It’s hard to earn the title of “classic,” and even more so to be labelled a cult classic. Can a story and its characters withstand the test of time? Find out on Nov. 11 at the Crown.

“Dirty Dancing” is one of a very few stories that can and has. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the original film’s premiere. It was a commercial success and a pop culture phenomenon that managed to reinvent itself onstage decades later.

“Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage” will have an exclusive one-night show at the Crown Theatre Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m.

According to Broadway World, what began in 2001 as an eight-week staged workshop in Manhattan was parlayed into a sensation in its own right. The official stage premiere at the Theatre Royal in Australia in 2004 sold more than 200,000 tickets in a six-month run. Its five-year run at London’s West End is the longest-running production in the theater’s history. The highest advance sales in European history occurred when “Dirty Dancing” premiered in Germany in 2006.

But what’s even more special for Fayetteville is that one of its own has been cast in the North American tour.

Nickolaus Colõn, born and raised in Fayetteville, plays Billy Kosteki (Johnny’s cousin). Colõn started taking acting classes at the age of 7 at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, where he would continue to perform for 10 years. He went on to graduate from the renowned University of North Carolina School of the Arts with a degree in drama in 2015.

When asked what it was like returning to his old stomping grounds with a huge company at his back, Colõn said, “I almost cried when I saw the touring sheet. You can’t ask for something more than that. It’s not about fame. It’s not about fortune. It’s just about this. I get to come back and make a career out of performing these amazing stories, especially for my hometown.”

This being the fourth year of the North American tour, there’s both old and new blood in the production. Sarna Lapine, fresh off of directing Jake Gyllenhaal in “Sunday in the Park with George,” is its new director. She is joined by the show’s original music supervisor, Conrad Helfrich, and choreographer Michele Lynch. Along with the classic songs from the film, several more than that. It’s not about fame. It’s not about fortune. It’s just about this. I get to come back and make a career out of performing these amazing stories, especially for my hometown.” This being the fourth year of the North American tour, there’s both old and new blood in the production. Sarna Lapine, fresh off of directing Jake Gyllenhaal in “Sunday in the Park with George,” is its new director. She is joined by the show’s original music supervisor, Conrad Helfrich, and choreographer Michele Lynch. Along with the classic songs from the film, several morepieces have been added to the set list.

Eleanor Bergstein, who wrote the screenplay for the film, has also been at the helm of the stage adaptation since the start. In an article for Cleveland’s The Plain Dealer, Bergstein said, “This is the summer that Martin Luther King made his ‘I Have a Dream’ speech, and that was very important to me, because three months later, (Robert) Kennedy is assassinated. This is the last summer that you believed you could reach out your hand and change the world.”

Bergstein had also described her desire to not disappoint fans of the movie with a subpar stage adaptation.

Colõn insists audiences are in for something different. His character Billy, for example, is best known in the film as the guy carrying watermelons with Baby as she sees real dirty dancing for the first time. But in the play, Billy actually has his own love interest with another counselor, Elizabeth, on the grounds. Billy is white, Elizabeth is black, and it’s 1963.

“That was a pretty big deal for a young white guy to be falling in love with a black girl,” said Colõn. “So Eleanor has added this whole other subplot and so much more. People will always love the movie, but they’re going to love the show even more because they’re going to get so much more out of it.”

This incredible persistence to really portray the cultural and social moment of the 1960s has been echoed by many outlets that have seen the musical. Critics have also raved that “Dirty Dancing” is nostalgic fun with electric dance numbers to rival the original film.

Colõn said, “It’s one of those things where the movie has such a specific, fond memory in basically everyone’s heart in America. It’s either a first kiss or a first date. It’s (someone saying)oh, I learned how to dance because of this … The first night, we finally had our first crowd and they were lively and fun. Then Johnny comes up and he’s like ‘Nobody puts Baby in the corner,’ and the whole crowd goes wild, and every night that’s the one thing that you can guarantee will happen.”

Get tickets while they last at  www.crowncomplexnc.com.

• Nov. 4-12 Heroes Homecoming V at the Hope Mills Public Library, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 4 is the first day of a nine-day ceremonious event to honor veterans. The focus will be on Vietnam veterans. Visit www.heroeshomecoming.com for more information. All Heroes Homecoming events are free and open to the public.

• Nov. 4 - 12 Cumberland County’s display of Missing Man Tables The public is invited to tour these tables, thank the businesses participating and – most importantly – honor our MIA/POW soldiers. Visit  www.heroeshomecoming.com for details.

• Nov. 8 Veteran Movie Extravaganza  Millstone 14 on Camden Road in Hope Mills will honor veterans by presenting an evening of military-themed movies. The event is free for veterans and their families. The event begins at 4 p.m., and space is limited. Call  (910) 354-2124 for more information.

• Nov. 10 Building Dedication Ceremony by VFW Post 10630 honoring retired CW4 Edwin S. Deaver, former Hope Mills mayor and commissioner.

• Nov. 11 Veterans Day event at VFW Post 10630 3-5 p.m. Call (910) 424-4555 for details.

• Dec. 2 Hope Mills Christmas Parade starting at 3 p.m. at Hope Mills Middle School and ending at Rockfish Elementary School. Call (910) 426-4109 for details.

• Dec. 2 Christmas in the Village directly after the Hope Mills Christmas Parade. Free train rides, hot cocoa, cookies, a visit with Santa and an outdoor Christmas movie at the Hope Mills Town Hall, 5770 Rockfish Rd. Call  (919) 426-4109 for more information. 

• Dec. 9 Breakfast with Santa at Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Center from 8:30-11 a.m. $6 per person. Menu includes pancakes, sausage, bacon, eggs and juice. Call  (910) 426-4109 to RSVP no later than Nov. 27.

• Dec. 16 First Annual Dinner and Dance with Santa at Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Center from 5:30-8:30 p.m. $20 per couple, $10 per additional person. Call (910) 426-4109 to RSVP no later than Dec. 4.

As I was waiting to speak with a business owner, I couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable in beholding the scene before me. There was a male with his pants so far down that he had to stand with his legs apart to keep them from falling around his ankles.  His boxers were showing in all their faded glory. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but my eyes were not beholding any beauty whatsoever.

Towns and cities in various states across this great country of ours have adopted ordinances that will allow local police officers to fine anyone who openly and blatantly exposes underwear that causes offense to others. According to www.nydailynews.com, in April of 2013,  Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, adopted the ordinance with an 8-1 vote. Towns in Georgia and Florida followed suit in hopes of making people aware of the image they are portraying. 

What is that image? What comes to a person’s mind when he or she sees someone that has difficulty walking because of sagging pants? What do employers believe? 

Well, as someone who sees this on a daily basis – along with the rest of the U.S. – I find that sagging pants makes one look unkempt.  Wearing pants in such a way creates the image of someone who does not care about the future or reaching goals and has an “I don’t care” attitude about life in general.  

I could be sadly mistaken. But as a professional and a business owner, I could not allow that in my business. As a mom, I really don’t want it around my children – especially my son, who is now 16. Thank goodness he despises the trend. As a woman, I find it offensive when I walk into a public area and a male is all but exposing himself. 

Has society as a whole conformed our way of thinking when it comes to the sagging pants being appropriate? Or is it really true that common sense is still around and no one cares to see someone else’s underwear in public? I prefer the latter.  I like to believe I am capable of forming my own opinion. 

Where did it begin?

We have all heard the story that this fad began in the prison system as a way for a prisoner to let other inmates know he was “available” or that he was already “taken.” According to www.Snopes.com, that is false. But can we believe Snopes – considering their most recent downfall? Either way, it is a horrible stigma to have attached to a fad. And helping popularize this fashion atrocity are pop culture idols such as Justin Beiber, Lil Wayne, The Game and many others.  Please note the coincidence that these people have either served time in jail or prison.

The Risks

According to a 2011 article from www.hiphopandpolitics.com, wearing pants below the posterior can lead to problems such as severely bad posture, hip degeneration, lower back problems, bunions, life-long knee misalignments and erectile dysfunction.  

What if an emergency happened and the guy had to run? I’m extremely curious as to how he would make it out of a burning building. Hopefully, he’d survive.

On a positive note, if someone wearing sagging pants commits a crime, he is much slower, allowing the police to catch him. According to www. christianpost.com, in 2013, a robber in Brooklyn, New York, punched a woman in the face and stole her cellphone. He was easily caught because his sagging pants caused him to trip when the pants fell to his ankles.

Will the cities and towns of Cumberland County ever adopt an ordinance prohibiting sagging pants like the one in Louisiana? Who knows? Not much is being said, and now it is basically a personal issue for those of us who are against the sagging pants.  We will have to agree to disagree. Maybe it does come down to the cliche of “To each his own.”  I just know that my “own” wears pants that buckle or button above the hips.

When is the last time you thanked a veteran for serving and sacrificing? This is the time of year when we, as Americans, are given an opportunity to show our gratitude to those who have served and are currently serving in our military. America was founded upon the lives of those who fought for the freedoms that we partake of every day. We have been in numerous wars and have lost many soldiers, marines, airmen and sailors. And it’s not just the ones who serve or who have served that sacrifice. The families and loved ones sacrifice also.

Each veteran has a story to tell, whether he or she fought overseas or remained to protect the homeland. Each signed the anticipated “dotted line” and knew there was a chance they would be called away and not make it back home.

The American military has been met with honor and appreciation when returning from all wars since King George’s War (1744-1748). All except the veterans of the Vietnam War. These veterans, like all veterans, did as they were told – going overseas to fight a war at the behest of the president and Congress. When they returned, they were met with disdain, anger and physical abuse such as being spat on and kicked and beaten. Some chose to move overseas and are still there to this day because of the lack of respect from the country they diligently served. For the ones who returned, they have struggled to gain the respect they rightfully deserve.

