taking the first step. Now stay the course. For that noticeably absent group, where were you? It’s your future, too.
  •     Click the Image for UCW's Online Edition! 

         How many times have you walked down the sidewalk on your street and seen a stray piece of litter carelessly thrown there? How many times have you taken the time to stop and pick it up?
         How many times have you driven down one of the back roads of our community and seen an illegal dump littered with couches, washers and dryers and even commodes? How many times did you stop to try and help clean it up?
    That’s the type of questions that Bobby Hurst, chairman of Fayetteville Beautiful, might be asking on Saturday, April 18 at the kick-off of the Fayetteville Beautiful Spring citywide clean-up. Hurst, who heads up the non-profit organization, has overseen a number of these events, and he has watched them grow as more and more residents begin to take pride in our community.
         {mosimage} “Over time, you expect these kinds of events to dwindle,” said Hurst. “The first event is always huge, but people drift away and it doesn’t become as important. That isn’t the case with Fayetteville Beautiful.”
         In fact, this year’s event is expected to be the largest event ever. There are many factors that have added to the success of the event, but the main factor is community involvement.
         “We’ve got churches and civic groups participating. We’ve got Boy Scouts from all across the county involved. There are school groups, and there are families – all working to make our city better,” said Hurst.
         This year’s event is getting a shot in the arm through the involvement of the Church of the Latter-day Saints. According to Anna Molgard, the director of public affairs for the area churches, the church participates in an annual Day of Service across the country. In Cumberland County, the church decided to adopt Fayetteville Beautiful as its service project. That means that more than 300 members of the area churches will come out in force to participate in the event.
    “We are joining with congregations from our church throughout the Southeast United States in a day of service,” said Molgard. “We decided to partner with Fayetteville Beautiful after we talked with the mayor’s office.”
         Molgard said she called the mayor’s office to see what needs the city had.  She was looking for an event that could accommodate a large number of volunteers, and that would make a big impact on the community.
         “Service is a big part of our church and our faith. This is the largest scale project that has been done in this area in the last several years,” she said. “We are glad to serve and join our friends and neighbors to clean up our city and make it a better place for us all to live.”
         Quality of life is one of the main reasons Fayetteville Beautiful was initially formed. The city recognized that people want to live in a safe, clean community. That was one of the agenda items that came out of the first Fayetteville Futures study. Hurst, who became the trash czar for the community, began building a group of volunteers and put the plan into motion.
         He noted that many people do not understand the impact litter has on a community. He related that just recently the county hosted individuals who were looking to locate a business here. As the delegation pulled up to the county’s business park, economic developers were shocked to find an illegal dump at the entrance.
         “They didn’t even want to go in,” said Hurst. “It made a real impact on county leaders, and they are hoping to either join us or start a similar program of their own.”
         He noted that during past clean-ups many of these illegal dumps were eradicated; only to be refilled by county residents. In the weeks leading up to the April 18 event, Hurst and members of his committee will tour the community to find areas of high-concentration litter. These high-litter areas will be targeted by the committee during the clean-up.
    Mayor Tony Chavonne is excited about the event. “We have two citywide clean-ups each year, but there’s something exciting about the spring event,” he said. “Maybe it’s all the color or the newness of the season, but we always have a wonderful turnout for this event, and we look to this event to be the most successful so far.”
         Hurst said that many organizations that adopt roads will also take part in the event. He said over the past several years a great partnership has developed between his organization and the N.C. Department of Transportation.
    “Really, we’re all working for the same goal: a cleaner community,” said Hurst.
         This fall, the organization will turn its attention to the Cape Fear River and its banks. Hurst said this event will not have as many youth participants due to the nature of the event. “We’re actually going to have people in boats cleaning the water,” he said.
         But, for now, Hurst is still actively seeking volunteers. If you’re interested in pitching in and helping clean up the community, visit the organization’s Web site at www.fayettevillebeautiful.com. Volunteer organizers will assign             you a location, and you can pick up your bags and gloves at the kick-off.
     

  •     Click the Image for UCW's Online Edition! 

         There are some pretty amazing things on the Internet, some good, some bad and a lot that are just useless and mediocre. In the really good category would be the Flip My Landscape competition on local radio station WKML’s Web site. If this event brings to mind shows like Extreme Home Makeover, Flip this House, DIY and Designed to Sell, then you are right on the money.
          {mosimage} In the spirit of bettering the community, Cape Fear Landscape and Lawncare of Fayetteville owner, Garrett Fulcher and his sponsors, are offering up to a $5,000 landscape makeover to each winner of the competition, and the chance to have the entire experience broadcast on Time Warner Cable’s Channel 9, and we aren’t just talking sod and a few hostas either. Fulcher’s company deals in things like outdoor kitchens, retaining walls, outdoor lighting and custom pavers too. Set your DVR’s and mark your calendar, the first episode airs on Saturday, April 4 at 10:30 a.m. 
          So how did this traffic-signal installer and landscaper decide this was a project he wanted to initiate? “I was just sitting around thinking of something I could do to give back to the community because they’ve been so good to me,” said Fulcher. “I wanted to kinda give back a little bit to them and do it in a profession that we are good at, so we came up with the idea of flipping someone’s landscape.”
           The Cape Fear Landscape crew has already done a few makeovers, but none of them have been filmed or aired yet, although each one has surely been a blessing to the recipient. 
           “We’re looking for people who are down and out or are disabled and can’t do it any more,” said Fulcher. One of the winners  is a dual military couple. The husband has just returned from his fifth deployment and the wife is on her first deployment right now. “They just didn’t have the time to keep things up and he wanted to surprise her. He just wanted something nice for her to come home to.”
           While the bulk of the digging, planting and installing is done by Fulcher and his crew, there are plenty of local sponsors who are pitching in — Hubbard Pipes, Accubrick, Custom Pavers, the Fayetteville Guard, Thurman Trucking, Highland Paving Co., Horne Farms, Ican, Up & Coming Weekly, Vista Outdoor Lighting and Twin Oaks Nursery. Fulcher said that the response has been so good that the plan is to keep doing make-overs and wowing the community as long as the sponsors are willing to hang in there with him. When someone drives by a home that has used Cape Fear Landscape and Lawncare of Fayetteville, Fulcher’s hope is that people who see it will automatically know that his company has been there, and that the people who live there will enjoy the outdoor living spaces that they’ve created for years to come. 
           “We want people to know that when you need landscaping you need to be calling Cape Fear Landscaping,” he said.  “I mean we do it all from  one end to the other. We do outdoor kitchens, custom walkways, drive ways, sod, irrigation, landscape lighting. We do it from one end to the other; if it has got anything to do with the outside of your house we can do it.”
           While the first round of competition has closed, it is not too late to enter for the second round. Entries are being accepted until April 5. They will be posted on WKML’s Web site Monday, April 6 - Thursday, April 9 until 11:59 p.m., when the next Flip My Landscape winner will be chosen by popular vote. Visit www.wkml.com to enter and find out about the contest rules. Even if you don’t enter you can still vote and help choose the next prize recipient.

  •     Click the Image for UCW's Online Edition!

         Fayetteville is looking for a few good men — and women — who are truly interested in making a difference in the community. And on Saturday, March 28, county leaders are hoping those folks will join them at the Crown Coliseum to participate in Greater Fayetteville Futures II, a community action plan.
         Greater Fayetteville Futures II is an offshoot of a 2001 project that bore the same name. Greater Fayetteville Futures was, according to Fayetteville Mayor Tony Chavonne, the “first honest assessment of our community.”
         “That’s when we acknowledged that we didn’t have the economy to create the jobs we needed to build our economy,” he said. “It was recognition that we were not where we needed to be.”
    {mosimage} At that time, the group tackled three major goals: image, a unified vision for economic opportunities, and leveraging the military’s presence in the community for greater economic opportunities. From that project came a unified economic development presence in the form of the Chamber, the development of the History, Heroes and a Hometown feeling slogan and a closer examination of economic opportunities tied to the military that are not service-related.
    Key to the success of the first Fayetteville Futures was the involvement in the process by a wide segment of the community. It is, in fact, an action plan for the future. When the group convenes this month, it will focus on 10 objectives that will help the community reach its 2020 Vision: Greater Fayetteville will be recognized as a top 10 place to live in the Southeastern United States for all with safe neighborhoods, cultural opportunities, a model education system, well-connected and a strong, vibrant local economy.
         The 10 objectives are:
         VO 1: Create a model education system that supports and networks workforce readiness and sustainable innovations.
         VO 2: Effectively implement the community’s economic development strategy.
         VO 3: Ensure safety and security for all.
         VO 4: Expand and develop services that lead to a better living environment.
         VO 5: Leverage the region’s defense technology assets.
         VO 6: Increase/improve traditional and non-traditional connectivity infrastructure (transportation and information technology.)
         VO 7: Improve and sustain health services and wellness
         VO 8: Grow and sustain a “green” community.
         VO 9: Communicate our community story.
         VO 10: Sustain and grow cultural and recreational opportunities.
         Over the past several years, several studies have been conducted throughout the community to help guide the direction and firm up the 2020 vision. Chavonne said the community has the information it needs to meet the vision, now it’s time for people to “roll up their sleeves” and do the work to get the community where it needs to go.
         To do that, community leaders pulled up the original Fayetteville Futures model and put it back on the table. According to Chavonne the reason the first project was so successful was that it was “inclusive.”
         “It’s an action place, not a white-paper exercise,” he noted. “We already have the benefit of the reports. We know what we need to do, and now we need to energize the community on these action items.
         Kirk deViere is helping facilitate the process. He explained that during the meeting at the Crown, citizens will get an overview of the objectives and the mission, and then they will have the opportunity to break down into smaller groups and explore objectives in a more depth. “Citizens will get a chance to plug into two objectives,” said deViere. “They will then discuss a series of initiatives and create project teams with definite, measurable goals. Each initiative has a one-year time for completion.”
         That’s when the ball is squarely in the hands of the community. Once the project teams are created, they become responsible for setting their meetings, creating their plans and working to meet their targets.
         “This is a completely action focused, action-based project,” said deViere. “The community has the direction, the resources have been spent and a blue print is in place. It now becomes a community playbook.”
         He noted that there is a wide spectrum of the community involved from large stakeholders in the education, healthcare, governmental and other agencies, to individual citizens. “People who make up the community are represented at the table to put the final shape on what we are going to do,” he said.
         Chavonne said that cross-segment of the community will help to look at the bigger picture and seeing how issues are not one dimensional. “Crime rates aren’t just an issue with the city,” said Chavonne. “They impact across the community in a number of ways. If we all work in a collaborative way we can find an answer.”
         He was adamant in that this is not a “study to study” our community. “Through this process we will have specific steps to move our community forward,” he said.
         deViere said at the end of the year, a community scorecard will be issued letting the citizens see what has been accomplished. “This is a very open process. We will use a variety of means to keep the community informed so that they can gauge how we are doing,” he said.
         But, both men pointed out that it begins with the community. The meeting is open to the public and the process is community driven. “We need people to be energized about the process, roll up their sleeves and make a difference in our community,” said Chavonne. “We want to find people who will engage and move forward.”
         The event begins sat 9:30 a.m. at the Crown and runs through noon. For more information, visit the organization Web site at www.GreaterFayettevilleFutures.org .

  •     Click the Image for UCW's Online Edition!

         Did you hear the one about the tap dancing biochemist? No?
    Actually, it’s no joke … On March 21 at Methodist University’s Reeves Auditorium there will be a tap dancing biochemist hoofing across the stage, along with a molecular geneticist, a software engineer and a second-grade teacher. This seemingly disparate group of professionals make up the Footnotes Tap Ensemble, a nonprofit, Research Triangle-based professional tap company dedicated to bringing tap to the masses.
         {mosimage} Co-founder Mimi Benjamin — who works as a physician when she’s not treading the boards along with the other members of Footnotes — says everyone in the troupe holds down a “day” job, though their real passion is the dance.
    “All of our dancers work regular jobs,” said Benjamin, who founded Footnotes in 2005 with former dance school classmate Robin Vail, “but they find time to put their careers on the backburner to entertain and educate people about tap dancing.”
         Benjamin says dance fans that show up at Methodist on March 21 will be treated to a display of old-fashioned tap done in the style of some of the legends, including a tribute to Bill “Bojangles” Robinson.
         “We will perform three different types of tap,” said Benjamin. “We’ve worked hard to preserve the old historic dances. Among the ones we’ll be doing is ‘New Lowdown,’ made famous by Mr. Bojangles, himself.
         “We’ll also be doing ‘The Walkaround’ that was previously performed by the great Henry Robinson,” said Benjamin. “We also have dances we’ve commissioned from contemporary choreographers Dorothy Wasserman and Lane Alexander, as well as our own compositions. People are usually very surprised at the variety of what makes up tap dancing.”
         In addition to bringing some of their own dance creations with them, Footnotes will also bring its own band, consisting of a pianist, bassist, drummer, singer, banjoist and sax player/flautist.
         And while Footnotes will certainly bring the noise, Methodist brings a little something special itself that will contribute mightily to the performance: “The floor on that stage (Reeves Auditorium) is just legendary,” said Benjamin. “It’s got a great reputation as being an extraordinary wood stage.”
         In addition to a widespread reputation for its dancing abilities, Footnotes is also well known for its educational programs, bringing tap classes and workshops into communities across the region — workshops and classes that attract a broad spectrum of participants.
         “There are so many different styles of tap that can be performed in conjunction with so many different types of music,” said Benjamin. “I mean, when we hit the stage we have to appeal to all ages, from 4 to 80. And a lot of these folks get into dance after seeing us perform or attending one of our workshops.”
         The show is scheduled for March 21, 8 p.m., at Reeves Auditorium is entitled “Live Rhythms,” and if you want more information about how you can catch it “live,” call (919) 475-5444 to purchase tickets; tickets are $10 — $5 for students, seniors and NCDA members.
         You can also check out the Footnotes Web site, www.footnotestapensemble.org, for more information about the organization as well as a schedule.

