If royalty has ever visited our fair city, other than the Marquis de LaFayette, for whom the city is named after, we can’t find a record of it. So, it is with great excitement that Cumberland County residents are set to welcome not only a member of the British royalty, but also a member of rock-n-roll royalty: Sir Elton John.

John is well known, if you don’t know his face, you at least know and probably love at least one of his songs. He is one of the most highly acclaimed artists of all time holding five Grammys, a Grammy Legend Award, a Tony, an Oscar, induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriter Hall of Fame, a knighthood from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth of Great Britain and he holds the record for best-selling single of all time — just to name a few of his accomplishments. He has permanently and globally left his mark on music and he is coming to Fayetteville on March 11.

Sir Elton (as the international press have deemed him) was born in 1947 in Middlesex, England under the name Reginald Kenneth Dwight. He changed his name to Eton Hercules John in 1967. He demonstrated skill on the piano at the incredibly early age of 3 by picking out a popular song by ear. By 11, he had a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. His childhood was often restrictive, but with the support of his mother and stepfather, he began his music career at 15, playing piano at a local pub on the weekends. This gave him an outlet to play not only popular songs, but also those that he composed himself. His music caught the ear of people in the recording industry, and became a staff writer for Liberty records, routinely composing music for the lyrics written by Bernie Taupin. The pairing of John and Taupin created a beautiful partnership that still produces incredible music.

John’s first hit that rocketed him into success was “Your Song,” which was released in 1970 on the B-side of “Take Me to the Pilot.” It was extremely popular in the United States and in the United Kingdom, and in 1998, was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. Since that very first hit, he has remained in the public’s eye — and ears. Just a few of his other popular works include “Can you Feel the Love Tonight” from The Lion King, Billy Elliot the Musical, ”Candle in the Wind” and “The Road to Eldorado.”

The March 11 concert is part of the All the Hits Tour. John and his band will perform classic and well-loved album tracks from throughout his career. The band includes incredible musicians familiar to Elton John fans: Davey Johnstone on guitars, mandolin, banjo and vocals. Matt Bissonette on bass guitar and vocals. Kim Bullard is on keyboards. John Mahon is on percussion, drums and vocals. Nigel Olsson is on drums and vocals. This concert is the perfect opportunity for longtime fans to experience all of their favorites and for new fans to experience the height of his entire five-decade career in a single evening.

Elton John will perform at the Crown Coliseum, located at 1960 Coliseum Dr., on March 11 at 8 p.m. Ticket prices vary, with tickets ranging from $50 to several hundred dollars. Tickets are available at ticketmaster.com or by phone at 800-745-3000 or at the Crown Box Office. The limit is 8 tickets per customer.

For more information visit http://crowncomplexnc.com/events/elton-john/ or call 910-438-4100.

Photo: Ever flamboyant, the talented singer/songwriter Sir Elton John is making a stop at the Crown Coliseum on March 11.

FireAntz right winger Kyle McNeil, is in his fourth professional season in Fayetteville where he has recorded 17 points on 10 goals and 7 assists through 42 games. The Cambridge, Ontario native has spent his entire professional career in Fayetteville and says that he “really appreciates the fans, the city, and the FireAntz organization.” During his time here in Fayetteville, McNeil has enjoyed the opportunity to give back to the community through the Heart of Carolina Food Drive every year.

Growing up, McNeil looked up to legends like Wayne Gretzky and Wendell Clark, who inspired him to pursue a career in professional hockey. On game day, McNeil enjoys lunch from Fazoli’s after a morning skate followed by 2-3 hours of sleep. On the way to the rink, McNeil makes his routine pit stop at Starbucks. Just like most, McNeil dresses one foot at a time, but he is a bit superstitious when gearing up pregame, dressing from left to right for every game. Once he is finished playing, McNeil hopes to pursue a career in coaching while also becoming certified in Crossfit.

This season, McNeil’s roommate is rookie Austin Daae who is also a race car legend. McNeil says something that the public may not know about Daae is “he enjoys cartoon movies.” In the off season, McNeil spends time in Canada with family, but also makes it back down to Fayetteville and Myrtle Beach, where he enjoys the golf courses as well as a good steak from none other than Texas Roadhouse.

Favorite Song: Talladega by Eric Church

Favorite Movie: Goodfellas/Breakfast Club

Favorite Alcoholic Beverage:  Bud Light

Favorite Sports Team: Toronto Maple Leafs

What would you do for a Klondike bar? “I would go 0-100 real quick.”

Photo:  Kyle McNeil, FireAntz right winger

Sanderson Farms: No Winners, No Losers

and Certainly No Heroes

Red shirts? Green shirts? In the end, will it really matter? Did it really matter? I think not. When all is said and done, there will be no real winners or losers here, and, certainly no heroes. Just a shamed, embarrassed, red-faced community we call Cumberland County again hanging its head to avoid eye contact with its North Carolina peers. Well, this is something we all should be getting use to. And, if anyone has future plans for running for political office, a good strategy might be to engage in your own pre-campaign apology tour. This way, Cumberland County residents will know what to expect and, consequently, be less disappointed.

Ugh! Sanderson Farms! Just the thought of that politically charged circus and clown parade makes me want to ask PETA to defend the rights and dignity of my Chick-fil-A sandwich. Well, hopefully, we are close to the end now and perhaps there is a lesson to be learned here. The question remains: Will we learn it? Will we, as a Cumberland County community, ever learn it?

