A local roadway project which has been on the drawing board for years is about to get underway. Construction was to have begun in December, but needed supplies were not immediately available to the contractor, said DOT Division Construction Engineer Randy Wise. Replacement of the aging Rowan Street Bridge will result in the most dramatic change to the western downtown gateway since the existing bridge was built 60 years ago. The overpass carries NC 24-210 (Rowan St) over CSX Railroad and Norfolk Southern Railroad tracks and Hillsboro Street. The state Department of Transportation deemed the overpass structurally deficient and functionally obsolete. “That means that while it remains safe, it’s in deteriorating condition and needs to be replaced,” said DOT spokesperson Peggy Beach. “It was built to design standards no longer used in bridge building,” she added. DOT let the project in July of this year at an estimated cost of $18 million. The actual cost is $24.3 million, according to the bid awarded the contractor, S.T. Wooten Corp.
of Wilson, NC.
Utility companies have finalized the work of relocating utilities (power, phone, cable, other communications). In addition, the relocation of water and sewer lines has been authorized, according to PWC. Work on the sewer will be the first sign of actual construction work getting underway, said Wise. That requires the temporary closing of Hillsboro St. in the immediate vicinity of the project. That should take place any day now. A detour has been marked. Work on bridge fills and culverts will follow. “While there are already things going on with the project that are not really evident, the biggest sign to the public that the project has begun, will be the closing of Hillsboro St.,” Wise added.
The new bridges will be impressive, but the real change will be the reconfiguration of the streets. Rowan Street, Bragg Blvd., and Murchison Road will be realigned to join one another at a single intersection.
There will be no roundabout, which at one time had been considered. The acquisition by the state of properties along Bragg Blvd., Hillsboro Street and Murchison Road is complete. They included the popular Vick’s Drive-In, which had been there nearly as long as the bridge. The entire project will take an estimated three years to complete, said DOT. An animated likeness of the end result can be seen on YouTube at Rowan Street Bridge Project Virtual Flyover.

Condemned Former Soldier Runs Out of Appeals A former Fort Bragg soldier who killed four women and raped others more than 25 years ago is again headed for execution. This time Ronald Gray has no further recourse. He lost his final appeal last month. Gray’s execution would be the first by the U.S. military in 55 years. Only the President, as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, can approve the execution of a death sentence. President George W. Bush condemned Gray on July 28, 2008. He was convicted in military court in 1988 for two murders and three rapes while stationed at Fort Bragg. He pleaded guilty in Cumberland County Superior Court to two other murders and five separate rapes that occurred off post and was sentenced to life in prison for crimes committed in the civilian domain. Gray is being held at the military prison at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. The Army initially scheduled his execution for Dec. 10, 2008, at the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana. The president upheld the death sentence following completion of a full appellate process. Two petitions to the U.S. Supreme Court were denied during the appellate processing of Pvt.
Gray’s case.

Child Fatality Task Force
Cumberland County Health Department Director Buck Wilson has been re-elected co-chair of the North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force.
Wilson, who was first appointed to the task force by Gov. Pat McCrory in 2013, was elected to the leadership position by members of the task force. The Child Fatality Task Force is a legislative study commission that makes recommendations to the General Assembly and governor on how to reduce child deaths, prevent abuse and neglect and support the safe and healthy development of children. Recommendations are based on data, research and evidence-based practices and reflect hundreds of hours of volunteer input.

Impaired Driving
Traffic Fatalities resulting from impaired drivers are down 19 percent in North Carolina. In its 22nd year, the Booze It & Lose It education and enforcement campaign has created increased awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving, as well as the penalties associated with driving while impaired. The governor’s Highway Safety Program has awarded grants to DWI Task Force teams that work nightly to catch impaired drivers. The teams are in Cumberland, Brunswick, Buncombe, Forsyth, Guilford, Mecklenburg, Robeson, Union, Wake and Wayne counties.

North Carolina Democracy? Shame! Shame! Shame!

An online article published in Slate magazine just before Christmas stated that a group of experts that rates the integrity of elections around the world found that North Carolina can’t really be considered a democracy anymore. It cited the findings of the Electoral Integrity Project, a nonpartisan organization that empowers citizen volunteers through education and training, to participate actively in protecting our freedoms and way of life. Its research team is based at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government and the University of Sydney. The criticism noted that our outgoing Republican governor, Pat McCrory, signed a bill stripping his Democratic successor, Roy Cooper, of certain powers.

In a related op-ed piece published in the News & Observer of Raleigh, Andrew Reynolds, an associate professor of political science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, wrote that North Carolina is the worst state in the U.S. for unfair legislative and congressional districting and also the worst entity in the world ever analyzed by the E.I.P.

The E.I.P. think tank placed North Carolina alongside the likes of Cuba, Indonesia and Sierra Leone when it comes to governance. North Carolina does so poorly on the measures of legal framework and voter registration that E.I.P actually ranked our state alongside Iran and Venezuela. Ugh!

Not good. And, it gets worse. When it comes to the integrity of voting district boundaries, no country has ever received as low a score as North Carolina.

“That North Carolina can no longer call its elections democratic is shocking enough, but our democratic decline goes beyond what happens at election time,” notes Reynolds. The most respected measures of democracy are those that reflect the fairness and execution of power by those elected to represent the people. The extent to which North Carolina’s legislature breaches these principles means our state government can no longer be classified as a full democracy. This should concern all Tar Heel residents. Unresponsive and irresponsible politics perpetrated by reigning Democrats and Republicans cannot escape the fair and equal blame for such outrageous governance. Shame! Shame! Shame!

Reynolds observes in his op-ed piece that democracies do not limit their citizens’ rights based on their born identities. However, this is exactly what the North Carolina legislature did through House Bill 2 and its attempts to reduce African-American and Latino access to the vote.

Professor Reynolds concludes that we need to address the institutional failures that have cost us our democratic ranking – unfair districting, denial of equal access to the vote and the abuse of legislative power.

No democracy in the world outside of the U.S. allows elected politicians to draw the lines. Voter registration and poll access should make voting as easy as possible and never be skewed in favor of any one element of society. Elected officials, regardless of their political affiliation, need to follow the core principle of democracy; that is to respect the will of the people. In our America, all true Republicans, Democrats, Independents and even Green Party members need to be fully dedicated and loyal to the inherent democratic principles of our Founding Fathers.

The questions that remain are: Where do you stand? Who will be the peacemakers? Who will be the first to set self-interest aside and step up to be the statesmen for fairness, decency, equality and the American way? In North Carolina, from both sides of the aisle, what we know for sure is that “Absolute power corrupts…Absolutely!”

Again: Shame! Shame! Shame!

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

From floating women in abandoned buildings to double-exposed portraits, photographs by Michele Bir evoke a second glance. Appearing as moments, the circumstance in Bir’s narrative ranges from dreamlike to the supernatural. While viewing Perceptions of Circumstance: Photographs by Michele Bir at Gallery 208, visitors may sense they have discovered something voyeuristically intentional; while other photographs evoke quite the opposite – we have interrupted something very private.

Whatever the intent of the artist, vulnerability is always present.

Bir’s background story as a photographer is unusual. She earned a Master’s in Public Administration and concentrated on Public Policy and Law and only became interested in photography when her husband was deployed in 2010. She purchased a 35mm Canon Rebel camera from eBay for

$50 and started to explore the urban environment as a hobby.

Since that relatively recent commitment, she doggedly researched the art of photography, photographers and Photoshop techniques. As recently as

2013 she decided to pursue photography as a career. Her talent, diligence and compassion were rewarded when she was able to work as a freelance photographer for the Fayetteville Observer and City View Magazine. Bir is presently employed as a photojournalist with the Sanford Herald in North Carolina.

Bir shared that she has been influenced by Surrealism and the idea of dream imagery.

Developed in the 1920s, Surrealism artists often utilizes the element of surprise with random objects and unpredictable juxtapositions that one might find in a dream. The irrational becomes the norm; it is a style that provides the freedom to convey feelings and thoughts.

For Bir, “It isn’t about capturing a moment in time or natural environments, but a way to recreate my dreams.” That can be a Surrealist approach, but which one? When I think about Bir’s images, I don’t think of Surrealist Salvador Dali and his famous melting clocks. Instead, I am reminded of a quote by Surrealist Giorgio de Chirico: ““Although the dream is a very strange phenomenon and an inexplicable mystery, far more inexplicable is the mystery and aspect our minds to confer on certain objects and aspects of life.”

Bir seems to be reflecting de Chirico’s “aspects of our mind confers on aspects of life” in her own way - creating an eerie mood, one that we might encounter in a dream. The artist combines multiple images taken at varying exposures, then merge them into a single image. The artist explained how an “image contains anywhere from six to12 different exposures and the incorporation of models allows for elevated storytelling.”

Bir shared that her “photographs are my dreams and my nightmares. My work is an attempt to convey my emotions without words. It inhabits the undefined space where my soul meets my body.”

For me, she is like many contemporary photographers and the photograph is a medium to evoke another way of seeing. All are backdrops for some kind of transformation or revelation located in places hidden from us, forgotten or abandoned.

