My fourth grade teacher, Mrs. DelGrande, required her class to write the annual summer vacation essay. Old habits die hard, so 57 years later, this column is for you, Mrs. DelGrande.

Every other summer, our extended family goes on vacation together for a week. We pick out some interesting place to go — just long enough to renew old ties, but not long enough to generate familial blood shed.

This year, we went to Vancouver, British Columbia, for a week. Having never been there, I expected cold rain and moose in the streets. Wrong on both counts. Vancouver is a busy city with a great harbor and dandy weather. Interestingly, as a result of a number of forest fires, the sky in Vancouver remained the color of old concrete. I was reminded of the Platters’ great song, “Smoke Gets in Your Eyes.”

After Vancouver, we wandered down the Pacific Coast Highway all the way to San Francisco. In Gresham, Oregon, someone left my wife’s wallet in the motel room. Thanks to a very honest housekeeper, we got a call from the motel. Her wallet was returned intact to its rightful owner. This is known as falling off the roof and landing on your feet.

We spent a night in the Timberline Lodge in Oregon, which served as the exterior of the Overlook Hotel in the classic horror film “The Shining.” The Timberline proudly displays a poster of Jack Nicholson. Unfortunately, there is no Room 237 at the Timberline, so Jack Torrance could not have gotten in trouble there. In Oregon, you can’t pump your own gas. A guy stands out by the pump and does it for you. Odd.

In Klamath, California, we got to see the beach. Northern California beaches do not look like Myrtle Beach. They have  big cliffs, big rocks the size of buildings standing out in the water and chilly August winds. Klamath is at the edge of the Red Wood National Forest, which is home to some of the oldest and tallest living things on the planet. Some scenes with the Ewoks from “Star Wars” were filmed there. The place looks like a movie set on a distant planet.

In Requa, we stayed at a 100-year-old bed and breakfast that my traveling companion thought gave off a spooky vibe — as if some of the ghosts had not left the joint. We survived the night unpossessed and lived to tell about it.

On the way to Mendocino, I learned a valuable lesson. If you are driving down California Highway 1 over the mountains, fill up your gas tank. I did not. There are long distances there devoid of gas stations. We drove up and down a twisting mountain road that was barely wide enough for one car. The idiot light came on to advise us that we were low on gas. This was a bit unsettling, but it was too late to turn back. I had seen that light before; we still had gas. On we drove until a new and more ominous red light came on that said LOW FUEL.

I had never seen that light before. We were on double secret probation with our gas tank. Still no civilization in sight: only a twisting mountain road. If we ran out of gas, we would have blocked the highway, as there were no shoulders. Oops.

These are the times that try men’s souls and the strength of marriages. To my wife’s everlasting credit during our mountain ride from hell, she did not mention my lack of forethought in not filling up when I had the chance. Finally, we rolled into Fort Bragg, California, riding on fumes. I put 11.7 gallons of gas into a 12-gallon tank. On a trip that revealed many wonders, the gas station at the foot of the mountains was the most beautiful thing we saw.

Once we got to San Francisco, we had dinner in a pricey French restaurant where I paid $30 for a plate of French beanie-weenies. We arrived too late to turn in the rental car, so I parked it in a public lot in the Tenderloin section of San Francisco. Do not do that. A local criminal broke out the window of the car overnight in a search for something. He didn’t take anything, but he did leave me with a bill for a broken window.

The guys at the rental car office assured me that no car had ever been broken into in the city before mine. And then they laughed, and laughed and laughed.

Millions of Americans understand that something is profoundly amiss with our nation’s elective system.

A big part of that trouble is partisan gerrymandering, which has been with us since our nation began, but never before on the scale in which it was employed in 2011. Gerrymandering is redistricting, done every 10 years after a U.S. census, and it underpins our elective process. When it goes wrong, as it did in the most partisan gerrymander ever in 2011, elections can be lopsided for a decade or more.

In the interest of full disclosure, I am the lead plaintiff in one of the lawsuits that resulted in the United States Supreme Court declaring 28 of 170 North Carolina legislative districts unconstitutional.

Legislators are now hustling to meet a court-imposed Sept. 1 deadline for approving new, constitutional districts. It must be noted that the elections of 2012, 2014 and 2016 were conducted in unconstitutional districts, calling into question whether the actions of unconstitutionally elected legislators were constitutional themselves.

Since the 2011 redistricting in North Carolina, countless people have said to me that the Republicans in the General Assembly who hired outside consultants with taxpayer dollars to draw a highly partisan and ultimately unconstitutional redistricting “did not do anything the Democrats have not done.”

Yes and no. Both Democrats and Republicans have gerrymandered since Governor Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts gave the OK more than 200 years ago, generally for political advantage for certain incumbents or to punish others. But never  in United States history has there been anything like what occurred in North Carolina and several other “purple” states in 2011.

Here is what happened. A Republican attorney in Richmond, Virginia, had the brilliant — and I mean brilliant very sincerely — idea to snag the majority in the U.S. House of Representatives by taking over purple state legislatures in 2010 to control the redistricting process for both Congress and state legislatures.

This plan, dubbed REDMAP, was executed with surgical precision by fancy map-drawing software paid for by Republicans in Washington. It was legal and succeeded beyond even the wildest expectations of its architects. Heavily gerrymandered maps were drawn in 2011. The maps not only guaranteed Republican control of the U.S. House for at least the current decade and probably beyond, they consolidated Republican control of state legislatures, including the North Carolina General Assembly.

A stunning strategic plan coupled with sophisticated software never before available hijacked the redistricting process as never before and guaranteed Republican control of the legislative process, no matter the will of the people of several states and Americans in general. It was all accomplished for about $30 million, far less than it would have taken to elect members of Congress the oldfashioned way. And for slightly over $1 million spent in North Carolina, Republicans bought a veto-proof General Assembly, which continues to this moment.

No need to take my word for any or all of this. Books have been written about REDMAP, as well as numerous articles in all sorts of publications. David Daley, who wrote a book about REDMAP subtitled, “The True Story Behind the Plan to Steal America’s Democracy,” called REDMAP “gerrymandering on steroids.” Daley is also pessimistic that REDMAP redistricting can be reversed any time soon.

So why should good, solid North Carolinians working hard for their families give a hoot about anything as arcane and unsexy as gerrymandering? Because the people who are elected to the General Assembly and to Congress make decisions that affect all of us — education funding, health care accessibility, military issues and more.

They should be reflections of all of us, neither just the right wing nor just the left wing.

The results of REDMAP continue to generate lawsuits and efforts to institute bipartisan, even nonpartisan, redistricting plans. Most but not all states task their legislatures with this, but the United States is the only developed nation that allows those who benefit from the plans to draw those plans.

REDMAP has taught our nation a big lesson, and new ways of redistricting are clearly in order. It behooves us all to pay attention to reform proposals and decide for ourselves how North Carolina should proceed in the future.

Publisher’s note: In this edition of Up & Coming Weekly, we introduce Mark Regensburger, the first president and CEO of the new Cool Springs Downtown District in downtown Fayetteville. We welcome him to this new position and look forward to supporting the CSDD and the merchants, businesses and organizations in downtown Fayetteville. Their success is everyone’s success. We want our readers to know that Up & Coming Weekly, your community newspaper, intends to be downtown Fayetteville’s No. 1 champion. As an established and trusted media source, we will carry downtown Fayetteville’s quality-of-life story to Fort Bragg and to all corners of Cumberland County. Lauren Vanderveen, a wonderful new contributing writer for our publication, will help cover these stories. Enjoy meeting Mr. Regensburger, and thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

An arts and entertainment district is essential to any city that yearns for a defined personality. A city needs a space that screams: This is our soul, this is who we are! Some areas are lucky enough to have population sizes that support growth in their art districts, like in New York City or Los Angeles. Some even host prestigious events such as the Toronto International Film Festival or SXSW in Austin. But more than just money and prestige allows an arts district to thrive. First, it needs a leader.

Fayetteville now has one in Mark Regensburger. In July, he was appointed the first president and CEO of the nonprofit organization Cool Springs Downtown District Inc., an official rebranding strategy for downtown.

It all began with a suggestion to the Arts Council that Fayetteville distinguishes itself with a performing arts center. After many months of research and planning by the Arts Council and a 200-member advisory committee, the Arts Council recommended that first establishing a prominent arts and entertainment district would be a natural springboard for a performing arts center in the area.

The Arts and Entertainment District report from August of last year noted, “There is the perception that the City of Fayetteville has not kept pace with other urban areas within the state of North Carolina. Fayetteville was late in recognizing that the role of placemaking is key to creating the kind of vibrant urban life that will attract and retain the creative workforce which, in turn, will attract and retain the creative businesses that are the foundations of the modern economy.”

