Do you remember where your keys are? What about what you had for breakfast? What year you graduated from high school? What about your son’s name? Yes, Alzheimer’s is a progressive loss of memory and it does not stop there. This is one of the deadliest diseases not to have declined in the last several years. It cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed. Pat and Julie McKee started the first Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s in 2011 and formed their company, McKee Homes, in his father’s honor by creating the Joe McKee Memorial Alzheimer’s Fund. A portion of every home sold goes to this fund, and it is used to support the Alzheimer’s Association in its mission. The company has been the main sponsor of the walk since its inception. 

“We have been very fortunate to have started this walk in Fayetteville because the community as a whole has embraced the cause,” said Julie McKee, “Our partners in the homebuilding industry were some of our earliest supporters. Over the years, several different industries have joined the cause from Rhudy’s Jewelry to Team Elite, Coldwell Baker.”

Sponsors are the heartbeat of the walk including local media outlets getting out the word and other in-kind sponsorships, which have reduced overhead allowing for more funds to go directly to care and research. 

This is a personal story for the McKees, with his father Joe being diagnosed and his mother, a primary caregiver for 10 years, watching his cognitive abilities slowly deteriorate over time. Julie McKee has been motivated to help others currently affected by the disease connect with the Alzheimer’s Association. She is a major sponsor, a member of the Eastern N.C. Alzheimer’s Association board of directors and co-chair of the Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s. 

 “Anyone with a brain can get Alzheimer’s. Every individual in this country, whether they have a direct connection to the disease or not, will be affected by it,” said McKee, “The only way to stop people from dying from this disease is to fund research.”

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s and as many as 16 million will have the disease in 2050. Nearly one in every three seniors who dies each year has Alzheimer’s or another dementia. It is an unforgiving, expensive disease to fight. Indeed, the McKees have been affected and now work diligently to help others and the growing need.

The 5th Annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s this year will be held on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 9 a.m. beginning at the SwampDogs Stadium (2823 Legion Road, Fayetteville). There are other events coming up through the Fayetteville chapter including a corporate breakfast at the Hutchens Law Firm on March 24, booths at the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival and 4th Friday, a Team Captain Workshop on May 25 and a Swampdogs Alzheimer’s Association Night on Aug. 4. To learn more about the walk, to donate or find out how to get involved, visit www.alz.org/walk or find them on Facebook at fayettevillewalktoendalz.

There are 10 early warning signs for
Alzheimer’s including:

• Memory loss that disrupts daily life

• Challenges in planning or solving problems.

• Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home,            at work or at leisure.

• Confusion with time or place.

• Trouble understanding visual images and        spatial relationships.

• New problems with words in speaking or           writing.

• Misplacing things and losing the ability to        retrace steps.

• Decreased or poor judgment.

• Withdrawal from work or social activities.

• Changes in mood and personality.

For more information on these signs, promising research or other facts, visit www.alz.org.

In case it blew by you, the world celebrated the 107th International Women’s Day last week. I will be honest. The festivities paled in comparison to, say, the Carolina Panthers playing in the Super Bowl with nearly nude cheerleaders and a dancing Beyonce.

That being said, it remains instructive to take an annual look at the state of women on our planet — the good, the bad and the truly ugly. As Ann Simmons reports in the Los Angles Times, no nation has achieved gender equality. Of 145 nations, Iceland comes the closest in terms of economic participation and opportunity, health and survival and political empowerment. At the other end of the spectrum, Yemen prohibits women leaving home without their husbands’ permission, and a Yemeni woman is counted as half a witness in court proceedings. Not much ahead are Tanzania and Lesotho, where women may not inherit land.

Areas of continuing concern in most nations include education. About two-thirds of girls in developing nations receive the same education as boys in primary schools, but boys are almost twice as likely to complete secondary school in Africa and South Asia. Sadly in 2016, education does not translate into employment for many women who are disproportionately responsible for family and household obligations, almost always — unpaid labor. Not only is this problematic for women, it hurts the global economy — translation you and me. The McKinsey Global Institute says that $28 trillion dollars — yes, with a “T” — or 26 percent could be added to the world economy if women played the same roles in labor markets as do men.

It is painful to think about some of the legal, social and cultural barriers women face in nations and cultures outside our own. Here is a sampling. Saudi Arabian women can neither drive cars nor open bank accounts without spousal permission. Ugandan women who divorce cannot have permanent custody of their children. Women in Vatican City are the only women in the world who cannot vote. About 1,000 women die every year in honor killings, a punishment for having brought dishonor upon one’s family. In some cultures, young girls can be “gifted” to men for various reasons, and in others women can be “inherited” by their husband’s brother. In some places, women can be forced to marry their rapists. Early marriage continues to be an issue, with 250 million women alive today wed before their 15th birthdays.

Harder still is to realize how little control many women have over their bodies and health. In El Salvador, a miscarriage or stillbirth can send a woman to jail. Genital mutilation continues in Africa and southern Asia, and simply being pregnant remains high-risk in developing nations. 

These women are mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, cousins and best friends — just like us. We may have come a long way, baby, but many of us still have a long way to go.

Syndicated columnist Froma Harrop recently penned her support for high school dress codes. While acknowledging that women have a right to wear what they please, she slams the current fashion of serious newswomen pouring themselves into tight, short, sleeveless dresses and stiletto heels no matter the weather. Harrop correctly notes that the “fact remains that in most professions, the fully clothed man projects more authority than the woman flashing her flesh. It’s sad to see smart women on serious news shows exposing their arms, their lower thighs and often their cleavage while the men’s dignity and paunch are protected in tailoring.”

Well said, and I hope parents of girls and some boys are paying attention.

Lastly, a friend recently shared a little book with me — Porn for Women of a Certain Age. Not to worry — no inappropriate photographs or words you cannot use at the dinner table. What there is are pictures of good-looking men — clothed, of course — saying things women can only dream about. 

I loved the one with a fellow adjusting bathroom scales with a screwdriver whose caption reads, “As I suspected, it’s reading 10 pounds high.” The same delightful man says in another photo, “Explain it to me again. Why did all your friends at the reunion look so much older than you?” He appears again surrounded by a mountain of drab luggage and holding a golden pocketbook. That caption reads, “You take the yellow one. I’ll get the rest.” 

My fave, though — probably because the three most important men in my life have each at some point literally lived to fish —  is of a handsome young man perusing a flower book and saying into the phone, “Well, fishing sounds nice, but we never miss the flower show.”

Neither my friend nor I can understand why none of her four young adult daughters found any of these even remotely funny while we were laughing our heads off. 

That must be what “a certain age” means.

No means no, but sometimes it is ignored and sexual assault occurs.  In fact, 1 in 5 women will be sexually assaulted at some point in their lives. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The goal is to raise public awareness about sexual violence and educate communities on how to prevent it. 

One event that brings the issue front and center locally is the Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County’s participation in the international event Walk A Mile in Her Shoes, which is planned for Friday, March 25 at 7 p.m. at the Capital Encore Academy in downtown Fayetteville. It not only raises awareness, it is a lot of fun and also helps local victims of sexual assault. 

“This is our one big fundraiser of the year and we have the event right before the month of April starts as a kick-off for sexual assault awareness month,” said Marilyn Brooks, president of the board of directors of Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County. “The men will wear red high heels and walk to support the victims of sexual violence.” 

Brooks added that men and boys of all socio-economic levels and ethnicities are making a very powerful statement about women because women are the most frequent victims of sexual assault.           

The walk begins at the Capital Encore Academy and continues straight down Hay Street. It ends at the AIT building. 

“We will have a reception at the AIT building after the walk,” said Brooks. “Awards will be presented in various comical categories such as the man who showed his most inner-woman award.” 

The goal of the event is to raise $30,000. Charlie Baxley is a member of the committee and he is challenging his friends to sponsor him if they want to see him walk in red high heels. 

“We would love to have a couple of really prominent men in the area do the same thing,” said Brooks. “We have not found anyone with that kind of courage yet.”   

The Fayetteville Police Department will come in their uniforms and red high heels being led by Chief Harold Medlock. 

“It is really a strong statement when you see a group of uniformed law enforcement folks making the statement that they support the victims of sexual violence,” said Brooks. “Deanne Gerdes, Gloria Medlock and I have worked very hard to make sure this event is a huge success.” 

Last year Bethel AME Zion Church in Spring Lake brought a group of men to walk in support of the event and a group of women that cheered for them as they walked. “We are encouraging more people to come with their groups and bring their banners,” said Brooks. “We want everyone to come out and support the men as they walk.”   

Sponsorships are needed for the event. Sponsorship  starts at $500. The cost is $20 for the event and $25 if you need red high heels to wear for the walk. Registration begins at 6 a.m. For more information, call 485.7273.

Cumberland County Commissioners and all but one member of the local legislative delegation came together Friday to talk over issues of joint concern, ranging from unfunded mandates to loss of revenues. Sen. Ben Clark (D-Cumberland/Hoke) was absent. Commissioner Ken Edge recited three concerns of special interest.

The county is asking the legislature to authorize local option revenue sources available to some, but not all, of the state’s 100 counties. Edge pointed out that counties are in the best position to understand local needs and should have the flexibility to direct sales tax revenues to local programs without strings attached. Commissioners encouraged the delegation to support Senate Bill 605 which gives local counties flexibility to enact a mix of sales taxes and use the receipts for general purposes.

