Each year, the Hope Mills Town Hall staff sponsors a family’s Christmas through the Rockfish Elementary Adopted Families program. It started almost 10 years ago when the Hope Mills Town Hall staff contacted the social worker at Rockfish Elementary School. The social worker informed the staff about families with specific needs, and the staff began pooling their money to help.

This year, the employees of Town Hall, along with a few others, were able to help a family of six enjoy the holiday with gifts for all four of the children, ages ranging from 6 months to 9 years old. The staff was also able to donate gift cards for food shopping for the family’s Christmas feast.

Clara Hines, permitting specialist for Hope Mills, heads up the town’s participation in the event. “It’s the right thing to do,” she said. “This is one time of the year where we get to give back.”

I personally give because it lifts my heart to know I am helping someone in need. The spirit of Christmas lives in our hearts at Hope Mills, and its employees enjoy spreading good will to all and showing our love of others at this time of year.

Often citizens rely on the media to learn about the workings of local government. In Fayetteville, that means The Fayetteville Observer and Up & Coming Weekly. Out of town TV stations rarely cover city council or county commission meetings. Radio stations used to but haven’t in many years. Talk show hosts get their information from the papers.

When a neighborhood issue piques the interest of residents, they turn out. The Haymount crowd showed interest when a private school wanted to locate in a historic house on Morganton Road. They were opposed to it, and the city council voted it down. Residents of a suburban neighborhood in West Fayetteville were concerned about a rezoning issue and attended a council meeting. And again, council rejected the rezoning.

Every once in a while, a major citywide controversy flares up and the citizenry awakens. So, day to day and week to week, people depend on the Observer and Up & Coming Weekly for news of what goes on in city hall and the county courthouse. Journalists attend the meetings regularly. But, they’re not always welcome.

Over the course of the last year-and-a-half, city council has held nearly 30 closed or private meetings barring the public and media representatives. The two main subjects of discussion, I believe, were contracts involving construction and management of the new baseball stadium and nearby private investments, plus the proposed city/county 911 emergency communications center. County commissioners have a significant interest in the 911 call center but have not held any meetings behind closed doors.

North Carolina law says, “It is the policy of this State that closed sessions shall be held only when required to permit a public body to act in the public interest as permitted in this section. A public body may hold a closed session and exclude the public only when a closed session is required.” Note that the statute says a public body may hold a closed session. It doesn’t say that it must. There are nine specific and very limited reasons that a public body may hold closed meetings. It’s up to the city and county attorneys to enforce the law governing private discussions.

This is the preamble to general statute § 143- 318.9, which is entitled “Meetings of Public Bodies:” “Whereas the public bodies that administer the legislative, policy-making, quasi-judicial, administrative, and advisory functions of North Carolina and its political subdivisions exist solely to conduct the people’s business, it is the public policy of North Carolina that the hearings, deliberations, and actions of these bodies be conducted openly.”

It’s clear that local journalists and the companies they represent have lost faith in city council’s ability to distinguish between the rule and the few exceptions to the rule. Only one member of council has personally assured this reporter that he will try to be more attuned to the discussions that go on behind closed doors and call out his colleagues if they veer from the rule.

The recently formed Cool Spring Downtown District is an effort to rebrand and promote downtown Fayetteville. It was developed to drive economic growth and nurture activity in the heart of the community. The hope is to make downtown “a cool place to live, shop, eat, drink, see a movie and so much more,” said Mark Regensburger, president and CEO. It’s the outgrowth of a study commissioned by the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County. The organization differs from the Downtown Alliance because it focuses on events, activities and connecting organizations rather than on retail sales.

“This first year is demonstrating what it means for the community to be wholly focused on downtown,” Regensburger said. He thinks of the area as a neighborhood that can grow to attract people from all over Cumberland County.

Regensburger said CSDD is defined as the area that comprises the downtown Municipal Services Tax District. This is the region in which merchants and property owners agreed to tax themselves to financially support development. It’s loosely bounded by Russell, Cool Spring, Grove and Rowan Streets, Bragg Boulevard and Robeson Street. “As an arts and entertainment district, it fills the gap between other organizations,” Regensburger said.

One way it’s working to fill that gap is through committees, each led by a CSDD board member.

The design committee focuses on the physical aspects of the district. It is chaired by Anna Hodges Smith, president of Hodges Associates, Inc. and a member of the Arts Council board of trustees. “How can you know you’re some place special when you get there?” Regensburger asked. “There are signs all over the place, but they all say different things. So we’re working toward getting a single feeling.” He said the committee’s goal is to make it easy to tell when you’re in the district by creating a cohesive feeling through physical means. Architects and advocates for pedestrian and bicyclefriendly solutions are among those involved.

“I think (this committee) is going to make the biggest long-term impact,” Regensburger said.

The economic vitality committee, co-chaired by Astros manager David Lane and Ashley Thompson, co-owner of Pressed – A Creative Space, focuses on helping new downtown businesses understand the practical ins and outs of getting established in this location.

“There are a lot of downtown businesses involved in (this committee),” Regensburger said. “They’re going to put together a mentoring program to help businesses work through everything they need and deal with the city.” He noted that downtown Fayetteville recently saw the opening of several new businesses. These include Koala Candor, a children’s clothing store; The Yellow Crayon, a brand marketing company that’s expanding to include on-the-spot custom printed T-shirts; Floating Shanti, a floatation therapy center; and The Door Belle, a women’s clothing store. Though the economic vitality committee has not created its formal mentorship program yet, Regensburger and CSDD General Manager Sam DuBose did visit each of these new businesses to greet the owners and to see if they needed any help. “A lot of them were renovating, so we worked with them to see if they were having any issues with rezoning or anything like that,” Regensburger said.

Thompson also works with Dr. Hank Parfitt, co-owner of City Center Gallery & Books, to lead the digital presence committee. This committee uses many forms of media to amplify initiatives created or supported by the CSDD. Since mid-November, it has been working with local radio stations and social media to push Shop Small Business Saturday leading up to Christmas. “They’re just trying to get more people to think, instead of fighting the lines and the crowds, come on downtown. It’s a more intimate experience,” Regensburger said.

The programming committee is tasked with planning and overseeing downtown events and activities, whether sponsored by CSDD or in partnership with other groups. Isabella Effon, owner of Taste of West Africa, is the chair. Examples of such events include the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival, Rape Crisis of Cumberland County’s Walk Awhile in Her Shoes, and events put on by the Arts Council or the Downtown Alliance.

The community solution team’s goal is to bring together all the agencies that deal with issues like homelessness and panhandling to create unified, collaborative solutions. It’s chaired by David Blackman, senior pastor at Hay Street United Methodist Church. Regensburger said the team includes workers from Fayetteville Area Operation Inasmuch, The Salvation Army, Fayetteville Police Department, the city of Fayetteville and downtown businesses.

“We’re trying to coordinate it, because sometimes there’s four people serving one meal, and the next day, there’s no lunch for anybody,” Regensburger said. “We’re looking at maybe having a single location that’s sort of designated and supported.... Cpt. James Nolette, our city police officer who’s in charge of this district, said, ‘It’s a social problem. You can’t arrest people out of hunger; you can’t arrest people out of panhandling. It’s something that’s got to come from a broader base of people.’”