For Regensburger, one of his main goals is to unify the various organizations in the area for future collaborations. The Airborne Museum Foundation currently does Airborne Day and other military-re
lated events. A group from Capitol Encore Academy is working on the art park located behind the academy. The Arts Council provides 4th Friday and other events to the entire county. “I see all these organizations doing amazing things by themselves,” Regensburger said. “But the Cool Springs Downtown District is trying to bring more people together to make their efforts greater than the sum of their parts.”

According to Regensburger, CSDD will be looking into several avenues to establish downtown as an arts and entertainment district. This includes increasing public art installations and bringing better quality music performances to the area. Regensburger also hopes to widen downtown’s umbrella to envelop the thousands of new military families that move to Fayetteville each year.

“The district is more than just Hay Street. I don’t want downtown to be just a downtown thing. I want everybody to feel like they own it,” said Regensburger.

CSDD will also, according to Regensburger, investigate city ordinances and licensing requirements to improve the district’s regulatory environment. Another recommendation of the Arts and Entertainment District report was that “the wayfinding system in the central core should be adapted, perhaps using artists as designers, to clearly distinguish the District.” There are also recommendations to eventually have a new urban skateboard park and new artist housing, along with a performing arts center.

Regensburger himself has an extensive history with Fayetteville, the military and the arts. After receiving his degree in music education from Alma College, he decided to join the United States Army as a musician in 1985. He played clarinet in the Army’s band, where he was able to parlay extensive experience in event management.

“I first came to Fort Bragg in 1999. My midlife crisis was I volunteered to jump out of airplanes,” Regensburger joked. “My tour in Afghanistan was a (literal) tour in Afghanistan. We went around and played for the troops. To see what the arts can do to help people find their heart again is a huge part of what this new job is for me.”

Regensburger went on to get his master’s in business administration from the Lake Forest Graduate School in Illinois before he started working as the executive director and COO of the Saginaw Baw Symphony Orchestra in Michigan.

“It was a wonderful opportunity and really got my feet into being a nonprofit manager,” Regensburger said.

He was so efficient, in fact, that he admits to having planned himself out of his job.

“We did some strategic planning and decided that the board would take a more active role in the leadership of it and that we would hire specialty people in marketing, finance and fundraising,” Regensburger said.

“Mark’s palpable enthusiasm, knowledge of Fayetteville, business training and arts background will drive the vision of an Arts and Entertainment District for our entire, inclusive community,” said Eric Lindstrom, CSDD Inc. Board chair, in a press release.

For the past seven years, following his retirement from the Army, Regensburger has taught business administration at Fayetteville Technical Community College. He said he developed a growing urge to help the community in an even more significant way. After traveling for an average of 100 days per year and after experiencing many different cities, Regensburger and his wife chose Fayetteville as their place to call home. Now the city of Fayetteville has chosen him to lead downtown into a brighter future.

“The arts and entertainment district is supposed to be walkable, but also a combination of urban space and green space. It’s supposed to be a combination of historic and contemporary, of working and celebrating,” Regensburger said. “So, I believe in this. I wouldn’t have done this job just for a job. To me, this really feels like a calling.”

PHOTO: Mark Regensburger, first president and CEO of Cool Springs Downtown District Inc., wants to unify local organizations for future collaborations.

I just wanted to remind everyone that as soon as high school students report, and once all the dust settles, we’ll be resuming our weekly scholar athlete feature in Up and Coming Weekly.

Coaches, athletic administrators and guidance counselors are reminded of the criteria for being chosen. The athlete must be a member in good standing of a varsity team, preferably from a sport that is in season.

The athlete does not have to be a star or even a starter, but he or she must have a minimum grade point average of 3.5 on an unweighted scale.

If you have nominees, please email them to earlvaughanjr@gmail.com. Nominees may only be submitted by bona fide school personnel, not by athletes or their families.

Include a smartphone head and shoulders picture of the nominee, preferably taken in a well-lit area in front of a solid background.

In addition to the photo, please include the following information: name, class, sport, along with any clubs or other extracurricular activities the athlete is involved in.

The record: 6-2

The record to start the season last week could have been a lot worse. I’ll take 6-2 and a .750 percentage for the first games and look to keep getting better as we learn more about who has what.

Cape Fear at Seventy-First – The Falcons have been waiting a year for payback, and I think they will get it. Cape Fear is banged up and Justice Galloway-Velazquez is still mending from an offseason ankle surgery.

Prediction: Seventy-First 24, Cape Fear 16.

Douglas Byrd at South Columbus – South Columbus made the Eastern finals in its classification last season. Could be a rough night for Byrd.

Prediction: South Columbus 29, Douglas Byrd 12.

Durham Jordan at E.E. Smith – The Golden Bulls look to go 2-0 under second-year coach Deron Donald.

Prediction: E.E. Smith 27, Durham Jordan 21.

Gray’s Creek at Pinecrest – The Bears will have their hands full tonight, judging from how good Pinecrest looked in its opener last week.

Prediction: Pinecrest 31, Gray’s Creek 12.

Jack Britt at Terry Sanford – Jayne Airways, Christian to Andrew, figures to be flying high again this week for Terry Sanford.

Prediction: Terry Sanford 32, Jack Britt 6.

Pine Forest at Concord – Concord, like Pine Forest, is trying to rebuild from graduation losses. I have to give the edge to the home team, especially for a trip this long.

Prediction: Concord 22, Pine Forest 20.

South View at Hoke County – South View looked solid in its win over Jack Britt but can’t take Hoke lightly, as the Bucks played Cary tough on the road last week.

Prediction: South View 24, Hoke County 12.

Lumberton at Westover – Both teams were shut out last week, but Westover played a little better defense against a strong opponent. I’ll give the edge to the Wolverines.

Prediction: Westover 21, Lumberton 20.

Other games

North Raleigh Christian 21, Fayetteville Christian 14

Village Christian 13, Concord First Assembly 12

Wake Christian 29, Trinity Christian 16

Terry Sanford, Pine Forest and Fayetteville Academy all enjoyed good soccer seasons a year ago. The way things look on paper, they’re likely to do it again  this year.

Terry Sanford did lose so me key players to graduation, but head coach Karl Molnar thinks there is potential on this year’s Bulldog squad.

“We’ve got a little bit of time to get these guys on the same sheet of music,’’ Molnar said. “Jared Miller is coming back. He had phenomenal years as a freshman and sophomore. And we’ve got the regional goalkeeper of the year back in Thomas Rogers. So we’ve got some pieces there.’’

Molnar expects the Bulldogs will be underestimated by all of their opponents, and agrees they should be. “We’re very young,’’ he said.

Pine Forest coach Isaac Rancour expects his team to benefit from a gradual maturing process. “We’ve got a good group of seniors coming back and we’re pretty heavy with juniors this year,’’ he said. “I think we’re really well-rounded. We’re looking for everyone to step up and fulfill their responsibility.’’

The versatile Isaiah Bennett, who is also a star baseball player for the Trojans, leads the group of returners for Rancour.

“I think we’re going to have a good year if we can reach that potential,’’ Rancour said.

Fayetteville Academy coach Andrew McCarthy rarely rebuilds but frequently reloads. Although he’s got a young team, this looks like one of those reloading years.

“Drayton Smith has been with us two years,’’ McCarthy said. “He’s a tough kid, a hard-working kid. He’s going to be a captain.’’

Victor Jones is also in his second year with the Eagles. “He’s worked hard on his fitness and looks like a different player,’’ McCarthy said. “We’re expecting big things from him.’’

Freshman Hudson Zeisman has been leading the offense early for the Eagles. “He’ll get after it and always gives it 100 percent,’’ McCarthy said.

Cortez Herring has been playing for a club team in Raleigh and has made a lot of improvement. “Technically he’s fantastic,’’ McCarthy said. “If he just pushes a little more he could be a real big-time player.’’

PHOTOS: (Top to Bottom : L-R) Isiah Bennett, Drayton Smith & Hudson Zeisman

Lauren Giles has a tough act to follow in her first season as volleyball coach at Gray’s Creek. So does Jeff Bruner at Cape Fear, but it’s his own fault, because he was the architect of what happened with the Colts last season.

Giles is taking over for the highly successful Crystal Waddell, who led the Bears to an unbeaten regular season and another deep run in the state 3-A playoffs.

Giles has been playing and coaching the sport since the age of 10, but this is her first try at being head coach. “It’s a new group of girls,’’ she said.

“We have three or four that were on the team last year and had some playing time. “We’re having a look at the junior varsity girls coming and stepping up,’’ she said. “I know they can do it. We have to build that relationship with each other and get them on the same page.’’

Sisters Emily and Sydney Bresee head the list of returnees for the Bears. “They practice together and play together,’’ Giles said. “Our libero Natalie Blanchard has also been shining. She’s playing out of this work.’’

One challenge for Giles is getting to know the rest of the new Patriot Conference competition since she’s new to the area. “We played in the Jack Britt jamboree, and I got to see a little bit,’’ she said. “My JV coach, Kellie Aldridge, has been around and seen the girls play through the volleyball world in Fayetteville.’’