The public is invited to attend the exhibit and the opening reception.

Perceptions of Circumstance: Photographs by Michele Bir opens on Tuesday evening, Jan. 10, between 5:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Everyone attending the reception will get a preview of the exhibit and meet the artist. Bir will speak at 6 p.m. to briefly talk about her work.

The exhibit will remain at Gallery 208 until mid-March 2017. Gallery is located at 208 West Rowan Street, Fayetteville. Hours of operation are Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For information, call Up and Coming Weekly at 484-6200.

New Year’s Eve is right around the corner, and there are plenty of ways to celebrate. In fact, start early and enjoy a variety of events throughout the day.

Don’t let an early bedtime keep your young one from celebrating the new year. The Spring Lake Branch, Cumberland County Public Library and Information Center has a Noon Year’s Eve Party planned for 11 a.m. on Dec. 31. It’s geared to children eight and under and their responsible adults. The party includes songs, dancing, games and crafts. Guests are invited to dress up for the occasion and wear sparkly hats and tiaras. There will be a countdown followed by a ball drop at noon. Registration is recommended. Call 497-3650 to register. 

Celebrate Kwanzaa with the Umoja Group at Smith Recreation Center at Seabrook Park. The celebration includes a potluck meal and a variety of activities. Some of the highlights include a drum call, welcome song, tribute to elders, libation, parade of African kings and queens, college scholarship award, feast, children’s candlelight ceremony and traditional dance performance.  Bring a dish to share. The Umoja Group is also accepting donations of nonperishables for Operation Blessing. The celebration runs from 5-8 p.m. Call 485-8035 for details.

If you have never been to a Flea Drop, now is your chance. Eastover’s New Year’s Eve Flea Drop starts at 10 p.m. and includes a night filled with festivities. At midnight, the 3-foot-tall, 30-pound ceramic flea is lowered in conjunction with the countdown to 2017. This event is free. Call 323-0707 or visit www.eastovernc.com for information. 

Welcome 2017 with neon lights at Cape Fear Botanical Garden’s New Year’s Eve Glow Party at the Garden. From 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., enjoy a live DJ, dessert, entertainment and a New Year’s Toast. Tickets cost between $15 and $45 and include a dessert bar, champagne toast, one free drink, music and dancing. Call 486-0221 or visit www.capefearbg.org for tickets and information.

Before heading out to your party of choice, take in a hockey game at the Crown Coliseum. The Fayetteville FireAntz take on the Macon Mayhem at 7:30 p.m. Tickets run from $7 -$21. Find out more at http://www.fireantzhockey.com, or call 321-0123 for information.

The Round-a-Bout Skating Center will be open from 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Dec. 31. It costs $15 to get in and the price includes skate rental as well as party favors. There are two locations: 115 Skateway Drive and 880 Elm Street. Call 860-8900 or 484-4465 for information.

Bowlers will have plenty of options this New Year’s Eve. B&B Bowling Lanes on Fort Bragg Road has several specials that include party favors, a balloon drop, glow bowling and a midnight celebration. Visit bandblanes.com to learn more.

Lafayette Bowling Lanes offers nine-pin games from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. It costs $35 per person. The event includes snacks, party favors, cash giveaways and a midnight toast. Call 484-0113 for more information.

Airborne Lanes on Fort Bragg is planning a family bowling event that includes party favors, nonalcoholic champagne and a buffet. It runs from 5-8 p.m. Tickets start at $7.

Fort Bragg’s Dragon Lanes is open from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. for a New Year’s Eve party. It includes unlimited bowling and shoe rental, party favors, champagne, hors d’oeuvres and a DJ. It costs $25 per person. Find out more at fortbraggmwr.com. 

If you are looking to get out of town, you don’t have to go far to find some fun.

Cape Fear Vineyard and Winery in Elizabethtown hosts Wine and Dine at New Year’s Time on Dec. 31. The Nina Repeta Jazz Trio will provide live entertainment with a special appearance by LA’s Beck Black. The fun starts at 7 p.m. with hors d’oeuvres. Dinner is from 8-9:30 p.m. DJ Howard Faircloth ushers in the new year with dance tunes from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. There will be a champagne toast at midnight accompanied by midnight “nibbles.” A full cash bar with all ABC permits will be open throughout the night. Tickets include party favors and more. Tickets cost $50 per person or $350 for a table of eight (gratuity and tax not included). Call 844-VINE-FUN for tickets and information, or visit www.capefearwinery.com.

First Night Raleigh has more than 100 performers lined up for several downtown venues. It kicks off around 2 p.m. with a celebration for children. This includes music dance, storytelling and crafts. The children’s portion ends at 6 p.m. Adult festivities are scheduled for late into the evening with an acorn drop at midnight. Visit firstnightraleigh.com for more information.

Temple Theatre in Sanford has a New Year’s Eve concert featuring Tommy Edwards and the Bluegrass Experience. Tickets are available at templeshows.com and cost $15.

Pine Hurst Resort Rings in the New Year with the Band of Oz at the Carolina Hotel Grand Ballroom starting at 9 p.m. Come for the night for $100 per person. Tickets include a champagne toast, a midnight breakfast buffet and party favors. Or stay the night. There are packages available starting at $249. The overnight packages include a gourmet dinner and a breakfast buffet. Call 855 235-8507 to make a reservation.

A Riverboat cruise aboard the Henrietta III awaits in Wilmington. Cruises run from 9:30 p.m. until after midnights. Boarding begins at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $87 per person and include a buffet, party favors and a champagne toast at midnight. Visit cfrboats.com for tickets and information. 

Cape Fear Studios is a nonprofit arts organization that provides a unique space for art in historic Downtown Fayetteville. The old brick building houses a combination of studio space and gallery space. It gives member artists not only a place to create, but also a place to display and sell their work. Even more important, however, is the community that the space creates. It brings together creative people from all over the area that may not have been able to meet otherwise. They can share their ideas, work and inspirations. It fosters collaboration. The discussions that members have amongst themselves here promote growth in the artistic community. There are exhibits that rotate out on regular basis. 

The organization also fosters the relationship between local artists and the outside public. Everyone is invited to come into the gallery and to engage with the art and artists present. This is especially true during 4th Fridays when the gallery is open late specifically for this reason. This commitment is even part of the organizations mission statement: “Our mission is to involve, educate, and enrich Cumberland County and surrounding communities with the opportunity to create and freely view art.” This also includes classes, workshops and mentoring opportunities. 

There are two galleries at Cape Fear Studios. The first is the retail gallery. Here, members display their works that are available for purchase. Members are voted in by a jury based on their work. They help to run the studio, but also benefit from the available space. There is a variety in styles and mediums of active member artists. At any one time the retail gallery may boast glass art, fine jewelry, paintings, sculptures, pottery, photographs, wood art and more. This variety of mediums is also beneficial for the artists. They can gain insight and explore new ideas, processes and techniques. Diversity is important for growth in any artistic organization. 

The main gallery is where the rotating exhibits are held. The themes and guidelines for these exhibits are continually different, which makes every exhibit fresh and interesting. One month it may feature local painters and the next it may feature national potters. Members submit months of their hard work and creativity to be put on display. 

 Buying a something here has long-reaching effects because it also supports local artists and Cape Fear Studios. It has a much more positive effect on the local community than purchasing a gift at a global chain. It is always fun to shop for gifts, but don’t ignore the potential power that every dollar has in shaping the community.

Cape Fear Studios is located at 148 Maxwell St. The gallery is free to the public. For more information, including information on how to become a member, classes or workshops visit the website: www.capefearstudios.com. 

The Umoja Group Incorporated presents “Kwanzaa 2016” on Saturday, Dec. 31, from 5 - 8 p.m. at the Smith Recreation Center at Seabrook Park.  

“The purpose of the event is to celebrate Kwanzaa, bring the community together, share information about African-American culture and to learn about the seven principles of Kwanzaa, which people can live by every day,” said Wanda Wesley, board member of the Umoja Group. “The seven principles are Umoja, Kujichagulia, Ujima, Ujamaa, Nia, Kuumba and Imani.” These translate to Day 1. Umoja means unity. Day 2. Kujichagulia means self-determination. Day 3. Ujima means working together. Day 4. Ujamaa means supporting each other. Day 5. Nia means purpose. Day 6. Kuumba means creativity. Day 7. Imani means faith, especially faith in ourselves.

Wesley added that for each one of the principles they try to find an African-American person who exemplifies that principle. During the candlelight ceremony, a child will light a candle in honor of the person and share a little bit of information about the individual. They try to add different people who you do not hear about every day and have done great things to impact their local community and the African-American culture. 

The Umoja Group awards a scholarship each year to a high school senior in the E. E. Smith attendance area. “Our last Kwanzaa was January 1, 2016, and we gave Tyee Thomas a $1,000 scholarship, and she is now a freshman at Fayetteville State University,” said Wesley. “This year, on December 31, we are giving a $1,000 scholarship to a senior at E. E. Smith named Arianna Harmon.” Wesley added that the Umoja Group finds recipients for the scholarship through recommendations from the high school and they look at students who are actively involved in the community, support Kwanzaa events and have already taking steps to beautify the community.   