On the subject of the North Carolina Education Lottery, Edge said Cumberland County is losing $5 million a year because of legislative action that changed the appropriation for school construction. 

The original law dedicated 40 percent of lottery proceeds for building schools. Changes since then have reduced lottery proceeds to about 20 percent. This comes at a time when “the school board has asked for a new school in the Ramsey Street/Andrews Road area,” according to Edge. Those changes had been made “before the GOP took over,” said Rep. John Szoka (R-Cumberland). Szoka told county commissioners that he isn’t encouraged that the law is likely to be changed. 

The third item of concern to commissioners is another source of lost revenue. Cumberland County Tax Administrator Joseph Utley told legislators that a new law enacted by the general assembly had exempted builders from property taxes on homes and commercial buildings not yet sold. Utley told the delegation that’s already costing the county more than $100 thousand in previously available revenue. Legislators had little sympathy for the county on this one. 

“It’s a hard hit for anyone trying to grow a business,” said Rep. Billy Richardson (D-Cumberland), of home builders having to pay a tax on property that’s sitting dormant.

Commissioners also spoke of their disappointment in the recent legislative redistricting of the state’s congressional districts. 

“We’ve lost effectiveness because Cumberland County is on the far edge of both the 8th and 9th congressional districts,” said County Commission Vice Chairman Glenn Adams. 

Also discussed was greater demands being placed on administering services for the poor. Social Services Director Brenda Jackson noted that Cumberland County’s 30 percent population of poor residents is the highest in the state. She asked that the state consider providing resources to support programs that assist welfare recipients in finding work.

Counties need to be more aggressive in making their needs known to the legislature, according to Rep. Szoka, who is serving as chairman of the six-member legislative delegation. He urges county commissioners to strengthen their support for legislation in the form of resolutions and detailed reports.

The Fayetteville Public Works Commission has decided to treat Town of Hope Mills utility customers the same way it does City of Fayetteville customers. Hope Mills residents will enjoy so-called ‘in city’ water and sewer rates thanks to a decision last week by the PWC Board. 

PWC purchased the Hope Mills water and sewer system 18 years ago. Officials recently determined that language in the purchase agreement was ambiguous. PWC spokesperson Carolyn Justice-Hinson said the discrepancy had just recently come to the utility’s attention. 

“A couple of neighbors were comparing their bills and wondered why they were different,” said PWC Chairman Darsweil Rogers. 

Public Works Commissioners decided language regarding rates had been interpreted in different ways resulting in rates for Hope Mills residents that were not being applied consistently. 

“The PWC Board wanted to resolve the confusion related to this agreement and ensure rates are applied in a fair and consistent manner,” said Rogers. “We value our customers and are happy that we have been able to work with Mayor (Jackie) Warner and other Hope Mills officials to work out a resolution for our customers,” he concluded.

From now on, customers located inside the town limits who have been billed outside-the-city rates will be changed over to the lower in-city rates. Not only that, they’ll be refunded the difference they have paid for water and sewer services, presumably retroactively to 1998. 

“PWC is very responsive to Hope Mills, and I appreciate the cooperation and concern they have shown by looking into this matter and making this decision that benefits our citizens,” said Mayor Warner. 

PWC officials say they will work with Hope Mills town officials to identify customers affected by the change who are eligible for refunds. 

 A joint committee will identify current and past Hope Mills residents who will receive in-city utility rates. Those customers will be individually notified about pending changes and the refunds to which they’re entitled. Because the Hope Mills town limits have changed over time the review is expected to take several months to identify the customers who will receive refunds. 

Army Spec. Nicholas D. Roberts, a native of Longwood, Florida, and a resident of Spring Lake, died in a parachute training accident at Fort Bragg’s Sicily Drop Zone, April 28, 2015. Roberts joined the 82nd Airborne Division following a stint in the U.S. Army Reserve. The Army Times this month revealed previously unreleased details of an investigation into the accident by the XVIII Airborne Corps. A Freedom of Information Act request forced the disclosure. 

Roberts wore a loaded rucksack and a modular weapons case during his first night-training jump. He had jumped six times before but never after dark. The weapon case struck the door of the plane as he jumped, causing him to spin during his exit. He died instantly when the static line struck his neck, according to the report. His inexperience was cited as a contributing factor to his death. His passing came 12 days after the death of another 82nd paratrooper, Pvt. Josh Phillips. His death also came during a night jump at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Coincidentally, it too was Phillips seventh jump.

Sgt. Richard Wheeler was one of Roberts’ friends. They served together, but lost touch when they went separate ways during deployments. 

“He enjoyed the Army, he enjoyed what he did” Wheeler told Up & Coming Weekly. “He always found a way to stay motivated,” Wheeler added.

In Roberts’ death, video and eyewitness accounts confirmed that because his weapon case was rigged too loosely, it was nearly horizontal. The Army Times quoted the next in line soldier whose name was redacted as saying “I observed Roberts rotating on the jump platform to his left. He ended up exiting backwards, facing toward me.” 

Roberts’ parachute opened normally, as his lifeless body descended to the ground. No one knew he had been killed until a search party found him about 20 minutes after he was determined to be missing.

The report said the rigging on the paratroopers’ weapon case was improper in that it had too much slack. The leg strap had not been tightened before the jump, which is standard procedure, The Army Times reported. (The investigation noted it’s common for soldiers to keep their leg straps loose for comfort, but that they’re supposed to be tightened when they stand in the door.)

The XVIII Airborne Corps investigative report cited the failure of jumpmasters to attend a mandatory pre-jump training session. The investigation found that the assigned team of jumpmasters had been told instead to meet with their commander, which is why they missed the required pre-jump briefing. The Deputy Commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, Brig. Gen. Brian Winski, “formally admonished” the jumpmaster team. The report did not indicate whether the commander was also admonished. An airfield control officer conducted the meeting in the jumpmasters’ absence. 

After the deaths of Roberts and Phillips, the XVIII Airborne Corps temporarily suspended all airborne operations. It adopted 15 directives including changes to the training progression of new airborne soldiers. 

The new directive states, “Paratroopers should not move on to subsequent stages of training unless their leaders deem them ready.” 

Army Spec. Nicholas D. Roberts, a native of Longwood, Florida, and a resident of Spring Lake, died in a parachute training accident at Fort Bragg’s Sicily Drop Zone, April 28, 2015. Roberts joined the 82nd Airborne Division following a stint in the U.S. Army Reserve. The Army Times this month revealed previously unreleased details of an investigation into the accident by the XVIII Airborne Corps. A Freedom of Information Act request forced the disclosure. 

Roberts wore a loaded rucksack and a modular weapons case during his first night-training jump. He had jumped six times before but never after dark. The weapon case struck the door of the plane as he jumped, causing him to spin during his exit. He died instantly when the static line struck his neck, according to the report. His inexperience was cited as a contributing factor to his death. His passing came 12 days after the death of another 82nd paratrooper, Pvt. Josh Phillips. His death also came during a night jump at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Coincidentally, it too was Phillips seventh jump.

Sgt. Richard Wheeler was one of Roberts’ friends. They served together, but lost touch when they went separate ways during deployments. 

“He enjoyed the Army, he enjoyed what he did” Wheeler told Up & Coming Weekly. “He always found a way to stay motivated,” Wheeler added.

In Roberts’ death, video and eyewitness accounts confirmed that because his weapon case was rigged too loosely, it was nearly horizontal. The Army Times quoted the next in line soldier whose name was redacted as saying “I observed Roberts rotating on the jump platform to his left. He ended up exiting backwards, facing toward me.” 

Roberts’ parachute opened normally, as his lifeless body descended to the ground. No one knew he had been killed until a search party found him about 20 minutes after he was determined to be missing.

The report said the rigging on the paratroopers’ weapon case was improper in that it had too much slack. The leg strap had not been tightened before the jump, which is standard procedure, The Army Times reported. (The investigation noted it’s common for soldiers to keep their leg straps loose for comfort, but that they’re supposed to be tightened when they stand in the door.)

The XVIII Airborne Corps investigative report cited the failure of jumpmasters to attend a mandatory pre-jump training session. The investigation found that the assigned team of jumpmasters had been told instead to meet with their commander, which is why they missed the required pre-jump briefing. The Deputy Commander of the 82nd Airborne Division, Brig. Gen. Brian Winski, “formally admonished” the jumpmaster team. The report did not indicate whether the commander was also admonished. An airfield control officer conducted the meeting in the jumpmasters’ absence. 

After the deaths of Roberts and Phillips, the XVIII Airborne Corps temporarily suspended all airborne operations. It adopted 15 directives including changes to the training progression of new airborne soldiers. 

The new directive states, “Paratroopers should not move on to subsequent stages of training unless their leaders deem them ready.” 

New Four Star in Command at Kabul         

Yet another former 82nd Airborne Division commander received his fourth star. America’s Guard of Honor is on the career fast track of assignments for general officers. Gen. John Nicholson took command this month of U.S. forces in Afghanistan, beginning a tour that will require big decisions about future force levels for a mission that’s now in its 15th year. Nicholson got his second star in the fall of 2012 when he became commanding general of the All American Division. He served the traditional two years at Fort Bragg before getting his third star and moving on to NATO’s Allied Land Command in Turkey. Then in February of this year, “Mick” Nicholson received his fourth star and took command of American forces in the war in Afghanistan. Nicholson will lead a force of about 10,000 American troops at a time of mounting violence in some parts of the country. It’s a much different situation than the one predicted several years ago by top Pentagon and White House officials who vowed that the military mission would end in 2017. 