Anyway, I must thank and commend County Commissioners Glenn Adams, Dr. Jeannette Council, Jimmy Keefe and Charles Evans for voting positively on the Sanderson Farms incentive package on behalf of ALL the residents of Cumberland County. The emphasis, of course, being on ALL residents. It was very encouraging to see that Adams, the newest member of the commission, took the time and energy to do his job. He actually studied the Sanderson Farms issue, evaluated pros and cons, did the research and then made a decision that satisfied his intelligence and his conscience — this being a decision that w

as in the best interest, again, of all Cumberland County residents.

Hopefully, this marks the beginning of the end of elitist “good ole boy” local politics where the influence and wealth of a few privileged landowners manipulate the course of local quality-of-life actions that affect the health, wealth and futures of hundreds of thousands of Cumberland County residents. From the very beginning, Adams, Council and Keefe have demonstrated character and did the right things for the right reasons.

They should feel good and extremely proud of their decision. Let it be known that this level of integrity, honesty and leadership does NOT go unnoticed.

This is the style of leadership that will move our community forward and we should all thank them for their service and commitment. As for everyone else, well, we can do better. Content of character is the element we should be looking for in great community leaders. Action by default is not leadership (Mr. Evans). Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Photo: Sanderson Farms has been a hot topic in the community recently. When all is said and done, there will be no real winners or losers here, and, certainly no heroes. Just a shamed, embarrassed, red faced community we call Cumberland County again hanging its head to avoid eye contact with its North Carolina peers.

Mison Kim was just 19 when she came to Fayetteville from Seoul, South Korea. She graduated from 71st High School and has since embarked on a successful artistic career. Her work is currently on exhibit at Methodist University’s David McCune International Art Gallery at the William F. Bethune Center for Visual Arts through, April 15.

Although Kim was always drawn to art and enjoyed creating, it was one of her teachers at 71st High School that changed the course of Kim’s life. Janet Parks recognized Kim’s talent and saw the potential for a successful art career in her. Parks took Kim under her wing and helped her navigate the application process to get into art school.

Parks fondly remembers teaching Kim. “In 1986, Mison Kim entered my 12th grade art class. She had recently arrived with her family from Seoul, Korea. From the start it was abundantly clear that she possessed extremely strong artistic abilities,” stated Parks, former art teacher and member of the McCune Gallery Advisory Board. Parks designed an advanced art program for exceptionally talented art students seeking careers in the arts. Kim excelled in the program.

“We have stayed in touch over the years. I’m delighted that she has returned to North Carolina to show her most recent work at the David McCune International Art Gallery at Methodist University,” said Parks.

Kim is quick to acknowledge Parks influence on her life. “She helped me apply to schools and programs. Luckily, I got in to Pratt institute in New York with a full scholarship,” said Kim “I got several other awards, too, but it all happened because she noticed that I had talent and she knew about all these different programs. She guided me and that is how I started. If she was not there I would not be here. She really led me and guided me in every way.”

Clearly, the support and encouragement Kim received in high school made a difference for her. In addition to exhibiting her art, Kim works in the fashion industry providing illustrations and designs to clients that include Tory Burch, Talbots, The Gap and many others. She also provides illustrations, renderings and displays and environments for clients such as Scholastic Books, Toys R Us Times Square and FAO Schwarz.

The exhibit at Methodist University is titled Searching for the Real, and features drawings and paintings by Kim. “I named this show Searching for the Real because when I draw, I consider before I put each mark on the page and they add up. But when I do this for many years and over many drawings, I am always trying to search for what is real,” said Kim. “All the experiences a person has combine together. Our meaning and understanding is made up of fragments that happen through our life. If I put these together, I think this is what is real. I think they will see my work as part of their experience and realize that they are part of something bigger. If they find their own place, they can find their real. I am always searching for truth — for what is real to me in what is around me.”

For Kim, her art is not so much about the end product as it is about the process. The more she works at her trade as an artist and the more developed she becomes, the more apparent it is to her that what she is doing is about more than brush strokes on a canvas or the mark of a pen on paper. “Everyone has their own philosophy based on their own experiences and based on what they know,” said Kim. “Whatever it is that just feels that is right to you — that is what your life is about. That is what I am trying to do as an artist and a person. I don’t think I will find an answer. It is about the journey.”

As she travels this path, many artists influence her work and inspire Kim but she still seeks to be true to her own voice and vision, her own real, as she creates. One philosophy holds true for her throughout her work, though. “When the show opened at the McCune Gallery, I mentioned Matisse several times. He said that when you make a mark on blank paper or canvas, you actually cause a problem,” said Kim. “And the artist solves that problem. When I put a line or mark on the paper, I think, oh, this is a problem. Now I have to do more, put another line or mark to work with it. I end up doing more and more and more till it comes to some image that holds together and solves the problem. Then, it is done.”

Kim also appreciates the way Matisse views his own work because he said he doesn’t paint things. He paints the difference between things. “I try to translate it to my work. I don’t paint things either — I paint abstracts: the relationship between things.”

Searching for the Real will hang until April 15. Gallery hours are Tuesday–Friday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Saturday, 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., closed Sunday, Monday, and school breaks. The David McCune International Art Gallery is located on the Methodist University campus in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Contact gallery director Silvana Foti for more information at 910.630.7000 or visit davidmccunegallery.org.