Giles said her goal for the season is to be solid and consistent.

That’s what Bruner’s done at Cape Fear as he continues to build the same kind of program he once enjoyed at Pine Forest. The Colts are coming off a Mid-South 4-A Conference title, going unbeaten in league play.

“We lost two important spots, but we have seven returners,’’ he said. “We’ve changed our defense to fit this new mold. We’re kind of still figuring it out, but we feel pretty confident.’’

Defense has always been a focus for Bruner, and he expects that will be critical for success this year. Cheyenne Hill is the only senior on the team, which got off to a strong start the first week of the volleyball season with wins over Jack Britt and Terry Sanford, a pair of traditional volleyball powers in the county.

“We knew we were going to be playing two or three very tough conference games right at the start,’’ Bruner said.

“We were ready.’’

PHOTOS: (Top to Bottom : L-R) Emily Bresee, Sydney Bresee, Cheyenne Hill

Jesse Autry is beginning his 21st season as cross-country coach at South View, and little has changed. His Tigers again figure to be among the top contenders for local glory in the sport.

The girls, though a little banged up to start the year, are state-ranked by NCrunners.com.

Leading the returners for the lady Tigers is Faith Roy. “You know what a gym rat is?”

Autry said. “She’s a track rat. She puts in the work. She’s easily run over 350 or 400 miles this summer. She’s very focused when she trains.’’ Autry said Roy lives by one of the mantras of the South View crosscountry program: Practice makes  permanent.

“She’s got talent and work ethic,’’ Autry said.

Unlike in years past, Autry said his boys’ team doesn’t have one super-runner, like Philip Hall who’s now on the cross-country team at NC State, along with his younger sister Janay.

Autry doesn’t expect the boys to be state-ranked like the girls, but that doesn’t mean the Tigers won’t be strong again.

“We raced Apex Friendship in a two-mile race at camp and beat them headto-head,’’ Autry said. “We were surprised.’’

The Tiger boys also showed in that race that running as a pack will again be a key for South View. “Our spread at camp between No. 1 and No. 7 was 12 seconds,’’ Autry said. “It’s what gave us success.’’ 

The top runner in camp for South View was junior Keith Johnson. “His wall’s not decorated with plaques and medals, but I feel real good about him,’’ Autry said. “I feel real good about all of them.’’

Autry said the biggest news in the crosscountry world is that the N.C. High School Athletic Association has changed some of its regional assignments, and South View now finds itself in the same regional with the strong cross-country program of Green Hope in Wake County.

“The big question is can South View or anybody get out of the Mid-East Region to go to the state meet,’’ Autry said. “My guys have got a chip on their shoulder about that.’’

Autry said his boys remind him a lot of his 2010 team, which finished runner-up in the state 4-A meet. “They were ranked 11th going into the state meet and lost by one guy,’’ he said. “This team’s mentality is a lot like that. We’ll see how it all shakes out.’’

Regardless of state competition, Autry expects to find plenty of tough foes within the county.

“Rachel Henderson does a really good job coaching Gray’s Creek, and Terry Sanford’s girls are traditionally pretty tough,’’ he said.

On the boys’ side, Autry said Jack Britt and Pine Forest are among the traditionally strong teams, but he thinks Cape Fear may be the team to watch.

“They had a heck of a group of freshmen last year,’’ he said. “A lot of people are talking about those freshmen. I’ve got one eye peeking over at them.’’

PHOTOS: (Top to Bottom) Faith Roy & Keith Johnson

There will be a changing of the guard on the tennis courts at Terry Sanford this season. At Pine Forest, last season’s Mid-South 4-A Conference champion, coach Mandy McMilan and players hope it will be business as usual.

McMilan bid farewell to the last of a strong group of players that have starred for Terry Sanford in recent years and will now be turning the squad’s future over to a new generation.

“This is kind of a growth year,’’ she said. “We’ve only got two seniors, one of them being my No. 1 player.’’

But don’t let lack of experience make you think this won’t be another strong Bulldog team. “We’ve got a lot of talent,’’ McMilan said. “We’re very sophomore- heavy. It’s looking real good for next year and the year after.’’

Melissa Lu, one of the two seniors on the squad, moves up to No. 1 singles. McMilan called Lu an extremely disciplined player who doesn’t show a lot of emotion on the court. “She’s even keeled,’’ McMilan said. “She’s just a solid player. As long as she stays focused and is on her game, she’ll be a contender at states.’’

Meanwhile at Pine Forest, the Trojans made their first trip to the state dual team playoffs for the first time in years. Coach Jarrod Britt lost three of his top six but returns a pair of sophomores at first and second court to anchor the team.

“We’ve got a little bit of filling in to do,’’ he said. “We’re pretty happy with what we’ve got coming back.’’

Leading the returners are No. 1 singles player Kelcie Farmer and No. 2  Shania Lane.

Farmer was the Mid-South 4-A Conference player of the year last season. 

“She wins more by attrition than anything else,’’ Britt said. “She’s very well-conditioned and forces a lot of errors. Very consistent.’’

Playing No. 2 singles again this year is Shania Lane. Tall and powerful, Britt said Lane has a strong serve, backhand and forehand.

“She moves well and just really overwhelms opponents whenever she plays them,’’ he said. The only other returner for the Trojans is Emily Harris, who was No. 6 last season.

“She’s a senior and one of the best leaders on our team,’’ Britt said. “She doesn’t say much, but she gets it done on the court.’’

This season, the Mid-South 4-A is no more and Pine Forest will be in a new combination 4-A/3-A league, the Patriot Conference, which includes Terry Sanford. When the playoffs arrive, they won’t play each other, as each will still qualify in their respective size classification.

Britt looks forward to playing the Bulldogs on a regular basis. “Obviously Terry Sanford is a perennial tennis powerhouse,’’ he said. “We scrimmaged them last year before the start of the season and it kind of showed us where we were.

“I love playing tough teams during the season. It prepares you for the postseason, kind of gets you ready for that survive and advance mentality you’ve got to have in the playoffs.’’

PHOTOS: (Top to Bottom) Melissa Lu, Kelcie Farmer, & Shania Lane

Cumberland County Schools presents its Stuff the Bus school supply drive Friday, Sept. 1, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Walmart Supercenter located at 2820 Gillespie St. 

“This is our annual Stuff the Bus school supply drive, and we decided to move our location to the Walmart on Gillespie Street because they are great partners with Cumberland County Schools,” Pamela Story, social work coordinator for Cumberland County Schools, said. “Traditionally, we have held this school supply drive for the last 10 years to provide school supplies for our homeless students.”

The community has been generous to CCS this year, which means they can help even more students. Story said that CCS received such exceptional support from the community and the Register of Deeds Office, which will be giving 800 backpacks for homeless children, it was decided that this year the school supplies will be given to students with special needs.   

“A child with special needs is a child in Cumberland County’s School System who requires specially-designed instruction to benefit from their education,” said Julie Aul, executive director of Exceptional Children for Cumberland County Schools. “It is any child who has any type of medical, physical or learning difficulty in the school system that needs additional assistance.”

Aul added that families with children with special needs sometimes have additional financial burdens because of their medical needss, transportation needs and other kinds of specialized services they may receive out of the home. That made the decision to help an easy one.

“This year, we are going back to the basics,” Story said. “The school supply items include notebook paper, composition books, three-ring binders, paper, pocket folders, dividers, No. 2 pencils, pens, colored pencils, crayons, file folders, glue sticks and hand sanitizer.” Cash donations will be accepted and used to purchase school supplies.  

“It is wonderful for our students just to have something new and bright given to them. (It) kind of helps them with their self-esteem and interest in coming to school, because school is a tough place for children with special needs, and it is not easy for them like it is for some children,” Aul said. “They have to work a little bit harder. This is a good way also to help them feel special and make it a positive environment for them, too.”

For more information, call Cumberland County Schools’ Social Work Services at 678-2621 or 868-2012.

While Mayon Weeks has deep ties to a variety of venues in the local arts community, as a musician, he’s captured the attention of music enthusiasts. Weeks recently released his second album, “Alive,” as a follow up to his debut album “Matters of the Heart,” which dropped in 2015.

He produced his first album when his family gave him the gift of studio time at Echo Mountain Recording Studio. It was evident when Weeks recorded 48 songs over the next six months that the birthday gift had started something special. The 39 mastered songs that came from Week’s flurry of production are what comprise his latest albums. He will soon be releasing a third called “Chasing Dreams.”

Weeks’s love of music began early on. “In the sixth grade, we were introduced to band instruments, and I choose the trumpet,” he said. “It stayed with me until I traded it for a guitar in college, started singing and writing and became involved in theater. My trumpet-playing in school bands, orchestras and dance bands exposed me to a lot of early bigband music. That was later blended with classic jazz, blues, ‘60s folk and eventually folk rock and then musical theater. My writing weaves in and out of all these influences.” 

