On June 23, The Ellington-White Community Development Corporation opens a new exhibit featuring one of Fayetteville’s most established artists. The “Resemblance: New Works by Soni Martin” exhibit opens with an artist talk and reception from 5-9 p.m. 

With a comprehensive body of work to her name, Martin could have brought in a sampling of her works that she’s created over the years, but she didn’t. “Instead of a retrospective, where I would fill the gallery with past works, I set a personal goal of creating new work for the exhibit,” said Martin. “From setting that goal, many unexpected challenges occurred.” 

In creating an entirely new body of work for the show, Martin wanted to do something fresh and different. Something that would stretch her as an artist. Something that would engage viewers. She’s known for her sculpture and encaustics, but after a year of experimenting and self-discovery, this show promises something different. 

Martin said she decided to undertake a new body of work for several reasons. “For me, my approach to two-dimensional works had become predictable since I had been predominately working in the encaustic medium for the last eight years. It has been become somewhat like a formula that I knew well. I wanted to investigate new materials and methods to express ideas I was becoming preoccupied with,” Martin said. 

She added that “There was a disconnect between sculpture and two-dimensional imaging-making that I have wanted to resolve for a long time. For me as an artist, there is always a new kind of synthesis that is taking place in my response to culture and materials that I would like to investigate and express.”

Once she started the process, Martin found the journey to be as unpredictable and delightful as the outcome, but challenging as well. “Little did I know when I started how convoluted the process would become during this past year and what I would come to understand about myself as an artist, ways of working, and obstacles to the creative process. Little did I know how each of my reasons were complicated, each in their own way,” she said.

Her biggest challenge was that she was going in too many directions at once. In the beginning of this process, Martin spent time researching new materials she thought would be perfect for the direction she wanted to go with her work. 

Then she set about getting to know these new materials, only to find out much was not even applicable. “I had the problem of going in too many directions — I simply had too many ideas I wanted to try and most of those were a disaster. So, there came a time when I realized I had to put limitations on myself and make concrete decisions about the direction of the work,” said Martin. “I knew I wanted to continue to mix abstraction with representationalism. Color is important to me, so I made the decision to focus on practicing a more luminous color palette instead of strong contrast and pure hue. This in itself involved research and practice making color swatches. I have always preferred to integrate the still life and the landscape into my work, but I also wanted to focus on how I could explore nature in a way that it be similar to a metaphoric still life.”

Yet another influence on Martin’s work is her fascination with the idea of obscurity as content. “This one focus had the most impact on the new work in ways that feel I was able to bridge sculpture and two-dimensional works for this exhibit,” she said. “In the final analysis, the exhibit will open and what I will have come to understand is that it’s really the beginning. For an artist, it doesn’t get any better than that.”

The exhibit runs through Aug. 5 at the Ellington-White Gallery, 113 Gillespie Street. Find out more at www.ellington-white.com.

Arana Blake

Massey Hill Classical School• Soccer• Sophomore

Blake attends Massey Hill but plays soccer for Seventy-First. A team captain for the Falcons, she had a grade point average of 4.25.

Devyn Adams

Gray’s Creek• Cross country and wrestling•

Sophomore

Adams compiled a 4.25 grade point average while competing in two sports for the Bears.

Cumberland County high school football games will return to 7:30 p.m. kickoffs beginning this fall.

The matter was recently reviewed by the county’s senior high school principals and football coaches, and the overwhelming consensus was to drop the 7 p.m. kickoffs for a return to 7:30 p.m.

Vernon Aldridge, student activities director for the county, said there were a number of reasons the change
was made. 

Parents of athletes complained it was difficult to make away games and even home games on time when they got off work at 5:30 and 6 p.m. Concession stand volunteers also found it difficult to get in place and get set up in time.

The coaches also said they felt rushed in preparing teams for games on Friday with the earlier kickoff.

Cole Humphrey’s Legacy

The Cole Humphrey Endowment continues to reap financial benefits for the Cape Fear High School athletic program. The fund, established in memory of the standout Cape Fear athlete, who died in a 2013 automobile accident, recently gave $2,000 to the Colts’ athletic program.

Larry Ellis, Humphrey’s grandfather, said the family has been reasonably pleased with the success of the fund but is hopeful that it can do even better.

“You’d like to see it grow as fast as it can so the payout could be higher,’’ he said.

Ellis said he expects this year’s annual Cole Humphrey run to generate another $5,000 to the endowment after all expenses are taken care of.

The concern is to keep the fund in the eyes of the community. “Cole’s class graduated in 2014,’’ Ellis said. “The 2017 class graduating this year were freshmen when Cole was a junior.

“Every time a year goes by, the proximity of kids and their families (to Cole’s memory) gets stretched more. We’ve got to do a good job to make sure we keep it in front of everybody.’’

Ellis said Humphrey’s family has discussed with Cape Fear Principal Lee Spruill and athletic director Matt McLean plans for promoting the fund at a football game this year.

“Your child may not have gone to school with Cole, but they will benefit because of the proceeds that help the athletic program,’’ he said.

Photo: (Left to right) Jana Humphrey, McCrae Humphrey, Wendell Smith, Jake Thomas, Larry Ellis, Ann Ellis. Smith and Thomas coach baseball and softball respectively at Cape Fear. They are receiving a check from the Cole Humphrey Endowment. 

Going 2-9 and failing to qualify for the state football playoffs isn’t part of the Gray’s Creek tradition.

“We’ve got a lot of room for improvement,’’ said Bears’ head coach David Lovette as his team went through this year’s spring conditioning sessions. “We didn’t have a typical Gray’s Creek season last year. We want to get back to where we were in the past.’’

Lovette doesn’t make excuses for what went wrong, but if he did he’d certainly be able to point to one area that was beyond his and the team’s control. The first two weeks of the 2016 season the Bears lost five offensive linemen. Four of them didn’t return for the remainder of the season.

“We couldn’t move the football,’’ he said.

But there is reason for optimism this year. The Bears’ junior varsity team was 8-2 last season, and some solid prospects from that team will be joining varsity this year.

“We’ve gotten stronger and have another year of maturity,’’ Lovette said. “We’re going to try and show some of those things on the football field.’’

One big change for the Bears this year will be a new quarterback as Nathan Scott moves up from being a backup wide receiver and junior varsity quarterback to take over on varsity.

“I want to come up as a leader,’’ Scott said. “I don’t want to be the guy everybody doesn’t want to come to. I want to be the first guy people come to.’’

He saw action in one game as quarterback last year against Westover and doesn’t feel he acquitted himself well.