Finally, the promotion committee aims to find the most effective ways to communicate the message and goals of CSDD. Jean Moore, account executive at BrandAlliance, is the chair.

The CSDD also recently took on a management role that will benefit downtown businesses. For the past year or two, Regensburger said, the Downtown Alliance has been working with the city to implement a shared trash and recycling space for downtown businesses. That work has finally paid off, and, as of last week, the CSDD stepped up to work with Waste Management as managers of the shared space, which will be located in the parking lot of the Arts Council.

“This is the key link in getting all of those old roll carts off of Old Street,” Regensburger said. “That’s something people don’t think of. … Downtown, each and every business and resident has to contract (trash collection) individually, and so we’re moving toward more of a community solution.

“The complaint was, it’s hard on new businesses, it’s ugly on the streets. This (shared dumpster) is an example of the sort of collaboration between the city and other organizations that we are starting to take on and actually manage. I think that’s the key difference – (before), there was nobody in place to make sure these solutions kept rolling. Starting Jan. 1, there are the mundane things of billing and making sure (the trash) gets picked up.”

The minor league baseball stadium being built by the city of Fayetteville will become a significant attraction for a wide variety of residents and fans, Regensburger said. He said it will be another factor that adds uniqueness to the neighborhood. The Advanced Single-A Houston Astros farm team is wholly-owned by the Astros, which has a 30-year agreement to provide professional baseball. That’s apparently unusual to the benefit of taxpayers because the city is not involved in the operational funding of the team. The Astros organization will be solely responsible for management and maintenance of the ballpark.

The Downtown Alliance, city of Fayetteville, the Municipal Service District and the Arts Council fund the CSDD to the tune of $386,000 during this first year. Eric Lindstrom is chairman of the board of directors. Patrick Callahan serves as vice chair, Brent Sumner as treasurer and Molly Arnold as secretary. All have histories of involvement in downtown Fayetteville.

The group’s name was chosen from the historical significance of Cool Spring, which adjoins the district, and the Cool Spring Tavern, which is a historic two-story home believed to be the oldest existing structure in Fayetteville. It was built in 1788 and survived the disastrous fire of 1831. Cool Spring Place, as it’s officially known, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

The Umoja Group presents its annual Kwanzaa Celebration Saturday, Dec. 30, from 5-8 p.m. at Smith Recreation Center.

“We are probably near our 25th year offering the Kwanzaa Celebration in the community,” said Wanda Wesley, Umoja Group member and board member. “In the past, and this time, we will be celebrating the seven principles of Kwanzaa and bringing the community together to celebrate as well as learning a little about African kings and queens.” Wesley added that the most important principle is Umoja, which is the Swahili word for unity. This is why the group is called the Umoja Group.

The event will feature a drum call, welcome song, tribute to elders, libation to those who have passed, a parade of African kings and queens, a feast, storytelling, a children’s candlelight ceremony and traditional youth dance performances.

“We will have a candle lighting ceremony in which we will light the candles for Kwanzaa,” said Wesley. “The kings and queens (component) is a parade of kings and queens, and that is usually the focal point that everyone looks forward to watching.” Wesley added that individuals will dress up in the form of different African kings and queens and a person will narrate and give a little history about each king and queen.

One of the highlights of the event is the presentation of Shaka Zulu. “We have a certain individual who loves to do that role, and he changes it up from year to year,” said Wesley. “He is Larry Johnson and he works with the school system, and he looks forward to doing Shaka Zulu.”

The Association of Black Social Workers will attend the event this year. “They will be collecting items for Operation Blessing,” said Wesley. “These items include soap, hygienic items, deodorant and paper items.” Wesley added that when participants come they can bring these items to help other people in the community.

A $1,000 scholarship is given every year; two students will receive the scholarship this year. “The students are JaQuayla Hardison and Faith Brown,” said Wesley. “In order to receive the scholarship, the student must be a graduating senior in the E. E. Smith district, be active in the community and in the Umoja Group’s activities, display good character, have a high academic standing and be planning to enroll in an institute of higher learning.”

“We encourage the community to come out and join the friendly atmosphere,” said Wesley. “Please wear your ethnic attire and enjoy the celebration.”

Books will be given away to the children. Bring your favorite food dish to share. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call (910) 485-8035 or (910) 527-2460.

The information technology PC Support & Services program at Fayetteville Technical Community College introduces students to just about all areas of the information technology discipline. Students take courses in networking, programming and security, but the primary emphasis of the program is on hardware and software. Students learn how to break down and build PCs from scratch and how to build virtual machines, install operating systems and troubleshoot for repairing PC hardware and software issues.

Degrees in information technology can open the door to numerous job opportunities and job fields, especially since North Carolina is home to the Research Triangle Park, which represents 200 different companies. FTCC’s curriculum prepares students for employment as troubleshooters responsible for solving problems and providing technical support and as advisors to customers and users in just about any sector – hospitals, educational institutions, retail areas and government and state organizations.

Industry certifications are key components for individuals graduating from college and entering the job market. Employers seek candidates who can pass certification examinations to demonstrate a certain level of knowledge and skills. In the PC Support & Services program, students prepare for a number of these exams. FTCC’s educators work to ensure students are equipped to not only gain employment beyond graduation but also to be successful and retain employment.

Education and training in information technology are also great assets for an individual’s already established career. FTCC is not limited to on individuals seeking an associate degree. For those seeking additional career training, the school offers certificate programs that require less time to complete and are highly focused on one particular area of interest. Under the PC Support & Services umbrella, there is a hardware and software certificate, which prepares students specifically for the well-known CompTIA A+ certification. FTCC also offers specialized certificates in programming, networking and cybersecurity.

FTCC also assists high school students with excellent educational opportunities. Those same certificates are available to FTCC students who participate in High School Connections and Cumberland Polytechnic High. High School Connections provides a way for high school students to enroll at FTCC tuition-free to complete collegelevel courses.

All individuals who possess a high school diploma or a GED may easily apply to FTCC using the home page (www.faytechcc.edu) and clicking on Apply Now. There is no application fee, and admissions counselors are available to provide advice and assistance as needed. During the admissions process, students select areas of interest. PC Support & Services is one of the more than 250 excellent programs of study available at FTCC. Once the admissions process is completed, students register for classes and can begin their major courses during the first semester.

To learn more about PC Support & Services or other computer-related programs of study at FTCC, call (910) 678-7368 or email at sobersto@faytechcc.edu. Start the new year right with spring classes, which begin January 16.

There’s an old saying that goes something like, “Eat poor on New Year’s and eat fat the rest of the year.” Eating black-eyed peas and collard greens – simple, humble food – before the coming of a new year is supposed to bring good luck, in other words. Some might be familiar here in the South with this dish being called “Hoppin’ John.” The peas symbolize coins, and the greens represent the color of money.

It’s superstition. It’s tradition. It’s part and parcel of living in the South. Fayetteville is no exception. In fact, this year will mark the 24th annual New Year’s Black-Eyed Pea Dinner at the Crown Expo Center from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Along with the traditional fare of blackeyed peas and greens, the meal boasts other Southern comforts such as sweet potatoes, cornbread and pork on the barbecue. The evening will feature gospel music as well.