  • Match Dot Con
      A woman wrote me on an online dating site. Her profile said she was 42. I’m 37, which isn’t a big age difference, so we went out. We had a blast and were planning to go out again when she e-mailed and confessed she’ll be 49 in August. She seemed really cool, had a great sense of humor, and looked older than 42, but was definitely still cute. Should I be worried she might have other surprises in store?  
    — Numbers Racket

      A seasoned shopper on an online dating site doesn’t just wonder if everybody’s lying, he expects it. People will tell you right in their profile that honesty is extremely important to them — then sandwich that claim between more fudge than you can buy in one of those candy stores you see in the mall. And, because men and women have different hard-wired preferences for what they seek in a partner, they lie about different things. Men tend to lie about their height and income. Women are likely to lie about their age and weight.
     {mosimage} Deception has always played a big part in romantic marketing. Mascara is a lie. Wearing a slimming color is a lie. Frankly, deodorant is a lie, but let’s hope the masses continue to embrace olfactory dishonesty. Online, people can get away with much more. When they create their dating profile, they aren’t lying to somebody’s face, they’re lying on a resume they’re sending off into the ether. And, they aren’t doing it as themselves, but as GolfBeast or ChocolateLuvr89. So, you see “Husky dude with most of his hair and a quirky sense of adventure...” — instead of “Male-pattern-balding, out-of-shape weirdo, teetering between thoughts of suicide and mass murder, seeks model.”
      Many of these hyperbolists seem to forget that there’s going to be some point of reckoning. Or, they keep telling themselves they’re planning on losing the weight or rolling off the couch and looking for a job.
      As for Miss 42-and-counting, try to have a little compassion. Guys tend to go for younger or much-younger women, and guys on dating sites do searches with an age cutoff, which means she never gets the chance to be judged for her looks instead of her age. Regarding your worry that she might have “other surprises” in store, consider it a good sign that she confessed her real age after the first date. If you don’t think she’s too old for you, keep dating her, and see whether she seems inclined toward convenient dishonesty. There’s a good chance you’ve heard the worst of it.
      (c)2008, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved.
  •   Over the past year, controversy has swirled over the Myrtle Beach Spring Rally. The City of Myrtle Beach has enacted new laws and regulations that seek to limit the activities of the bikers including a new helmet law. The city has made it plain that they do not welcome the idea of the Spring Rally, but its voice seems to be falling on deaf ears.
      Last week the Carolina’s Harley Davidson Dealers Association announced that it will hold its spring rally May 15-16 in New Bern.
      “This new venue will allow us to get back to basics and offer our existing and new customers a rally experience they will appreciate without restrictions and with the ability to enjoy the freedom of riding a Harley-Davidson motorcycle,” said Mark Cox, the association president.
      {mosimage}With all eyes focused on New Bern, the city’s officials have thrown a warning flag.
      Tom Bayliss III, the mayor of New Bern, said that he was told the dealer rally will draw less than 4,000 “older people” and their families to the historic port city. The current plan calls for the rally to be set up outside the city limits at the fairgrounds. Bayliss said that an influx of thousands of bikers, the number that usually hit the Grand Strand during Bike Week, would not be welcome or easily accommodated in the smaller locale.
      “We couldn’t handle it. There’s no way in the world,” said Bayliss, who is also a rider.
      He pointed out that the city lacks the sheer number of hotels needed to accomodate the influx and the entertainment venues needed to enterain the attendees. Unlike Myrtle Beach, which is a resort town geared toward providing entertainment to its guest, New Bern is more of a sleepy coastal town. It’s historic streets are not known for the wildness that usually ensues at bike week.
      It is that rowdiness that has led to the restrictions by the Myrtle Beach government. Last year a Coastal Carolina University student was killed during one of the many rallies that occurred at the beach in a dispute over a parking space.
      While many of the Carolina’s bike enthusiasts are still planning on making the trek to Myrtle Beach, city officials breathed a sigh of relief following the announcement by the association.
      “The issue for the city has been that we’ve had two or three … back to back motorcycle events that occupied 20 straight days and that’s too much. So, we’re not going to be in the rally business in May,” Mark Kruea, a city spokesman said.
      Earlier this year, the city and its chamber of commerce lauched a Web site stating that bike rallies were over in the city. It remains to be seen whether bikers will honor the city’s wishes or not. The question to be answered locally is: When May rolls around, where will you be?
      Please send your comments and feedback on the issue to editor@upandcomingweekly.com
  •   I thought it would be somewhat comical to send our regular movie reviewer Heather Griffiths to review the Jonas Brothers movie. But, as Heather is more at home with slasher flicks than boy bands, I started to rethink my plan. Then, as I thought back to the terror she had at merely being in the same multiplex with all of the die hard Hannah Montana fans, I decided it would probably not only be cruel, but downright mean to ask her to review this movie.
     {mosimage} So, since my 8-year-old son thinks he is one of the Jonas Brothers, and since their latest CD now holds slot number 5 in my car’s CD changer and since I will admit it I can now sing along with the CD, I decided to take one for the team (and get cool points with my son) and take in the flick.
      I’ll be up front. If you are over the age of 13, you’re going to want to run screaming into the night after the first five minutes of the movie. If you are between the ages of 8 and 13, you are going to be in a state of bliss that can only be compared to an ice-cream induced coma. If you’re in that target age group, you’re gonna love this movie. (Parents: You’re going to have to endure it. I suggest meditating before going.)
      The Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience is exactly what the title says. It’s outtakes of the brothers’ latest concert tour. You see them getting their 4 a.m. wake-up call, and being kept in line by their bodyguard/rapper. You see Joe, the cute Jonas Brother, and also the player of the three, chatting up the chicks and inciting little girls to frantic screams. (Hey Joe Jonas, I’m still mad because you dumped Taylor Swift via a text message. Swift, by the way has a cameo in the movie.)
      You see Nick and Kevin (the curley-haired Jonas Brothers) hitting some hot licks on their guitars. And, there’s even some 3D effects. You would think with the movie being made by Disney the effects would be awesome. Think again. There’s only so many times a guitar pick can be shot at you before it becomes old. But hey, the kids loved it.
      The movie wasn’t made with cynical adults, looking for deep storylines or intricate characters. It was made for the kids who have sent these three guys zooming to the top of the pop charts. It is in the same vein as the recent Myley Cyrus movie and even the High School Musical machine.
      For the adults though, some of you may take exception to the movie’s awkward attempt to put the brothers in the same light as the Beatles. You’ll see what I’m talking about if you watch the movie (or even look at the movie poster), but they’re just kids. Don’t run out and protest or burn their records.
      It’s innocent. It’s harmless, and the brothers try to set a good example by sporting their abstinence rings and by being very up front about their views on teen sex. (This earns them some hard knocks from comedians, but I say good for you Jonas Brothers.)
      So for those reasons, I would sit through the movie again, and yes, when it comes out on DVD, I’ll probably be coerced into buying it. There are worse things I could do.
  •   Luck, leprechauns and lots of beer.
      That’s what many Americans think of when considering March’s best known and best loved holiday— St. Patrick’s Day. We don green to avoid pinches or perhaps eat a slice of corned beef — slight nods to the Irish on a day that is, for most of us, little more than an excuse to drink green beer.
      But if you sit down with an Irishman and talk about St. Paddy’s Day (not Patty’s, by the way, as there is no such name in Ireland) you might find that luck and leprechauns don’t have a lot to do with a day that is more about faith and friends than four-leaf clovers (which also do not exist in Ireland — shamrock is the preferred term).
      {mosimage}Such was my discovery when I sat down with one of Fayetteville’s best-loved entertainers, Paddy Gibney. Gibney is the owner of Paddy’s Irish Public House on Raeford Road. Though he originally hails from Dublin, Ireland, he has made Fayetteville his home since the ‘90s and has been entertaining audiences with Irish folk music almost as long.
      When passing by Paddy’s, it’s almost impossible to miss the bright green sign. While many bars in the Fayetteville area appeal to customers by advertising $2 drink specials or football on every channel, Paddy’s pub takes a different approach. In fact, their message is not about luring people in, it’s about keeping people out. The current message reads, “No Wankers” and if you do happen to find football on any of the TVs, it will be the English version.
      The sign was my first clue that the Irish go about the business of entertaining, and perhaps life in general, with a refreshing air of authenticity. And when it comes to the celebration of the Irish holy day, St. Patrick’s Day, that authenticity is expressed in ways most Americans completely overlook.
    Gibney embodies this authenticity in his personal and public life. A man of faith, Gibney will begin March 17th by attending mass. He’ll end the day at his bar. To some, this might seem a contradiction. While he admits that some of his most popular songs are not for the “faint-hearted” he also professes that he thinks that if Jesus were to visit Fayetteville, Paddy’s pub would be the kind of place Christ might like to visit, and if he did, Paddy hopes that he’d feel welcome. Religious commentary might not be what you would expect to find in a bar, but in Gibney’s words, “faith and religion are not the same thing.”
      Gibney lives out his faith in the way authentic faith ought to be demonstrated — quietly. While most of  Gibney’s fans might assume that this talented entertainer and his musical partner, violinist Bill Ayerbe, would have plans to party into the wee hours on St. Paddy’s night,  what they might not realize is that these musicians have plans to serve in several places in the community during the earlier hours of St. Patrick’s Day. Paddy and Bill will spend the morning teaching elementary school students about St. Patrick and the afternoon entertaining the elderly at Village Green Retirement Community.
    But you won’t hear Paddy and Bill singing their own praises for their good works later that evening. Though the talented duo have plans to perform at 5, 7, 9 and 11 p.m. at Paddy’s pub, their songs will be sung to entertain the crowd, not draw attention to themselves.
      In addition to entertaining throughout the evening, Gibney will be serving corned beef and cabbage to his customers, a meal that he says he rarely ate in Ireland, but is symbolic of the Irishman’s struggle to survive in this country. Clearly, Gibney’s success is proof that the Irish have not just survived but thrived, and have a thing or to to teach us — not about leprechauns but about the struggle for peace and prosperity — a struggle that both Irish-Americans and native Irish know all too well... And about learning to appreciate what we’ve been given.
      And that’s what “No Wankers” is really all about. Paddy welcomes all people from all walks of life into his bar, on St. Paddy’s Day or any time of year, but desires that his customers show courtesy and appreciation to one another, the staff, the musicians and themselves. Those who cannot comply, need not enter.
      So if you’re looking for a place to show off that green on St. Paddy’s Day — and you have an appreciation for good music, genuine people and, yes, lots of beer — then Paddy’s is the place to be.
  •   God City Artist is the name of a growing collective group of African-American artists from Charlotte. The artists formed God City in 2005 due to their appreciation of art and hip-hop culture. The group, which exhibits extensively in the region, opened with an exhibit in Rosenthal Gallery on the campus of Fayetteville State University during the month of February.
      The exhibit, God City Artist, will remain in Rosenthal Gallery until March 20, 2009 and includes work by the following artists: Antoine “Raw” Williams, Donovan Lyons, de` Angelo Dia.15.18, John Hairston Jr., Tamika Elise and Jen Woods. 
      {mosimage}The exhibit is a colorful collection of paintings and prints. The works submitted by each artist contributes to a collective body of work that is unified, each work complimenting one another in addition to their own individuality.
      The art of Williams is mainly composed of mixed media that includes spray paint. Prophet vs. Profit and His-Story are two 48” x 30” paintings that greet the viewer. These two works set the tone for his style. 
      Prophet vs. Profitis a painting of a male in front of a yellow and white background accompanied by graffiti stencils of smiling faces at the top and stenciled bug shapes at the bottom. The bright colors in his work compliments his subject; while the graffiti stencils balance the composition and create spatial tension.
      His-Story shows another male, illustrated in pencil, wearing headphones with a blue background, white paint splattered around him. The white tone of the splatters is an important element in the work and creates an overall pattern of harmony.
      Donovan Lyons is exhibiting two political-oriented paintings. Black Ties: Bushed and Black Ties: Obama 365. The latter shows President Barack Obama in a yellowish outline, three-quarter view, in front of a map of the United States. The many variations of blue in this painting are visually stimulating. Yet the painting is flattened; the outline around him does little to bring Obama towards the viewer. Obama’s center position in the composition directs the focus of the painting.   
      Dia.15.18 collaborated with Woods and Elise for three mixed-media works on canvas. The painting titled Gravity is Dead You See…is abstract and emphasizes circles without being overly repetitious. The color choice is mostly bright colors with limited tones of black. The colors evoke movement due to their many directions in the same work. 
      The God City Artist exhibit would not be complete without Hairston and his series titled My Favorite Ladies. The series is composed of five 48” x 60” paintings of women he has dated. In the work titled Incense, Blogs, and Conscious: Rap Lyrics Can Only Bring So Much Change, he shows an African-American female donning an afro-puffed hairstyle. In her hand, it appears she is holding a Molotov cocktail.
      Hairston paints detail in most of the female forms; however, from the waist down, the figure is clearly incomplete. Shown only as heavy strokes, the female’s legs are easily an eyesore, disrupting the flow of the figure in its environment.  
      In the painting titled Being for the Benefit of Mr. Green, a green-colored female has a spray paint can in her right hand. The lady stands in front of a background partly composed of a darker green. Hairston uses color to move the figure spatially closer to the viewer from the background. The background itself holds its own interest with a variation of line making marks across the surface.
      Although Hairston’s series has its painterly flaws; the females depicted in the series have enough detail to make a near complete set that is pleasurable to view.
      The artists have achieved their goals of inspiring change through unity and challenging the viewer. The beauty of God City is that each artist presents us with their own voice and way of expressing harmony. Their use of graffiti elements in the different works unifies the exhibit and moves the viewer from work to work. 
      Rosenthal Gallery, on the campus of Fayetteville State University. The exhibit is free to the public. For information call (910) 672-1057.