“I’m working on losing weight,’’ said Scott, who considers himself more of a passer than a runner. “I’ve gotten stronger, but I’m getting faster to fit into this run-oriented offense.’’

Lovette was pleased with the early turnout for the Gray’s Creek practice sessions. “Everybody is out here that’s supposed to be here,’’ he said. “We’ve got about 60 or 70 kids, and that’s pretty good for us.

“We’re excited about it.’’

Photo:David Lovette, head coach of the Bears

Erasing bad memories and finding a new quarterback were the main points of concern for Pine Forest during the recent spring football conditioning period.

Elijah Robinson, who will be a senior offensive lineman for the Trojans this fall, best put things into perspective. “We want to put all the bad seasons behind and keep moving forward,’’ he said. “We are growing as a team, and we want people to see that. We’ve got to start fresh and get right this year.’’

The Trojans got off to a strong start in 2016 but limped home with a 7-5 record that included a first-round state 4-A playoff loss to West Johnston.

Finding a quarterback will be a critical part of making any major improvement happen. Head coach Bill Sochovka is looking at two main candidates for the job, Lavonte Carter and D.J. Jones.

But there’s something else he’s got to develop that may be even harder, and that’s leadership. “We lost a good core of seniors that had good leadership qualities,’’ he said. But as the Trojans assembled for their first spring practice, Sochovka was glad to see everyone he was expecting to be out was on the field and ready to start five minutes ahead of time.

Aside from the quarterback position, the other major concern for the Trojans is the secondary, where graduation took everything, and Pine Forest will be starting from scratch.

Elsewhere, things are looking up. “We have a good core in the offensive, and defensive lines and even our skill positions were young,’’ Sochovka said.

There’s good news and bad news at running back, where the Trojans will be seeking some new faces. The good news is the Trojans should have some speed at the position, but the bad news is most of those players missed spring workouts because they were still involved in the state track competition.

“We slowed our offense down last year,’’ Sochovka said. “We want to be a faster tempo.’’

Sochovka said another focus of the Pine Forest spring would be getting the team in actual playing shape. “There’s nothing like actual football practice to get you in condition,’’ he said.

Sochovka said he prefers the option to have the full squad out for conditioning versus working with just 21 players a day for a number of reasons. He likes players who play multiple sports, so going with the later spring practice allows more of them to be able to take part.

“I think it gets everybody focused,’’ he said. “It puts a taste of football in their mouth, and for kids who worked hard in the weight room it shows it’s paying off.’’

Robinson said he hopes the Trojans become more of a family this season. “The more we come together as a team, the better the season is going to come out,’’ he said.

Photo: Elijah Robinson will be a senior offensive lineman for the Trojans this fall. 

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales

Sequels are a tough business. Despite being constantly fed into the marketplace, it’s rare that they live up to the success and capture the magic of the original film on which they are based. 

In the case of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, the sequels have been fun. Or at least, that had been the case (for the most part) until now. The new film “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” lacks the fun and can’t sustain the promise of the earlier films in the franchise.

The general plot in “Dead Men Tell No Tales” is of the search for the Trident of Poseidon. This legendary artifact bestows total control over the seas to its possessor. Henry Turner (Brenton Thwaites) is looking for this artifact to help his father, who is trapped in a watery grave. Henry enlists the assistance of the illustrious Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp).

Jack is being hunted by the vicious Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem) in Salazar’s quest to eliminate all the pirates from the seas. This leads our heroes Henry, Jack and Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario) ­­— who is under investigation for being a witch — on a high-seas adventure. Can the trio work with others to find the Trident or will they get lost at sea?

“Lost at sea” is a good phrase for describing this film. From the opening scene, we are led on a meandering journey that should elicit joy. Instead, I felt like I was watching a franchise that had left its better days behind it. The original film, and some of the subsequent sequels, showcased a whimsical Jack Sparrow character who was fun. Instead, Depp’s portrayal here felt forced and borderline painful.

Action sequences were swift and engaging, but lacked the punch needed to be special. At times, I felt some of the fights were about a more violent and shocking exhibition rather than the choreographed mayhem of the previous films.

Much of the story felt forgettable, though I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention there is some plunder in a scene after the credits conclude. 

While some scenes were definitely fun to watch on the big screen, I just couldn’t shake the feeling of a well drained of all its water. If the filmmakers intend to go any further with this franchise, the element of fun needs to be restored. Until then, I’m thinking more and more, a pirate’s life may not be for me.

Paul’s Grade: C-

On July 4, Southern Independent Booksellers Association (SIBA) will announce the winners of its Southern Book Prizes.

North Carolina nominees include Lee Smith for “Dimestore,” John Hart for “Redemption Road,” Kristy Woodson Harvey for “Lies and Other Acts of Love,” Robert Morgan for “Chasing the North Star” and Vivian Howard for “Deep Run Roots.” 

North Carolina Bookwatch featured these books recently. During June, UNC-TV will re-air those programs.

Lee Smith’s memoir “Dimestore,” coming after her 13 novels and numerous short stories, gives her many fans a chance to know her as well as her good friends do. She shares her childhood years in a small Appalachian coalmining town and her times working, writing and raising a family here in North Carolina. It gives clues about how her life influenced her writing.

She explains, “This is an enviable life, to live in the terrain of one’s heart. Most writers don’t — can’t — do this. Most of us are always searching, through our work and in our lives: for meaning, for love, for home. Writing is about these things. And as writers, we cannot choose our truest material. But sometimes we are lucky enough to find it.”

John Hart’s “Redemption Road” is his fifth book after four best-selling, prize-winning thrillers that gained praise for their clever story lines. Fellow author David Baldacci said the book’s “prologue is heart-wrenching and the chapters thereafter pull you in like matter to a black hole.” Reviewers praise his beautiful writing. Some compare his lyrical descriptions to poetry.

The book introduces more than 30 characters. None is more important or complicated than Detective Elizabeth Black, herself an accused murderer. She is determined to find justice for Adrian Wall, a wrongly, she thinks, convicted murderer. The connections among the characters help drive a plot scheme that will satisfy readers even as it horrifies them.

Hart grew up in Salisbury and so did Kristy Woodson Harvey. Less than a year after the publication of “Dear Carolina,” Harvey’s successful debut, her second book, “Lies and Other Acts of Love,” drew favorable attention. It is a heart-rending account of four generations of an Eastern North Carolina family in transition. The two leading characters who tell the story are Lynn “Lovey” White, a grandmother whose husband is fading away after 60 years of marriage, and her granddaughter, Annabelle, who has changing ideas about who and what she wants in a husband. 