“I think that Gen. Nicholson has certainly inherited a mission that has sadly gone wildly off course,” said Michael Kugelman, an Afghanistan expert with the Wilson Center, a think tank in Washington.

New Congressman for Our Area           

Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC) represents the state’s reconfigured 8th Congressional District. The newly designed district includes all or parts of seven counties along the N.C. Highway 24/27 corridor from Fayetteville to Concord. Hudson is new to congress but not to the 8th district. He was district director for former Congressman Robin Hayes for six years. The revised district includes the northern half of Cumberland County including Fort Bragg. The balance of the county is now in the 9th district which parallels the 8th along the South Carolina border.           

Hudson introduced himself last week to interested Fayetteville residents during a visit with Mayor Nat Robertson. The pair held a question and answer forum at city hall. Hudson was elected to Congress in 2012 and noted that 40 percent of the members of the house have been elected since 2010. He conceded it’s been frustrating adjusting to the Washington, D.C., way of governing.
“I come home every weekend to get a fresh dose of common sense,” Hudson said.

All American Marathon                                                                           

The City of Fayetteville and Fort Bragg will hold the second annual All American Marathon on Sunday, April 3. The race will begin at 7 a.m. at Festival Park in downtown Fayetteville and finish at Fort Bragg’s Main Post Parade Field. Registration is open. Racers will run up Ray Avenue to Hay Street where they will run through the heart of downtown Fayetteville, past the Market House. The route will then take runners past Veterans Park and the Airborne and Special Operations Museum, which is the home of the historic Iron Mike Statue. Runners will continue to Morganton Road and through Haymount. Runners will dash to the All-American Freeway where for half-marathoners, the course will extend approximately two miles on Fort Bragg. Half-Marathoners will exit the All-American onto Normandy and finish the race at the Main Post Parade Field at the replica Iron Mike Statue. Full marathon racers will enter the installation on Gruber road. The race course will then lead runners past the home of the 82nd Airborne Division and Pope Field. Marathoners will finish their course after passing FORSCOM headquarters to the finish line at the Main Post Parade Field.

Golf is Therapeutic

Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC), a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, has announced the Department of Veterans Affairs’ new partnership with the PGA of America in support of PGA HOPE. It’s a project designed to assist with the physical, social and mental rehabilitation of disabled military veterans. The VA will help the PGA identify disabled veterans who are candidates to participate in PGA HOPE.  Tillis and Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) say the idea is to assist vets with the social interaction golf provides. PGA professionals certified in instruction for golfers with disabilities will assist veterans to refine their skills. “An important part of truly transforming the VA and doing the right thing for veterans are the kinds of things we will do with PGA HOPE,” said Tillis. “The therapeutic value of veterans sharing their stories, and making friendships among themselves cannot be overstated,” Tillis added.

Do you remember where your keys are? What about what you had for breakfast? What year you graduated from high school? What about your son’s name? Yes, Alzheimer’s is a progressive loss of memory and it does not stop there. This is one of the deadliest diseases not to have declined in the last several years. It cannot be prevented, cured or even slowed. Pat and Julie McKee started the first Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s in 2011 and formed their company, McKee Homes, in his father’s honor by creating the Joe McKee Memorial Alzheimer’s Fund. A portion of every home sold goes to this fund, and it is used to support the Alzheimer’s Association in its mission. The company has been the main sponsor of the walk since its inception. 

“We have been very fortunate to have started this walk in Fayetteville because the community as a whole has embraced the cause,” said Julie McKee, “Our partners in the homebuilding industry were some of our earliest supporters. Over the years, several different industries have joined the cause from Rhudy’s Jewelry to Team Elite, Coldwell Baker.”

Sponsors are the heartbeat of the walk including local media outlets getting out the word and other in-kind sponsorships, which have reduced overhead allowing for more funds to go directly to care and research. 

This is a personal story for the McKees, with his father Joe being diagnosed and his mother, a primary caregiver for 10 years, watching his cognitive abilities slowly deteriorate over time. Julie McKee has been motivated to help others currently affected by the disease connect with the Alzheimer’s Association. She is a major sponsor, a member of the Eastern N.C. Alzheimer’s Association board of directors and co-chair of the Fayetteville Walk to End Alzheimer’s. 

 “Anyone with a brain can get Alzheimer’s. Every individual in this country, whether they have a direct connection to the disease or not, will be affected by it,” said McKee, “The only way to stop people from dying from this disease is to fund research.”

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, more than 5 million Americans are living with Alzheimer’s and as many as 16 million will have the disease in 2050. Nearly one in every three seniors who dies each year has Alzheimer’s or another dementia. It is an unforgiving, expensive disease to fight. Indeed, the McKees have been affected and now work diligently to help others and the growing need.

The 5th Annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s this year will be held on Saturday, Sept. 24 at 9 a.m. beginning at the SwampDogs Stadium (2823 Legion Road, Fayetteville). There are other events coming up through the Fayetteville chapter including a corporate breakfast at the Hutchens Law Firm on March 24, booths at the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival and 4th Friday, a Team Captain Workshop on May 25 and a Swampdogs Alzheimer’s Association Night on Aug. 4. To learn more about the walk, to donate or find out how to get involved, visit www.alz.org/walk or find them on Facebook at fayettevillewalktoendalz.

There are 10 early warning signs for
Alzheimer’s including:

• Memory loss that disrupts daily life

• Challenges in planning or solving problems.

• Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home,            at work or at leisure.

• Confusion with time or place.

• Trouble understanding visual images and        spatial relationships.

• New problems with words in speaking or           writing.

• Misplacing things and losing the ability to        retrace steps.

• Decreased or poor judgment.

• Withdrawal from work or social activities.

• Changes in mood and personality.

For more information on these signs, promising research or other facts, visit www.alz.org.

In case it blew by you, the world celebrated the 107th International Women’s Day last week. I will be honest. The festivities paled in comparison to, say, the Carolina Panthers playing in the Super Bowl with nearly nude cheerleaders and a dancing Beyonce.

That being said, it remains instructive to take an annual look at the state of women on our planet — the good, the bad and the truly ugly. As Ann Simmons reports in the Los Angles Times, no nation has achieved gender equality. Of 145 nations, Iceland comes the closest in terms of economic participation and opportunity, health and survival and political empowerment. At the other end of the spectrum, Yemen prohibits women leaving home without their husbands’ permission, and a Yemeni woman is counted as half a witness in court proceedings. Not much ahead are Tanzania and Lesotho, where women may not inherit land.

Areas of continuing concern in most nations include education. About two-thirds of girls in developing nations receive the same education as boys in primary schools, but boys are almost twice as likely to complete secondary school in Africa and South Asia. Sadly in 2016, education does not translate into employment for many women who are disproportionately responsible for family and household obligations, almost always — unpaid labor. Not only is this problematic for women, it hurts the global economy — translation you and me. The McKinsey Global Institute says that $28 trillion dollars — yes, with a “T” — or 26 percent could be added to the world economy if women played the same roles in labor markets as do men.

It is painful to think about some of the legal, social and cultural barriers women face in nations and cultures outside our own. Here is a sampling. Saudi Arabian women can neither drive cars nor open bank accounts without spousal permission. Ugandan women who divorce cannot have permanent custody of their children. Women in Vatican City are the only women in the world who cannot vote. About 1,000 women die every year in honor killings, a punishment for having brought dishonor upon one’s family. In some cultures, young girls can be “gifted” to men for various reasons, and in others women can be “inherited” by their husband’s brother. In some places, women can be forced to marry their rapists. Early marriage continues to be an issue, with 250 million women alive today wed before their 15th birthdays.

Harder still is to realize how little control many women have over their bodies and health. In El Salvador, a miscarriage or stillbirth can send a woman to jail. Genital mutilation continues in Africa and southern Asia, and simply being pregnant remains high-risk in developing nations. 

These women are mothers, daughters, sisters, grandmothers, cousins and best friends — just like us. We may have come a long way, baby, but many of us still have a long way to go.

Syndicated columnist Froma Harrop recently penned her support for high school dress codes. While acknowledging that women have a right to wear what they please, she slams the current fashion of serious newswomen pouring themselves into tight, short, sleeveless dresses and stiletto heels no matter the weather. Harrop correctly notes that the “fact remains that in most professions, the fully clothed man projects more authority than the woman flashing her flesh. It’s sad to see smart women on serious news shows exposing their arms, their lower thighs and often their cleavage while the men’s dignity and paunch are protected in tailoring.”

Well said, and I hope parents of girls and some boys are paying attention.

Lastly, a friend recently shared a little book with me — Porn for Women of a Certain Age. Not to worry — no inappropriate photographs or words you cannot use at the dinner table. What there is are pictures of good-looking men — clothed, of course — saying things women can only dream about. 

I loved the one with a fellow adjusting bathroom scales with a screwdriver whose caption reads, “As I suspected, it’s reading 10 pounds high.” The same delightful man says in another photo, “Explain it to me again. Why did all your friends at the reunion look so much older than you?” He appears again surrounded by a mountain of drab luggage and holding a golden pocketbook. That caption reads, “You take the yellow one. I’ll get the rest.” 

My fave, though — probably because the three most important men in my life have each at some point literally lived to fish —  is of a handsome young man perusing a flower book and saying into the phone, “Well, fishing sounds nice, but we never miss the flower show.”

