Downtown Fayetteville is full of exciting opportunities. There is something for every member of the family from art to history to great food. And on 4th Friday, it is all on display. Live performances in the streets keep things interactive. Restaurants, shops and galleries stay open late to offer up their finest selections to the crowds. Enjoy the cool evenings of the coming fall in the cultural epicenter and heart of the city, Downtown Fayetteville. This month, the event falls on Oct. 23. There are plenty of spooktacular events to make the evening unforgettable.

For families with children, Fascinate-U Children’s Museum is a can’t miss. The museum is specifically designed to teach children about the world through fun and engaging exhibits that mimic real life situations. These exhibits are interactive, designed to be touched and played with making learning a fun and natural process. For 4th Friday’s the museum is open late and admission is free. There is also a free craft for kids to take home. Fascinate-U is located at 116 Green St. and will be open from 7-9 p.m.  For more information, visit www.theartscouncil.com/fourthmain/. 

The Arts Council’s new exhibit, Recycle: The Art of Transformationopens Oct. 23 during  4th Friday. The exhibit is composed of pieces created by local artists from recycled and reused materials. It highlights the large amounts of waste carelessly produced and demonstrates how, with a little creativity, waste can transform into new and beautiful things. The exhibit runs until Dec. 12. The Arts Council is located at 301 Hay St. and will be open on 4th Friday from 7-9 p.m.  Admission is free. For more information, visit www.theartscoucil.com.

This 4th Friday, downtown falls in step with the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival’s Fall Festival. From 6:30-10 p.m., Bands and Brews takes place in Festival Park, located at 225 Ray Ave. For $5 a pint, sample the10 craft beers and two domestic beers offered at the event. In addition to the cold beer, don’t miss the live music from performers such as Radio Box and Beat Your Boots.  For more information, visit www.faydogwoodfestival.com. 

Braver souls will want to check out the annual Lafayette Insane Asylum outdoor haunted maze, which runs from 6:30–11p.m. The haunted maze is located on the back side of Festival Park located at 225 Ray Ave. Tickets are $8 or $7 with a canned good donation to benefit the Dream Center. Proceeds of this maze benefit Fishing to Fight Cancer hosted by Swampboys. The canned goods received will benefit a local food bank. 

From 6:30–10 p.m., narrated hayrides through downtown Fayetteville and Cross Creek Cemetery offer a peek into Fayetteville’s unique history. Other than the ride through the cemetery the hayride is not intended to be scary. Tickets are $5 and pick up is at Festival Park. Tickets and more information are available at www.faydogwoodfestival. The rest of the weekend will be full of Dogwood Festival activities as well. 

From 7-9 p.m., Headquarters Library presents: How to Survive a Zombie Apocalypse and Other Disasters featuring The Zombie Squad of Southeast North Carolina. Learn how to survive natural disasters and zombies, too!  Staff will be on hand to help Zombie Walk participants with makeup and costumes. The Zombie Walk is from Headquarters Library to the Rock Shop.

Fans of Aerial Acrobatics won’t want to miss the Air Born Aerials Zombie Aerial Circus at 8 p.m. at Crossfit 910, 116 E Russell St.

A spine-tingling favorite among the area’s haunted trails, the Stoney Point Fire Department’s Trail of Terror is bigger and better than ever this year. Those who think there is nothing more to add to the horror of the haunted trail are in for a surprise with the all new Zombie Rampage. There is still plenty of time to experience the sheer terror of it. The trail runs Oct. 23, 24, 29, 30 and 31. 

Encompassing three-quarters of an acre and manned by a cast of 81 and a staff of 42, terror reigns. The adventure begins with a stage show. Then, a haunted mansion and trek down a terror-filled wooded trail where monsters, clowns and other terrifying creatures straight from your worst nightmare await. Every year there is something new and different. 

“We try to add two new scenes every year, and so far we have been successful in doing that,” said Fire Department Captain Brandon Hanzal. “I am amazed and humbled every year by the amount of people who support this — patrons and volunteers alike.”

A new event this year is the Zombie Rampage — an interactive paint ball experience. 

“This is in the same location as the Trail of Terror, but it is a separate event,” said Hanzal. “The patrons are the only ones shooting here. This is set up like an old-time shooting gallery. The guns are mounted, so it isn’t like a game of laser tag. Once the guns are hot, the zombies are moving forward attempting to get to the patrons.” 

The Zombie Rampage costs $10 for 40 rounds. 

While the Stoney Point Trail of Terror is thrilling and entertaining for the participants, it takes countless hours to set up and run each year.  According to Hanzal, the planning starts in January and gains momentum — after the event planners attend a national Halloween convention. 

“Halloween is the second biggest money-making holiday in our country, right behind Christmas,” said Hanzal. “It is a huge industry. We get a lot of ideas from other people at the convention and we start the building process between May and June.”

 It is a lot of work, but  worth it because the funds from the event are used to purchase fire fighting and life-saving equipment for the fire department. 

“We clear about $100,000 every year,” said Hanzal. “The only reason we can do that is because we have such great support from the community. Everyone involved in this is a volunteer.” 

This year, the money is going to help pay to replace air packs for the firefighters. Replacing this vital equipment will cost $301,000. Air packs consist of a face mask connected to a portable air tank that can be strapped to a firefighter’s back. They are useful in areas that have a lot of smoke, poisonous fumes or intense heat. Because these are dated items, they need to be replaced periodically.

 “This all started when Tera Whitman and Angela Peralt looked around the station one day and said, ‘You know, with some strobe lights in here and some costumes, we could have a successful haunt,’” said Hanzal. “That’s how it all started and we’ve grown every year since then.”

For Hanzal, seeing the community come together year after year is humbling. From the volunteers that started working the event as high school students and come back year after year to the patrons that come with high expectations for a top-notch thrill, it all adds up to a great time for a worthy cause. 

“You can see the benefit of this and it is humbling to see everyone pulling together for the community,” he said. “It is huge. Everyone who comes either as a volunteer or as a patron gets something different out of it, but it is a great time and all the money we raise goes right back into keeping the community safe.”

The trail is open from 8-11 p.m. Admission is $15 per person, or skip the line and purchase a VIP Admission for $25. The trail is located behind the Stoney Point Fire Department, Station #13 at 7221 Stoney Point Road, Fayetteville. For more information,  check out the  website: www.undeadfd.com,  Facebook page (stoney point trail of terror) or  call 424-0694.

Fayetteville State University presents the Baltimore Consort Nov. 1 at 2 p.m. in the Pate Room at the Headquarters Library in downtown Fayetteville.  

“The Baltimore Consort is an early music group that specializes in music of the 16th century and before,” said Dr. Earnest Lamb, chair of the Department of Performing and Fine Arts at Fayetteville State University. “This particular program features music from Shakespeare’s time.”     

Fayetteville State University has a partnership with the library in which they bring chamber music to the community. This particular performance dovetails perfectly with the upcoming production at FSU. 

“I was interested in bringing the Baltimore Consort here because Fayetteville State University is doing a production of Shakespeare’s Hamletlater on this month on campus,” said Lamb. “I thought this would be a good way to publicize our event on campus but give people an opportunity to hear music from these early instruments that they played during this period of time.” 

Lamb added that some of the actors from Fayetteville State University will perform scenes or monologues from Shakespeare. 

The Baltimore Consort’s arrangement of early music from England, Scotland, France, Italy and Spain speaks to the heart as well as the mind. The group has recorded 14 CDs that have earned them a place on Billboard Magazine’sTop Ten List. The Consort tours all regions of the U.S. Now in its 34th season, the group garners rave reviews across the globe.

FSU offers a Bachelor of Arts in music with a teaching and non-teaching option. The university also has the FSU University Concert Choir that sings all types of music.  

“We do more than just sing spirituals,” said Lamb.  “We have an upcoming concert in December and the choir will sing a piece by Bach in German.” 

Lamb added that their fine arts series is the only comprehensive performing and fine arts program in the city. The fine art series art events, gallery events, national dance artists and nationally acclaimed musical events.     

The goal of the event is to give people an opportunity to hear music from Shakespeare’s time. 

“The library is an intimate space and a good way to extend our fine arts series that we have mainly on campus at Seabrook Auditorium and to bring it out into the community,” said Lamb. “We want people to experience different types of music, make the arts more accessible to people and to learn about what is happening at Fayetteville State University.”    

 The event is free and open to the public. Seating is limited so arrive early. For more information call 672-2143.   

 

“The willingness with which our young people are likely to serve in any war, no matter how justified, shall be directly proportional to how they perceive the Veterans of earlier wars were treated and appreciated by their nation.” 

    – General George Washington, 1781

The Fort Bragg Garrison Command will host its Annual Retiree Appreciation event Oct. 22-24 to celebrate the service and commitment of retired service members and their families.  

“The three-day event includes the Retiree Golf Tournament, the Retiree Luncheon and the Retiree Appreciation Day at Womack Army Medical Center,” said Donnell Edwards, the Fort Bragg and State of North Carolina Retirement Services Officer. 

“This is Fort Bragg’s way of communicating back to our retirees thanking them for services rendered over the years, to keep them engaged with current soldiers, and to remind them we consider them Soldiers for Life,” Edwards said echoing the RSO motto of “Soldier for Life.  Once a Soldier, Always a Soldier... A Soldier for Life.”