Harvey’s book will entertain, challenge and surprise its readers. With her third novel, “Slightly South of Simple,” already on bookstore shelves, Harvey proves she is a prolific force in southern literature.

Robert Morgan’s latest novel “Chasing the North Star,” recently out in paperback, is set in pre-Civil War times. It follows a crafty teenaged runaway slave on a northward journey towards freedom. From the Carolina mountains all the way to Ithaca, New York, he finds danger, adventure and comedy. Early on he meets a young enslaved woman who decides to follow him. Sometimes together, sometimes separated, they make their sometimes different ways towards freedom.

Vivian Howard has become nationally known as host of public television’s popular program, “A Chef’s Life.” She said her book “Deep Run Roots” is “the story of my life so far, told through the ingredients that fill the plates and pantries of my home: Deep Run, North Carolina.” She organized her book in a new way — not by collections of similar dishes like main dishes and desserts, but by raw ingredients. She gives chapters to sweet potatoes, corn, eggs, watermelon and many others that are seasonally available in Deep Run, near Kinston, site of Howard’s Chef & the Farmer restaurant.

Other North Carolina finalists include Ron Rash for “The Risen,” Ross Howell Jr. for “Forsaken,” Sharyn McCrumb for “Prayers the Devil Answers” and Ann B. Ross for “Miss Julia Inherits a Mess.”

A complete list of finalists for the Southern Book Award can be found at at www.sibaweb.com.

It’s hard not to play along when children come up with cute untruths.

Unfortunately, many politicians have yet to grow out of the toddler phase when it comes to spotting and discarding spurious correlations. They insist matter-of-factly that without their favorite spending program or regulation, some huge chunk of the economy would cease to be or some favorable social trend would
reverse itself.

The most naïve and destructive behavior is to misuse the concept of the “multiplier effect.” A politician will say that for every dollar spent on such-and-such, the public will receive multiple dollars back in economic activity and thousands or even millions of jobs. In most cases, the statement isn’t just invalid. It’s idiotic.

These politicians are citing economic impact studies that take the amount spent and run it through a model that estimates the local expenditure on labor and materials and the resulting employment implications. While such data can be useful — particularly if you are thinking about going into the business of supplying labor or materials to a particular project, firm, or industry — it doesn’t speak at all to the net economic benefits.

Getting to the net requires that you estimate the benefit of using those dollars on some alternative expenditure. Economists call this the opportunity cost. If you spend $9 eating lunch at Jersey Mike’s (highly recommended, by the way) you can’t spend the same $9 on some other meal, or on buying socks after having skipped lunch altogether. More broadly, the resources you consumed getting to and from the sub shop, including the minutes, can’t be devoted to something else. These represent the opportunity costs of your Jersey Mike’s excursion.

In public finance, the opportunity cost comes at two stages. Certainly the tax dollars spent on, say, highway construction can’t be spent on public schools or law enforcement. That’s the second stage of opportunity cost. But there is also an opportunity cost to converting private dollars, earned through voluntary means, into tax revenue in the first place.

When people keep more of what they earn, that money doesn’t disappear just because it no longer shows up in the government’s balance sheet. It is devoted either to current private consumption or to private investment, both of which have economic impacts of their own. When politicians claim huge economic bonanzas from subsidizing sports stadiums, convention centers, or economic-development projects, they typically ignore this foregone private expenditure altogether.

The only real justification for a government program is that private individuals, spending a given amount of money through voluntary exchange, wouldn’t get as high a return on that money as the government would by taxing the money away from them and devoting it to some public purpose.

The case isn’t that hard to make when it comes to basic governmental services such as law enforcement and the courts. Beyond that, you have to argue that government policymakers are likely to know better than citizens how best to spend the citizens’ own money. There are such cases — public goods for which, for technical reasons, private individuals are not presented with the information (prices) they need to make the best decisions. But such cases are not the norm.

Those who assert the magic of multiplier effects to justify their pet programs may be dissembling. But it is my experience that most of the time, they don’t know enough about the matter to be lying. They are just repeating what they’ve heard, or imagining spurious connections on the basis of
limited experience.

It’s their business if they choose, Peter Pan-like, not to grow up. But they should keep their hands out of the wallets of the grownups.

The world of competitive barbecue is a fierce one. It takes skill, patience nerves of steel — and an awesome recipe. It’s where Mac’s Speed Shop Head Chef Kevin Kuruc thrives. 

Fresh off a win at the Beer, Bourbon and BBQ Festival in Charlotte, Kuruc headed to the renowned Memphis in May barbecue championship. The Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking contest is not for the faint of heart. Kuruc came out on top, though, placing second in the Whole Hog category. 

“Whole hog and shoulder are hotly contested because those are the categories where a team typically takes home the Grand Prize. That’s why we are so thrilled with our 2nd Place in Whole Hog,” says Kuruc. “Many competitors focus totally on competing. The fact that we compete, place and have multiple restaurants in multiple markets makes our Whole Hog victory particularly sweet.”

With 236 teams participating, the competition was fierce. Kuruc went head to head with some familiar competitors. The Big Bob Gibson’s team made Memphis in May barbecue history when it took home its fifth grand champion trophy. 

Melissa Cookston’s Yazoo’s Delta Q took home its fifth first place in Whole Hog, and 10 Bones BBQ repeated its first place win from last year in Ribs. Big Bob’s win in Shoulder was its remarkable 10th category victory.

With a recipe this good, it’s no wonder Mac’s is thriving. There are currently locations in Charlotte’s Steele Creek area, Lake Norman, Matthews, and in Greensboro, Greenville, S.C., and right here in Fayetteville. Serving up ice-cold brews alongside mouthwatering menu items like barbecue (of course), gourmet burgers, homestyle sides, filling salads and hearty appetizers, Mac’s is known for its friendly atmosphere and great-tasting fare.

What started in an old transmission shop in the South End neighborhood of Charlotte is now serving up award-winning goodness across the state. 

Locally, Mac’s is a boon to the community in more ways than one. This local watering hole sponsors events like Hogs & Rags, which not only puts on a great ride but also donates thousands of dollars each year to worthy organizations in the community. The military-friendly venue routinely hosts events for local units. As a live music venue, Mac’s consistently books local talent. The Fayetteville restaurant has also undergone renovations and warmly welcomes anyone who is looking for a good meal in a friendly atmosphere.

Find out more about Mac’s at MacSpeedShop.com.

Photo: Mac’s Speed Shop took second place in the Whole Hog category at the Memphis in May World Barbecue Cooking Contest on May 13.

It’s spring. The warm weather is perfect for festivals, trips to the beach and music under the stars. That’s where Fayetteville After 5 excels — music under the stars. 