The program features a drum call, a unity song, sharing what Kwanzaa means, dancing, singing, the history of the Kwanzaa event, awarding of the scholarship, candlelight ceremony, a tribute to ancestors and the parade of kings and queens.  “Larry Johnson will portray Shaka Zulu and share the history on why Shaka is important,” said Wesley. “We will have little children participating as well as older people and seniors.” There will be a special section set aside like in a traditional African village where the elders can sit in an area of respect and honor as we value their knowledge, history and struggle.”                     

Bring your favorite dish to share and canned goods to donate to Operation Blessing.  Free books will be given to students and parents.  Admission is free. Donations are appreciated.  For more information, call 485-8035 or 527-2460.  

The New Year is an exciting time full of tradition and celebration all around the world. In Fayetteville, one of the most beloved traditions is the annual Black-eyed Pea Dinner. This free meal first began in the 1970’s with Ottis Jones, the Sheriff at the time, and Willis Brown, a lawyer. The men wanted to give back to the community. The tradition took a hiatus in 1987 when Jones died. However, it made a strong comeback in 1994 when Lee Warren, the county Register of Deeds and former State Rep. Owen Spears revived the tradition that they remembered fondly from their childhoods. In fact, this has been a tradition for many in the Fayetteville community. It is common to see familiar faces of families that have been celebrating the New Year this way for decades. The food is delicious and the camaraderie is even better. It happens at the Crown from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

This free meal is a popular way to celebrate the New Year with friends and family. Volunteers begin cooking early in the morning to feed an expected crowd of around 3,000 people. The community dinner is only possible because of the community members who come together to support it. Hundreds of volunteers pitch in every year to make this wonderful meal happen. 

A central aspect of the annual meal is the menu. It always consists of barbecue pork, collards, corn bread and black-eyed peas. It is a traditional meal of southern comfort food, but these dishes also have superstitious significance for ushering in the New Year. The pork is supposed to represent progress because pigs root forward as they eat.  The leafy green collards are supposed to represent paper money and eating them is meant to encourage a year full of prosperity and wealth. Additionally, the color Green is supposed to symbolize hope and growth. On a similar note, the black-eyed peas are supposed to bring prosperity and luck as well because they represent coins. They are also known as a very hearty and drought-resistant crop so they should bring resilience and perseverance into the New Year. 

The free meal is open to anyone and everyone who would like to celebrate the New Year with the community. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been coming to the dinner for years or this meal is the first. Everyone is invited to enjoy the traditional southern comfort food and, hopefully, the luck that comes with it. However, the meal this year is specifically dedicated to First Responders. These community heroes constantly sacrifice their own comfort and safety to help others in their most vulnerable moments. First responders include police officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians among others. A few extra black-eyed peas and collard greens certainly couldn’t hurt. 

The annual Black-eyed Pea  New Year’s Dinner takes place on New Year’s Day at the Crown Expo Center. It is located at 1960 Coliseum Dr. Though the preparation will begin early in the morning, the doors will open at 11 a.m. and plates will be served until 2 p.m.  

What was supposed to be a hallmark of bipartisan support leading to repeal of North Carolina’s “bathroom bill” collapsed last week as state legislators backed out of a deal. The General Assembly voted to adjourn its special session with the law still on the books. Earlier, Charlotte’s City Council held up its part of the arrangement by voting unanimously to rescind its nondiscrimination ordinance under the promise that the legislature would then move to repeal HB2. 

Gov. Pat McCrory then called the legislature back for a special session believing he had the votes to put the controversial measure behind him. But attempts by his own party’s lawmakers to short-circuit the special session began minutes after it opened. House Rules Chairman David Lewis, a Harnett County Republican, said there weren’t enough members of the GOP caucus who support repealing HB2 to approve doing that. Democrats were expecting a clean repeal bill. 

Instead, Sen. Phil Berger, GOP President Pro Tem of the senate, proposed a six-month “cooling-off” period and HB2 would essentially be in effect for another six months. “It’s something that helps us get to a reset,” said Berger. Democrats balked fearing the law would stay on the books indefinitely. “It doubles down on discrimination. It does not repeal HB2,” said Rep. Chris Sgro, a Guilford County Democrat. “It doesn’t help us get the NCAA back, it doesn’t help us get the NBA back. It means North Carolina remains deeply closed for business,” he added.

What started all of this was Charlotte City Council’s passage of a local ordinance that required businesses to allow transgender individuals to use the bathroom of their choice. Angry lawmakers and Gov. McCrory warned the state would intervene if it passed. Charlotte enacted the ordinance and legislators called themselves back to Raleigh in March and quickly passed House Bill 2. It requires individuals to use the bathroom, locker room or shower that corresponds with the gender listed on their birth certificates. The rule applies to state-owned facilities such as university campuses, as well as local government buildings, including schools, courthouses and city halls. It established a statewide nondiscrimination law that does not include LGBT protections. In North Carolina, cities and counties are governed by the state.

Earlier this month, the legislative leadership, Governor McCrory and Governor-Elect Roy Cooper had agreed in an unusual bipartisan display to repeal the law by the end of the year if the Charlotte City Council agreed to roll back most of its local ordinance. Both Cooper and McCrory claimed credit for the agreement and blamed one another for the rancor surrounding the issue. The law had also become a liability for some suburban Republicans, some of whom like Sen. Tamara Barringer, R-Wake, and Rep. Chris Malone, R-Wake, called for repeal during the fall campaign. Exit polls on election day indicated 65 percent of North Carolina voters supported repeal. Businesses and their trade groups have been complaining loudly for months that the measure was costing the state millions of dollars in lost business and jobs. A variety of conventions, concerts and sports tournaments have moved or canceled events scheduled for North Carolina. Of course, groups representing LGBT interests, such as Equality North Carolina and the Human Rights Campaign, also called for repeal ever since the measure was passed.

Dealing with FEMA is a process, one that many local governments say has improved in recent years. But, it does take time to implement emergency relief measures in the wake of storms and other natural disasters. Following Hurricane Matthew on Saturday, Oct. 8, the City of Fayetteville had an advantage over other local jurisdictions. Officials had entered into an agreement with Crowder-Gulf of Mobile, Alabama, several years ago. It’s a disaster support firm capable of providing rapid response to emergencies that require outside support. Within 10 days of the hurricane, three Crowder-Gulf crews rolled into town with large trucks. Before long, five more double units joined the effort. 

Fayetteville’s emergency response  began overnight on Oct. 8. FAST buses drove through neighborhoods, taking residents impacted by flooding to shelters. PWC emergency crews began the massive task of restoring electricity to 40,000 homes. They did so in less than three days. On Sunday, Oct. 9, crews from the Parks and Street Departments began clearing downed trees and other debris from city streets. 

Environmental Services followed with what would be a massive task of collecting the debris. “Six city crews and trucks equipped with large claws began doing what they could to gather trees and other debris,” said Interim Environmental Services Director James Rhodes. 

Cumberland County government didn’t have the advantage of a prearranged storm team on call. It had to start the process from scratch. “We have tried to assure residents who had storm debris that we would hire contractors as soon as possible,” said county spokesperson Sally Shutt, but it took two months. 

Staff created requests for proposals and then solicited contractors. Weeks later, County Commissioners authorized the County Manager to execute the contracts. But then came legal and procurement reviews. Once the draft contracts were completed, they were submitted to two chosen companies for their review, all of this according to Assistant County Manager Tracy Jackson. 

Then came more planning and a schedule for the debris pick-up. “Staff proceeded cautiously and methodically with the advice of legal and our disaster recovery consultant to retain reputable contractors who could do the debris removal work quickly, safely, and according to state and FEMA regulations,” Jackson said. For the most part, unincorporated areas of the county have been serviced by now.  

It was a much bigger undertaking for city government. All 148 square miles of the city were either inundated by flood waters and/or overrun with debris from fallen trees and branches plus all the mess stirred up from flood waters. Scouts travelled the entire city, time and again, to make sure truckers had been or were scheduled everywhere. They told officials they drove 5,000 miles. “Debris collection teams have made as many as three passes in some neighborhoods,” said spokesperson Jackie Tuckey. Crowder-Gulf staff stayed in close touch with the environmental services team. “We met every day to exchange information,” Tuckey added. 

Construction of demolition scrap from damaged homes and buildings also had to be picked up. “That material went to the county landfill, while vegetative debris was taken to a temporary site off S. Reilly Rd. where it was ground into mulch.”  As of mid-December, 65,000 cubic yards of debris had been collected. To put that in perspective, a cubic yard of debris is about the size of a Volkswagon Beetle.

Crowder-Gulf crews are on holiday break until Jan. 2, when they hope to wrap up the massive undertaking. “We’ve done fairly well, said Rhodes. “We’ve worked well together.” No one is willing to make an educated guess what the project is costing. FEMA allows up to 180 days for reimbursement. Communities are compensated by FEMA at a higher rate of 85 percent of actual cost during the first two months. 