According to J. Lee Warren Jr., register of deeds for Cumberland County and organizer of the event, the dinner actually originated in the 1970s with Willis Brown and Otis Jones. Warren, along with Owen Spears, Ed Grannis and Billy West, eventually took up the mantle of putting on this community affair once again for Cumberland County in the early 1990s.

“It’s been a tradition in our community for 45 years or so. We didn’t want to be the kinds of elected officials that you only heard from every four years when they were running for re-election,” said Warren. “We wanted to be different. We wanted people to be able to hear from us.”

In the past, various government officials have attended the dinner. According to Warren, the governor and other congressional representatives are invited this year.

Warren said, “It’s not a partisan thing. It’s not a political event. There will be political people there. But it doesn’t matter if you’re Republican, Democrat or a Libertarian. It doesn’t matter what you are.”

More than anything, the dinner is a chance for the community to participate in something close-knit and homegrown in Fayetteville.

“We’ll have people that tell us, ‘I’ve never been to this before,’ or, ‘I’ve always heard about it and haven’t had the opportunity to come,’” said Warren. “So there will be some people there that it’s their first time attending. Or this will be the 24th time they have come. We really look forward to this every year. It’s just a good way to begin the new year.”

We measure greatness in several ways. Among them are what a person knows and what a person can do or has already done. We brag about our kids’ grade point averages or SAT scores. We claim a person is the greatest to play their sport based on measurable statistics such as championships won, home runs hit and touchdowns scored.

The Bible presents a compelling case for God’s greatness. He knows all things, has never learned and is equally proficient in every area of knowledge – unlike scholars who are experts in one limited sphere of knowledge. Put another way, God has never had, nor will he ever have, an “Aha!” moment when he realizes a mistake he’s made due to insufficient knowledge (Acts 15:18, Psalm 147:4, Matthew 11:21 and Psalm 139:16).

God’s greatness is not seen only in what he knows but also in what he can do. Once again, the word of God, the Bible, declares he has unmatched abilities. In a prayer of Apostle Paul in the letter to the Ephesian believers, we read a part of Paul’s concluding praise to God: “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen (Ephesians 3:20, 21).” This passage teaches many things, but among them are the following:

God can do far more “far more abundantly beyond” any and every thing we might ask him to do. People have their limits – we all have some things we can do, but many more things that we cannot do because of our limited abilities. Since our abilities are limited, people do not ask us to do certain things. No one has ever asked me for a $10 million gift or loan. As they have rightly concluded, I could NOT fulfill their request.

When we ask God to work on our behalf or on behalf of others through our prayers, it does not mean God will do exactly what we ask – only that he’s capable. His capability should cause us to ask him to do things in our lives and the lives of others, even to work out an “impossible” situation.

God can do far more than you can even imagine. All of us daydream, but when we do that about God and his abilities, we never imagine enough. Who would have ever imagined he’d take Joseph from an Egyptian prison to being co-regent of all of Egypt? Who could have imagined he’d take Saul, a persecutor of the church who caused many to be martyred, and gloriously transform him into Apostle Paul, who wrote 13 of the 27 books of the New Testament? In more modern times, who’d have imagined he’d take a 1.5 million-watt AM radio station built by Adolph Hitler and have Trans World Radio – a ministry located in Cary, North Carolina, – purchase it in the 1970s? Hitler built the station intending it for Nazi propaganda purposes (though it was never actually used for that), but TWR uses it to broadcast the goods news of Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection and his offer of life everlasting to all who believe.

Take heart! God knows all things and can do all things, so no matter what your circumstance is, he knows and can work in ways you can’t imagine to create something good from it. He truly can do exceedingly, abundantly beyond all we ask or imagine. Praise his name!

In 2018, will you trust him to do a great work in you? Is there a specific area you’d really like to grow in so that you become more like Jesus Christ? He can conform you to his image. Is there a person you’d love to see come to faith in Christ, but that prospect seems highly unlikely (even impossible)? He can do far more than we imagine – why not pray daily for that one person? Ask God to make their heart tender to the good news and that he’d give you the opportunity and boldness to speak for him.

During this season of generosity, as we give of our time and treasure, shower loved ones with gifts and count our blessings, it can be hard to imagine what some people face every day. Jan. 1, from 8-10 a.m., the YMCA of the Sandhills will open its doors to those in the community in need of basic hygiene services. In addition to opening the facilities for people to shower, shave, brush their teeth and handle other personal hygiene tasks, the YMCA will provide towels, soap, shampoo, shaving products, toothbrushes and toothpaste and will also offer a continental breakfast.

Last year, the organization hosted the event, known as Project Connect, around Thanksgiving.

“We opted to move it because there are so many resources available to the homeless on Thanksgiving,” said Ector Simpson, event coordinator. “In thinking about how we could better reach the community, we asked what other providers were doing. While social responsibility is a component of our mission, it’s not our main mission – but we do have facilities to shower in. We thought this is something we could offer to people who may not have access to this. We can do it on New Year’s Day because the Y is closed.”

Simpson added that the event would be mostly staffed by volunteers. Opening its doors to the community for Project Connect could have been enough. But Simpson, along with executive director Sherrie Rallis and the others coordinating this event, wanted to reach as many people as possible.

“There are so many things we take for granted,” said Simpson. Access to facilities is one of them. “In many cities, the homeless have access to public transport – we have that here, but it is limited.” The solution, Simpson said, is to go into the community to the people they are trying to help.

“We have to get people to the Y,” said Simpson. “We have an after-school program during the week. We use these same vans to go around town to pick them up and bring them here and then take them back … we are trying to meet them where they are.

While many have a firm idea about what it means to be homeless, Simpson noted that it’s not that simple, saying, “Sometimes people have jobs but don’t get enough hours to earn enough to make rent, so they sleep in their cars. We are able to give scholarships (to some of them), and these people become our family. They come in every morning for a shower and then leave for work. Only at the end of the day they don’t go home – they sleep in their car.”

While the YMCA staff and volunteers will start their year off at the YMCA, Rallis noted that there are other ways people can help. “We are taking donations for hygiene products,” Rallis said. “Financial donations would be amazing, too. It would help us grow the scope of resources we can provide. Donations can be brought to the Y on Fort Bragg Road.” Items needed include soap, shampoo, toothbrushes, deodorant and other toiletries.

“It is amazing to see the spark of self-confidence and self-esteem (people get when they are able) to take away items that will help them,” Rallis said.

To find out how you can help or to learn more about the YMCA of the Sandhills, call (910) 426-9622.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation this month awarded a nearly $130 million contract for construction of a six-mile segment of the Outer Loop between Camden Road and Interstate 95 in Robeson County. DOT selected Balfour Beatty Infrastructure, Inc., Branch Civil and STV Group, Inc., to design and build the project. They will begin finalizing design plans in January with land acquisition and construction to follow. Construction is expected to be completed by July 2021.

The 39-mile freeway is being built in phases in Cumberland and Robeson counties. The Outer Loop is open between I-95 north of Fayetteville and the All American Freeway in Fayetteville. When complete, it will be known as Interstate 295. A segment from the All American Freeway to Cliffdale Road now under construction is expected to open in October 2018.

Army NCO died a hero in Niger

Army Sgt. La David T. Johnson died in a hail of gunfire after fleeing militants who had just killed three comrades in an October ambush in Niger, The Associated Press has learned. Johnson wore a maroon beret but was not stationed at Fort Bragg, according to an 82nd Airborne Division spokesman. A military investigation concluded that Johnson, 25, of Miami Gardens, Florida, was killed by enemy rifle and machine-gun fire from members of an Islamic State offshoot.