The Retiree Golf Tournament is at Stryker Golf Course Oct. 22. The Opening Ceremony begins at 8 a.m. with a shotgun start at 9 a.m.  

The Retiree Luncheon on Oct. 23 is from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at the Fort Bragg Conference & Catering Center with entertainment provided by the All American Chorus.  

“We get a lot of positive feedback for the annual event,” Edwards said.  The most popular is the Retiree Appreciation Day at Womack, he said.

The Appreciation Day at Womack Army Medical Center will kick-off with a welcome in the hospital’s Weaver Auditorium at 8:30 a.m. on Oct. 24. The day will feature numerous medical and dental services, classes and giveaways from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Pre-registration is not required.

Services offered include assistance preparing wills, living wills and advanced directives; mammography; pharmacy counseling; vision, dental and hearing screenings; flu shots and other vaccines; diabetes information; TRICARE; physical therapy information; mobile blood drive; nutrition information; blood pressure screening; yoga and more. 

In addition to services, classes will be held throughout the day:

Time Class Location

           9 and 11 a.m.                          TRICARE Brief                         Weaver Auditorium

9:30, 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m.           Advance Directives     Family Medicine Conference Room

                 10 a.m.                     Healthy Meals in Minutes            Weaver Auditorium

                 10 a.m.              “Ready to Quit” tobacco info session   Internal Medicine 

   10:30 and 11:30 a.m.                             Yoga                        General Surgery Waiting Room

                 Noon                   Dealing with Life Changing Events    Weaver Auditorium

   12:30 and 1:30 p.m.           Meditation and Relaxation               Internal Medicine

                1 p.m.                         Healthy Sleep Habits                          Weaver Auditorium

For more information about medical services or classes offered, call the WAMC Public Affairs Office at 907-7247.

On Oct. 24, the ID Card Facility will provide services to retirees and family members at the Soldier Support Center from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m.  No appointments needed on this day, but two forms of identification are required to issue new cards. For more information or to make an appointment for a future day, call 396-9339.

For general information, contact the Fort Bragg Retiree Services Office.  The RSO is located on the first floor of the Soldier Support Center in Building 4-2843 on Normandy Drive, Fort Bragg.  Hours are Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m.  To make an appointment or get more information about services provided, call 396-5304 or 800-535-6067.    

This week, Publisher Bill Bowman yields this space to 

Jeff Thompson.

The people of Cumberland County and North Carolina lost a remarkable public servant with the untimely death this month of retired Fayetteville District Attorney Ed Grannis. I say untimely because by all accounts he should still be with us. As many of us had, Ed had what ordinarily is a routine medical procedure, an angioplasty. But, something happened and infection set in. His kidneys and liver shut down and he contracted pneumonia. 

Those of us who knew Grannis had high opinions of him. As a journalist, my impression was based not on his prowess as a lawyer, but on his qualities as a public servant. I will not use the word politician to describe him even though he served in elective office for 35 years.  Grannis was an example to others in public life.  He was not politically ambitious. He truly possessed a rare sense of duty.

Edward W. Grannis Jr. was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Army after successfully completing ROTC at Wake Forest. He served for two years in Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, and then at Fort Bragg as a basic training company commander. Upon completion of his service obligation Grannis decided to go to work in the District Attorney’s office. He hadn’t planned on being a prosecutor. He told the State Bar Journal in 2014 that he didn’t go to law school to become an attorney. He said he spent seven years at Wake Forest University to get a good education.

Grannis was a part of Cumberland County’s modern evolution. He fought for and about the law. He did battle with county commissioners in a fight to get a new and larger jail built to house inmates local lawmen were arresting in a determined fight against crime. He modernized the administration of the local court system. He fought in Raleigh for increased funding for our courts. In his three and a half decades as district attorney of the 12th prosecutorial district, the office grew from a handful of lawyers to one of the largest and most respected in the state with more than two dozen assistant district attorneys, many of whom went on to have distinguished careers as judges and state legislators. 

I knew Ed from the day he took office but got to know him better during one of the highest profile crimes he prosecuted — that of mass murderer Kenneth French. On Ed’s birthday, August 6, of 1993, the soldier fired a barrage of bullets into Luigi’s Italian Restaurant and then entered the busy eatery continuing to fire. Before he was shot and wounded by police, French shot twelve people, killing four of them including Pete and Ethel Parrous, Luigi’s owners. 

French’s trial was held six months later in Superior Court in Wilmington. Then-Judge Coy Brewer presided and Grannis took the lead in prosecuting French. I learned then that he was not a zealot, but a pragmatist. He sought the death penalty but after a month of testimony, the jury convicted French and decided on life in prison without parole. North Carolina law provides that the judge must sentence a convicted murderer in accordance with the decision of the jury. Ed said he was disillusioned early in his career that the death penalty is what he called an “inexact system.”  In that interview with the State Bar Journal, Grannis noted that by the 1990s our state had moved beyond capital punishment, although it’s still on the books.

Theodore Roosevelt said “It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly.”  I’ll bet I speak for many when I extend prayers to Grannis’ family and express the thanks of a grateful community for 

his service.

Former Cumberland County District Attorney Ed Grannis, who prosecuted people charged with everything from speeding to first-degree murder for nearly four decades, died last week after a brief illness. Many are still reeling from the news. 

The Grannises and the Dicksons have been friends for all of that and before. I grew up in Fayetteville with both Ed and his wife, Winnie McBryde Grannis, the sister of former Fayetteville Mayor Milo McBryde. In 1976, Ed Grannis hired my then beau and eventual husband, John Dickson, as an assistant DA, and John and Ed prosecuted major felonies together for more than 20 years. The Dickson Precious Jewels and the Grannis’ boys grew up together, and our families had many happy occasions in each other’s company in Fayetteville and along the North Carolina coast. A practical joker, Ed once released two bantam chickens into our front yard at a time when I was home with a newborn baby and had no way to catch those little critters. Our new rooster said howdy from a magnolia tree every morning at dawn, and our neighbors were vocally underemployed, which was the point, of course.

My family is hardly alone in recognizing the contributions Ed Grannis made not only to our community and our state as a person of intellect, ethics and common sense who sought not conviction above all, but justice in each situation. He did it day-in-and-day-out and is widely recognized as one of North Carolina’s most effective and longest serving district attorneys. Very few of us stay in one job for all our working lives, much less one in the public service sector. Fewer still achieve the long and profound positive impact on our community and our state that Ed Grannis did for several generations of North Carolinians, from 1972 until 2010.

With that in mind, defense attorney Harold “Butch” Pope of Whiteville and I sat down with Ed last year after he was well into his retirement to talk about his extraordinary career and the meaning and impact of the law. Our interview was published earlier this year in the State Bar Journal, a publication that goes to attorneys throughout North Carolina. It reveals a man who has seen and been part of major legal events of the last quarter century and who has reflected deeply on our criminal justice and judicial systems, how they have evolved and how they affect us today.

Here are excerpts from what Ed had to say:

On the positive aspects of elective service.

Ed Grannis: “I think those of us who have been fortunate enough to have been elected and to serve in some capacity whether it is on the town council or statewide all understand what a challenging experience it is to go through a campaign. No one can understand that unless you are the candidate…when you wake up trying to decide whether or not to spend money on TV, whether you are going have to pay for all this or raise money…I think the honor, the privilege, the responsibility is really one of the neat things in a democracy… it is such a unique part of being an American and part of a democratic society.”

On the death penalty in North Carolina.

Ed Grannis: “One of the disillusioning things, when I started in the game of justice, bad cases were supposed to get the death penalty. After a while it becomes very clear that it is a very inexact system. While the death penalty needs to remain and be a viable possibility in the worst of situations, for the most part society has moved way on beyond the death penalty. The fact that last year (2013) there was (only) one in North Carolina tells you all you need to know about it. We as a corporate community no longer really use that tool anymore…the best thing I can do for most of these people is give them life without parole as quickly as I can and avoid these lengthy delays...from the point at which the event occurs until the trial occurs. I think the one thing North Carolina should try to do is figure out how to expedite the process.”

On the increasing numbers of lawyers in North Carolina.

Ed Grannis: “There are way too many lawyers out there for the economic opportunities…I’ve had kids who come to me owing more than $100,000, and I am giving them a $40,000 job. There is no way those numbers are going to work. Now it has become a business…We are no longer dealing with ‘Does society need this many lawyers?’ I think it is a recipe for a bad situation.”

On retiring from his long career and whether he missed it.

Ed Grannis: “It’s really interesting. You miss people some, but when you are finally able to get away from it, it’s like that old Martin Luther King Jr. line, ‘Free at last, free at last.’ It was something.”

Storytelling is a way to enjoy imagination beyond words. It is a way to entertain, share history and build community. Telling stories was popular before television and even books. Before anyone could read, stories were passed down through generations. It’s how family histories were preserved; how older generations taught the younger members of tribes and villages. Even though it may not seem as common, storytelling is still a big part of our world. From dinner tables to playgrounds, stories connect people to each other and to significant events and ideas. The Storytelling and Arts Center celebrates its 10th anniversary Oct. 16 -18.