A fledgling civic activist group notes that “a couple of weeks ago, some people were talking about metro policing on social media.” It’s a concept whereby community law enforcement is unified under one agency. The Cumberland Community Awareness Network is surveying residents on their opinions regarding metro policing via emails and social media. CumberlandCAN is a non-partisan public awareness forum. 

In North Carolina, only two counties have adopted the unified idea, most notably Charlotte and Mecklenburg County. The police department is a countywide force and the sheriff’s office has been reduced to performing only its constitutional duties. It’s done differently in Jacksonville, Fla. Fifty years ago, residents there voted for metro government, but the sheriff is the chief law enforcement officer. The police department patrols all of Duvall County but it’s part of the sheriff’s office. You can take the survey on the Cumberland Community Awareness Networks page on Facebook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Local Thoroughfares to Be Widened

Some busy local roads are included in the N.C. Department of Transportation’s draft of a 10-year plan to be released next month. The plan includes plans for DOT’s Division Six for the years 2018 through 2027. “The new funding formula allows us to make smart decisions that keep North Carolina moving and these projects demonstrate the process is working as intended,” said Gov. Pat McCrory. DOT Division Six, headquartered in Fayetteville, includes Bladen, Columbus, Cumberland, Harnett and Robeson counties. Projects include widening of Ramsey Street, Bunce Road, Cliffdale Road and Camden Road to multiple lanes. Under the new funding formula, projects are evaluated based on a combination of data and local input, rather than politics. A complete list of projects can be found at NCDOT.gov/STI.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beware the Speed Humps

Residents of McPhee Drive in the Highland Village neighborhood are happy with a project designed to slow traffic down. Over the years, McPhee has become a shortcut off McBain Dr. between Pinecrest Dr. and Raeford Rd. The belief by many is that McPhee is faster because it avoids a stop sign before arriving at Raeford Rd. Not any longer though. Early this month, the city installed a pair of speed humps along McPhee. They’re designed to slow traffic down to the 25 mph speed limit, says City Engineer Lee Jernigan. Motorists may want to reconsider using McBain Dr. because its speed limit is 35 mph. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tillis on GOP’s Need to Exercise Caution

North Carolina’s junior U.S. Senator is vowing to work across the aisle in the next Congress. GOP Sen. Thom Tillis says he wants his party in Washington to exercise caution in interpreting its mandate from voters in November. He makes his point by noting the outcome of North Carolina’s gubernatorial race. “The electorate of North Carolina really is a microcosm of the U.S. electorate,” he said. Tillis seemed to refer to Governor Pat McCrory’s support of House Bill 2 saying that the Tar Heel State is “barely right-of-center. When you wade too far into some of the more controversial social issues, you begin to see an increasing amount of opposition.” McCrory was defeated by Democratic Attorney General Roy Cooper.

Some friends of mine are brand new parents of a healthy baby boy. They are beyond thrilled, and by all accounts of those who have visited the newly expanded family, his newly arrived majesty is giving his mommy and daddy quite a workout. When he is up, so are they, and when he is down, the respite cannot last long enough. 

These happy parents have dreams for their long-awaited child, as all parents do. We all want our children to be healthy, happy, productive and fulfilled at every stage of their lives. We are all humbled as we discover over time that the world will treat our Precious Jewels as roughly and as kindly as it treats everyone else. Some of our dreams for them will come true and others will be cruelly dashed on the rocks of daily living.

There is no template for raising children into the adults we want them to be, but there is plenty of free advice floating around. One article that resonated with me lately in Business Insider addresses mental strength, sometimes thought of as resilience. Entitled “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do,” and as I think about the people I know and love, some are more resilient than others. 

Here are some of those things that will give our children the framework for lives well lived.

Mentally strong people don’t waste time feeling sorry for themselves. We all have the occasional pity party, but it is ultimately a waste of time. We are stronger if we are grateful for what is positive in our lives instead of dwelling on what is not.

Mentally strong people face the inevitable changes in life squarely. They may be afraid, but they understand that what Eleanor Roosevelt said is true. “You must do the things you think you cannot do.” If you do not, they just get harder and more intimidating, and others will leave you behind.

Mentally strong people focus on what they can control, not on what they cannot. ‘Nuff said.

Mentally strong people understand that risk is part of life and that taking calculated risks is a way to grow. They assess risks and often decide to move ahead, knowing that standing still may actually be moving backward.

Mentally strong people look forward, not back. No one can change the past if it is negative, nor remain there if it is positive. We can only reflect on what we have learned and move forward.

Mentally strong people, if they are not exactly happy for other people’s success, at least do not resent it. Resentment is toxic, damaging you and keeping you from focusing on what is good for you.

Mentally strong people do not give up the first time they fail. I recently heard the founder of Spanx, now a billionaire, say that her father would ask her each week how she had failed. He praised her for her failures, and she realized only in adulthood that he was teaching her that failure is a part of life and getting her accustomed to it so that she could keep going.

Mentally strong people welcome time alone. The only person who will walk every step of life with you is you - not your spouse, your parents, your siblings, your friends. Learning to love and trust yourself and to enjoy your own company is affirming and restoring.

And finally, mentally strong people do not think the world owes them anything. Life is not fair, and some of us are more successful in all sorts of ways than others. Dwelling on this cold, hard fact of life gets us nowhere and diverts us from what we can and should be doing.

As the mother of three Precious Jewels, now young adults, I understand how challenging parenting is and that it is never really over. My young friends snuggling with their infant this holiday season will know that someday, too, but for now, I wish them a warm and peaceful Christmas with their newly-expanded family. I also offer them and other young parents one more piece of advice learned through decades of mothering through times both wonderful and difficult.

Try to say “yes” more often than “no.” Sometimes, especially with young children, it is easier to say “no” and do a task yourself than allowing time for small hands and inexperienced minds to figure out what to do and how to do it. But unless it is a matter of safety, “yes” often means learning, and “no” means shutting something down. I hope they remember as well that all parents make mistakes—certainly this one has and continues to err. But also know that only the most traumatic mistakes leave deep wounds. The ones made in good faith are learning experiences for everyone.

I attach a photo of a pillow that sits on my bed everyday.

It pretty much says it all about being a parent.

2017. Believe me, I’m ready. Judging from all the calls, emails and countless social media posts, our readers had a very Merry Christmas. And, for the most part, residents throughout Fayetteville and Cumberland County are excited about the future prospects in store for our community. And we should be. The seeds of growth, economic development and a better quality of life have all been planted. 

Now, city and county leadership need to take aggressive and affirmative action to make sure these local life-changing projects stay on track. Elected officials and city and county staff all need to be at the top of their game. Initiative, hard work and leadership will be vitally important in the months to come. In the words of the late General George S. Patton Jr.: “Lead me, follow me or get the hell out of my way.” This should be the battlecry and motto adopted countywide. It will be interesting to see who steps up. 

One thing is for sure, Fayetteville is a community full of opportunity. The challenge is knowing how to capitalize on it. So, my hope for the New Year is that aggressive leaders will seek out the people, businesses and organizations that can help us realize our dreams, thus contributing to this growing vibrant community. Here are just a few of the organizations poised to take this community to new heights,  starting with your favorite weekly community newspaper:

Up & Coming Weekly

Chamber of Commerce

City of Fayetteville

County of Cumberland

FTCC

CEED

Reeve’s School of Business

Fayetteville Economic Development

FSU Entrepreneurial Center

Better Business Bureau

These are just to name a few organizations ready, willing and able to help take our community to new heights. In other words, the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community has the will and all the resources necessary to help individuals and businesses develop, strive and survive, along with the willingness  to “help those who help themselves.”

2017 is going to be an exciting and awesome year. So, buckle your seat belts folks, because, if executed properly, our progress will be fast and furious. And, you can count on us to be right in the center of it. Happy New Year! And, as always, thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

This is Fayetteville FireAntz Coach Jeff Bes’ second season with the team. Fifteen games into the season, the team has seven wins, seven losses and one overtime loss. With three home games before the end of the year, FireAntz fans have several opportunities to come out and support the team. The games are on Dec. 23, 27 and 31 at the Crown. And in true FireAntz fashion, they’ve added a twist to keep things interesting. 

Theme nights are a longstanding tradition with the Antz and this year is no exception. “Ugly Holiday Sweater Night is Dec. 23, Mascot Night is Dec. 27 and we’re ringing in the New Year on Dec. 31,” said Allie Focke Crown marketing director. “Also, Ladies Night is Jan. 7 and all Ladies’ Tickets are $5.”

As far as the game goes, fans will see some new faces on the ice. “Some changes were made at end of November as we felt the team needed a couple more experienced players to help mold and guide our young core in the right direction both on and off the ice,” said Coach Jeff Bes. “We’re excited about what the new year is going to bring, we feel we have a good group moving forward and players that are excited to be here and represent the Fayetteville FireAntz.” 

 The FireAntz have played three of their last five contests against first place Macon Mayhem and all three have been a dogfight until the final buzzer. With new acquisitions, Bobby Chaumont and Jake Hauswirth leading the charge the past few games, along with veterans Graeme Strukoff and Stephen Hoshaw playing strong on the back end, the FireAntz seem to be in full gear at this point in the season as they continue to climb in the standings. The FireAntz are back in action this Friday, Dec. 23 to take on Macon, next Tuesday, Dec. 27 against Roanoke, and Saturday, Dec. 31 vs. Macon to close out 2016 home games.  For all December home games, patrons can purchase one adult ticket, and get one youth ticket for children 12 and under. 