The Oct. 4 ambush took place about 120 miles north of Niamey, the African nation’s capital. Johnson’s body was recovered two days later.

U.S. officials familiar with the findings spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity to describe details of an investigation that has not been finalized or publicly released. A 12-member Army special forces unit from Fort Bragg was accompanying 30 Nigerien forces when they were attacked in a densely wooded area by as many as 50 militants traveling by vehicle and carrying small arms and rocket-propelled grenade launchers. Johnson was struck as many as 18 times from a distance by a volley of machine-gun fire, according to the U.S. officials, who said he was firing back as he and two Nigerien soldiers tried to escape. All told, four U.S. soldiers and four Nigerien troops were killed in the ambush. Two U.S. and eight Nigerien troops were wounded.

Revitalized computers for less fortunate students

Cumberland County Schools’ Fifth Annual Computer Refurbishment Day is being hailed a huge success. Cumberland County Schools Executive Director of Technology Kevin Coleman said 156 students from the Academies of Information Technology at Gray’s Creek and Pine Forest High Schools refurbished nearly 500 computers for families of students who can’t afford them. The information technology students worked alongside technology staffers. Using 1,000 discarded computers, half of them were cannibalized for parts to refurbish the others. “This effort truly demonstrates the dedication of CCS’ staff and students to help those less fortunate in our community,” said Cumberland County School Interim Superintendent Tim Kinlaw. According to organizers, plans are already in the works for next year’s computer refurbishment event.

Except for special events, the Cape Fear Botanical Garden is not open at night. The holiday season is one exception. The garden is open after dark Thursday through Sunday through Dec. 30 so the community can enjoy the annual holiday light displays. This is the seventh year the garden has hosted Holiday Lights in the Garden. The event grows a little each year as the garden approaches its goal of having half a million lights in the display. This year, the event gained enough lights to expand the display into the McCauley Heritage Garden.

Adriana E. Quiñones, director of horticulture and education for the garden, said, “We’re really lighting it up and making a big deal of the heritage.” Though the current facility encompasses 80 acres, the Heritage Garden was the original site of the garden. The McCauleys donated the old barn and drugstore, hence the garden’s name. The structures were moved on to the site from Eastover.

Now the heritage garden is meant to represent what 18thcentury agriculture was like in North Carolina.

The Heritage Garden is maintained by Cumberland County’s master gardeners and is usually home to common 18th-century crops like cotton and tobacco. During Holiday Lights in the Garden, it is decorated with thousands of strings of lights, and the old drugstore will be open for children to take pictures with Santa.

Though you cannot drive through the garden, there will be a hayride available for patrons. “There may be other surprises, too,” Quiñones said.

CFBG is a private, nonprofit organization. All revenue from the light show goes directly into the maintenance of the facility and into the organization’s projects. Through a partnership with Cumberland County Schools, the botanical garden has become part of many schools’ science curriculum. The garden staff also work with homeschooled students and have had more than 7,000 students come through the programs to date. The organization also has partnerships with several other groups, including the Vision Resource Center, Service Source and the Wounded Warrior Project.

If you are interested in supporting these programs and enjoying the holiday display, tickets are available online. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., and last admittance is at 8:30 p.m. The display is closed both Christmas Day and Christmas Eve. Base online ticket price is $12, but there are a variety of potential deals available for members, children, military and seniors. Tickets will also be available at the venue, but Quiñones noted that people purchasing tickets at the door “may have to wait in a long line. So, I try and encourage getting tickets online.”

For further details and to purchase tickets, visit www.capefearbg.org.

From pirates to Indiana Jones, who doesn’t enjoy a treasure hunt? Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation presents Christmas Orienteering Day, Friday, Dec. 22, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at Lake Rim Park. It’s a great opportunity to get outdoors and learn something new while having an adventure the whole family can enjoy.

“Orienteering is when you use a compass to find a spot on a map,” said Jacob Brown, park ranger at Lake Rim Park. “For the Christmas Orienteering Day, we will provide people with maps when they come in, and different spots will be marked; each of them are numbered.” Brown added that participants will have to use a compass and typographic map to find those spots along the trail, and then they will have to copy down a symbol found at that location.

Lake Rim Park has a mile-long trail that loops around the baseball, soccer and football fields.

“Most of the spots that the participants will have to find will be located right off the trail,” said Brown. “Some of them you have to go into the woods to locate.” Brown added that participants will receive prizes when they find the eight different locations.

 The purpose of the event is to educate the public on certain outdoor skills. “We do all sorts of different programs to bring in the public, and orienteering is a good skill to have – especially with a lot of military folks around,” said Brown. “They want to teach their kids a little about using the compass and the things they have to do at work.”

The event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome. Call to register because space is limited. For more information, call (910) 433-1018.

I’m glad cooler heads prevailed regarding the Fayetteville City Council’s need for a grandiose inauguration at taxpayers’ expense. But I’m also saddened to know there are some on that dais who believed spending in excess of $7,000 of public money for ego stroking is alright.

Thank you to Councilmen Bill Crisp and Jim Arp, who understand the value of someone else’s money. While the $7,000-plus proposed for the event wasn’t much compared to what that governing body spends in a year, hosting a party for yourself and your political supporters at taxpayers’ expense just didn’t smell right.

Of course, I’m biased toward pinching public dollars. And I’m used to holding a more formal council inauguration. From 1989 through early 2006, I worked in the Fayetteville mayor’s office. And it was that office – with the help of the mayor’s super-efficient executive secretary – that was responsible for planning the inauguration.

During my first five or six elections, council seating took place in the council chambers, so rent was never an issue. The chief judge for district court, the late Judge Sol Cherry, administered the oath to all council members and the mayor. The cost of the whole affair was in the hundreds – not thousands – of dollars. The cost included a fancy city coffee cup and a thank you letter for the judge, parchment paper for the oath of office for each council member and the city clerk, a program printed in-house, and I think there were punch and cookies in the lobby

The “I want it my way” revolution among council members started slowly. At first it was about more reserved seating; then, each wanted their own choice as to who would administer the oath of office, even though some did not qualify for the job.

The first break with tradition came in 2001 when Mayor-elect Marshall B. Pitts decided to change venues. With just days before the inauguration, his secretary and I briefed him on the arrangements. He sat quietly as we finished our briefing and calmly replied that holding the inauguration in the council chamber would not provide adequate space. He wanted something larger since he expected a lot of people to show up with or without seating tickets.

He was right, of course. Pitts was the first African- American to be elected mayor. It was a historic moment for Fayetteville. And, there would be a lot of people there.

We found another venue. The only other option on short notice was outside, in front of the Airborne & Special Operations Museum’s back entrance. The inside was reserved for the reception, again keeping the budget to a minimum by hiring Fayetteville Technical Community College’s cooking school.

Mayor-elect Tony Chavonne in 2005 shattered the mold completely. When he took office, he relinquished what had been up to then the mayor’s staff. Instead, his political entourage handled the inauguration, except for setting up tables and chairs in the ASOM. It became the first extravaganza for Fayetteville City Council inaugurations and set the new standard.