Neither my friend nor I can understand why none of her four young adult daughters found any of these even remotely funny while we were laughing our heads off. 

That must be what “a certain age” means.

Time is short. It’s fleeting. In a blink of an eye, things change, times change, people change. If we are lucky, we grow and become better in those moments. Over the past weekend, I’ve thought a lot about time and how quickly it goes. The catalyst for my pondering on time was an unlikely source – a Garth Brooks concert.

With a large cohort of North Carolinians, I made the trek to Raleigh to see Brooks in one of his three shows in our capital. Oddly enough, my 15-year-old son is what took me to the concert. He is what some would call an “old soul.” He loves music – all kinds – from Johnny Cash to The Knack to Bad Company to Garth Brooks. So, it was at his urging that I purchased tickets to the show as his Christmas present. 

Listening to Brooks sing his hit list, I was carried back to different times in my life and what those songs meant to me then and what they mean to me now. It’s amazing how their meaning has changed in my current stage of life. And, on Saturday night, it hit me that my little boy is now a young man. It also hit me that this young man will truly only be mine for two more years, and then, he will spread his wings and move on to college and what I believe will be a successful life.

That’s a hard realization for a mother – but not a scary one.

I believe that with the help of a loving community of teachers, mentors and friends who are family, we have given our boy the tools that he needs to succeed in this crazy thing called life. I see this in the way he deals with conflict, in the way he steps up to be a leader, in the way that although he is big, he always takes care of the littles. Even knowing that he is more than ready to take on what life throws at him, I am saddened that my generation and the previous generations have failed his generation in so many ways.

We have left our world a pretty chaotic mess. Common decency and respect for human life seem to be at an all-time low; of course, countless other generations have probably felt the same. But I haven’t lived them or watched the decay of all that I believe is good about America. This past week has made that abundantly clear.

Demonstrations, protests, fights – all over the election – have dominated the news cycle. It is beyond comprehension that freedom-loving people cannot have an intelligent debate and agree to disagree without becoming violent. But that comes down to the hard truth that we have so devalued life and freedom that a majority of Americans do not exercise their greatest freedom: their right to vote. And a vocal few shout down the voices of reason and feed the fire of chaos. This has to stop. Time passes quickly. Words said can’t get unsaid and a gun can’t be unfired.

America is hard work. It is a struggle. But it’s one that is worth it. Freedom has a price, and for many in our nation, that ideal is coming home to roost. Time passes quickly. We need to stop the political gamesmanship and hate-filled dialogue that is tearing down this great nation. And we have to do it one person at a time. It’s up to you. It’s up to me and it’s up to young men like my son who are coming of age to recognize that the greatness of America is worth saving – even if it is one word at a time.

Spring is returning and 4th Friday is set to welcome the warmer weather with fresh new examples of all that downtown Fayetteville has to offer. In addition to 4th Friday events, the weekend calendar is full of Easter-centered celebrations including Easter egg hunts, breakfasts and of course appearances by the Easter Bunny himself. 

The Arts Council is located at 301 Hay St. On March At this month’s 4th Friday, the Arts Council opens the exhibit Once Upon a Time: Fairy Tales, Fables and Myths. This exhibit is presented by Ellington-White Community Development Corporation. It is on display through April 26. On 4th Friday’s the Arts Council will stay open late. It is a great opportunity to stop by, see new exhibits and find out about upcoming events.

Fascinate-U is the perfect place for families and kids to enjoy an evening in downtown Fayetteville. Every 4th Friday, Fascinate-U stays open late from 7 until 9 p.m., and offers free admission into the museum. Unlike traditional museums, the exhibits here are designed specifically for young children to touch and explore. It is through interacting with these miniature versions of real life that kids can learn about it. It is a fun, engaging and safe way to learn. In addition to the exhibits Fascinate-U also has a free craft for kids to enjoy. This month the theme is Easter Eggs. Fascinate-U is located at 116 Green St. For more information, visit www.fascinate-u.com.

The Airborne and Special Operations Museum celebrates Easter with a delicious breakfast and pictures with the Easter Bunny on March 26. The breakfast features eggs, pancakes and sausage. Reservations are required for breakfast and can be made by calling 643.2778 or by stopping by the ASOM Gift Shop. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for 12 and under. Ages 2 and under are free with a paying adult. Pictures with the Easter Bunny are from 9:30 a.m. until noon and are $5 each.

An Easter Scramble (egg hunt) is planned in the Reflection Garden from 9:30 until 11 a.m. Children must pick up their own eggs and bring their own baskets. Parents may accompany children under 2 onto the field. Participants are separated into age groups, with two egg scrambles per age group during the morning. The Egg Scramble is fee to the public thanks to the generosity of First Citizens Bank. For more information, visit www.asomf.org/event-calendar. The Airborne and Special Operations Museum is located at 100 Bragg Boulevard in historic Downtown Fayetteville. 

Epicenter Church is once again hosting its annual Hop in the Park at Festival Park on March 25 from 6 until 10 p.m.  This is a giant family-friendly event with all sorts of entertainment options. Plans include a giant Easter egg hunt, inflatables, carnival rides, face painting, live music, food and a special guest skydiving into the event. Be sure to register at www.hopinthepark.com/i-wanna-hop/! Everyone is invited to attend regardless of religious affiliation. The goal of this event is to provide a safe place for children to celebrate and have fun. 

Find out more about 4th Friday and other downtown events at www.theartscouncil.com

The Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority holds the distinction of being the first Greek letter organization established by African-American women. That was in 1908. The local chapter, Upsilon Kappa Omega was started on Dec. 1, 1996. In the 20 years since its inception, Upsilon Kappa Omega has worked tirelessly to make a difference in the community. On Saturday, April 16, the group is set to host An Evening at the Oscars. It is the group’s main fundraiser.

“The theme for the night is Evening at the Oscars, and we really want people to come out and enjoy the event. Our VIP sponsors can look forward to an area dedicated to them with hors d’oeuvres and drinks along with a private session with our featured musician, Marcus Anderson,” said Tracy Allen, UKO publicity and marketing representative. 

“In true Oscar night fashion, we will have gift bags and other Oscar-related things. We will also have a DJ to play between band sets. There will be dancing and networking. And of course, everyone will be dressed in their finest, which always makes for a fun evening.”

A night of lively jazz music and dancing, An Evening at the Oscarsfeatures the music of Marcus Anderson. A South Carolina native, Anderson has toured with Prince as a saxophonist for New Power Generation. He’s played prominent festivals including the Essence Music Festival, Monteux Jazz Festival and the Curacao North Seas Jazz Festival.  He’s known for great music, of course, but his stage presence and showmanship are what make his performances so special. Influenced by great musicians like Michael Jackson, James Brown and, of course, Prince, Anderson’s music is relatable and catchy.

Anderson’s repertoire includes R&B, pop, rock and funky grooves. His latest release, Style Meets Substance is his fifth solo effort. The 13-track album showcases his talent on the saxophone with sax melodies, jazz, funk and Latin sounds. The album also features collaborations with Morris Hayes and Nicholas Cole.

Guests at the event are in for a night of great music and fun, and while that is exactly what Upsilon Kappa Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated wants for the event, the proceeds go toward making a difference locally – all year long. 

With the motto “Service to All Mankind” serving as inspiration, the ladies of UKO are constantly seeking ways to make Fayetteville better. The group’s programs include areas like health, educational enrichment, strengthening the family, environmental ownership and global impact and are a direct result of the AKA’s focus on launching new dimensions of service. Because the UKO members believe so strongly in their vision to empower lives by acts of community through service, they work tirelessly to find ways to make a difference. And with nearly 100 members, the reach is significant and vast.

The group sponsors asthma camp and participates in Reading Rocks. The members collect back packs to give away to school students each year. UKO sponsors the Bicycle Man Giveaway, Shop with the Sheriff and the Lupus Walk. The members hold workshops to educate the public about human trafficking and ways to keep kids safe. They hold financial workshops on everything from how to bounce back from a bankruptcy to how to save money to how to purchase a home. They offer classes about mental health related issues like PTSD, depression and anxiety. They routinely team up with other organizations to feed and clothe the homeless, give them personal hygiene items, haircuts and more. The most recent event touched the lives of about 1,000 local homeless.

As the designated Fort Bragg Chapter, while UKO cares deeply for the community and everyone in it, Fort Bragg holds a special place in the group’s heart. “We go visit the VA home. A lot of the people there are  forgotten by their families,” said Allen. “We buy them games and hygiene items and spend time with them. We offer service to all, but without the military and vets we would not have our freedom. So it is important to us that we help military as much as we can - including spouses and families when their soldier is deployed.”

It is no secret that education is a great equalizer and with that in mind, UKO awards scholarships to students each year. The sorority recognizes “outstanding high-school seniors, already accepted by an accredited four-year college or university, who demonstrates high scholastic achievement; proven leadership; and, have
actively participated in community service.” 

Students from Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke and or Sampson counties are eligible to apply. This is a topic that is dear to many, including some sorority members. “I wasn’t born with a silver spoon in my mouth but I knew I wanted to be successful. I ended up going in the military. I made a career of it and used my benefits to go college,” said Allen. “We want students to be successful. That is part of what this scholarship is about. We would love to eventually fund an entire year or even all 4 years of college for someone.” 