  •   There is something distinct and almost Norman Rockwell-ish about the Hamont Grill and Steakhouse. Maybe it is the worn linoleum floor that has seen repeat customers, out-of-towners and GIs passing through over the years. Perhaps it is the paisley vinyl on booth benches, where families, business associates and young couples have broken bread together. Maybe it’s the wall by the cash register where pictures, certificates of appreciation, and newspaper articles collected over the years are displayed.
     {mosimage} Surely, all of these things are part of the charm that makes up the old time diner atmosphere; however, the people who frequent the establishment also help to make the down-home scene complete.
      On the day I visited there was a toddler having lunch with his “mimi,” while a few seats away two older ladies lunched and chatted animatedly with a middle-aged man at their table. A group of what seemed to be business associates huddled over a nearby table working out what seemed to be very serious business plans.
      My favorite was the customer who yelled to the chef “Your onion rings are horrible!” as she grinned at the waitress, handed her an empty plate and wiped her mouth with a napkin. Noticing my dismay, she said with a wave of her hand, “I’ve known him forever. I can say that. Actually, they are quite delicious... You should try them.”
      I didn’t make it to the onion rings this time, although they are on my list. Instead, I treated myself to a glass of water, Greek salad, a gyro with fries and a piece of Baklava for dessert. The salad was all that I was hoping for: lettuce, onion, kalamata olives and a ton of feta cheese with a brightly flavorful vinaigrette dressing. My gyro was a toasty warm piece of pita bread, open-faced on the plate with seasoned meat, lettuce and a few tomato slices. The creamy white tziziki sauce was in a separate small bowl. I happily spread the sauce on the bread, piled on veggies, folded the pita in half and treated myself to the medley of flavors that blends so well. The fries were crispy on the outside and feather-soft inside, not too greasy — just perfect for dunking into the puddle of ketchup on the side of my plate. The baklava was the perfect ending to my meal. The layers of paper-thin dough layered with nuts crunched delightfully when I bit down and a drop of honey dribbled onto my chin sending me reaching for my napkin.
      If the food was exactly what I was hoping for, the service only enhanced my experience. The waitresses were fast and friendly and seemed intent on serving their customers good food, giving them a cheerful smile and keeping their beverage glasses full. I am sure that it can be hard to find that balance between providing good service and being a bother to your customers, but the waitresses at the Hamont Grill have it down to a science.
      Even if you are not a fan of Greek food, don’t let that stop you from giving this gem of an eatery a try. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and offer a wide selection of food choices at decent prices. My entrée cost $8.99 and left me feeling full and completely satisfied. I was in and out in well under an hour, well-fed, well-served and ready to finish up my day.
  •   As the Crape Myrtles begin to bloom, thoughts turn toward spring and the great outdoors. Every spring, I try to learn a new sport, from canoeing to rock wall climbing, I have tried everything and this year will be no different. This year, I have decided to tackle the somewhat illusive sport of golf. I will do this with the help of the PGA Golf Professionals at Stryker and Ryder Golf Courses.
      {mosimage}Golf has been a favorite past-time in America for years and its not surprising that it is a multibillion dollar a year business. Golf is a fun way to network, socialize and simply enjoy a great day outside. My husband has been golfing for a good portion of his life. He enjoys it immensely but for me it just seems so impossible to learn. This year I have two great mentors and their staff willing to help me overcome my fear of looking stupid — hopefully without tearing up the greens in the process. The PGA Golf Professionals at Stryker and Ryder Golf courses are working hard this year at the Spring Golf Clinics to train everyone from amateurs, like myself, to more advanced skill levels, the wonderful game of golf.
      With the help of the Spring Golf Clinics I will finally be able to grasp the game of golf. The clinics are available to all military and government identification cardholders 18 and older, both men and women, The clinics include unlimited range balls and instruction by a PGA golf professional and a knowledgeable staff. Classes are small and fill up fast, so early registration is encouraged.
      Robert Taylor is the golf pro at Ryder which is a beautiful golf course set among tall Carolina pines and rolling hills. Ryder has several water holes, which come into play. The greens are small and undulating. The fairways are tree-lined and hilly. The bunkers are well positioned and, at times, deep. While not long in length, Ryder is very challenging for all skill levels. Jeff Johnson is the PGA professional for Stryker, which was designed by Donald Ross and features a large clubhouse, a well-stocked golf shop and new locker rooms. This state of the art facility is sure to please even the biggest critics of golf.   Both facilities offer a pro shop and a very knowledgeable staff answer all of your questions.
      The main reason I go to Stryker and Ryder is the staff. The staff does everything they can to make me feel comfortable when I visit. They take time to break things down into terms I will understand. That’s why Stryker and Ryder Golf Courses are my (and my husband’s) “First Choice.”

  •   If you’re a Gone with the Wind buff or simply enjoy a good story,  you’ll want to be present for Sanford’s Temple Theatre presentation of Ron Hutchinson’s Moonlight and Magnolias from March 12 through March 29.
      “The production is a true story based on the making of the epic movie Gone with the Wind,”  said Peggy Taphorn, producing artistic director of Temple Theatre. “It is really funny comedy and has a lot of dramatic moments.”
      {mosimage}Taphorn added that there are references to the racism in Hollywood that was going on at this particular time.        
      Moonlight and Magnolias is set in  1939 and legendary producer David Selznick is frustrated with an unworkable script and has shut down production of his new epic Gone with the Wind. Desperate to make this film work, he sends for famed screenwriter Ben Hecht and director Victor Fleming. Selznick locks himself, Hecht and Fleming away for five days with nothing but peanuts and bananas to fuel them until the ailing script is restored. The show follows the trio as they create the blueprint for one of the most successful and beloved films of all time. 
      The cast members are Michael Brocki, who plays David Selznick; Tim Brosnan as Ben Hecht; David McClutchey plays Victor Fleming; and Peggy Taphorn will play Miss Poppenghul, Selznick’s secretary.   
      The Temple Theatre is a nonprofit cultural center for Lee County and the surrounding region offering professional and children’s theater to the area as well as touring groups and special events. The theater produces eight MainStage and four Black Box productions per season ranging from musicals to dramas.  It is an intimate setting that consists of 333 seats, an advanced communication network, a computer controlled lighting and sound system and an old-fashioned orchestra pit.      
      The Temple Theatre is located at 120 Carthage St. in historic downtown Sanford. Tickets are $20 for adults, $16 on Thursday nights and $10 for students. There is a discount for the military and Lee County educators. The theater is equipped with an assisted listening system and is accessible to people with disabilities. For more information call (919) 774-4155. 


  •   Residents of Cumberland and Robeson counties are in for a treat as the Cumberland Oratorio Singers, along with the Fayetteville Symphonic Band and the Methodist University choirs, hit the road March 20-21.
      The group, under the direction of Michael Martin, the director of choral activities and music education at Methodist as well as the Oratorio, will perform one concert at Methodist University and one at Robeson Community College. The concerts will feature Vincent Persichetti’s Celebrations. The concert at Methodist on March 20 will be held in Reeves Auditorium. The Robeson Community College concert will be held in the A.D. Lewis Auditorium on March 21. Both performances begin at 7:30 p.m.
      A special highlight of this concert will be George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue featuring Dr. Scott Marosek, music professor of piano studies at Methodist. Accompanying Marosek will be the Fayetteville Symphonic Band. The band is a community instrumental group consisting of both student and adult musicians from throughout the region. Currently, the band consists of approximately 65 musicians, and is open to all interested wind, brass, and percussion players and is conducted by Dr. Larry Wells, Director of Instrumental Studies at Methodist University.
  •   Mark your calendar for Friday, March 20, if you’re in the market for love.
      Or rather, Love, Sweet Love.
      The play Love, Sweet Love — produced and directed by Cassandra Vallery — will be at Highland Country Club and marks the 12th Annual Evening at the Theater … the chief fundraiser for Cumberland County-based nonprofit healthcare provider Better Health.
      “We’ve been receiving a good number of donations despite the poor economy,” said Judy Klinck, executive director for Better Health. “But there is still an urgent need for funds to help us provide our services for the community.”
      Better Health was founded in 1958 by a group of citizens who were concerned that the indigent could not afford their medications. From that simple starting point Better Health has bridged the gap in healthcare for 50 years.
      Better Health became a United Way agency in 1959 and was incorporated in 1991 as a nonprofit organization under federal law 501(c)3. The agency expanded to become a full time, full service agency governed by a volunteer board of directors.
      Among the many service sit provides:
    •Prescription medications;
    •Vision exams/eyeglasses;
    •Emergency dental extractions;
    •Orthotics & prosthetics;
    •Medical supplies;
    •Medical equipment;
    •Gas assistance to out-of-town medical appointments;
    •Diabetes monitoring clinics with education session;
    •Glucometer training;
    •Exercise classes for diabetics;
    •Diabetes and blood pressure screening;
    •Diabetes supplies;
    •Foot care clinics;
    •Vision screening for eye disease.
      “We were founded in 1958 to help the poor who left the hospitals and couldn’t afford follow-up care or medical supplies,” said Klinck. “Unfortunately, there’s still a great need for our services here in Cumberland County.”
      Klinck says the production of Love, Sweet Love was a resounding success last year, drawing about 250 theater-goers. This year’s show, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m., will include hors d’oeuvres, spirits and “festive sweets,” as well as some familiar faces.
      “The same local cast has performed Love, Sweet Love the past several years,” said Klinck. “They’re very talented and very enthusiastic and do a great job.”
      For more information about the 12th Annual Evening at the Theater, call 483-7534, or check out the Web site, www.betterhealthcc.org.

  •   Kevin Summers has accomplished a lot in the past few months. He’s opened not one, but two successful restaurants. He’s held one grand slam Halloween event, and now he’s pulling out all the stops to open the 2009 season at the Sol Rose Amphitheatre in a style that he thinks would make Rose proud.
      “I think Sol Rose would be very pleased with our plans for the season. I’ve talked to people who knew him well, and knew what he was doing down here and they say he would be really happy to see what we are doing,” said Summers.
      Hoping to kick the concert season off in style, Summers and friends are hoping to start an annual tradition with the first annual Shamrockin’ St. Patrick’s Day celebration at Campbellton Landing on Saturday, March 14.
      “I really wanted to have a fun first event to kick of the season,” said Summers. “From what I understand there hasn’t been a big St. Paddy’s Day celebration in town since Bennigan’s closed. So we’re hoping to take advantage of the first taste of spring fever that everybody’s getting, incorporate it with good food, music and Guinness and have a great party.”
     {mosimage} The idea for Shamrockin! came from within the Up & Coming Weekly family. Kidsville News! Editor Joy Kirkpatrick first suggested the idea for the event to Summers long before Christmas. After discussions with Up & Coming Weekly’sPublisher Bill Bowman, the event started coming together.
      “This is the kind of event our community wants and needs. Up & Coming Weekly is proud to be a part of,” said Bowman. “This music, food and fun ‘gathering at the river’ is the type of entertainment venue that uplifts the entire Cumberland County community. We are proud to be the host sponsor for the event along with our friends Healy Wholesale and Pepsi. We are also excited about the valuable media partnership that has been formed by Kevin and Campbellton Landing with Q-98 and Rock 103, which will really help to bring this event to life. Fayetteville and Cumberland County deserves this concert.   When business works together we can do some really great things in the community. We will support this effort throughout the year.”
      While this event is open only those who are 21 or older, Summers said that wouldn’t always be the case.
      “We have 15 to 20 events planned for the season, with an eye to eventually having 25 to 30 events each year, and most of those events will be family events,” he said. “But this one is not.”
      Shamrockin’ will feature the music of The Breakfast Club, a perennial favorite at Fayetteville After Five. For those not in the know, The Breakfast Club is the longest established ‘80s music tribute band in the United States. The band, formed in 1993, plays some of the greatest songs of the ‘80s and usually has the crowd on its feet.
      Performing with The Breakfast Club will be a local favorite DL Token. It wouldn’t be a St. Patrick’s Day party without some Irish music, so Summers has managed to lure Paddy Gibney away from Paddy’s for a set.
      “It’s going to be an absolute blast,” said Summers. “We’re going to have a lot of different food, beer, wine, a margarita station, a Red Bull and vodka station — a little something for everyone’s taste.”
      The food will be typical outdoor stadium fare — ranging from hamburgers and hot dogs and other nibbles. If you want a little more for dinner, Locks Creek and The Riverside Grill will be open so you can grab a bit before or during the event.
      Summers hopes people will get in the spirit of the day and wear green, after all, on St. Patrick’s Day everybody’s got a little Irish in them.
      With the hopeful success of the event, Summers is already looking at upcoming events. In May, the Cape Fear Regional Theatre will take over the amphitheatre for its annual River Show. This is the 25th anniversary of the River Show and the CFRT is pulling out all of the stops. Encore will be a look back at all of the shows that have made the event so successful. The event is slated for May 15-24.
      In the coming months you can expect to see some other great events like a beach music festival, a wine event, a world beer festival, concerts by some up and coming acts and some concerts by some acts that are in their second run.
      “Look for the kind of performances that you could expect to see in an intimate venue designed for 2-3,000 people,” said Summers.
      But while you’re thinking about the upcoming events, don’t forget Shamrockin’. The event will kick off at 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 14, and run until 11 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased at Lock’s Creek or The Riverside Grill or online at Campbelltonlanding.com. Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the gate. There is a 10 percent military discount; however, those tickets can only be purchased at Locks Creek or The Riverside Grill. For more information, check out the ad on the back page of this edition or visit www.campbelltonlanding.com.

  • Imagine being selected as one of the best two players of all time in a major university athletic program that has existed more than 100 years.
    That is the honor bestowed upon Fayetteville’s Chris Cammack. The Fayetteville High School graduate and retired local businessman joins college roommate Mike Caldwell and their coach, Sam Esposito, in comprising the inaugural class of the brand-new N.C. State Baseball Hall of Fame.
    {mosimage}The trio was recognized at halftime of the Florida State-N.C. State football game at Carter-Finley Stadium in October. Induction ceremonies will be held prior to a Wolfpack home baseball game later this season. Plaques of Cammack, Caldwell and Esposito will be mounted at the main gate to Doak Field, home of the Pack baseball team.
    “I’m obviously flattered,” Cammack said of his Hall of Fame selection, “especially being one of only two players in the first class. Going in with Mike … well, that’s just the best. That is really special.”
    Cammack and Caldwell roomed together all four of their years at N.C. State, and they were coached all four years by Esposito, who had a 10-year career as a major leaguer. As freshmen, Cammack and Caldwell led the 1968 Wolfpack to its only College World Series appearance in school history.
    “That season is my fondest memory,” Cammack said. “Nothing has ever surpassed that year. It was magical. We weren’t expected to do much; talent-wise, we were about the fourth-best team in the Atlantic Coast Conference. We had to win the regular-season conference championship to go to the regionals, and we did that on the last day of the season. We ended up coming in third in the World Series.”
    Cammack, a third baseman, batted .351 and drove in 19 runs as a freshman. For an encore, he set a State record which still stands by hitting .429 as he led the ACC in batting and with a .500 on-base percentage. He was named the ACC Player of the Year for his efforts.
    A career .362 hitter, he was a four-time All-ACC first-team selection, one of only four players in conference history to be accorded that honor. Making it more meaningful is the fact that, in those days, voting for the all-conference baseball team was done by the league’s players. Being chosen by one’s peers is the ultimate honor.
    Cammack was named an All-American his first two years and should have been selected as a senior, when he batted an ACC-leading .381 with four home runs and 20 runs batted in, both career highs. He felt it was his best all-around season, one in which he finished second in ACC Player of the Year voting to Caldwell, his roomie.
    The two remain extremely close.
    “He has been my best friend all these years,” Cammack said. “Actually, most of us from that 1968 team are close. We stay in touch with e-mails and phone calls. We had a 40-year reunion at State last year, and all but two players from the team w“Mike and I have talked about this (the HOF induction), and it means more to us than anything. It’s not just the Hall of Fame, but being the first two players chosen. (Current State baseball coach) Elliott Avent told us the vote of the committee was unanimous. They took a lot of time and looked at the statistics of players from way back.”
    Surprisingly, Cammack never played professional baseball. He was drafted by the Washington Senators out of high school, was picked by the Philadelphia Phillies in the winter draft during his junior year at N.C. State and was taken by the Baltimore Orioles in the spring draft following his junior season.
    “I was not going to sign early,” he said. “I had told my parents that I would finish college. I went to college to get my degree, and I got my degree. That’s what people did back then.
    “After I graduated, I was ready to sign. I talked with Washington again, and they had me over a barrel. I had no bargaining power. Their offer was not what I thought it should be, not after the year I had just had for State. So I didn’t sign.
    “I had always wanted to play major league baseball, but when it was over, it was over. I have no regrets. I have had a good life. I am blessed.”
    Cammack made his mark in basketball at Fayetteville High School. He scored 23 points in the North Carolina 4-A championship game in 1966, helping the Bulldogs and Coach Len Maness to their second straight state title. He was inducted into the Fayetteville Sports Club Hall of Fame in 2007.
    A retired independent insurance agent, Cammack operated his own business the last 15 years of his career. He still lives in Fayetteville.