The second Friday of the month, May through August, local bands and regional headliners hit the stage for an evening of entertainment and memory-making. The season opened on May 12 with The Tams. 

On June 9, 120 Minutes brings best of the ’90s to Festival Park. Hailing from Raleigh, the band features covers of all the ’90s favorites including Nirvana, Gin Blossoms, Third Eye Blind, Britney Spears, The Spice Girls, Veruca Salt, Pearl Jam, Weezer, TLC, Duncan Sheik, Backstreet Boys, Aqua, Faith Hill, Santana feat. Rob Thomas, Spacehog, The Cranberries, Better Than Ezra, Smashing Pumpkins, Blur, Collective Soul, Green Day, Stone Temple Pilots, Everclear and more. 

“I love getting to see the joy in people’s faces when we start into one of their favorite songs,” said bandmember John Booker. “Watching people sing along with us, dance, and just enjoy life. It’s always a big party, these songs are pure fun.”

On July 14, On the Border: The Ultimate Eagles Tribute Band returns to Fayetteville After 5. The Charlotte-based band is a favorite in Fayetteville and performs along the east coast as far north as Boston. It’s a family-friendly show and one sure to get your feet tapping and have the midway filled with dancers.

July 22, Country music performer Kasey Tyndall will play. Tyndall is from Eastern North Carolina. She struck out for Nashville in 2014 and by 2016 had more than 100 tour dates. Her recent EP “Everything Is Texas” has all the hallmarks of a country song, namely heartbreak. But it’s based on a true story.

“Fayetteville After 5 is always a blast, I’ve been able to make it out to a few of them in the past, and I even played one a few years ago with my U2 tribute band,” said Booker of 120 Minutes. “We’re honored to be able to bring all these great ’90s covers to the good people of Fayetteville — to take us back to all the fun hits of the ’90s and just unwind, relax and enjoy great times and great music.”

The gates open at 5 p.m. Music starts between 7 and 7:30 p.m. No outside food or beverages are permitted in the park. R.A. Jeffries offers beverages for sale. There is also food available for purchase. 

Bring a blanket or a chair to sit on and your friends and family to share the experience. Find out more about Fayetteville After 5 at www.faydogwoodfestival.com or by calling (910) 323-1934.

Cape Fear Botanical Garden provides not only a beautiful natural oasis for relaxation; it also provides entertaining and educational events. This summer, visitors to the garden can experience a performance series called “Third Thursdays.” 

Every third Thursday of the month from March to September, the garden is filled with different types of education and entertainment. Events range in scope from piano concerts to sustainable workshopping. The varied offerings are entirely intentional. 

“Our Third Thursday series is a way for us to connect with a larger part of the community,” said Taryn Hughes, marketing manager at Cape Fear Botanical Garden. “We want to be able to attract different crowds, so each event is a whole new experience. We also want to give visitors the opportunity to walk the grounds after hours.”

The second Third Thursday features a piano player, but it is not a typical piano concert. “Our next Third Thursday is Piano Pizzazz on June 15. Our hours are extended to 9 p.m., and the programming will start at 6 p.m.,” Hughes said. “It is a family-friendly event, so feel free to bring children! 

“This will be different from a normal piano recital since Casey T. Cotton is not only a performer but also an entertainer. You’ll be able to enjoy music and laugh the night away. It’s the perfect combination. Beer and wine will be available from our cash bar and the food truck, R Burger, will be serving up their best.” 

Casey T. Cotton was born in St. Louis and raised in California. He began playing the piano when he was just 7 years old. Music was a hobby for him during his childhood and his military career. 

It remained a hobby until after he retired from the military and the defense contract business. Now, he focuses on his music career full time. As a professional pianist, singer and songwriter he travels and performs at venues and events across the country. In 2016, Cotton founded Blazin’ Keys Entertainment, which specializes in live dueling piano shows. 

In addition to the incredible entertainment, Third Thursdays also offer the opportunity to see the garden from a different perspective. Third Thursday events last from 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. 

Under normal circumstances, the garden closes at 5 p.m., so attending one of these events showcases the evening beauty of the area. “We plan to have the event in our beautiful Orangery, but guests are more than welcome to walk around the garden and soak up nature in a different light,” Hughes said. 

The next installation of Third Thursday is Garden Folk on July 20. There will be folk music and the author of “Gardening in the South,” Mark Weathington. Participants can enjoy music amongst the flowers and chat with Weathington about his work. 

Third Thursday is specifically a summer series. Admission to Third Thursday is free with membership or paid admission to the garden. 

The last event will be held in September, but the Cape Fear Botanical Garden has events all year-round. Find out more about them at www.capefearbg.org. 

Photo: Casey T. Cotton will perform on June 15 for Cape Fear Botanical Garden's Piano Pizzazz night. 

Private and non-profit agencies that provide valuable services to the community are often referred to by local governments as “outside agencies.” 

They offer services that are aligned with city and county strategic plans but are not part of the government. Over time, these offices have become at least partially dependent on some government funding. Many of them also receive funds from the Cumberland County United Way. 

The annual budget process can be disappointing for the outsiders as city and county governing boards deal with revenue deficits and downturns in tax receipts. Cumberland County Manager Amy Cannon has proposed 15 percent cuts in current fiscal year appropriations for the 21 agencies receiving support from the county. 

Fayetteville’s Airborne & Special Operations Museum, which is owned by the U.S. Army but funded by a private foundation, received $200,000 from the county this year. The contribution would be reduced to $170,000 if county commissioners approve the community funding budget as submitted. Smaller offices, like the Contact telephone crisis hotline, would lose $1,000 of its $6,874 budget. The Cumberland County Veterans Council received $7,000 this year and would lose $1,050 next year. The Center for Economic Empowerment and Development, would lose $1,600 in the year ahead.

In all, county government provides nearly $789,000 to local agencies which would be cut by $117,500 in FY18. The City of Fayetteville is not proposing any budget cuts for the outsiders.

Cumberland Community Foundation is awarding nearly $180,000 in scholarships to local high school students. Ninety-three of the grants totaling $179,400 were selected by the Cumberland Community Foundation Scholarship Advisory Group. 

Most of the awards were based on financial need, academic excellence and citizenship. A few other scholarships were based on a special skill or area of interest, such as chemistry, fire science or elementary education.  

Foundation Board Member Gail Riddle said she got a lot out of reading the scholarship applications. “It has renewed my faith in our future,” Riddle said as the scholarships were announced. “To the parents, I want to thank you for raising your students to be the best that they can be,” she added. 