Photo middle right: Mison Kim poses with one of her works. Bottom left: From fashion to books to gallery art, Mison Kim shares her passion for life thorugh colors and patterns. 

Fayetteville Academy was established in 1970, and since then, it has maintained a sparkling record as an incredible learning institution. The faculty and staff maintain small class sizes and cultivate an atmosphere that encourages creativity and learning. In addition to receiving funding through tuition, the academy strives to foster excellence through its events. On March 6, Fayetteville Academy is set to host Auction 2015.

“Money raised will help support several upcoming academic, athletic and art initiatives. Through Auction 2015, we will ensure Fayetteville Academy’s continued growth and maintain our tradition of excellence as we prepare our students for their futures,” Bill Jordan, chairman for the 2015 Auction Committee, said.

This is a silent auction. “All items up for auction will be on display for guests to view the night of the auction. Each item will have a bid sheet, which allows each guest to place their bids for the particular item they are interested in taking home. At the end of the evening, the guest with the highest bid wins that item,” explained Jordan.

A wide variety of items are up for auction, which have been donated by community members. According to organizers, there is something for everyone.

“Items include beach weekends, jewelry, gift cards, sports memorabilia and sporting event tickets to name a few,” said Jordan.

Ray Quesnel, the headmaster of the school, sees this event as more than a fundraiser. “The auction, which we have every other year, is an opportunity for the community to come together — both internally and with outside friends — this is a great friend builder and a chance to get in touch with and get to know the people in the community,” said Quesnel. “We make it a fancy and fun night for everyone.”

“Our theme this year is ‘Derby,’ and we hope everyone will dress up in their best bowties and derby hats,” said Jordan. “Awards will be given to the best dressed and best hat of the evening. We have sponsors who have generously donated food for the evening including B&B Catering, Inc., Bombay Bistro, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Elliotts on Linden, Hilltop House Restaurant and Catering, Pierro’s Italian Bistro, R Burger and Sherefe’. Beer, wine and spirits are being provided by Healy Wholesale and Paddy’s Irish Public House. There are also plenty of activities planned, which include a tuition raffle, casino tables, video horse races, horse shoes, corn hole and the live and silent auctions.”

Without fundraisers like the auction, the Fayetteville Academy would not be what it is today. It is necessary for continued growth and to maintain the many inspiring programs that so greatly benefit the students. This knowledge motivates everyone who is involved in organizing this event.

“Being involved with the auction allows me to support Fayetteville Academy and the work they are doing with their students. It is very rewarding to see the money raised by this event and other academy fundraisers actually being put to use for the benefit of both students and faculty,” Jordan said.

Quesnel noted that the proceeds from the auction will be used for continued improvements on campus — to improve facilities and programs.

“This is our biggest fundraiser. We are looking forward to a good time. The support so far has been amazing and we appreciate it so much,” concluded Quesnel.

The auction is set for March 6, at 6 p.m. and it is open to the public. The event will be held on the Fayetteville Academy campus located at 3200 Cliffdale Rd. Tickets can be reserved ahead of time by contacting Sonya Jenkins at 910-868-5131, ext. 3312. The tickets are $60 per person. Raffle tickets are also available for purchase for the chance to win one year of tuition or $2,500. For more information, visit www.fayettevilleacademy.com.

Photo: Organizers of the Fayetteville Academy’s  biannual fundraiser ( pictured above: Bill Jor-dan, Auction Chair, Sonya Jenkins, Director of Alumni Relations and Publications and Emily Schaefer, Acquisitions Chair) are planning a racing good time with Derby Hats and outfits. The silent auction is on March 6 at 6 p.m. on the campus of the academy.

It is no secret that getting into college is stressful; there are the SATs, GPAs, applications and more. As parents do their best to prepare students and help them get through the process, it can be frustrating, confusing and costly.

Coworkers Jasmin Brown and Tracey Pearson were both disappointed when they started looking for ways to get their respective children ready for higher education. When it came to preparing for the SAT, the programs they found were both costly and inadequate. So they decided to do something about it. That’s how College Professional SAT Prep was born.

It took some research and a lot of hard work, but on March 7, the team is set to debut its first session.

“The SAT is based on what colleges and educators expect high school students to be exposed to,” said Pearson. “So, we recruited college professors to help develop the curriculum and teach in the program.”

With more than 20 years of higher education experience between them, Brown and Pearson knew that getting students off to a good start as they head to college makes a big difference. So they added another facet to the program. Having qualified instructors is key, but they wanted to give high school kids insight that they could appreciate and understand.

“We also have peer tutors who are college students who assist the professors during the sessions,” said Brown. “They are also available to students during the sessions and afterwards, too. They can answer questions about college life in general. We have found that teens relate better to teens and will feel more at ease asking questions this way.”

Each session runs four weeks and is designed to give students everything they need to prepare for the SAT. Sure, it is still a lot of hard work for the student, but as entrepreneurs, Brown and Pearson have come up with a system that they are confident will make sense to both students and parents.

“We structured the classes to mirror college courses. It is intensive learning but it is broken out so there is a natural progression from the learning materials to testing on those materials. It’s important to learn the pace of the SAT,” said Pearson. “The concept of these sessions is to break it down into manageable pieces, provide guidance and feedback for the essay and offer the opportunity to take a full- length practice SAT.”