 “Our goal right now as a team is to play consistent hockey each and every night. Come work hard, be accountable and enjoy what we are doing because we are among a select few that can say we are professional hockey players. If we do these things, we will give ourselves an opportunity to win on a daily basis,” said Bes.

The FireAntz belong to the Southern Professional Hockey League. Find out more about the team and its upcoming games at www.crowncomplexnc.com.

 

Answers To Some Basic Hockey Questions...

What is the puck made of?

The puck is made of solid vulcanized rubber, three inches in diameter and one inch thick. It is frozen before entering play to make it “bounce” resistant. It weighs about six ounces.

How fast does the puck travel?

Some slapshooters propel the puck between 90-100 mph. Speeds up to 120 mph have been recorded by some of the hardest shooters. Compounding the problems for goaltenders, frequently the puck will curve in flight, much like a baseball.

Can a puck be kicked into the net for a goal?

Not intentionally, but a puck can be deflected off a skate or a player’s body if no overt attempt is made to throw or kick it in.

What about deflections?

Many people think that deflections are mere luck. Actually, however, players practice deflections constantly, standing off to the side of the net, or in front, and deflecting the shot from outside to another area of the goal.

How thick is the ice?

The best ice for pro hockey is usually held at 16 degrees Fahrenheit for the proper hardness and is approximately 3/4” thick. A thicker sheet of ice becomes softer and “slower.” Commercial ice shows perform on “warmer, slower” ice.

What are the sticks made of?

Generally, northern white ash or rock elm. The handle is one piece and the laminated blade is affixed to it. Some players have recently gone to shafts made of composites, such as graphite or aluminum.

How are the lines and markers applied to the ice?

The ice is built up to a 1/2” thickness by spraying water over the concrete floor (sometimes sand is used as a base for the floor), which has the freezing pipes embedded. Then the markings are painted on, after which additional water is sprayed to coat the markings and build the ice to the prescribed thickness.

What if an offensive player is in the crease (the blue outline area in front of the nets) as a goal is scored?

A goal may be scored even if the goal scorer is in the crease under his own power, provided he is not interfering with the goaltender in any way.

Who gets credit for an assist?

The last player or players (not more than two) to touch the puck prior to the scoring of a goal.

How big is the rink?

The standard size is 200’ by 85’. Occasionally, some professional rinks vary slightly in size.

Are all sticks alike

Far from it. Just as baseball players have their individually personalized bats, so too do hockey players have their “patterned” sticks. Flexibility, lie (blade angle), weight, etc., vary from player to player.

How big is the goal?

The goal is six feet wide by four feet tall, curving from one to three feet deep. Pins anchor it to the ice.

What is the hardest shot to stop?

The toughest shot is low (a few inches off the ice) to the stick side. Often goaltenders will “cheat” to the stick side, presenting more net to their glove side (the easiest to protect).

Who calls the penalties - the referee or the linesman?

The referee calls penalties and has the ultimate responsibility for allowing (or disallowing) goals, even naming the goal-scorer if a question arises. The linesmen concentrate mainly on calling offsides and icing. A linesman may call a misconduct penalty or ask the referee to hand one out if he thinks it is justified.

Why doesn’t the referee act more quickly to stop fights?

There are several reasons. For one, he is observing who should receive penalties for the infractions. His primary responsibilities are to stay healthy, penalize participants accordingly, and return order and control to the game in progress.

What if the puck is stopped or stops on the goal line?

There is no score. The puck must completely clear the goal line between the posts to be counted as a goal.

What is a “hat trick”?

The term is now applied to a player scoring three goals in a single game. Originally, it stood for three consecutive goals with none scored in between by either team. The term is borrowed from cricket. In England in 1858, a bowler (like the pitcher) took three wickets from consecutive balls, an incredible trick. As a reward, his club gave him a new hat, hence the name.

http://antzhockey.pointstreaksites.com/view/fireantz

City Council and the Houston Astros baseball club have signed a 30-year lease agreement for a Single-A minor league baseball team in Fayetteville. Astros Team President Reid Ryan and Mayor Nat Robertson signed the deal following formal council action in city hall. “This has been a very enjoyable process,” said Ryan. “We’re in this for the long haul,” he added. He’s the son of baseball hall of famer Nolan Ryan who once played with the Astros. The Fayetteville team will be joining the Carolina League along with a new Texas Rangers minor league club in Kinston. Both teams are moving to North Carolina from California.

City Manager Doug Hewett told council Fayetteville is “poised to make history” in bringing professional baseball back to the city. “I’m very proud to lead this renaissance that will bring about a quarter million people to our downtown for approximately 70 games a year,” said Robertson.

In separate action earlier, the city voted to retain baseball consultant Jason Freier of Hardball Capitol to oversee development of the $33 million stadium in the center city. Council also approved bond underwriting attorneys who will manage the sale of bonds to finance the stadium. The city hopes to break ground on the ballpark next summer. It will open in the spring of 2019 in time for the baseball season. In the meantime, the Fayetteville team will call Jim Perry Stadium at Campbell University home. 

City Council sees the stadium as a catalyst for economic development in downtown Fayetteville. A $15 million renovation of the former Prince Charles Hotel building is already part of what’s projected to be $100 million worth of investments. The city’s economic and development director, Jim Palenick is on record as saying that upon completion of the projects and realignment of the Bragg Boulevard / Murchsion Road gateway to downtown, Fayetteville will have become a proven market for high-dollar development. “Five years down the road, Fayetteville will be perceived much differently,” he says.

The council’s baseball committee, which spent six months putting the Astros deal together, envisions the stadium as a multi-purpose entertainment facility. It will be designed after a larger stadium owned by Freier in Columbia, S.C., but on a smaller scale. It will feature a 360-degree concourse, outfield berm seating, a large picnic area and, of course, a grandstand. The stadium should accommodate about 4,500 fans.  The playing field will be capable of reconfiguration for soccer and football. Concerts and festivals can also be staged there as envisioned. 

Action by Fayetteville City Council on a private hotel tax deal late last month shouldn’t have taken place, says Councilman Kirk deViere. A request from developers of the Spring Hill Suites Hotel for final action on a request for a rare tax break was heard at council’s Nov. 28 meeting. “The proposal was supposed to go to a council committee for study, and suddenly it appeared on the agenda,” said deViere.  Not only that; the proposal had never been considered by Cumberland County Commissioners. 

“The county board referred the matter back to FCEDC for review,” recalled outgoing board chairman Marshall Faircloth. “Then Russ Rogerson left town to take another job and the issue never came back to the board,” he added.

Rogerson was the local industry hunter when the Spring Hill Suites request for tax breaks was broached last spring. He told the council that without the tax incentives, Springhill Suites would not get built. “He’s full of crap,” said Councilman Bill Crisp. In fact, construction work on the new hotel adjacent to the Embassy Suites had already begun when council decided to grant tax relief. The same company owns both properties on Lake Valley Drive off Yadkin Road. 

“Even though the tax incentive policy is a joint city/county agreement, it doesn’t keep one entity from going it alone,” Faircloth added.

The owners of both local hotels have been granted forgiveness of one-half their property taxes for the first five years. In the case of Spring Hill Suites, it’s not a lot of money — about $87,000 or $17,400 a year. “The project was going to happen with or without the incentive,” said deViere. “Why give incentives to an industry that doesn’t need them? This incentive doesn’t produce jobs,” he added. 

Only two other members of council agreed with him and the request passed 6-3. Crisp and council member Ted Mohn voted with deViere. Mayor Nat Robertson and council members Jim Arp, Mitch Colvin, Bobby Hurst, Kathy Jensen and Larry Wright were in the majority. Councilman Chalmers McDougald was absent. The company got an even bigger tax break when it came before city council six years ago proposing to build the Embassy Suites Hotel. Council was in agreement then that a first-class hotel was needed near Fort Bragg. Forces Command and Reserve Command headquarters had moved to Bragg. 

The new Spring Hill Hotel will add 121 rooms to the local inventory of 6,100. But deViere points out it does not provide the large convention space officials say is needed here. Mayor Pro Tem Mitch Colvin noted that a local group of 400 people took their convention to Raleigh because of a lack of space in Fayetteville.

Fayetteville Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive-Director John Meroski declined to comment on the Spring Hill incentives arrangement but said “I am sure there is some heartburn from other developers and hoteliers. Between 2000 and now, we have grown from 49 hotels/motels, to 76,” he said. 

That’s 1,500 additional rooms, with more on the way. A six-story hotel on Sycamore Dairy Road is under construction. “Occupancy tax collections have grown from $1.2 million to $5.6 million,” Meroski noted, “and tourism is up 54 percent in a decade.” The general rule of thumb, according to the convention and visitors’ bureau, is that hotels will make money with 60 percent occupancy. The current occupancy rate for the last 28 weeks is 73.6 percent, he stated.