Cumberland Community Foundation was established in 1980 with a gift of $576,840 from Dr. Lucile Hutaff.  She had a vision of the community coming together to make life better. Today the Foundation is regarded as one of the most successful community foundations in the country. 

It is supported by thousands of people from all walks of life and varied charitable interests. “The Foundation manages over 500 individual charitable funds totaling over $76 million,” said Executive Director Mary Holmes. 

This year’s scholarships ranged from $500 to $10,000. The Dr. Lu, Sylvia and Daniel Kiang Scholarship for Chinese Students Fund awarded Yi Dong, Shuang Wu, Chung Lam Lau (renewal) and Yu Diyang Zhang (renewal) scholarships of $10,000 each. Wu will attend North Carolina State University. The others are attending the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 

Sixteen local students each received $3,000 Ella Smith Downing scholarships totaling $53,000. A 17th student was awarded a $5,000 scholarship from the same fund. 

Alexandra M. Thomas received a smaller but equally significant $500 scholarship from the Leonard G. McLeod Theatre Scholarship Fund. Le Feng also received a $500 award from the Robert N. Shuller SfL+a Architects Scholarship.

Cumberland Community Foundation also awards an additional $500,000 in scholarships annually through the Robert H. Short/Cumberland Community Foundation Scholars Program.  

For the last five years, these scholarships were reserved for Cumberland County high school graduates who elected to attend Fayetteville Technical Community College, Fayetteville State University or Methodist University. 

Selection was administered by the colleges with emphasis on filling the gaps in funding for each applicant student based on their unique financial needs. These awards ranged from $300 to $12,000 per year. In the last five years, the Robert H. Short Scholars Program has awarded $2,377,000 to the three local colleges.

Excerpts From an Epitaph by Mary Lynn Bryan on Behalf of Her Friend, Dr. Lucile Hutaff

Dr. Lucile West Hutaff, a Fayetteville native, graduated from Fayetteville High School in 1929. She attended Women’s College in Greensboro for two years and received her medical degree from the University of Rochester School of Medicine. 

Dr. Hutaff returned to Fayetteville in 1972 upon her retirement as a professor at Bowman-Gray Medical School in Winston-Salem. She started Cumberland Community Foundation in July 1980 with an unrestricted gift of over $575,000. Cumberland County will be forever grateful for the vision and dedication of Dr. Lucile Hutaff for her gift of the Cumberland Community Foundation, and for leading the way by example.

Fayetteville Competes With the Biggest and Ranks Among the Best

Governingmagazine has announced the top-ranking cities of its first-ever national survey framework of seven essential elements that define high-performance government and empower innovation. The survey found Fayetteville ranks among the biggest and best. 

The periodical is a division of e.Republic, the nation’s only media and research company focused exclusively on state and local government and education. Based on the results of its inaugural survey and analysis, the city of Phoenix, Arizona, was named the Top Performing City Overall. 

Cities across the country participated in the survey, which assessed capacity and competence in seven key areas. In recognition of their innovative and effective practices in city management and citizen service delivery, the top 10 performers overall aside from Phoenix are: El Paso, Texas; Fayetteville, North Carolina; Las Vegas, Nevada; Louisville, Kentucky; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Riverside, California; San Diego, California; San Jose, California and San Antonio, Texas. “People are increasingly looking to local government for solutions that address the nation’s biggest challenges,” said Steven Bosacker, an official with a subsidiary of Governing. 

“City leaders across the country are proving how dedicated they are to establishing high-performing administrations that respond to the needs of their communities,” he concluded.

Blackwell Responds to Tucker’s Decision Not to Seek Re-election

Since former Chief Assistant Court Clerk Cindy Blackwell announced her candidacy for Cumberland County Clerk of Superior Court, incumbent Clerk Kimberly Tucker has said she would not seek re-election. Judge Jim Ammons passed over Blackwell four years ago when he appointed Tucker to the top post. 

Announcing her candidacy last month, Blackwell said, “The clerk is not just an elected office. It’s a job with real work to be done, and the people deserve a clerk that wants to work. I will show up for work and make sure the citizens have an advocate for them in the courthouse.” The clerk was accused in a WRAL-TV Investigation of spending a lot of time at home and not going into the office regularly, an allegation Tucker denied. 

Another Accused Pedophile Jailed

Joe Caldwell Jr. will likely spend the next few months in jail as he awaits trial on numerous charges of sexually abusing children. 

His bond is set at $2.3 million. Caldwell, 34, was arrested by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Squad at an apartment in the Topeka Heights complex. “He is charged with 23 counts of sexual offenses against children,” said Captain Bobby Reyes, assistant chief of detectives with the Cumberland County Sheriff’s office. Reyes would not comment on how many children may have been involved. He said no further information could be disclosed because the investigation is on-going. 

All Gave Some; Some Gave All

Former Fayetteville City Councilman and longtime civic leader Don Talbot admonished the hundreds in attendance at this year’s Memorial Day ceremony to remember those who “wrote a blank check to the United States with a value up to and including
their life.”

Talbot almost single-handedly founded Fayetteville’s Freedom Memorial Park on Bragg Boulevard to honor veterans who gave their all in wars past and present. 

“This remains a day of appreciation for the men and women who have sacrificed for us,” Talbot said. Freedom Memorial Park is an anchor for what has become a local focal point of Fayetteville’s living association with the military. 

The Army’s Airborne and Special Operations Museum across the street and the North Carolina State Veterans Park also anchor the ceremonial corridor.

Fayetteville City Council has a unique opportunity to show how it governs in a sticky situation during a public hearing June 26.

That Monday night, the Council decides whether to rezone property from rural residential to limited commercial. It’s the kind of hearing the Council has decided on countless times. But this rezoning hearing is different.

For one, the property is not in the Fayetteville city limits ­— yet. Secondly, the people who are fighting the proposed rezoning are not city residents. They have not elected anyone to the governing body to represent their interests.

Here’s how that works. A couple of commercial developers from Florida and Charlotte want Fayetteville to rezone 16 acres outside the corporate limits so they can get city water and sewer. To get sewer, the developers voluntarily annex the property into the city. As of late, there’s no requirement to be annexed for water, but sewer is another matter.

But here’s the rub. This “high-end” retail store’s parking lot and an area designated as public space abut the backyards of homes on Windy Creek Way in Wendemere, a well-maintained subdivision whose front entrance borders the city limits.

Plus, the developer proposes to jam this “high-end” retail store right next to Stoney Point Elementary School. It’s where King, Stoney Point, Rockfish and Lakeview roads meet.