  •   March may very well be the beginning of the 2009 party season. From St. Patrick’s Day parties to the impending Dogwood Festival, this month has a little something to offer everyone. For lovers of art and music, the Fayetteville Museum of Art is planning a party that will definitely make its mark.
      On Thursday, March 13, the museum will host the premier party for its new exhibition: Raw Identity. The exhibit, which features the works of Harry McDaniel, J.J. Ohlinger and Doug VandeZande, focuses on the deconstruction of traditional portraiture to reveal the raw identity beneath.
    McDaniel, a sculptor from Asheville, explains that his work is “diverse in materials, style, technique and content.”
      {mosimage}In his artist statement, he notes, “It is difficult to explain the diversity, except to say that I love to experiment and I am drawn to new challenges. I work with wood, metals, cement, plastics, and found objects. Some of the threads that tie my work together are humor, a fascination with curves, motion (or implied motion), and an interest in the human condition. My sculptures can roughly be divided into two parts — decorative works and social commentary.”
    His decorative works include freestanding sculptures, wall pieces and mobiles, which range in size from tabletop pieces to 55’ long mobiles. The works are curvy, abstract, distorted geometric forms.
      “A significant amount of my artwork has included the human figure in one form or another. My work has included life-size figures, portions of figures and installations using mannequins,” he said. “I find something particularly compelling in life-size human figures. They tend to create a strong presence in a room regardless of the style or material. We are ‘programmed’ (psychologically if not biologically) to relate to the human form in certain ways. When a viewer encounters a figurative sculpture he brings a certain familiarity which at least for a moment, allows him to feel a likeness to the sculpture. The viewer also feels his difference of course, and from this contradiction he must draw some meaning.”
      Ohlinger,  a native of Nebraska, and VandeZande focuses on the human form as well. Both are celebrated artists who have shown throughout the United States.
      The artwork will be complemented by the music’s of the Chapel Hill folk duo Birds and Arrows. The husband and wife team comprised of Pete and Andrea Connolly offers a new twist on folk music.
      Their work thrives on “the relationship’s intimacy, spinning songs from domestic images like the blue flickering flame of a gas burner and the trove of persistent memories that remain like love’s kindling.”
      The party begins at 6 p.m. at the museum, and offers ligh hors d’oeuvres and bar beverages. A gallery talk with the artists will begin at 7 p.m. The party is free and open to the public.
  •   Tanking stock markets, home foreclosures and rising unemployment aside, we Americans cannot seem to get enough of things Obama.
      We have learned about our president’s penchant for scrimmage basketball and his ironclad attachment to his Blackberry — the current version having been put on security steroids by an ultra cautious Secret Service.
      We can hardly wait to see what the First Lady is wearing. The unveiling of her official portrait in a sleeveless dress and ladylike pearls generated a national debate over the propriety of bare limbs in the White House. I am old enough to remember that Jacqueline Kennedy was also fond of the sleeveless look.
      Then there are the little girls, Malia and Sasha, whose inaugural outfits upped the stock price of the company who made them.
    It seems, though, that the First Parents are firmly set on making their daughters’ routines and daily lives “normal.”   
      Being fascinated by all things Obama myself, I devour every article on life in the White House I can find, and there are plenty. Recent ones have reported that the First Lady has given instructions to the White House staff that the girls are to make their own beds. Bedtime is 8 p.m. sharp, and they must set their own alarm clocks and get themselves up and dressed for school on time. What’s more, when the First Mutt finally arrives, it will be Malia and Sasha strolling him on the grounds, rain or shine, with the requisite plastic bags at the ready in their pockets. The president and First Lady are presumed to be nowhere in sight. If what my children refer to as “parental units” are not available, their maternal grandmother is living in to make sure the girls’ lives are just so.
      All of this reading made me think of my own childhood in Fayetteville. I know my sister and I had household responsibilities, although I am a bit hazy on exactly what they were. The one I do remember well was taking care of my dog, Angel, a Pekingese I received for my ninth birthday. This involved feeding him and keeping him clean, a task which was much harder in pre-leash law days when dogs roamed the neighborhood just the way the children did, sometimes with us, sometimes on their own.
      {mosimage}Anyone who thinks a Pekingese is a Paris Hilton, teacup sort of pet has never known one. Ten pound Angel was the leader of a pack of neighborhood pooches which included Dalmatians, Weimaraners and a hefty German shepherd. Angel was simply oblivious to the fact that he looked like a girlie dog, and he was always dirty and matted.
      Angel’s personal hygiene was complicated by the fact that a 9-year-old was not only not particularly interested in washing and brushing him, but not very good at it either. My patient mother and I had many “discussions” on this topic and Angel had many less than sparkling clean days; eventually, I got the idea that he was my dog and my responsibility.
      I also recall that my sister and I had set bedtimes, because I cheated on this regularly. I was an under-the-covers-with-a-flashlight reader and I learned to sense when my mother was coming down the hall. In retrospect, she and my father probably chuckled over my bad habit, but she always confiscated that flashlight and I always found it the next day.
      All of this reminiscing made me ponder the critical importance of routine and structure in the lives of young children. As much as I procrastinated about washing and brushing Angel, and even worse cutting the mats out of his soft under hair, I learned that having a pet is more than just snuggling with him and giving him a biscuit. And as much as I wanted to read one more chapter, I was secretly relieved some nights when my mother made that decision for me and I could drift safely off to sleep.
      A friend has taken in foster children for years. Many of these children arrive in her home having had both difficult family situations and next to no structure in their young lives. They are shocked to their little cores when my friend announces “homework before anything else” and pulls the plug on television, video games, computers and the like to meet the assigned bath and bed times. Some newcomers rebel, even kick and scream, but every single one of the children she has fostered has adapted and thrived in the daily structure of her household for the duration of their stays.
      Malia and Sasha strike me as smart little cookies, and I suspect they are going to read with flashlights, fudge on the pooper scooping, and otherwise push their limits — not to mention their parents’ tolerance levels in ways we will never know.
      I salute and admire their parents for keeping the lights low in the White House fish bowl and for striving for normalcy, whatever that is in any American family.
      They will not be sorry, and neither will their beautiful girls.

    Contact Margaret Dickson at editor@upandcomingweekly.com 

  •   Parking has always been an issue and problem in historic Downtown Fayetteville. No matter how many times it’s discussed, the problems plaguing the downtown merchants are always articulated and acknowledged but solutions are never forthcoming.
      Well, at this writing a solution may be on the horizon. The Fayetteville City Council is considering (and hopefully approving)a plan to initiate paid parking on downtown streets and parking lots. This is surely a step in the right direction.
      {mosimage}Currently, the existing two hour free parking privilege downtown is pretty ridiculous as a tool to draw visitors and commerce to our city’s center. First, the two-hour limit really doesn’t leave much time for guests, tourists and visitors to enjoy city venues, shop or dine. Second, the constant presence and visibility of McLaurin’s Parking Police, better known as the “ticket Gestapo,” creates an intimidating and negative atmosphere as they walk and stalk city streets relentlessly in search of wayward parking violators. With pencils, pads and computers in hand, these motivated revenue vultures are not necessarily the best image for a downtown trying to build a warm, inviting, friendly and economically vibrant business model. Even many of the downtown  merchants and business owners cannot blame potential customers from staying away. And, they are.
      However, a new day will dawn if this new parking plan is adopted with a $4 per day maximum parking fee. I like it and it can be the “real deal” if, of course, the program is implemented correctly and with dignity. We shouldn’t get over zealous in the enforcement of this new plan. The thought of a daily crew out towing cars and applying restraining boots on the car tires of parking violators is as unpleasant as the sight itself. Again, stalking parking violators is not a viable way to raise revenues for the city or create goodwill.
      Downtown Fayetteville is beautiful and should be a fun and enjoyable destination. The new parking plan presents a great opportunity for downtown merchants and businesses to market and promote their services to the community. They can say “Com on down, and stay all day (for only $4 bucks)!” How cool is that? In addition, the Downtown Alliance, in conjunction with the Chamber of Commerce has an opportunity to launch an aggressive marketing campaign promoting the virtues of downtown, taking full advantage of the new parking opportunities. There’s no end to the ways they can promote downtown — but it needs to be fun! They can promote “shop local-shop downtown;” run contests, validate parking tickets, have prize drawings, do cash give aways and provide “bounce backs” to promote and build traffic and loyalty. Most importantly, brand downtown as a “fun” place to give those who venture downtown a reason to return.
      Ultimately we need a parking deck (in the correct location). Until then, let’s make it as easy and fair as possible for people to come visit and enjoy downtown Fayetteville.
      Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly. Now available online.

    Contact Bill Bowman at bill@upandcomingweekly.com


  • I think my wife of 20 years is trying to kill me. She’s insisting we need her late mother’s dishes. We have a perfectly good set of everyday dishes, plus plates with ugly hand-painted fruit, other expensive dishes, boxed-up Fiestaware, and fancy china that’s been packed away since our wedding. We already possess over four dozen plates, and we’re just two people, and never have people over. The dishes are only the latest addition. Our house is exploding with stuff: hundreds of books that will never be read, shelf upon shelf of glassware that’s never used, a basement of children’s toys that haven’t seen the light of day for years. Is there something imbedded in female DNA compelling women to hoard things?  — Terrified

    It must be tempting to give her an ultimatum: “Bring one more teacup into this house, and I’m renting a bull.” Unfortunately, she’s unlikely to respond by chucking plates at you. And, as you’ve surely observed, plying her with reason only makes her cling to all that crockery that much more tenaciously. That isn’t because she’s a woman. Hoarding seems to be a human instinct — one we share with squirrels.
    Hoarders tend to be “perfectionistic and indecisive,” says hoarding expert Dr. Randy O. Frost. Because they’re afraid of making mistakes, they have difficulty assessing whether they’ll have future need for, say, those {mosimage}Richard Nixon-head salt and pepper shakers. Frost explains that saving allows them to avoid making a decision, and to avoid the chance that any decision will be the wrong one. For Frost and his colleagues, mere “hoarding behavior” like your wife’s crosses the line into a “clinical” hoarding problem when living spaces can no longer be used as intended, and when there’s “significant distress or impairment in functioning.” Frost’s study didn’t say how the woman recognized she had a problem, but I’m guessing it was hard to deny once her kids had to climb out the window to catch the school bus.
    Because you and your wife aren’t likely to end up like a 43-year-old Bronx man — trapped for two days under an avalanche of a decade’s worth of newspapers, magazines, and junk mail — she isn’t likely to go for the cognitive behavioral therapy that’s helped some clinical hoarders. Probably your best appeal comes out of the work of 18th century economist Adam Smith, who noted that sympathy compels people to put others’ interests first. Tell her you understand these things are meaningful to her, but you’re unhappy and feeling smothered, and ask how can you work together to change that.
  •   Though India is recognized as a world leader in promoting the health benefits of urine, its dominance will be assured by the end of the year when a cow-urine-based soft drink comes to market. Om Prakash, chief of the Cow Protection Department of the RSS organization (India’s largest Hindu nationalist group), trying to reassure a Times of London reporter in February, promised, “It won’t smell like urine and will be tasty, too,” noting that medicinal herbs would be added and toxins removed. In addition to improved health, he said, India needs a domestic (and especially Hindu) beverage to compete with the foreign influence of Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

    Government In Action
      After 50 years’ separation following their adoptions by separate families, identical twins Rosabelle Glasby of Australia and Dorothy Loader of Malaysia were reunited in September 2008 after a years-long search by Glasby, and she applied to bring Loader to Australia under the country’s family migration policy. However, in January, the Department of Immigration and Citizenship ruled that, under the law, Loader is not related to Glasby (in that the adoption wipes out birth status).

    Change We Can Believe In: In December, the city council in Brighton, Mich., passed an ordinance making it illegal for anyone to be “annoying” in public, “by word of mouth, sign or motions.” Violators can be ticketed and fined.

    States That Need Better Training in Arithmetic: Two Maryland officials (reportedly new on the job) made a simple error in addition in 2007 (in estimating counties’ property values) that was revealed in January 2009 to have cost state offices $31 million in overpayments, according to a Washington Post report.
    In October, the Dallas school district was forced to lay off 375 teachers to ameliorate an $84 million deficit caused by a massive math error in the budget, according to a report by WFAA-TV.
    Earlier, He Could’ve Gotten a Mortgage, Too: In a December test of the laxness of New York City’s property-ownership office, a New York Daily News reporter walked out of the city’s register of deeds with title to the $2 billion Empire State Building. His fake purchase document, with a fake notary public stamp and a fake “witness” signature (of “Fay Wray,” star of the original “King Kong”), took 90 minutes to convert to an official deed, which of course came as a great surprise to Empire State Land Associates, to whose shocked representative the reporter “returned” the property the next day. 

  •   Click the Image for UCW's Online Edition!