Richard Maury joined the Army in 1965 and served in Vietnam. He explained how every unit was responsible for helping the local community’s orphanages, hospitals and other civilian facilities. Maury recounted how a young Vietnamese mother was carrying her baby and decided to use herself and her child as suicide bombers. Maury has post-traumatic stress disorder and can easily empathize with fellow military servicemen and women. He gives credit to his wife for standing by him and loving him throughout the healing process. He, along with countless others, suffers from the effects of Agent Orange – the toxic chemical the U.S. government used to kill the foliage in the jungles. This chemical caused a lot of health issues with the troops – including cancer.

Maury has dedicated much of his life to helping other veterans. He is a member of several veterans’ associations, including the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Association of Vietnam Veterans of America. While living in Colorado, Maury helped to bury over 20 Vietnam veterans a week due to suicide. Many of these veterans were loners. Maury believes there is great opportunity within Hope Mills to grow awareness of veterans’ needs.

James Clark joined the Army in 1968 and was shot at while circling over Saigon while landing for his first tour. He was on a small jet that carried 260 people. He was warned to “get out fast” and go straight to the bunker. He served two tours in Vietnam – 26 months total.

Clark also has health issues caused by Agent Orange. He said, “I’ve had 15 things wrong with me at one time or another, and every one of them is Agent Orange-related.”

Although he has dementia, Clark can vividly remember the details of his time served. When asked if he lost any of his comrades, he broke down in tears. He was proud to serve. His father served, and his son followed in his footsteps. As a collector of American Eagle statues, his home is beautifully decorated with numerous statues with the American symbol wrapped in the U.S. Flag. Clark is also a member of the VFW.

Michael Grilley was a military planner during the Gulf War. He served one tour as a soldier and the rest as a civilian as a government contractor. Grilley retired as a Sgt. 1st Class. He trained soldiers before they headed to war. He made sure that they knew what to do, how to do it and when to do it. He spoke of how enemy fire was not the only thing that kept a soldier from coming home, but how failure to respect equipment took lives. “My fear was that if I (wouldn’t) train you properly and you leave here and not be prepared to go to battle,” Grilley said.

He knew he was the last one to give instruction before the soldiers left, and he took that to heart. “I wore that uniform with pride. Every time I put it on, I was proud,” Grilley said. He, Maury and Clark are on the board for Heroes Homecoming in Hope Mills, which raises awareness of Vietnam veterans, those declared missing in action and prisoners of war and explains the importance of respecting the sacrifices that the military make daily. The initiative also helps organize placement for the “Missing Man” tables on display throughout the community and so much more. Grilley is also a member of the VFW.

Whether you agree with war or not, veterans deserve our respect. They don’t just sacrifice time. They sacrifice health. They sacrifice limbs. Some sacrifice their lives. Many never made it home because they were declared missing in action or were taken as prisoners of war.

When you see Old Glory waving in the breeze or spot an eagle flying high, remember that those symbols represent the men and women who have given so much for us to enjoy our freedoms. On this Veteran’s Day, thank a veteran. He or she would appreciate it.

It was an honor to speak with these gentlemen – these soldiers who provided a way for my family and myself to be able to do what I do every day … live in freedom.

“The bottom has fallen out of the Republican Party.” So wrote Fort Worth’s Star-Telegram columnist Cynthia Allen last week.

“Well,” she continued, “not the bottom exactly. More like the middle.”

She was writing about Texas, where the far-right-wingers are driving moderates out of the party. “So-called Republican ‘moderates’ have been living on borrowed time. They are vestiges of an era when compromise was a hallmark of good policymaking.”

She had harsher words for Texas Democrats, who, she said, “drove out every member of their party who didn’t adopt the agenda of the far left.”

If Allen lived in North Carolina, she might say the same things about both of our major parties. They are forcing out the moderates who are uncomfortable with their parties’ unwillingness to accommodate compromise and less strident approaches. “It’s a sad state of affairs,” Allen wrote. “We need the middle.”

About divisiveness within two parties nationwide, the Pew Research Center last week issued a report that confirmed major challenges for the political middle. “Nearly a year after Donald Trump was elected president,” the report begins, “the Republican coalition is deeply divided on such major issues as immigration, America’s role in the world and the fundamental fairness of the U.S. economic system.”

Democrats have a shade different stage of divisiveness. “The Democratic coalition is largely united in staunch opposition to President Trump. Yet, while Trump’s election has triggered a wave of political activism within the party’s sizable liberal bloc, the liberals’ skyhigh political energy is not nearly as evident among other segments in the Democratic base. And Democrats also are internally divided over U.S. global involvement, as well as some religious and social issues.”

The Pew report helps explain the power of the extremes in each party. Core Conservative Republicans on the right and Solid Liberal Democrats on the left “make up an even larger share of their partisan coalitions when political engagement is factored in.

“While Core Conservatives make up about a third of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents overall (31 percent), they constitute a larger proportion of politically engaged Republicans (43 percent).”

Similarly, the Pew report says, “Solid Liberals constitute by far the largest proportion of politically engaged Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents. Solid Liberals make up a third of all Democrats and Democratic leaners – but close to half (48 percent) of politically engaged Democrats.”

Thanks to their more-active participation, far-right Republicans and far-left Democrats have moved their parties away from the middle and toward the fringes.

Officeholders in the middle of the Republican Party face competition from Steve Bannon’s support network and others on the fringe. One of them, moderate Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, announced his retirement earlier this month, as did U.S. Sens. Bob Corker of Tennessee and Jeff Flake of Arizona.

Republicans on the fringe may be celebrating, but Cynthia Allen mourns, “While the fight may be futile for politicians like Straus, Flake and Corker, the only way they have a chance of improving the odds for their team is by staying in the game. Instead, they are abandoning the field, and everyone loses.”

Democrats have similar challenges. The middle may be bottoming out of their party, too. Long-time moderate Democrats with pro-business, free trade and socially conservative views wonder if they are still welcome.

What are the pathways for those in the unwelcome middle of both major parties, other than following the route out of politics shown by Straus, Flake and Corker?

Allen, who recognizes the need for a strong middle in both parties, wants the disaffected to stick with their parties and fight it out against their parties’ controlling fringes.

Although it has been more than 150 years since Americans organized a major new political party that competed for control of the national government, today’s disappointed middle in both parties may see this possibility as their only alternative to dropping out.

With the national debate about tax reform heating up, you’ll be hearing a lot about the difference between marginal and average tax rates. It’s an important distinction – and the concept doesn’t just apply to taxes. Postsecondary education is another area where the “fallacy of the average” often rears its problematic head.

To put it simply, what is true “on average” does not necessarily provide useful guidance about what will happen, or what one ought to do, in a particular case.

You experience this difference all the time, even if you don’t realize it. In sports, for example, Jones may be a better player than Smith in general. But if the other team plays Brown, Smith matches up better than Jones, so the coach makes a substitution.

In business, the distinction is critical. The average cost of producing a product is usually different than the marginal cost of producing the next unit of that product because of up-front costs, limited capacity or efficiency gains that come from experience.

To apply the concept to tax policy, it’s important to understand that if income taxes, for example, have a significant effect on the individual decisions of employers, employees, investors and consumers, the effect typically occurs on the margin, not on average. If I work harder, add a second job, add a new product line or make a new investment, how much of the new income can I expect to lose to taxes? This future tax loss may be much higher than the tax burden I already shoulder.

I mentioned that a less-familiar application of the principle can be found in post-secondary education and training. Fortunately, two American Enterprise Institute scholars, Mark Schneider and Rooney Columbus, have just produced a fascinating study that illustrates the effect in the education markets of three states: Florida, Texas and Tennessee.

On average, students who pursue and earn bachelor’s degrees certainly do have higher lifetime incomes than those who earn associate degrees, who in turn make more money than those who get post-high school certificates, who in turn make more money than those whose formal education ends with high school.

But these relationships between averages don’t necessarily mean that any specific person would be better off economically by foregoing community college or the working world and enrolling in a university. Circumstances matter. Some young people who don’t go on to universities have concluded quite properly that they aren’t likely to succeed there – either because of academic preparation, distance from home or preexisting responsibilities. You can’t assume that the population of those already university-bound is equivalent in every relevant respect from the population of those who aren’t – or that any differences are purely matters of finances that can be eliminated by larger subsidies.

More importantly, students don’t get an “average” bachelor’s degree. They get degrees in particular subjects from particular schools. It turns out that there is a very wide variation in post-graduation earnings, a variation that is masked by “average” lifetime incomes.

For some careers and individuals, it makes more sense to pursue less-expensive education or training at community colleges. One report estimated that 28 percent of holders of associate degrees have higher incomes than the median income of those with bachelor’s degrees.

In their own study, Schneider and Columbus looked at careers with the highest rates of return on investment. Many of them required community college, not university training, such as allied health and electronics technicians in Florida, fire protection and quality-control experts in Texas and automotive technicians and computer-assisted designers in Tennessee.

Boosting personal incomes and the overall economy aren’t the sole purposes of higher education or even the most important ones. I think the study of arts and sciences has great intrinsic value (although it need not occur in expensive campus settings). For many young people deciding what to do after high school, however, career preparation is a high priority. They shouldn’t let the fallacy of the average obscure what North Carolina’s ubiquitous and impressive community colleges have to offer.