The developer also proposes to reopen a closed portion of King Road just before it reaches the intersection. The resulting fork on King Road would funnel traffic into the commercial property via a traffic circle. That could add to or alleviate the early morning logjam at the intersection.

On the surface, it looks like a ridiculous location to put a commercial retail store. I dread having to go that way on weekdays mornings, especially when school is in session.

The developers won’t say what kind of “high-end” retail store, but rumors abound that it’s a Publix or Trader Joe’s grocery store. There is no mention of what will go in the outlying parcels fronting Rockfish Road.

There’s a Harris Teeter across the street and a Food Lion on the other side of the high school football field, part of the campus that makes up Stoney Point Elementary and Jack Britt High School. There’s also a slew of open commercial property along Rockfish Road heading toward Camden Road.

Here’s another issue for the Council to chew on. Its own planning staff recommends not rezoning the property because the land use plan says it’s supposed to be for residential development. That usually means single-family houses. But the Rezoning Commission, made up of people appointed by City Council, voted 3-2 to recommend rezoning.

So, it’s the classic commercial development rights of a landowner versus residential neighborhood quality-of-life rights for an entire neighborhood the Council must decide on. The Council also must consider getting a PWC water-sewer customer and taxpaying commercial property.

Then there’s Shivani Kohut, a Wendemere resident. She galvanized the surrounding community to fight the rezoning. Last week, she and supporters packed a Stoney Point Recreation Center meeting room with residents from Wendemere and adjoining neighborhoods ­— some from within city limits — to plan a strategy to convince Council NOT to rezone the property.

I attended the meeting, where at times participants couldn’t wrap their minds around the issues that Council is allowed consider in its deliberation. Instead, emotions ventured toward the possibility of crime festering in the parking lot and designated public areas.

They should instead talk about quality-of-life issues: mosquitoes in a proposed retention pond next to the elementary school, flooding caused by more impervious pavement, parking lot lights illuminating people’s backyards and traffic congestion at an already congested intersection where gridlock happens often.

But calmer minds prevailed. Shivani and a cadre of supporters organized a public information campaign. It includes passing out a flyer asking area residents to sign a petition against the rezoning. 

The flyer also urges those affected to call or email Council members about their concerns and to donate money for a lawyer. Finally, the flyer urges people to show up at City Hall Monday, June 26, to fill the chamber. The group also published a Facebook page: Say NO To Commercial Greed.

I contacted all Council members via email and asked them if they had visited the site, if they had an idea of how they would vote, and if they had ever deliberated over a public hearing where Council action would affect non-city residents.

Only two responded. One — a person who I’ve always thought well of in the past — berated me for asking if he had an idea of how he would vote. Note, the question did not ask how they would vote; it asked if they had an idea of how they would vote. Perhaps the question could have been phrased better.

But as a constituent, I have the right to ask any question regarding an issue that affects me, and I have the right not to be chastised by someone elected to represent my interests.

Bill Crisp, whose district abuts the area, responded in his usual diplomatic manner. Crisp said he visited the site and does have an idea of how he will vote. He will keep his intentions close to the vest until he’s heard everything at the public hearing.

The silence from the others is interesting. 

Are you tired of hearing about Russians influencing the late great presidential election? Are the White House leaks making you wish for the return of Nixon’s plumbers to plug up the gusher of troubles flooding the lawn at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.? Let’s wander down memory lane this week to figure out what is causing all the commotion in Washington, D.C. 

Surprisingly enough, it is not the occupants of the White House who are causing our current troubles. At the risk of mimicking Sean Spicer and Kellyanne Conway, the current troubles are not Trump’s fault, or even the fault of the First Son-In-Law and Putin Pal, Jared Kushner. 

Come take a walk on the wild side of Greek Mythology. Ponder our old friend Pandora, who caused troubles to begin on Earth way back in the golden days of yesteryear. 

Once upon a time in Greek Mythology (which will soon have to be taught in schools again as a result of President Pence mandating the teaching of Christianity), there were only men. Women had not arrived. In the beginning, men were immortal and made of gold. They hung out on Mount Olympus partying down with the gods. But after a while, things started to go south. The men turned into silver but were no longer immortal. The men left Olympus and did all sorts of cool things that resulted in them becoming the Greek heroes of mythology. Nothing gold can stay, so that age ended, too. Men were condemned to work and suffer to support themselves in the age in which we now find ourselves. 

Prometheus , who was a man, comes along and plays a trick on the gods by doing some fancy butchering of an ox. This results in the gods getting lousy cuts of meat and men getting prime rib. 

Zeus, king of the gods, is not amused. He takes fire away from men so they can’t barbecue the steaks they stole from the gods. Prometheus, being a tricky dude, steals the fire back from the gods. He gives fire to men so the barbecuing, lying and beer drinking can resume. 

This really hacks off Zeus. He chains Prometheus to a rock and sends an eagle to eat Prometheus’s liver each day. This is a very unpleasant experience for Prometheus. His liver grows back each night. The eagle returns for some Grecian Liver Puddin’ every day. Eventually, Hercules frees Prometheus from his role as a buffet dinner. The eagle has to go on food stamps.

You would not like Zeus when he is angry. Now. Zeus is angry at all men. So what does Zeus do? What will cause the men misery? Easy. Zeus makes a woman. He takes a hank of hair and a piece of bone and makes a walkin’ talkin’ honeycomb named Pandora. Pandora is absolutely beautiful, being the first woman and all. Compared to lumpy Greek men, she faced a pretty low bar for beauty. 

Pandora shows up at the door of Epimetheus, who is the brother of Prometheus. Epi was warned by Prometheus not to accept any gifts from Zeus, but Epi is smitten with Pandora’s beauty. Like Nancy Sinatra once sang, Epi and Pandora get married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout. As a wedding present, Zeus gives Pandora a real pretty box but tells her not to open it. 

You try telling a woman she can’t open a present and see what happens. Just as Zeus planned, Pandora can’t resist opening the box. Zeus had packed the box with all sorts of evil stuff — poverty, misery, type 2 diabetes, depression, smoker’s cough, death and Dook fans. When she opens the box, all the evil escapes into the air to infest mankind forevermore. The only thing left in the box after she belatedly slams it shut is hope. Realizing that it is too late to get the troubles back into the box, Pandora opens it again and lets hope out into the world. Hope flutters out of the box and shows
up when things are at their worst. 

As Emily Dickinson once wrote, “Hope is the thing with feathers.” Emily may have been thinking of Pandora when she wrote that. Or Emily may have just been hungry and was wishing and hoping for Colonel Sanders to invent his delicious Kentucky Fried Chicken with its eleven secret herbs and spices. We shall never know for sure.