Eight to 10 years ago, a subject who became known as the “Ramsey Street Rapist” terrorized Fayetteville’s north side. Detectives continue to investigate the half dozen attacks attributed to the man. None of the cases were cleared with arrests, and police hope new technology will help them solve the crimes.

Matching DNA has been attributed to the same white male who committed at least three of the attacks. And Police Lt. John Somerindyke believes the other three outstanding rapes were also committed by the same subject based on physical descriptions given by his victims. The evidence has been uploaded to the national Combined DNA Index System known as CODIS. “But Fayetteville Police have not received any matches to a particular person,” said Somerindyke who commands the FPD’s Special Victims Unit.

The rapist was described ten years ago as a white male is his 20s to mid 30s. He stood 5’9” to 6’3” tall and weighed as much as 230 pounds, perhaps less. He was described as of average build with short black or dark brown hair. Parabon Nanolabs, Inc., has produced likenesses of the rapist using a technology known as phenotyping. They call their product Snapshot and describe it on their website as “a revolutionary new forensic DNA analysis service that accurately predicts the physical appearance and ancestry of an unknown person from DNA.” Snapshot is ideal for generating investigative leads, narrowing suspect lists and identifying unknown remains.” The company says on its website that “It is possible to reverse-engineer DNA into a physical profile. Snapshot reads tens of thousands of genetic variants (“genotypes”) from a DNA sample and uses this information to predict what an unknown person looks like.”

Here’s how Parabon Nanolabs says the science works: “Using deep data-mining and advanced machine learning algorithms in a specialized bioinformatics pipeline, Parabon — with funding support from the U.S. Department of Defense — developed the Snapshot Forensic DNA Phenotyping System, which accurately predicts genetic ancestry, eye color, hair color, skin color, freckling and face shape in individuals from any ethnic background, even individuals with mixed ancestry.”

In the case of the Ramsey Street Rapist, the laboratory produced composites with and without facial hair. Two of them are as the subject appeared ten years ago. And using age progression, two show him as he might look today. 

Lt. Somerindyke and SVU Sgt. Kelly Berg are especially passionate about this case. Somerindyke displayed his handcuffs at a news conference, declaring he would put them on the rapist one day. He said, however, the police department has no idea of the rapists’ whereabouts. Forensic and evidentiary information have been made available to law enforcement nationwide, he said. And he went on to say he will add $1,000 of his own money to the reward offered by Crime Stoppers. Somerindyke went so far as to challenge concerned businesspeople to consider adding to the reward fund. 

The Cumberland County Board of Education begins the new year with new leadership, and not everyone is happy about it.  Rather than follow tradition, school board members voted 5-4 to elect Greg West as chairman, rather than current vice chairperson Carrie Sutton. 

“I’m just shocked,” Sutton said. “I’ve worked on this board for eight years, and never have I been in a situation like this…this is so racial.”

“All I can say is, you are wrong,” West said, responding to Sutton’s claims of racially-motivated voting. Board members Peggy Hall, Rudy Tatum, Donna Vann and Susan Williams supported West, who voted for himself. Alicia Chisholm, Porcha McMillan and Judy Musgrave supported Sutton, who voted for herself. West served as chairman most recently in 2014. During the public comments portion of the meeting about a third of the people in the room asked the board to choose Sutton as chairwoman.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fayetteville Endorses Civil War Center

Despite City Councilman Ted Mohn’s concerns that the city was rushing into a big money commitment, the council has endorsed the proposed Civil War History Center. The endorsement is a pledge to provide $7.5 million dollars toward construction of the $65 million project. “We’ve got to show leadership,” said Councilman Chalmers McDougald. 

“If we’re earnest about doing this, we need to make a commitment,” added Councilman Jim Arp. President Mac Healy of the History Center Foundation has sought pledges from the city and county, noting that neither body is committed if the state fails to provide a matching contribution of $30 million. State Representative Billy Richardson told council it’s essential that the request be included in the governor’s proposed budget next month. County Commissioners meet next on Jan. 3 and will be asked to match the city’s pledge. The history center would replace the Museum of the Cape Fear in Haymount and would be built on the undeveloped grounds of the historic antebellum Fayetteville Arsenal.

 

 

 

 

 

 

NCDOT Accelerates Fayetteville Outer Loop 

The N.C. Department of Transportation is accelerating plans for the Camden Road to I-95 section of the Fayetteville Outer Loop. Officials are developing a design-build contract for the section and the project should be awarded late next year, one year ahead of schedule. That means it can be completed earlier than originally planned. A team composed of a contractor and design firm will complete the design, purchase the right of way, obtain the proper permitting, coordinate utility relocations and construct the project, all under a single contract. DOT says that reduces overall construction time and project cost inflation. Earlier this month another section of the Outer Loop opened between Bragg Boulevard and the All-American Freeway. The entire 39-mile of Future I-295 will be completed by 2025.  

 

 

 

 

Today’s contribution to world literature and tomorrow’s fish wrap will consider historical events that took place on 21 December. The reason for choosing 21 December is that is the day this issue of Up & Coming Weekly was released onto an unsuspecting public. Birthday persons born on 21 December include Thomas a’ Becket born in 1117, the Archbishop of Canterbury; Kurt Waldheim born 1918, a former Nazi who became U.N. Secretary-General; and Frank Zappa born 1940, American musician and dietician. According to astrologers, all three share common traits as they were born on the same day under the sign of Sagittarius the archer. Let us cipher to determine what links these three individuals. 

Thomas a’ Becket teaches us to stay out of cathedrals if you have been arguing with the King of England. Back in the 12th century, the Archbishop of Canterbury was supposed to hold the coronation for the next king. King Henry II had his son Henry the Young King coronated by the Archbishop of York instead of Tom. Tom was highly aggravated and excommunicated the Archbishop of York and anyone else involved in the coronation. King Henry II took offense to Tom’s actions. Henry is reported to have said, “Who will rid me of this troublesome priest?” While not actually ordering Tom to be whacked, four of Henry’s knights took it as a direction to off Tom. They then murdered him in the cathedral. Thus was born the concept of plausible deniability, which has been used by politicians ever since Tom’s really bad day at work. Another more wordy version of Henry’s frustration with Tom resulted in one of the great insults of the English language: “What miserable drones and traitors have I nourished and brought up in my household, who let their Lord be treated with such shameful contempt by a low-born cleric? “ Henry II was not much for sugar coating things.

Kurt Waldheim teaches us about a little known medical condition called Waldheimer’s Disease which makes you forget you were a Nazi. Kurt served in the German army in World War II. He was involved in Operation Kozara in 1942, which involved shooting civilian prisoners only a few hundred yards from Kurt’s office. Kurt, apparently situationally hearing impaired, channeled Sergeant Schultz of Hogan’s Heroes and explained he knew nothing about the killings. Kurt went on to become president of Austria and ultimately Secretary-General of the United Nations. Mr. Waldheim is presently spending eternity in a lake of fire as a footstool for Satan. Mr. Waldheim’s legacy lives on in the surprisingly vocal members of the Alt-right neo-Nazis who have risen up from obscurity subsequent to the recent election. 

Frank Zappa was the lead singer and philosopher king of the rock group, Mothers of Invention. Frank was the Marcus Aurelius of the late 1960s. He had opinions about everything. Frank taught us one of the great dietary lessons of all time when he wrote the lyrics, “Watch out where the huskies go/ And don’t you eat that yellow snow.” If you avoid consuming the yellow snow, your breath stays minty fresh. Frank also offered sound vocational advice in his song “Brown Shoes Don’t Make It:” “TV dinner by the pool/ I’m so glad I finished school.”

So, what can we say we have learned from Tom, Kurt and Frank? If you want to keep your head attached to your shoulders, refrain from excommunicating the King’s buddies. Being a Nazi is never having to say you are sorry because you can’t remember wearing a swastika. TV dinners by the pool are better eating than discolored snow. The common denominator seems to be self-improvement tips from each of our birthday boys. 

Other fun facts about Dec. 21. The Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620. The first basketball game was played in 1891 in Springfield, Massachusetts, under the watchful eye of James Naismith. Madam Curie discovered radium in 1898 and died from exposure to radiation in 1934. In 1933, Shirley Temple, at age five, signed her first movie contract with Fox Pictures. 

Perhaps the most significant event that happened on our special day was that the Mesoamerican Long Count Calendar reached its end date of 13.0.0.0.0 which led a large number of concerned citizens to believe that the end of the world would occur on Dec. 21, 2012. Fortunately, it turned out that reports of the end of the world had been greatly exaggerated. Despite all the hype, we did not move into Apocalypse Town. The Dow Jones average was 13,190 and on its way up. Life goes on. Merry Christmas.

Christmas is upon us, a sacred day celebrated by Christians around the world and from top to bottom.  It is a time when families and friends come together, and for many of us, the world seems to almost stop for 24 hours or so, as we look inward in both our personal and our spiritual lives.  Many of us renew our faith and enjoy the company of those we love.  The French king Clovis even baptized himself on Christmas Day, 498 AD. 
I would love to have
seen that!

The world does not stop turning, though. 