Every year, the Sts. Constantine And Helen Greek Orthodox Church offers the greater Fayetteville area a delicious spaghetti meal. And every year, thousands show up to partake. Nov. 15 marks the church’s 59th Annual World’s Largest Spaghetti Dinner and Greek Pastry Sale. This muchloved tradition lasts just one day, but it’s worth attending.

During the early years, the spaghetti dinners were dine-in affairs, serving about 400 meals each year. The event has grown so much that eating in is no longer an option, but still, thousands turn out to pick up the piping hot pasta in to-go boxes.

While the community is always eager to support this delicious endeavor, it’s a huge effort on the part of the Greek congregation as well. Dozens of church volunteers come together to make a couple of tons of pasta and 900 or so gallons of meat sauce – all topped with 200 or so pounds of grated Parmesan cheese – for their friends, neighbors and community.

Head chef Tony Kotsopoulis started helping with the dinner in 1989. By 1993, he was running the kitchen for the event along with the generous help of many volunteers. There is a lot that goes into making the dinner and pastry sale a success year after year. The planning, the prepping, the cooking and the serving all take time and energy. But as cars line up and the boxes of spaghetti start heading out the Hellenic Center doors, it becomes worth it. Few events receive this kind of support from the community, and that’s not lost on the volunteers who twice a year pull together to embrace Fayetteville. The other occasion is the Greek Festival, which takes place each September.

The delicious pasta is reason enough to support the spaghetti dinner, but the Greek pastry sale that happens alongside this event has a strong following, too. For anyone with a sweet tooth, the pastries are a treat not to be missed.

While the dinner and pastry sale is a boon for the community, it’s about more than filling stomachs with a hearty meal. The proceeds benefit local nonprofits that help people in this community. The beneficiaries change from year to year, but the generosity of the Greek congregation does not.

The spaghetti dinner and pastry sale runs Nov. 15 from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. at the Hellenic Center at 614 Oakridge Ave. Tickets cost $7 and can be purchased at the door. Call (910) 484-8925 for more information.

The Campbellton Youth Chorus, a choral music group, has no affiliation with any school or church. The organization is dedicated to fostering music literacy and giving children a lifelong love for music. As its website states, this group is open to “youth ages 9 to 14, regardless of school affiliation, ethnicity, socioeconomic background or religion.”

The group’s artistic director, Donna Jo Mangus, said, “It’s really a community choir and the only youth community choir in Cumberland County.”

The idea for a diverse, music-centered youth choir came from the Cumberland Oratorio Singers, a local adult symphonic choir of which Mangus is a member. The connection works well for both groups, providing the Campbellton Youth Chorus opportunities to sing three times a year as the opening act for Oratorio Singers concerts. Once a year, the youth are even given the opportunity to sing in a joint performance with their parent choir and learn about large group performances.

Those performances are in addition to the youth chorus’s three yearly concerts and other events. Mangus said the youth choir sings, “secular, sacred and patriot music.” She added that this spring they will also sing pop songs and some show tunes.

The choir is in its third year and second full season and is already scheduled to perform Nov. 10 at Saint Patrick Catholic Church; Dec. 16 at Anderson Street First Baptist Church; and March 1-3 they will be in Greensville as part of the 2018 Piedmont Invitational Children’s Choir Festival.

Also, the chorus will perform in a joint concert with the Cumberland Oratorio Singers at Haymont United Baptist Church April 27, and in July they will participate in the Independence
Day symphony concert at Festival Park.

Those interested in inviting the chorus perform for events, as well as those parents who would like to have their child join the Campbellton Youth Chorus, should send an email to Mangus at DonnajoMangus@gmail.com.

The chorus practices once a week, and yearly dues are $90 for what Mangus says is “almost like a private group singing lesson.” Interested children are not required to have any vocal experience or education. The group is devoted to inclusivity and music, so the only requirement is a love of singing.

More information about the group’s mission and their performance schedule is available at  www.campbelltonyouthchorus.org.

Vision 2026. Cool Spring Downtown District. A new artistic director for Cape Fear Regional Theatre. A new music director for the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. These recent initiatives and changes reflect a growing, collective thought: Fayetteville is ready to grow, and that growth requires collaboration.  

Successful entrepreneurial collaboration is the message of Charlie Brock, keynote speaker for Methodist University’s third annual Reeves School of Business Symposium and Awards Dinner. The dinner will held Thursday, Nov. 16, at Embassy Suites Fayetteville/ Fort Bragg from 6:30-8:30 p.m. In addition to the keynote speech and dinner, seven awards will be presented to individuals who have demonstrated excellence in Fayetteville’s business community.

Pam Bierman, MU Center for Entrepreneurship instructor and co-organizer of the event, said this night is not only relevant to award recipients and those already entrenched in the business community.

“Entrepreneurism is everywhere, and I believe there’s a budding entrepreneur in each one of us,” she said. “I think a lot of people have had dreams of what they would like to do, but they don’t know how to do it.”

That’s where 20-year veteran entrepreneur Brock comes in. His speech for the night is titled “Transforming Cities through Innovation and Leadership.” Bierman said she first heard Brock speak at a regional pitch competition for students in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

“A couple of things struck me about Charlie that I thought would be perfect for having a keynote here,” she said.

First was the evidence of Brock’s success in his own city – and how the mechanisms of that success could apply to Fayetteville. “Chattanooga has been transformed over the last 20 years,” Bierman said. “Twenty years ago, it was … really a rough city, a lot of problems with drugs and gangs. Some prominent members of the community decided to take back the community and make it a safe, prosperous and enjoyable place with a high quality of living. (Brock) was one of those people.” Through Brock’s work in organizations like Launch Tennessee – of which he is the president and CEO – early-stage investment in Tennessee has increased 100 percent, and Chattanooga now boasts the fastest internet and smartest electric grid in America.

“He’s very involved in developing what I would call entrepreneurial ecosystems throughout Tennessee,” Bierman said. “I kind of parallel Chattanooga to Fayetteville. We’ve really seen a need for better collaboration; we’ve got little pockets of it but not necessarily orchestrated at a higher level. … He’s doing that, and we want to know how to do that. He’s not only working with legislators in trying to have state legislation that’s business-friendly, he’s (also) mentoring, trying to create incubators and accelerators and those kinds of programs that help businesses get started.

“(He’s) an exciting person who is doing and has been doing what we want to do in Fayetteville.”

The seven awards of the night will honor community leaders who, like Brock, have laid and are laying the groundwork for the change their city wants to see, Bierman said. These awards are Alumni Business Person of the Year; Entrepreneur of the Year; Business Person of the Year; Greater Good Award; SmallBusiness Excellence Award; Silver Spoon Award; and Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur of the Year.

“A lot of people attend to see the award winners,” Bierman said. “We make people wait until the end, because it’s kind of the climax of the event.”

Attendees will get to learn about each awardwinner’s work, ideas and passions in short videos that will play as recipients make their way onstage.

Tickets cost $75 each. To register or to learn more, visit www.methodist.edu/rsb-symposium.

PHOTO: Keynote speaker, Charlie Brock

November is Diabetes Awareness Month. Diabetes is the sixth-leading cause of death in Cumberland County. One out of 10 North Carolinians are diagnosed with diabetes, and one out of five may have diabetes and not be aware that they have it. Better Health presents its fifth annual Red Apple Run for Diabetes Saturday, Nov. 18, at the Medical Arts Center at 8:30 a.m.

“This is a fundraiser for Better Health and our charitable programs. We want to help raise funds to support the programs that we offer to the community,” said Amy Navejas, executive director of Better Health. “But at the same time, we really wanted to have something that was applicable to what we believe in and what our mission is – and that is health.” Navejas added this event was the perfect opportunity to combine the two by presenting an opportunity for individuals to get out and get active.

The run features three races: a 5K run, a 10K run and the fun run. “This is our fifth Red Apple Run, and we will have a little something for everybody at all different levels,” said Navejas. “We are going to have the 10K run, which goes through historic Haymount, a 5K run, and we will also do a one-miler called the Haymount Hill Climb.”

Navejas added that the one-milers will get participation ribbons and the others will receive medals for first, second and third place winners in their age categories.

A DJ will be on-site as well as a variety of healthy food.     

The event is called the Red Apple Run for Diabetes because one of Better Health’s biggest programs is its diabetes management program. “In this program we offer clinics in our office three days a week where individuals can come and meet with a nurse and get educated on different topics related to diabetes,” said Navejas. “We bring in guest speakers, and we try to be very thorough. We also have diabetic supplies that we can offer for low-income clients, and we check blood sugar.”      

Diabetes is a complicated condition, and often people need that extra support. “It is hard to manage diabetes on your own, and we want to help individuals to get better at doing that and give them those tools to help work with their doctor,” said Navejas. “Our goal is to raise $23,000. We are excited and look forward to an outpour of community support.” 

Registration for the 5K is $25, the 10K is $35, the fun run is $20, and it is $15 for children ages 10 and under. Prices go up after Nov. 9. Free screenings for diabetes are available at Better Health’s weekly clinics.

For more information, call  (910) 483-7534.

At a recent meeting, Cumberland County Commissioners indicated they were prepared to settle an issue that has confounded Fayetteville City Council for weeks. Commission Chairman Glenn Adams said at a meeting of the joint 911 Task Force that the county had agreed to let the city operate the planned $30 million center. But, the financial formula was changed by county officials when they agreed to let the city run the facility.

Deputy City Manager Kristoff Bauer and Assistant County Manager Tracy Jackson have been the principle negotiators. Bauer said Jackson’s position is constrained by the board of commissioners.