And I think that should be the norm. Let the political supporters plan and fund the inauguration and take city government and public dollars out of the coronation business.

Photo: Marshall B. Pitts Jr., Fayetteville's first African-American mayor

It can be easy for young artists in Fayetteville to miss out on the pool of talented peers and potential for collaboration surrounding them. Doyle Wood and Lynne O’Quinn’s 35-year history of collaboration with each other and with other local musicians demonstrates just how valuable it can be to look up and look around while pursuing your craft. The making of their most recent release, the single “Christmas Eve with You,” reflects a process that’s been made possible through years of relationshipbuilding and hard work.

Wood is a producer, vocalist and guitarist. O’Quinn is a lyricist, internationally successful author and founder of His Outreach Worldwide. They met in the early ’80s when both of their sons were enrolled in Village Baptist Daycare. At that time, O’Quinn was working as a manager for Lynyrd Skynyrd. Wood had just opened a private recording studio, Daxwood Productions, and was in and out of Nashville working with the likes of Paul Worley, Lady Antebellum’s producer. Wood and O’Quinn quickly learned of each other’s similar passion for music and complementary talents and, in O’Quinn’s words, “were stuck with each other ever since.”

Fast-forward to the present and the pair have hundreds of collaborative songs under their belts – the most recent of which was completed just this month. “Christmas Eve with You” was born last August when the lyrics came to O’Quinn as she sat on her back porch.

“The words, I don’t know where they come from, they just come,” she said. Among those words were the chorus, which reflect the longing of military service members separated from loved ones during the holidays: “I’ll think of your sweet kisses and the way you make me feel/And no one can convince me that Santa isn’t real/He gave me all I wanted – it’s amazing how he knew/All I ever wanted was Christmas Eve with you.”

“I wrote it probably in 8 minutes,” O’Quinn said. “I sent it to Doyle, and he immediately liked it, and he said, ‘We’ll record this.’”

In the Daxwood Productions studio, Wood worked out the basic melody on his guitar and sang a draft of the vocals. He then called upon a string of other local musicians he’s been working with for years. He first asked Richard Gates and Carl Greeson – who have played keys and drums, respectively, for BJ Thomas – to come to the studio and add their groove to the track. Wood then sent the working file to Milton Smith – who played piano at Elvis Presley’s funeral – to do the orchestration and play the grand piano. Guillermo “Bill” Ayerbe, retired Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra concertmaster, played violin for the song. Laura Stevens, creator of The Heart of Christmas Show, sang backup vocals. Last of all, Wood sang the final version of his vocals and finished mastering the track.

Wood met these other musicians through a mutual love of music, just as he did with O’Quinn. Stevens sang in the first TV commercial for Daxwood Productions in the ’80s. Today, “She’s our go-to vocalist for just about anything,” Wood said. “She sings all the parts. She is the choir.”

they both majored in music at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in the ’70s. They also both taught music in the Cumberland County Schools system for 5 years after they graduated. Smith is now Wood’s orchestration man. He listens to the first draft, or “scratch track,” and helps build the song out. Wood connected with violinist Ayerbe, keyboardist Gates and drummer Greeson when, as he was building momentum for his studio in the ’80s, he “tried to get a collective base of really good players.”

It paid off.

“Christmas Eve with You” will be played at the Christmas party for the North Carolina civilian aide to the secretary of the Army and will air on all local networks. The song will also play on Pat Gwinn’s nationally syndicated radio show and is available for streaming via MoonDog Radio’s free app. Other collaborative songs from this team have won international acclaim, such as a Best of Soul award in the UK for “Loving You is the Best Thing.” Another song that honors the military, “Stand Proud,” has been played at events held at The Pentagon. Search “Doyle Wood” on CdBaby, iTunes or Amazon to view his full discography.

“We’re just very blessed; without all these artists, we wouldn’t have these songs,” O’Quinn said.

Four of them have been inducted into the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame in recognition of the musical distinction they’ve brought to the community: Wood (2016), O’Quinn (2016), Stevens (2015) and Smith (2010).

“I’m very fortunate to do what I do and to be able to do it as a job,” Wood said. “But my wife says I’ve been retired for the last 20 years, anyway. I don’t get consider it work. … As long as my health holds up, I’m going to keep doing this until I’m 100, I hope.”

The relationship (or lack thereof) between the city of Fayetteville and Cumberland County is as legendary as it is pathetic. As we stress over our indelible moniker, FayetteNam, we pay little attention to the image we are creating and projecting countywide, statewide and even nationally.

Next month, Up & Coming Weekly will celebrate its 22nd year as this community’s weekly newspaper. During this time, we have maintained an up-close and personal relationship with the community. It was during this time that I had the privilege of serving six years on the Cumberland County Coliseum board when we built the $60 million complex. I was very proud of that appointment and accomplishment. At the same time, I was confused by the amount of controversy surrounding it – especially between the city and county.

I thought this obvious contempt for each other was temporary, a passing thing.

I was disappointed to realize the hostility between the two governing bodies was practically embedded in their DNA. That was nearly two decades ago. Fast forward to December 2017. Nothing has changed. If anything, the relationship and communications between the city and county have gotten worse.

I’m not a detective or historical analyst by any stretch of the imagination, but after the recent bullheaded standoff and debacle concerning the combined 911 call center, I decided to take a closer look and examine the last 22 years of working with both the city and county.

It is amazing that our community has accomplished anything over the last two decades considering the high levels of reluctant cooperation. At the same time, it makes me wonder how many achievements, opportunities and developments we have squandered over petty political and territorial issues. I have often written that good government is a result of good leadership. Competent elected officials are essential for long-term growth and prosperity because they have a vision and a plan.

Well, here are my findings after 22 years: Since 1996, Fayetteville has had six mayors and the Cumberland County chairman has changed every year. Elected leadership changes every two or four years, respectively. Despite the ongoing changes in elected city and county leadership, the undercurrent of distrust and hostility remains undeterred despite individual intentions, influence or qualifications. How can this be with so many different elected officials serving both the city and the county and instituting their influence and personality to promote positive progress and change?

Instead of looking for things that have changed, I started paying attention to things that didn’t change. The one thing I found that the city and county had in common in the category of things that didn’t change was the staff. Maybe, just maybe, over the years, department heads and staffers became too entitled and realized the constant turnover of elected officials gave them the inherent power to dictate policy and influence the operations (and attitudes) of both the city and the county. After all, the elected officials depend on important information the staff provides them, and once the elected officials decide, it is the staff that is charged with the execution of policy. In the end, it is the staff that dictates and controls the success or failure of a project.

This being the case, who benefits the most from city-county contention than the staffers? With these insiders protecting their turf for power and job security, they are the real benefactors of robbing the city and the county of the progress that comes from cooperation and teamwork.

Close examination shows that the constant elements over the decades of city and county government are the staff and department heads. Perhaps they have too much power and influence over what goes on with city hall and with the county commissioners. Well, you may ask: how did they get that much power? Perhaps it was by citizens electing unqualified career politicians who don’t have the intellect, knowledge or experience to be visionary leaders to positions of prominence.

Another indication this may be a problem is the amount of pushback and criticism directed at elected officials who press a staffer too hard for information or imply that the staffer needs to do his or her job.