The March session meets each Saturday from March 7 through March 28. The classes run from 8:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. and cover the three major areas of the SAT: reading, math and writing. It also includes tips and techniques that focus on study skills. Each session costs $600 and includes testing materials.

“We will also offer boot camps over the summer. The boot camps will run four consecutive days and will offer the same content as the regular sessions. There are two sessions offered over the summer,” said Pearson.

Find out more about College Professional SAT Prep or enroll for one of the sessions or boot camps at www.collegeprosatprep.com or by calling 910.420.5679 or emailing collegeprofessionalsatprep@gmail.

Photo: Jasmin Brown and Tracey Pearson were disappointed when they started looking for ways to get their respective children ready for higher education, so they started College Professional SAT Prep. 

To be an active member of society, you have to be assertive and learn new things to help you make responsible decisions. That is why The Fayetteville State University Debate and Forensics Team is hosting the 5th Annual Frederick Douglass Debates on Thursday, Feb. 26, from 2 – 3:30 p.m. in Shaw Auditorium on the campus of Fayetteville State University.

“The team is a group of students that travel up and down the eastern seaboard to compete against other colleges in debate and forensics, “said William Thomas, debate coach of Fayetteville State University. “We have been doing this the last five years, in which we get together in February and we have a public debate to talk about issues that would have been of interest to Frederick Douglass if he were still alive today.”

Thomas added that the purpose of the event is to educate the public by taking topics that people have probably heard about and allow them to learn and see both sides of it so that they have a better understanding of what is going on around them.

The two debate topics are regarding the Presidency of the United States; with the first topic being In 2016, This Nation Needs change and the second topic is “The Time for Historically Black Colleges and Universities Has Passed.”

“I thought the presidency topic would be a good thing to explore for an audience as they are thinking about who they are going to vote for in the near future,” said Thomas. “The HBCU topic created itself and you don’t have to look any further than the news and look at the political debates in Raleigh and South Carolina State University.”

Thomas added that HBCUs are being hit hard by legislators all over the place and questions have come up about whether HBCUs are worth the effort anymore and if their mission is still relevant, particularly in times of budget constraints.

This year faculty members will be debating instead of the students. The four professors who are participating in the debate are Dr. Noran Moffett, Dr. Timothy Moore, Dr. Chuck Tryon and Dr. Tamuchin McCreless.

“I sent out an invitation to all the faculty and told them that we were doing a debate and I wanted to ramp up the quality of the debate to make sure that we are really educating the public,” said Thomas. “These four professors were brave enough to step forward and put themselves out there to do this because they understand the mission of educating and want to be a part of that.” Debates are free and open to all faculty, staff, students and the public. Seating is limited. For more information, call 910 672-2514.

Photo: The Frederick Douglass Debates at Fayetteville State University are an annual event that shine the light on issues that would have been of interest to Douglas.

In the still of night, you awaken suddenly with indigestion, but it’s been hours since you’ve eaten. Then a tightness crawls across your chest, and it’s hard to breathe. Thinking it will pass, you lie still, but after a few minutes, the pain worsens, and you dial 911

.Your teenage son bounces through the door and makes a bee-line for the fridge, hunger overpowering his internal caution to watch what he grabs in order to satisfy his growling stomach. Within minutes, he is flushed, is covered in hives, can’t breathe, and is extremely dizzy. You call 911 while searching for his Epinephrine pen because you know he only has minutes to live

.The family cookout is winding down, and everyone is packing up to head home. Grandma is still napping in her chair, but she looks uncomfortable, slumping somewhat to the side. You rush over to see what’s wrong, and the best response is jumbled as she drools from her crooked mouth and has a hard time swallowing. Immediately you reach for the phone and dial 911.

You’re driving home from work, and you hear a siren in the distance. Checking the rear view mirror, it’s an ambulance racing up the road behind you. Hopefully, you pull over so they can safely pass by, but do you ever wonder about the people inside? Those paramedics are attending to any one of the patients described above, any of whom could be you or your loved one. The situations constantly change, but the need to care for people in need is always present. Most people don’t realize the training required to become a paramedic, typically the most highly-trained medical professional who comes to your door or your motor vehicle collision in times of distress.

Initially, anyone who enters the field of Emergency Medical Services begins by attending and graduating from a 200-hour EMT-Basic course. Others soon come to realize that they have a sincere desire to serve the public and thus enroll in one of the best paramedic programs in the state through the Continuing Education Division at Fayetteville Technical Community College. Both the Basic EMT and Paramedic Courses are offered traditionally and online to include varying schedules during days, nights and weekends.

In the last ten years, the program has quadrupled in size due to the increasing demand for healthcare, longer life expectancy, and population growth in this area. The calling to paramedicine is not accomplished without challenges, as it encompasses 1,200+ hours of classroom, clinical and field internships, plus passing a North Carolina state and/or National Registry exam for certification. Many of our students remain in the field for years, while others move up in medicine to become physician’s assistants — and medical doctors, never forgetting or regretting their experiences as a paramedic.

Not every call is a true emergency. Not every paramedic resembles those on television. So when your emergency arises, be assured that a paramedic will answer your call for help and provide you with the best pre-hospital care possible.

To request information regarding FTCC’s Continuing Education Healthcare programs, please call (910) 678-8251 or visit http://www.faytechcc.edu/continuing_education/fireresc.aspx.