“We do a disservice to the citizens of our community if we don’t move this thing forward,” Adams said. Commissioners want funding percentages for the center’s operation to be based on the pro rata share of population between the city and county. All parties agree it comes down to a 64/36 population split with Fayetteville shouldering the larger share.

“This is as close as it’s ever been,” said City Manager Doug Hewett, referring to the back and forth between agencies.

The details are contained in a 16page interlocal agreement that the jurisdictions have yet to agree on. The agencies aren’t far apart on percentages of operational expenses. But a city council subcommittee continues to propose that the cost of construction be based on calls for emergency services, not the formula the county has proposed. An acceptable formula the council subcommittee agreed to would cost the city $7.8 million with the county’s share being $5.2 million.

“We’re bending over for that,” Committee Chairman Bobby Hurst said. “We could play hardball, but we can iron this out with the county,” he added.

The subcommittee, comprised of Hurst, Councilwoman Kathy Jensen and Mayor Nat Robertson, voted 3-0 in favor of both funding formulas. The local governing bodies hope the State 911 Board of Directors will award local government $15 million toward construction of the communications center, which would be built on cityowned property off Fields Road.

There are still some ambiguities in the proposed agreement, noted Bauer, such as the structure of the communications center’s advisory governing board. However, all parties are in agreement that the city and county managers would have final responsibility for decision-making.

A grant application to the state for partial construction funding must be submitted by the city of Fayetteville no later than Dec. 15. An application submitted two months ago was turned down because the agreement outlining which local government would be the lead entity was not included in the application. In counties where joint centers have been established, such as Wake and Guilford, the cities of Raleigh and Greensboro were designated as the lead agencies with operational responsibility.

Admitted deserter goes free

The commander in chief of the U.S. military wasn’t at all pleased with a Fort Bragg judge’s decision to spare Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl from serving a prison sentence. Bergdahl pleaded guilty to deserting his post in Afghanistan in 2009.

“The decision on Sgt. Bergdahl is a complete and total disgrace to our Country and to our Military,” President Donald Trump tweeted. Bergdahl won’t serve time in prison for endangering his comrades by walking off his Afghanistan post, the military judge ruled. Army Col. Jeffery R. Nance sentenced Bergdahl to forfeit $10,000 in pay, a reduction in rank to private E-1 and a dishonorable discharge, barring him from receiving any medical or other benefits entitled to most veterans.

Bergdahl was captured by the Taliban and endured brutal captivity for five years before President Barack Obama struck a deal to release the captured soldier in exchange for Taliban prisoners. Immediately after he was captured, the U.S. military conducted a massive search operation that resulted in the deaths of six American soldiers. Trump called Bergdahl a “no-good traitor who should have been executed” last year, during his presidential campaign. The president’s remarks could have played into Nance’s decision, although he publicly denied it.

Panhandling unresolved

Some Fayetteville City Council members were disappointed at the last meeting that the administration hadn’t recommended changes to the city’s panhandling ordinance. City attorney Karen MacDonald gave members some options based on what other North Carolina cities are doing. But, she said recommendations won’t be forthcoming until January. MacDonald, who reports directly to city council, wanted more council input and apparently needs time to research the law further.

Council members Bill Crisp and Chalmers McDougald like the idea of arresting people who give beggars money. They suggested fines and jail time for them. Councilman Jim Arp wants the city to launch an educational, public service outreach in the community asking people not to give panhandlers money.

Judicial review of alleged gerrymandering

The federal court has appointed a special master, Stanford Law professor Nathaniel Persily, to review proposed legislative districts from the latest Republican district map, which Democrats charge is just another gerrymander. The action suggests that the federal court believes the Republican Party is still illegally drawing districts based on race.

In its court order, the judges named Persily to sample and review North Carolina House districts in Sampson, Wayne, Wake, Guilford and Mecklenburg counties to address concerns that these districts failed to remedy the identified constitutional violation or are otherwise legally unacceptable. The judges and Persily will review the legality of the districts in question. The courts concluded earlier that districts mapped in 2011 were drawn for the sole purpose of facilitating and ensuring a Republican majority in the General Assembly, disenfranchising thousands of voters in the process.  

Fayetteville police commander arrested

A city police captain has been charged by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office with failing to report her husband’s recent sex offender violations. William Augurson, 47, is a registered sex offender. He allegedly violated terms of his registration by unlawfully attending at least three events on protected premises, said Sheriff’s spokesman Sgt. Sean Swain. The events were primarily intended for children, he said. Augurson’s wife, Captain Tracy Bass-Caine, attended the events with him and, “being a law enforcement officer with the Fayetteville Police Department had an obligation to report this offense,” Swain said. Bail bonds for both were set at $30,000. Police spokesman, Lt. Todd Joyce, said Bass-Caine had been suspended with pay.

Another Green Beret death  – this time, murder

Two Navy SEALs are suspects in the murder of a Fort Bragg Green Beret who was assigned to the western African nation of Mali. It’s the same part of West Africa where four other Fort Bragg special operators were ambushed and killed while on a surreptitious support mission in Niger. The Pentagon identified the fallen soldier as Staff Sgt. Logan J. Melgar, 34, of Fort Bragg’s elite 3rd Special Forces Group. The Army’s Criminal Investigation Command said he was strangled in a June 4 attack and was found dead in his hotel room in Mali’s capital of Bamako.Military medical examiners determined the cause of death was “homicide by asphyxiation,” The New York Times reported, citing unnamed military sources.

There have been five U.S. combat deaths this year in Africa – four in Niger and one in Somalia. Those are the only cases in which U.S. forces have been killed in action during the past 10 years, according to AFRICOM. There have been numerous other noncombat deaths attributed to malarial infection, driving accidents, and now, murder.

The Navy SEAL Team 6 members were quietly taken out of the country and placed in military custody on administrative leave, the Times reported. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service is now leading the investigation, according to U.S. Africa Command. These incidents have provoked questions in Washington. Members of Congress have voiced complaints that they are ill-informed about military activities in the region, some admitting that they were unaware of special forces’ involvement in many parts of the world.

Let us now praise famous rats. Rats come in all shapes, sizes and species – both the rodent and the human variety. There are way too many human rats for this column to ponder more than briefly in passing; Benedict Arnold, Jane Fonda and Tokyo Rose, just to name a few. Today’s focus will be on the wonder and lore of the rodent variety of rats.

A recent article in The New York Times breathlessly described the discovery of a new variety of rat – the mysterious and now famous Vangunu giant rat. Just when you thought you had too many things to worry about – North Korea’s Little Rocket Man, the indictments on Manafort Monday or whether diet Coke is worse for you than regular Coke – along comes the Vangunu giant rat.

Once more elusive than Big Foot or a good nickel cigar, the Vangunu giant rat was rumored to exist on the island of Vangunu, which is part of the Solomon Islands way out in the South Pacific. You may recall that Lt. Commander Quinton McHale of the 1960s TV show “McHale’s Navy” was stationed in the South Pacific along with Ensign Parker and Capt. Binghamton during World War II. It is unclear if McHale ever confronted a Vangunu giant rat. We can only hope there is a video somewhere in the vaults of ABC that can solve that mystery.

But I digress. Back to the Vangunu giant rat. VGR, as his friends call him, is the royalty of the rat family. He is one big rat. VGR can weigh in at about 2 pounds, stretching 18 inches long from his nose to his scaly, bald tail. His dental prowess is legendary, despite never having been known to floss, use fluoride or participate in a regular program of professional dental hygiene. VGR can crack open a coconut using his bare teeth. He will drill a hole in his coconut and scoop out the coconut meat, discarding an almost completely empty coconut shell. If Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones had trained a pet VGR to retrieve coconuts, he would have never fallen out of that coconut tree, landing on his head in Fiji back in 2006. Like cockroaches and Twinkies, one day only Keith Richards and Vangunu giant rats will survive the coming nuclear apocalypse. It’s time we began to seriously think about the kind of world we want to leave behind for Keith Richards once we all have crossed the great divide.

Until very recently, VGRs were just rumored to exist on Vangunu. The only evidence they were real were the drilled, emptied coconuts and unidentifiable rat droppings that appeared on the jungle floor.

Enter professor Tyrone Lavery, the Indiana Jones of rat detectives. Lavery spent years of his life searching for proof of the VGR to no avail. The professor was the Inspector Javert in pursuit of the VGR. He was no quitter. He laughed at the danger of falling coconuts. He used every trick in the rat detective playbook to try to confirm the existence of the VGR; traps, cameras and hanging out under coconut trees at all hours of the day and night. A lesser rat detective would have given up years ago and gone back to studying the effect of gallons of caffeine on lab rats. Not our intrepid professor Lavery. He persevered in his rat detection.

On one tragic day in the jungle, a particularly unlucky VGR, Rodney, was imitating Keith Richards in a coconut tree when the tree itself fell to the ground. Rodney was seriously injured and unable to scamper away to the Rat Rehabilitation Clinic.

Lavery discovered the injured Rodney while on his daily rat patrol. Lavery attempted to nurse Rodney back to health. Unfortunately, the professor was fresh out of the tiny little rat veterinary instruments necessary to save the Rodney’s life. After a few hours of rodent hospice care, Rodney expired. Rodney went to dwell in the land of his ancestors in the Peaceable Kingdom of the Rat Havens, which is filled with soft-shelled coconuts and music by Keith Richards.

Rodney’s body was interred for the traditional 10-day period in a stone tomb, after which the stones were rolled away and his mortal coil was sent to the Queensland Museum in Australia where it remains to this day. If you have enough mileage points, you can fly Qantas and see Rodney.

The mystery of the existence of Vangunu giant rat is solved. We are left only to ponder one final question. If a coconut tree containing a Vangunu giant rat falls in the jungle and Keith Richards is not around to hear it, does it make a sound? As the King of Siam once said, “It is a puzzlement.”

