It was the military that brought Jeanne Koonce to the Sandhills. She was a singer and an actress — a performer steeped in the magic that is theater. And she stayed. 

She found work with the Bordeaux Dinner Theater and later at the Carolina Civic Center in Lumberton. While there, she created a program for the public schools. It was a a series of countywide productions that allowed students from all over the county to meet each other and participate in musical and theatrical events.

“I ran it for many years,” Koonce said.  She and the choreographer for the program eventually realized they shared a dream. “She and I started talking about wanting our own company,” Koonce said. “It was great doing shows with young kids, but these were teens, and I wanted to work with adults. I wanted to do shows like ‘Chicago,’ and you can’t do that with high school students. My friend and I put our heads together and decided to take the plunge.”

Four years ago, Koonce and three colleagues opened Purple Door Productions. Between them, they shared a multitude of skills. They were all actors, dancers and singers. One had experience in stage design, and two were choreographers as well. “This is something most theater groups don’t have,” Koonce said. “You may have a director and some actors or a business person; you seldom have a core who can do everything plus two choreographers and a director. We had two costumers, and two could build sets.”

They rented a studio space in downtown Lumberton to put on small shows designed for audiences of 25–30 people. There, they also taught dance and music and acting.

Then Koonce bumped into a student of hers from years ago who worked at Robeson Community College. “She and I talked about it and entered into a partnership,” Koonce said. “We would do big shows there, and part of the money goes to her foundation at RCC to pay for scholarships.”

Suddenly, the group was performing in a theater with dressing rooms, sound equipment and more. That was in 2015. Now, the staff of four, including Koonce, Jacob Barton, Lance Carter and  Teresa Davis produce shows that can entertain small groups or audiences as big as the 800-seat space at RCC.

Now, three-and-a-half decades after performing in the Bordeaux Dinner Theater, Koonce is back.  The Fayetteville Dinner Theater returns for the inaugural performance, “The Fantasticks,” under Koonce’s direction. July 27-29, this romantic musical comedy takes place at Ramada Plaza.

“The Fantasticks” is the longest-running off-Broadway show of all time. “There is a reason why,” Koonce said. “It is a crazy, peculiar little piece of work. It has its roots in Shakespeare, but it’s a musical. It has sharp edges, but its word play is quite good.”

Playing on the strength of the script and the talent of the actors, Koonce sees the intimate setting a dinner theater provides as another strength for this production. It is a smaller-scale show with only eight characters. “The philosophy of young lovers and family arguments is carried forward into (this) intimate little play,” Koonce said. “It is done very sparsely — just like it was in Shakespeare’s day. The focus is on the actors and it is lovely this way.”

The cast is composed of regional talent that many local theater enthusiasts will recognize. Amber Jansen, a junior at Massey Hill Classical High School and a regular performer at Purple Door Productions for the past three years, plays Luisa. Ryan Ransom plays Matt. Ransom is a St. Pauls native and a music/theater student at UNC Pembroke. Matthew Jacobs and Steve Chambers are the meddling fathers. Jacobs is a Robeson County native with more than a decade of acting experience in the region. Chambers is a working actor from the Lumberton area who has been a stage performer since he was five.

Clay Rogers is El Gallo. Rogers is a native of Fairmont and has performed across the country for the past eight years. He currently works at Givens Performing Arts Center in Pembroke.

Denver McCullough, an Oklahoma native, plays Henry, the old actor. McCullough has performed in many regional theaters, including Fayetteville’s own Cape Fear Regional Theatre. “Denver has a long history in Fayetteville’s theater world,” Koonce said. “He’ll be easily recognized here.”

The evening includes much more than dinner and first-rate theater. The event opens with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m. Cape Fear Vineyard and Winery will be on-site offering a variety of wines for tasting and sales. Located in Elizabethtown, Cape Fear Vineyard and Winery offers fine dining and lakeside lodging and hosts weddings and events.

At 6:30 p.m., dinner is served. The curtain rises at 8 p.m.

Special musical guests include the award-winning Fayetteville Chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, the Cross Creek Chordsmen.

“With a V.I.P. reception, door prizes, a great dinner, an awesome show, an exclusive wine-tasting, dinner entertainment by the Cross Creek Chordsmen — all culminating in a post-show meet-andgreet with the actors and a giveaway grand prize from Cape Fear Winery each night — this is truly a unique theater experience,” said event producer and Up & Coming Weekly publisher Bill Bowman.

Tickets cost $75 per person and are available at www.fayettevilledinnertheatre.com or from 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. at the box office at Ramada Plaza. Proceeds benefit the Kidsville News Literacy and Education Foundation.

PHOTO: Matt (Ryan Ransom) defends Luisa (Amber Jansen) from swashbuckler El Gallo (Clay Rogers) and his gang (Wynona Oxendine and Dakota Hammonds), while the fathers (Matt Jacobs and Stephen Chambers) are excited by the whole plan.

North Carolina environmental officials have received data from the first rounds of water sampling in the Cape Fear River to test for the unregulated chemical GenX. The N.C. Department of Environmental Quality received the first sets of water quality data from the Test America lab in Colorado for further analysis.

The data comes from water samples collected June 19-29 near the Fayetteville Chemours facility, which makes GenX, and from water treatment facilities in the Fayetteville and Wilmington areas.

The industrial chemical is produced at a plant just inside Bladen County from Cumberland County. DuPont began using the compound called GenX to produce many consumer products, including Teflon. Chemours, a DuPont subsidiary that makes GenX, insists it’s safe, but it has been linked with cancer and other serious health problems. Little is known about the relatively new industrial chemical’s health effects. There are no U.S. regulatory guideline levels for GenX.

Test samples first collected three years ago detected the chemical in the water supply for southeastern North Carolina at levels considered to pose a low risk to humans. Chemours said it would capture, remove and safely dispose of the wastewater that contains GenX from the Cape Fear River.

But the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services will continue to investigate the issue. Once the analyses are completed, both agencies will share the results and updated health risk assessments with the public. It will be of special interest in Wilmington, where some officials charge that the river water  is contaminated. 

Officials have collected water samples in 12 locations near Fayetteville and Wilmington and are wrapping up a fourth round of tests. A 13th location upstream of the Chemours facility — Fayetteville PWC’s Hoffer Water Treatment Plant — was added to the sampling regimen. State officials will base future sampling decisions on the results. Separate samples were sent for analysis to two labs capable of detecting GenX at low concentrations: Test America and the EPA’s lab in the Research Triangle Park. Both labs continue to receive and analyze data from the water samples collected and will make that data available to state officials during the coming days and weeks.  

“Our goal is to make the public aware of our findings as soon as possible,” said Michael Regan, secretary of the Department of Environmental Quality. “We will continue to report the results of the analyses in the coming days and weeks.”

Health and Human Services Secretary Mandy Cohen said public health staff is working with the Environmental Protection Agency, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and academic researchers to better understand any possible health risks associated with GenX.

“There is limited information available … but we are working every day with our federal partners and academic researchers to better understand everything we can about this unregulated compound,” Cohen said.

When City of Fayetteville garbage trucks and those that serve rural areas hit the road four days a week, they eventually end up at the Cumberland County Landfill on Ann Street, not far from Downtown. The 300-acre property was opened in the 1980s. More than 80 acres are currently in use for two so-called cells, one to contain household waste and the other for commercial and industrial waste.

County government owns and operates solid waste facilities. It just spent $8 million preparing two new Ann Street landfill cells, having closed two others and topping them with a foot of dirt. The new cells are opening this week. “They’ll have a total capacity of a million cubic yards of trash,” said Solid Waste Manager Jerod Roberts. Each new cell is lined with plastic to prevent contents from leaching into the earth. Eighty thousand tons of household garbage and trash of all sorts are buried in these cells each year. About half of the land is still available with a life expectancy of at least 16 years, said Roberts.

A county enterprise fund amounting to millions of dollars a year supports the landfill, a yard waste processing facility and 17 rural roadside disposal sites. Additionally, the department accumulates between $700,000 and $1 million a year in a fund balance, or surplus. That money is used to purchase expensive equipment and to maintain the facility while providing for future needs. The annual solid waste disposal fee went up July 1 from $48 to $56. That’s in addition to a significant fee increase for city residents. But, remember, the city collects the garbage; the county disposes of it. Many other fees have gone up also, including the cost of individually disposing of household trash and other items.

Additional fees are also charged for commercial and industrial waste. It’s $38 a ton compared to $20 for a pickup load of household trash. Roberts chuckled when told during an interview that a tax by any other name is a tax. Watch out for what’s called a special handling fee. It’s $100.