Story telling is not just for children. It is  for adults as well, and the Storytelling and Arts Center has rounded up some of the best for the weekend. Entertainers include Bil Lepp, Bill Harley, Sheila Arnold Jones and Diane Ferlatte. Regional teller Martha Johnson and the winner and People’s Choice of the Bold-Faced Liars’ Showdown winners  Pamela Alberda and Jadie Fuson are in attendance, as well.

Bil Lepp, storyteller and comedian, is known for his tall tales and clever stories that people of all ages can appreciate. Lepp has received many awards and is the author of three books of tall tales, 10 audio collections, a non-fiction book and a novel.

Martha Reed Johnson, a well-traveled storyteller, uses her own experiences to connect with her audiences. Since traveling across three continents, Reed can relate to any audience through her storytelling.

Diane Ferlatte, a natural born nurturer, has spoken to audiences across the globe.  Her listeners can be from all walks of life. After performing internationally many times over, anyone can relate to her words.

Bill Harley, is also known as a children’s entertainer with many witty ways of connecting with children. Also awarded a Grammy for Best Spoken Word album
for Children.

Sheila Arnold Jones, has used her talent to perform during historic character presentations, Christian monologues, motivational speaking for schools, churches and organizations throughout the U. S. Jones tells original, folktales, tall tales, African-American, multicultural, historical and personal stories.

Participants can choose the teller they would like attend by the schedule provided on the SACs website.

SACs invites students, both public and homeschooled, to join during the student sessions on Oct. 16 from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The student sessions will include special storytelling segments for youth. 

Look for craft vendors, a children’s play area and five storytelling workshops.  

The festival takes place at the John Blue House Complex in Laurinburg, North Carolina, tickets are available online at www.storyartscenter.org.

Hope Mills is gearing up for its biggest fundraiser of the year — Ole Mill Days — on Friday, Oct. 16 and Saturday, Oct. 17. It’s a time to celebrate the town’s heritage, make some new memories with friends and family and, for some, to relive some old memories about a time when Hope Mills was not so busy and bustling. A simpler time when the local mills drove not just the economy, but the ebb and flow of life in the area.  

“Ole Mills Days is a celebration of Hope Mills and our history,” said Dee Callahan, executive director of the Hope Mills Chamber. “It is a time for the families to get together and there are all sorts of events for the kids.” 

Callahan added that she was born and raised in Hope Mills and looks forward to the annual event.

There is plenty to see and do — and much to learn, as well. The event begins on Friday with the first street dance at 6 p.m. While the dance lasts till 11 p.m., it is the perfect opportunity to check out historic downtown’s Trade Street.

On Saturday at 7 a.m. the Run for Pink Race takes place. It’s the third year for the run and it has grown substantially every year. The event organizers are hoping for a turn out of 750 or more. It is a 5K route and walkers are welcome, as well. Proceeds benefit the Cape Fear  Valley Health Foundation Friends of Cancer. Find out more about this organization at www.capefearvalley.com/foundation/index.html. Visit www.active.com to register for the race.

The opening activities begin at 10 a.m. and include a variety of activities. The tractor pull, is a local favorite and always keeps the crowd riveted. Families won’t want to miss the Kid’s Corner and games. It is the perfect place to relax and let the little ones join the festivities. Car buffs of every stripe will have something to talk about at the car show. Other activities include a haunted house, cheerleading competition, pony rides, bouncy houses, food and craft vendors and demonstrations by dance troupes, karate studios and local musicians.

The corn hole tournament is a lot of fun, even for those who choose not to play. It’s competitive and lively and all in good fun. Registration for the corn-hole tournament is by noon and the games start at 1 p.m. Prizes will be given for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. The cost is $25 to participate in the tournament.

The Ole Mill Days reunion has been a highlight of this event in years past. It’s a place where previous generations gather to share stories and memories about Hope Mills and what it was like as a mill town. It is a chance to reconnect with the town’s past and learn a bit of local history first hand.

One especially popular event at Ole Mills Days is the Hope Mills Chamber’s Chili Cook Off. For years, local chefs have brought forth offerings of their favorite chili recipes to the delight of the attendees and judges. The chili cook off
 is Oct. 17 and it is sponsored by the Hope Mills Chamber. 

“We have the chili cook off every year and it is our only fundraiser because the Hope Mills Chamber is a nonprofit,” said Callahan. “We have WKML 95.7 as our sponsor for the chili cook off and a corn-hole tournament that is sponsored by Up & Coming Weekly.” 

Contestants can enter their chili in the competition for $15. Cash prizes and plaques will be given for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners. Chili can be dropped off at 10 a.m. and the announcement of the winners is at 3:30 p.m. There is a People’s Choice Awards in which the public can purchase small containers of all the chili to sample. They will have the opportunity to vote for the chili that they like the best. A $100 cash prize will be awarded.   

The evening concludes with a movie night in Municipal Park.  

Even though it is right around the corner, there is still time for vendors and sponsors
to participate. 

“We are selling tents that you can purchase for $250,” said Callahan. “It comes with a sign, one table and eight chairs.” Callahan added that you can advertise your business underneath the tent and give away items but you are not allowed to sell anything under your tent.   

Admission is free. For more information, call 424-4555. If you are interested in performing at the street dance, call 426-4109.

HEADLINES: 

Providence, Rhode Island: “Dunkin’ Donuts Employee Writes ‘Black Lives Matter’ on Cop’s Cup”

Hartford, Connecticut: “Dunkin’ Donuts CEO apologizes over incident involving West Hartford Cop”

Dade County, Florida:  “Arby’s Fires Manager After Alleged Refusal to Serve Police Officer”

Newton, Kansas: “Taco Bell Worker Writes ‘Pig’ on Cop’s Order”

Lewisville, Texas:“Whataburger Employee Fired for Refusing Service to Texas Cops”

See a pattern here? Well, I see several–and in only a few short months. The most concerning is the bold and growing national trend of disrespect toward police and law enforcement officers. We also see a scary proliferation of national absentee owner franchise stores that appear to serve as a breeding ground for such hostile, outrageous and un-American behavior toward law enforcement.  

Let’s look at the latest incident that made national news in Providence, Rhode Island, when a Dunkin’ Donuts employee wrote “Black Lives Matter” on a police officer’s coffee cup. This hostile act came on the heels of another similar and pathetic incident of  hate in West Hartford, Connecticut, when a munchkin-minded employee shouted at a uniformed West Hartford police officer, “We don’t serve cops here!” in front of a store full of customers. Really?

This prompted Dunkin’ Donuts Chairman and CEO Nigel Travis of Dunkin’ Brands to apologize for the incident  with a letter to the editor in the local newspaper. He cited poor judgement on behalf of the  young crew member. Again, really?

Nationally, there is a pattern beginning to develop. Maybe, just maybe, instead of honoring and respecting the law-enforcement community and projecting a common sense commitment to treating all customers with dignity and respect as Travis proclaims, Dunkin’ Donuts may be vying to become the lead despot in a conspiracy to spark a franchise revolution for anarchy in America. 

No? Well, there are literally tens of thousands of fast food franchises in America (many foreign-owned) employing hundreds of thousands of young, mostly poor, uneducated, impressionable people surviving on minimum wage. This makes them the perfect conduit to spew such hatred, hostility and disrespect for law enforcement and humanity under the guise of familiar and respected community brands such as Dunkin’ Donuts, Arby’s, Whataburger and Taco Bell.  

Here is another thought and coincidence: All these outrageous incidents have taken place in franchise chains that are listed in the top 50 in the nation. Three, Dunkin’ Donuts, Arby’s and Taco Bell, are in the top 18. Whataburger is 40th.  It is much too easy for CEOs and local franchise owners to brush these off as isolated instances by wayward employees – especially when the safety and security of our towns, cities and nation are at stake. We are a country of laws. We must enforce them and abide by them. Lawlessness results in anarchy.  

My  message to Dunkin’ Donuts (and others) is keep your free coffee and donuts and invest that money in training your employees so they can start serving up courtesy, respect and love of country. Otherwise, get comfortable in making negative national headlines. 

Here’s another thought: In the Florida Arby’s incident, John Rivera, Dade County President of the Police Benevolent Association, called for a nationwide boycott of Arby’s unless corrective action was taken against the  perpetrators of the incident. Boycotts of a franchised restaurant are a viable option for all communities that feel their laws and law-enforcement officers are being abused or under assault. And, no offense to  Arby’s CEO Paul Brown but, giving our police officers and first responders a free Happy Meal combo is of no real consequence.

As a result of this rash of incidents, a line of pro-police billboards reading “Blue Lives Matter” are springing up all over the country.  Lamar Billboard Advertising is fostering the theme by donating 150 billboards around the country to the campaign.  They’ll run through the end of the month. I hope several are scheduled for Fayetteville. 

According to an online source, the signs sport the hashtag #thankublu. It is also the name of an Instagram account that features several photos of the signs. The bio reads: “Our only purpose is to thank and support the men and women in law enforcement who put their lives on the line for our safety every day.” 

Hey, that’s another great point! Police officers put their lives on the line for citizens’ safety every day. Compare that to these franchise restaurants that have a policy where they can refuse service to anyone. Well, law enforcement and first responders do not have that option.