UKO goes beyond scholarships when it comes to working with youth and preparing them for the future. The sorority sponsors teacher-led workshops to help students with study skills, career options, how to prepare for the SAT/ACT, how to apply for college and financial aid and more. 

The Evening at the Oscars is on April 16 at the Crown Expo Center, Hall C. at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35 and are available at www.ukoaka-2nd-Evening-at-the-Oscars.eventbrite.com. For information, call 663.1527 or visit www.ukoaka1908.com. 

Pattern painting has a rich history in nonwestern and western cultures. The patterns of Islamic art, Chinese art and Medieval manuscript illuminations (to name only a few) range from the decorative to the sacred. Distinctive in this country was the Arts and Crafts movement in the late 1800s and the P&D (Pattern and Decoration) movement in the 1960s; both had their own stylistic approach to the revival of pattern and decorative painting that is still popular today.

Gallery 208 celebrates the pattern painting tradition, with an original approach, an exhibit titled Beyond Pattern: the Works of Rose-Ann San Martino Bryda. Bryda shares her personal vision, values and her interpretations of archetypes by exhibiting 12 paintings of various sizes. The opening reception is Tuesday, March 15, from 5:30 -7 p.m. at the Up & Coming Weekly office at 208 Rowan Street. 

It’s not necessary to know the history of pattern and decoration in art history before visiting Beyond Pattern: the Works of Rose-Ann San Martino Bryda; her paintings immediately speak to the uniqueness of rejecting the traditional figure-ground relationship or a window-to-another-world approach to painting. Bryda shares her intent when she noted her painting was about “archetypal images, symbols, universal patterns, intricate designs, the compulsive filling of the picture plane and a carefully chosen palette.”

Bryda does not clearly distinguish between background and foreground in her work, she is not interested in portraying traditional landscape or portrait compositions. Instead, the entire surface has a skeletal surface, a grid-like, organic lattice, restraining the movement and depth emerging from behind the grid. One can’t help but peer through the grid looking for the spatial clues of color and shapes that create a narrative. 

The artist commented how she is “drawn to contrasts and often uses a complementary palette.” She stated: “I like to experiment with depth and flatness in the two-dimensional plane and often achieve this by completing an under painting with depth and modeling and then draw patterns over it … My style has evolved through thought and instinct.” 

After reflecting on the body of work in the exhibit, visitors may leave the gallery sensing there are always small pools of concentric circles emerging throughout the works — thoughtful pools of balance and possibilities in the repeated patterns. The repeated textures, shapes, outlines and colors evoke the mandala — a generic identifier for charts or geometric patterns representing the metaphysical. If the historical significance of the true mandala is to focus on a sacred space and encourage meditation, Bryda creates her own universe of contemplative possibilities. 

Bryda confirmed she had “become enamored with the mandala” and said “I find it throughout nature: in flowers, snowflakes, spider webs, the cross section of a tree trunk or an orange since they have a mesmerizing structure of the center moving outward.” 

Whereas most of the works allude to the stylistic influence of the mandala, two works in the exhibit are intended to be a mandala. In the work titled “Faces Mandala,” a mixed media 24 inch square in size, colors vibrate from the surface pattern revealing three, stylized faces behind the concentric circles of the lattice. In this mixed media, as well as all the paintings in the exhibit, the whimsical nature of her work and her sense of humor is ever present.

Evoking the contemplative, you can see easily see how Bryda also interjects a sense of humor in many of her paintings. In the painting titled “Tic Tac Toe” nine pears are in a row; three pears in each of the three rows across the surface. A subtle patterned background has been carefully detailed with patterns to create a wallpaper effect in richly glazed browns and dark reds. The light values of the patterns in the pears reference the game when three of the pears of the same color create a subtle directional movement - similar to winning the Tic Tac Toe game! 

When asked about the humor in her work, Bryda quickly noted: “I prefer my work to be not merely a mirror, but transformative in some small way. I have no answers, but find it useful to ask questions. I strive to create work that promotes positive thought, is not merely beautiful, but beautiful all the same. If you smile when you look at my paintings, then they serve a purpose and are useful.”

Gallery 208 is pleased to exhibit the work of a regional artist who has been an advocate in the local arts community for many years. You will recognize the artist and her work since she has an extensively exhibited her work in the area, attends art openings regularly, and has worked for many years with the Fayetteville Art Guild and Ellington White CDC Discovering Art Program for at-risk students. 

A distinguished regional artist, she received the Regional Artists’ Grant in 2002/2003 from the Fayetteville and Cumberland County Arts Council. Her work is regularly exhibited at Ellington-White Contemporary Gallery, the Fayetteville Arts Council, the Cape Fear Studios and Bryda exhibits with the Fayetteville Art Guild. 

Her education includes the Corcoran School of Art in Washington, D.C.; a post graduate diploma in drama from University of Kent in Canterbury, England; and a B.S. degree in Special Education and Art form Keene Sate College in Keene, New Hampshire. 

The public is invited to attend the opening reception at Gallery 208, 208 Rowan Street, on March 15,  between 5:30 -7 p.m. Beyond Pattern: the Works of Rose-Ann San Martino Bryda will remain in the gallery through the end of April 2016, gallery hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and free to the public. 

For more information, call
484-6200.

I first heard about the idea of Downrange: Voices From the Homefront  more than two years ago. Tom Quaintance, the Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s artistic director, had passed my name on to one of the volunteers who was working on setting up interviews to hear stories from military spouses. I was intrigued with the idea, but elected not to participate.

In my opinion, my story was not dynamic. It was simply the day-to-day life that military spouses live, punctuated with frequent deployments, long nights, upset children and walking around feeling like you are in this big thing all alone. What I missed is that is exactly what Quaintance and company were looking for. They were not looking for the Hollywood story — the happily ever after — but rather the true grit of day-to-day life when your spouse is on the frontline.

Fortunately, other military spouses took them up on the opportunity to tell their stories, and with more than two years poured into it, the CFRT has produced perhaps one of its best plays to date. 

Downrange: Voices from the Homefront is a real look into the lives of military families — warts and all. It cracks the code on the sister — and brother — hood of military spouses. We aren’t a hard club to join, but it is very hard to retain your membership. No whiners allowed.

My friends and I often joke that like the movie A League of Their Own, there is no crying in our military spouse club. Crying doesn’t get the yard mowed or the oil changed in both vehicles. Whining doesn’t keep the flu away or help us juggle work, kids, household chores and the various other commitments that keep military spouses jumping. At least that’s what we tell ourselves.

In Voices from the Homefront, the CFRT lays open the quirks of our secret club. It lets those who have never been a member see what true strength looks like. It gives them a glimpse of what it takes to break us — and how quickly we bounce back. It puts those things that we choose not to share front and center, and in doing so, brings understanding from a community that thought they knew what went on in our heads and homes, but really didn’t have a clue.

The play, which was compiled from the interviews with military spouses by playwright Mike Wylie, flows seamlessly. We watch from the sidelines initially, how a young couple becomes one and then how that couple becomes one person holding it together while their spouse is deployed. I have to admit, I was worried about this play before I saw it.

I was afraid that the play would take on a “poor, pitiful me” approach when it came to military spouses. And, that’s the last thing we want. We made our choices when we married soldiers. We knew what we signed up for, and I didn’t want anyone to cast us in the role of victim. And they didn’t. The play masterfully and with a great deal of compassion tells the story of four military spouses and how deployments, and ultimately death, affects them. It draws you in. You can see the humor, the strength, the fear that lies behind every laugh, every joke, every heartbreak.

Actress Nicky Hart has walked the boards at the CFRT for many years. She has made us laugh until we cried, but in this show, she makes us cry until we laugh. Those who know Hart will see a master craftsman telling the story she knows best; turning herself inside out to do so. This may be her finest hour on the stage.

 And, it might just possibly be one of the theatre’s finest hours. They took their time. They listened. They learned – and they produced a play that will make you laugh. It will make you uncomfortable. It will make you cry, and, just when you think you have nothing left, it will make you proud to live in a place like Fayetteville, North Carolina. A place peopled with  heroes — those who wear uniforms and their spouses who carry an invisible badge of courage. 

It’s been a long time coming, but one of Fayetteville’s more unusual landmarks will soon get a long overdue paint job. Call it a work of art. Call it a wireless cell tower because that’s what it is. What’s become known as the Sprint Voyager has been neglected for 14 years… not intentionally, but because of unforeseen changes in the communications industry. Sandy DeSosta, director of marketing and communications for Crown Castle of Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, tells Up & Coming Weekly, “We have been in touch with code enforcement of Fayetteville with regard to the tower… and will move forward with painting the tower.”  

People new to the area have likely wondered about the unique aeronautical-looking structure that sits upon what used to be a colorful pole near the Rowan Street bridge near downtown. Art intersected with functionality when former Fayetteville artist Tom Grubb unveiled his sculpture that aided Sprint in achieving stronger wireless signals throughout the community. Grubb says he will happily assist in painting the Voyager. 

“The Fayetteville community holds many special memories for me,” said Grubb.

As for the City of Fayetteville, former City Manager Roger Stancil says, “It was the first tower with public art required as a condition” of its construction. “What Sprint is doing really is spectacular,” said Stancil at the unveiling in October, 2002. He was instrumental in bringing about this marriage of form and function. 

“We are delighted to be able to support the launch of the Voyager project,” said Jim Greene, director of site acquisition, Southeast Region for the PCS Division of Sprint. 