The county sells two kinds of mulch at the yard waste processing center, 771 Wilkes Rd. Screened compost costs $20 a pickup load. Red mulch is $60 a pickup load. Cumberland County’s roadside container service surprised Roberts when he came to town in November of 2016. He previously worked in Virginia and Maryland and had never seen such a large network of rural disposal sites. “They’ve been around so long though, we could never change that,” he said. Roberts said about 40 percent of all the garbage taken in by the county is generated at the 17 convenience sites — 80,000 tons of the total 180,000 tons disposed of annually.

A complete schedule of solid waste fees is available on line at www.co.cumberland.nc.us/solid_waste. aspx. For more information, call (910) 321-6920.

It’s official now. Mayor Pro Tem Mitch Colvin issued a formal announcement that he is running for mayor.

He joins fellow City Council member Kirk deViere in challenging two-term mayor Nat  Robertson.

A fourth candidate, Quancidine Hinson Gribble, has also filed for the post. After declaring for months that he would not seek a third term, Robertson announced in April that he would run again.

Colvin’s entry into the race makes for interesting political dynamics, especially since two of the nine incumbent Council members have chosen not to seek re-election. Because more than twice the number of candidates for the mayor’s seat are in the running, a primary election will be held Oct. 10. The candidates who receive the top two most number of votes will meet in November.

Speaking of Elections…

The Cumberland County Board of Elections is seeking precinct workers for the 2017 municipal election Nov. 7. Interested persons must be U.S. citizens, registered voters in Cumberland County, available to attend required training and able to operate laptop computers.

They must remain non-partisan on the day of the election and be available to work the entire day from 5:30 a.m. until dismissed by the Chief Judges, usually between 9 and 11 p.m.

Precinct workers are compensated for attending training and for working on Election Day. Twentysix precincts/polling locations are especially in need of workers. Interested people should call (910) 678-7733.

Fort Bragg Soldiers Are Encouraged to Re-up

The Army is offering big bonuses to qualified soldiers it hopes to retain in order to build the force back up to 1 million troops. It’s an acrossthe-board effort in the regular Army and the reserves. Bonus money is available to persuade service members to stay on, especially in critical MOSs. Applicants will be expected to score well on aptitude tests.

“There is a group of young men and women that are motivated by money,” Command Sgt. Maj. Anthony Stoneburg told the Army Times. For example, an airborne-qualified combat medic NCO interested in Special Forces can reenlist, complete special operations qualifications and receive up to $72,000 in bonus money, depending on rank and contract commitment. Non-airborne infantrymen can also earn bonuses by becoming paratroopers. Fort Bragg’s 82nd Airborne Division is the only parachute division in the military and is considered the Army’s elite.

Tokay Senior Fitness Center to Open Soon

The City of Fayetteville missed its mid-July target date for reopening the popular Tokay Senior Fitness Center on Hamilton Street off Tokay Drive. It will reopen Aug. 1, according to Fayetteville / Cumberland Recreation & Parks Director  Michael Gibson.

The interior of the building sustained smoke damage in late March during an electrical fire caused by a short circuit in an electric treadmill. The rubberized floor of the building had to be replaced, and air conditioning ducts were cleaned, all of which delayed the reopening of the center. Patrons and some city officials voiced concerns that it took four months for city contractors to make repairs to the building.

North Carolina Veterans Park

Fayetteville was chosen by the North Carolina General Assembly to host the nation’s first state park devoted to military veterans. The multi-million dollar facility at 300 Bragg Blvd. is adjacent to the Airborne and Special Operations Museum. It was built at state expense and is maintained by the City of Fayetteville. It is the first state park dedicated to military veterans — young and old, living and deceased, from all branches of the  armed services.

Admission is free. The North Carolina Veterans Park’s hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. It’s closed Mondays, except on federal holidays. It’s also closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Easter.

Improving Pedestrian Safety in Fayetteville

The City of Fayetteville is asking residents to take part in a survey to help improve pedestrian safety in the city. City Council wants to complete a pedestrian master plan in cooperation with the North Carolina Department of Transportation. A committee met this spring to begin the process for developing the plan. Since then, a consultant has been creating an inventory of options for pedestrians. The committe has built a website for the project: www.WalkingFayetteville.com.

A section of the website is devoted to collecting input from residents who are encouraged to complete the survey.

I predict next year’s Fayetteville City Council will bite the bullet and raise your property taxes. That’s my prediction. Here’s why.

The Council kicked the can down the road and passed an election-year budget. If you notice, two Council members who are not running for re-election were ready to give City Manager Doug Hewitt what he wanted: a tax raise to recoup the money the City is losing from lowered property values and then a little more to sweeten the spending pot.

A majority of those running for re-election would have none of it. Instead, they let Hewitt slip in a $60 annual hike into your garbage collection fee. But they never cut spending. Instead, the budget had enough padding to allow a 1 percent increase in spending. It befuddles me. How can you earn less money but spent more? Well, does government ever spend less?

Here’s my problem with how this tax and spend culture works … and I’ve been yelling about this for years. We cannot forever dip into the property tax well for new spending programs. I know the City says property taxes don’t pay for everything and that there are other sources of revenue. That may be true, but tell that to the retiree on fixed income whose property taxes (or fees) keep going up.

The City has ambitious spending plans for all sorts of amenities. I worry that we are focusing on the icing of a half-baked cake. Don’t get me wrong,  I like icing. But it needs a sturdy  foundation. Here’s what I want our City Council members to do: Take charge and recruit meaningful industry — build a foundation. I’m not talking retail, but the kind of industry that invests in high-dollar facilities they won’t  easily abandon.

Let’s recruit the kind of industry that pays enough for people to raise a family and buy a house. Let’s chip away at Fayetteville’s above-state-average unemployment rate. Let’s build a strong tax base.

Here’s an idea. Let’s spend a few hundred dollars on a first-class plane ticket and invite Joe Max Higgins to Fayetteville. We can put him up at one of our finest hotels, show him the sights at Fort Bragg, Fayetteville State University and Methodist University and maybe even take him to a SwampDogs baseball game. Then we put him in a conference room with our best and brightest and pick his brains for a couple of days.

Joe Max Higgins is not a character from “Talladega Nights” or the son of a preacher man, although he is the son of an Arkansas sheriff.

But that’s not what makes  Higgins special. Here’s his claim to fame. Since 2003, he’s brought more than 6,000 manufacturing jobs to the poorest area in the poorest state in the nation, Mississippi. It’s an area the locals call the Golden Triangle.

It had at one time a 20 percent unemployment rate, and other than Mississippi State Bulldogs, there was not much left in the area after the Sara Lee slaughterhouse and a couple of other factories bailed in the late 1990s. Cotton and textiles also left.

Civic leaders hired economic developer Higgins away from Arkansas for a hefty annual salary, and like a bulldog himself, he went to work.

So far, he’s recruited an automated steel mill where former sawmill workers tripled their salary; a helicopter plant where 200 workers build 50 helicopters a year for military and law enforcement; a truck motor plant using robotics operated by 500 employees; and a tire plant, just like we have in Fayetteville.

Part of Higgins’ success comes from his winning kick-butt attitude. Just look at his GTR LINK Facebook page displaying four championship rings with the following inscriptions: Airbus, Dynamic Steel, PACCAR and Yokohama Tires.

The tagline says it all: In the Golden Triangle, We Play to Win. Maybe here in Fayetteville we can play to win and not depend on the whim of retail therapy to ensure our future.

PHOTO: Since 2003, Joe Max Higgins (right) has brought more than 6,000 manufacturing jobs to the poorest area in the poorest state in the nation, Mississippi.

Recent events involving our fearless leader President Trump and his merry band of Russophiles spurred me to think about “From Russia With Love,” my favorite James Bond movie. This was the second in the James Bond series and starred the greatest Bond ever, Sean Connery. The plot in “From Russia” is actually more believable than the widely varying explanations coming out of the White House regarding its relationship with Russia in 2017.

We recently learned of the fascinating versions of alternative facts as told by Donald Trump Jr. about his once-forgotten meeting with the lovely Russian lawyer Natalia Veselnitskaya, Jared Kushner the imperial son-in-law, and Paul Manafort the campaign chairman.