Some mornings I can hardly wait to hear overnight news, and some mornings I dread it. As I write this, our nation is reeling after the terrorist attack in New York City, apparently timed to involve school children on Halloween day by a man who seems proud of his deadly work. Not all news, though, is bad. Some of it is just plain wacky, so much so that the only description I can come up with is, “You really can’t make up this stuff.”

Here are a few examples.

If it’s Tuesday, who is being accused of sexual harassment today?

Allegations against Harvey Weinstein continue to roll in, and he is hardly alone. More recently, Oscar-winning actor Kevin Spacey of “House of Cards” fame has been accused by a young actor who says he was a teenager at the time he was assaulted. For his part, Spacey took the opportunity to make it public that he is gay, something long-rumored in the industry. Netflix grabbed its opportunity to suspend production of “House of Cards.”

There have also been allegations against three Dartmouth College professors, a top NPR editor and actor Jeremy Piven. And lest North Carolina be left out, the Wilmington Star News reported that a candidate for the Kure Beach town council is the longtime author of a blog regarding all things sexual. A sample post read, “Her punishment went well. She left with marks and bruises that should remind her of proper behavior for quite a while.”

You really can’t make up this stuff.

From the annals of history, The New York Times reports that Michelangelo, one of the world’s greatest and most famous artists of all time, was in an artistic snit by the time he completed painting the exquisite Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, one of the most beautiful and iconic rooms in history. The Chapel was opened in 1512 after four years of painting during which Michelangelo lay on his back high above the floor as he painted the ceiling with God and Adam reaching fingers toward each other. Wrote the painter, sculptor and all-around Renaissance man:

“I’ve already grown a goiter from this torture, hunched up here like a cat in Lombardy  (or anywhere else where the stagnant water’s poison).  My stomach’s squashed under my chin, my beard’s pointing at heaven, my brain’s crushed in a casket, my breast twists like a harpy’s. My brush, above me all the time, dribbles  paint so my face makes a fine floor for the droppings. My haunches are grinding into my guts, my poor ass strains to work as a counterweight, every gesture I make is blind and aimless. My skin hangs loose below me, my spine’s all knotted from  folding over itself. I’m bent taut as a Syrian bow.”

Michelangelo goes on a bit more, but you get the idea.

I wish we were all so creative when we gripe about our jobs, but none of us could make up that one.

From Washington, the biggest and most serious news surrounds the indictments of President Trump’s former campaign manager, along with one of his lieutenants. Unbeknownst to everyone beyond the special prosecutor and his staff, a Trump campaign aide has apparently been spilling some serious beans. George Papadopoulos pleaded guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for telling what he knows about campaign contacts with Russians. In doing so he went, in the words of a president whose relationship with the truth is challenging at best and seemingly nonexistent at worst, from “an energy and oil consultant … an excellent guy” to a “lowlevel volunteer” who “has already proven to be a liar.”

Finally, from The Associated Press comes a little item from Germany about a couple in the city of Kassel who will not under any circumstances be allowed to name their newborn son Lucifer. You read that correctly - Lucifer, a word connoting Satan and general evil. German parents are allowed to name their children, of course, but officials are allowed to step in if the name would expose the child to humiliation or offend others. Step in the officials did, and the parents decided to switch to Lucian, though there is no word on what the boy will be called at home. AP also reports that several countries have banned Lucifer and other names. Not so in the United States, where 13 little boys were named Lucifer in 2016, a record crop.

You really can’t make up this stuff.

 I’ve heard many opinions about how to create jobs and how Fayetteville is barely shuffling along and only creating “fast food” jobs; now if the hard-hearted politicians would only fund this program or that program, we’d solve poverty and create jobs for everyone. Well, if the solutions were that simple, we’d have implemented them by now. Perhaps the real answer isn’t that easy. This article is an attempt to share my conversations and experiences over the last five years as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives and to point toward possible answers. Just to be clear, my opinions are not based on just one conversation. I’ve spoken with scores of outof-county and out-of-state businesses, and they all echo similar sentiments.

Step one: Let’s agree that the real answer isn’t easy. If you don’t agree, stop reading here. 

Step two: What are companies really looking for? There are hundreds of studies that try to answer this question by evaluating municipalities and regions against one other to come up with some magical ranking. When we’re near the top of the list, we congratulate ourselves, and when we’re near the bottom of the list, we blame one another for the perceived failings. These lists may be fine as a general guide, but they do not hold universal answers for municipalities and regions across the country.

Last year, I had a discussion with the vice president of Apple, who was in charge of selecting new expansion locations. The decision boiled down to one issue – the bottom line. Apple considers where it can make the most money. This is the spirit that continues to make America great: satisfy customer demand, provide new and innovative products and services, keep operating costs low and sell products and services at a profit to grow your business. 

So, what goes into the cost of doing business? Here’s what I’m continually told is near the top of companies’ concerns.

• State business taxes. We’re competitive in this area. Our corporate tax is at 3 percent and going lower. When you compare our tax rates to those of other states, compare apples to apples, no pun intended. This year, when we were trying to land Project Zeus, a $240 million potential investment in our county, the Legislature quickly changed a section of the Mill Machinery tax to make us competitive with other states. The Cumberland County Business Park was one of the final two sites on the East Coast under consideration, thanks to this change and the cooperation of the city of Fayetteville and Cumberland County. 

• Cost of land/buildings/facilities. Rural land is less expensive than land inside the city limits. We’re competitive in both the county and the city.

• Access to a trained workforce. We come in OK in this area for many industries not needing advanced college degrees. For those of you who continue to ask the question why we can’t attract high-tech pharmaceutical companies in Cumberland County, the answer is we just don’t have the job skills those companies are looking for. It would take decades to grow that base. For industries that require workers trained in specific skills – for example, special manufacturing processes or specialized computer skills (think cybersecurity) – our community college system is ready, willing, able and funded to set up whatever worker training is required. 

• Ease of hooking into utilities. Here, we fall short. Again, this is what companies are saying, not my opinion. If you remember back to the city of Fayetteville/PWC debate of just a few years ago, you’ll recall that an early version of the bill allowed the PWC to extend water and sewer into the county without being required to request “voluntary annexation.” One of the reasons that section was inserted into the bill was because 13 different companies over a two-year period did NOT select Cumberland County to build small manufacturing facilities (20 to 100+ employees) in the county because they didn’t want to pay city taxes and conform to city codes. The final bill “solved” the water issue, but not the sewer issue.

• Ease of doing business. Time is money. I’ve heard from companies that have locations statewide, and almost every one complained that dealing with the city and county are some of the worst experiences they have had. Both the city of Fayetteville and Cumberland County have come a long way in addressing this issue, but neither is competitive amongst their highest-performing peers.

Step Three: We need a brand. I ask people outside of our community how they would define Fayetteville and Cumberland County. I usually get blank stares or some mumbled response about Fayettenam. That’s a real problem. We need to define ourselves. But, before we can do that, we should be able to recognize and celebrate the economic development our community has achieved lately. If we’ve done something well, shouldn’t we tell that story?

Case in point: What’s the most significant economic development project with the highest number of well-paying jobs that has occurred in Cumberland County in the last five years? The answer is the new residency program at Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, which began earlier this year. In the next three years, this program will generate 300 resident doctors, about 50 teacher, mentor and support positions and an additional 300 associated jobs. That’s at least 650 wellpaying jobs with the upside potential of increasing to over 900 jobs. This equates to a minimum new payroll of $30 million a year. This doesn’t address the increase in quality health care that will benefit the entire region.

So, where does all this fit in with our message to outsiders? We have “Visit Freedom’s Home,” promoted by the Fayetteville Area Convention and Business Bureau. “Building a prosperous and resilient community through business leadership,” from the Greater Fayetteville Chamber. The Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation highlights opportunities in defense, food, manufacturing, business and financial services and logistics on its webpage. How about the “History, Heroes and a Hometown Feeling,” signage at the entryways to the city? I understand that each of these organizations has a unique mission, yet, I have been unable to find any unifying theme among the various groups. While these are all positive messages, they are unrelated and disconnected.

Our community needs a unified message. We need to have a positive, accurate, realistic discussion regarding what we can do together to tell our story better and make our economic marketing message efforts more effective. I’m encouraged that there are some people and organizations in the community who share this view and are already coming together.

Whatever the results of these efforts, the message needs to be more than an empty slogan. Every business, organization and elected official needs to be able to explain the “mission” and “buying proposition” to everyone they meet, particularly the media. If the media hears it often enough, we will see more positive headlines about our community rather than stories and reports about how our crime rate is increasing, who murdered who in what parking lot, what drug deal has gone bad or what political candidate got a speeding ticket 30 years ago.

An overarching brand with a unified message for our community will surely help. But then, we must live up to it. Branding, advertising and marketing alone won’t convince industry and new companies to locate here.

I’ll finish the way I started, by challenging you to think about how we can advance our community both economically and socially. There is no simple answer. Are you willing to join with those who’ve begun an honest assessment of our community and are working toward making Fayetteville and Cumberland County more attractive to business and industry?

Join those of us willing to work.

The holidays are fast approaching, and UNC Pembroke’s Givens Performing Arts Center is ready to entertain well into the new year. Monday, Nov. 20, GPAC takes holiday showmanship to a new level with the 10th anniversary national tour of Broadway musical “Cirque Dreams Holidaze.” The show includes a 30-foot-tall Christmas tree with 30 performers from seven countries as the ornaments. As stars, dreams and ornaments come to life, the stage fills with music, sparkle, song, dance and more.