Photo: Anyone who enters the field of Emergency Medical Services begins by attending and graduating from a 200-hour EMT-Basic course.

NAACP and the Grievance Industry

No doubt about it, the grievance industry and its minions are alive and well in North Carolina and I can’t help but think they have better things to do.

The grievance industry is comprised of organizations and people who make their living convincing other people that they are severely unhappy, that they are being treated unfairly, are cheated or discriminated against or just that they deserve more and better. They seem to have an endless supply of issues when it comes to matters of discontent and resentment.

Last week the issue was education, next week it’s poverty and unemployment, the following week it may be minimum wage, abortion rights or the death penalty. You just never know with these folks.

However, last week, under the misguidance of Rev. William Barber, N.C. NAACP president, it was education.

Barber led a moral march in Raleigh where hundreds of followers weathered the cold, not knowing that their voices and efforts benefitted only Barber and served to prolong the longevity of an industry built entirely on creating diversion and discontent. Yes, Barber led the march in Raleigh on the pretense of supporting teachers and public education. In actuality, it was a protest against everything, assuring Barber a steady paycheck and justifying his station.

It’s truly amazing. Barber has people marching, protesting, shouting and chanting and it’s obvious they really don’t understand the issues. Honestly, it would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.

Last week, a Fayetteville Observer article written by Paul Woolverton revolved around a young Fayetteville State University student who is not a teacher, but is studying to become one. She joined Barber’s march protesting issues in an industry that she isn’t even a part of yet. What? I guess this represents grievance preplanning by taking an aggressive stance on perceived and inevitable cases of injustice and discontent. Makes you wonder why she wants to become a teacher in the first place.

Having never stepped foot in a classroom as a teacher, there she was shouting, marching and chanting on behalf of teachers, public education and equal rights. These grievance guys are really, really good when they can get people demonstrating and protesting against the very industry and careers they are pursuing.

And, protesting for equal rights? Really? Did I miss something here or are they reminiscing about issues of the ‘60s? Where did that come from?

At some point, someone needs to start asking questions about the real intentions of these egregious grievance promoters. Questions like: Why march on the state capitol if no one is there to see or hear your voice? Could it be that Barber and friends intentionally organized the demonstration on the weekend when no one was there so the rank and file wouldn’t notice that nobody really cared.

Another question to address is why the grievance promoters only stage a protest against the “system” when they don’t like how decisions affect their livelihoods? And, why is so little time and effort devoted to constructive, civilized conversation and negotiations with elected officials and community leaders rather than opting for one dimensional marches and protests?

Looking closely and examining the motives of these professional grief peddlers, it becomes obvious that the best interest of the citizens are seldom being served. The citizens are being used as pawns; assuring a healthy paycheck and prolonged meal ticket to the provocateurs.

So, back to basics. Our freedoms and governance at local, state and national levels are guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States. Freedoms are for “all the people.” I’ve always interpreted “all the people” to mean “all the people.” Our civic leaders and elected officials, regardless of political affiliation, are charged with the responsibility of enacting policies and laws that best reflect the will of “all the people.”

If we do not specifically like the laws that have been passed on our behalf, we have the right to voice our opinions and, of course, vote. Organized dissent, protests, marches and chants should be reserved for accentuating and expressing real heartfelt injustices and not for the profit of professional manipulators. This trivializes the process.

Rev. Barber’s actions in Raleigh, Al Sharpton’s behavior in Ferguson, Missouri, and most recently, Jesse Jackson who is currently in Chicago pontificating on the similarities of racial injustice and grown adults blatantly cheating the system.

These are definitely not role models for our youngsters. They are all examples of the grievous industry creating problems just to create the illusion of solving them. They solve nothing.

Finally, I want to point out the most looming hypocrisy of all. As Fayetteville community leaders rallied, especially the leaders in our African-American community, to rekindle and salvage the prospect of bringing the Sanderson Farms’ $95 million chicken processing plant and 1,000 jobs to Cumberland County, the grievance industry with the likes of Rev. Barber and his loyal union buddies are chastising and discrediting this company and like corporations.

Sanderson Farms would bring jobs paying nearly $12 an hour plus benefits to Cumberland County. No, it isn’t Google or a BMW factory, but in a community where the majority of jobs are in the service industry and pay at best minimum wage and at worst for those who wait tables, $2.85 and tips, it is a big boost. The professional complainers are saying workers are being oppressed and that $12 an hour is not a living wage. Really? I say having no jobs, no money and living under a bridge on the Cape Fear River is much more oppressive.

Rev. Barber is not a friend to the uninformed resident nor those special interest groups that bankroll his lifestyle and itinerary.

Believe me, Rev. Barber is no friend to Fayetteville, Cumberland County or its poor, unemployed, homeless or downtrodden citizens regardless of their race, gender or political affiliation.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Photo: Top members of the grievance industry, Rev. Al Sharpton and Rev. Jesse Jackson live to create controversy... the more they stir it up, the more money goes in their pockets.

FireAntz team captain Derek Elliott is having another stellar season on the ice. Elliott, in his third professional season, has recorded 24 points on 10 goals and 14 assists through 35 games.

The Iowa native began skating at 3 years old and just two years later, his passion for hockey was born. Elliott’s love for sports developed at an early age, playing every sport his older brother Jamie played. Elliott has always looked up to his brother and his passion for sports.