Don’t blame Trump for the problems in D.C. Don’t blame it on the Bossa Nova either. It is more historically accurate to blame Pandora for the troubles you see on the “Nightly News” or read on the Fake News on the internet. Just be glad she let hope out. 

Really?

The president of the United States called the FBI director “crazy, a real nut job?”

A comedian posted images of herself holding what appears to be the president’s bloody,
severed head.

A motorist jabbed her pointed middle finger in my direction.

Really?

What is happening to our country?

Americans are clearly concerned about increasing incivility in our society, describing it in words ranging from “rudeness” to “pathological.” 

A quick peek at the Amazon book section finds nine pages of books addressing this emerging behavior in our country with titles including “Mastering Civility: A Manifesto for the Workplace,” “Choosing Civility: The 25 Rules of Considerate Conduct,” “Civility in the Digital Age: How Companies and People Can Triumph Over Haters,” “Trolls, Bullies and Other Jerks,” perhaps most relevantly, and “Civility: Manners, Morals and the Etiquette
of Democracy.” 

I vacillate between thinking of our current vile and toxic atmosphere as the decline of basic civility or the rise of bullying, but it is probably both. The good news is that Americans are aware of and worried about it. A study last year by The Associated Press and NORC at the University of Chicago found that we do believe our society is less civil than it was 30 years ago, particularly in politics.

 Here are some key findings:

• Two-thirds of us think last year’s political campaigns were even more rude than the what has become the norm in rudeness.

• A full fourth of us admit to using the F-word at least once a day.

• Most of us agree that remarks or jokes about race, gender and sexuality should not be made in public. We are more tolerant of such remarks uttered in private.

• A full 80 percent of us say political leaders should be held to higher standards of behavior than the rest of us.

We can only hope.

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As the mother of two young adults with that mysterious Y chromosome — i.e., men — I am sensitive to the adage, “A son is a son until he takes a wife, but a daughter is a daughter all her life.” 

I recently stumbled across a Huffington Post piece by Marlene Kern Fischer, “Six Things You Should Know About Having Grown Sons,” which will likely interest other mothers of boys and maybe the boys themselves. 

1. He won’t communicate more. Probably true, but he still loves you. You will always be Mom.

2. He will still make a mess. Definitely true.

3. He will still enjoy games that involve balls. Ditto.

4. He will still be cuddly. True. Somewhere deep in his DNA he remembers your hugs, your snuggles as you read books together and your comfort when he was sad or hurt. He is in some ways just a large little boy.

5. You will be able to count on him.
Definitely true for what really matters, although he will still forget to make beds and take out
the garbage.

6. He will bring home someone else for you to love! Yes! I am very blessed.

-------

I know. I said I would not, but I have one more tattoo encounter to share.

At a recent lunch on a lovely covered patio, I noticed that several, maybe most, of the servers were wearing black bands on their arms, some at the wrist and some higher up the forearm.

Were they protesting something? Did they have wrist or elbow troubles? Did the bands help stabilize heavy trays laden with food?

So I asked our server, a handsome young man named Jason, whose arm appears in this photo.

It was none of the above. The bands are required by restaurant management to cover up — you guessed it! — tattoos!

Who knew?

No one cares more about the health and welfare of Cumberland County residents than Cumberland County Commissioner Jeannette Council. Yet, as the county’s liaison to the Health Department, she and the board of directors were unaware of the alleged charges that the Health Department failed to notify patients of their cancer screening results. 

Really? 

And says who? 

For weeks, I have been receiving unsolicited and concerning reports that this entire brouhaha is ill-founded and based on sloppy and irresponsible “Fake News” reporting by our local daily newspaper and non-local area TV station, WNCN. 

This entire situation was born out of allegations from three “anonymous” sources. That’s right, anonymous. The newspaper referred to them as nurses. If we don’t know who they are, how do we know their
credentials? 

I doubt they are all nurses. How could something this vitally important go unnoticed by a competent Health Department staff, professional management and a conscientious board of directors? This situation reeks of ulterior motives and sinister underlying personal agendas of disgruntled former Health Department employees.

This could be easily debunked by the slightest bit of investigative reporting by our daily newspaper. That’s not happening.

All we can do now is hope that County Attorney Rick Moorfield’s thorough and objective investigation into this matter will exonerate the innocent and send a strong message to those individuals who think they can use Cumberland County departments, resources and assets for their own personal vendettas or advancement. 

Shame on them and shame on The Fayetteville Observer for participating in and fostering such “bovine droppings” while supporting and endorsing WNCN’’s sloppy, unprofessional and irresponsible reporting. 

The Cumberland County community deserves better than this. Many county residents are dismayed and disappointed at this unsubstantiated sniper attack on our Health Department. Anyone who has experienced the leadership and the dedicated and talented staff knows the truth. 

The many advancements, achievements and accomplishments of Director Buck Wilson over the past several years speak to the high-quality care and commitment he and his staff have for the community and its citizens. It just doesn’t make any sense. 

I implore that Cumberland County use all its resources to get to the truth. Thomas Jefferson once said, “All tyranny needs to gain a foothold is for men of good conscience to do nothing.”  It is this newspaper’s hope that county leadership will not sit on the sidelines and watch this situation unfold, but that it will get involved and demand the truth. 

Will Rogers said, “I only know just what I read in the (news)papers.” Few people know the rest of that famous quote, which is where the real meaning lies: “...and that is an alibi for my ignorance.” We need not allow a few malcontents and faulty/irresponsible “Fake News” media sources to define our community or quality of life. 

I hope you agree. Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

As the 2016/2017 season comes to an end, Gilbert Theater celebrates the best of this year at the 5th annual 2017 Pryer Awards on Friday, June 9 from 6-9 p.m. at the new Taste of West Africa building. Named for the Gilbert Theater Founder, Lynne Pryer, the awards are a way to celebrate the season and get feedback from the audience.

“The Pryer Awards is a way for us to honor the work that has taken place onstage in the previous season,” said Matthew Overturf, artistic director of the Gilbert Theater. “Audiences have the opportunity for each show to vote for their favorite actors, actresses, director, costume design and so forth.” 

Overturf added that throughout the entire season the audience is asked to pick up a ballot in the lobby to vote for their favorites. The votes are tallied and the nominees are announced. Then, on the evening of June 9, the winners of each category are announced.     

“This is our biggest fundraiser of the year,” said Overturf. “We will have door prizes, heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks.” The event will feature good food, an open bar and a silent auction. There will be special entertainment from the students in the Gilbert’s educational Glee Program and the cast of “The Secret Garden.”