In addition to creating albums, Weeks has also produced a book of songs and has had original works featured onstage. “Cape Fear Regional Theatre twice produced ‘One for Me, One for You,’” Weeks said. “This is a two-act cabaret show featuring my original music. It was conceived and directed by Lee Yopp. It was very successful and a wonderful moment in my artistic life.”

With years of experience behind him, Weeks is a firm believer in chasing dreams. “If you love it, do it,” he said. “Stay as true to your core beliefs as you can. Practice, practice, practice. Don’t let the size of the crowd or response affect the quality of your work. Success should not be measured in dollars or notoriety. Again … if you love it, do it.”

Weeks has been extremely involved in the local artistic community for years and has seen its incredible growth firsthand. He was a founding director of the Fayetteville Little Theater, now known as the Cape Fear Regional Theatre.

He is also a current trustee of the Arts Council. “I am pleased to say that I believe we are at the doorstep of another leap forward in our community being recognized as a nurturing home for emerging and existing artists,” Weeks said. “We enjoy fantastic live theater venues, a well-respected symphony orchestra, a community chorus, frequent dance performances, lovely art and craft studios, and festivals filled with cultural art and artistic exhibits honoring our military relationship and history.”  

Art provides a tremendous amount of value for individuals and community members alike. “Pablo Picasso said, ‘Art washes from the soul the dust of everyday life.’ For me, that expresses a great deal of art’s importance and value to each of us,”  Weeks said.

“When I speak of art, I include all forms of artistic expression; painting, sculpture, theater, music, dance, spoken word, digital expression and beyond. Let’s also be reminded of the huge economic impact of art.” 

Purchase “Alive” at http:/mayonsmusic.com/music.html. Alternatively, you can purchase the album by searching for it on iTunes or Amazon. Weeks’s music is also available for free listening on Spotify.

Lately, it seems that many folks are becoming increasingly more concerned about their social networking presence — and for good reasons, given the problems that sometimes result when individuals are not thoughtful about posted information available for many  to see. 

Below are some considerations about how to put your best public face forward when sharing information on social networking sites.

Be selective in what you post. First, and probably most importantly, do not post anything on any social networking site that you would not want your current employer, co-workers, potential employers, parents, children or others to see. Unless you are an expert at changing the sometimes-esoteric security settings on most social media sites, it is best to be selective in what you post. Remember that many employers perform a general search for applicants’s names when individuals apply for jobs.

Do not post defamatory remarks about others. Online posts containing profanity or threats, whether they are your words or not, can lead to legal issues at your place of employment. For example, a case in New Jersey involved a college professor posting a picture of his daughter wearing a shirt printed with the words “I will take what is mine in fire and blood,” a quote from the television show “Game of Thrones.” The college dismissed the professor from his position, as administrators perceived the statement on his daughter’s shirt to be a direct threat to others.

Never disclose your physical location. Do not post information about when and where you are going on vacation or other whereabouts. Not all viewers of your information have good intentions, and some may see this as an opportunity to steal from your home or act in other harmful ways. Many social networking sites have a GPS feature that enables the sites to track your every move. You can generally find this setting under location settings and deactivate it or turn it off. The social media sites desire to track your every move for marketing purposes, which is why the sites are free to the public.

Configure the highest possible security settings when using Facebook or Twitter. You can generally accomplish this by choosing settings, then security settings. Be aware, however, that some general settings also relate to security but are not located under security settings. For maximum security, turn on the setting that requires a secure logon to access your account, which will require the use of https to log in. 

Disable the auto log in feature. Avoiding use of auto log in features will prevent others from easily using your credentials (and possibly submitting fraudulent posts).

Change the setting that allows others to search for you on social media sites. This effort may help prevent your information from being seen by the public.

A good way to test your online privacy is to conduct your own search — Google yourself! If you have a common name, you may need to narrow the search results by adding more specific terms to your search criteria, such as your city and state. If you have a less common name (like mine), a simple Google search including name only should reveal adequate results.

To learn more about computers and technology, take some courses at Fayetteville Technical Community College or sign up for a complete program of study. FTCC offers a broad range of computer programs to choose from. Learn more at www.faytechcc.edu, or visit the Fayetteville, Spring Lake or Fort Bragg campus locations.

Get ready for a three-day spectacular that offers free admission and a chance to immerse yourself in Greek culture. Sts. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Church hosts its 27th Annual Greek Festival at the Hellenic Center, 614 Oakridge Ave., Sept. 8-10.

This year’s festival is co-chaired by Steve Goodson, Alfred Barefoot and Katherine Faful. All three are longtime members of the church; Faful’s father was a founding member.

The Food and Community

The food is, of course, always a big draw for festival-goers. But it’s not just about the delicious assortment of gyros, lamb shank, Greek salads, “spanakopita” (spinach pie) “pastichio” (Greek lasagna), “souvlaki” (skewered meat and vegetables) and more. And no, it’s not just about the desserts — handmade baklava a perennial favorite — either. The food is important because it brings Fayetteville’s Greek community together in an astonishing way, and it’s an avenue for the church to invite others to share in and learn about Greek culture. Kelly Papagikos, who has helped with the festival for the past nine years and is married to the church’s pastor, shared her observations:

“(About) 90 percent of the restaurants (here in Fayetteville) are Greek-owned,” she said. “They all put aside their own businesses to cook for the festival. They are tireless in the kitchen. All of these guys have their own jobs and (they) come every year, putting everything else they have to do aside.”

The primary and long-serving leaders of festival kitchen operations are Greg Kalevas, owner of Chris’s Steak & Seafood House; Jimmy Hondras, who works with Kalevas; and Tony Kotsopoulos, head chef at Luigi’s. Kotsopoulos helped start the conversation about bringing the community together for a Greek festival in Fayetteville in 1988. All three men have helped in many capacities since the festival’s inception in 1991.

Papagikos said the made-from-scratch Greek pastries and desserts are prepared by an army of 15-20 dedicated ladies of the church. The women comprise two philanthropic groups: Philoptochos (Friends of the Poor) and Daughters of Penelope. “The baked goods sell so well; everybody in town loves the freshness,” she said. “They stock up for Christmas with the baklava!”

This year, the festival also debuts a drive-through to serve people who can’t stay but still want to grab the once-a-year specialty foods. Friday and Saturday afternoons, patrons can purchase gyros, ten-piece packages of pastries and a drink from the drive-through. For people who are able to come and stay, free cooking classes are offered so attendees can make some of the dishes at home.

Music, Dancing and Shopping

Paskali, a local band comprised of five musicians who play traditional and contemporary Greek music, has been delighting festival crowds for about 20 years. Papagikos said the group, new to this festival, is very engaging and knows how to make people want to get up and dance.

And that’s the goal. Greece is home to over 200 cultural dances, each representing a religion, village or island. The church’s Hellenic dance troupes will dance throughout the festival wearing traditional costumes, both in performances and in educational demonstrations with an emcee who will briefly explain the history of the dances.

Papagikos said the dance troupes range from kindergarten to high school students and that children of all backgrounds love joining in and learning the steps at the festival. “Greek dances are usually danced in a circle holding hands to represent life and eternity, togetherness and love,” she said. “These kids learn how to dance from the time they know how to walk; it’s embedded in them.” Dances will include “kalamatianos” (a popular folkdance), along with many other dances from across Greece’s regions and islands.

Vendors from all over the city come every year to set up an “agora,” modeled after a Greek marketplace. Browse through Greek jewelry, leather, knickknacks, videos, music, embroideries, rugs, clothing, folk art and icons. Also, pick up Greek cooking ingredients you can’t find at your local grocery store.

Field Trips, Church Tours and Raffle

Friday morning, after a church service, the festival will host field trips for students from local schools. There will be a tour of the church and four stations: tasting Greek foods, practicing Greek dances, learning Greek history and browsing Greek vendors’ items. “Usually we have about 100-150 kids,” said co-chair Steve Goodson. “Kids get a hands-on experience of what it’s like to experience another culture — from the faith to the food to how people interact with each other.”

Children’s activities will run all three days of the festival in the large field in front of the food tent. Historically, activities have included collaborations with the Fayetteville Police Department, the Cumberland County Sheriff, the State Patrol, Cumberland County Libraries and the Fayetteville Fire Department.

The church will be open for tours throughout the festival for those who want to learn more in-depth about the tie between faith and culture for the church. Tour times are 5:30-7 p.m. Friday, 2-5 p.m. and 8 p.m. Saturday, and at 1 and 3 p.m. Sunday. If you miss a tour, though, the church will be open all day for anyone to come in and explore.

Every year, one extremely lucky attendee wins either $2,000 cash or two round-trip airfares to Athens, Greece. Raffle tickets only cost $5 each or 5 for $20. Guests who purchase raffle tickets are also automatically entered into fun hourly drawings. Greek Fest raffle tickets are $5 each or 5 for $20. 