According to one version of the story that Don Jr. was peddling, the purpose of the meeting was to get some secret dirt from the Russians on Hillary’s campaign. He didn’t know who he was going to be meeting with, but he thought it was important enough to get Jared and Manafort involved. They apparently didn’t ask who or what the meeting was about either. According to Don Jr., Natalia’s story about Hillary dirt did not hold up, evolving into a touching story about the adoption of Russian orphans. If you believe Don Jr.’s story, I have a martian slave colony under a pizza parlor on the angry red planet I would be willing to sell you at a discount.

Let us wallow for a moment in 1963 nostalgia, which is when “From Russia” graced the silver screen. The photograph of the lovely Russian lawyer, Natalia, reminded me of Tatiana Romanova, the dazzling Russian spy who set a honey trap for James Bond by sleeping with him. Unknown to Tatiana and James, a rogue criminal outfit called SPECTRE secretly filmed Tatiana and James making whoopee for the purpose of blackmail.

As you may recall, there is a dossier story floating around from the Russian spyworks that makes reference to a video made of The Donald and some high-class Russki hookers. Yet another case of life imitating art. Perhaps there really is nothing new under the Moscow moon.

A great character in “From Russia” is Colonel Rosa Klebb, who defected from the Commies to join SPECTRE. Rosa is one tough cookie. She wears sensible work shoes that have switch blades dabbed in poison, the better to kill you with. She takes no guff from anyone. As the saying goes, Ms. Klebb would rather climb a tree and tell a lie than stand on the ground and tell the truth. She reminds me of Kellyanne Conway.

The McGuffin in “From Russia” is the Russians’ top-secret Lektor decoder machine. SPECTRE wants James Bond to steal it, and then SPECTRE will kill James to take the machine. In Trumplandia, the McGuffin was secret information from the non-colluding Russians on Hillary’s campaign that supposedly revealed that she and the Democratic National Committee were taking money from the Commies.

SPECTRE’s ace-killing machine, who was to assassinate Bond once James purloined the Lektor decoder, was a giant, blond, lean and mean killing machine named Red Grant. Grant cannot be stopped. No rules apply to him. He off’s Russians, Brits and Turkish gypsies without any human emotion. He reminds me of a clean-shaven version of Steve Bannon. I suspect Bannon eats live puppies  for breakfast.

My favorite presidential tweet o’ the week was the one The Donald sent out right after the G20: “Putin and I discussed forming an impenetrable cyber security unit so that election hacking and many other negative things will be guarded.” This was the equivalent of King Kong tweeting: “Chiquita Banana and I discussed forming an impenetrable banana security unit so that bananas will be guarded.” Trump left his tweet dangling in cyberspace just long enough for his hapless Secretary of the Treasury Mnuchin to come out and announce that Trump’s proposed “U.S./Russia cyber security partnership was a very significant accomplishment.” Then Trump hacked off Steve Mnuchin’s feet by tweeting that “The fact that President Putin and I discussed a cyber security unit doesn’t mean I think it can happen. It can’t.” The Donald giveth, the Donald taketh away.

As Doonesbury once accused George H.W. Bush, apparently Trump’s advisors have put their manhood in a blind trust. What does Trump really believe? The answer, my friend, is blowing in the wind. The answer is blowing in the wind. Turns out you do need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows.

Did you know the U.S. House of Representatives has passed more than 150 bills this year? No, I didn’t hear that on the news, either. Did you know that President Trump has signed 43 bills into law?

Just before July 4, the House of Representatives took action to crack down on “sanctuary cities” by passing the No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, which withholds certain federal grants from sanctuary cities and allows crime victims to sue sanctuary cities. We also passed Kate’s Law, named for Kate Steinle, who was murdered by an illegal immigrant shielded from federal custody by San Francisco’s sanctuary city policy. Kate’s Law increases penalties for deported felons who illegally return to the United States.

In June, President Trump signed legislation I cosponsored to drain the swamp and restore accountability at the VA. On any given day, my dedicated staff is managing 400-500 active cases for local veterans who are unable to receive adequate or appropriate care at the VA. The Department of Veterans Affairs Accountability and Whistle-blower Protection Act makes it easier to fire incompetent employees, increases protections for whistle-blowers and streamlines the hiring process to help recruit experienced  management.

Did you hear that Congress passed legislation to end taxpayer-funded bailouts of Wall Street? The Financial CHOICE Act, which I co-sponsored, does what President Obama did not, bringing an end to taxpayer-funded bailouts and imposing the toughest penalties ever for Wall Street fraud. The Financial CHOICE Act also lifts unnecessary regulations, which have devastated community banks and credit unions. North Carolina lost 50 percent of its banks under Obama-era regulations, which in turn made it harder for small businesses to access the capital needed to grow and create jobs.

On 13 additional occasions this year, the U.S. House of Representatives joined me in voting to repeal costly and unnecessary Obama-era regulations. Through these votes, we have supported the growth of small businesses and jobs, protected our Second Amendment rights, provided clarity for farmers, protected the unborn, made it easier for states to require drug testing to receive unemployment benefits and given states more flexibility in education.

While national media has largely ignored our work in Congress, I am grateful Up & Coming Weekly has provided coverage of our efforts to support the local community. This includes helping secure more than $1 billion in Hurricane Matthew disaster assistance and ongoing efforts with HUD Secretary Ben Carson and House Appropriations Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen to secure additional funding for remaining needs. This year, President Trump signed my legislation to help improve National Weather Service radar coverage in our Congressional District, and a key House subcommittee approved my legislation to help Robeson County develop a much-needed community facility.

There is one major item the national media did not ignore. My House Republican colleagues and I fulfilled our promise and passed legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare. Frankly, maintaining the status quo is not an option. Ninety-five out of 100 North Carolina counties have only one Obamacare carrier, Blue Cross, which has seriously considered exiting the market. Nationwide, 38 counties are projected to have no Obamacare options next year. Aetna, United Healthcare, Humana, Anthem and various Blue Cross plans have all exited Obamacare markets. The American Health Care Act ends Obamacare’s costly regulations, protects those with pre-existing conditions, makes the most significant reforms to Medicaid in 50 years and restores your freedom to choose the health coverage best for you and your family.

This year, I have been hard at work with President Trump to drain the swamp, restore economic freedom and protect our values at home and abroad. Even if the national media ignores our efforts, rest assured my colleagues and I are committed to make America great again.

Summer is in full swing. That means a lot of students are on summer break, and many of you are preparing for your long-awaited, much-deserved vacation. Growing up in North Carolina, I always loved fishing on Gaston Lake and going on camping trips with my Granddaddy and Grannie. From the Carolina shores to the mountains and my Aunt Phiena’s house in Lumberton, we made incredible memories that I’ll never forget.

Of course, the best vacation spots can be found in our beautiful state, but one destination that has a lot to offer kids and families all year long is Washington, D.C. There are countless museums, historic monuments and memorials that teach children and grown-ups alike about our nation’s history.

Whether you’re going for a quick business trip, a family vacation or with a school group, my office can help you make arrangements for some of the more popular attractions in our nation’s capital. Take a look at the following list to see how we can help make your trip memorable and assist you with  tour requests.  

The U.S. Capitol

The U.S. Capitol is a monument, a working office building and one of the most recognizable symbols of representative democracy in the world. My office has guided thousands of North Carolinians on tours of the U.S. Capitol. These congressional staff-led tours are available for Eighth District constituents.

The White House

Requests for White House tours must be submitted through your representative or senator. Because the White House is a popular tour destination and receives more requests than any other location in D.C., White House tour requests typically need to be submitted three to six months in advance, with three weeks being the minimum requirement. 

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing 

Here, you’ll learn all about U.S. paper currency. You even get to overlook the production floor and see money being printed.

The Library of Congress 

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest and most open research library. The architecture and art are incredible, and there is a lot to learn. 

The Kennedy Center 

Take a tour of the Kennedy Center to learn why this national cultural center was established, as well as to see the Hall of Nations, the main theaters and dozens of works of art given to the center.

These tours are an excellent way to learn more about our nation’s incredible history, and they are available at no charge to you. All tickets are provided to constituents in the Eighth District on a first-come, first-served basis.

Due to the large number of visitors  — especially during the busy summer months — please request them as early as possible. Call my office at (202) 2253715 or visit Hudson.House.gov to plan your trip.

While in Washington, be sure to stop by your office that I work in: 429 Cannon House Office Building. My staff and I look forward to welcoming you to our nation’s capital and helping you create amazing memories with your family.