I’ll close with this: Every person in America has a responsibility to conduct themselves in a humane, civilized and responsible manner. In America, a land of laws, everyone is obliged to comply or accept the consequences of his or her actions.  If this is not done there is absolutely no pretense, justification or absolution that will undo such consequences. Yes, black lives matter, blue lives matter and yes, yes, yes, all lives matter. And, that is what matters most. Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly. 

“Someone’s opinion of you does not have to become your reality.” These words changed Les Brown’s life. He failed the fifth grade and was held back again in eighth grade. By that time, he believed what everyone was saying about him. Even the school system had labeled him as “Educable mentally retarded.” This sentence spoken to Brown by a teacher was a turning point. He’s living his dream, and works every day to help others learn how they can live their dream, too. On Oct. 8, Brown will host the WIDU Business Empowerment Breakfast as part of the WIDU Anniversary celebration. 

The WIDU Anniversary 2015 kicks off Oct. 3 and runs through Oct. 10. It is a week filled with praise, worship, entertainment, empowerment and more. Each year, Wes and Sandy Cookman, owners of WIDU radio station, pull out all of the stops for the radio’s anniversary celebration. The event list includes a Jesus Rocks youth event, We Shall Overcomeon stage, WIDU Carolina’s Best Finale concert, Together as One — a midweek service, a women’s empowerment luncheon, a unity service, a prayer breakfast, Quartet Night, the Festival of Praise and  the WIDU Business Empowerment Breakfast featuring Les Brown. 

At 70, Brown is no stranger to Fayetteville or the WIDU family. 

“It is a pleasure to come back,” said Brown. “This will be like a homecoming. I am pleased to share strategies and techniques for what people need to do to take their lives to the next level.”

While many refer to Brown as a motivational speaker, that isn’t how he sees himself. “I see myself as a person who talks about things people need to do to move their lives from right now to where they want to go. For instance, in less than 10 years, one third of the jobs that exist today will be replaced. That means that the people working those jobs will be replaced by mechanized intelligence. I talk about how you handle that,” he said.

Brown has distilled his philosophy for success down to three keys to success:

Mindset – the resilience to handle rapid changes taking place in the world. 

Expanded skill sets — Brown noted that the skills most people have now will not carry over to the domestic economy and will not help them survive in the global economy. 

Staying relevant and successful by creating collaborative achievement-driven supportive relationships. 

“You can’t make it on your own. Seventy-two percent of corporations are striking partnerships,” said Brown. “If you want to make it today, you’ve got to find some people who have some knowledge and resources that you don’t have, to help you begin to move your life forward.”

Brown’s philosophy dovetails with the work of management consultant, the late Peter Drucker, who believed this era to be characterized by what he called the three Cs: accelerated change, overwhelming complexity and tremendous competition. 

“A lot of people are outside the job market and don’t know that they can’t even get in because it is an entrepreneur’s era,” said Brown. “At the beginning of the year 2000, 5 million jobs evaporated and there were 3 million permanent part-time jobs with no health benefits or security. People need to shift their thinking and what they are looking for and expand their capacity to navigate this economy.”

This news could sound dismal to some, but to Brown, it sounds like opportunity. Staying current in your professional field, continuously upgrading your skill set and improving yourself will lead to new opportunities and new experiences. 

“All of us have the opportunity to create a dynasty, a legacy,” said Brown. “The reason many don’t is because of our entertainment-driven culture. The average immigrant coming to this country has a four times greater chance of becoming a millionaire than the average American because they come from achievement-driven cultures. And when we change our culture from being victims of mass distraction and use our genius and talents in other areas, the possibilities are unlimited as to what we can create.”

The WIDU Business Empowerment Breakfast is on Thursday, Oct. 8 from 8-10 a.m. at the Crown Expo Center. Tickets cost between $15 and $50. Find out more about the WIDU Anniversary celebration and purchase tickets at www.widuanniversary.com.

Cape Fear Studios is a haven for local artists. It provides a place for member artists to create and sell their works. It also hosts exhibits that bring works from national and international artists to the area. To support this enclave for the arts in downtown Fayetteville, Cape Fear Studios is set to host the Celebration of the Arts on Oct. 11. 

“This is our second year hosting the event, so we don’t have a large history to go on, yet. However, last year was tremendously successful even though it was a small start. We’re looking for an even larger turnout this year,” said Ann Griffin, executive director. “No matter what, the people who attend will have a fun time while they’re here and maybe even learn a thing or two as they talk to our artists.” 

Celebration of the Arts features multiple demonstrations from member artists, activities and games that the whole family can enjoy. There is often a disconnect between appreciation of art and understanding how it is actually created. Understanding the work and expertise required to create these beautiful pieces of art adds another level of appreciation and beauty. Celebrate the Arts offers a fun window into creation. 

“The whole idea is to give the public a taste of fine art and in many cases to introduce artistic production methods to people who have never experienced some of the procedures. For instance, most people are familiar with pottery, but have little knowledge of certain methods that can go into special pieces such as Raku. The pottery demonstrations is outdoors, while demonstrations of 2-D painting, in various styles, are happening indoors. Demonstrations of jewelry making and stained glass productions are also planned. And, for the children we’ll have finger painting, spoon decorating and several other hands-on activities,” Griffin said. 

In addition to these demonstrations, a lunch of homemade soup, served in handmade bowls, is planned.

“Well, the soup is nicknamed stone soup, but stones are about the only thing we don’t put into it. It’s a wonderful combination of vegetables with chicken stock. Delicious!  The handmade bowls are created right here in our studios by our member potters. Each bowl is unique and can be enjoyed as functional dinnerware or as decorative pieces,” Griffin explained. 

This year Celebration of the Arts, a relatively new tradition, is seamlessly combined with an older, though lesser known Cape Fear Studios tradition, the silent auction. 

“All of our exhibiting members donate an original piece to the auction, which means we’ll have around 30 pieces. You can go online at www.capefearstudios.com to peruse some of the collection of fine art up for auction, “Griffin said. “This is a great opportunity to purchase fine art.” 

Celebration of the Arts is both within Cape Fear Studios, located at 148 Maxwell St., and in the surrounding parking lots. It is scheduled for Oct. 11 from noon until 5 p.m. “This is a fun afternoon for the whole family. It’s a combination of hands-on activities, plus many opportunities to watch and learn from our professional artists. Most of all it’s a fun way to help support the arts in Fayetteville and keep our arts organization active and viable.” 

For more information visit www.capefearstudios.com or call 433-2986. 

 

The Turtle Island Quartet and Cyrus Chestnut will entertain the community on Oct. 4 as part of the Fayetteville State University Fine Arts Series. 

“The Turtle Island Quartet is not your typical string quartet. That is, they perform jazz standards rather than standards from classical composers like Mozart, Haydn or Beethoven. This performance is actually a collaboration between the quartet and jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut. The program they will bring to Fayetteville is called Jelly, Rags & Monk. It  will feature music by Jelly Roll Morton, ragtime and Thelonius Monk. Interestingly, Monk was born in Rocky Mount in 1917,” explained Dr. Earnest Lamb, chair of the Fine Arts Series . 

The Turtle Island Quartet began in 1985, and has been innovating ever since. They bring old European traditions and modern American music together in seamless and unique performances that anyone can enjoy. They’ve also revived the century old, but lost tradition, of string improvisation, normally associated with Jazz music and musicians rather than string instruments. String improvisation is often  identified with more classical tunes. 

Joining the Turtle Island Quartet is Chestnut an acclaimed jazz pianist whose talent, passion, drive and creativity echoes the quartet’s. Their creativity and innovative nature lends itself well to incredible Jazz, a classic American genre still much loved today. 

“It is an art form that keeps evolving and renewing itself. This program is a perfect example — the quintet will create fresh interpretations of early jazz great Jelly Roll Morton’s and bebop giant Monk’s music for a contemporary audience. It’s like everything old is new again,” Lamb says, “I recommend just coming to the concert with an open mind and be prepared to be amazed.”

Adding another dimension to the excitement of the concert, Turtle Island Quartet and Cyrus Chestnut will also contribute to the inspiration and education of other musicians. 

“Cyrus Chestnut and the Turtle Island Quartet will offer master classes for area musicians as part of their appearance in Fayetteville,” says Dr. Lamb. 

This workshop illustrates how the FSU Fine Arts Series is such a great asset to the community. It brings high caliber artists not only for the enjoyment, but also the betterment of the community as a whole. 

This performance is just the beginning of what the Fine Arts Series has to offer this year. Dr. Lamb says, “This fall semester I’m excited about exhibition of works by Latino visual artists that will open in October in Rosenthal Gallery and the appearance of The Baltimore Consort in November.  he Baltimore Consort performs music from the 16th century and earlier. Their appearance in Fayetteville will feature music from Shakespeare’s time and will include excerpts from FSU Theater’s upcoming production of Hamlet, which opens in November. This is an exciting collaboration.”

Turtle Island Quartet and Cyrus Chestnut perform on Oct. 4 at 4 p.m. in Seabrook Auditorium, which is located on the FSU campus at 1200 Murchison Road. Tickets are $10. For more information, visit www.uncfsu.edu/arts or call 672-1571. 

The 2015 Scotland County Highland Games take place on Friday, Oct. 2 through Sunday, Oct. 4, on the grounds of the John Blue Home and Historical Complex in Laurinburg. The event provides an immersion into the Scottish-American historical experience of this region. There will be plenty to see and do all weekend long.