“The Secret Garden,” a musical, was a huge success. The show is about a young girl whose parents die of cholera in India. She is sent to live with her maternal uncle, Archibald Craven, who she has never met. 

While there, she befriends a lot of the help in the house and discovers a garden that was the garden of her uncle’s late wife. The girl helps bring the garden back to life, and the spirits of her ancestors come in and out to help her.

“The show ends with this wonderful reconciliation and the family comes back together after this period of grief,” said Overturf.  

The Pryer Award silent auction will feature items such as a men’s grooming package, a package from the Cape Fear Botanical Garden that includes a Pavilion rental, a Martini package that includes a bottle of vodka, a women’s beauty salon day package and more.       

“Come out and join us for a fun night of entertainment, food, drinks and honoring the work that has taken place on our stage,” said Overturf.      

Tickets cost $40. The Taste of West Africa is located at 107 Person Street. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (910) 678-7186 or visit www.gilberttheater.com. 

A New Season at Gilbert Theater                                                                    

Theater has the ability and the potential to change the world. For its upcoming season, Gilbert Theater introduces a lineup that will captivate and entertain the audience as well as provoke them to think.   

“We are very excited about our upcoming 2017-2018 season,” said Overturf. “This is my first full season as artistic director, and I just started on February 1.” Overturf added that he is excited about being able to choose this season and he is a firm believer that a season should reflect the theater and the time. 

The first show of the season is “Evil Dead: The Musical.” It will run Sept. 22- Oct. 8. 

“It is a very campy adult show and it is based on the film by Sam Raimi,” said Overturf. “It is a bloody, gory and raunchy kind of horror.” 

The next show of the season is “It’s a Wonderful Life.” “This one is a very popular show based on the film of the same name,” said Overturf. “It is a wonderful show for the holiday season and people tend to come out in droves to see it.” Overturf added that he thinks that the show is becoming a Fayetteville staple. The show will run from Nov. 24 - Dec. 4 and Dec. 15-17. There is a student matinee on Nov. 27 and Dec. 4 at 10 a.m.  

“Venus in Fur” is next on the list. It will run Feb. 2 –17. “(The show) explores the dynamic between the actor and director and the dynamic between a dominant and submissive,” said Overturf. “It is a very sexual and erotic show that deals with how we look at people in relationships and how the power dynamics can shift.” Overturf added that this show is really great for couples.    

“Antigone” runs April 6–April 22. “This is a Greek classic by Sophocles that is about a woman who has to make a very difficult decision to follow her faith and what is right, or to follow the law, and how that dynamic affects her and her family overall,” said Overturf. “This show is very poignant for our time with the things that have been going on in the world.”               

The final show of the season is “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” which begins June 1 and runs through June 10. “It is about a family coming back together for the patriarch’s birthday,” said Overturf. “There is some greed and one of the children, Brick, is struggling with what he wants his life to look like.” 

Overturf added that Brick’s wife, Maggie, wants to have a child and they are supposed to be the heirs to the family fortune but because they don’t have children it is a bit in question. Brick’s brother is trying to hone in on the family fortune. Greed, secrets and family strife rise up in this classic Southern play.                         

For more information and ticket information, call (910) 678-7186. 

Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s production of “Caroline, or Change” is a beautiful, necessary and visceral work of art. I cried three times. And I will probably pay to see it again. 

“Caroline” was not the show I expected it to be. Neither was its protagonist. After interviewing Director Bryan Conger and lead actress Joy Ducree Gregory two weeks ago, I knew a few things. I knew the washing machine, dryer, radio, moon and bus are all played by people. I knew it’s a show deeply rooted in memory and imagination. I knew Caroline is a sad character. And I knew the story is all about change.

But I didn’t know the washing machine would feel like a wise, kind aunt. I didn’t know the dryer would emanate both sensuality and fear. I didn’t know the moon would feel so disconnected from and yet sympathetic to the humans below.

 The way these imaginary characters sing, riding in and out of Jeanine Tesori’s score, creates an atmosphere of authentic human experience that’s better than realism. In the hot, damp basement where Caroline spends her days doing laundry as a maid, the audience is given a window into the way Caroline thinks and feels about and remembers her past — a window Caroline can no longer offer to real people. 

When she sings in that basement and is joined by the washer’s song, the radio’s song and the moon’s, it’s like seeing bright colors painted right next to each other — distinct and yet blending in the mind’s eye to create something real, fresh and relatable.

I also didn’t know a sad, angry and hopeless protagonist could be so compelling and inspiring. 

I don’t think we see enough characters like Caroline onstage. She was so very real. Ducree Gregory does an incredible job. The show is worth attending on the basis of her final song alone. The maturity, dignity and responsibility with which Ducree Gregory brings Caroline to life as a three-dimensional and complex woman who yes, is sad, is powerful.

The entire cast is phenomenal. Their onstage chemistry was a bit slow to start, but once they found their groove, I didn’t care; I was just there with them, completely absorbed in their world. 

Kesimy Martinez stood out as Caroline’s oldest daughter, Emmy. Martinez has a unique presence — an understated confidence and spunk, and an expressive voice with impressive control. Christian Lattimore and Henry Gregory IV are delightful and completely unaffected in their acting as Caroline’s two younger sons, Jackie and Joe. Michael Bertino is endearingly awkward and boyish as the son of the Jewish family Caroline
works for.

The last thing I did not know, going into this show, is that the change this story is really about is a kind I’d never seen onstage before. The story is set in Louisiana, 1963; the number of political and social changes going on outside of Caroline are numerous, and those are addressed. Then there’s pocket change; I won’t say more than that this kind of change is important to the story, and to one particular relationship. Lastly, there’s this other kind of change: “That’s how Caroline will change — that’s how Caroline will rearrange herself.” Caroline sings out these words in the show’s most beautiful and heartbreaking moment. To understand this last kind of change, you have to see the show. It’s more than worth it.

CFRT invites the public to attend a pre-show conversation focused on the civil rights movement May 18 from 6:30-7:15 p.m., facilitated by Reverend Cureton Johnson. This event was made possible because CFRT received the prestigious NEA “Art Works” Grant for “Caroline, or Change.”

The show runs through May 28. Tickets cost $15-$25 and can be purchased by visiting www.cfrt.org or calling (910) 323- 4233.

Unique Nash

Seventy-First • Softball • Freshman

Nash put together a 3.65 grade point average while playing for the Falcon softball team this season.

Zachery Bagley

Gray’s Creek • Baseball • Senior

Bagley had a 5.0 grade point average as a member of the Bears’ baseball team this spring.