Sorry for the confusion this year folks! However, we appreciate the calls for Best of Fayetteville clarification on how our readership survey works and how to properly submit a valid ballot. So, I will clarify what the Best of Fayetteville is, what it stands for and what it means to this community. This, in turn, will explain why it is such a coveted, distinguished and soughtafter recognition. For 19 successful years, we’ve presented and launched the Best of Fayetteville Readership Survey during the month of July to avoid conflicting with The Fayetteville Observer’s Reader’s Choice Awards, which is its advertising sales promotion. This annual sales program has been in existence for 23 years, and until this year, The Observer ran it during September and announced their winners in October.

Even though our two programs are completely different in nature and purpose, to avoid reader confusion we voluntarily agreed in 1997 to launch our Best of Fayetteville Readership Survey during the month of July and announce the winners in September. For 19 years, this arrangement worked perfectly without conflict or confusion. This year, we were surprised to find that Gatehouse Media, the new owner of The Fayetteville Observer, arbitrarily and intentionally changed the format and launched their Readers Choice Advertising Sales Program in July, after the Best of Fayetteville program was launched.

We cannot explain these actions considering our cooperative 19-year working relationship. It was our newspaper that made the recommendation and went out of the way to not conflict or interfere with their program. Weird. Who knows? Has it affected our Best of Fayetteville Survey results? Absolutely not. It has only served to confuse and inconvenience those we are so ardently trying to please. According to Don Garner, the Best of Fayetteville project manager, ballot counts are up, and participation is ahead of last year.

However, the final numbers won’t be in for another couple of weeks. At this writing, the numbers reflect that 2017 will be the best year ever. And, rightfully so. This is our 20th anniversary! So, here’s the bottom line, we cannot control how Gatehouse Media runs its newspaper or its business. Honestly, this is just another routine, shortsighted and bazaar action initiated on the corporate level confirming and reinforcing its disconnect with the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community.

Please don’t be confused or distraught. We are here for you. Matter of fact, here are a few fun facts that will help you understand and distinguished between Best of Fayetteville Readership Survey and the Readers’ Choice Award Advertising Sales program. Please share this with your friends, and let us know if anyone needs more clarification. 

Up & Coming Weekly’sBest of Fayetteville is a readership survey. It is not an advertising sales program. Here is the distinction:

Up & Coming Weekly does not pre-sell advertising to promote or showcase specific businesses and organizations for Best of Fayetteville. However, we do encourage them to promote themselves and encourage their friends, family and customers to vote Best of Fayetteville.

Up & Coming Weekly does not sell or require businesses or organizations to participate with advertising purchases in pre-contest special sections to get their business officially printed on the ballot. The Reader’s Choice ads that are pre-sold before the ballot is printed are called sponsorships. These Reader’s Choice Award sponsors get their names preprinted on the ballot, making a legitimate survey invalid. However, it does identify first-, second- and third-place finishers, entitling everyone to a Readers’ Choice Award. Since the award itself does not designate what place the business finished, a third-place rating has the same credibility as a first-place standing.

In comparison, Up & Coming Weekly does no pre-ballot advertising sales. After the survey is complete and the ballots are tallied, there is only one winner in each category. At this juncture, winners only are given the opportunity to purchase advertising/marketing programs to thank their customers and supporters and to market and brand their companies, capitalizing on and taking advantage of their Best of Fayetteville achievement. These Best of Fayetteville advertising programs are unique and significantly discounted so winners can take full marketing advantage of the honor. Winners have only one opportunity to participate in these advertising programs. In addition to the beautiful ($25) wall plaque awarded each Best of Fayetteville winner, they can use the official Best of Fayetteville logo in all print advertising, radio, billboard, TV or social media advertising.

The Best of Fayetteville is an exclusive and extremely valuable designation. The way we manage it is what makes this program credible. Is it perfect? No. However, it has developed into one of this community’s most respectable and prestigious awards. Now, if this is not enough clarification for you and it is still unclear whether you’re participating in Best of Fayetteville Readership Survey or someone else’s advertising program, take a good long look at the ballot; if the ballot has names already printed on it, it is NOT the Best of Fayetteville. 

OK, here’s the fun part. Every year, we have a Best of Fayetteville Award Party - and you’re invited. Mark your calendar for Sept. 19, and join us at the 20th Anniversary Celebration recognizing the 2017 winners. This is their party and what a party it will be. Join us at the Ramada Plaza, when Up & Coming Weekly, Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, the Beasley Media Group and Five Star Entertainment all assist CPA Lee Utley and Jimmy Keefe of the Trophy House in recognizing this community’s Best of the Best. Don’t miss it.

Meet, celebrate and congratulate the people, businesses and organizations that make Fayetteville, Fort Bragg and Cumberland County a great place to work, live and raise a family. Curious? So, is everyone else. It is always fun, exciting and a virtual Who’s Who. So, join me, Fayetteville Mayor Nat Robertson, Senator Wesley Meredith, State Representatives Billy Richardson and John Szoka, Cumberland County Chairman Glenn Adams and several hundred of Up & Coming Weekly’s very best friends.

Be there. And oh yeah, Vote Best of Fayetteville. Click the yellow “Vote Best of Fayetteville” button on our website www. upandcomingweekly.com, or complete and send in the ballot on pages 21 and 22 of this issue of Up & Coming Weekly.

Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

An annual rite of summer, the North Carolina Coaches' Association’s East-West All-Star games, will be held again this month in Greensboro. The games were founded in 1949 by North Carolina High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame coach Bob Jamieson of Grimsley High School in Greensboro.

Currently five games are played each summer, boys’ and girls’ basketball, boys’ and girls’ soccer and football. The games are held in conjunction with the annual North Carolina Coaches’ Association clinic, which takes place during the same week at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. This year’s games and clinic are scheduled July 17-20.

The basketball games are Monday, July 17, at 6:30 p.m. for girls and 8:30 p.m. for boys in the Greensboro Coliseum.

Soccer will be held Tuesday, July 18, at MacPherson Stadium, home of the professional Carolina Dynamo team. Girls are at 6:30 p.m., boys at 8:30.

Football will be played Wednesday, July 18, at 8 p.m. at Grimsley High School’s Jamieson Stadium at Joe Franks Field.

Here are capsule profiles of Cumberland County coaches and athletes scheduled to take part in this year’s East-West games. This list was compiled as of Friday, June 30, so any additions or drop-offs that took place after that date are not included.

Football

Anderson was a twotime All-Cape Fear Valley 3-A Conference selection for Terry Sanford. This past season he was first-team AllCape Fear Valley and was also named to The Fayetteville Observer’s All-Cape Fear region team. He served as team captain for the Bulldogs.

Terry Sanford finished 9-4 overall and 4-2 in the Cape Fear Valley, sharing third place in the conference standings with Southern Lee. Terry Sanford advanced to the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-AA playoffs where it defeated Northwood 44-21 in the opening round but lost to Cape Fear Valley rival and league co-champion Lee County 35-3 in the  second round.

PHOTO: Nick Anderson, Terry Sanford. Offensive tackle: 6'3", 292

Hines was twice selected to the All-Mid-South 4-A Conference team and made The Fayetteville Observer All-Cape Fear region team this past season. Hines was a key blocker for back-to-back 2,000-yard rushers for the Falcons. His blocks helped to account for over 4,500 yards of total offense. He recorded 14 pancake blocks in his senior season.

The Falcons finished in second place in the Mid-South Conference last year, 9-3 overall and 5-1 conference, their only league loss coming to regular-season and Eastern 4-A Champion Cape Fear. Seventy-First was eliminated in the first round of the state 4-A playoffs by Southeast Raleigh, 28-14.

PHOTO: Rashaun Hines, Seventy First. Offensive line: 6'0", 285

Girls Basketball

Griffin was a star for Smith both on the court and in the classroom. In her final season at Smith she led her team to a 19-7 overall record and a 12-0 mark in the MidSouth 4-A Conference.

She averaged 13.6 points per game while hitting 67 percent of her free throws. She pulled down 4.1 rebounds and had 1.6 steals and 1.9 assists per game. She led Smith to victory in the Cumberland County Holiday Classic and was named Most Valuable Player. She was also first team All-Mid-South. Griffin was an Up & Coming Weekly scholar athlete this year. She was ranked in the top 12 of her graduating class and compiled a 4.3 grade-point average.

She will attend Winston-Salem State University this fall and major in exercise science. She graduated summa cum laude and is an North Carolina Academic Scholar.

PHOTO: Rayvin Griffin, E.E. Smith Guard: 5'9"

Henderson had an outstanding senior season for the Tigers, earning Mid-South 4-A Conference Player of the Year honors. She made The Fayetteville Observer’s All-Cape Fear region team and was North Carolina Basketball Coaches Association first team All-District.