The schedule of events includes a visit to historic Laurinburg and Scotland County on Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. A Whisky Tasting and Gathering takes place at 3 p.m. at the Storytelling Arts Center in downtown Laurinburg. There is a reception for the sponsors and honored clan at 6 p.m. The evening concludes with a concert featuring Piper Willie McCallum at the Avenger Auditorium at 8 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door only. 

On Saturday, Oct. 3 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., the lineup includes the piping, drumming and athletic competition, Highland dancing competition, sheep dog demonstrations, opening ceremony demonstrations, Scottish athletic events, pipe bands, entertainment, clan tents, awards presentations, closing ceremonies and “Live after Five” performances by Rathkelter and Seven Nations at 6 p.m. 

Colin Grant-Adams is a performer on the entertainment stage. Food, beer and vendors are available on site. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for kids after 5 p.m. It is free for those in attendance at the games field.  

One of the most popular events is the Whisky Tasting. The single malts and food pairings this year are Aaran’s Robert Burns of the Isle of Aaran paired with goat cheese and mushroom on toast points; Talisker’s 10 year-old Isle of Skye paired with smoked salmon; Jura’s superstition of the Isle of Jura paired with smoked scallops and orange marmalade; Highland Park’s warrior series of the Isle of Orkney paired with salted toffee; and Ledaig 10-year-old Isle of Mull with their very own Jack’s family recipe for shortbread cookies.    

The EUSPBA Premier Piping Competition will begin at 9 a.m. and admission is free.   

The Kirkin’ of the Tartans Worship Service begins at 11 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 4 at Old Laurel Hill Presbyterian Church.   

There is a custom-made kilt raffle and the drawing is on Saturday, Oct. 3. Tickets for the raffle are $10 and only 300 tickets will be sold. Raffle tickets can be purchased via mail at SCHG, 1615 Dial Road, Red Springs, N.C. 28377.  Corporate sponsorships are available. No pets, firearms or outside alcohol are permitted. 

For more information, visit www.schgnc.org. 

I wrote my first column about the popularity of tattoos more than a decade ago after I found myself touring the Airborne and Special Operations Museum downtown with a woman of my vintage who sported a bright yellow Tweety Bird tattoo on the outside of her calf. 

Flabbergasted as I was, I noticed that Tweety — he of “I taught I saw a puddy tat” fame — looked a bit startled to find himself permanently perched on someone’s leg. Since then, of course, I have observed thousands of other tattoos, mostly on younger people, including a recently spotted one splayed across the collar bones of young mother doing her grocery shopping. In very curly script the word “Beloved” I am still trying to figure out whether she is beloved of someone else or whether she is especially fond of herself.

In the years since I first realized the United States is in the grip of tattoo mania, I have visited two tattoo parlors where a “self-medicating” soldier was having a $1,000-plus multi colored Asian dragon inked around his left calf and where the proprietors of another establishment actually asked for more regulation from the state since they were sticking needles into folks. A country musician who asked what my “problem” is with tattoos has called me out from the stage. Two of the Precious Jewels got tattoos reading “Mom.” Blessedly, they were henna and are now long gone. I have also written about tattoo removal, a bit of a growth industry, which can be both expensive and painful and which does not always work.

After my visit to the first tattoo parlor, I asked Up & Coming Weeklyreaders whether you have tattoos and, if so, where and why. You responded in spades, starting with a good friend. She confided that she has three tattoos, each associated with a man, none of whom play
any role in her life today. She is also sorry she tattoos and tries to
cover them in certain circumstances, sometimes using strategically placed bandages.

On reader described all four of her tattoos, each of which has enduring meaning to her, even though she says she will not be tattooed again after experiencing a religious revelation.

“1) My name and a star on each side…(not the brightest idea I’ve ever had…but at least it’s not someone else’s name!)

2) Since I wasn’t satisfied with the way it looked I had some clouds and a hummingbird added around it.

3) On my ankle I have an emblem of wings, designed by myself and the tattoo artist, in honor of my brother-in-law (now deceased), because he was paralyzed after being hit head on by a drunk driver….

4) The one closest to my heart is a purple, filled in, tear drop under my eye. I lost a child years ago, no children since. It expresses my continual sorrow over that loss, which I am still here in the flesh, til I am with my precious child again.

Personally, I like certain tattoos (obviously) as a form of self-expression. But God’s word plainly speaks against it so no more for me.”

A 46-year-old librarian shared that she has two Mandarin tattoos and is at peace with them. She is also thoughtful about her decision. “…the reasons why people get tattoos are as varied and personal as the type of toothpaste they select... I thought about what it would mean to me and what it would signify to those who had their own opiniona... I think with anything considered permanent and outside the norm of society, one must think long and hard and know that just as you can’t change any part of painting by one of the master painters, you can’t frivolously decide to have your body tattooed, it’s a life altering act and should be viewed
as such.”

The tattoo rationale that makes the most sense to me came from a diabetic woman who was badly injured and unconscious. Hospital personnel treated her with glucose that nearly killed her. She has since had “I am a diabetic” tattooed on her forearm, although she does note that it does not look great “with dress up clothes.” It occurred to me that “If found, please return to…” might be helpful for wandering
senior citizens.

I have long since sworn off writing about tattoos at the behests of a friend and the Precious Jewels, but another friend tipped me back over the edge by his observation after he saw a photograph of me wearing an ornate and detailed Venetian mask.

Said friend wondered whether I had submitted to an extensive
facial tattoo.

That’ll be the day!

Ten years after those first tattoo columns and millions of tatts later, I would love to know what you are thinking now. Do you have any tattoos? Do you still love them? Have you had any removed? Why? Why? And why?

My inbox is open.

Well, you can talk until you are blue in the face about escalating Fayetteville and Cumberland County’s image and quality of life by increasing local amenities like parks, swimming pools, a river walk, a downtown performing arts center and baseball stadiums; however, the reality is that the absence of honest, local leadership coupled with an overabundance of political shenanigans, seems to be imbedded in Cumberland County. 

While local politicians (note politicians, not leaders) remain silent, local residents scratch their heads and shout out loud, “Are you kidding me?” Such was the reaction of residents last week as our local county commissioners clandestinely agreed to enlist our local legislative delegation in a plot to hijack the $5.6 million hotel occupancy tax, which is collected annually. Currently, the money is split between the Arts Council, Crown Coliseum and the Fayetteville Area Convention and Visitor Bureau. No more, if the county commissions get their way. Why? They won’t say. No transparency and even less explanation. 

The commissioners, without explanation, except to say they are not pleased with the way the money is being spent, want to take the money away from the Tourism Development Authority, a board appointed by the commissioners. Hmmmm? That’s interesting. They are not pleased with the board that they appointed and are unable to deal with the situation to the point that they enlisted the legislature to change the law. That kind of judgment raises eyebrows and fosters distrust in our political leadership. It’s the near perfect example of the self-serving, backdoor politics that has stymied development in Fayetteville for decades in both our county and city. 

 Fayetteville activist Sharon Valentine wrote a great opinion piece in last Sunday’s Fayetteville Observer. She expressed her displeasure over the way the Fayetteville City Council disrespected her friend, Councilman Bobby Hurst. Hurst serves as the chair of the appointment committee, whose task was to screen applicants and make a recommendation to the city council on someone to fill the expired PWC term of businesswoman Lynne Greene. I’m not sure what the qualifications are to oversee PWC’s $500+ million annual budget, but Hurst wanted to appoint Juanita Gonzalez, who many perceive as Hurst’s unqualified plant to undermine and dilute PWC’s authority. An action, I might add, that the disputed 100-year PWC Charter was designed to prevent.  However, in a brilliant and unprecedented maneuver by the majority of city council members, local resident Evelyn Shaw was nominated for the position from the floor. Checkmate! Consequently, Shaw was voted in, Gonzalez out and Hurst was outraged.

Why?  Because the process was violated? No. Because his misuse and abuse of his political office was trumped by his political peers. He was outmaneuvered. Yet, in life two wrongs do not make a right. Nonetheless, this is bad news for the “good guys” or in this case, a community, like ours, with awesome potential and a desperate need for 21st century leadership. 

It’s not at all surprising that the three 2016 Presidential front runners are Trump, Carson and Fiorina–all notable Washington outsiders. Why? Because career politicians are more and more being perceived by the American electorate as untrustworthy, self-serving, unreliable and unaccountable. The old saying all politics are local, leaves us hoping that the citizens of Fayetteville and Cumberland County will pay attention to these recent abuses of trust and authority and encourage good people to seek leadership positions. This is the only way we can restore faith and trust in government and successfully move our community forward. Stay tuned and thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Givens Performing Arts Center is a mainstay in quality entertainment bringing international acts as well as regional and local talent to the stage. While GPAC has a strong connection to Fayetteville, that bond just got stronger.  In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and in conjunction with the Visual Arts Alliance, GPAC is proud to sponsor the latest Gallery 208 exhibit, Bras for the Cause: Artful Bras. The exhibit is free and open to the public at 208 Rowan Street. The exhibit speaks to the fierce and tenacious spirit of women who combat breast cancer every day. It celebrates the triumphs of those who fought and won, while honoring the struggle of those who did not.