“The only thing ordinary is the extraordinary,” Director Neil Goldberg said on the show’s website. “The thing that makes ‘Cirque Dreams Holidaze’ so unique and different than traditional holiday shows is you never know what’s going to happen next.”

Jill Winters is the creative content director of music and talent for “Cirque Dreams Holidaze.” Part of her job includes attending circus and performing arts festivals all over the world to find fresh talent. “That is just amazing because these events are really big deals with red carpets and award ceremonies – and incredibly talented artists,” she said. “I get to pluck these amazing performers before other people even know about them.”

Having an international cast means many world views and a diverse talent pool, which is part of what makes the production so special. It also means working through language barriers. There are interpreters, but Winters has also become very good at charades. “We have a great team. They are usually very open to new ideas,” she said. “We have amazingly talented artists, and they work hard, but it takes time to put a show like this together. We start getting ready in May.”

Bringing the magic of the holidays to audiences means pulling out all the stops when it comes to what happens on the stage. Winters credits the team with making the magic happen. From handheld props to larger-than-life scenery to the performers, it all comes together to deliver that feeling that makes this time of year special.

“Everyone who comes to this show leaves with something different,” Winters said. “Anyone from ages 2 to 92 can sit in the audience and enjoy it. I think the kids love the spectacle part … we have slinky candy canes that come across the stage and angels and gingerbread cookies that do flips and soldiers walking on thin wires. We have snow onstage – and, of course, Santa. The show pays tribute to Thanksgiving, Hanukkah and New Year’s Eve, too. I think everyone can have fun at this show and leave happy.”

“Cirque Dream Holidaze” starts at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 20. Tickets range from $21-$41.

Drawing on local talent, the UNCP music department hosts its Ninth Annual Holiday Extravaganza Dec. 1. The Holiday Extravaganza showcases virtually all the university’s ensembles and choirs in performing uplifting renditions of holiday favorites. The performance includes a sing-along of well-known Christmas carols.

“We’re happy to have this unique ‘Cirque’ performance just before Thanksgiving. We hope it helps put our audience in the holiday mood,” said GPAC Director James Bass. “Then, when we come back after Thanksgiving break, we’ll have our annual Holiday Extravaganza, which is not to be missed.”

A “Tuba Christmas” performance at 7:30 p.m. in front of GPAC will precede the Dec. 1 concert; the concert itself starts at 8 p.m. Tickets for the show are $12 for adults and $5 for children. The concert raises money for music scholarships at the university.

The GPAC season continues on Jan. 9 with a Derik Nelson and Family concert. Consisting of siblings Derik, Riana and Dalten, this group grew up performing together. Known for their three-part harmonies, the group has more than 3 million YouTube views. The show features “Derik clones” – electronic clones of Derik – a light show, and a 20-foot video display that takes audiences on a journey that includes landscapes, weather conditions and musical settings.

Derik’s singing has been included on FOX’s “Raising Hope” and “New Girl,” CBS’ “How I Met Your Mother,” and NBC’s “Go On” and “The Voice.”

Riana is no stranger to show business, either. She’s been a casting associate for FOX’s “Empire,” an onscreen vocalist for Renee Zellweger’s pilot “Cinnamon Girl” and the lead vocalist for Princess Cruises.

Dalten appeared on several episodes of television’s “Glee.” He also conceptualized, designed, filmed, edited and executed more than 150 separate videos in perfect sync to create the visual immersion footage that plays on the 20-foot video screen during the show. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $5 for students to $16.

Well-Strung string quartet comes to GPAC Jan. 23. Using vocals and strings, the group blends classical and modern pop music. The group is made up of Edmund Bagnell (1st violin), Chris Marchant (2nd violin), Daniel Shevlin (cello) and Trevor Wadleigh (viola). The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets range from $5-$16.

On March 12, “Amazing Grace: The Musical” takes the stage. Based on the true story behind the song, the performance tells a tale of romance, rebellion and redemption. John Newton must choose between following his father into the slave trade business or listening to his lover’s more compassionate voice. With his slave, Thomas, in tow, Newton sets out on a journey on the high seas where he has a transformative moment of self-reckoning. The show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets start at $10.

The iconic “Wizard of Oz: The Musical” will show March 19 at 7:30 p.m. This musical promises to blow audiences away with great acting, brilliant music and, of course, flying monkeys. Tickets start at $10.

“On Golden Pond” closes the 2017-18 season. Based on the Academy Award-winning film starring Henry and Jane Fonda and Katharine Hepburn, the show explores an estranged fatherdaughter relationship. It’s heartwarming and touching to watch as an unexpected relationship blossoms. Tickets start at $10. Showtime is 8 p.m.

For information about tickets and the full season lineup, visit www.uncp.edu/gpac or call (910) 521-6361.

Gavin Chavis

Terry Sanford

• Football

• Senior

Chavis has a 4.5 grade point average. He’s a three-year starter on the Terry Sanford football team and a captain. He’s the student body parliamentarian for the Student Government Association, a member of National Honor Society Leadership and a volunteer for the Fayetteville Animal Protection Society and Alma Easom Elementary School.

Emily Bresee

Gray’s Creek

• Volleyball

• Senior

Bresee has a 4.0 grade point average. In addition to volleyball, she’s active in the Student Government Association, National Honor Society, Academy of Scholars and the FayettevilleCumberland County Youth Council.

There’s one week of play left in the football regular season. After that, for at least one week and maybe more, football teams from Cumberland County that qualify for the state playoffs will be in action.

Meanwhile, on Oct. 30, official practice sessions began for winter sports teams at N.C. High School Athletic Association schools in the county.

We’ll be facing a similar situation in the spring, when conference basketball tournaments will still be in progress while spring sports teams start practice Feb. 14.

For years this has been a headache for coaches and administrators, especially in smaller schools where athletes are often shared between sports teams and there is sometimes competition for use of facilities for practice. The NCHSAA recently made some major changes in its off-season practice rules, allowing coaches in most sports greater freedom to work directly with their athletes when their sport is out of season.

This was a wise decision, and it will help keep athletes under the supervision of high school coaches and less in the hands of non-school coaches who may be less worried about academic success for athletes. Now the NCHSAA needs to take the next step in this process and do something to cut down on the overlap between the seasons.

If we’re going to allow coaches to work with athletes more in the off-season, let’s take advantage of that. Do we really need the extra time to get a team ready for play if the athletes are being coached up more frequently?

I don’t think so.

I’ve felt for the longest time that we could delay the start of basketball season until after Thanksgiving. That still gives you nearly three weeks in December to start the season before Christmas break sets in.

As for winter, there’s no reason not to delay the start of spring sports until at least the week of the state basketball tournament, which this year falls on March 10.

Both basketball and baseball are sports designed for multiple games in a week. If you include an occasional Saturday game, you can spread the competition out over a six-day period, which would make it fairly easy not to schedule consecutive games.

In the case of basketball in particular, this would allow coaches to develop depth and prepare their teams for the tournament run later in the season when they play multiple games in a week.

I see these changes as a win-win for the sports that are in season. Cutting down on having to schedule basketball games in the early weeks of November while some schools are still in the football playoffs would eliminate the need of moving a basketball game when it conflicts with an unpredictable state playoff game.

The bottom line is, if we’re holding regular practices in the off-season, it shouldn’t take a coach that long to get a team into playing shape when the time comes.

I think it’s time to give this serious thought, and I hope coaches and athletic administrators will voice this idea to the NCHSAA Board of Directors. It may be too late to consider it at the winter meeting later this year, but there’s plenty of time to get it on the agenda for next spring, and it could be implemented as early as next fall.

Let’s give this a try.

PHOTO: High School Highlights writer, Earl Vaughan Jr.

PHOTO: Alexa Solorzano

When the Patriot Athletic Conference was formed, Gray’s Creek found itself as the relatively new kid on a tough boys’ soccer block that included successful programs at Terry Sanford and Pine Forest.

But when the smoke cleared from the regular season, it was Gray’s Creek on top of the pack by the slimmest of margins, headed to the state 3-A playoffs as the No. 1 team from the new nineteam league.

Asked what the key to success for this year’s team was, head coach Bryan Pagan quickly pointed to chemistry.

“It was a little bit of an issue for us at the beginning of the year,’’ he said. “Slowly but surely, we started putting our tightness together.’’

Unfortunately, as the team started stringing wins together, Pagan found himself with another problem. “When you start having wins and success, it’s hard to keep teenagers focused,’’ he said. “We had a couple of hiccups with losses, but I’ve been really proud of a lot of the leadership and composure we’ve had this year.’’

Two of the younger leaders on the team have been junior Hayden Diaz and freshman C.J. Eley.

Diaz leads the Bears in scoring with 26 goals while Eley has 11.

“Hayden has come a long way,’’ Pagan said. “He started out playing defender, and he has gradually moved himself up the field. He’s a very quick, strong kid able to take people off the dribble and get a lot of opportunities for us.’’

At 6-foot-3 inches, Eley is unusually tall for a soccer player. He brings a physical presence to the team that has been a big asset. “That helps with set pieces and corner kicks,’’ Pagan said of Eley’s height. “He’s been able to find the back of the net quite a bit this year.’’

Like his coach, Diaz said chemistry has been a big factor in the Bears’ success. “Everybody hangs out with everybody,’’ he said. “We joke with each other and have fun with each other. To have that chemistry on the field shows.’’

Eley said the Bears felt a little intimidated early on, but it didn’t last. “As soon as we got into the swing of things, we got comfortable,’’ he said. “We just stayed determined and worked hard and wanted it more than the other teams.’’