Elliott’s passion for hockey led him to play for the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL from 2005 to 2008. He then went on to play at Mercyhurst College from 2008 to 2012.

Elliott began his professional career with the FireAntz in 2012 earning All Rookie Team Honors, leading the league in plus minus (+25), recording 42 points on 17 goals and 25 assists. That season was Elliott’s most memorable and best experience playing in Fayetteville.

In preparation for a night’s work on the ice, Elliott starts his day with a morning skate, followed by a pasta lunch and an afternoon nap. Upon arriving at the Crown a few hours prior to puck drop, he preps his sticks with some fresh tape and receives any needed treatment in the training room.

Elliott enjoys giving back to the Fayetteville community especially during the holidays, saying that “the Heart of Carolina food drive we do every year is my favorite.”

Whether he’s playing hockey, ping pong, golf or riding a bike or climbing, Elliott’s sweet feet, lightning-quick hand-eye coordination, endurance and calm demeanor combine for a lethal competitive edge over his opposition. Elliott, a very talented golfer, is eager to start his PGA apprenticeship and earn his teaching certificate for a career in the golf industry once his hockey career is in the books.

Elliott’s favorite golf course in Fayetteville is King’s Grant. In the off season he enjoys working at a golf course back home and riding bicycles, which take up most of his time in the summer.

Fast Facts About Derek Elliott

Roommate:Corey Toy

Favorite Restaurant in Fayetteville: Shogun

Favorite Sports Teams: Chicago Cubs and Blackhawks

Excels at:Taking long afternoon naps

Favorite Sports Teams:  Rudy

Photo: Derek Elliott, the FireAntz Team Captain has scored 24 points on 10 goals and 14 assists.

When it comes to unique entertainment, Better Health’s Evening at the Theateris hard to beat. This annual fundraiser supports Better Health and its mission to provide for the unmet healthcare needs of Cumberland County residents through assistance, referral and education; it does it through an evening of fun and laughter. Boasting an over-the-top 1970s Vegas theme, the event is Feb. 28 at Highland Country Club.

The evening would not be complete without a casino and a performance by none other than the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley or, in this case, Elvis tribute artist Wayne Euliss.

The evening begins with heavy hors d’oeuvres and drinks from 7-8 p.m.

“The casino is open then and there is lots to do,” said Better Health Executive Director Judy Klinck.

The show starts at 8 p.m. and runs until about 9:15 p.m. Long-time favorite Cassandra Vallery is the opening act with Elvis as the main show. Coffee and dessert will follow after the show and the casino will remain open until 10 p.m.

Upon their arrival at Highland Country Club, each ticketholder will receive a $10,000 voucher that they can cash in for chips to use in the casino.

“At the end of the night the person who has won the most in the casino will receive a prize,” said Klinck. “We have one prize — it is a gift basket of premium liquors donated by board members.

”Euliss, aka Elvis, grew up listening to the King, but he never really planned on becoming an entertainer.

“My mom was a big Elvis fan. She was in high school in the ‘50s and she had an influence on me,” said Euliss. “Growing up, I would hear his records and I did sing some as a teen. I would goof around at parties and do Elvis impersonations, but I never pursued a career. When I would imitate Elvis and goof around, people would tell me I sound a lot like him.”

It is quite a leap from goofing around and entertaining friends to becoming a professional tribute artist and for Euliss, it was a sweet gesture to his wife that changed things for him.

“About 10 years ago, on a whim, I decided to surprise my wife at her birthday party,” he recalled. “I rented a cheesy suit and sang her a song and did my best Elvis impersonation. After that our friends and then their friends started asking me to come to perform at their birthdays and it just grew from there.”

Now Euliss is featured in theatrical pieces, works at festivals and performs up and down the East Coast from New York to Florida.

“I stay pretty busy with it, but I have worked for UPS for 24 years. I have to limit myself to weekend performances,” he said. “I do take Valentine’s Day week off though. I am always really busy that week.”

As Euliss has prospered in his role as Elvis, he has committed to delivering the most authentic experience he can, right down to the flashy embroidered jumpsuits.

“I have them custom made by the company that bought all the original designs and patterns of Elvis’ suits,” he explained. “They are custom made and it is an exact replica of the suit Elvis wore.”

Like many performers, Elvis reinvented himself several times through the course of his career. Euliss, though, sticks with what works for him and focuses on the Las Vegas version of Elvis in the 1970s. Euliss’ three-piece band accompanies him during the performance.

“We do a full-blown live Vegas-style show like Elvis did in the ‘70s,” said Euliss. “I sing the hits like “Hound Dog,” “All Shook Up,” “Burning Love” and a lot of other hits from his three-decade career. If you have seen videos of him during that time, he gave out silk scarves to some of the ladies in the audience and I do that, too. I realize I am not Elvis but when you are trying to recreate the image on stage, this is part of it and it seems to work for the audience, too.”

For almost two decades, Better Health has entertained Fayetteville with its Evening at the Theater. The show supports a great cause and for many it has become a much anticipated tradition.

“We look forward to seeing a lot of the same people come back year after year and support our shows,” said Klinck. “I look forward to getting everyone checked in so I can watch the shows, too. They get better every year.”