        Like a wheel of fortune, recent events surrounding the 2009 Cumberland County Fair — scheduled for Sept. 10-20 at the Crown Center Complex — have seemingly left the very name of the fair in the hands of fate.
        Robert E. Lee, a resident of Linden and a Goodyear retiree, formed a nonprofit corporation called the Cumberland County Fair on Dec. 24. 2008, apparently taking possession of the name of the agricultural fair which Cumberland County has put on since 1992.
        {mosimage} Lee’s filing through the North Carolina Department of the Secretary of State has set up what something of a showdown between the county and Lee: Cumberland County Attorney Grainger Barrett mailed a letter to Lee on Jan. 28 informing him that he should “cease and desist” from attempting to use the name Cumberland County Fair, as the county “owns and asserts exclusive rights to the trademark and name Cumberland County Fair.”
        Lee maintains the county does not own the name, since it has never incorporated the title. Lee says he discovered the county had never incorporated the name in December after he went before the Crown Civic Center Commission and presented a proposal to take over the operation of the fair. For the past 11 years, Hubert Bullard, the fair manager, and the Ohio-based company J&J Amusements, have overseen the fair. Bullard’s relationship with the county was terminated in October 2008, following an incident in which several Crown employees, including then Crown CEO Paul Beard, were implicated in alleged unethical behavior. Bullard petitioned the Civic Center Commission to extend his contract through this year’s fair, but the commission voted against the request.
        Lee, who helped coordinate the fair when it fell under the auspices of the Cumberland County Jaycees, threw his hat into the ring when the commission denied Bullard’s request.
        “I was just trying to do a good thing for the county because they had never incorporated the title, which is illegal according to Article 45 of the North Carolina state statutes on agricultural societies and fairs,” said Lee, “and they shot me down.”
        Complicating matters is the fact that Lee plans to start his own fair in early September, pre-empting the county’s event. Lee told Up & Coming Weekly that he is indeed planning on putting together a fair in “early September,” though he has no set dates, location or name for the fair. However, a document received by the publisher of Up & Coming Weekly from an alleged associate of Lee said the event will be called the Cape Fear Regional Fair and will be held at the Fayetteville Motor Speedway, though no specific dates have been announced. Several telephone calls to Fayetteville Motor Speedway concerning the status of the proposed fair were not returned by press time.
        Barrett not only refutes Lee’s claims that the county is required by state law to incorporate the name Cumberland County Fair in order to use that title, but also notes that it is illegal, according to some of the same statutes cited by Lee, to hold a competing fair 30 days before or after an established county agricultural fair.
        “We (the county) have filed for and received a permit every year to operate an agricultural fair,” said Barrett. “It is illegal to call yourself a fair if you are not an agricultural fair. The Cumberland County Fair has been promoted and put on and licensed by the North Carolina Department of Agriculture since 1992.”
        Barrett is referring to Article 45, statute 106516.1, which states that not only must a carnival or similar amusement receive a permit from the county’s sheriff, “no permit shall be issued if he (the sheriff) shall find the requested exhibition date is less than 30 days prior to a regularly advertised agricultural fair. Exhibition without a permit from the sheriff of the county in which the exhibition is to be held shall constitute a Class 1 misdemeanor.”
        On Jan. 8 — several weeks after Lee filed to incorporate the name Cumberland County Fair — Lee was mailed a letter by Crown Center Interim CEO Karen Long informing him that his proposal to take over operations of the fair had been turned down by the commission and that the fair contract had been awarded to J&J Amusements. According to the letter, the Crown Center is “currently in discussion with them (J&J Amusements) regarding the possibility of expanding both their role and that of the Crown Center staff for the 2009 fair.”
        Lee says that by using a company located outside Cumberland County to operate the fair, the Crown Center is taking money away from the county.
        “They need to use more local vendors so we can keep that money here,” said Lee. “And besides, the fair is supposed to be providing money for charities and such and not one dime has been given to the 4H or anyone else here in Cumberland County.”
        Bullard — who is working as a consultant with J&J Amusements for the 2009 fair — argues that the fair was never set up to make a lot of money, but to reward the citizens of Cumberland County by recognizing the hard work of the agricultural community.
        “The county fair is a showcase for local agricultural education and the livestock programs,” said Bullard. “These folks, both young and old, use the fair to show what a good job they’ve done over the year; that was our goal and I think we achieved it.”
        Bullard adds that attendance has grown from the first year of the fair from 8,000 to more than 50,000 at the 2008 event.
    Long added that the fair does contribute to the local economy.
        “Some of the local counties don’t have agricultural fairs and so those folks come to our fair and spend money here,” said Long. “Also, the vendors and the people who work for the fair spend money in our restaurants and hotels.”
        Barrett said the county is currently negotiating with Lee and his lawyer, Andy Dempster, about the use of the name Cumberland County Fair and hopes to avoid legal action.

  •   The success of this wholly unremarkable movie is frankly surprising. Over a month after its initial release it is still hovering near the bottom of the box office top 10 list. I freely admit I don’t get the appeal. Male lead Kevin James is just not that funny, his mustache is really irritating, and his sad sack shtick doesn’t strike me as all that side-splitting. I am not even really sure why he rates this kind of indulgent vanity project. It works (barely) as a Die Hard satire, but completely falls flat in the cop comedy genre (Dragnet. Hot Fuzz. Bad Lieutenant. Now there are some funny movies about cops that made me laugh out loud). 
      Once upon a time, Paul Blart (Kevin James) wanted to enter the New Jersey State Police Academy. He ran the course well, only to pass out due to hypoglycemia. See, in the original Die Hard, it was the broken glass and cut-up feet that “die hard” had to cope with; here it is a sugar problem.  The similarities will continue.
      {mosimage}Blart lives with his mother (Shirley Knight?  What has she been doing since As Good As it Gets?) and daughter (Raini Rodriguez, who is playing this role with far too much pose and maturity). He supports his little family with a mall security job at a really awesome mall which has BOTH a Teavana AND a Rainforest Café. Unfortunately, he gets no respect, despite taking his job three times as seriously as everyone else. Over an introductory dinner, the exposition fairy sprinkles plot points throughout the dialogue, setting up the character relationships and weaknesses.
      Blart is assigned to train Veck Sims (Keir O’Donnell, who is scheduled to appear in five movies this year). During their special time, Blart meets and fixates on a kiosk owner, Amy (Jayma Mays…OMG it’s CHARLIE from Heroes!). She seems to be pretty into him, which is kind, but not at all believable. She invites him out for drinks with the rest of the mall employees, including that guy from Old School, that guy from The Wedding Singer, and that guy from For Love or Money.
      The action kicks into gear (a little too late in the movie, honestly) on Black Friday, when a group of robbers codenamed for Santa’s eight tiny reindeer (and Rudolph) seize the mall while Blart is playing in the arcade. Again, just like in Die Hard, Blart has outside assistance (only through a cell phone instead of a walkie-talkie). His partner, Pahud (Adhir Kalyan) assists him at several crucial moments.
      The robbers are planning to use the mall’s credit card records to steal $30 million, although I may have dozed off while they were explaining exactly how that was supposed to work. The unlikely hero (except, since this is a movie, obviously he is the likely hero) manages to take out the bad guys (and one bad girl), but will he get his dream girl? 
      If nothing else, it seems like Happy Madison productions tried to make a nice little family comedy without being too mean about it (fat jokes aside).  The humor is a little crude but not over the top, and the family scenes are nicely written even if they seem a little too forced. But the narrative is very inconsistent, the timeline confusing, and the character motivations are completely puzzling. So, three stars for making me smile, but there’s really nothing else exciting to talk about.

    Contact Heather Griffifths at editor@upandcomingweekly.com

  •   What started out as a husband/wife team playing weddings and store openings years ago has blossomed into a lively, entertaining family business of champion fiddlers and world-ranked step dancers.
      On March 20, at the Carolina Civic Center in Lumberton, you’ll get to see the fruits of that union when the Hunt Family Fiddlers perform their eclectic mix of Celtic, bluegrass and inspirational tunes.
      {mosimage}Despite their success, making it big in show business was not the aim of the band, says band matriarch Sandy Hunt. She says the progression from small time to world class was just a byproduct of the family’s love of music.
      “My husband and I, we just loved music,” said Hunt. “We played music at the house and then we would always play for local hospitals and nursing homes and then our name started to spread.” 
      Once the family started to grow, the kids became a part of the band — all seven of them. Their musical progeny range in age from 10 to 19. You can see performance videos as well as read the bios of the whole clan at the Web site, www.huntfamilyfiddlers.com.
      “I am the music teacher,” said Hunt. “When they were all kids growing up I taught them to play music —now that they are older, their dad has taught them to play guitar.”
      The  group decided to implement Riverdance-style step dancing into the act when Hunt received a call from a dance school.
      “I had an Irish dance school call and ask if I would teach their dance students how to fiddle,” said Hunt. “I told them that I would teach them how to fiddle if they taught us how to dance. So we just joined together and brought music and dance together — and what a blessing that has been to our family.”  
      While raising a family can be trying under any conditions, the Hunt Family’s faith plays a role in coping with such an unconventional lifestyle.
      “There is a lot that goes into a family... but our family is strong in our faith and we hold onto our hope,” said Hunt. “You can go a long way just being kind to each other; kindness can send people very far and that is the message we are always trying to send to the younger kids in our family.
      “Try to say good things, try to do good things and if you are talking about other people, remember the words on your lips,” said Hunt. “Life can be hard — you need to see the value of the days that you do have.”
      The show starts at 8 p.m. and the tickets are $15. Carolina Civic Center is located 315 Chestnut St. in downtown Lumberton. Call the Carolina Civic Center at 738 – 4339 or go to www.carolinaciviccenter.com for more information.

      Contact Stephanie Crider at editor@upandcomingweekly.com

  •   Let the Battle Begin!
      Those were the words spoken by Belinda Cashwell, director of media services for Cumberland County Schools, to kick off the second and final day of the 16th annual Cumberland County Schools Battle of the Books Middle School Competition.
     {mosimage} While the ‘battle’ took place Feb. 25-26 in Fayetteville State University’s Shaw Auditorium,  the war is far from over. The first place team, John Griffin Middle School, will go on to compete against 12 other counties in the Region 4 competition in Tabor City on March 11. Before that, the final state competition, representing the top teams of 100 counties in North Carolina, will be held on May 8 at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro.
      Finishing second to John Griffin Middle School was Hope Mills Middle School, while Max Abbott Middle School took third and Pine Forest Middle School placed fourth. Pine Forest was also tabbed as Most Improved.
      John Griffin Middle School has won the Cumberland County competition in previous years and has placed second and fourth overall at the state level.
      All 16 of Cumberland County’s middle schools competed in the Battle of the Books competition. This year’s event covered a list of 28 books, with teams consisting of six to 12 students plus coaches from each school. During this year’s two-day competition, teams answered questions developed by the state, earning two points for a correct title and an additional point for a correct author. Overall, 960 questions were asked. Teams were allowed to challenge a question if they felt they had given the correct answer.   Of the four challenges presented over the course of the two-day competition, three resulted in correct points being awarded. 
      In preparation for the event, Cathy Storkamp, coach for Douglas Byrd Middle School, had her students meet every school morning and once or twice a week after school to practice by staging a “mock” competition.  Deneen Stanley, one of the coaches for Lewis Chapel Middle School, said that her team practiced during the school week and in January started meeting on Saturday mornings at Books A Million. 
      All teams were recognized and awarded for participation with medallions.
  • I’m a musician and am curious about what the guitar industry is doing to ensure that the wood it uses is not destroying forests.            
             — Chris Wiedemann, Ronkonkoma, NY

      Though it has not received a lot of press to date, the industry is on the case—in part for the sake of its own survival, and thanks to the hard work of a handful of green groups, guitar makers and wood suppliers.
      {mosimage}In 1996, Gibson, one of the world’s premier guitar brands, became the first in the industry to make some of its instruments using wood certified as “sustainably harvested” by the nonprofit Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). By 2006, some 42 percent of the wood purchased by the company for its Gibson USA electric guitars came from FSC-certified sources. By 2012, Gibson expects to increase that to 80 percent.
      Gibson isn’t the only instrument maker greening up its footprint: Taylor, Fender, Martin, Guild, Walden and Yamaha, along with Gibson, have signed on as partners with the Music Wood Coalition, a project of the leading environmental non-profit Greenpeace. The coalition, which is also made up of a half-dozen tonewood suppliers, hopes its efforts will protect threatened forest habitats and safeguard the future of trees critical in manufacturing instruments of all kinds. Eco-advocates and guitar makers alike fear that the spruce, maple, mahogany, ebony and rosewood trees that have been the foundation of the wooden instrument industry for years are being cut down faster than they can be replaced.

      The coalition’s initial focus is on halting the aggressive deforestation going on in Southeast Alaska. Greenpeace has been in talks with Sealaska Timber Corporation, one of the biggest logging operations in Alaska, to get 190,000 acres of the company’s privately owned Southeast Alaska timberland — a prime source of Sitka spruce, a wood coveted by instrument makers for its use in guitar soundboards — certified by FSC. Greenpeace Forest Campaign Coordinator Scott Paul views getting these forestlands certified as an important win-win opportunity for Sealaska, which wants to maintain a viable income stream, and for instrument makers who need a dependable source of resonant, durable and beautiful woods.
      “These [private] lands are going to be logged,” says Paul. But with FSC oversight, he says, the forests can be managed sustainably. And the process is already underway, with the first part of the two-step certification process already completed. “Our goal is to create a demand…for FSC certified ‘good wood’ as the only acceptable music wood from the North American coastal temperate rainforest,” adds Paul.
      Guitar makers know that the woods they’ve used for years might not continue to be had at the quantities and low prices they’re used to, but they are willing to adapt: “Alternative woods are the key to successful guitars,” says Bob Taylor of Taylor Guitars, which has been a pioneer in the use of exotic and sustainably harvested tonewoods in their high quality acoustic guitars. “But the market needs to go there all together.”
      Tradition is a huge driving force, agrees Paul. “Players expect a spruce soundboard, a mahogany neck, an ebony or rosewood bridge.” There needs to be a leap of faith in changing markets, he says, where people are becoming more environmentally conscious.
      CONTACTS: Gibson USA, www.gibson.com; Forest Stewardship Council, www.fscus.org; Greenpeace Music Wood Coalition, www.musicwood.org; Taylor Guitars, www.taylorguitars.com.
      GOT AN ENVIRONMENTAL QUESTION? Send it to: EarthTalk, c/o E/The Environmental Magazine, P.O. Box 5098, Westport, CT 06881; submit it at: www.emagazine.com/earthtalk/thisweek/, or e-mail: earthtalk@emagazine.com. archives.php.


  •   How many times in the past two years have you heard it proclaimed that roller derby is back in Fayetteville? Now add it once more to your list. The ladies of Rogue Rollergirls want you to know that there is more to us than meets the eye. We have put together a season of flat track roller derby that will have you clinging to your seats at the start of every jam. Come prepared to shout and cheer as your favorite skaters battle with competition from around the East Coast.
      {mosimage}Check our schedule for the latest dates for upcoming bouts. Our next home contest is March 29 as the Rogue Rollergirls take on the Columbia Quad Squad from South Carolina. The Quad Squad, spurred on by last year’s loss, returns to avenge its good name. Cheer Rogue to victory as the girls protect their undefeated home title. 
     Come back for more on May 10 and watch Fayetteville’s home teams, the Black Mambas and  Cherry Belles, wage war on the track. On June 7, it’s the Richland Regulators from South Carolina ready for a showdown with the Rogue Rollergirls. 
      Tickets are available online at etix.com or visit Edward McKay’s on Bragg Boulevard. Ed McKay’s now carries Rogue Merchandise!
      Still haven’t gotten your fill? What is this thing called roller derby that is sweeping the nation?  Rogue’s very own Rachel Sumja, aka Bull Lee, first introduced roller derby to Fayetteville back in 2006 and never looked back. Want to know more about the women of derby? Find out more in the Rogue Report where we will feature skaters, refs, and coaches. Learn how the game is played. See skaters in action on the track. 
      Think this game is for you?  Want to know how to get involved?  Walk or roll on down to the next Rogue practice at Round-A-Bout, 880 Elm St., on Thursdays, 7:30-9:30 p.m. and on Sundays, 10 a.m. to noon  Make sure you look for the Rogue Report for all things roller derby.
  • BAZAAR AND BAKE SALE

      The Sharing Hearts Ministry of Mt. Carmel Church will have its Spring Bazaar and Bake Sale on March 14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Mt. Carmel Church to benefit Women’s Ministries and the ministries it supports.
      There will be a variety of vendors at the event, which, among other groups will be raising money for CORA’S — Community Out-Reach Services. CORA’S is the vision of Lynda Branch, who formed the nonprofit to help the members of the community in the following areas:
      •Career and Financial Planning
      •Computer Training
      •Drug and Alcohol Program
      •Youth Orientation Ministry
      •Post Abortion Counseling
      •GED Classes
      •Abstinence Program
      •Pregnancy Testing
      •Parental Relationships
      •Prenatal Care
      “Pastor Wiley Hughes has been a Godsend for us,” said Branch. “I don’t know if we could function without what he and Mt. Carmel have done for us financially.”
    Renee Gibbs, director of Women’s Ministry, says CORA’S is just one of the many organization the church helps.
      “Pastor Wiley is very cognizant of the needs of the community,” said Gibbs. “He is very giving.”
      For more information about the Spring Bazaar and Bake Sale, call Gibbs at 257-5109 or check out the church’s Web site, www.mountcarmelchurch.net.