Grubb was director of the now defunct Fayetteville Museum of Art when the work was commissioned and said his inspiration for the piece was “the dynamic combination of technology and nature.” 

The result was the largest kinetic sculpture ever created in the United States at the time. For its dedication, Grubb himself sky walked to the tip of the 128-foot tower to affix the 1,000-pound sculpture while suspended from a hoisting device.

Why has it taken so long for the Voyager to get some attention? Up & Coming Weeklylooked into the history of the tower and found Sprint hasn’t owned it for many years, but its equipment is part of the apparatus. “Sprint’s obligation is to the communications equipment itself… the tower owners are responsible for its maintenance,” said Corporate Communications Spokeswoman Adrienne Norton. 

Sprint sold the tower to Global Signal, Inc., which declared bankruptcy many years ago. That’s when Crown Castle picked it up, and late last month Up & Coming Weekly reached out to the company. In a matter of days, Crown Castle confirmed its obligation and committed to paint the tower. To put the company in perspective, as a result of numerous acquisitions, including that of Global Signal in January 2007, Crown Castle owns more than 40,000 towers in the United States as well as 1,600 sites in Australia. It is the leader in the shared wireless infrastructure industry.

The Army is bolstering housing opportunities for more military families at Fort Bragg. Corvias Military Living says that national Guardsmen and Reservists and their families are now eligible to live on post in certain areas. Until now, these service members could live on post only when on active duty. “The Reservists are already a vital part of the Fort Bragg community,” said Col. Karl Schmitkons, Commander of the 440th Airlift Wing. “Affording them the opportunity to live on post helps strengthen and diversify our community and supports those serving our nation,” he added. Schmitkons serving as Fort Bragg’s spokesman is ironic since his airmen are leaving the area over the next six months because the Air Force reserve unit is being deactivated. 

Eligible residents are being encouraged to contact the Corvias leasing center as soon as possible because of limited availability in Bragg’s housing communities. Several home types are available to reservists and guardsmen. They include two-, three- and four-bedroom floor plans. Rents will be established at competitive market rates and include utilities, lawn care, 24-hour maintenance, access to Corvias’ community centers and pools as well as all other on-post amenities.

“More than 21,144 military members and their families currently live on Fort Bragg in a blend of homes, many of which are new or recently renovated,” according to Brandon Masters, Regional Public Affairs Manager for Corvias Military Living. He went on to say “Our top priority is to serve active duty service members with families.  When we face challenges in occupying certain homes with active duty service members, we expand our eligibility and fill those homes with other tenants, such as military reservists.”  Masters went on to say the decision to open eligibility to the additional groups was made to ensure the Army has the ability to reinvest in future home construction, modernization, upgrades and repairs on the installation. Corvias won a 50-year contract to provide Fort Bragg family housing, an agreement which began in 2003.

National Guard members and reservists interested in moving on post should request information from the Corvias leasing center. Applicants from the newly eligible categories will be required to pass credit checks and income requirements. Children of National Guard members and reservists who live on post are not able to attend the installation’s Department of Defense Schools, adds Masters.

Harold Medlock has been Fayetteville’s Chief of Police for more than three years. His idea of community policing is in sharp contrast to many other urban police executives. 

“I just think the police department needs to be engaged in the community,” said Medlock when asked about the high profile he keeps. “It’s more about the police department being part of the community rather than an occupying force.” 

Medlock granted Up & Coming Weekly an interview in the wake of a young black man being shot by police in Raleigh. He believes investigations of officer-involved shootings must be completed quickly. 

“I will put out all relevant information, good, bad or indifferent,” said the chief. “We owe it to our citizens to share as much information as we can as soon as we can rather than to allow rumors and anger to fester. If, God forbid, we have an officer-involved shooting, you can expect me to release all that I can before the evening news.” 

An internal investigation shouldn’t take more than 90 days, Medlock says. His decisions on police conduct would come immediately thereafter. Medlock said he would not wait for an SBI investigation to be completed, because the investigations can sometimes take up to a year. 

“Yes, I think I would,” was his response when asked if he would encourage city council to immediately release video camera footage of officer involved incidents. Council has that authority according to City Attorney Karen McDonald. 

“It would have no bearing on criminal or civil cases because it is what it is,” said Medlock. 

He says the state legislature should loosen privacy laws that prevent full disclosure of misconduct. The chief also believes videos of day-to-day situations faced by the police should be made public. 

The chief’s transparency policy requires that the names of officers involved in use-of-force situations be released as soon as their families are notified. “We just don’t believe in the Fayetteville Police Department that anything should be withheld,” he said.

 Medlock brought big city law enforcement philosophies to Fayetteville when he came here from Charlotte in 2013. 

As for appearances, he believes “cops ought to look like cops,” that they don’t need to be walking around in intimidating uniforms. He was quick to add that American police these days must be able to match the firepower of the bad guys. Semi-automatic high-velocity rifles are standard issue for most Fayetteville police officers, in addition to their side arms.

Medlock says communicating with the public in difficult circumstances is critical. He spoke of situations that result in tactical teams using armored vehicles. He recognizes the need to keep crowds that gather informed of what’s going on and why. The chief’s wish list includes a camera-equipped unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) or drone, which could provide officers full view of certain settings. He says unconventional equipment has become mandatory in order to keep people safe. 

“The difference is when we use them we need to be able to tell the people who are watching us what we’re up to,” Medlock added. 

Fayetteville OutFront                       

The City of Fayetteville is holding another OutFront community meeting Tuesday, March 8 at 6 p.m. at Northwood Temple Church on Ramsey St.  Residents will have the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback about city services. The city’s senior management team led by Senior Deputy City Manager Kristoff Bauer will be there. He’ll be joined by Assistant City Manager Jay Reinstein, Police Chief Harold Medlock, Fire Chief Ben Major and other department directors.  And Fayetteville Public Works Commission General Manager David Trego will also be in attendance. The idea is to “provide residents an opportunity to talk directly with city leadership,” said spokesman Kevin Arata. 

For those who are unable to attend the meeting, they can log onto the city’s website and submit their questions online. 

PWC Water Treatment Begins

Beginning Tuesday, March 1, 2016, the Fayetteville Public Works Commission temporarily stopped adding ammonia to its water treatment disinfection process. The North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources requires all water systems that add ammonia to their drinking water to discontinue its use for a one-month period annually.  PWC will resume adding ammonia to the water treatment disinfection process on Friday, April 1.

During March,  fire hydrants on the PWC water distribution system will be opened frequently to flush the water distribution system.  As a result of the change, chlorine may be more noticeable and some customers may  experience discolored water as a result of the system flushing. 

Water customers should be aware that during this time, traces of ammonia could remain in the water.  PWC recommends that water customers who pre-treat should continue to follow procedures to remove chloramines.

Information about the water treatment process is available at the PWC website, www.faypwc.com. 

He’s Going to Survive!

A couple of weeks ago a Cumberland County deputy sheriff shot a family pet after responding to a disturbance call at a home on Marsh Road off NC 87, south of Fayetteville. Since then, Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Ennis Wright and Legal Advisor Ronnie Mitchell issued a lengthy joint news release through Sheriff Moose Butler’s spokesman, Sgt. Sean Swain.

According to Swain, 911 call takers received a call from a woman who reported a disturbance on her property. Two officers were sent to the woman’s home. The deputies knocked several times and received no answer. The officers knocked twice more, and according to Swain, the woman reluctantly cracked the door open a few inches and then closed it. The deputies knocked again and Abraham opened the door narrowly again as the officers announced their presence. It was at that point, according to the news release, that the woman opened the door. And it was then that her German Shepard bolted out of the house and “advanced on one of the deputies. As the deputy was retreating, he discharged his firearm one time,” added the spokesman.

The bullet struck the dog on the bridge of his nose and exited behind an ear, according to County Animal Control Director Dr. John Lauby. The dog, Astro, was taken to an emergency veterinarian. Swain says he “was treated and is doing well.” Animal Control officers took the dog to the Cumberland County Animal Control facility and later to the Grays Creek Animal Hospital for follow-up treatment and recuperation. Dr. Lauby did not concur that Astro was “doing well” describing the exit wound as “horrible,” but saying that he will survive. 

Lauby indicated that if the woman is unable to pay for Astro’s care, the expense would be covered using funds from Animal Control’s Injured Animal Stabilization Fund. Swain said the Sheriff’s Office was informed that a non-profit organization had said it would pay for Astro’s emergency treatment. Animal Control records indicate Astro has a history of being dangerously aggressive. He once bit a little girl on the leg. The wound apparently was not serious. The dog was quarantined for 10 days. 

Tremendous concern for the country I love and appreciate weighs heavily on my mind. More and more, I fear maybe the Fat Lady is preparing to sing about America. The “fat lady singing” is based on a supposed tale about a child sitting through an opera who asks a parent when it will be over. “Not until the fat lady sings” is the answer. America has been a great country, but I fear the end of this greatness that has not only served Americans well, but has helped make the whole world a better place is coming to an end. 

All around us I see indications of this possible impending doom. It shows in the current Presidential election process. The two Democrat candidates, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, are promising what clearly cannot be delivered and would be disastrous for the country. They are also pandering to various groups, especially black and Hispanic voters. In addition, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton faces suspicion of questionable, if not criminal, actions.