Gray’s Creek was assured the Patriot Conference’s No. 1 berth in the state 3-A playoffs regardless of how it fared in last week’s conference tournament.

Now that the Bears are in the postseason, Pagan said maintaining composure is crucial.

“We’ve emphasized it all season,’’ he said. “There are going to be times you’re down. The first three or four games we were down and came back and won. From that point on, I didn’t see a lot of us being down.

“For us to be successful, we’ve got to keep organized and make sure we’re not giving up silly goals. We’ve got to make sure we’re able to react.’’

PHOTO: L-R: Hayden Diaz, Coach Bryan Pagan, C.J. Eley

Ten years ago, most of us had never heard the term “cybersecurity.”  Now, the term surfaces across our news feeds on a monthly, weekly, or – unfortunately – daily basis. As an instructor at Fayetteville Technical Community College, I like to use the catch phrase “think before you click” with my students. With the influx of mobile technology combined with years of using computers, we tend to click away well before we have the chance to think about the possible repercussions of that action. Let’s face it, technology today is woven into American society from the home, the workplace, government and private-sector business. 

Every October, we computer nerds pay homage to this situation through National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. So I chose this topic to promote cybersecurity and remind everyone to think before you click.

One area we all deal with daily is email. Most organizations work hard to prevent malicious email from showing up in inboxes. But no matter how hard the good guys work to stop malicious email, the bad guys also work hard and are savvy. Eventually, some emails will make it through the system. Some of the most effective attacks have come from phishing emails. Just do a web search on this term, and you will be surprised. A phishing email is an email created to look like a valid email with the goal of tricking the recipient into sharing sensitive information or clicking on something that could allow malicious software to be loaded onto a computer.

What can you do to prevent becoming a victim of a phishing attack? 

1. If you do not recognize where an email comes from, consider deleting it or report it to your technology department before opening it.

2. Remember that no reputable bank is ever going to email you and ask you to click a link to reset your password. Some emails are sent out during tax season telling recipients they owe money to the IRS or were made to look like employee benefits would be lost if the desired action is not taken. The people who orchestrate cyber attacks know that fear is a powerful tool. If you receive an email about sensitive information (banking, taxes, insurance, etc.) and it looks legitimate, before taking any action with the email, simply call your company representative to speak with an actual person who can confirm that they sent the email. 

3. Make sure to use good passwords, change them frequently and do not use important banking passwords for leisure websites.

4. Have an antivirus program on your machine and keep it up to date. 

5. Most importantly, avoid clicking on any hyperlinks or popup windows unless you are 100 percent positive they are safe. The bad guys write software code that can launch malicious software on your machine even if you think you are simply clicking on that little “x” to close the window. 

Keep in mind that your phone is just as vulnerable to cyber attacks as your computer, so make sure to follow the same safety protocols no matter how you are accessing the internet.

Remember, a phishing email could look like anything. So how can you be sure you don’t become a victim of a cyber attack? Simply think before you click. For more information about cyber security, go to Stop Think Connect Toolkit from the Department of Homeland Security. You can learn more about FTCC’s Systems Security and Analysis program at www.faytechcc.edu.

Up & Coming Weekly keeps the community informed about elections. As in years past, we’ve reached out to the candidates to give them an opportunity to make their case to you, the voter.

In the following, you will find their responses. You will also find that not every candidate is represented. That was a choice by the candidate. The Fayetteville And Hope Mills candidates were all given the option to participate. Each candidate vying for similar office was asked the exact same set of questions. We have not altered or amended their answers.

Because we believe so strongly in the privilege of voting, we wanted to ensure that you have all the information you need – not only about the candidates and the issues – but also about where, when and how you can vote.

For Cumberland County voters:

•  Early one-stop voting is ongoing.

•  Saturday, Nov. 4, one-stop voting and same-day registration ends.

•  Tuesday, Nov. 7, is the big day. Polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m.

Learn more: www.co.cumberland.nc.us/election_board/voter_info/guide.aspx

Election 2017 Hope Mills Mayoral Candidates

Keith Bowen

UCW: What do you hope to accomplish for Hope Mills if you are elected?

Bowen: What I’d like to bring to HopeMills, I’d love to make it a more family/ resident oriented town, meaning, our families have more places to go and enjoy their time together, safer streets to allow them the time together with no worries. Residential meaning, so our residents are always kept in the know, and they’ll see a working government that’s working for them. I want to bring public transportation to our people. I want to invite more small businesses to our town, coming up with a plan that’ll help them come to our town and flourish. I’d love to ger a lot of these sitting commercial buildings occupied. Bringing money to our town without having to raise taxes on our residents.

UCW: What experience and strengths would you bring to this office if elected?

Bowen: My strong points. Im young, I like to execute using action, I’m a successful business owner of 10 years who brings great knowledge to the table as far as hiring outside contractors to perform work for us, and also great negotiating skills to assure we’re using our towns tax dollars for good use.

Jackie Warner

UCW: What do you hope to accomplish for Hope Mills if you are elected?

Warner: I hope to complete projects that we have started and to continue the progress we have made during my term as mayor. Completion of the lake park, Heritage Park, our museum – creation of a strategic plan for our golf course property – strategic plan for our facilities to be funded and built – completion of a side walk plan and implementation of the multimodial congestion plan. Continuation of the support and funding for our police and fire department. Addressing our infrastructure needs to include storm water and roads – I encourage the application for grants that are available to assist in the cost of all projects.

I will continue to seek our fair share of sales taxes and will be a voice for Hope Mills at the Mayor’s Coalition, FAMPO and with our County Commissioners. I believe in transparency in government – keeping our citizens informed and involved in decision making. I fully support the Citizens Academy as a venue for our citizens to learn about our town. I will work with board and staff to provide unified leadership for our town.

UCW: What experience and strengths would you bring to this office if elected?

Warner: My experience as an educator – teambuilding, budgeting, hiring and evaluating qualified personnel. and time management. Being a leader requires one to know when to lead and when to follow – to get goals accomplished or to complete a plan – the role I need to assume – My experiences as Mayor to include the successful settlement through negotiations and deposition for our dam – to working to save our sales tax revenues – and influence a traffic study for our town to providing leadership during tough times such as Hurricane Matthew or being a spokesperson for our town when times are good as well as bad – I appreciate the opportunity to serve Hope Mills – Hope Mills Proud – Hope Mills strong because this Mayor cares!

Election 2017 Hope Mills Commissioner Candidates

Jessie Bellflowers

UCW: What do you hope to accomplish for Hope Mills if you are elected?

Bellflowers: Without any question, the top priority on my agenda is public safety. Over the years, both police and fire departments have out-grown their current facilities alongside our community’s fast growing population. This does not mean both departments lack equipment and technology to do the job, they just need new facilities in which to operate. We must find a workable, affordable solution to build at least one or two new satellite facilities, and a new “main” facility over the next several years. Another top priority is community recreational programs whereas the town must invest in improvements to existing facilities, programs, development of the Hope Mills Former Golf Course Community Recreational Project in order to maintain and enhance community quality of life. Finally, another “hot topic” priority in our community is massive growth and traffic congestion. We need a good balance of residential and economic growth. Therefore, we must continue to meet and work with the Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (FAMPO) Transportation Advisory Committee to find sustainable solutions. 

UCW: What experience and strengths would you bring to this office if elected?

Bellflowers: My experience includes: I currently serve as Chairman – Town of Hope Mills Lake Advisory Committee; Graduate, Town of Hope Mills Citizens Academy (Charter Class); Graduate, Cumberland County Board of Commissioners “How to be an Effective Board Member,” Graduate (Class Leader), Institute for Community Leadership Course; Past All-American State (North Carolina) Commander; District 8 Commander, and Post 10630 (Hope Mills) Commander, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW); Past Board Member, North Carolina Department of Military and Veterans Affairs Committee; Past Board Member, Hope Mills Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors; Past Member, Town of Hope Mills Veterans Affairs Commission; Past Charter Board Member, Friends of Hope Mills Lake.   

My strengths include: I believe in a workable, open and transparent government. One that practices fiscal conservatism instead of wasteful spending. One that listens and understands citizen issues and concerns, values town employees, and One that seeks consensus while always moving our community forward in a position direction.

I believe in a strong fiscal conservative approach to spending taxpayer dollars while ensuring our community citizens continue to enjoy quality of life services in the most cost-effective manner possible while always moving our community forward in a position direction.

My vision is simple: “Continuous improvement of quality of life for our community that will naturally grow and progress in an economically sustainable and healthy environment.” We must focus every day on enriching the lives of our town citizens by creating an exceptional community to work and live in while providing exemplary town services that enables our community to thrive and prosper. Addressing the many challenges that face our community will require effective leadership and a tremendous amount of teamwork.

I bring to the table many years of strong leadership and pledge to listen to citizen issues and concerns, have an open mind on all decisions, and spend a significant amount of time researching community issues facing our community.

It is an honor and I would be humbled to serve the citizens of our community as a Town Commissioner on the Hope Mills Town Board of Commissioners. I am passionate and look forward in working closely with fellow Town Board members and our senior (staff) leadership team to address and solve the various challenges facing our community.

Tonzie K. Collins I

UCW: What do you hope to accomplish for Hope Mills if you are elected?

Collins I: Communicately effectively and efficiently with the citizens of Hope Mills. Communicately effectively and efficiently with staff and other council members. Will do what is best for the town and its citiziens.

UCW: What experience and strengths would you bring to this office if elected?

Collins I: 1. I have the ability to work with all the citizens of Hope.