I’ll conclude with this: everyone wants a better community. Everyone sees and appreciates the opportunities we have with economic development and some of the other major assets we have in Fayetteville and Cumberland County. We need to cooperate. There is no advantage or future for us if we do not get along with one another. The fact that this situation has existed for so long indicates there is a constant enabler that needs to be addressed. And, since we know it’s not the elected officials, we need to look elsewhere.

We have too much to lose if we don’t get to the bottom of this situation. And we have everything to gain if we do. We have a lot at stake in Fayetteville and Cumberland County, and we need to work together for positive outcomes. The time for protecting turf is over. All elected officials should start demonstrating tough love and start demanding that the staff do their jobs so elected officials can do theirs.

Thanks for reading the Up & Coming Weekly.

Last month, the Fayetteville Marksmen held the team’s first Teddy Bear Toss – a tradition among hockey teams where fans throw teddy bears onto the ice after the first home team goal is scored. Not only did they win the game, but the Marksmen collected more than 700 teddy bears to be donated to area children’s hospitals.

Now, they are looking forward. The Marksmen take on the Birmingham Bulls Friday, Dec. 22, during Star Wars Night, a themed night of family fun that takes place a few days after the release of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” Players will dress in Star Wars-themed jerseys while fans can enjoy $2 beer all night long. This will also be the final game of the season where the Marksmen will offer its most popular package – the Carrabba’s Friends and Family Four Pack, which includes four center ice tickets, four select merchandise items and a $50 gift card to Fayetteville’s Carrabbas. The entire package costs just $49.

The following big game is sure to have fans’ tails wagging – the Pooch Party takes place Jan. 20, and dogs are welcome at the Crown Coliseum to watch the Marksmen hit the ice against the top-ranked Mississippi RiverKings. As if you needed more of a reason to check out the game, there will also be $1 hot dogs and free Marksmen caps for the first 2,000 fans.

Marksmen tickets are a great holiday gift, whether they are for a die-hard fan or someone new to the hockey scene. The Marksmen offer several great packages, including the three-game Hat Trick package, All-You-Can-Eat package and Flex Plan. The team is currently offering a Holiday Package, which is available until Dec. 29. The Holiday Package includes four “flex tickets” (which are usable in any amount, at any game), a $10 gift card to New Deli and a Marksmen hat, all for $45. The first 40 to purchase also receive a free Marksmen T-shirt.

Two new deals recently released include a military-friendly Pay Day Promo, which runs on the first and 15th of each month as well as the Rims & Rink Package, for which the Marksmen are partnering with Rimtyme’s downtown Fayetteville location to give away free tire fills and inspections, along with a four-pack of flex tickets.

If you’re looking for some opportunities to rub elbows with the players, keep track of the postgame parties on social media and visit Fazoli’s on McPherson Church Road the second Wednesday of each month for the players’ Eat, Meet & Greet appearances.

Despite it being the inaugural year for the Marksmen, through charity efforts, community events and entertaining ticket-holders, the team has truly made a mark on Fayetteville.

Keep up with the Marksmen on social media by following them on Facebook.com/marksmenhockey, on Instagram at @fayettevillehockey and on Twitter at @marksmen_hockey. For more information on Marksmen hockey, visit www.marksmenhockey. com. To learn more about the Rims & Rink offer, visit www.rimtymefayetteville.com.

Kyle Jackson is an enthusiastic self-educator and recently certified herbologist – a practitioner of natural, plant-based medicine – whose goals are to offer healthy, homemade body products and to educate the public as he continues to educate himself on all things natural. He opened 1910 Apothecary in a historic building on Trade Street about six months ago, in June 2017, as a place where he could carry out this mission. His products include candles, soaps, body butters and lotions – all organic and all made by Jackson in a kitchen unit he added to the back of the building.

“I wanted to offer all these different things that I enjoy doing,” Jackson said. “That’s one of the things that I really like about small business; there’s so much heart in everything people do. I wanted to have a place to share part of my heart with other people. That’s why I started the store.” 

Jackson said herbology is a field he’s wanted to pursue since he was 12 years old. “I grew up in Harnett County, and where we lived was very rural,” he said. “Using home remedies was kind of just very natural to us. … We always had a garden; we had cabinets full of herbs and spices.”

Jackson buys most of his ingredients from sources in Oregon to ensure they are certified organic. “Unfortunately, there are not too many people locally that I can use at the moment. Hopefully that will change some time soon,” he said. One of the store’s most popular products, Mint Milk bar soap, has a simple list of ingredients that’s reflective of Jackson’s approach in all his original recipes. The soap includes (all organic) shea butter; palm kernel, castor, avocado and olive oils; beeswax; goat milk; and essential oil of peppermint. Unlike many commercially made soaps, which use synthetically produced fragrance oils, Jackson uses pure essential oil in his recipe. He also leaves out sodium lauryl sulphate, the agent that causes many cleaning products to bubble – and actually dries and irritates skin rather than nourishing it. “The goat milk helps feed skin and gives it... more of a supple feel,” Jackson said. “It also helps to promote cell growth.”

1910 Apothecary proudly carries products crafted by two other local artisans. Michael Wells of Into the Well makes bath bombs, and Jamie Rae creates lavender-and-rice bags that can be used in place of heat or ice packs filled with chemical solutions.

“Customers are not just supporting me, they’re supporting other people with similar interests,” Jackson said. “You can know exactly what goes into (the products), and the ingredient lists are not confusing.”

Customers of 1910 Apothecary also benefit from Jackson’s passion for furthering his knowledge through self-study and experimentation. “I change the products up all the time just to make sure that I’m figuring out which ones peoples’ favorites are and if they like a particular recipe,” he said. He also welcomes requests for custom concoctions.

“When a customer comes in for that, we break down exactly what we feel like they need, and then I start making a bunch of little samples for them,” he said. “So we’ll try one sample, and then they’ll come back and say, ‘It needs to be a little more like this,’ and we’ll keep trying until we can nail down something that works well for them. I always reiterate that I’m here for criticism. That’s what makes a business grow. I appreciate when people tell me their honest opinion of something. Currently, I’m working on shaving soap, which has been something that customers ask me for. We’re still in test stages on that one because I haven’t quite nailed it yet.”

Jackson has used this custom-creation method to fulfill an order for a candle that a customer wanted to smell like their grandfather’s cherry pipe tobacco. Another time, he created special candles for an an Army battalion before it deployed to a region in Africa; those candles smelled of zanzibar clove and orange.

Jackson also holds free essential oils classes every month, generally on the third Friday, at 6:30 p.m. Each month, he gives an hour-long presentation detailing the properties, uses of and facts about five different essential oils.

“I try to gear the classes off the season,” he said. When kids went back to school, we focused on immune support and opening airway passages.” There will be no class this month due to the holidays, but if you are interested in attending January’s class, call (910) 835-6833 or search 1910 Apothecary on Facebook.

Jackson said his ultimate, long-term goal is to expand his business into a natural healing center. To this end, he’s currently attending Hope Mills’ Get Twisted Yoga studio to become certified as a nationally accredited yoga instructor. “It’s not necessarily about making a million dollars because I doubt we’ll ever do that here,” he said. “I just want to educate people on natural alternatives and (on) what’s important about shopping with those small-business people who are really putting their heart and soul and sweat and tears into everything that they do and everything they make.”