“Philoxenia”

The Greek word “philoxenia” translates literally to “love of strangers” or “friend to the stranger.” It is used in association with Greek hospitality. Goodson said he associates the word with a love for laughing, eating and dancing, too. “That’s probably the best way to explain it — why so many people come,” he said. “Every year, the circle of friends gets bigger and bigger because of the festival,” Papagikos said.

The festival runs 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. on Sept. 8-9 and noon – 6 p.m. on Sept. 10. If you have trouble finding the Hellenic Center at 614 Oakridge Ave., follow the blue signs that will point the way.

Parking is available in front of the church property and in the educational building parking lot. Street parking is on Woodland Drive and in the surrounding area. Free parking is also available at the St. John’s AME Zion church next door and at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church, with bus transportation to the festival Saturday. Find out more at www.stsch.nc.goarch.org/greek-festival.com.

Health care is expensive, and for many people that makes it unattainable. In 1958, registered nurse Ruth Peters saw this problem and founded Better Health. This nonprofit organization helps improve access to health care services for the underserved and low-income residents of Cumberland County.

To raise money for programs, Better Health hosts fundraisers every year. One of the most popular is a dodgeball tournament: Diabetes … Dodge It! This year, the event organizers expect 34 teams, bringing the participant total to 250 players. The tournament takes place Aug. 26.

“With the funding from this event, Better Health is able to enhance its emergency direct aid program for prescriptions and dental care for the uninsured, diabetes self-management clinics, childhood obesity prevention and medical equipment loans to those in need,” Executive Director of Better Health Amy Navejas said. “The tournament is a great way for everyone to be involved, whether through playing, volunteering, donating or spectating.”

The first Better Health dodgeball tournament took place in 2014. It was wildly successful, and the tournament has grown exponentially since then. “This event has really taken off,” Navejas said. “The first event began in 2014 and grossed $5,684. The 2017 tournament is on schedule to gross more than $17,000. This year, we had to cut off individual team registrations before the early-bird deadline. Not only does it help spread the word about our free services, but it gets people active. You don’t see many dodgeball tournaments, so this event is unique in asking people to think outside the box when it comes to exercise and activity.” She added that the committee behind the first Diabetes … Dodge It! wanted to create a fundraiser that involved physical activity and was different and new for the community.

To make the tournament as smooth and fun as possible, Navejas has some advice. “Sign your waivers in advance,” she said. “Due to the volume of attendees, you can expedite entry by printing your waivers in advance and having them ready to turn in Aug. 26. All attendees — both players and spectators — must have waivers on file to gain entry.

'The other advice is to have fun.  The event is hilarious to watch and all for a good cause. Make sure you stick around to see Judge Lou Olivera’s team face off with Judge Toni King’s Sour Patch Kids. It’s a showdown you don’t want  to miss.”

The dodgeball tournament is not the only big, fun event that Better Health hosts during the year. November marks Diabetes Awareness Month. “We are going to be hosting a free Diabetes Symposium in early November with breakout sessions on a variety of topics related to diabetes,” Navejas said. 

Nov. 12 there will be a Quarter Frenzy benefiting Better Health, hosted at the Ramada Inn. “Nov. 18 is our 5th annual Red Apple Run for Diabetes fundraiser,” Navejas added.  “This run goes through Haymount and features a 10K, 5K and one-miler. We are also marking Diabetes Awareness Month with a new Project Blue November initiative. Last but certainly not least, Better Health will host a fun evening of casino games, beverages, music and good food at our Evening of Prohibition on Feb. 22, 2018, at the Botanical Garden.”

For more information on all of the programs that Better Health offers, visit www.betterhealthcc.org.

Red-light cameras in Fayetteville generate a lot of money but little else. That’s what before-and-after comparative data indicates. American Traffic Solutions is under contract with the city of Fayetteville to enforce red-light cameras at more than 20 busy intersections. Nationally, from 2011-15, an average of 719 people died each year in red-light-running crashes, according to ATS. Fayetteville installed the initial 10 red-light traffic cameras in July 2015. There have been no fatal accidents at regulated intersections in those two years.

The city studied motor vehicle crashes at those red-light enforced intersections the year before the cameras were installed and the year after. Auto accidents were not reduced during those two years. Traffic engineer Lee Jernigan said the cameras caught about 36,000 violators. At $100 each, that comes to $3.6 million if everyone paid their citations, but they didn’t. About two-thirds of the citations are paid, Jernigan said.

“There has been no positive deterrence in traffic collisions at those intersections where a red-light camera exists,” Mayor Nat Robertson said. “If we continue to see no positive movement in that data, we should consider ending our contract with the vendor,” Robertson added. “Ninety-three percent of red-light runners have not been repeat violators, which is certainly one way of measuring success,” Jernigan said.

Cumberland County Schools will lose a lot of money if the program is discontinued. “Red-light camera funding provides approximately $800,000 a year to the district’s budget,” said Associate School Superintendent Clyde Locklear. “The district would be forced to make very difficult budget decisions, which would impact the quality of educational services offered in Cumberland County, if these funds were lost,” he said.

The North Carolina Constitution provides that traffic fines be budgeted in the local school district’s current expense fund.

“Red-light camera funds support maintenance and improvement projects in the district including building, electrical and HVAC projects,” Locklear said. “Eighteen thousand tickets are being issued each year,” Jernigan said. Sixtyfive dollars from each $100 citation goes to Cumberland County Schools. The remaining $35 goes to American Traffic Solutions, which earns about $630,000 annually. Red-light violation citations are civil summonses. The website Redlightrobber.com claims, “You do not have to pay any red-light camera ticket in North Carolina.” State Rep. Paul Stam, R-Wake, is lead counsel for the firm. Redlightrobber.com says the city cannot add insurance points to your driver’s license. It cannot prevent you from renewing your driver’s license. The city cannot prevent you from renewing your car registration and enforce the tickets.

City Council members would likely be more inclined not to discontinue the red-light camera program if the school board would be willing to consider Council’s suggestions for spending the money. “Some members had asked members of the school board to earmark the red-light money for public neighborhood enhancements such as sidewalks, where needed, to keep our school children safe among other things,” Mayor Robertson said. “I had thought we were on the same wavelength.”

It won’t be long before the new Freedom Town Center opens at Skibo and Cliffdale Roads. With it comes an expected increase in traffic congestion.

“We expect up to 50,000 cars per day on Skibo Road and 35,000 vehicles on Cliffdale,” said city traffic engineer Lee Jernigan. “We’ll be keeping a close eye on traffic in case signal lights need adjusting.”  Traffic signal changes have to be done manually because flooding destroyed the city’s traffic signal system located on Alexander Street near downtown during Hurricane Matthew. The state is paying for a $6 million replacement of the system and the control boxes at the city’s 229 signalized intersections, Jernigan said. City government is chipping in $190,000. It will take several months to complete the project.

A new road through the Freedom Town Center, which is being paid for by the developer, is expected to relieve some of the congestion at the Skibo/ Cliffdale intersection.

New Hockey Team Mascot

The Fayetteville Marksmen hockey team and Cross Creek Mall will unveil the new team mascot Aug. 26. “The mascot is our way to engage with the community,” Marksmen CEO and owner Chuck Norris said. “He is going to be actively involved with the community, in the schools and all around Fayetteville,” he added. “The red fox was an easy choice for us,” said team President and owner Jeff Longo. “It’s native to North Carolina... the fox is fierce, but also soft and cuddly.” Fans wishing to attend the event can arrive at Cross Creek Mall beginning at 2 p.m., with the unveiling taking place in the center area next to the food court. After the unveiling and name announcement, fans will have the opportunity to purchase Marksmen merchandise, take photos with the mascot and talk with Marksmen staff until 6 p.m.

Sunday Brunch Bill Passes

Fayetteville City Council voted 8-2 last week to adopt a local ordinance authorizing the sale of alcoholic beverages at 10 a.m. on Sundays. The general assembly gave cities and counties local authorization to change on-premises and carry-out sale of alcoholic beverages on Sundays. Not all members of Council were aware of the extent of the law only minutes before they voted on it. Mayor Pro Tem Mitch Colvin, who voted against the measure, asked the city attorney if the ordinance would also allow stores to sell beer and wine early. Karen McDonald said, “Yes.” Councilman Larry Wright also voted against passage. Two members of Council who said publically they were ethically opposed to the change, Bill Crisp and Bobby Hurst, voted in favor anyway. 

It’s Tax Time Again

The Cumberland County Tax Administration office mailed tax bills to property owners two weeks ago. Taxes are due Sept. 1, but a grace period gives taxpayers until Jan. 5 to pay with no penalties or interest. After that, unpaid tax bills will begin incurring interest. There are several ways property owners can pay their tax bills. Go to www.co.cumberland.nc.us/tax/payments and pay with an electronic check, major credit card or debit card. Convenience fees apply. Taxpayers can also set up online bill pay options with their banks. It is important that taxpayers using this method verify and update their tax bill number on file with their banks. Credit and debit card payments can be made by phone at 1-866-441-6614, but it includes a convenience fee.