The timing of the Bras for the Cause exhibit dovetails perfectly with the timing of the next GPAC performance, which celebrates another uniquely feminine quandary: menopause. This particular show includes three breast cancer survivors.  Menopause the Musical is a tribute to womanhood and all the mysterious hormones that come with it. It is on stage at GPAC on Oct. 9. This humorous interpretation of the trying adventure that is menopause is an exciting, musical and hilarious for everyone. 

“It is a party, an absolute party. It is such a fun event. Everyone comes over and over — and that’s fun, too. There are women who come to multiple shows and bring their friends and their daughters. We have multiple generations of women come to the show, it is great to share. Some bring their husbands, unsuspecting men. The last show, not four minutes in, we heard a man guffawing. There is no men bashing, it’s just so charming. And they can appreciate it because they experience it, too. Not to give them credit for going through menopause, rather they go through our menopause,” saidJudy Blue who plays the “Soap Star” in the show. 

This is a musical production. The show features familiar songs from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s, but rewritten as parodies to fit the struggles of menopause. Blue says that everyone has their own favorite symptom. Sharing these symptoms — like hot flashes or uncontrollable crying —however miserable they me be, serves as a bridge between otherwise radically different people both on and off stage. 

“We learn to embrace and start to understand each other. We don’t like each other at first, but not two songs in, we start to understand each other with the symptoms that we share,” Blue explains. 

In addition to candid conversation about menopause, this tour also focuses on how important an honest and supportive discussion about breast cancer is. 

“This Menopause the Musical Tour is the survivor show. The musical is the same, for those who have seen it before, but we have three breast cancer survivors. So part of the proceeds of the show go to the Susan G. Komen Foundation,” Blue says. 

Two dollars of every ticket sold will benefit the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

“It was just a natural fit for us, especially with what we have faced in our pasts. I had a lumpectomy and some radiation, and it was small. I am grateful for that. Another woman in the show had massive amounts of chemotherapy and was in it for the long haul. But she came back strong. We are living full lives. We dance around on stage for hours every night! It’s a hope, too. That’s what we want to share. You can get through it and that’s what we are here to represent.” 

Blue encourages women to become educated about preventative measures like a healthy diet and exercise and regular mammograms. There is no telling what life may throw at you. But the women of Menopause the Musical take on the challenges of life with passion, hope, understanding and sisterhood. She says that she feels most rewarded when she can share that hopefulness with the audience.

“We meet people afterwards that say that this is the most they have laughed in months and they go out after the show and keep that upbeat I can conquer anything mood going,” she said.

Menopause the Musical is on stage at the Givens Performing Arts Center on Oct. 9 at 8 p.m. The Givens Performing Arts Center is located at 1 University Dr. in Pembroke. To purchase tickets. call (910) 521-6361 or visit tickets.com. For more information visit www.uncp.edu/giving/advancement/givens-performing-arts-center. 

When it comes to fall fun, there is no shortage of corn mazes, haunted trails and pumpkin patches. As this season gets underway, here are several must-do activities!

Anyone looking for a frightful adventure won’t want to miss the Stoney Point Trail of Terror. Not for the faint of heart, this Halloween tradition features a stage show followed by a trek through a haunted mansion and a spooky wooded trail. Monsters, clowns, creepy creatures and more greet visitors in animated and 3-D scenes. This year, don’t miss the newest addition to the event — a chance to hunt the undead in the Zombie Rampage interactive paintball experience. The Trail of Terror is a fundraiser for the Stoney Point Fire Department. Funds are used to purchase firefighting and lifesaving equipment.

The trail runs Oct.9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 29, 30, 31 and due to bad weather is extened into November. Trail hours are 8 until 11 p.m. Admission is $15 per person (adults and children). Special VIP admissions are available for $25. The Trail is located behind the Stoney Point Fire Department, Station #13 at 7221 Stoney Point Road. For more information, please check out the website: www.undeadfd.com, our Facebook page (stoney point trail of terror), or give call at  424-0694.

Hubb’s Farm located in Clinton, hosts eastern Carolina’s largest fall festival. This year there are three mazes from which to choose: a shorter game maze for beginners and two longer mazes for the more experienced navigator. If a maze doesn’t suit you, check out the haunted trail that leads through the woods and into a sorghum field. Other activities at Hubb’s Farm include outdoor laser tag, human foosball, a pumpkin patch, a play house, a game area, a train, a sandbox, toddler town, fire pits, hay rides, concessions and more. Find out more at www.hubbscornmaze.com.

Just outside of Sanford, Gross Farms hosts 15-acres of corn mazes. There are three puzzles that include more than five miles of pathways. Each puzzle has checkpoints. Hayrides around the farm add a great twist to the outdoor adventure, as do the play area and concessions. Starting the second week in October, Gross Farms hosts a pumpkin patch where guests can pick and purchase their own pumpkins. Check out www.grossfarms.com for more information.

West Produce is located in Spring Lake. A visit to this establishment includes fresh fruits and vegetables for sale as well as hayrides and pumpkin picking. Call 497-7443 for more information.

A visit to Gillis Hill Farm features an educational corn maze where kids can learn a thing or two while having a great time. Wagon rides, pumpkins and more. Find out more about them at www.gillishillfarm.com. Fans of the Gillis Hill Farms Field of Screams will be pleased to know that this event is back, but at a different location. This year it is at the Hoke County Wagon Train (1239 Alex Baker Road, in Raeford). Message the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Fieldofscreams13/posts/911372942276697 to find out more.

Canady Farm Corn Maze and Wagon Ride offers a maze, an educational nature trail as well as hayrides. Don’t miss the opportunity to visit the farm animals and shop the fresh produce. Call  624-2959 for more information.

The Gallberry Corn Maze features a maze, duck races, a train ride, bouncy houses and many more fun activities. Call at  309-7582 for hours of operation and information.

The Fayetteville Dogwood Festival hosts the Dogwood Fall Festival featuring three days of events. Historic Hauntings includes hayrides through downtown Fayetteville exploring the spookier side of Fayetteville’s history. The Haunted Asylum includes an outdoor haunted maze that promises to leave even the bravest thrill seekers shaking with fear. The Boo and Brew Beer Garden includes domestic and craft beers sold by the pint. Don’t miss the Food Truck Festival featuring a variety of food trucks offering up everything from familiar comfort food to one-of-a-kind sensations. Find out more at www.faydogwoodfestival.com/events.

Cumberland County Schools and Communities in Schools puts the spotlight on literacy at the 12th Annual Reading Rocks! Walk-a-thon on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 8:30 a.m. at Festival Park in Downtown Fayetteville.  

“We hope to have a large turnout like we have in previous years,” said Jody Hawley, chairperson of Reading Rocks. “We need thousands of walkers to join us to celebrate literacy in Cumberland County Schools.”  

The goal of the event is to raise money for schools to purchase books and other learning resources for the students. 

“We would like to top last year. Our schools raised more than $240,000,” said Hawley. Our total last year including our in-kind donations for the whole district was more than $257,000.”  

The walk begins at 9 a.m. and the route winds past historic downtown sites. High school bands are stationed along the route to perform as walkers pass by.  The schools designated as the most improved and the schools raising the most in donations will also receive recognition. The high school band that raised the greatest amount of money will lead the walk with Mayor Nat Robertson and other special guests.  Costume characters are also on site. 

“This year the spirit award has been revamped in order to get schools more involved while they are walking and showing their school spirit,” said Hawley.  

All donations are tax deductible. The countywide fund is distributed equitably among all schools to purchase books and learning tools that benefit Cumberland County students. Schools are allowed to continue to raise money through Dec. 4 in the name of Reading Rocks! 

“We are very excited about the walk this year,” said Hawley. “We know that this is the largest fundraiser for Cumberland County Schools and it is the largest event that gets so much of our community involved.”    

Sponsorship levels are available. T-shirts are $5 for youth and $10 for adults. Donations should be mailed to CCS Information Technology and Media Services, 2465 Gillespie Street, Fayetteville, N.C. 28306. 

Gates open at 8 a.m. Pets are not allowed. For more information, call 678-2613

The Child Advocacy Center’s Pinwheel Masquerade Ball and Auction is set for Saturday, Oct. 17. Don your best party mask and come ready to have some fun. The evening includes mask contests, a deejay, dance demonstrations, a live auction, refreshments and more. 

Emily Cross is doing a lot of the planning and she is excited about the auction items this year. 

“This year the packages are bigger and we added a lot of  travel packages,” she said. “We have trips to Costa Rica, Hawaii, New York and we even have a Sonoma Wine Tour package. We already have a group of eight coming just to bid on the trip to Costa Rica. We’ve invited Fayetteville’s best chefs to participate so the food will be fantastic, too.”

Funds from the Pinwheel Masquerade Ball and Auction benefit the Child Advocacy Center, which works to alleviate the trauma children experience once a disclosure of sexual abuse or serious physical abuse occurs by creating a community of collaborating advocates. The organization’s vision is a community where children live in a safe and nurturing environment free from sexual and physical abuse. By working with partners throughout the community, the CAC provides a safe and child-friendly center that supports the prevention, investigation and prosecution of child abuse.

Last year the Pinwheel Masquerade Ball brought in $29,600. This year, the planning committee is hoping for $40,000. 