She made the Carolinas All-Star team and was AllConference in volleyball. On the basketball court, she averaged 16.0 points per game, 14.0 rebounds and five blocks. She finished her career with over 1,000 points. She holds school records for blocks in a season, blocks in a game and rebounds in a game. She had three career triple doubles (points, rebounds and blocks).

South View was second in the Mid-South Conference last season, 17-10 overall and 9-3 in the league. The Tigers lost to Knightdale 49-44 in the first round of the 4-A playoffs. Off the court Henderson served as senior class president. Originally committed to the University of Texas-El Paso, Henderson will attend Wichita State this fall, getting a release from UTEP after the coach there was hired by Wichita State.

PHOTO: Asia Henderson, South View. Forward: 6'2"

McArthur was a star high school player at her alma mater, South View, from 1995-99 where she played under veteran head coach Brent Barker. She went on to college stardom at Fayetteville State where she holds school records for steals and assists. She returned to South View as an assistant coach under Barker from 1999-2009, helping guide the Tigers to the state 4-A championship in 2007. In 2009, she became head girls’ coach at Jack Britt. In 2015, she led her team to the Robeson County ShootOut championship. She was also named The Fayetteville Observer’s All-Cape Fear Region coach of the year and the MidSouth 4-A Conference coach of the year the same season. In 2014, she led her team to the Cumberland County Holiday Classic championship, a first in school history. This past season Jack Britt was 15-9 overall and 7-5 in Mid-South 4-A Conference play, finishing third in the league standings. Britt lost to Wilmington Hoggard 48-32 in the first round of the state 4-A playoffs.

PHOTO: Nattlie McArthur, Jack Britt Head Coach East girls' basketball

Let's face it, motorcycling is a dangerous mode of travel. Last week, my wife and I were at a motorcycle shop, and we purchased her a new Klim Induction Jacket. I believe it is one of the best brands on the market. The jackets are covered with protective D30 elbow, shoulder and back pads. The induction is made for hot weather and made with Klim’s Karbonite Mesh. The Karbonite Mesh is Klim’s proprietary mesh material made for abrasion resistance. It is stitched together with Rhino Thread, another proprietary material that is some of the strongest thread I have come across.

The jacket comes with a free personalized, high-quality, plastic emergency ID card you register online. The pocket in the forearm area of  the jacket is designed specifically to carry this card. It is marked so that first responders know there is emergency information in the pocket.

As we talked with the salesperson about how smart it was for them to put the pocket there, he asked me if we had iPhones. We do. He pulled his out, and asked us if we had set up our emergency contact information in the phone.

I have always seen the “Emergency” button on the bottom left of the Lock screen but I have never hit it because I believed it was just to call 911. The emergency button contains a host of important information. If you choose to populate the information, it will show your emergency contact information, medical notes, allergies and blood type, and it will allow for you to register as an organ donor. 

To populate the  information, do the following:

1. Open the Apple Health app, which is installed on all iOS devices running iOS 8 and later. This app can’t be uninstalled.

2. Tap on “Medical ID” in the bottom right corner.

3. Tap “Create Medical ID.”

4. At the very top, make sure the “Show When Locked” feature is turned on (to green). Fill in as much information as is relevant to you. If you have no known allergies or aren’t taking medication, it still helps to write “None” or “None known” so that medical personnel don’t assume you’ve overlooked these fields.

5. Make sure you assign at least one person as your emergency contact person. You must save that person’s name and phone number in your Contacts app for the Health app to be able to include it.

6. Hit “Done” to save. Now here’s how to test it to make sure it worked, and to make sure you know what to look for if you ever have to find someone else’s ICE information.

Lock the phone. Now, wake it up, but don’t fully unlock it with the pass code or Touch ID. When you slide to get to the pass code screen, you should see “Emergency.” Press it, and a new screen appears with a number keypad to dial, as well as “Medical ID” in the bottom left. Press “Medical ID,” and your information should appear along with a phone icon that, when pressed, will automatically dial your ICE contact . Note that while you can find ICE apps in the App Store, they are not accessible from a locked phone. You should always lock your iPhone with a pass code or TouchID for security reasons, meaning these ICE apps are useless in a real emergency. Use the Apple Health app instead.

For Androids, depending on which phone you have and which version of Android you’re running, you might have an emergency contact feature in your phone’s setting. Check there first. It might be under a sub-menu such as “My Information.” In many cases, the end result is a free form string of text that scrolls across your locked screen.

If you can’t find an emergency contact field within the settings, there are apps for adding ICE info, but you’ll need one that has a widget accessible from the lock screen. Note that not all versions of Android support lock screen apps anymore.

For Android 4.2 and later, the ICE: In Case of Emergency app seems promising (I haven’t personally tested it). It has a lock screen widget and lets you save important information as well as ICE names and numbers. Some user feedback suggests that it may disable alarms, however. If you use your Android as an alarm clock, you might want to consider other options before shelling out four bucks for this app.

Keeping good emergency information is not only important to your own safety but can help provide your family with peace of mind.

If you are willing to be both entertained and disturbed by your summer vacation books, I have four new volumes for your consideration: two books by important photographers and two literary mysteries that raise important public policy issues.

First, the photographs.

If you grew up in the rural South of yesteryear and remember the landscapes, the crops, the tractors, the people, the country stores and churches, you will identify with UNC-Chapel Hill Professor William Ferris’s book, “The South in Color: A Visual Journal.” In the introduction Ferris wrote, “As a photographer of the American South, I sought the Holy Grail — that single image that captures the region in its fullest, most engaging expression.”

His 100 color photographs document life in the South while he was growing up in the latter half of the last century. The striking photos of ordinary scenes include farm fields, families and churches. Lovely, but they also disturb as they illustrate the racial divisions that characterized the South. His beautiful and unsettling images mark Ferris as a true artist with an important message.

Earlier editions of Waynesville’s Kevin Adams’s “North Carolina Waterfalls” sold more than 65,000 copies. That is an amazing report, but easier to understand when the reader and viewer see his photographs of hundreds of our state’s enchanting waterfalls and read his detailed and compelling descriptions of the falls, how Adams approached his task, and the dangers to these treasures from human activity.

Adams teaches nature photography seminars and leads popular waterfall photography tours. He is the author and photographer of a series of earlier books about scenic Western North Carolina. His new edition of  “North Carolina Waterfalls” includes 300 full color waterfall profiles and, in addition, 700 descriptions of other nearby falls. “The two years I worked on this project were grueling, but they reminded me just how much North Carolina’s waterfalls are in my bloodstream,” Adams wrote. The resulting combination of lovely photography and accompanying background information makes for a classic.

Now, the question-raising fiction.

In award-winning poet, novelist and former Duke professor Elizabeth Cox’s latest novel, “A Question of Mercy,” actions of a mentally challenged teenaged boy begin to frighten other children and alarm their parents. Set in the North Carolina of the early 1950s, we learn the family’s side of this situation through the voice of Jess Booker, the teenaged stepsister of Adam, who suffers from a disabling mental condition.

At first, Jess is Adam’s unwilling and uncomfortable caregiver. Then she warms to Adam and becomes his advocate, arguing against her stepmother’s determination to send him to a state institution where he would be subject to radical medical treatments including lobotomy and sterilization. As Adam comes to understand what is in store for him, he becomes desperately sad. After a walk with Jess along the French Broad River, Adam disappears. When Adam’s body is found downriver, Jess, who has run away on a long journey of her own, becomes a murder suspect, and the novel’s story becomes, in part, a murder mystery.

The central character of Hickory’s Angela Pisel’s debut novel, “With Love from the Inside,” is Grace Bradshaw. She knows the exact minute she will die. On death row for murdering her infant son, her last breath will be taken on February 15 at 12:01 a.m. Out of appeals, she can focus on only one thing — reconnecting with her daughter Sophie, who has moved on to a new life, convinced that her mother was guilty. Over time Sophie learns facts that show her mother was innocent and unfairly convicted. With the help of her mother’s lawyer, Sophie fights against all obstacles to stop the execution. Whether she succeeds or not, her life is forever changed, as will be the lives of many readers who will be moved by Pisel’s poignant debut.

While there is no shortage of opinions and controversy about how best to improve schooling, virtually everyone agrees that the quality of teaching is the critical variable.

To improve schooling is only to contribute to the future success of students, not to guarantee it. Formal education is only one influence on child development. Kids who grow up in single-parent families, in poverty and in unsafe neighborhoods — conditions that are highly correlated with each other, by the way — have disadvantages that won’t necessarily be dispelled by access to good schools.