Then there are five remaining Republican candidates whose debates, in part because of format, have become devoid of substance. Further, Donald Trump and Marco Rubio are (as of  Feb. 29) carrying on what I consider a disgusting display of meaningless verbal exchanges that are beneath the reasonably expected conduct of an American President. These men are talking about each other’s sweating, make-up, water-drinking, lying, poor spelling and so forth. Granted, Ted Cruz is in this fray, but with less of a school-yard brawl approach.

It is this brawling like kids and avoidance of serious issues that make citizens wonder what we have come to by way of electing a president. As though this is not enough, add to it an astronomical national debt, unfunded liabilities that make the national debt look miniscule, a Congress that is doing absolutely nothing, a President who conducts himself as a dictator determined to destroy all that made America great, courts that legislate, terrorism raging, immigration (illegal and legal) out of control and a deafening entitlement mentality across the nation. I could go on with issues not being addressed, but this is more than enough to show that the “fat lady” has to be warming up.

My frustration and disgust because of what is described in the preceding three paragraphs is made worse by the fact that this is nothing new. The anger level among citizens might be higher than usual, but everything else seems unchanged. With the exception of Ben Carson and, to a lesser extent, John Kasich, it is business as usual. That is, play to the crowd, do not inform and press to win. 

I spent about 18 months deeply involved in the political process leading up to the 2014 elections. I pushed for efforts that would educate citizens regarding issues. One man who was far more involved than me said, “We have to win in order to govern.” The problem with that approach is politicians do the kinds of actions described here and when they win cannot govern because divisions have been created and promises made that cannot be kept. For the most part, this result occurs because of uninformed voters who act on emotion and self-interest. 

In the midst of my lamenting all of this, a new friend told me about a book by John P. Kotter titled A Sense of Urgency.Kotter talks about why many businesses fail or do not perform anywhere near full potential. While focusing on businesses, he comments that what he presents as a danger to businesses can also “undermine a whole country.” As I started reading the book, I had that thought and then he said it.

So, let me share some of what Kotter writes and relate it to addressing the rapid decline of America. He opens by stating that what is needed is a “true sense of urgency. In this context, urgency means “of pressing importance.” When people have a true sense of urgency, they think that action on critical issues is needed now, not eventually... Now means making real progress every single day. Critically important means challenges that are central to success or survival, winning or losing.

 I see nothing happening at any level of government in this nation that indicates there is a true sense of urgency about anything. Look around. Show me one issue that is being addressed with urgency as Kotter defines it. Healthcare, the Veterans Admiration, terrorism, infrastructure maintenance, unemployment, economic development … give me one, just one. 

Then there is the danger in failing to recognize when change is needed. If people do not have a sufficient sense of urgency, very likely they will not look for changes that are happening externally that require internal change. For example, the world around us is changing. Nations that see the United States as their enemy are getting nuclear weapons, developing enhanced military capabilities and even funding terrorists who want to destroy America. I do not see that we are responding to these external changes with appropriate internal change. 

Kotter says, “The first step in creating a true sense of urgency is to deeply understand its opposites: “complacency and false urgency.” Of complacency he writes: “The dictionary says complacency is a feeling of contentment or self-satisfaction, especially when coupled with an unawareness of danger or trouble.”

I contend complacency is an issue in our nation. There is growing anger, but it is accompanied by tremendous unawareness of the danger and troubles facing us. For example, Ben Carson talks about unfunded liabilities. The Federal Government has a responsibility to pay benefits such as Social Security, military retirees and so forth into the future. In order to make those future payments, the government must have a certain amount of money invested in the present. The extent to which that current amount is not available for investment creates an unfunded liability. A February 2014 article by Gary North reports that Professor Lawrence Kotlikoff of Boston University says the Congressional Budget Office did two reports. One which Kotlikoff does not trust put unfunded liabilities at $47 trillion while the one he trusts showed $205 trillion. Either is an astounding figure. How many Americans are watching this kind of destructive situation and acting to correct it? I suggest not many and that is complacency.

Given the definition of complacency, I contend politicians in general are even more complacent than the general public. They maintain the status quo while giving no indication of a true sense of urgency.

Kotter continues, “Anxiety and anger drive behavior that can be highly energetic, which is why people mistake false for true urgency. But the energy from anger and anxiety can easily create activity, not productivity, and sometimes very destructive activity.” I say we are surrounded by what he describes here. People get angry about some situation and politicians respond with activity. That is happening in this Presidential election. There is a lot of activity in response to citizens’ anger, but no productive addressing of the critical issues facing us. Now the process is turning destructive. 

All of this reveals a picture of a great nation in serious trouble as reflected in: 1) a failing presidential election process; 2) the multitude of critical issues not being addressed with true urgency; 3) almost non-existent recognition of threatening changes happening around us; 4) complacency among citizens and far too many politicians in a debilitating state of complacency; 5) anger running rampant and generating activity, but no productivity … only movement toward destruction. 

I pray there is still time to prevent the Fat Lady from singing. If we are to do so, we must look for critical opportunities and hazards now... then address them with true urgency. This is serious. 

I’ve been off the grid for the past three weeks and have counted myself lucky not to have the daily influx of political emails, telephone solicitors, news stories, sound bites and outlandish headlines beating me down. Coming back home, my reprieve from death by politics was rescinded and I find myself quickly becoming overwhelmed.

I am a political person by my nature. When most second- graders were worried about recess, I was worried about the electoral college and what would happen if they all suddenly went rogue. Yes, this is a conversation I had with my parents. In fourth grade, when girls were worried about whose leather bracelet they would wear, I was worried about Jimmy Carter seeming like a yahoo living in the White House. History has proven that I was right to worry about that.

All that being said, most of the shine of the political process has worn off for me. I now no longer yearn to watch the political conventions (and, yes, even as a child, I watched every minute.) I purposefully make plans so that I won’t have to watch the debates. Why? Because I want someone who knows what they are talking about to make a substantive point, not just heckle their opponents. If our political process is going to continue to sink into these low depths, then let’s do it right. If we want a political process that is fraught with name-calling and potential fisticuffs, then let’s take a page from the English and Irish parliaments.

Instead of our current crop of presidential hopefuls throwing weak insults at each other, let’s let them go at it old school like they do in England. You insult my party, you will pay. You insult my platform, prepare to be taken down. If candidates see that there is a real consequence to their petulance, perhaps they won’t be so quick to act like fourth graders, and maybe they will up their game and talk about real issues, offer real solutions and seek to find a middle ground that we can all live with.

I don’t know that a battle royal, with the last man (or woman) standing is the answer to our political problems, but I do know that the childish, juvenile campaigns that are in full swing are not the answer. I do know that simply belittling another candidate’s suggestions without offering your own is not the answer. To quote the movie the The American President: “For the last couple of months, it has been suggested that being President of this country was, to a certain extent, about character. I can tell you without hesitation: Being President of this country is entirely about character… America isn’t easy. America is advanced citizenship. You gotta want it bad, ‘cause it’s gonna put up a fight. It’s gonna say ‘You want free speech? Let’s see you acknowledge a man whose words make your blood boil, who’s standing center stage and advocating at the top of his lungs that which you would spend a lifetime opposing at the top of yours. We have serious problems to solve, and we need serious people to solve them. And whatever your particular problem is, I promise you, (fill in the name of any candidate currently running) is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things and two things only: making you afraid of it and telling you who’s to blame for it.’”

The world is scary enough. I don’t need a President who makes me fearful, I need a President who has answers. One who can clearly articulate the problems facing our country, give me his solutions and then stand by what he says.

Again from The American President, “People want leadership, Mr. President, and in the absence of genuine leadership, they’ll listen to anyone who steps up to the microphone. They want leadership. They’re so thirsty for it they’ll crawl through the desert toward a mirage, and when they discover there’s no water, they’ll drink the sand.”

I think we are all tired of drinking sand. Which candidate will step up to the plate with a tall drink of water? I’m waiting.

For more than 40 years the federal government’s Community Development Block Grant program has provided communities across America with funds to address a wide range of community development needs. Since 1974, the CDBG program has become one of the longest, continuously run programs of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The CDBG program provides annual grants to more than 1200 cities and counties. 

HUD believes community development activities build stronger and more resilient communities through an ongoing process of identifying and addressing needs and priority investments. Community development activities are designed to support infrastructure, economic development projects, installation of public facilities, community centers, housing rehabilitation, code enforcement, homeowner assistance and other identified needs. 

“Federal support of community development encourages systematic and sustained action by State, and local governments,” according to HUD. The CDBG program works to ensure decent, affordable 

housing, to provide services to the most vulnerable and to create jobs through the expansion and retention of local businesses. CDBG is an important tool for helping local governments tackle serious challenges facing their communities. HUD says “the CDBG program has made a difference in the lives

of millions of people and their communities across the nation.”

Annual grants are made to larger cities identified as Metropolitan Statistical Areas. HUD determines the amount of each grant by using a formula comprised of several measures of community need, including the extent of poverty, population, housing overcrowding and age of housing. Fayetteville is an SMA. The HUD grant application, or annual action plan, is a voluminous 78-page fill-in-the-blanks document which requires predictable responses. It outlines in exhaustive detail the federal government’s expectations of general program objectives with which Fayetteville Community Development Director Victor Sharp is intimately familiar. He has been with the city for 19 years. The city’s application will likely be automatically approved if the application is received by May 15. Available funds will total $3.2 million, some of which are unspent allocations from the current fiscal year. Cumberland County is not an ‘entitlement’ county but receives three quarters of a million dollars in CDBG funds from the state.