“There are so many expenses that grants don’t cover for nonprofits,” said Tim Edwards, chairman of the CAC Board. “You have to pay the staff and the rent and things like that. We are also working hard to increase education in the community because that helps stop and prevent abuse. Last year, more than 2,500 people received training in abuse prevention for children through CAC. We are trying to decrease the number of cases of abuse. Last year 661 children received services at CAC. We would love to see that go down, but that was an increase of 50 from the year before. That should not be happening.”

Founded in 1993, the CAC is instrumental in creating an environment where kids feel safe. Having one location where professionals from 19 community agencies work to interview, investigate and provide support for abused children and their families helps make an already complicated situation less frightening. It means fewer interviews, which means that victims don’t have to keep retelling their traumatic story to different people. Having all the information and resources in one place means that professionals can share information and details that help determine what is in the best interest of the children and families that come through the CAC. These agencies include law enforcement, medical care, mental health, military family services, social work, child protective services, the Cumberland County District Attorney’s office, victim advocates, education and Guardian ad Litem. This not only helps victims heal and gives advocates critical information and tools, it saves the community roughly $500,000 a year. 

“Before the Child Advocacy Center was established, children would have to go from agency to agency and retell their story every time. They were revictimized  every time they had to retell their experiences,” said Edwards. “These kids go through so much … things we can’t even fathom. If we can help them at all, we should and that is what we are trying to do here.”

The event takes place at the Metropolitan Room in Downtown Fayetteville. Tickets and tables are on sale at the Child Advocacy Center’s website, www.childadvocacycenter.com, or by calling the center at (910) 486-9700. 

I have been a warm if not avid Carolina basketball fan since high school when one of Fayetteville’s shining sports lights, Franklin Clark — then Rusty and one of my childhood friends — was a star on a Carolina team that went all the way to the NCAA finals.

But I also realized through a humiliating experience that I was not and probably never would be a true sports aficionado. That reality slammed home to me when I was part of a group of college students watching — or in my case, pretending to watch — a football game on TV. Most of the group were boys, visiting the Clarks for Thanksgiving. Someone walked into the room and asked who was playing and trying to be the coolest girl in the room, I blurted, “Alabama and Atlanta.” 

The hoots cut me to the quick even though I had no idea why people were laughing.

I have since recovered and gone on to live a reasonably productive life. I have even discovered the difference between college and professional sports.

All of that being water over the dam now, it is true that certain sports figures command our attention and affection, even if their sport does not. Michael Jackson has not played basketball in years, but we love him anyway. Another of those for me was Yogi Berra who played catcher for the New York Yankees, whose World Series games the students of Haymount Elementary School, I among them, were herded into the school auditorium to watch on black and white televisions. This was odd to me even then, but I think the principal, Mrs. McArthur was a baseball fan. 

Unless you have been visiting somewhere lacking CNN coverage, you know that Yogi Berra died late last month at 90. He is mourned by many both for his skill, endurance and understanding of baseball and for his renderings of the English language. Some say he butchered proper English, but who is to say that Yogi was just having a little fun with the rest of us.

Here are some of Yogi’s most famous quotes, which have come to be called Yogi-isms. You do not have to be a Yankee’s fan, a baseball fan, or any fan at all to appreciate what he is saying.

“Never answer an anonymous letter.”

“I usually take a two-hour nap from 1 to 4.”

“You can observe a lot by watching.”

“The future ain’t what it used to be.”

“If the people don’t want to come to the ballpark, nobody’s going to stop them.”

“Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.”

“Nobody goes there anymore. It’s too crowded.”

“I always thought that record would stand until it was broken.”

“I am not going to buy my kids an encyclopedia. Let them walk to school the way I did.”

“It ain’t the heat. It’s
the humility.”

“I don’t know (if they were men or women fans running naked across the field). They had bags over their heads.”

“I never said most of the things I said.”

“The towels were so thick there I could hardly close my suitcase.”

“Take it with a grin of salt.”

“I never blame myself when I’m not hitting. I just blame the bat and if it keeps up, I change bats. After all, if I know it isn’t my fault that I’m not hitting, how can I get mad at myself?”

“You should always go to other people’s funerals. Otherwise, they won’t come to yours.”

“When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”

“It’s déjà vu all over again.”

“We made too many wrong mistakes.”

“If you don’t know where you are going, you might wind up
someplace else.”

“It gets late early out here.”

“I am a lucky guy and I’m happy to be with the Yankees. And I want to thank everyone for making this night necessary.”

“A nickel ain’t worth a dime anymore.”

“I think Little League is wonderful. It keeps the kids out of the house.”

You gotta love the fellow who came up with these and others, whether he knew what he was saying or not — and I suspect he did. He wowed us with his athletic prowess and knowledge and his words left us wanting more.

One of his most famous Yogi’isms was this:

“It ain’t over till it’s over.”

He was right, of course, but Yogi Berra will live on for Americans as long as we are able to read and enjoy a good chuckle.

We should all be so lucky.

Healthcare is a hot topic of debate around the world. Here in the United States, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention touts the success of The Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, in a report released in August. The National Health Interview Survey, noted that just “9.2 percent of the population, or about 29 million people, had no coverage during the first three months of 2015. That’s down from 11.5 percent in 2014, 14.4 percent in 2013, and 16 percent back in 2010.”

While Obamacare was directed at ensuring people have health insurance, it also ensured access to care when it is needed. That is probably the most important thing for most of us. If we are sick or one of our family members falls ill, we want to be seen by qualified healthcare providers in a clean, safe environment. That doesn’t seem like a lot to ask. But in North Carolina and in many other states, it is.

A report released in March by the Association of American Medical Colleges indicates that by 2025, a shortage of as many as 90,000 physicians will impact the United States. That is not good news.

Currently across the nation, people wait anywhere from seven to 66 days to schedule an appointment with a family physician. In Southern states, the average wait is around two weeks. That’s okay if you are just monitoring your health, but two weeks is a long time when you are sick. These wait times often force people without true emergencies into emergency rooms or quick care clinics that are popping up throughout the nation, including in local drug stores. This is not an ideal means of seeing to your health because there is no follow-up. 

Here, in Cumberland County, where we have three hospitals and a plethora of physicians of every kind and variety, yet the lack of access to care is very real — particularly for those who are assigned to military clinics on Fort Bragg. With its flagship hospital, Womack Army Medical Center, routine healthcare at Fort Bragg is  provided at family practice clinics that are spread across the post. Active duty personnel and their families are assigned to clinics based on their unit. Retirees and their families are then thrown into the mix.

During the troop build-up, many retirees who pay for their healthcare through Tricare were forced off the post and into the civilian sector. About two years ago, those folks were brought back into the fold at Fort Bragg as  a cost-reducing measure. Most were satisfied with the change, but that was then.

As I have noted previously, I have never had anything but stellar care at Womack and its clinics. The care has never been the problem — it has always been getting to the care. TRICARE Standard guarantees certain access standards for care. For urgent care, appointment wait times cannot exceed 24 hours. For routine care, appointment wait times should not exceed seven days. For specialty referrals and wellness care, the standard is no more than four weeks. That puts the access to care in line with that of most in our region.

That would be great if that were the case. There is a shortage of providers on Fort Bragg. I will use myself as an example. Several weeks ago I was sick; running a fever, congested, throat-on-fire sick. I tried to make an appointment. I couldn’t. Why? Because a large number of providers at my clinic left, and I am an orphan in the system. I am assigned to a clinic but have no provider. So I called to see if I could get a same day appointment. No joy. The nurse I spoke with realized I was very sick and got me referred off post to a local FastMed. This past week, I needed another appointment. I called to book one. Again, because of my orphan status, appointments were not available. I called again. I was told I could not book an appointment until late December. This is October. That’s 12 weeks before I can attempt to make an appointment to be seen. This doesn’t even come close to meeting access to care standards.

I am not alone. My friends and co-workers face the same problem. In talking with the provider at FastMed, yes, I was referred off post again, I found that the FastMed office is seeing a tidal wave of military families who are in the same boat — even three- and four-week-old infants. Talking with another provider at the drug store, I heard the same thing.

The healthcare shortage is real in Cumberland County and on Fort Bragg; it is truly a sad state for healthcare and those who need it.

Summer is always a time for fun and all things country; country music that is.

WKML 95.7 has stuck by the slogan “Today’s Country” for more than a decade. On July 16, the  station is set to host its first New Artist Showcase in the parking lot of the Crown Complex. Artists such as country duo LoCash, Drake White and the band Outshyne will be perform, bringing the sounds of summer to Fayetteville. This is the first in a series that will bring a new round of entertainers to the area while showing the community a good time.

Locash is a country music duo consisting of Chris Lucas and Preston Brust. The pair co-wrote Keith Urban’s single “You Gonna Fly” and Tim McGraws single “Truck Yeah.” Drak White debuted on the charts with his 2013 song “It Feels Good.” Not just a singer but a song writer, too, White has opened up for acts like Eric Church, Luke Bryan and Lynyrd Skynyrd. Outshyne was formed in 2007 when a group of high school friends got together to sing. Their debut album Startin’ Over  is currently receiving rave reviews from critics. Outshyne continues to put out singles that climbs the charts.

While music is at the center of this event, there will be plenty of activities and vendors to make the day memorable. Guests are encouraged to enjoy the fun with games and multiple food trucks. Other activities include dancing and onstage contests that fit the good natured and entertaining spirit of WKML. 