1910 Apothecary is located at 5486 Trade St. in Hope Mills. The building, originally built in 1910, still proudly displays the original owner’s name, Alice L. Gilbert, who owned a drug store. Store hours are Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Visit www.1910apothecary.com to browse the store’s inventory and to learn more.

Photo: Kyle Jackson, a recently certified herbologist, opened 1910 Apothecary on Trade Street in June 2017.

The public is now learning some of what Fayetteville City Council has been discussing behind closed doors in recent weeks and months. The council talked at length last week about a project related to the construction of a minor league baseball stadium in downtown Fayetteville. Citizens learned for the first time of a significant cost overrun for a planned parking deck on property adjacent to the ballpark. Deputy City Manager Kristoff Bauer disclosed that the projected cost has more than doubled since he first offered what he called a “rough estimate of $7 million.” Council was asked to approve a new cost of $14.8 million.

 PCH Holdings of Durham has plans to develop property near the stadium, including a four-story parking garage with a four-story hotel on top of it. They will also build a 7- to 10-story apartment building next to it. Council has apparently been discussing this issue during closed meetings. An attorney for the North Carolina Press Association has questioned whether the proposal was an appropriate closeddoor exception allowed under the state’s Open Meetings law.

The city has agreed to buy the parking garage from the developer once it’s finished. PCH Holdings will sell the building at its cost. PCH project manager Jordan Jones said originally that the garage would be for the exclusive use of its hotel guests. But with the city taking ownership of the facility, it could be used by baseball fans and others. The agreement almost didn’t get off the ground, as council initially shocked the chamber when it voted 5-5 to reject the plan. New members – Tyrone Williams, Tisha Waddell, D.J Haire and Johnny Dawkins – plus veteran councilman Bill Crisp voted against the parking deck because of its high cost.

“We’re missing our numbers in a big, big way,” said Dawkins.

Crisp exercised a personal privilege by immediately calling for reconsideration of the vote without discussion. He and Haire flipped, and the final vote for approval was 7-3. “I ain’t comfortable with it, but we’ve got to go with it,” Crisp said.

Council adjourned soon after the vote, having no idea where the additional $7 million would come from.

Jones said the total cost for its proposed developments would not exceed the planned $65 million. That includes more than $13 million for the renovation of the former Prince Charles Hotel. “The interior has been gutted,” Jones said of the eight-story building. It will be refurbished before the exterior of the facility is done over.

Once again, city of Fayetteville and county of Cumberland officials have been unable to resolve a mutually important issue. Several months ago, they agreed to work out significant differences over the future distribution of sales tax revenues within a twoyear period. Virtually no progress has been made. Now, the city and county have called off negotiations on the projected shared cost of building a multi-million- dollar 911 emergency call center. Newly elected Mayor Mitch Colvin and County Commission Chairman Larry Lancaster issued a joint statement saying in part, “We have jointly decided that more time is needed to create an agreement that best serves the citizens and creates a better overall project.” They added, “Key elements in the interlocal agreement remain unresolved to the satisfaction of both parties.”

A mid-December deadline for applying to the state for a $15 million matching grant could not be met. “The city and county will continue to work toward an agreement with the goal of applying during a future funding cycle,” the statement concluded.

GenX public forum draws hundreds

“There’s a lot of unknowns here...the state is doing the best it can right now. There are so many unknowns.” These are the words of North Carolina Rep. John Szoka, R-Cumberland, at a forum on GenX. GenX is a chemical compound used by the Chemours company to manufacture non-stick coatings used in cookware. It’s produced at the former Dupont plant in neighboring Bladen County.

An estimated 350 people turned out for the forum at Grays Creek High School to hear representatives of state regulatory agencies. Area residents are frustrated because little is known about the feared toxic effects of the compound on humans. GenX is unregulated by state or federal agencies. Nothing new was learned during the forum. GenX has been detected in more than a hundred private water wells in the vicinity of the Chemours plant on the Cumberland County line. Cumberland County Commissioners asked the state regulators to host the public forum. According to the Department of Environmental Quality, 115 homeowners are getting bottled water from Chemours because of GenX in their water. Not all wells tested had any GenX. It was originally detected in the Cape Fear River near Wilmington.

More growth on Fort Bragg

Fort Bragg will be headquarters for one of six new highly specialized units created to assist combat teams on deployment. A Security Force Assistance Brigade will be activated next month. Officials had said the brigade would likely be located on Pope Army Airfield property, which the former 440th Airlift Wing occupied. Officials have said the SFABs will allow other brigades to focus on their primary missions. The Army plans to have all six SFABs in place by 2022.

Each unit will consist of about 800 senior field grade and noncommissioned officers “who have proven expertise in training and advising foreign security forces,” the Army said. The soldiers will be among the top tactical leaders in the Army. To join an SFAB, soldiers will be screened based on qualifications and experience.

“The unit will receive the best, most advanced military equipment available,” the Army said in a statement, adding that “SFAB soldiers will receive special training through the Military Advisor Training Academy to include languages and foreign weapons.”

Shawcroft Road repairs

It will be some time yet before permanent repairs are made to Shawcroft Road in the Kings Grant subdivision. But, the city has finally come to a decision on the huge ditch that was temporarily repaired this past summer. The road collapsed during Hurricane Matthew in October of last year. The stream beneath the road had come out of its banks. According to Fayetteville Public Services Director Rob Stone, city engineer Giselle Rodriguez has recommended to management that a new culvert be installed to carry the stream beneath the road. The city had considered building a bridge across the stream. Stone said there would be a cost savings of $200,000 to install a large, concrete culvert. City council will eventually have to approve the project, whose cost is covered by Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursements.

Fort Bragg serial killer’s appeal rejected

Former Army Spec. Ronald Gray has lost his final appeal to stop his execution. The U.S. Armed Forces Court of Appeals denied Gray’s request for extraordinary relief in a 30-year court battle to save his life. Gray was convicted of a series of rapes and murders in Fayetteville and on Fort Bragg in the mid- 1980s. He killed cab driver Kimberly Ann Ruggles, Army Pvt. Laura Lee Vickery-Clay, Campbell University student Linda Jean Coats and Fayetteville resident Tammy Wilson, who was a soldier’s wife.

Gray also raped several other women. A Fort Bragg court sentenced him to death in 1988 after convicting him of the rape and murder of two women and the rape and attempted murder of a third woman, among other offenses. Previously, a civilian court sentenced him to eight life terms, including three to be served consecutively, after he was found guilty of two counts of seconddegree murder, five counts of rape and additional offenses all related to different victims.

Gray is the only soldier on death row at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. President George W. Bush approved Gray’s execution in 2008, but a federal court issued a stay of execution.

“Appellant has exhausted all of his remedies in the military justice system,” according to the opinion handed down this month.

ACTIVITIES

• Dec. 21-23 Christmas in Paradise at Paradise Acres in Hope Mills features, lights, a holiday buffet, a live Nativity scene, train rides, inflatables, fried moon pies, marshmallow roasting and the Clauses. Admission is free. Open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 5-9 p.m. Call (910) 424-2779 for details.

• Dec. 25 Christmas dinner at the Alms House at noon. Menu will be traditional items: turkey (baked or fried), ham, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, sweet potatoes, vegetables, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, desserts and drinks. If you would like to donate for the Christmas Day dinner, sign up on the sheet posted at the Hope House, 3909 Ellison St.