    FAYETTEVILLE GETS TREE CITY AWARD FOR SEVENTH YEAR

      The city of Fayetteville has been named a Tree City USA for the seventh year by the Arbor Day Foundation. The award recognizes cities nationally for their commitment to community forestry.
      Municipalities must meet four standards to gain the distinction: having a tree board or department, a tree care ordinance, a comprehensive community forestry program and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation. The city met the criteria by having members of the Joint Appearance Committee serve on a tree board, enforcing a tree ordinance for public land and by Parks & Recreation staff planting, pruning, irrigating and fertilizing trees. Parks and Recreation also selects the trees, making sure they grow well in Fayetteville. Mayor Chavonne presented a proclamation for Arbor Day and there were tree plantings at Cape Fear Botanical Garden and five schools.
      “A community, its elected officials and its citizens that provide needed care for its trees deserves recognition and thanks,” said John Rosenow, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Trees are a vital component of the infrastructure in our cities and towns, and they also provide environmental and economical benefits. Cities that are recognized with a Tree City USA designation go to great lengths to plant and care for the community forest.”
      Chavonne said the award shows the city’s continued commitment to the environment.
      “In winning this award for the seventh straight year, the city has proven that we are dedicated to our goal of a more attractive city,” he said. “Being a green city helps our environment and affects our economic development and appearance in so many positive ways. This Tree City USA award is further inspiration to our community that we are making strides and that those efforts do make a difference.”

  •   In April 2008, the Cape Fear Regional Theatre staged a Southern tour d’force, as Good ‘Ol Girls hit the stage. The play, written by Jill McCorkle and Lee Smith, brought rave reviews from local audiences and drew the attention of UNC-TV.
      On Friday, March 6, the CFRT will host a red carpet premier of the play, which UNC-TV filmed. The television broadcast of the play is scheduled for April 22.
    The premier party is open to the public, and will feature a wine tasting and hors d’oeuvres from 6:30-8 p.m., with a screening of the production at 8 p.m. The authors will be on hand to celebrate this important event in the life of the theatre.
      {mosimage}The musical’s title tells you what the play is all about. To quote the play, good ‘ol girls “know that big hair and a big heart do not mean a small mind.” They also love to go to Myrtle Beach with the girls and have been saved more than once.
      The show, which featured Pamela Bob, Kendra Goehring, Libby Seymour, Gina Stewart, Cassandra Vallery and Liza Vann, tells the story of a group of Southern women from birth to the grave. It’s told in vignettes, with music interspersed throughout.
      According to Bo Thorp, the artistic director of the theatre, “This is a play about women. It tackles women’s issues at various times in their lives — particulalry Good ‘Ol Girls who you can find anywhere in the South.”
      The stories were written by Smith and McCorkle, and most of them are rooted in reality. Many of these vignettes were written before the two first ladies of Southern literature collaborated on the play.
      Smith and McCorkle are both noted N.C. authors. Smith and McCorkle have a passion for storytelling. The kind of laugh-out-loud storytelling that is rooted in the uniqueness of the South.
      The songs were written by Marshall Chapman and Matraca Berg, both noted songwriters.
      Officials from UNC-TV were intrigued when they heard about the play and made a visit to the theatre to see the play on stage. They were won over, and brought a film crew in to film the play before it closed.
      What the rest of the state will see on television, many local residents saw first hand, and to celebrate the achievement, the theatre hopes they’ll return for the premier.
      Tickets for the premier party are $30, and can be purchased by calling the CFRT box office at  (910) 323-4233. 
  •   The Gilbert Theater presents On the Verge — a tale of exploration of time, place and space — starting March 19 and running through April 5.
      The play is written by Eric Overmyer, directed and designed by Paul Wilson; Elysa Lenczyk is in charge of stage management.
      “The basic plot features three Victorian era ladies who set out to explore terra incognita,” said Wilson. “This word is Latin and means unknown land.”
    Wilson added that they are not really exploring space: they are exploring the future, circa the 1950s.         
      {mosimage}The cast includes Caroline DePew, Sharyn Beal, Sandra Epperson and Paul Woolverton. DePew plays Alex, who is the youngest of the group. She experiences momentary flashes of insight from the future and loves to play with language. In the ‘50s she becomes a rock ‘n’ roll songwriter and dabbles in writing Burma-Shave jingles.
    Woolverton plays Alphonse, Grover, the Gorge Troll, the Yeti, Gus, Madame Nhu, Mr. Coffee and Nicky Paradise — these are the human landmarks the women run into on their journey to the future. Beal plays Fanny, who is the middle member of the team. She is the most conservative and middle-class but, like Alex, she also blossoms in the ‘50s. The path that she chooses is more of a Father Knows Best kind of existence.
      Epperson plays Mary, who is the oldest of the three women. She is the most adventurous and the only one who does not choose to remain frozen in the popular culture of the ‘50s. 
      The Gilbert, founded in 1994 by Lynn Pryer, is a community theater located in the heart of historic downtown Fayetteville. Its mission is to give local artists, actors and musicians a place and an opportunity to showcase their talents. The theater has produced more than 80 contemporary and classical theatrical productions. Some of their diverse projects and productions entail the creation of a standing company of Commedia dell’Arte (a form of improvisational theater started in 15th-century Italy) actors, a children’s puppet show, a special performance for a blind audience, staged readings, workshops on theater production, a statewide playwriting competition, recognition of new writers and the production of plays. The theater has incorporated a student review night that consists of high school students meeting the director and the cast. A concerted effort is made to involve students on and off the stage. Accolades include Best Performance/Play in Up & Coming Weekly’s 2008 Best of Fayetteville issue , as well as being featured in Our State Magazine in February, 2007 and featured in the PBS show North Carolina Weekend.          
      The ticket cost for On the Verge is $10. Reservations are highly recommended. For more information call 678-7186.

    Contact Shanessa Fenner at editor@upandcomingweekly.com

  •   Looking to get your Scotch on?
      If you’re of Scottish descent, love all things Scottish, or simply enjoy tartan and bagpipes, then the Charles Bascombe Shaw Memorial Scottish Heritage Symposium is for you.
      The event will be held March 20-22 at St. Andrews Presbyterian College, with a special “Kirkin of the Tartans Worship Service” at Laurinburg Presbyterian Church.
      The event includes world-renowned lecturers from around the world speaking on all things Scottish, as well as internationally known musical performers, such as award-winning songstress Isla St. Clair.
      Though held in the appropriately named Scotland County, the event has Cumberland County roots. It started in 1989 as a celebration of the coming of the first Highland Scots to this region and was initially organized by the Museum of the Cape Fear. After five years it was discontinued and the event was taken over by the staff of St. Andrews, among whom was Bill Caudill, who was on the original Scottish Heritage steering committee and who now teaches, among other things, a bagpipe course at St. Andrews.
      “It’s really just taken off as an event,” said Caudill. “It’s a chance for local folks to get in touch with their Scottish roots. I really don’t think people understand the influence the Scots who emigrated to this area have had on the culture. You can even see it in the architecture.”
      The event will kick off on March 20, 11 a.m., with a ribbon cutting for the relocated Scottish Heritage Center, followed shortly by registration. Highlights for the rest of the day include lectures by Scottish professors and intellectuals, followed by a reception at the William Henry Belk College Center. The day will finish up with the Scottish Heritage Awards Banquet at the William Henry Belk College Center at 7 p.m.
      The fun continues on Saturday with late registration from 9-9:30 a.m., followed by a presentation called “Bagpipes in the Movies” by Patrick King from 9:30-10:30 a.m.
      Events scheduled for the rest of the day include:
      •Early Scottish Farmsteads in the Eastern Carolinas, Bridget O’Brein;
      •The Songs of Scotland, Isla St. Clair;
      •Local Resources for Global Communities, Eleanore Harris;
      •Panel discussion and questions.
      Saturday finishes up with a concert at 7:30 p.m. featuring the prize-winning St. Andrews Presbyterian College Pipe Band with Isla St. Clair.
      On Sunday, the Kirkin of the Tartans Worship Service will kick off at 11 a.m. at Laurinburg Presbyterian Church.
      For more information, call Tim Van Hooser at (910) 277-5258. Also, you can check out the Web site www.sapc.edu for additional information.

     

  •   The Jack Britt High School district is experiencing growing pains; if current predictions come true, those pains will worsen significantly in the near future. 
    BRAC, the Base Closure and Realignment process at Fort Bragg, will bring approximately 40,000 people to the area by the relocation deadline of Aug. 15, 2011. This number includes U.S. Forces Command, U.S. Army Reserve Command, civilian employees, contractors and their families.
      It is the family component that has officials with Cumberland County Schools concerned. According to local officials, both elementary schools in the Jack Britt district (Stoney Point Elementary and E.M. Honeycutt Elementary), the middle school (John Griffin Middle School) and Jack Britt itself are already operating beyond capacity. Estimates project 6,000 new students in the western part of the county by 2013. While all those children won’t be enrolling in the Britt district, these traditionally high-performing schools and the availability of new housing in the western portion of the county is very attractive for families moving to the area. Honeycutt and Stoney Point have high End of Grade scores; John Griffin’s successes have designated it as a National School to Watch; and Britt has a recent principal of the year, high test scores and the acclaimed Academy of Integrated Technology.
      Dana Faircloth, a realtor with Remax Premiere Properties, says computer-savvy parents research which communities offer a reasonable commute to Fort Bragg; she says they also look at school report cards as well as awards received — items that make Britt attractive to prospective new residents.
      “When I do a listing the first thing I write is Jack Britt school district,” said Faircloth. “It’s what my clients are looking for.” 
      She says location is the backbone of her business and her clients see a variety of affordable housing in the district — both apartments and homes.
      John Griffin Middle School opened 10 years ago with 750 students and currently has nearly 1,400, making it roughly the same size as Southview High School. Mike Mangum, the principal at Griffin Middle School, says he uses varying schedules (both block and standard), utilizes every inch of space (including six new huts) and stringent hallway regulations to maintain the school’s high level of performance. Mangum said he believes the district can meet the coming challenges successfully as long as funding is available to build new schools.
     {mosimage} “The only way this will become a problem is if we can’t build new schools,” said Mangum. “Unless you’re in the hallways during class changes you can’t tell we have 1,400 students here.”
      Conrad Lopes, the Jack Britt principal, is also convinced his school can handle the coming population surge if new schools are built and the county maintains a dialogue with the military to ascertain that changes in the community to assist old and new residents alike.
      “We have a unit with six new classrooms so we don’t have overcrowding yet.,” said Lopes. “The central office does such a great job I don’t forsee this as a problem.”
    Cumberland County Commissioner Breeden Blackwell said it’s still a guessing game as to how much money the school system will need to handle the influx of students.     He said he anticipates the federal government “will surely send money, we just don’t know how much or how it will be allocated.” 
      Blackwell said that the commissioners are aware of the overcrowding situation in the Jack Britt district and realizes it district faces challenges because it has “very attractive, high performing schools.”
      Blackwell said meeting the educational difficulties is only one of the problems the western portion of the county will face, as the expected growth brings with it worries about roads, water, sewers and development standards.
      “Frankly, everybody is in a little quandary,” said Blackwell.
      However Blackwell says he is certain that, “BRAC is going to be a blessing for our community and there is no downside if we get the money to make it work.”


  •   “When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro.”
      Thus spake the late great Hunter S. Thompson. Thompson could have been passing out a prescription for how to survive the Great Recession we are currently enjoying. Times are weird — face-eating chimpanzees, lawsuits over Geronimo’s skull, and zombie banks stalk the length and breadth of the Homeland. It’s time to turn pro. Oddities are oozing out of the woodwork everywhere you look. As the economy melts down, there is little relief in sight. Like the sailor who killed the albatross in Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the wizards of Wall Street and the barons of big banking have killed the Ponzi scheme that was America’s financial shell game.
     We are stuck in a frozen financial system like the Ancient Mariner’s ship was driven into the Antarctic ice. Ponder what the glittering eyed Ancient Mariner said about his stranded vessel and compare it to the nightly financial news: “Water, water, everywhere/ And all the boards did shrink/Water, water, everywhere/Nor any drop to drink.” You still have your shares of stock. You still get a 401(k) statement but the shares don’t have drinkability like the Beer ad promises. Like Gershwin’s song says, “I got plenty of nothing/And nothing’s plenty for me/I got no car/got no mule/got no misery.”
      So in the midst of the Great Recession we need diversions. The weirder the better, to distract us from the troubles. The Titanic has already sunk so we can’t rearrange its deck chairs but we can admire the weirdness that is exploding across the fruited plain. Let us consider some of the more unusual events of recent history.
      We’ve all heard of the untimely end of Travis, the 200-pound chimp who lived the abundant life with his human companion Sandra Herold in New York City. Travis and Sandra were quite the item. They bathed together, drank wine together and slept in the same bed. Life was great for the Simian and the Simpleton until that fateful day when a visitor came to see Sandra. Travis went ape and attacked the visitor putting her into the hospital with life-threatening injuries. Travis was dispatched to primate posterity by the New York Police Department.
      {mosimage}How about the colorful, privileged lads of the secret Skull & Bones fraternity at Yale? The Skull and Boneheads are made up of affluent folks who went on to be presidents, senators, and wizards of Wall Street. Descendants of Geronimo recently sued the Boneheads and various government agencies alleging that the Boneheads were hiding Geronimo’s skull in their secret clubhouse in New Haven, Conn. The suit alleges that Prescott Bush stole Geronimo’s skull and some of his bones from his burial place in Fort Sill, Okla., back in 1918. Prescott Bush was the father of President George H. Bush and grandfather of President George W. Bush. The Bonehead dudes are alleged to be keeping Geronimo’s skull in a glass case to use in their double secret initiation rites. Bonehead pledges are supposed to have to kiss Geronimo’s skull to join the club. How would you feel if your grandfather’s skull was being kissed by drunken frat boys? Grave robbing is frowned upon unless you’re really rich and socially well-connected. Geronimo’s descendants want their granddaddy back and buried in one piece. It will be interesting to see if the Boneheads plead adverse possession of Geronimo’s skull in an effort to keep it for future fraternity frolics.
      In keeping with the spirit of zombie banks, consider a recent literary offering: Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice has been revised and updated. Her book has been rewritten with the same characters but to spice things up, zombies have been added to the plot. The new book is now titled Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. The publisher proudly announced the new book has “all new scenes of bone-crunching zombie mayhem.” I choke up when I think how far America is ahead of the rest of the world in utilizing our greatest underutilized resource, the undead. Global warming can be cured by the low carbon footprint of zombies.
      If we can recycle zombies into classic works of literature, it is only a matter of time before the Great Recession joins the undead. Joy will reign once again in Mudville when the Great Recession strikes out.