Even though we may be cocooned in our own little worlds on Christmas Day, the larger world moves along, both Christian and non-Christian.  People are born, marry, live fascinating and meaningful lives, accomplish important and life-changing actions, and depart this world in one faith or another or maybe in none. 

Some of what has happened on Christmas Day over the ages since the occasion was first celebrated on Dec. 25 in 336 AD in Rome is pretty darn interesting.

Remember the famous Emanuel Leutze painting of George Washington crossing the ice-laden Delaware River with a raised American flag?  That crossing, whatever it really looked like, happened on Christmas Day, 1776.

On Christmas Day nearly a century later, in 1868, then-President Andrew Johnson, a native North Carolinian born in Raleigh, granted an unconditional pardon to everyone who participated in the unsuccessful Southern rebellion that eventually became the Civil War, the bloodiest conflict in American history.  Remembering this and more is why the North Carolina Civil War History Center must be built in our community. 

Christmas Day 1964 saw George Harrison’s girlfriend attacked by female Beatles fans, and on Christmas Day 1991, Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev took to television to announce his resignation as the last leader of a communist superpower that had already passed from existence.  Go figure.

It is hard to believe that the internet that I take for granted, and through which some of you will read this, took its first test run on Christmas Day 1990.  This was the day the world’s first web server, info.cern.ch, was up and running, courtesy of the tech wizards at the European Organization for Nuclear Research.  What would any of us do without it now?

On Christmas Day 2010, the first snowfall in 128 years hit Atlanta, affecting 500 flights in and out of that city’s massive airport.  I suspect some of us in this military community remember that mess well.

While many of us are enjoying Christmas activities on Dec. 25, some of us are doing the expected on an unexpected day.  One of my close friends was born on Christmas Day, which she says meant both Santa and a birthday cake.  She is not alone, sharing her birthday with Jimmy Buffett, born in Pascagoula, Mississippi and Annie Lennox in Scotland.  Other Christmas babies include Sissy Spacek, Karl Rove and Fantasia.

The 19th century saw many Christmas Day weddings, mostly because it was one of the few days people were not expected to work.  Saturday seems to be the preferred wedding day in the 21st century, probably for the same reason, but people do wed on Christmas Day.  They include Thomas Edison, Cary Grant, comics hero Dick Tracy and, reportedly, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt.  Sadly, we all know how that turned out.  Conversely, iconic actor John Wayne got a Christmas Day divorce.

And, people do leave us on Christmas Day.  Notables who did so include W.C. Fields in 1946 (alcoholism), Charlie Chaplin in 1977 (old age), Dean Martin in 1995 (respiratory failure), Jon Benet Ramsey, aged 6 (murder-still unsolved) and James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, in 2006 (heart failure).

I do not expect to marry on Christmas Day, and I certainly do not hope to pass into the great beyond on Dec. 25.  I hope for myself and my family the same warm and wonderful day that I wish for you and your family.  May your holidays be filled with food, family, friends and the joy of being together.  

I close with the words of America’s Apollo 8 astronauts who spent Christmas Eve 1968 orbiting the moon, the first human beings to do so.  In one of the most watched television broadcasts in history, the astronauts closed with this, “Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth.”

Last week I wrote about a crazy holiday situation involving Macy’s department store, Cross Creek Mall, the Salvation Army and the Fayetteville Kiwanis Club, which is a 96-year-old Fayetteville civic organization. At the time, it appeared that the Kiwanis’ 40-year-old tradition of supporting the Salvation Army by ringing the kettle bell inside Cross Creek Mall was breached when they were told they could not ring the bell at Macy’s mall entrance where the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree is located. This sent the disappointed Kiwanis Club to the front entrance of Sam’s club where they actually collected $1,400 in their red kettle. Well, as it turned out, this entire situation was just one of those cases of poor communication and holiday confusion. The good news? All is well in Whosville! It turns out that Macy’s supports the Salvation Army nationwide. Angel Trees, bell ringers and red kettles are collectively welcomed and showcased in over 800 Macy’s department stores across the country. I received a personal letter and phone call from Shannon Smith, marketing director for Cross Creek Mall. Smith, representing the mall owners, CBL Properties, confirmed that local Mall Manager Sam Billingsley and CBL were totally unaware of the “kettle confusion.” Smith also assured the Fayetteville Kiwanis Club that there would always be a place for them and the Salvation Army inside their property. And that, is wonderful news! So, this being the case, we want to extend a very special thank you to Macy’s, CBL Properties, Cross Creek Mall, the Salvation Army and the Fayetteville Kiwanis Club for working together to maintain this 41-year-old tradition (with an asterisk*). This year, the work of the Salvation Army has taken on an extra-special meaning because of the ravages of Hurricane Mathew that displaced so many of our friends and neighbors. Some of them still have not recovered. The Salvation Army is working hard to meet the needs of these residents. Despite their best efforts and the generosity of local businesses, organizations and community neighbors like The Dirty Dozen, the Bill Shaw Skye Drive gang and hundreds of caring individuals, this year’s donations are still critically down. So, please, give generously. Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly. *Thank you, Sam’s Club!

We drive by and around them every day, no matter where we are in town it seems. Roadway medians! They’re barriers of all shapes and designs, some nicely landscaped, others concrete monstrosities.  They’re not new, but they’ve been popping up everywhere. A new grassy center median stretches along Bragg Boulevard from the Martin Luther King Freeway to Ames Street, and that’s just the beginning. It will eventually extend from Glenville Avenue to Stamper Road. That work is underway now. DOT is finishing up another center median along Rowan Street between Ray Avenue and Green Street. Both medians are linked to the Rowan Street Bridge replacement project, which is about to begin, said DOT District Construction Engineer Randy Wise. “The cost of the project is $1,135,816.28,” he added. Once the concrete islands are in along Bragg Boulevard, the section from Barrington Cross to the Martin Luther King Freeway bridge will be resurfaced. 

Officials concede that this kind of construction can be disruptive for businesses. “Fast food places and convenience stores tend to suffer greater business losses than other retail outlets,” said DOT Regional Traffic Engineer David Phipps. “We’re in the convenience business and it makes us inconvenient,” said Louis Cox, president of Holt Oil Company, which owns the Liberty gas station on Rowan Street. “I’ve had to cut staff hours because of at least a 25 percent loss of gasoline sales,” he added. A Hardees Restaurant in an accident-prone area of Ramsey Street fell victim, in part, to a big median project. “We closed that particular Hardees about two years ago because of disappointing sales and it being in an older area that had diminished somewhat,” said Rick Rountree spokesman for Boddie-Noell Enterprises. “In general, our company has found road medians rarely make for better business. Overall, there probably wasn’t one single reason behind our decision but instead a combination of all three,” Rountree added. 

“We understand during the construction and immediately following completion there are impacts to business,” reiterated Peggy Beach, spokesman for the Department of Transportation.

“Once people get used to it, things get back to normal,” said John Kanos who owns the Rainbow Restaurant on Ramsey Street. At least that was his experience. Several years ago, Ramsey Street from Tokay and Country Club Drives to the Outer Loop overpass lost its center turn lane to a massive, miles-long median. Peter Pappas, who owns the Baldino’s Giant Jersey Subs shop near the busy intersection of Ramsey and Tokay agrees. “We were down up to 30 percent during and immediately after construction, but the traffic accidents pretty much came to a stop afterwards.” DOT says that’s why the median was installed. 

The state spent $3.4 million to “construct concrete islands, elevated medians, directional crossovers and other channelization to reduce the amount of uncontrolled cross movements,” along Ramsey Street according to the project description provided by DOT. The result was impressive. The state conducted two three-year analyses of traffic crashes along the corridor, one of them before construction began; the other from July 2012 through September 2015. The 53-page report  emphasizes what are classified by DOT as Target Crashes; those which included angle, left turn, sideswipe and rear-end mishaps when there was a center turn lane and those that occurred after median construction.  The analysis took into account vehicles that disregarded the median and were involved in U-turn crashes at designated median openings. Each crash was independently verified. One hundred eighty-one Target Crashes occurred during the three-year period before the median was built. Only 18 took place thereafter for a 90 percent reduction. Overall, auto accidents were reduced by 31 percent. The study disclosed that dozens of accidents between Tokay Drive and Andover Road were reduced to only two because of the presence of the median. 

City Councilwoman Kathy Jensen, who represents the area and has a business on Ramsey said she “loves the medians. They have made getting in and out of traffic from businesses and neighborhoods easier and safer.”  

Emergency vehicles

 “Typically, the medians are designed to be mountable by emergency vehicles,” said Fayetteville Traffic Engineer Lee Jernigan.  He notes the center turn lane was often used by emergency vehicles to negotiate busy traffic, “Overall, though, the theory is that the medians will reduce accidents, which in turn reduces the occurrences necessary for a response by emergency vehicles.”  

“We have not seen any impact that affected our response times and service deliveries negatively, but we have adjusted our routes accordingly,” commented Fire Chief Ben Major. 