All food items need to be at the Hope House by 11 a.m. If you have questions, contact, Grilley Mitchell at (910) 476-3719.

• Every Monday and Friday, the Alms House serves meals from noon to 12:30 p.m. and 5-5:30 p.m. Saturday meals are at noon, and Sunday meals are at 5 p.m. Free. Contact, Grilley Mitchell at (910) 476-3719 or visit www.almshousehopemills.com for details.

• Dec. 29 Support your local hockey team. Watch the Fayetteville Marksmen vs. the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs at the Crown. Learn more about the team and purchase tickets at www.marksmenhockey.com.

• Dec. 30 Celebrate Kwanzaa at Smith Recreation Center from 6-8 p.m. The Umoja Group hosts this event, which includes a drum call, welcome song, tribute to elders, libation, parade of African kings and queens, feast, children’s candlelight ceremony and traditional dance performance. Bring your favorite food dish to share. Free. Call (910) 485-8035 for details.

MEETINGS

• Jan. 8 Hope Mills Chamber January Luncheon at Hope Mills Park and Recreation from 12:30-2:30 p.m. Enjoy a meal, network, and talk about the new year. Pivot Physical Therapy will be the guest speaker. Cost for lunch is $10. Purchase tickets at www.hopemillschamber.org.

• Alcoholics Anonymous meetings Mondays, Thursdays and Sundays at 8 p.m. at Hope Mills United Methodist Church, 4955 Legion Rd.

• Hope Mills Board of Commissioners Meeting – first and third Monday of each month at the Town Hall Building at 7 p.m.

• Hope Mills Area Kiwanis Club – second Tuesdays at noon at Buckhead Steakhouse (Sammios starting in Feb.) and fourth Tuesdays at 6 p.m. at Mi Casita in Hope Mills. Call (910) 237-1240 for details.

GET INVOLVED

Join other motivated citizens on a Hope Mills board, commission or committee. Contact the town for information on current vacancies and the application process: www.townofhopemills.com/ directory.aspx.

• The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee – fourth Mondays at Hope Mills Recreation Center, 6:30 p.m. This committee seeks to recommend and plan programs of recreation activities and events. In addition to the regular membership, there are two liaison members who represent the Hope Mills Senior Citizens Club and the Hope Mills Youth Association.

• The Lake Advisory Committee – second Tuesdays at the Hope Mills Recreation Center, 6 p.m. The purpose of the committee is to advise and make recommendations regarding various issues pertaining to the safety and environment of the lake and preserving it as a valuable resource to the town.

• The Appearance Commission – fourth Tuesdays at Hope Mills Recreation Center, 7 p.m. This committee seeks to enhance and improve the visual quality and aesthetic characteristics of the town.

• The Senior Citizens Advisory Committee – fourth Wednesdays at the Hope Mills Senior Center, 4 p.m. The purpose of this committee is to provide insight and advice for the Senior Center Staff on programs and trips and to the providers of leisure services and activities for citizens 55 and older in the Hope Mills area.

• The Veterans Affairs Commission – fourth Thursdays at the Hope Mills Recreation Center, 7 p.m. The committee is comprised of town residents who are armed services veterans. Members advise the town on affairs related to its active and retired military citizens.

• The Historic Preservation Commission – second Wednesdays at Hope Mills Recreation Center, 5 p.m. The committee advises the governing body on issues related to historic identification and preservation.

FIREFIGHTERS

The Hope Mills Fire Department is a combination department, which employs both career staff and volunteers. Find out the criteria and training requirements for volunteer firefighters and join the team today: www.townofhopemills.com/155/Volunteer-Firefighters.

CLOSINGS

• The Hope Mills Library will be closed Dec. 23 through Dec. 27. Call (910) 223-0432 with questions.

• The town of Hope Mills offices will be closed Dec. 25-26 and Jan. 1. Call (910) 426-4113 with questions.

PROMOTE YOURSELF

To have your business, organization or event included in this section, email us at hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

At a women’s gathering last week, I was struck by how much conversation centered on our national divisions and the amount of sadness and pain with which the women discussed our great divides. They mourn the ability to talk openly with others, often with people they consider friends, because of political differences. They yearn for ways to build bridges so that they can talk calmly about politics in America.

The women cited conversational scenarios like these that most of us have encountered in one form or another.

You: “That Donald Trump couldn’t tell the truth if Melania’s life depended on it.”

Other person: “Oh, yeah! That Hillary Clinton aided and abetted her husband’s womanizing.” Or this.

You: “Hillary Clinton is the most qualified person ever to run for president of the United States.”

Other person: “Donald Trump is a different sort of president, but he is a great leader no matter what.”

Such deflecting, finger-pointing conversations are exactly what render many of us silent around people of opposing political views. The divide is so deep we simply cannot cross it, so we do nothing. We may unfriend social media contacts to avoid reading posts that repel us. My conversation with women friends last week is one of many such exchanges over the last two years, and I have not detected softening of anyone’s opinions.

We remain stuck in our political gridlock.

Turns out that there is much angst on both sides about the deep gulf between us. An internet search quickly reveals the concerns and offers tips on facilitating better communications, or at least on how not to come to fisticuffs. My favorites come from a TED talk by Celeste Headley, host of a daily news show on Georgia Public Broadcasting.

1. Don’t try to educate anyone. Chances are, you are locked into your beliefs and so are those on the other side of the fence. Attempts at education to your point of view may simply deepen the gulf between you and the other person.

2. Don’t prejudge. We all come to this moment with different life experiences, and listening – really listening – may help us understand how someone came to such beliefs, even though we may never agree.

3. Show respect. Headley puts it this way. “Respect is more important than tolerance. To respect another person is to refrain from calling them names, discounting their ideas or using frequent interruptions to talk over them or perplex them. It also means taking turns; practice seeing people with whom you disagree as people trying to achieve a positive result.”

4. Stick it out. Confrontation, even calm and measured confrontation, is hard and awkward. Headley cautions against cracking jokes or changing the subject. Tough conversations are worth the effort, says Headley, and “are necessary if we are to find common ground” on issues that face both America and the world.

Obviously, all easier said than done, and I have certainly done my share of joking, changing the subject, even running for the door and just avoiding such conversations altogether. But Headley is right. We cannot move forward until we are able to talk to each other. Doing so is not a matter of Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump staging a televised love-in. It is Americans, one by one and two by two agreeing that what unites us is stronger and more important than what divides us. It is Americans talking to each other, no matter how difficult and awkward that may be.

Damage has been done, but last week’s special election in Alabama was a ray of light in a bleak and charged atmosphere. No matter one’s political leanings, that election was proof that Americans do not always believe partisan ends justify the means above all else.

Americans have reason to be encouraged as we head into 2018.

Alexandria Scruggs

E.E. Smith • Junior •

Basketball

In addition to being one of the top players for the Golden Bulls’ girls’ basketball team, Scruggs has a weighted grade point average of 4.3667.

Sam McKeithan

Jack Britt • Junior •

Football/lacrosse

McKeithan was the kicker for the Jack Britt football team, hitting 27 extra points and two field goals. He also plays lacrosse in the spring. He enjoys surfing and soccer. He has a weighted grade point average of 4.28.