There is also a raffle as part of the event. You do not have to be present to win. Tickets are $10 or three for $25 and can be purchased by calling Better Health. The top prizes are: A suede wine carrier, accessories and picnic set with three bottles of premium wine, valued at $300; a14K gold drop pearl necklace with diamond accents, valued at $250; and a Renaissance European Day Spa package: manicure, pedicure and massage, valued at $150.

Last year Better Health helped 350 people live a healthy life with diabetes and touched 1,080 kids and parents to prevent childhood obesity. The organization loaned medical equipment to 291 families, saving countless dollars and keeping serviceable items out of the landfill. Better Health provided assistance to 1,423 individuals for prescriptions, emergency dental extractions, medical supplies, vision exam and eyeglasses and gas vouchers to out of town medical appointments.

Tickets to Better Health’s 18th Annual Evening at the Theater’s Viva Fay Vegas are $75 per person and can be purchased by calling 483-7534. Better Health is a United Way Community Partner.

Photo: What happens in Vegas helps save lives in Fayetteville, as Vegas comes to town during the Better Health Evening at the Theater fundraiser at Highland Country Club.

The arts are part of what makes a community strong. In Fayetteville, the arts have taken center stage for a number of years, and nowhere is that more apparent than on 4th Friday in Downtown Fayetteville. On Feb. 27, the 4th Friday event will again entertain and inspire residents of the community.

For those new to the area, the monthly tradition is a fantastic way to experience downtown Fayetteville and all of the incredible art, stores and musicians the city has to offer. For those familiar with the tradition, 4th Friday is a fun and exciting treat each month. No matter if it is your first 4th Friday or your hundredth, the event always has something new to offer every month. This month’s 4th Friday theme is music.

At the Arts Council see the continuation of the exhibition Words and Pictures: Illustrated Works by Kadir Nelson from 7 to 9 p.m. Nelson is a well-known artist and author whose work focuses on African-American history.

For the children, Fascinate-U Children’s Museum is often the highlight of the evening. 4th Friday’sadmission into the museum is free and kids are invited to explore all of the interactive exhibits that the museum has to offer. There is also a free craft available for children to make and take home. Kids will have the opportunity to make and take home a congo/shaker/guiro instrument, which is in keeping with the music theme. Fascinate-U will be open from 7 -9 p.m., and is located at 116 Green St. For more information, call 829- 9171 or visit www.fascinate-u.com.

Cape Fear Studios and Gallery will also explore the interplay and similarities between visual arts and music. This month, the gallery is displaying beautiful music-themed visual art in many different mediums. And for a special treat on 4th Friday, the visual pieces are accompanied by live music created by various artists from 6-8:30 p.m. The interplay between visual and auditory works of art is sure to create a unique and deeply satisfying artistic experience. Admission is free and the gallery is located at 148 Maxwell St. For more information, call 433- 2986 or visit www.capefearstudios.com.

In the Pate Room of The Headquarters Library, located at 300 Maiden Lane, renowned storyteller Mitch Capel, also known as “Gran’Daddy JuneBug,” will perform a group of stories called “W’en Dey ‘Listed Colored Soldiers” honoring the unsung heroes of the civil war. The program is part of the Cumberland County Storytelling Festival, and is recommended for those 12 years and up due to the intense content. The stories were written by scholars such as Paul Laurence Dunbar and Dr. Rex Ellis, and they explore the sacrifices and hardships African-American soldiers endured but are all too often overlooked. The program will begin at 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.cumberland. lib.nc.us/ccplsite/ or call 483-7727.

City Center Gallery and Books is another hot spot for art and music at this month’s 4th Friday celebration. In the gallery a onewomen exhibit created by Edwina Clark is on display. Clark is an African-American woman whose artistic skill is well recognized in the community. Her favorite mediums to work in are watercolor and batik, but she often experiments in her work. Clark is also available to meet and discuss her work with those visiting the gallery. Accompanying her incredible visual art is the equally incredible a cappella group Vocal Culture. This evening of music and art will begin at 6 p.m. at 122 Hay St. For more information, visit www.citycentergallery.com or call 678-8899.

For more auditory art, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. belly dancers will perform in front of Sherefe located at 114 Gillespie St. At 123 Hay St., from 7 to 9 p.m., Alexis Howard will perform a huge repertoire of classic songs, jazz, and popular modern hits.

Area history is also on display at the Market House. This month’s rotating exhibit is called The History of Fayetteville State University. The exhibit is housed upstairs and is open from 6 - 10 p.m. The permanent exhibit A View from the Square: A History of Downtown Fayetteville is also on display.

Some women long for the day when they become a bride and ride off into the sunset to live happily ever after with their one true love. They dream for the day and imagine it in all its perfection — until the reality of making that perfect day match their dream hits them in the midst of a Bridezilla moment. There is no question that the preparation for a wedding can be a stressful event, but you can breathe easy. Help is on the way!

The 7th Annual Bridal Extravaganza at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux, sponsored by Up & Coming Weekly and Fayetteville Women’s View, is a unique one-stop location for all of your bridal needs. The event is on Sunday, Feb. 22, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the Grand Ballroom at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux.

“This is our seventh year and we are known for having the largest group of vendors,” said Heidi Politi, sales manager of The Holiday Inn Bordeaux. “We work for a whole year toward this event and it takes the whole team to support it.”