2. Organization and planning

3. Problem solving

4. Team work

5. Communication

6. Prioritizing

7. Abilities to cope with failures and mistakes.

Pat Edwards

UCW: What do you hope to accomplish for Hope Mills if you are elected?

Edwards: A transparent government, creative thinking, building cooperation and community team work. One commissioner or mayor cannot do it alone. We need to work together for the betterment of our town. Citizens working with our Mayor and Commissioners would be great.  A lot of great ideas are out there. Our retired Military and Seniors Citizens have a wealth of history they could share with us. I definitely recommend our citizens to attend (at no cost) our Citizens Academy offered by the town manager and town clerk. A great opportunity to get involved, meet the staff and learn exactly what goes on in your Town. What is required in the day to day operation is amazing. The Mayor and Commissioners rely 24/7 on our first responders, staff and employees. To stay involved with and work closely with our Hope Mills Chamber of Commerce.

UCW: What experience and strengths would you bring to this office if elected?

Edwards: I have served as your commissioner for six years,. We have had our ups and downs and we didn’t always agree on the same issues. All considered I feel we have accomplished a lot for the betterment of Hope Mills.  Our “Lake” is well on its way to completion.   It will be Beautiful!!  We will all be so proud. I have experience and strengths in some of the inter workings of Hope Mills by getting involved in Civic Groups and serving as liaison for several commissions (past and present) I am serving on the Board of Directors for the Hope Mills Chamber of Commerce and on the Board of Directors for the Hope Mills Kiwanis Club (twice past president) , Board of Adjustments, Cumberland County Community Grant Committee, Ft. Bragg/Pope AFB Regional Land Use Advisory (RULAC), Air Quality Stakeholders, Veterans Affairs, Special Events Nominating Committee and Appearance Committee.

Bob Gorman

UCW: What do you hope to accomplish for Hope Mills if you are elected?

Gorman: Thank you to our Hope Mills citizens for allowing me to be one of your town commissioners for 7 terms. I have worked honestly and tirelessly for our community throughout much growth and change; but, there are many existing projects that I would like to see completed as follows:

*Historical Preservation Commission which will preserve our Historic District and set guidelines for future development in that district.

*Our Museum which has already collected artifacts and should be open  in 2018.

*Heritage Park which is in the third phase of our Lake Park Plan and will offer our citizens another recreational opportunity as well as education and remembrance of our community roots.

You are aware, I am sure that Hope Mills has outgrown our present police and fire facilities. Our board has prioritized our infrastructure needs with the results of a facilities study. The top priority is a new public service facility for our police and fire departments.

A plan for our former golf course is being developed with input from our citizens. This opportunity is to plan recreational facilities for our community and this a major priority for me.

There are areas that I believe are important and will work to see improvements: traffic congestion, transportation issues for our seniors, parks and recreation issues and veterans’ issues. These are important to our quality of life in Hope Mills.

UCW: What experience and strengths would you bring to this office if elected?

Gorman: Over the years, I have been involved in my community by being active in the Hope Mills Planning Board (4 years served as vice -chairman) I have been committed to community volunteer work:

*Cumberland County Rescue Squad 12 years serving as Sergeant, Lieutenant Training Officer and Board of Directors (4 years)

*South View Band Boosters for 25 years serving as president and president elect

*Grays Creek Band Boosters for 3 years

As an elected commissioner, I have served on various committees as a liaison of the board, as Mayor Pro Temp, I have assumed the responsibilities for the Mayor if needed. As a member of the Finance Committee I have worked directly with the budgeting process. My experience in all areas of town government and a concern for our community and citizens is my priority #1. It would be an honor to serve our town for another term, I humbly ask for your vote.

Meg Larson

UCW: What do you hope to accomplish for Hope Mills if you are elected?

Larson: If elected, I plan to work diligently towards responsible growth and development, wise use of tax dollars to plan, budget, manage and complete projects and the development of an atmosphere of cooperation and trust between citizens, local businesses and government. Hope Mills is growing by leaps and bounds and we must ensure that our decisions are
always in the best interest of the town. I want to work towards continuing to make Hope Mills a beautiful and enterprising community that will also attract people and businesses to relocate here. I plan to be accountable to the taxpayers when it comes to town spending. Taxpayers should expect wise use of their tax dollars and the completion of projects that are currently underway. Wasteful spending on consultants and unnecessary studies should be eliminated. I would like to work with the board to find ways to intentionally encourage, not discourage, citizen input through cooperation, trust and transparency, especially when it involves the use of tax dollars and decisions that will shape the future of our community.

UCW: What experience and strengths would you bring to this office if elected?

Larson: If given the opportunity to represent the citizens of Hope Mills, I hope to bring new ideas, a fresh perspective, common sense and a lot of energy to the board. I hold a Bachelor Degree in Marketing and years of work experience in retail management and internal loss prevention. I also have experience working in education in Cumberland County Schools. I have been active in the community for years, regularly attend town board meetings and stay abreast of town issues through the town website. You can count on me to listen and thoroughly research issues in order to make logical, practical and fiscally responsible decisions that are right and fair. I am organized, self-motivated and a team player but I am also willing to stand alone and fight for what is right if necessary. I would greatly appreciate your vote for Hope Mills Commissioner.  https://www.facebook.com/votemeglarson 

Jerry Legge

UCW: What do you hope to accomplish for Hope Mills if you are elected?

Legge: I would like to see:

The completion of the lake project and have water impounded in the lake.

Build a new Public Safety Center for the Police and Fire Departments,

Sidewalks in all new housing developments in town and in the areas around our schools.

The development of the golf course area with input from the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee along with ideas that we have received from some of our citizens.

UCW: What experience and strengths would you bring to this office if elected?

Legge: I was the owner/operator of Better Built Builders for 30 years. I have served the town as a commissioner for over 12 years. During this time I had the opportunity to learn from the retreats that we have attended and being part of the town board as a whole. I take a lot of calls from citizens and listen to their concerns and take them to the board to be heard by my fellow commissioners.  I am business-minded and I apply that knowledge to the issues of our town. I have served on several committees past and present: such as the Planning Board and the Town Finance Committees. I was a member of the HM Zoning Board of Adjustments and a member of the Air Quality Control Committee. I have been involved with the HMYA for over 30 years teaching sports to our youth.

Bryan Marley

UCW: What do you hope to accomplish for Hope Mills if you are elected?

Marley: I would like to see the current projects such as the new lake park, police/fire complex and history museum finished. Would also like to see progress from the stake holders committee in reference to the golf course. We need to also be able to maintain our current level of services to the citizens.

UCW: What experience and strengths would you bring to this office if elected?

Marley: I have served the town as commissioner for the past four years. Before being a commissioner I served as a full-time employee for fourteen years in the fire department. I bring a desire to serve the town and make the best decisions that I can for the town of Hope Mill. I understand the importance of teamwork and look forward to keeping our town moving forward.

Kenjuana McCray

UCW: What do you hope to accomplish for Hope Mills if you are elected?

McCray: Hope Mills has been my home for 10 years. I love this town and I will help tackle infrastructure issues to include traffic congestion, sidewalks and storm water issues. I will ensure that our new recreational facility adds value to our community and serves everyone to include children, millennials, middle agers, the disabled, veterans, and senior citizens. Most importantly, it will offer teen activities to keep kids off the street and out of trouble. Finally, I will create a living environment that welcomes businesses that will add jobs that pay living wages to Hope Mills and create educational enrichment programs for children and adults.

UCW: What experience and strengths would you bring to this office if elected?

McCray: I am trained in researching best practice, critical thinking, and problem solving. I have the knowledge and willingness to collaborate with stakeholders to move the Town of Hope Mills forward. I work to connect Fayetteville State University and Fayetteville Technical Community to our community. This is critical in educating and training our population to market themselves to employers. As I have taught at FTCC for 11 years and have been involved in the alumni association at FSU, the needed contacts are already in place.

My background makes me valuable, I have been a public school teacher, a retail manager, family consultant, and currently I teach and serve in a leadership position in higher education. All of my positions have been to serve and protect.

I am a board member and volunteer of the Second Harvest Food Bank of Fayetteville that strives to combat hunger in Cumberland County and seven other surrounding counties for over six years. This work is important as North Carolina is ranked as one of the “10 Hungriest” states in the United States and 20 % of individuals in our service areas are critically food insecure. A Hope Mills Commissioner usually serves as representative to work with Action Pathways and The Second Harvest Food Bank is under Action Pathways. I already have a relationship with Action Pathways. The Alms House in Hope Mills is one of our member agencies.

Mike Mitchell

UCW: What do you hope to accomplish for Hope Mills if you are elected?

Mitchell: As part of Team Hope Mills and a representative of our citizens,  I plan to assure: (l) Hope Mills Lake is returned to its original glory (pre 5/26/2003). (2) Completion of plans/funding  for our various parks (old golf course, Heritage Park, etc) (3) Completion of our Congestion Management Study and work with DOT to improve traffic. (4) Beautification of Hope Mills by working closely with our Town management and staff. (5) Citizens are heard  and  mutually  respected  in Town  Board  meetings as well as everyday. (6) Establishment of a Young Citizens Committee to help bridge the generation gap in Town.

UCW: What experience and strengths would you bring to this office if elected?

Mitchell: (I) Previous Mayor Pro Tem/Commissioner (12/2011 to 1/2014).

(2) Experienced Certified Public Accountant and  business consultant/trusted adviser.

(3) Current Chairperson of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee.

(4) Extensive Town citizen committee and nonprofit board experience.

(5) Will complete the Citizens Academy for our Town on 10/26 /2017.

(6) Overall,  plan to continue to be a voice of the citizens.