Every year, the North Carolina High School Athletic Association inducts new members to the NCHSAA Hall of Fame. This year, a group of eight were chosen, including local sports writer Earl Vaughan Jr. The NCHSAA announced the inductees at a livestreaming news conference at the NCHSAA Headquarters in Chapel Hill Aug. 17.

This year’s class is comprised of: Coach James “Jim” Biggerstaff from Belmont, Coach Allen Brown from Thomasville, Coach Dave Elder from Hickory, Robert “Bob” McRae of Kings Mountain, Coach Donnie Simpson from Elizabeth City, Coach Dave Thomas from Goldsboro, Earl Vaughan Jr. from Fayetteville and Coach Herb Sampsel from Statesville (posthumously).

“We are so excited to recognize these eight individuals who have made a tremendous impact, not only on their students and communities but on the landscape of educationbased athletics in North Carolina,” said NCHSAA Commissioner Que Tucker. “This class represents many different areas of service over a vast number of years, and the members are to be commended for their outstanding careers and involvement in the NCHSAA.” 

With the addition of this year’s class, the total number of inductees is 188. The official induction at the annual NCHSAA Hall of Fame Banquet is scheduled for Saturday, April 14, 2018 at the Embassy Suites in Cary. Vaughan Jr. is a UNCWilmington graduate. He grew up in Fayetteville where he worked for The Fayetteville Observer for 44 years before joining the staff of Up & Coming Weekly. While working at the Observer, Vaughan Jr. was chairman of the NCHSAA’s Athlete of the Year Committee for over 30 years. Other accolades include being named a Distinguished Service Award Winner by the NCHSAA, once in 1995 and again in 2008.

Vaughan Jr. was also the first-ever two-time winner of the NCHSAA’s Tim Stevens Media Representative of the Year Award.

Vaughan Jr. also was inducted as a member of the Fayetteville Sports Club Hall of Fame. Vaughan Jr. will be the fifth person directly involved with media to be inducted into the NCHSAA Hall of Fame. Previous media inductees are Tom Northington of the Greensboro News and Record, Tim Stevens of the Raleigh News and Observer, Tom Suiter of WRAL-TV and Mary Garber of the Winston-Salem Journal.

Vaughan Jr. will be the first media person and the seventh person overall from Fayetteville and Cumberland County inducted into the NCHSAA Hall of Fame. Others were Cape Fear coach Doris Howard, Douglas Byrd and Seventy-First coach Bob Paroli, Fayetteville High coach R.E. “Buddy” Luper, E.E. Smith coach and Cumberland County administrator Bill Carver, former Cumberland County Schools superintendent Bill Harrison, Terry Sanford coach Gil Bowman and Harnett County coach Al Black, who lived in Spring Lake.

PHOTO: Earl Vaughan Jr. (front, left) will be inducted into the NCHSAA Hall of Fame April 14, 2018.

Problematic Internet Use exhibits symptoms and adverse effects similar to substance abuse disorders. It becomes an addiction when excessive internet use deeply impairs the user’s life functioning, i.e., resulting in truancy, work absences, isolation from real-world socializing, and impaired interpersonal and familial relationships.

In the October 2009 issue of “Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine,” researchers reported that although depression, ADHD, social phobia and hostility were found to predict the occurrence of internet addiction, depression and social phobia predicted internet addiction among only female adolescents. Additionally, the most significant predictors of internet addiction in male and female adolescents were hostility and ADHD, respectively.

The article further explained that addiction to the internet can negatively impact school performance, family relationships and adolescents’ emotional state. A plethora of research shows excessive use of internet and playing online games causes the release of dopamine neurotransmitters exacerbating the symptoms  of ADHD.

New York psychotherapist Nancy Colier observes in her enlightening new book, “The Power of Off,” that “we are spending far too much of our time doing things that don’t matter to us.” Collier urges her readers to start practicing mindfulness by simply noticing the impulse to get on technology and then pausing in the desire to use the technology. She suggests learning to tolerate your feelings of craving, staying conscious and still, allowing it without reacting and without giving in to what your mind is telling you to do to satisfy the craving.

Colier’s approach is akin to a modern psychotherapy mechanism known as mindfulness-based cognitive therapy, which originated from Buddhist spiritual practices. In his transcendent state, Buddha  recognized that craving and clinging were temporary states that endlessly entail suffering. He taught his followers to attain true peace of mind, happiness and contentment by living a healthy lifestyle of moderation and balance. He taught this could only be achieved by taking the Middle Path or Middle Way; that is, avoiding two extremes — indulgence and self-deprivation — that lead to endless suffering. In addition to her 30-day digital detox guide, Colier outlines three small steps you can take now to curb your digital dependence.

1. Identify how much digital use  is necessary.

2. Make little changes. Add one thing a day that’s done without  the phone.

3. Devote more time and attention to things that nourish you.

Take the Middle Path to liberation, peace, power and confidence; to empower yourself to trust yourself, to control your behavior, and thus ultimately to take care of yourself and your relationships.

My sense of rejection was deepening. Another sculptor now had examined me (I’m just an old chunk of marble), and after he saw the telltale flaw, he walked on. It doesn’t take a good sculptor long to spot the big flaw in my body and find me therefore useless. They all go and pick another piece of stone that will become a beautiful statue somewhere.

But not me. I’ll never be of any real value. At first, I used to hope I could be a nice statue in some wealthy home. And then, one by one, as all the sculptors spotted this flaw in me, I resigned myself to being only adequate for a few figurines. Lately, I’ve begun to wonder if I’m fit for even that. Oh God, how I hate my flaw. But, I am what I am.

But then one day, this sculptor came to the marble quarry to look for a stone. I wanted him to be so new or so inexperienced that he might miss my flaw and choose me. Alas, I could tell as he carefully inspected each piece of marble that he knew exactly what to look for. He was good. Us rejects develop experienced eyes. I whispered to the small stone next to me, “Who is he? I haven’t seen him before.”

“Some guy named Michelangelo,” he answered.

When he stopped in front of me, I figured he’d glance and walk on by. But he stopped and began to walk around me and measure. He stared at my flaw until I was embarrassed. I almost felt like — like I was naked. He looked so long I was ashamed. I wanted to shout, “I can’t help it, — I was born this way!”

Finally, he left. I was both relieved and hurt. Relieved to no longer feel the pressure, hope, competition with the other stones — and hurt to be once again rejected.

In a little while, the horse and cart came by — I assumed to pick up that gorgeous new chunk down the way. But it stopped in front of me, and I was so carefully lifted into the cart. I was ecstatic. Somewhere, somehow, someone had found a use for an old flawed piece  of marble.

Michelangelo took me home and began to chip away, cut and sand until finally he was finished. He named me David.

That’s the story behind the most famous statue in all the world. A piece of marble was oft rejected by other sculptors because of a flaw in the stone. But a skilled artisan can make a beautiful work of art from even a flawed piece of stone. The key is not the flaw in the stone but the skill in the sculptor.

Our heavenly Father is an infinitely skilled craftsman. He looks at you and me and sees it all. In fact, we are naked before him. Every flaw exposed. And yet if we but yield ourselves to the workman’s chisel, he can produce in each one of us a masterful piece of art of incredible beauty.

God yearns to take that flawed piece of stone called you and transform it into a statue of impressive strength, beauty and grace. Those around you will be awed, even speechless, at the transformation. All he asks is that we yield to the chisel of his word... with you in the hands of the sculptor.

PHOTO: Michelangelo's "David"

Cumberland County is an amazing place to live, work and raise our families. This community embraced my father when he was first stationed here as a young soldier from Massachusetts. My mother, a proud Greek immigrant who came to this community at age 12, not being able to speak a word of English and graduated from Highsmith Nursing School in less than 10 years. A short time later, a Roman Catholic soldier from New England married a Greek Orthodox registered nurse who had just immigrated to the U.S. a decade before.

Together, even with their differences in culture, religious differences and their family expectations, they raised three children and made it work despite all of apprehension from both their families. They were stronger together because of their differences than they were as individuals. Their core strength was that they respected each other, had similar values and were very involved raising our family. This happened through conversation and compromise. Both had a strong commitment and record of service to their community, their church and their family.

I tell you this story because it is important. During this time of civil unrest, intolerance and instability, there seems to be a void of any respectful conversation and compromise. Since 1980, when I first registered to vote, I chose to be a Democrat. I have always been fiscally conservative, but more open-minded in supporting social issues. I remember early in my career a seasoned member of the local Democratic Party cautioned me, “If you do not vote for this, you are not a true Democrat.” It was an epiphany moment for as I thought, who gets to define a true Democrat?