That’s no argument for inaction, however, or for changing the focus to policy issues other than education. For example, government policy may have played a role in disrupting the traditional two-parent family, as conservatives persuasively argue, but it’s far from clear what government policies could reverse the damage.

The same constraint doesn’t apply to education. There is an emerging body of compelling empirical evidence suggesting that teacher quality significantly affects student performance and that certain qualities or policies are more likely than others to improve the quality of teaching.

In a new paper published in the Journal of Economic Surveys, a team of Dutch scholars analyzed the academic research on teacher quality conducted since the 1970s by researchers across the developed world. The authors picked only high-quality studies, excluding those with inadequate statistical controls or other defects. Then they summarized the results.

One of them will be familiar to readers of this column: teachers with graduate degrees are no more effective than teachers without them. This is one of the most replicated findings in modern education research — which makes it all the more outrageous when the North Carolina legislature is attacked for getting rid of teacher bonuses for acquiring graduate degrees.

Naturally, there were clear beneficiaries from the practice, which was in place for decades before the General Assembly ended it in 2013. Most of them worked in North Carolina schools of education. Paying teachers to get degrees produced a steady stream of revenue to these schools, even as it produced no detectable improvement in student learning, because most of the advanced degrees teachers acquired were in education, not in particular subjects. 

As it happens, the Dutch researchers did find at least some evidence that math and science teachers with graduate degrees in those fields — and only those fields — are more effective than peers who completed their educations as undergraduates. Similarly, while most studies of teacher certification find no differences in effectiveness between teachers who obtain certification through the traditional university route and those who obtain alternative certification, having a credential for math instruction is a notable exception.

The findings on certification, by the way, might come as a surprise to those who’ve read about North Carolina students faring worse when taught by teachers with alternative certifications. Keep in mind that those reports did not, by and large, attempt to adjust for other differences between the teacher populations. In other words, those who pursue alternative certification differ from other teachers in ways that have nothing to do with the certification process. If you don’t adjust for demographics and other factors, you can’t draw meaningful conclusions.

When it comes to teacher experience, most studies find a link between experience and effectiveness, but it’s not necessarily a linear relationship. That is, the relationship can’t be depicted with a straight line on a graph. The Dutch team concluded that “most studies find significant learning gains for the first couple of years of experience, but hardly any later on in the teacher’s career,” although there are a few counterexamples in the literature.

What does appear to matter, then? Based on the studies to date, the subject-matter knowledge of teachers, their performance while in college, and the rigor of the colleges they attend are important considerations. North Carolina policymakers should structure our recruitment, compensation and retention policies accordingly.

All of which assumes, perhaps unrealistically, that we can debate the issue of teacher quality on the basis of evidence, not politics or specialinterest pleading.

Paying for a postsecondary education (college or trade school) is an investment. It requires planning. It takes money. So talk with your family openly and early. If you’re a high school student, talk with your school’s guidance counselor who has helpful information about planning for a postsecondary education. At Fayetteville Technical Community College, contact the Financial Aid Office to receive brochures and pamphlets that describe all types of available financial aid programs.

While every student wants scholarships and grants, not everyone can cover the entire cost of college or career school through those options. Loans can make your education possible and affordable. However, when exploring loan options, consider federal student loans before any private loans. Federal student loans have lower and fixed interest rates, generous repayment plans, no prepayment penalties and no credit checks (except for PLUS Loans).

In contrast, private loans, which may be aggressively marketed to students through television ads, mailings and other media, are substantially more expensive than federal student loans. They generally have higher, variable interest rates that may substantially increase the total amount you repay, and the interest rate you receive might depend on your credit score. Private loans can also have prepayment  penalty fees.

After exploring the various non-loan and low-interest loan choices, another option is to reduce the cost of attending college. Start at a less expensive school or community college, such as FTCC, before transferring to a four-year college. Credits earned at FTCC in the College Transfer program will transfer to most colleges and universities in the United States. Debt adds up quickly, so keep a watchful eye on it. If you’re concerned about too much debt, consider the following:
• Search for more scholarships and grants

• Work while attending school

• Change your spending habits

You can use a credit card to help you establish and build a credit history, but you must use credit cards wisely. Use it only for emergencies and do not spend more than you can afford to pay. If you don’t have a checking account, open one and learn how to balance your checkbook.

Here are a few more tips to help save money while  in school:
• Buy used books instead of new ones whenever possible.    

• Take advantage of free activities (concerts, plays, art exhibits) sponsored by your school.

• Resist impulse buying. When you shop, use coupons and look for sales.  

• Stay healthy to reduce medical bills and loss of class time.    

• Understand your cellphone plan. Stay within your free minutes.

For more information about financial aid programs, visit Fayetteville Technical Community College. Our admissions team will be happy to assist you in exploring your options. You can also find valuable information about financial aid and other opportunities at FTCC by exploring our website at www.faytechcc.edu.

Excerpts from this article include information from the U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid, Student Experience Group, Your Federal Student Loans: Learn the Basics and Manage Your Debt,  Washington, D.C.

Summer at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden is a special time. The plants are in bloom and there is a wide variety of events for patrons of all ages to enjoy. One of these events is a summer series called Third Thursday. On July 20, the family-friendly Third Thursday is titled Garden Folk. The evening will feature folk music and author Mark Weathington, who wrote “Gardening in the South.” Admission is free with membership or paid admission. 

The music will be provided by The Parsons. “The Parsons are a folk band that have been performing for over 25 years,” said Taryn Hughes, marketing manager at the Cape Fear Botanical Garden. “Caroline Parson is a gifted songwriter, singer and bassist. Jon plays the banjo, guitars and mandolins. They will be performing from 6-9 p.m.” The gates open at 5 p.m. for this event. 

The other half of the evening surrounds Mark Weathington and his book. Weathington is the director of the North Carolina State University’s J.C. Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh and an expert gardener. He has years of experience in a variety of regions. He has worked at coastal botanical gardens and at nurseries in  the mountains.

This extensive experience allows him to easily address region-specific issues that can pop up in southern gardens. His book is intended for gardeners with some experience, but he will be available to answer all manner of questions. This is an opportunity to share a passion for gardening and maybe get some answers to difficult gardening questions.

In addition to the entertainment planned for the evening, Third Thursdays also invites patrons to enjoy the garden in a different light. The area is always beautiful, but enjoying the familiar trees and flowers in the cool evening is an entirely new way to appreciate what it offers. Additionally, each Third Thursday is a unique event with a different theme each month. In August, the theme is Latin Soirée. 

Another way to enjoy the Cape Fear Botanical Garden’s evening beauty is the regular Wine & Whimsy events. The painting class is also held on the third Thursday of every month from 6-8 p.m. This month, the painting features dragonflies. Wine, beer and snacks are available for purchase during the event. All artistic supplies and instruction is provided. Reservations are required as the class is limited to16 participants. All participants must be ages 16 and older. The class is $20 for members and $25 for nonmembers. 

These are just two examples of events that the Cape Fear Botanical Garden offers. Events span a variety of interests and are held varying times of day to fit a variety of schedules. Many events are focused on education, nature appreciation and health. Some events are specifically geared toward engaging children. Find out more at www.capefearbg.org.

PHOTO: Jon and Caroline Parson

The Wild West. Dusty trails. Cattle drives. Campfires. Cowboys. It was a simpler time, when grit and hard work were the measure of a man and his word was his bond.

It still exists, this world of quiet bravado and carefree charm. In fact, 7 Branch Farm spends an entire day celebrating it. Celebrate National Day of the Cowboy at a rodeo on July 28 and 29 at 7 Branch Farm in Lumber Bridge.

This is the 4th Annual National Day of the Cowboy at 7 Branch, and it looks to be a winner for participants and audiences alike. National Day of the Cowboy celebrates the spirit of the west and the ruggedness and independence that made cowboys the icons we know and love. It celebrates the code that governed the Wild West.

While cowboys only get one official day of recognition, at 7 Branch Farm, the cowboy spirit is obvious every day. Ron Payne bought eight acres of land nine years ago. His intent was to turn it into a horse farm. With the help of his children, Payne did just that and
so much more. Today, the farm boasts 37 acres and is home to several rodeo events each year.

“I was involved in professional team roping and qualified for the National Finals of Team Roping three times,” said Buddy Blackman, general manager of  7 Branch Farm. Blackman’s experience at rodeos helped shape the way the horse farm grew. “We decided to put in an arena at our farm,” he said. “It eventually grew into a full-size competition arena with bleachers and a 1,800-square-foot arena and building, including a lit parking area and water stations for competitors. We held our first official competition in 2012 and our first rodeo in 2014. We were the first venue in North Carolina to hold a National Day of the Cowboy Rodeo.” 