Ten days ago City Council tackled the local CDBG action plan for the coming year during a lengthy and sometimes testy exchange with Sharp. He noted in his action plan that “the City of Fayetteville has identified goals and objectives to address the City’s priority needs. Programs and projects have been designed to carry out the goals and objectives.” They are contained in a comprehensive five-year program which is consistent with HUD’s national objectives and outcomes. But the action plan includes only a few targeted areas of the city that are in need of housing rehabilitation or other economic development.

Council seemed frustrated that Sharp’s presentation did not provide a report of accomplishments this past year or detailed plans for the coming year. Council members Mitch Colvin, Kirk deViere and Ted Mohn appeared annoyed  that they were being asked to review a plan that had just been presented two weeks earlier. Sharp injected that council was initially given the plan in January. At Mohn’s suggestion council voted to require that annual CDBG action plans be presented in detail to council three months before they must be submitted to Washington. Sharp took a lot of heat April 25 as he attempted to defend the FY17 plan. He was quick to correct council objections, and at one point was gaveled out of order by Mayor Nat Robertson for not allowing members to complete their sometimes lengthy questions. Interim City Manager Doug Hewett intervened to tell council he had heard their concerns and would have some answers for them at their next work session. 

“This level of interest by Council is reflective of their desire in revitalization efforts across the city, and ensures that we are properly focused on their priorities during the process,” Hewett told Up & Coming Weekly. The money isn’t the issue. The action plan for the new fiscal year outlines how Community Development plans to spend the funds, but there are only those few specifics. Mayor Pro Tem Colvin has asked for details on areas targeted for revitalization and what they are. 

Kirk deViere wanted to know if funds could be moved around once the grant application is submitted. “City staff is aggressively working to address blight issues across the community. We constantly review buildings and properties to ensure they meet the high standards we expect, and when they don’t, we address them as quickly as possible,” said city spokesman Kevin Arata. His reference was to monthly targeted communities in the city where abandoned houses are being demolished with tax liens placed on the properties. He added that in addition to federal grants, the city has budgeted $100,000 for gateway improvements. 

The city recently created a Business and Economic Development Department with a staff of three to recognize that high quality city services are to a large extent dependent on a strong business community and local economy. The stated mission of the department “is to support existing and new high quality retail and commercial enterprises, redevelop under-performing corridors and catalyst sites, expand our local incentives portfolio, and to assist a diversity of business interests with a wide range of needs.

With spring creeping around the corner, it is time to prepare for the 70th annual Camellia Show hosted by the Fayetteville Camellia Club. The show is set for March 5-6 and promises to add some color to the weekend. Often the first question for those unacquainted with the flower is “why Camellias?” 

Diane R. Libecki-Long, the recording secretary and membership chairman for the Fayetteville Camellia Club, explains it by saying, “My personal opinion is that they defy winter and introduce spring. Camellias begin blooming in late October and various varieties bloom through March in this area. There are a number of varieties of camellias. They come in miniature, small, medium, large and huge. Their shapes are amazing. Once you walk through a show you see colors, variations and shapes that make you fall in love. While all flowers are wonderful, very few hold the same beauty as a red camellia defying the snow that may fall in January, February and March. Unless, of course, you live in the North, then the mighty crocus is a welcome sight popping through the snow.”

Thirty years ago, the Camellia Show was held at the Cross Creek Mall. Since then it has outgrown that space – and it is still free to attend. It is now held at the Ramada Plaza at the Bordeaux Convention Center at 1707-A Owen Dr. With this relatively new space, the Camellia Show has more freedom. As a result the show not only features beautiful flowers but also hosts events during the two-days run. From 1-4 p.m., Saturday, March 5, there will be an opening ceremony in memory of Martha Duell and an exhibit on the “History of Tea.”  On Sunday, March 6, there will be a Japanese Tea Ceremony and air layering demonstrations. Both days will also features artwork from about 250 students all from local schools working to capture the varied beauty of the Camellia. 

Of course, the highlight of the show is the flowers. Naturally, members of the local Camellia Club can’t judge their own show. Instead they invite judges from surrounding areas, as far away as Virginia. Each judging team is made of two American Camellia Society certified judges and one novice judge. Entering flowers to be judged can be stressful, but Libecki-Long has a suggestion, “For first-time growers, the best advice I can give is buy healthy plants, learn how to plant them – not too deep and not too wet – and just fall in love. We will be selling Camellia plants at our show and our sales people can assist in how to properly plant the Camellia. Membership in both our local club and the American Camellia Society is your best bet for education. Our members are knowledgeable in planting, caring for and showing Camellias and are always happy to assist anyone. We also offer members discounted prices on plants during the year and obtain plants from a variety of reputable growers.” For first time attendees she recommends bringing a pen and pencil to write down favorites to add to next year’s garden. 

Even after decades of working with the Camellia Club and attending the annual shows, Libecki-Long is still entranced by the many beautiful flowers. “I don’t know why I’m so captivated by them, but it is exciting just to see their beauty. The various shapes, colors, sizes are fascinating. When the weather is right and the varieties abundant, there is nothing like walking through the tables and spotting a bloom that captivates you,” she says.

For more information visit www.fayettevillecamelliaclub.org. 

After a two-year journey, Cape Fear Regional Theatre’s Artistic Director Tom Quaintance brings Downrange Voices from the Homefrontto the stage March 3 – 20. Downrange is one of the few original works CFRT has commissioned in its 53-year history.

The journey began for Quaintance when his wife, Wallis, brought home stories of military families she’d heard from other parents. Quaintance said he and Wallis were moved by the challenges, heartbreak, adventures and resilience of military families in their adopted community of Fayetteville. They both agreed these stories needed to be shared.

“There is something we can do here to be better neighbors to these people going through these deployments,” Wallis Quaintance, an actress in the production, recently told an audience at a preview performance. She said that the play allows for open communication that can be part of the healing process for some.

CFRT received a national grant to support the development of the project and enlisted North Carolina playwright Mike Wiley, who used interactive workshops to collect stories of military spouses from Fort Bragg. The voices heard in those workshops were transcribed and transformed into a staged reading in May 2015, before becoming the current version of the play.

Nicky Hart was one of the voices brought into the project. Involved since the beginning, Hart, a former military spouse, is also a well-known local actress. She plays a role in Downrange, and said seeing some of her own story played out on stage has been a positive experience.

“The rehearsal process for this show has been a lot of work,” Hart said. “I remember the years, so many things keep coming back.” Having good and bad memories triggered has also helped in her own healing process, Hart said. She believes seeing the play can help others who might be coming to terms with their own experience. Hart hopes that sharing so much of her personal story will help other military spouses feel validated.  

With Downrange Voices from the Homefront set for its world premiere, Quaintance said he is grateful for the production’s two-year journey.

“It was the most humbling and inspirational experience of my life,” Quaintance said. “A play that started out as an exploration of the impact of deployment on families became how 9/11 has redefined what it means to be a military spouse.”

Wiley, who also wrote The Parchman Hour,specializes in documentary theater, said Quaintance. For Downrange, Wiley delivers an accessible and funny play that is also gut-wrenching at times. The play follows couples from courtship to marriage and military life with deployments and struggles. Included are separations, reunions, heartbreak, mysteries of life in the military, and of course, love.

“We didn’t want to sugarcoat it… it gets difficult,” Quaintance said. “We deal with some difficult subject matter like loss and death. The range of things that families deal with is gigantic — we don’t deal with everything, but we deal with what we deal with in a way that is respectful and honest.”

“The heaviness of it comes from that feeling of responsibility to getting it right… telling it truthfully,” he said.

Leslie Flom, the marketing director for CFRT, said the play gives voice to military spouses and fills a void. “It’s so important for these stories to be told,” Flom said. “There are many stories told from the soldier’s perspective… few from the spouse’s perspective. It is a valuable and important experience to hear these stories.”

The voices included in the play may resonate with some military spouses more than others, Quaintance said. It shows some people’s experiences, not others. He said “if it is not about us, it allows us to feel emphathy. If it’s about us, it allows us to gain perspective.”

Quaintance is quick to dispel the notion that the play should be viewed as simply a show of support for military families that offers a hard dose of what military life and marriage is. 

“We didn’t want the play to be medicine,” Quaintance said. “Don’t come to the play because it’s good for you. Come to the play because it’s a good play.”

Downrange Voices from the Homefront will run March 3 - 20 with shows at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 2 p.m. shows on Saturday and Sunday. Fayetteville Technical Community College will sponsor a Military Spouse Night on March 11 and Fort Bragg Credit Union will sponsor one on March 18. Both nights will offer $15 discount tickets, a reception and free onsite childcare for military couples.

On display during the run of the play will be artwork by Trish Brownlee, a local mixed media artist with a background in documentary photography. Brownlee served in the Air Force and Army as a photographer, and is a military spouse. 

“The art is special not only because it is done by a former soldier,” Flom said. “But also, the material is made from military uniforms.” Part of Brownlee’s artwork is incorporated into the set for Downrange.

Brownlee’s technique of making paper from military uniforms is known as “Breaking Rag,” her initiative to use art as a tool for veteran advocacy in a community art project. A Breaking Rag demonstration/workshop with Brownlee is scheduled for March 12 at CFRT. The workshop is free and open to the public, but play tickets must be purchased through CFRT box office.