    Contact Pitt Dickey at editor@upandcomingweekly.com

  •   Many of us of a certain age have had that arresting and unsettling experience of catching an unexpected glimpse of ourselves in a mirror and thinking, “Oh, my word! Who is that old person?!”  We are invariably stunned when we realize, “C’est moi!”
      This must be a universal experience for human beings since someone figured out who that image in the still water really was.  But my generation, the huge, aging bump in the demographic snake known as the Baby Boomers, is fighting back. Apparently, many of us intend to keep going just like we always have despite all evidence to the contrary.
     {mosimage} I need to come clean on this. I have attended every yoga class I could for a decade.  Nowadays, three mornings a week, on a good week, I also go to the gym at 6 a.m. and beat it out on a treadmill and then do all manner of ab crunches and weightlifting exercises, hoping to have Michelle Obama arms even before I ever saw hers. All of this is presided over by a couple of hard body retired military physical fitness trainers who have a vague yet kind tolerance for civilian softies, known to enjoy a glass of wine, a good meal, and napping in a cozy recliner.
      In the bicycle room next door, we can hear the instructor yelling above thumping recorded music, exhorting her class of sleepy spinners to go faster, faster, faster.
    It seems that we Baby Boomers do not plan to age, much less depart this world.
      The New York Times, our national observer of popular culture, is all over this one. In an article last month, Michael Winerip chronicles boomers who are enthusiastically opting for replacement parts — knees, hips, shoulders — in lieu of the ones they have worn out. They seem to feel this is the normal course, not all that different from replacing tread-bare tires or repairing a leaky roof.
      Just another bump in the road on the path of life.
      Winerip’s article is fascinating to this baby boomer. He recounts several of my generation who watched their parents live what we might think of as couch potato lives and die in their 60s and 70s. These boomers came of age exercising and are bound and determined to keep it up as if they were still playing high school football or jumping up and down on the sidelines. As evidence, Winerip cites the rise of knee and hip replacements among the 45-64 age group, surgeries that were once postponed until the joint sufferer could stand it no longer. What’s more, some of us boomers are undergoing multiple surgeries to keep us, literally, in the game. Winerip describes this recent phenomenon as “pushing the frontiers of orthopedic medicine,” and he provides this example.
      “Dr. Stephen J. O’Brien, an orthopedic surgeon, had his patient, Jay MacDonald, 52, lie on the examining table and bend his right knee back toward his chest to test for flexibility …  After replacement surgery on one knee, arthroscopic surgery for torn A.C.L.’s in both knees (skiing, running, tennis), rotator cuff surgery … (surfing, golfing, snow boarding) and an assortment of minor catastrophes (‘the last was a freak — I popped a tendon — doing curls in the gym’), Mr. MacDonald, like a lot of other men his age, has become one of the world’s leading experts on why he keeps breaking down and how he puts himself back together.
      “A few years ago, when his right shoulder went (snow boarding in Vail), he begged Dr. O’Brien to operate. The doctor resisted, telling his patient his injury was so severe that the risk of failure was high.
      “I said, ‘You have to,’” Mr. MacDonald recalled. ‘I want my life back. I want to surf — I’ve been surfing since I was 8. I do big waves — 16 footers. I can’t stop just because of a rotator cuff.’”
      I have tried, completely without success, to imagine my father or any of his friends saying that, although I can imagine several friends of my own generation uttering similar words. Mine is apparently the first generation to widely adopt the concept of exercise as a route to good health and longevity, and science confirms that, generally speaking, we are correct. Exercise does lead to better health and increased happiness for many people, and we are all getting ready to find out about the longevity part.
      The Times article, nevertheless, did make me wonder about too much of a good thing. I know, and you probably do as well, that while I am making a concerted effort to exercise and eat correctly, even though I do fall off the good health wagon with regularity, nothing works as well as it did when I was 15, 20, 30, or even 40. Like me, you may also question whether any amount of surgery can bring us back to where we were in the bloom of our youth.
      I wish Mr. MacDonald and others all the best in their quests for eternal flexibility. As for me, I am just delighted to be here at all.

      Contact Margaret Dickson at editor@upandcomingweekly.com

  • MARCHING ORDERS FOR MONTH OF THE MILITARY CHILD

    Dear Editor:
      April is the Month of the Military Child and together, we can create an engaged community!
      Many of you have expressed interest in developing a program that can be modeled every April. April is a great month to live in Fayetteville: students will be on spring break the second week in April and the Dogwood Festival is in April. April is also Child Abuse Awareness Month. After the “Living in the New Normal” public engagement held last October, we have reconvened as a community and are actively listening to the requests of our stakeholders.
      Here are some ideas for the Month of the Military Child:
      •Proclamations from the city, county, school board and the state declaring April as the Month of the Military Child;
      •Military Child Appreciation at various locations;
      •School-sponsored programs in the elementary and secondary schools;
      •Military student art/Ppetry contests;
      •Local businesses acknowledging Month of the Military Child on signs and marquees;
      •I really like the idea of a military family bike ride through downtown.
      Of course, many other ideas will emerge and will be welcomed.
      I can continue to  coordinating the Month of the Military Child efforts, with your support.
    Shannon Shurko,
    Military Child Support Liaison,
    Cumberland County Schools

    ON MOVIE REVIEWS AND THE GATES FOUR ANNEXATION

    Dear Editor:
     Heather Griffith’s movie reviews really don’t get it, man. I was OK on a few but when she downplayed Taken, she blew it. That is one movie that deserves more than three stars.
      Also, the subject of annexing Gates Four needs your attention. I don’t care if Tony Rand lives there or not. Gates Four should be annexed and the longer Fayetteville plays around, the stronger they become. Even though they think different, they are no different than anyone else. No one else has been given the time like Gates Four. Who are they afraid of? I think (Up & Coming Weekly publisher) Bill Bowman should write on this. Think of the tax dollars we are losing. If they annexed Gates Four, maybe they wouldn’t have to raise taxes for everyone else.
    Joe Sulich,
    Fayetteville

  •   Wow. Only in Cumberland County can something so simple, fun and delightful like our county fair become the center of confusion, deception and controversy. Well, this is the case in the recent development involving the Cumberland County Fair and local county resident Robert E. Lee of Linden.
      The question at hand is not only: Who is going to manage and present the 2009 Cumberland County Fair? But, who actually owns the name? For 11 years the Cumberland County Fair has grown, prospered and developed into a much-anticipated annual event attended and enjoyed by tens of thousands of county and area residents. So why then is our County Attorney Grainger Barrett having to rally the troops to protect and defend this event from what looks like a community hijacking? Hmmmmm?
      {mosimage}Here is what we know: After the Cumberland Civic Center commission terminated the contract of Hubert Bullard, the former fair manager of 11 years, Robert E. Lee, current retiree and former failed Jaycee Fair promoter of the ‘90s, presented a proposal to the Civic Center Commission to manage the upcoming 2009 CC Fair.
    His platform being that the county should do more business locally. This can only mean that Lee represents a business he wants to bring in, but has never surfaced in any public forum.
      His proposal was rejected and the commission decided to stay with its existing fair contractor J&J Amusements, of Canton, Ohio. (As a side note J&J has hired Bullard as a contractor to help oversee the fair — is this what the commission wanted? We’ll see.)
      After the rejection, Robert E. Lee laid claim to and incorporated the name Cumberland County Fair. He started quietly promoting his own county fair, although he would not say what it was going to be called or where it was going to be held when contacted by our staff. However, we did find out it would be presented in the fall about one week before the traditional date of the county fair. As a result of this, both Cumberland County and Lee have lawyered up. County Attorney Grainger Barrett crying “foul” on behalf of the county’s citizens and asking that Lee “cease and desist,” claiming that the event belongs to Cumberland County. In the meantime. Andy Dempster, Lee’s attorney, is trying to negotiate a compromise.
      Compromise? The question I have is what “compromise?” From where I sit, the 11-year history of the Cumberland County Fair speaks for itself. Under the leadership and supervision of the Civic Center Commission and the direct management of Hubert Bullard, the fair has prospered to become a venue tens of thousands of residents have come to love and enjoy. Why, would anyone, for any reason, want to interfere with that?
      Sorry, Mr. Lee. Cumberland County has come a long way since 1992 when you ran the Cape Fair Regional Fair for the Jaycees. Had that fair been successful a CC Fair would never have been needed. Creating a competing fair venue under any name or in any location will only confuse the marketplace and can only be interpreted as a hostile and vindictive gesture by someone out of touch with the dynamics of this growing community. Local leadership is working overtime to create a higher standard of living for its residents and a better, brighter image of the Fayetteville/Cumberland community. It’s unfortunate, that in this economy and with all the other pressing issues facing our county today, our commissioners, county manager and officials are forced to address and defend this action. This kind of frivolous shenanigan is right out of the ‘90s, Mr. Lee. Cumberland County has moved on and I hope you will too. Let bygones be bygones and let’s move forward with what is really FAIR about the FAIR.


  • Just after daybreak on Saturday, April 5, the troops will begin to assemble and Ronnie Goldman ? general for the day ? will give the officer’s call. Goldman, who is in his fourth year organizing the Civil War Reenactment at Campbellton Landing, is gearing up for a great skirmish in the clash between the blue and the gray. {mosimage}

    “I’ve always been interested in the Civil War,” said Goldman, “from the time I was a little feller, I’ve always been fascinated.” He got into reenacting with some friends years ago and said it was only natural.

    The rich heritage of Campbellton Landing makes it the perfect place to host the living history event. Legend has it that a real skirmish between Union and Confederate troops broke out at the site. And when work crews began construction on the amphitheatre, they uncovered trenches and fences that the soldiers used to fight behind during infantry battles. 

    The reenactment will take place on land that actually saw fighting. “It’s on the site where Sherman crossed the river on a pontoon bridge, after he burned the arsenal in Fayetteville,” he recounted. “When the Confederates left Fayetteville, they crossed the Clarington Bridge, ? which is where the Person Street Bridge is now ? and they burned it when they left to slow the Union down as they came through.”

    He said that for this particular skirmish, troops will be firing the 12-pound Napoleon cannons, which were the most widely used gun of the Civil War. “The mount houses we’ll have here were actually the easiest moved,” he explained. “You could pack one of them up and move anywhere really quick.”

    Before the day-long event begins, Goldman will call together all the officers of the different units involved in the reenactment to discuss what the battle is going to look and feel like for the participants and the audience. He said: “You give them an idea of what you want it to look like, and everybody just goes from there.” The rest of the day is spent watching the battle unfold. There are no practice runs and nothing is scripted.

    {mosimage}In addition to the reenactment, Campbellton Landing will host a mid-afternoon concert at 3 p.m., with the bluegrass sounds of the South River Boys and a night fire at 8 p.m. “Hopefully, it’ll be dark enough by then to look really good,” said Goldman. He’s still working on arrangements for a Ladies’ Fashion Show and a guest speaker to deliver a historical lesson on the role that African-American soldiers played on both sides of the war.

    Festivities will begin at 10 a.m., at Campbellton Landing, which is located downtown off Person Street. Admission is free and parking is $5 for the entire day. Refreshments will be available at the Campbellton Landing Amphitheater concession booth throughout the day. 


  • My wife of a year is from a very conservative culture (a Muslim country). She said she’d only dated three guys, and only kissed and 
    held hands. I told her it’s nice she was a virgin, but honesty was more important. She kept saying I was the first man to touch her, 
    sleep naked with her, awaken her sensuality and on and on. Later, she let it slip that she’d slept naked with her exes, but said she’d
     never lie to me again. Eventually, she let it slip that she’d pretty much done everything but intercourse with two of these guys, but it 
    was a detail she’d forgotten. She doesn’t understand how it hurts the male ego to repeatedly say, “You’re the only guy I’ve been with,
    ” then, “Sorry, I forgot, you’re the third.” Had this happened with a guy in her culture, it would have resulted in immediate divorce, and
     maybe something much worse. So, do I divorce her or let this go? I’m concerned she may be hiding other things. 
    --Betrayed

    In our country, if people find out you’ve had premarital sex, they might hoot and slap you on the back once or
    twice. In Muslim countries, they bring in a guy with a bamboo cane to do it 100 times.In Saudi Arabia, it’s not 
    just premarital sex that’ll get you in trouble, but premarital seating. Religious police there actually arrested an 
    American businesswoman for sitting with a male colleague in Starbucks after her office lost power and she needed 
    WiFi. The Times of London reported that the woman was interrogated, strip-searched and jailed for violating laws against public contact between unrelated men and women. The judge
    reportedly told her, “You are sinful and you are going to burn in hell.” You have to wonder, if she gets hell for sitting 
    near a man in Starbucks, what happens to the giddy 15-year-olds I saw groping each other in the big chair? Is there Hell Plus? Advanced Hell? Or maybe “New Hell! Now With
    Extra Charcoal!”?
    Ask a Western woman if she’s “dated” a lot, and she isn’t likely to confess, “Why, I’m the Whore of Babylon!” Yet,
    you married a woman from a culture where slut can equal death, and you thought all you had to do to get her to
    spill everything was tell her honesty works best for you? As for telling you that you were blazing uncharted
    territory, and were quite the lover to boot, even Western women with sterling integrity have been known to exclaim,
    “Wow, that thing’s enormous!” Meanwhile, they’re thinking, “...compared to the stub of a No. 2 pencil.”Poor Booboo, 
    you weren’t her first. Or her second. And there is that possibility you weren’t even her third. Get over it. All this
    moping is distracting you from the essential question: Did she lie about her sexploits out of some ingrained policy 
    for self-preservation, or are you likely to wake up alone one morning and find that your bank account’s cleaned out, your 
    car is gone and she’s even taken the dog? The fact that her character is kind of a mystery to you suggests you 
    pledged to spend the rest of your life with a near stranger. Smooth move, dude! At least get to know the woman
     before you divorce her: Is she ethical? Even when nobody’s looking? Does it mean something to her to do the right
     thing? Does she act in your best interest or does she just act interested out of self-interest? I know, boring questions, but they’ll ultimately be more instructive than interrogating her about whether she
    let Achmed get to third base in the summer of 2003.