Growing up steeped in the rodeo and equine culture, it was no surprise when Blackman started competing in rodeos.  His family owned horses, and he rode them as a child. By the time he was 18, he was riding bucking bulls and horses in professional rodeos. He was good at it, and he loved the excitement it added to his life. He got to have adventures and see different parts of the country.

“Participating in rodeos is adventurous; it allowed me to travel from state to state,” Blackman said.

Eventually, he was ready for a new kind of thrill and started hosting rodeos. It turns out that hosting rodeos is also fun for Blackman. “Hosting and producing a rodeo is a lot of hard work. It includes planning and coordinating with others to produce a wonderful event,” he said. The legwork can be exhausting, but when the rodeo starts, it is all worth it, he said. “The best part is when we finally get to the opening ceremony, and the rodeo is underway.”

But there are other things he loves about putting on a rodeo, too. “There are many favorites,” he said. “The big crowd, watching the bull riders and the cowboy mounted shooting. (They shoot) .45 caliber pistols at balloon targets on a predesigned pattern. The wild bull riding is always the main attraction — a 2,000+ pound bull versus a 150-pound rider.”

Whether this is old hat or a new experience, the events are lively and fast-paced and are sure to keep the crowds entertained. The lineup includes rodeo standards like barrel racing, team roping, cowboy mounted shooting, bull riding and trick riding.

There is a new event this year, too. “We are having a bull pinball competition,” Blackman said. “Five or six guys are in the arena in a 10-foot diamond or circle. We let a bull out and the last guy left in the ring wins.” It’s something he’s been meaning to add, he said, and this just seemed like the right time.

Blackman expects a crowd of 1,500 to 2,000 people and suggests coming early. Gates open at 5 p.m. “We will have several vendors of food, information and plenty of activities to see and do,” he said. “The show starts at 8 p.m. Based on previous events, there is always a long line at the ticket window at 8 p.m.” 

There was no law in the Wild West, so cowboys had to make up their own code of conduct. It wasn't legally binding but more of a code of honor.

7 Branch hosts several events throughout the year, but the National Day of the Cowboy Rodeo is a special one for Blackman because this event is not only a great time, it is also a fundraiser for two charities. Cape Fear Valley’s Friends of the Cancer Center is the main charity. The Lumber Bridge Fire Department also benefits.

“We hope to raise enough money to make a difference so that both organizations get a good donation,” Blackman said.

Tickets are available at www.dayofthecowboy. wordpress.com. Find out more about 7 Branch by searching its name on Facebook.

PHOTO: Buddy Blackman

It’s hard to resist a good four-part harmony. And why would you want to? On July 27-29, Fayetteville’s own Cross Creek Chordsmen, an award-winning chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society Choral Group, will perform at Fayetteville Dinner Theatre’s “The Fantasticks.”

The group was named District Chorus Plateau A Champions at the 2017 Carolinas District Spring Convention. They will present a repertoire of current hits as well as traditional four-part harmonies dating back to the 1800s and early 1900s. “We sing a lot of classics, but we have modern pieces, too,” said group spokesman Joshua Gray-Heim. “We do ‘Sweet Adeline.’ We do Michael Bublé. Any song can be turned into a four-part harmony.”

Gray-Heim added that the group is delighted to be a part of Fayetteville Dinner Theatre’s production and to share their passion for music and the community. “At the Barbershop Harmony Society, our goal is to bring harmony and music from a past time and keep it alive by sharing our passion for music and our brotherhood,” he said. “We are proud to be sponsored by Pressed: a Creative Space for this event and look forward to revealing our new uniforms at the Fayetteville Diner Theatre production. ”

The longest-running off-Broadway show of all time, “The Fantasticks” is the perfect show for Fayetteville audiences. Playing off the talents of a strong cast, this musical comedy has a clever storyline with lyrics written by Tom Jones and ageless music and songs by Harvey Schmidt.

The cast is composed of local and regional talent. The Fayetteville Dinner Theatre is being billed as a unique theater experience, which means the evening will include much more than a great show performed by talented actors.

The evening begins with a V.I.P. reception and wine-tasting and sale at 6 p.m. hosted by Cape Fear  Vineyard and Winery.

At 6:30 p.m., a three-course, duel-entrée dinner will be served by the Ramada Plaza staff while Cross Creek Chordsmen entertain the guests.

“The Fantasticks” opens immediately following dinner. There will be prizes and surprises at intermission and a post-show meet-and-greet with the actors. The FDT and CFVW will give away a grand
prize each evening. Prizes include a dinner for two at the winery with a complimentary bottle of wine, a flight of all seven of CFVW’s wines and a twonight stay in the cabins on the lake at CFVW.

Proceeds from “The Fantasticks” benefit the Kidsville News Literacy and Education Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit, for securing reading and educational resources for Cumberland County children. CFVW will also donate all proceeds from the wine-tasting and sale to the foundation.

Show dates are July 27, 28 and 29. Tickets cost $75 per person with discounts for seniors 65+ and active duty military. Tickets are available from 8:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. at the FDT Box Office at the Ramada Plaza. Call (910) 391-3859 for details.

To make reservations online or to learn more about the show, visit www.fayettevilledinnertheatre.com. To learn more about CFVW, visit www. capefearwinery.com.

On Aug. 12, Cross Creek Chordsmen fans are invited to join the group for an  ice cream social — classic barbershop style. “We will provide ice cream and toppings and entertain guests,” GrayHeim said. For more information about the ice cream social, message Gray-Heim on the group’s Facebook page.

Sons of the American Revolution is a nonprofit organization that is popular across the United States. By focusing on their connection to the birth of this nation, members of the organization work to prolong and promote the history of the United States, explained Bob Ervin, past president of the Le Marquis de Lafayette Chapter of Sons of the American Revolution. They want to remind people where of there lineage.

On July 13, at Headquarters Library, SAR and the Daughters of the American Revolution offer a presentation about genealogy.

Membership requirements for SAR and DAR are specific. As explained by Ervin, it is based on male lineage of origin. “To be a member of the organization, it’s the same for the Daughters of the American Revolution; people must prove lineage to someone who supported the American Revolution” he said. “(Those ancestors could have been) involved in many ways, like soldiers, furnishing supplies or attending certain committees.” 

The organizations meet regularly and are engaged in supporting the local communities. They support programs that develop leadership, such as the Boy Scouts, Junior ROTC and ROTC. They offer scholarships every year and even recognize patriotic actions of local businesses. On Flag Day every year, they also organize a flag retirement ceremony to retire old American flags honorably. 

On July 13 in the Pate Room of Headquarters Library, SAR and DAR offer another type of community outreach.

“We are holding our regular meeting and having a genealogist who will talk about how to start tracing your lineage and will make a presentation about it,” Ervin said. “It is open to the public and a great opportunity to start asking questions. The genealogy library in a room upstairs will also be available, and there are ladies up there who will help people do their research.” 

Ervin’s love of history started early on as a history major in college, though he originally focused on the Civil War until five or six years ago. “I traced my lineage to eight great-great-great-grandfathers in the Civil War, and then I decided to go ahead and trace further,” he said. “I was able to prove lineage to become a member, and since then I’ve proven lineage to 11 other patriots, and I’ve proven 22 patriots for
my grandsons because they have it from their father’s and mother’s sides.” After exploring his own family’s history, Ervin began helping other men prove their relation to patriots.  For many, the idea of this research and sifting through old historical documents can be intimidating. Ervin said that, thanks to the databases available on the internet and the local resources available in person, the research is not so unmanageable.

“Learning how to research genealogy is a process,” he said. “It is kind of like a puzzle. When you first dump out all the pieces, you think, How in the world am I going to figure this all out?! I usually start building the outside and then start working on the middle, and that is kind of like genealogy. Start with what you know. Look at your parents. What are their names and then their parents, and just start putting things together. It can still be intimidating, but there are people at the SAR, the DAR and the libraries that will help.” 

For those interested in exploring their connections to America’s history, the genealogy seminar begins at 6 p.m. at the Headquarters Library. In addition to the presentation from the genealogist, there will be SAR and DAR members available to help answer questions. Ervin emphasized that the library has been incredibly helpful and noted that it offers numerous resources for research.

Local authors from all over the Sandhills area are set to gather at the Cumberland County Headquarters Library for a free meet-and-greet with readers July 23, from 2 to 5 p.m. in the Pate Room.