I have struggled with our two-party system for many years. Like most Americans, I do not identify completely with either party. I agree with some things on both sides and am opposed to others. I do not identify myself by any other measure than being a good father, a trusted friend, respectful person, an ethical business person and a devoted citizen of this city, county, state and country.

Recently, I believe that many decisions by elected officials throughout government have been swayed by bias and self-serving members of their respective parties. The results of this legislation is not always in the best interest of the people we have sworn to defend by oath. For those that know me, they understand that I am a creative problem solver, who does his research and works toward solutions. I am always willing to compromise on issues, but never willing to compromise my values as an elected official or person.

After, 38 years of years in local politics, I have recently changed my party affiliation to the Republican Party. The only thing that is different is my party.

I will still fight of every citizen whom may have been treated unjustly. I will continue to fight to maintain a fiscal responsible government that provides quality services to their citizens. I will always an advocate for the Health, Education and Welfare of each and every citizen of Cumberland County. Because in the end, this is what I have done, will continue to do and what every each of us should do.

PHOTO: Cumberland County Commissioner Jimmy Keefe

What an honor it is to serve as the mayor of such a great and caring City. Fayetteville is truly one of greatest mid-sized cities in the Southeast. Our residents and our diverse culture make Fayetteville like no other city in the United States. We really are a city of History, Heroes and a Hometown Feeling.

I have been working hard to ensure our city operates as a reflection of your expectations. Creating or managing policy in conjunction with our strategic goals and within our scope is imperative to represent your expectations. Public Forums and Café Conversations insure full transparency in communications between our taxpayers and your City Council. 

I believe in leading through a committee process and have established several council committees for input and guidance to the council to better inform the group throughout the decision making process. The success of this type of leadership is evidenced by our outcomes. I believe that through simpler, more user-friendly policies, we can continue to build the economy and improve the quality of life for all of our residents. 

Since being sworn-in as mayor in December 2013 as Fayetteville’s 35th mayor, Fayetteville has become the envy of many Southern cities. In less than four years, our city has accomplished more than any other administration in recent history. The following are some of the highlights:

• Reduced our property crime by 24 percent .

• Set the environment for the addition of thousands of jobs in/around Fayetteville

• Residents approved a $35 million Parks Bond package for the first time ever

• Recognized by the White House for eradicating veteran homelessness

• Reestablishment of the Fayetteville/Cumberland Youth Council

• Signed with the Houston Astors to bring Minor League Baseball back to Fayetteville

• Co-Chaired the Opioid Addiction Task Force with VA Director Goolsby

• Established with the Chamber the Mayor’s Small Business Award

• Changed the zoning along the Cape Fear River to protect our natural resources

I will always remember that I was elected as a public servant, and more specifically to do a job. A job to improve our city and be a steward of the tax money we receive. Understanding this, my focus has been on policy and not politics or social programs. I pledged to you to do the right things, for the  right reasons.

I will continue to improve our business culture, enhance the quality of life for all of our residents and focus on keeping our City and residents safe. I know the initiatives we have supported and the projects we have worked on will continue to improve our city and make Fayetteville more competitive. We are becoming more attractive to outsiders who may want to invest in our community with jobs and businesses in the future. 

It is with great honor and humility that I again ask for your support to continue serving as Fayetteville’s mayor. We, as a community have come so far in the last four years. I know the next two will be even greater. Thank you for the opportunity to serve the community that Kim and I love so much! You have my commitment to continue on a path that will have a positive impact on our children and grandchildren for decades to come.

PHOTO: Mayor Nat Robertson

Time and time again in these columns, I lament that America is off-course. That is, we seem to be in decline as a nation. It is reflected in our strained relationships with so many other nations, but also in our inability, at the federal level, to do the routine business of governing. At that level, consider all the issues: lacking strong national security; unsuccessfully confronting threats, such as those from Russia, North Korea and Iran; faltering in building an economy that provides adequate jobs for most citizens; politically-based anger, racial and socioeconomic tensions that are downright scary; debilitating crime rates; fiscal mismanagement.

Even as the Trump administration appears poised to make progress on each of these and other similarly troubling issues, the focus of far too many people and organizations is totally on making his a presidency that fails.

Why are we in this condition as a nation? I think the answer is that there are many contributing factors. One is that we have a multitude of politicians who know far less than they think they know about doing what is right for this country. This is especially true of Congress. On the other hand, maybe the situation with some is that they are more concerned with gaining power and wealth than they are with doing what is good and right for the country.

Watching the House and Senate go about their business reminds me of three golfers I saw a few days ago. My 87-year-old golfing buddy and I were walking and playing our usual nine holes of golf. Out of nowhere, these three golfers drove past us. We told them we would wait and let them play the hole we were on. They said they preferred to skip that hole and go to the next. I understood that to mean that these were men who knew the game and would be out-of-sight quickly. No, they held us up hole after hole. The point is that they thought they had a good game, but their actions showed that was not the case. So it is with most members of Congress. They think they know how to do what is needed for the good of America; however, their actions say they are like those golfers.

Even further, we have come to a point where many politicians, and far too many Americans, think that our form of government is a democracy. This misconception leads people to believe that elected officials are supposed to automatically do what the majority of Americans want done in governing. We are a representative republic, not a democracy. Consider the following from www.diffen.com/difference/DemocracyvsRepublic:

Democracy. Rule by the omnipotent majority. In a democracy, an individual, and any group of individuals composing any minority, have no protection against the unlimited power of the majority. It is a case of Majority-over-Man. …the majority can impose its will on the minority. All eligible citizens get equal say in decisions.

Republic. A republic is similar to a representative democracy except it has a written constitution of basic rights that protect the minority from being completely unrepresented or overridden by the majority. …the majority cannot take away certain inalienable rights. All eligible citizens get equal say in decisions with the protection of unalienable rights to individuals.

Given this misunderstanding regarding the American form of government, many citizens, including politicians, act as though we are a democracy. This misunderstanding has resulted in a political atmosphere where decisions are driven by poll results, who has the loudest megaphone and who can bring enough factions together for an election win.

In this atmosphere, the Constitution is shredded, and unalienable rights are trampled. We then operate as a democracy. That’s where we are. Those who would unfairly take from the wealthy, neglect working people and appeal to those they have channeled into victimhood portray America as a democracy. Doing so allows them to abuse a minority (not racial). That abuse produced President Donald Trump, because the abused minority rose up. With his ascension came a dangerous divide, driven by his opponents in both political parties, that is contributing to our nation being off-course.

Then there is the media contribution to being off-course. In my estimation, what most media has become in this country is simply disgusting. I try hard not to use such strong words in my writing or speaking. In this case, I see “disgusting” as appropriate. I am comfortable adding repugnant, revolting and sickening. I find it unbelievable that most media organizations and individual so-called journalists are fixated on ensuring the failure of Donald Trump as president.

Consider just some of what his administration has accomplished: the lowest unemployment rate in 16 years; a record-breaking stock market; very impressive consumer confidence; a 70 percent decrease in illegal border-crossings as measured by apprehensions; roll-back of numerous regulations that adversely affected business growth; getting a United Nations vote for sanctions against North Korea; real progress toward defeating ISIS; the missile attack on a Syrian air base; and signing the Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act of 2017, which makes it easier to fire VA employees.

In spite of all these positives, with very few exceptions, the media focus is on looking for collusion between the Trump team and Russia during the 2016 presidential campaign. The normal process is that a crime is committed and there is an investigation to bring guilty parties to justice. This is a case of an investigation looking for a crime. Months have passed without success, but the media keeps that issue front-and-center while hardly addressing  the positives.

This search for and focus on negatives, even if only in the tone of a report, is obvious. Byron York wrote the following in an article titled “Harvard Study: CNN, NBC Trump coverage 93 percent negative:” “… the coverage of some news organizations was so negative, according to the Harvard study, that it seems hard to argue that the coverage was anywhere near a neutral presentation of facts. Assessing the tone of news coverage, the Harvard researchers found that CNN’s Trump coverage was 93 percent negative, and seven percent positive. The researchers found the same numbers for NBC.”

Others were slightly less negative. The Harvard team found that CBS coverage was 91 percent negative and 9 percent positive. The New York Times coverage was 87 percent negative and 13 percent positive.

Maybe the most impactful of all the reasons for our being off-track is that far too many Americans decide issues based on sound bites and headlines. The negative impact is compounded because media, politicians and advocates for various issues/ causes use this condition to their advantage. A case-in-point is what happened with The Obamacare Repeal Reconciliation Act (ORRA) of 2017. A CBS News article titled “CBO: Latest health bill would leave 32M more uninsured in 2026” said the legislation “…would eliminate Obamacare’s individual and employer mandates and repeal the law’s Medicaid expansion at the end of 2019. It would also repeal Obamacare-related taxes over the next few years.”