As the community’s country music station, WKML is always looking for ways to engage the community and bring that sweet country sound its listeners love a little closer to home. \

Ashley Wilson, radio personality at WKML said, “We just want to remind people we can have a great time locally. I love country music and I especially enjoy it when I don’t have to travel far for a great time.” 

Bringing fresh talent to the area is something the station sees as an opportunity not just to have a good time but to reach out to listeners and make the entertainment a little more personal. 

“With this being the first of our summer series we are using this as a test run. We hope to make this an event something we have every year,” she said. 

Don’t let the warm weather slow things down. There will be refreshing activities and entertainment throughout the event that will keep the audience cool no matter how hot the music gets. 

“This event, although a showcase, we are also calling it a parking lot party or beer garden. We are expected to have different activities to help cool off due to the hot weather,” said Wilson.

The parking lot parties will be apart of a series of events each month of summer leading into fall. Each parking lot party, of course, will have a different twist and be led by WKMLs signature slogan “Todays Country.”

Tickets are $10 and are on sale now. The gates open at 6 p.m., and music will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 for all-access members of WKML and Crown Insiders. Tickets are available at the Crown Complex Box Office or online at www.crowncomplexnc.com. Find out more about this event at http://wkml.com/events/wkmls-parking-lot-party.

Listening recently to members of both the Republican and Democratic Parties, the public seems to be getting fed up with career politicians and their do nothing “business as usual” attitudes at all levels of government. Most of the displeasure is coming not from what our elected officials are doing, but rather what they are not doing: being honest and working hard to serve the people and not themselves. 

This behavior is becoming the new normal... and that’s scary. Example: Sure, the North Carolina General Assembly finally passed the budget, but, at what cost? Coming in nearly three months over due at a cost of $50,000 per day makes you wonder where their priorities are. Do the math. How many low wealth North Carolina counties could have been helped with the distribution of several million dollars? No, this is not responsible governance on the state level. I would recommend that the July budget deadline be enforced allowing for only one temporary spending law to be passed. 

After that, except for basic expenses, they should not be paid. The system, as it is, only rewards bad behavior at taxpayers expense.

On the local level, we need to hold our elected officials accountable. We, as voting residents, need to get energized and start asking the tough questions and stop settling for ambiguous promises short on actual facts and details. We need to get more vocal in calling out politicians who continuously do the wrong things for the wrong reasons.

The Fayetteville community needs real leaders in place to move us into the 21st century. Leaders who motivate and inspire people and desire to make Fayetteville a better community. 

We know who they are, so get ready to vote.  

On a side note, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize a true American hero, Fayetteville native Ed Reeder. Reeder, a graduate of Pine Forest High School, went on to play football at Appalachian State University and then entered the U.S. Army. While in the Army, Reeder was part of the elite Army Special Forces, leading troops throughout Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. 

Reeder is thought to be the foremost expert in the Army on Afghanistan and has built relationships that few could have. Throughout his time in the Army, he has continued to call Fayetteville home, and along with his wife, Adrienne, have been wonderful citizens of our community.

Last Wednesday, Reeder, now a three-star general, retired at Fort Bragg. His ceremony was attended by a veritable Who’s Who in Army special operations, where heroes abound. All of them came to honor our hometown boy. Eddie, we are proud of you and wish you nothing but success in your future and look forward to what you continue to contribute to our community!

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

 

I know I am going where others fear to tread, and, believe me, I do so with great trepidation.  

But here I go anyway, diving headfirst into the roiling waters of defining marriage, what it is and what it is not. This turns out to be a more complicated topic than any of us might have thought, one
 that has interested people throughout recorded history and an institution that has evolved over time.  

The latest fervor of interest erupted surrounding the US Supreme Court’s ruling earlier this year that the legal protections and benefits of marriage cannot Constitutionally be withheld from same-gender couples.

Several years ago, I read Stanford scholar Marilyn Yalom’s excellent and readable look at marriage in the Western world primarily from a woman’s point of view, A History of the Wife.  She also wrote the equally compelling History of the Breast, but that is another column entirely.  

On marriage, Yalom rightly notes that for most of human history, marriages were made for reasons other than romantic love. From the very earliest unions centuries ago, marriage conveyed property and power, executed mergers of familial interests, provided heirs to carry on family names and resources, and guaranteed homemaking and other services to men. They were business deals, not sacred unions. Religion entered the marriage arena somewhat later.

Yalom’s book jacket asks these questions.

“How did marriage considered a religious duty in medieval Europe become a venue for personal fulfillment in contemporary America? How did the notion of romantic love, a novelty in the Middle Ages, become a prerequisite for marriage today? And, if the original purpose of marriage was procreation, what exactly is the purpose of marriage for women today?”

What indeed?

Study after study tell us that men benefit more in marriage than do women, that men are happier in marriage than women, and that women—and increasingly in our country older women—seek divorce more often than men. What does all that tell us about marriage in our culture?

It tells me that each marriage is different and that none of us know what is going on in anyone’s marriage but our own. It also tells me that the institution of marriage continues to evolve. My grandmothers’ marriages were different than my own, and I expect my children to have marriages encompassing different roles and responsibilities as well. Marriages involving multiple wives are not unusual in many cultures and were once legal in our own, courtesy of America’s homegrown religious denomination, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, in which the practice still exists, albeit underground these days. My grandmothers probably never heard of a woman who did not take her husband’s family’s surname, while my children’s generation views that as a choice for women, not an obligation.

Yalom largely skirts same-gender marriage issues, which were not as publicly pressing when her book was published in 2001 as they seem in 2015. Many others have weighed in, though, including our nation’s highest court. Many of those who have point out that while different religious traditions have their own takes on what marriage should be, it is also a secular legal institution which must treat all individuals equally. In other words, legal marriage’s protections and benefits are available to all adults who seek them regardless of skin color, religious beliefs, national or ethnic origin, or gender. Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis, herself a veteran of four marriages, recently thought her beliefs outweighed the law of the land as defined by they US Supreme Court, and we all saw what happened to her.

Whatever one’s beliefs and experiences with marriage may be, marriage has always been and remains a deeply and profound personal experience.  Each union is unique, and the experiences of the two people within a marriage are, for better or worse, theirs alone.  Almost everyone who has ever been in a marriage reports that some days, some weeks, some years are better than others and that over time marriage soars to great highs and falls to sad and painful lows.  

And still, the institution endures for all sorts of reasons, and
human beings marry each other every day in our country and throughout the world. 

Romantic love is clearly a large factor, but so are the desire for companionship, the need for physical and financial stability, the yearning for children, religious and cultural protection, and reasons private and known only to those entering marriage. Marriage is a uniquely human creation designed to give structure to our desires and stability to our common life together.  However flawed as the institution may be, it endures because we want to bind ourselves to each other.

The International Folk Festival is an annual celebration hosted by the Arts Council of Fayetteville that celebrates the beautiful diversity in the community. The festival features food, music, dance and many other traditional celebrations of culture. It is a fantastic way to learn about both traditions around the world and your neighbors that keep these customs alive. 

The International Folk Festival starts on Friday, Sept. 25, with music and a presentation by North Carolina artists with Latino and Hispanic roots in front of the Arts Council, which is located at 301 Hay St. The festival focuses on education and appreciation. It provides a platform for the many different cultures represented in Fayetteville to share their beautiful traditions.  

Saturday, Sept. 26, the event begins at 10:30 a.m. with the Parade of Nations. The parade takes place on Hay St. 

“We expect the entire parade to be live-streamed by WRAL. Last year we had people, family members, all over the world watching the parade,” Mary Kinney, marketing director for the Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County said. 

The streets will be flooded with bright traditional dress and lively music. Saturday the 26th and Sunday the 27th, Festival Park opens at noon and closes at 6 p.m. Visitors can look forward to food, crafts, music and dance from all over the globe. There are also special presentations for children. The parade, all presentations and entrance to the festival are free to the public.

This year the International Folk Festival has a strong focus on technology. In addition to the returning WRAL Global Scavenger Hunt there is an entirely new area. 

“We are introducing an area called the Global Tech Café. This is hosted by the Cumberland County School System English as a Second Language  program. The students, parents and staff from ESL will share tools and resources that they use. The tools may include iPads and periodically live video streams from around the world. They will also be demonstrating apps and websites that they use themselves,” Kinney explained. 

This focus on technology is embraced throughout the entire festival. 

“We will have selfie stations, which will represent places all around the world like Big Ben. It’ll be a lot of fun, people can take pictures of themselves as if they are in Africa. These are scattered around the park and we encourage people to take selfies and share them on social media,” Kinney said, “The world is connected with technology. It only makes sense that the Arts Council’s International Folk Festival be just as connected. We need to recognize the roll of technology culturally. “

In addition to all of the new exciting aspects of the festival, the beloved favorites are here to stay. There is music, dancing, vendors, artistic presentations and, of course, food. 

“Something that you can’t do every day of the week is have egg rolls and ox tail on the same plate. I love the blending of cultures. You can cheer for Belize one moment and then Indonesia the next. You can listen to African drumming and a few steps away is bilingual storytelling … it is amazing the sense of the range of cultures represented,” said Kinney. 

For more information, visit www.theartscouncil.com/iff.php or call 910-323-1776.