Safety medians were recently built along N. Eastern Boulevard and Grove Street. DOT says they were urgently-needed safety installations to reduce accidents involving pedestrians and to discourage jay walking. Well-marked crosswalks and improved signage accompanied the road work. The latest large project is along Owen Drive west of Cumberland Road, with improvements being made past Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. Like Ramsey Street, restricted, directional crossovers prevent multi-car accidents. The Owen Drive median project is coupled with a federally-funded sidewalk construction program. “It’s a classic example of improving traffic safety with its 60,000 cars a day,” said Phipps. 

Nearly two miles of sidewalks will be built from S. Eastern Boulevard (US 301) to the All-American Expressway at Old Owen Drive. The $549,000 project won’t get underway until the summer of next year, according to DOT, but it has been funded. Eighty percent of the money is provided by the federal government. The city will pay the other 20 percent or $112,000. “This will be a great project to improve pedestrian connectivity along one of the highest traveled corridors in the city,” said Jernigan. Construction is estimated to take from six to eight months.

DOT plans call for a median resembling the Ramsey Street project on Raeford Road to stretch from Robeson Street in the Highland Village area all the way to 71st High School. Land acquisition begins next year with construction scheduled for 2018, said Burns. It’s been a part of the local Transportation Improvement Plan for several years and was recommended by the Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. 

For some people, the Christmas season is not complete without a performance of Handel’s Messiah (Part the First) and the Hallelujah Chorus. On Saturday, Dec. 17, the Cumberland Oratorio Singers presents Messiah Sing! at St. Ann Catholic Church. It’s a years-long tradition that the performers and the audience both look forward to each holiday season.

 “I think hearing Messiah ‘live’ is a powerful moment, with experiencing ‘Hallelujah!’ firsthand, it is a wonderful part of the Christmas season. If someone has not done this, they should do it at least once,” said Michael Martin, COS director. “Also, the majority of the musicians in the room are from Fayetteville! How great it is to know that we harbor such magnificent talent to bring this music to life.”

The concert opens with seven pieces, which are performed by the Campbellton Youth Chorus and the COS. Then after a small break, the COS will perform the first part of Messiah, along with “Hallelujah!” from the second part. In addition, the program includes four professional soloists: Anne Rogers and Brenda Vandervort (both from Fayetteville), Melvin Ezzell from Wilmington, and Jeffery Jones, from Myrtle Beach, S.C.

One of the things that makes this concert so special is its inclusiveness. The community is invited to a walk on performance of the “Hallelujah!” sing. To participate, people must have their own copy of Messiah and have it in a black cover or folder. If people would like to walk in at the concert and sing, they will be directed to sit in a designated area for people who wish to sing along. That way, they do not end up standing in front of people who wish to simply watch and listen.

For Martin, this is a fun performance. “Honestly, the best part of the concert is performing ‘Hallelujah!’ And I really enjoy getting to meet the soloists and work with an orchestra. Don’t get me wrong; I feel like I have the best seat in the house at every one of our concerts! But in this case, we probably utilize more people from every walk of life that want to be in the mix of our event. From professional singer/performer to the new singer/performer, we have it all,” he said. “But if you ask what is the best thing about this and every COS concert? It is that the idea of community needs to be preserved. Fayetteville, for as large as it is, actually feels more like a small town settled in a very big area. Our choir is Fayetteville’s community chorus and we want to preserve that as a basic premise of our mission. Our version of this event is much less formal than other organizations. In some of those events, people arrive in period dress to sing the piece. We do not, so I guess that we are a bit more casual about it. It’s fun and is a standard event throughout America.”

Martin noted that the COS is still accepting members.”The preparations for our March concert, ‘The Teacher and The Student’ will feature the music of Britten and Vaughn Williams. Our final concert of the year will be in May as we feature John Rutter’s ‘Gloria, and other music accompanied by brass, percussion, and organ. People will also want to stay tuned for what is becoming a summer tradition of the COS performing prior to the North Carolina Symphony at Festival Park in July,” he said.

The Messiah Sing starts at 7:30 p.m. Find out more at: http://www.singwithcos.org.

If Christmas is  your favorite time of the year, there is no shortage of events to attend.  And if a good display lights up your heart, don’t miss “Christmas Lights at Denton Ridge” on December 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 and 21 from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m.

“This is our 7th year that we are opening and we have many new things to see this year,” said Deborah Denton, co-owner of Denton Ridge. “We have a Loch Ness monster in our pond that we call 

Lynosaurus because my husband’s name is Lyn and he designed it.” Denton added that he is green with a red Santa hat on and the reflection off of the water makes it look outstanding.  

The property has over 100,000 Christmas lights. “We started putting up lights in September and continue to put them up right to the last minute,” said Denton. “We have a five-star rating on Christmas Lights at Denton Ridge on our Facebook page.”   

The event features pony rides for children 10 years old and younger, Santa and his shop, snacks for sale, a live Nativity scene, face painting for the kids, an old country store, a novelty shop, an old-timey wash house and meat house, farm equipment on display, a woodcarver, two blacksmiths and a tram ride on the property to view the beautiful lights and sights. “The snacks include hot chocolate, coffee, apple cider, Hoop cheese, molasses cookies, popcorn and other goodies,” said Denton.  “Bring your cell phones and cameras and take all the pictures you would like with Santa.” Denton added that there are all kinds of animals such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, peacocks, goats, donkeys, horses and others.  

     “We have a country western band in the barn every night,” said Denton.  “It is Charles Carlisle and he has four other guys in the band with him.”  Denton added that they have a big barn where the band will play and participants will sit on the benches and enjoy the music.  

“We would like for everyone to come out and enjoy the fun, music and lights,” said Denton. 

Ticket cost is $10 for adults and free for children ages 3 and under. Denton Ridge is located at 10501 Ramsey Street in Linden, NC.  For more information call 273-3071.   

If you haven’t seen Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, you have a few more chances this weekend. Get your tickets now because you don’t want to miss this show.

An annual tradition that kicks off the holiday season in Fayetteville, the BCPE has been running 26 years at CFRT. That’s probably because it is as much fun for the performers as it is for the audience.

As I was leaving a recent performance, a member of the Angel Choir chatted with her Dad as they walked behind us to their car. “My head hurts, my feet hurts, my stomach hurts, but I love the Christmas Pageant!”

There is something to be said about suffering for her art, I suppose. The Angel Choir, the Shepherds and the adorable Baby Angels were fantastic. One little sheep in particular caught the attention of the entire audience when he made a point to scan the crowd for his parents.

There are three casts rotating the performances: red, green and yellow. I saw a performance by the red cast. Only three roles are performed by the same actors in all three casts: Megan E. Ray as Mrs. Grace Bradley, Greta Marie Zandstra as Ms. Bradley and Bo Thorp as Mrs. Armstrong.

The play, written by Barbara Robinson and based on her 1971 book, introduces us to the Herdman kids. The Herdmans run around misbehaving and causing a ruckus all over town. Kids fear them and adults don’t want to deal with them.

Grace Bradley (Megan E. Ray) is suddenly charged with directing the local church Christmas pageant when Mrs. Armstrong (played on video by Bo Thorp) is recovering from an injury. Grace is ready for almost anything until the Herdmans show up and intimidate their way into the lead roles for the pageant. What follows is a lesson in tolerance and compassion and more than a little frustration. Along the way, Grace teaches the Herdmans the Christmas story, and their interpretation is enough to rile up just about everyone. 

Ray delivers a quality performance as the exasperated Grace. She expertly portrays the commitment and frustration that many of us have felt this time of year as we wrangle a rowdy bunch of youngsters and juggle responsibilities. Ray makes sure Grace Bradley comes off as a cross between Wonder Woman and MacGyver.

Her sidekick in this year’s BCPE is not the usual Mr. Bradley, her husband. CFRT tweaked the storyline a bit this year so that the Bradley’s are a military family with Dad deployed. It is a common situation for many families in the Fayetteville area. Lucky for Grace and the audience, her sister-in-law comes to help. Greta Marie Zandstra brings Ms. Bradley to life as the sounding board and helping hand for Grace who juggles rowdy kids, unhappy parents and advice to cancel the pageant. Last seen on the CFRT stage in Henry V, Zandstra is energetic and fun to watch.  

Another fun addition to this year’s performance is the return of Bo Thorp playing Mrs. Armstrong. This year, we see Thorp on video, Facetime-ing with Grace, giving instructions and advice and generally reminding the audience how much it misses seeing her on the CFRT stage.

Also a treat for the audience is the chance to see the six delinquent Herdmans in action - Imogene, Claude, Ralph, Leroy, Ollie and Gladys. Anyone who has seen BCPE more than once has a favorite Herdman. This year, it was hard to pick between Imogene (played by Sydney Dukic) and Gladys (played by Ruth Lahl) in the red cast. Both young actresses brought their characters to life on stage with vitality and originality. And although BCPE director Molly Malone says all three casts are fantastic, it is hard to imagine a cuter Gladys with more spunk than Lahl. 

Malone deserves kudos for directing this year’s BCPE, and continuing the tradition of providing fun, family-friendly entertainment to Fayetteville audiences. 

BCPE runs through Dec. 18. The CFRT box office is open Monday – Saturday from 1 – 6 p.m. Ticket are $10 for children and $15 for adults. Visit www.cfrt.org or call 910.323.4233 for more information.