That 32M figure has been endlessly repeated. With very few exceptions, the whole story is not told. Two statements from the CBO report are relevant to my point. First, “In 2018, by CBO and JCT’s estimates, about 17 million more people would be uninsured under this legislation than under current law.” Second, “Although most of those reductions in coverage would stem from repealing the penalty associated with the individual mandate, CBO and JCT also expect that insurers in some areas would leave the nongroup market in 2018.” Taken together, these statements say that many of the uninsured would be so because having health insurance would no longer be mandated. Instead of addressing a fact such as this, Obamacare advocates scream, “32 million will be uninsured.” Addicting the public to sound bites and headlines … a tactic that works, but helps keep us off-course.

Please, my fellow Americans, give thought to these, and other, conditions/tactics that are keeping our beloved nation off-course from greatness.

We are all heading in the same direction, and we likely share fantasies of writing our own obituaries and attending our own funerals. I have heard of people who did, in fact, write their obituaries before the fact, hoping those they left behind would choose to publish it instead of their assessments of the dearly departed. Attending one’s own funeral is obviously more problematic.

However they come to be, we Southerners have left behind some doozy obits, real laugh-out-loud creations that make us wish we had known the deceased ourselves — or maybe not. And while Southerners are champs at obituary writing, there are some outliers from elsewhere. Here are excerpts from several of my favorites.

William “Freddie” McCullough left us four years ago next month. His obit in the Savannah Morning News opened with these words. “The man. The myth. The legend. Men wanted to be him. Women
wanted to be with him.... Freddie loved deep-fried Southern food smothered in cane syrup … Little Debbie cakes, ‘Two and a Half Men’ and Jim Beam. Not necessarily in that order. He hated vegetables and hypocrites. … Freddie was killed when he rushed into a burning orphanage to save a group of adorable kids. Or maybe not. We all know he liked to tell stories.” Freddie’s obituary was accompanied by a photograph of him in a white cowboy hat and a shirt unbuttoned almost to his waist and 72 more photos available online.

According to her obituary in the Memphis Commercial Appeal, Ida Mae Russell Sills was born to unmarried parents. “In the 1930s, it was unthinkable for a child to be born to a single mother. … Her parents contracted (sic) Georgia Tann at the Tennessee Children’s Home. Georgia, now famous for selling babies, found a couple who was willing to purchase the child.” Ida’s first marriage “was a three-ring circus, engagement ring, wedding ring and suffering.” She married again. “Albert wanted a son, Ida wanted a dog.”

Albert prevailed, and Lee was born, followed by Denise. “As a professional armchair consultant to the NBA, Ida was nick named Hoop Mama Two. Ball handling and dribbling was (sic) Ida Mae (sic) biggest weakness.” Among her survivors is a grandson, Josh. “Ida regrets not being here to influence his future children, but she will be watching.”

Antonia W. “Toni” Larroux died in Missouri, and for reasons I do not know, her obituary appeared in The New York Times.

As a child, Toni contracted polio, “contributing to her unusually petite ankles and the nickname ‘polio legs’ given to her by her ex-husband.... It should not be difficult to imagine the multiple reasons for their divorce 35+ years ago. Two children resulted from that marriage.... Due to multiple, anonymous Mother’s Day cards, which arrived each May, the children suspect there were other siblings but that has never been verified.” Toni’s family requested, “Any gifts in her honor should be made to the Hancock County Library Foundation (to the overdue book fund). Toni’s obituary was accompanied by 28 online photographs.

A non-Southern obituary for Bill Eves from Kingston, Ontario, holds its own with almost any Southern obit I have ever read. It begins, “On Saturday … Molson’s stock price fell sharply on the news of Bill Eves’s passing.” My mother would have my hide for this, but it continues about the former school principal. “Perhaps most important to Bill was educating people on the dangers of holding your farts. Sadly, he was unable to attain his lifelong goal of catching his beloved wife Judy ‘cutting the cheese’ or ‘playing the bum trumpet’ — which he likened to a mythical rarity like spotting Bigfoot or a unicorn.” As per his wishes, a “Praise Bill Party” was held to celebrate his life.

And perhaps my all-time favorite was Harry Stamps’s obituary, which was written by his loving daughters and appeared in the Gulfport, Mississippi, Sun Herald. They described their father as “a ladies’ man, foodie, natty dresser and accomplished traveler. Harry was locally sourcing his food years before chefs in California starting using cilantro and arugula (both of which he hated).... He had a lifelong love affair with deviled eggs, Lane cakes, boiled peanuts, Vienna (Vi-e-na) sausages on saltines, … and buttermilk served in martini glasses garnished with cornbread.” Harry was a member of a bacon of the month club, and “… his signature look every day was this: a plain pocketed T-shirt designed by the fashion house Fruit of the Loom, his black-label elastic waist shorts worn above the navel and sold exclusively at Sam’s …”

Harry’s family asked “in honor of Harry that you write your congressman and ask for the repeal of Day Light Saving Time. Harry wanted everyone to get back on the Lord’s Time.”

Given all this, I may begin work on my obituary today. I am a tad nervous about what the Precious Jewels might say on their own.

PHOTO: A non-Southern obituary for Bill Eves (above) from Kingston, Ontario, holds its own with almost any Southern obit.

PHOTO CREDIT: www.Yourlifemoments.ca

What is happening to our nation? At all levels — national, state and even here in Fayetteville and Cumberland County — the undercurrents of discontent, anger, hate and mistrust are permeating everything we do. It’s hard to comprehend and even harder to articulate.

So first, I say to the cynics: If our nation is so broken, so unjust, so misdirected and unfair, how did we become the greatest nation on earth? How is it that we now enjoy, yet take for granted, all the virtues and benefits of living in a free, civilized and industrialized nation, yet we have factions within our population that refuse to recognize or appreciate how we got here?

We have a history of more than two centuries of strife, hard work, sacrifice, bloody wars, incredible innovation and amazing ingenuity, and here we are … uniquely America. The United States of America! I love the sound of those five words. America is the most envied country in the world, yet we are a nation that is quickly becoming cynical and unappreciated.

Perhaps too many of our citizens think we have reached the pinnacle of our civilization, leaving them nothing left to achieve, learn or accomplish. If this is the case, the only recourse they have to justify their existence is to find fault with our existing government, laws, institutions and way of life, leaving them no alternative but to engage themselves in dismantling it while, ironically, hoping to discover something better. Well, here’s a news flash for these discontents: We are a nation of self-made men and women. If you contribute nothing, in the end, you will gain nothing. Why? Because there will be nothing left. No values, history or traditions. 

Yes, people are upset and on-edge over the thoughts and actions of removing monuments and statues that depict American history that certain groups interpret as offensive. Really? So, at what point does this madness stop? Already, many age-old monuments have fallen victim to this craziness. Monuments that had nothing to do with this subjective historic controversy have been vandalized and damaged. This is craziness! What are these people thinking and when and where will it end? What’s next? Will we be forced to ban the term “Southern fried chicken” because some radical group has declared it an offensive racial term? Or, perhaps someone will insist on removing all images of Colonel Sanders because his Kentucky heritage makes him a hurtful symbol of southern hostility  and racism.

Fayetteville and Cumberland County need to pay attention to these sensitive and potentially explosive national phenomena. Case in point: We are not Durham; Greenville, South Carolina; or Ferguson, Missouri. We are Fayetteville, and such comparisons need to stop immediately. We need to focus on looking out for what is best for our citizens and community. And it is not comparing ourselves to other cities and communities that have few commonalities.

This is a critical time for us. The local elections in 2017 and 2018 will predict the true future of the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community. Why? Because by the 2018 elections, we will be “all in.” That’s a poker term meaning we have put up everything we have in hopes of a positive outcome. We will be right in the middle of our $80 – $100 million worth of city/county infrastructure investments — the point of no return. This infrastructure has the potential of generating another $65 million in local economic development in downtown Fayetteville.

So, what is the master plan for managing such an aggressive and muchneeded undertaking? This community will need to elect city and county leaders who are qualified to take on such a vitally important venture. These leaders need to be the best of the best. They need to be dedicated, business-savvy and intelligent — with excellent communication skills. They need to be personable and, most of all, have a positive strategic vision for the future of the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community and a plan on how to obtain it. They must have a clear understanding that very little will be accomplished, few goals and objectives will be met and our quality of life will continue to lag behind other communities as long as divisive egos and arrogance remain paramount between the city of Fayetteville and the county of Cumberland. Forget about attracting industry with lucrative incentives. Once the potential client senses this level of animosity, they’re gone.

They say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result. If we examine our past, it will help us define our future. If we ignore our history, we will undoubtedly pay the consequences. We are a great nation, and we have the potential for being a great community. However, we need our leaders to do the right things for the right reasons. That means electing leaders willing to do the right things for the citizens of the community and not what is selfishly and politically advantageous to them. Otherwise, we will continue to pay the consequences and forever be asking ourselves why we can’t be like Durham or Greenville, South Carolina. 

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.