    Got a problem? Write Amy Alkon, 171 Pier Ave, #280, Santa Monica, CA╩ 90405, or e-mail AdviceAmy@aol.com (www.advicegoddess.com)
    (c)2008, Amy Alkon, all rights reserved.
  • {mosimage}

    Touring legend and Christian radio hit-maker, NewSong is a Dove Award winner and GRAMMY nominee. The group has garnered 20 No. 1 singles, seven Dove Award nominations, numerous songwriting awards, and five of the Top 100 Christian radio singles of the past decade. UCW caught up with the band’s Billy Goodwin in between stops on their Winter Jam tour to get the scoop about the group and WJ’08.
    So, what’s it like to be in an internationally known music group? It’s really not a big deal. What’s good about it to me is doing something that you love to do, something you’re gifted to do and also being able to see God working in such a great way every night in people’s lives.


    Tell me about how and when NewSong got started…Well, Newsong started about 27 years ago with four guys that were singing locally in south GA. We were all members of the same church sand we had put the group together singing at the church. After a while, we began to feel like God was calling us do this full time, so we prayed about it and talked to our families; and we decided that we would do this until he was finished with it.


    In the last 27 years, what has changed or stayed the same?
    Musically we have tried to change with the times. We want to stay relevant, and we want to stay current and have a musical style that folks would be interested in listening to and that would be played on the radio. Lyrically and message wise, we’ve stayed the same. It’s basically about a relationship with Jesus, how to know God in a personal way and the kind of life that he wants you to have here on earth. It’s been our heart to share with people what God means to us and how much he has affected out lives. In 27 years, the message has never changed, but the music stays current.


    Has NewSong faced any major challenges or struggles along the way?
    The same four guys were together for about 12 years, and then a couple of the guys decided they wanted to do something else. We were at a crossroads as to whether we thought God was finished with it or not. Eddie Carslile and I felt that God was not finished, he was just turning a page. So we really changed from a four-man group to a full band at that time and now, change has been really a part of who we are. We’ve had people come in and stay a few years and then go out and do their own thing. We take on the personalities of the new people and musically it keeps us fresh and on our toes. So it’s been a really good thing. We’ve really embraced the change. It helps to keep us current and musically effective.


    A little bit on the history of Winter Jam.
    It really started as a way to get folks to come out to concerts in the wintertime. At first it was just one Christian artist friend who came out to play a couple of dates right after Christmas… It grew from that to having three or four artist friends coming out… and then we started getting some of the biggest names in the Christian music industr. Now we’ve got seven different artists going out and we’re going to big venues and big cities; and we’ve expanded from a few weeks in January to Jan., Feb. and March. The big venues are filling up and God is really showing his favor on it. The Winter Jam has really become its own little thing, we’ve just taken a seat and strapped in for the ride.


    Who are some of the biggest names that have signed on with Winter Jam?
    We’ve had the Newsboys and Steven Curtis Chapman, Rebecca St. James, tobyMac just about anybody you could think of... Over the years we’ve had just about all of them. There may be a few that we haven’t toured with, but we’re praying that God will open the door and we’ll have them out in the next year or so.


    Are these musicians all friends of yours, or are they more like colleagues?
    They’re all friends, and they’re all co-laborers, but a lot of it really depends on if they’re available schedule wise and if they’re willing to become a part of what we’re doing with this tour.


  •  

    The Greatest Show On Earth

     

    {mosimage}

    by STORMIE MCGEE

     

    Step right up! Its almost time… the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey will present their big top family production  that has been touring the nation for more than 100 years. And on Thursday, Feb. 28, the Crown Coliseum will come alive when the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus, “the Greatest Show on Earth,” comes to Fayetteville.Starting out as a small circus, in no way distinct from a throng of small shows that traveled regionally by wagon, the seven Ringling brothers quickly transformed their traveling act into one of the largest and best-run circuses in the country. With John and Charles at the helm, they gave their tour the official title: “Ringling Brothers United Monster Shows,Great Double Circus, Royal European Menagerie, Museum, Caravan, and Congress of Trained Animals.” The Ringling Brothers distinguished their circus from the others by being honest and fair in their attitude toward the public; never allowing ticket sellers to short change customers or gambling on their lots. Their success resulted from a reputation of clean dealing and good value. It wasn’t long before they were able to begin touring the country by railroad.In 1907 the brothers purchased the Barnum & Bailey circus and ran the two circuses separately until they merged them into one unit in 1919 when they also moved the winter quarters to Bridgeport, Conn. Today the circus travels around the world bringing joy to the faces of children of all ages. When the circus makes its stop in Fayetteville, it will bring its Gold Show to the stage. This intimate, interactive event brings you so up-close and personal to the live action that you’ll experience a day at Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey you never imagined possible! Audiences are just a few feet away from six white Bengal tigers. The aerialists walk, fl y and jump through the air on a high wire, while the Wheel of Steel act leaves you questioning the forces of gravity. The circus also offers an all access pre-show to meet the animals and performers, teach circus tricks and give audience members a taste of the circus before the show even starts! Join the circus for a special opening night performance on Thursday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the pre-show are $12.50. This price is not valid on VIP fl oor seats and cannot be combined with any other offer. Tickets to the Ringling Bros. Barnum and Bailey Circus are on sale now and can be purchased at www. ticketmaster.com. The Crown Center box offi ce also offers tickets by phone at 223-2900. For fl oor seats, tickets are $33.50, lower bowl tickets are $19.50 and upper bowl seats are $15.50. On opening night, Feb. 28 all tickets (except VIP fl oor seats) to the 7 p.m. performance are $12.50 at the door. There will be a 7 p.m. show on Friday, Feb. 29; a 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. show on Saturday, Mar. 1; and a 2 p.m. show on Sunday as well.

  • STRAIGHT FROM THE HEART:

    FOURTH FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS HEALTH

     

    Plan to spend plenty of time this Fourth Friday at The Arts Council of {mosimage}Fayetteville/CumberlandCounty, 301 Hay St., as it partners with Cape Fear Valley’s Heart & Vascular Center on February 22 from 6:30-9 p.m. Health experts from Cape Fear Valley’s Cardiac Diagnostics, Cardiac Cath Lab and Cardiac Rehab will be on hand to talk about maintaining a healthy heart through brief seminars, educational booths and interactive displays. Just outside the building will be tours of an emergency medical services vehicle. Along with free refreshments at the Arts Council, enjoy the sounds of the faculty jazz ensemble from Fayetteville State University and the continuation of Perspectives. An art exhibition featuring the works of four local artists,Perspectiveswill be on display through March 15. Just across the street in the Rainbow Room at 223 Hay St., the Heart and Vascular Center will also be offering free blood pressure, blood sugar and sleep apnea screenings. They will also make available baseline EKG readings by LifeLink and coupons for cholesterol testing. This month’s Fourth Friday is an excellent opportunity to enjoy great art, music, and food while at the same time learning more about the importance of taking care of your heart. As always, the rest of downtown Fayetteville welcomes art lovers of all kinds with their own special presentations.

    February Fourth Friday Venues

    1. Art & Soul – View the latest works of artist Becky Lee. Lee, a painter and teacher, has been at the forefront of the Fayetteville art scene for a number of years. Her recent works will be on display at Art & Soul, including landscapes she has completed. Refreshments will be served

    2. Cape Fear Studios – The collective works of talented local artist Leslie Pearson will be on disply. Pearson, a former soldier and art teacher, has had a number of shows in Fayetteville in recent months. Her work focuses on women’s issues and their search for freedom.

    3. The Cotton Exchange – Live jazz music on the indoor stage. Refreshments.

    4. Cumberland County Headquarters Library – Celebrate Black History Month with the music of the Heritage Restoration Chorale, an ecumenical group of singers from the Fayetteville-Cumberland County area. They have received critical acclaim for their love of music and dedication to the preservation of the Negro Spiritual and other music of the Black experience. Refreshments.

    5. Fayetteville Area Transportation Museum. Exhibits and artifacts of transportation from days gone by. 7-9 p.m.

    6. Fascinate-U – Make Crazy Birds using construction paper, feathers, and wiggly eyes. All materials are provided Refreshments will be served.

    7. Loafi ng Artist Studio – View the display of new “Musselflies,” hand painted and crafted by Harold Grace

    8. Market House Exhibit – View an exhibit honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

    9. Olde Town Gallery – See the works of John Furches, a watercolorist from Elkin, NC. Join us for a demonstration of an etching. 6:00-9:00 pm

    10. Rude Awakening – View the metalwork of David McCune.

    11. sfL+a Architects – Art by Carla Rokes - Color & Design. Music by Jeremy Gilchrist. Refreshments.

    12. White Trash – Pretty Little Things by Sally Jean Alexander. The Arts Council’s grants, programs and services are funded in part by contributions from businesses and individuals, and through grants from the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County and the North Carolina Arts Council, with funding from the State of North Carolina.

     

  • SPRING FESTIVAL BRINGS OUT THE CRAFTSMEN

     

    by STORMIE MCGEE

    There’s something a little different about the 33rd Annual Craftsmen’s Spring Festival. Not to be mistaken with the Craftsmen’s Christmas Festival, the spring edition “…connects the Craftsmen’s Festival with a small antiques and collectibles show,” explained Quincy Scarborough, the event’s coordinator. “We’re going to have at least 25 booths [of antiques and collectibles], maybe more, and we’ll have about 80 booths of arts and crafts.” The Eastern {mosimage}Carolina Craftsmen’s Spring Festival — which will open Sat., March 8 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sun., March 9 from noon to 5 p.m. — is a regional arts and crafts show that is designed to showcase the talents of the region’s many local craftsmen. More than 100 selected craftsmen, artists and collectors from the east coast have reserved booths for this festival. “About a third of the show is going to be new craftsmen and women who’ve never been with us before,” said Scarborough. He says that this is due to burnout that occurs after years of demonstrating your wares on the road. “But we’ll have a little of everything,” he laughed, “We’ve got several artists coming in who’ve been with me for years. One craftsman, by the name of James Parker — retired military — who did our very first show 33 years ago is still with us.” To {mosimage}Scarborough, what makes the Craftsmen’s Festival so unique is that “everything you buy is handmade by the person you’re buying it from, which makes it a little more valuable… and if you ask, they’ll tell you how it’s made.” The hands-on involvement is what makes these events so exciting to shoppers. At the festival, many of the artists and craftsmen will be demonstrating their specialty, and all will be displaying their latest creations and selling their work. There will be a veritable cornucopia of traditional crafts, decorations, home furnishings, antiques and collectibles; and with the exception of the antiques and collectibles, all items sold are handmade by each craftsman participating. The antiques and collectibles show will delight nostalgic shoppers with old furniture, gold and silver, porcelain dolls, rare books, primitives and much more. These items are great gifts for home decorators and treasure hunters alike. So whether you’ve got a weekend to bask in handmade goods and historic relics or you’re just looking for something to do, there is something at the Craftsman’s Festival to interest almost everyone. The 33rd Annual Craftsmen’s Spring Festival, combined with the Fayetteville Antiques and Collectibles Show, is one of the city’s top spring attractions. New exhibitors, new ideas and great original craftsmanship makes the Spring Festival a great family event where you can see original arts and crafts, great gifts, jewelry, collectibles, investments and bargains. “I guarantee you will enjoy this show,” said Scarborough. The Craftsmen’s Festival is open to the public. The daily admission for the two-day cultural and shopping experience is $5.50 for adults, free for children,and free for handicapped visitors. Everyone is welcome to come out and shop from thousands of unique and original handcrafted item and artworks, many of which are designed specifi cally as spring gifts.

  • The Fayetteville Ladies Power Luncheon will hold its quarterly event on May 12 at the Holiday Inn I-95 to provide local women an opportunity to network with other successful women in the community.

    “The FLPL mission is to ‘Inspire, Educate, Empower and Celebrate’ the women in our community,” said  Keri Dickson, the new director of FLPL.  Dickson is also the Marketing and Development Manager for F&B Publications, the parent company of Up & Coming Weekly.

    Although she is new to the director role, Dickson has been involved in FLPL for years and was serving on its advisory board when asked to become the director.  

    Since 2011, the FLPL has provided local women an opportunity to join and participate in a collaborative effort to support one another in building business, personal and professional relationships – all while contributing  to many local non-profit organizations.

    Luncheons are held quarterly with a dedicated goal to motivate and empower women from all walks of life.  Women meet to listen and learn from an inspirational keynote speaker while networking with peers, meeting new friends and shopping.

    As the FLPL continues to inspire, motivate and recognize successful women in the community, Dickson said her goal as the director will be to expand attendance.  She hopes to attract more women from all over the Cape Fear region and eventually have to move the lunch to a larger venue.  Currently 150 to 200 women attend the luncheons.

    “We want to get more attention for the event so more ladies can attend, be educated and inspired by speakers like Lorna Ricotta,” Dickson said.

    Lorna Ricotta will be the speaker at the upcoming luncheon.  Ricotta currently serves as the executive director for the Fayetteville Technical Community College Foundation.  She is also an accomplished singer, small business owner, community advocate, higher education administrator and a former Miss North Carolina.

    “Lorna brings a wealth of information and experience to share with women at our luncheon,” Dickson said.

    More attendees means more money raised for local non-profit organizations, Dickson said.  This year, FLPL organizers are focusing on the Cumberland County Literacy, Education and Character development program by supporting the Kidsville News and Literacy and Education Foundation, a 501c3 non-profit.

    “Our Truman Table recognizes educators in our community,” Dickson said.  Truman the Dragon represents Kidsville News!, a child literacy magazine.

    While the $35 ticket price to attend covers the cost of the meal, Dickson said FLPL relies on sponsors.  

    “If we didn’t have local business owners like Biz Card Express of Fayetteville, the UPS Store, Premier Cardiovascular, Omni Plaza, Bragg Mutual Credit Union, and Only NDoor willing to support, it wouldn’t be such a nice event,” she said.

    “Sponsors give up the ability to make it more affordable for more women to attend, and allows us to make it a better event for all,” she said.

    The next quarterly Fayetteville Ladies Power Luncheon will be held May 12 from 10:00 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Holiday Inn I-95, Exit 49.  In addition to the guest speaker, the event will also feature a Shopportunity Expo filled with local merchants, vendors and businesses. Vendors include business, clothing, jewelry, women’s health and fitness, beauty products and more.  Grapes & Hops of Fayetteville will provide a wine bar and tasting area as well. 

    For more information on registering as an attendee, sponsor or vendor, visit the website at FayettevilleLadiesPowerLunch.com.


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