The showcase is designed for community members to learn more about the books they are reading and the authors who wrote them. Once the authors make it through the application process, they’re granted free space to connect with the community.

Jane Casto, Cumberland County Library headquarters services manager and showcase presenter, said attendees will have the chance to purchase books and get them signed.

In the past, the local author showcase was held during Fayetteville’s 4th Friday event in July. Casto said this year the event is strategically set to be held on a Sunday to “give authors extra time to talk and hopefully get people to buy their books.”

The showcase traditionally includes a variety of authors and books, including books that were self-published, borrowed from a series, poetic and written for children. This showcase, specifically, will include 16 authors with many self-help books thrown into the selection, Casto said.

“The Local Author Showcase was started in response to the increase in independent and self-published writers in our area,” Robin Deffendall, information services librarian, said. “The requirements of the library collection development policy make it harder for these authors to place their books in the Cumberland County Libraries, and our programming guidelines do not support author readings by self-published authors either. We initiated the Local Author Showcase to support and give a forum for these authors to reach their audiences.”

Casto said there’s “just as much, if not more interest” from people to read locally-written and published literature, and “there are a lot of ways in which this is very valuable to the community.” She said gathering local authors draws readers who want to meet the authors, but it also draws aspiring authors who want to gain inspiration or advice from those with more experience.

Information about the following groups on writing will also be available at the event: Write On, Right Now; Spilled Ink, a group for teen authors; and HerStory: Women Writing  Memoirs.

Deffendall also serves as the coordinator or — as she said she likes to call herself — “The Final Authority” for Write On, Right Now. This group, comprised of in-process writers, she said, strives to support each other “in any way possible.”

The showcase is sponsored by Friends of the Library, an organization that “supports the library in fulfilling its literary, educational, technological, community and cultural purposes,” according to the Cumberland County Public Library and Information  Center website.

Casto said the authors will give back to the library by donating 20 percent of their book sales during the showcase to the Friends of the Library.

Find more information about becoming a friend of the library on the Cumberland County Public Library website under the “GIVE NOW” tab or by calling (910) 483-7727.

In the shadow of large artillery ranges and parachute drop zones, a tiny, rare butterfly flourishes. And experts say the U.S. military gets the credit. The frosted elfin is a butterfly with a 1-inch wingspan. It has found homes at several defense installations, including Fort Bragg, because of the way the military manages open spaces, said Robyn Niver, an endangered species biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The Military Times brought the phenomenon to light this month. “Military training requires vast open areas, so these bases are some of our last great wild places,” Niver said. Fort Bragg’s artillery impact areas and parachute drop zones are ideal homes for the dainty butterflies to thrive. In addition to Fort Bragg, the little brown butterfly was confirmed at Westover Air Reserve Base and Camp Edwards in Massachusetts and Fort McCoy in Wisconsin.

The common thread among the bases is the way they manage vegetation through controlled burns, which create the perfect conditions for wild blue lupine and indigo to grow, the frosted elfin caterpillar’s two host plants.

Frosted elfins can be found from New England to Florida and as far west as Texas. They are not on the federal list of endangered species, but they are headed there, Niver said. Several states already list them as protected, and they have disappeared completely from others.

Twenty years ago, environmentalists found that longleaf pine trees that dominate hundreds of acres of training areas at Fort Bragg were breeding grounds for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. The Army undertook a program, which remains in effect today, to protect  the species.

Turn a switch, and the lights come on. Push a handle, and the toilet flushes. Take the garbage to the street, and it’s gone. For many of us, life is that simple. But we all depend on hundreds of employees of the City of Fayetteville and the County of Cumberland to take care of business for us.

In computer science, “garbage collection” is a term  that refers to a form of automated memory management. For homeowners, garbage collection is something we all do once a week: take out the trash. It’s important that residents appreciate the difference between collection and disposal. Locally, the City of Fayetteville or private haulers collect household garbage. The County of Cumberland disposes of it. In part one of a two-part series, Up & Coming Weekly is focusing on collection.

In the city, homeowners pay for trash collection as part of their yearly property taxes. Environmental Service is what’s called an enterprise fund. The cost of collecting garbage is offset in part by a fee tacked on to annual tax bills, and the fees don’t cover the entire cost. It’s a major expense for any big city. Beginning July 1, the so-called solid waste fee went up from $44 to $108 per residence per year.

“The estimated solid waste fee revenues for FY18 (including projected collections of current year fees, past due fees from prior years and interest) are $6,718,613,” said city spokesman Nathan Walls. A subsidy from the general fund this year was reduced from $8 million to $4 million. That’s one reason city council didn’t raise the property tax rate. “For Fiscal Year 2018, the budget was generated assuming services for 62,672 households,” added Walls. Fully-automated trucks are now used for neighborhood trash collection, which, according to officials, has reduced the payroll by 50 workers in recent years. Apartment dwellers and business owners don’t pay this fee because they use private garbage companies.

The city used to call their pickup service the sanitation department. Then it was the solid waste department. Now, it’s the environmental division of the public service department. “To collect household trash in a more economical and efficient manner, the city asks residents to follow guidelines,” said the  city’s website.

These regulations are often misunderstood or confusing for a sizeable percentage of citizens. Officials believe well over half the single-family homes in Fayetteville are rentals.

City Ordinance 22-10 outlines the regulations. Green and blue city-approved roll-out garbage and recycling carts must be placed at the curb one to two feet from the street. Handles should face the house. Carts are to be placed at least four feet from each other and other objects. Trash bags left on the ground or in non-approved containers will not be collected. Resident-generated construction debris will cost an additional $50 fee. Debris generated by contractors will not be collected, and that includes carpeting. Next week in part two, the focus will be on what happens to the garbage once it’s collected.

Fayetteville City Councilman Jim Arp thinks it’s time Fayetteville built a new city hall. The three-story city offices at 433 Hay St. are undergoing $4.5 million in renovations to carve out additional office space. City Hall was opened in 1992. Arp has mentioned his idea at least twice in public meetings recently.

“We ought to find space for a larger building outside the immediate downtown area,” he said. He cited Harnett County’s government complex, which was built away from the congested downtown area of Lillington, the county seat. The future baseball stadium across from City Hall on Hay Street is going to put public parking in the vicinity at a premium.

A city-owned parking lot adjacent to the train station will be lost to developments associated with the ballpark. City Council rejected an idea from City Manager Doug Hewett that a multi-million dollar parking garage be built behind City Hall. Arp’s idea for a relocated city hall hasn’t gotten any traction from colleagues.

Bright Future for Industrial Vocations

Not all wellpaying jobs require a four-year college degree. Cities across North Carolina will need an estimated 700 building inspectors over the next couple of years, officials say. Many experienced employees who’ve had long careers in local government are retiring. Fayetteville Deputy City Manager Kristoff Bauer fears there may not be enough qualified people to replace them.

“These folks earn good wages,” Bauer said. Building, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, heating and air conditioning inspectors earn $30,000 a year to start. Experienced level-three inspectors make $50,000 plus a year. They are responsible for all aspects of commercial and residential building plan review on new construction, alterations, modifications and additions to existing structures; and inspections on general construction, plumbing, heating, mechanical, and electrical installations. “We have to get them trained now,” Bauer said.

That’s where Fayetteville Technical Community College comes in. “We provide the workforce development pipeline,” said Stefanie Schroeder, FTCC’s dean of corporate and industry training. The city has not developed “a succession training program” with FTCC, according to Schroeder, but the college stands ready to help. FTCC has curriculum and continuing education programs in the trades and also taps into “a strong skill-set of soldiers” at Fort Bragg who are leaving the service, Schroeder added. Fayetteville Interim Inspections Division Director Michael Bailey talks with FTCC student groups as time allows. Bailey said the City of Fayetteville currently employs 25 inspectors, many of whom will be retiring soon.  

Fayetteville Technical Community College Approved for VA Yellow Ribbon Program

FTCC has been approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs to participate in the Yellow Ribbon G.I. Bill Education Enhancement Program. The agreement permits FTCC and the VA to provide matching funds for tuition expenses that exceed either the annual maximum cap for private institutions or the resident tuition and fees for a public institution. The institution can contribute up to 50 percent of those expenses and VA will match the same amount. The objective is to cover all or a portion of the outstanding amount of established charges not covered under the Post 9/11 GI Bill. FTCC will be involved from August 1, 2017 to July 31, 2018. Visit www.benefits.va.gov/GIBILL/yellow_ribbon/Yellow_Ribbon_Info_Schools.asp to learn more.