Politi added that it is an opportunity for brides and grooms from across the region to come and see the various vendors who can fulfill all of their needs. Also on hand is every bride’s best friend, event planners! Event planners who can ensure that everything is covered from the perfect cake to keeping the flower girl in line to ensuring the reception rocks will also participate in the expo.

“We have the largest facility (in the area) with 15 different event rooms and 33,000 square feet of meeting and event space,” said Politi. “It takes a lot to fill it and on any given day we could do four weddings.”

The event first began as The Holiday Inn marketing their meeting/event space, but over time, the event became a much anticipated annual event with brides calling frequently to make sure they didn’t miss the event.

“We’ve kept our ticket prices very low purposefully because we wanted to make sure that everyone gets a chance to come” said Politi. “It is a day of lots of door prizes. We probably have in excess of 60 door prizes.”

To register for the drawings, attendees will receive a flyer at the registration desk. As attendees visit the vendors, they will collect a signature from the vendor and when their card is complete, they can drop it in the basket for a chance to win one of the many great prizes.

What is the most dramatic moment at a wedding? That moment when the bride takes her first step into the room in her gorgeous gown and makes her walk down the aisle. To ensure that local brides have the ability to see the latest in wedding gowns, the expo is hosting three fashion shows, with one of the shows geared to mens formal wear. Of course, one show will feature top-of-the-line gowns and bridesmaid dresses.

In total there are 42 exhibit booths featuring everything from performers to bouquets and centerpieces, as well as tastings of cakes and appetizers. Of course, there will also be demonstrations of perfect bridal hair and makeup, as well as entertainment to make your reception unforgettable.

“We try to stay up with the latest trends— and there are a lot of them — that are announced on websites like WeddingWire.com and Pinterest,” said Politi. “They are the top websites for brides.”

All brides will receive complimentary gift bags.

“It’s a great day and it is always so exciting but it is an enormous amount of work,” said Politi.

Tickets are $3 in advance and $7 at the door. Exhibit booths are $300. For more information and to R.S.V.P., call 323-0111.

Photo: 7th Annual Bridal Expo at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux helps make your dream day a reality.

Liar! Liar! Pants on Fire

NBC’s Brian Williams is the latest casualty in what seems to be the incapability of the media (and our political and elected officials) to tell the basic truth. It concerns me that lying, cheating, telling half-truths and deception have reached an all-time high in new lows and is unfortunately becoming the new normal.

Who are we, our children and our children’s children going to trust in the future? See below: Historically, our track record is not good.

President Richard Nixon: “I’m not a crook.” (Whoops.)

President Bill Clinton: “I did not have sexual relations with that woman”. (Ok!Wink, wink.)

President George Bush: Weapons of MassDestruction.

Hillary Clinton (2008 Presidential Candidate) : (March speech referring to her heroism during a 1996 visit to Bosnia) “Landing under sniper fire. .ran with our heads down to get into the vehicles to get to our base.” Hillary was steady under fire? (Big Lie.)

Susan Rice: (former U.S. Ambassador to the UN) proclaimed “The attacks on Benghazi were a result of spontaneous demonstrations.” (Actually, this was not true x 5 times.)

President Barack Obama on ObamaCare: “If you like your doctor, you can keep your doctor. If you like your healthcare plan, you’ll be able to keep yourhealthcare plan.” (Stated publically at least 36 times.)

Congress woman Nancy Pelosi: (former House Majority Leader on Obamacare): “What we are talking about is affordable, quality, accessible healthcare for all Americans. If you like what you have and you want to keep it, you have the choice to do that.” (Really? Again?)

Nationwide Media on the tragedy in Ferguson, Missouri: “Michael Brown was an 18-year old, 6’4, 280-pound ‘gentle giant’ who was shot in the back.” (Never true.)

County Commissioner Charles Evans (on why he voted against a publichearing for the Sanderson Farms Chicken Processing Plant): “The chamber is not doing their due diligence. We have been asking and requesting information from the Chamber of Commerce to provide to us.” Evans said the commissioners were emailed information and that “some statistics and other concerns of ours” were not provided. (Untrue, Evans had the answers to all his questions and concerns.)

Who will we be able to trust for the real truth?

Which brings us to our most recent disappointment, NBC’s disgraced anchor, Brian Williams. And, with my apologies to Hank Williams and his hit country classic “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” I will close with a song:

“Your lying heart
Has made us weep
Brian Williams
You’re a lying Creep

All those lies
You told as true
Your lying heart
Has told on you.

America trusted you
To tell the truth
You let us down
For a false salute.

It’s time for you
To take your place
With Hillary and friends
In the Hall of Disgrace.

Stolen Valor
That we deplore
You disrespected America
But hopefully-No More.

America deserves better. Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

The Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum presents a bus tour on Monday, Feb. 16, from 9 a.m. – noon that will highlight the life and contributions of a true Renaissance man, Dr. Ezekiel Smith.

“The tour is something that will happen after we open the panel exhibit at the museum that will open on February 3,” said Bruce Daws, director of the local history museum. “It will chronicle the life of Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith, better known as E. E. Smith, and his role as an educator, principal, Baptist minister, soldier, statesman and businessman.”

Dr. Ezekiel Smith was born the son of free blacks in Duplin County on a farm. He received no formal education due to the laws prohibiting blacks to receive an education, but he learned from his white playmates. After the Civil War, he attended a school in Wilmington and in 1869, he moved to Wayne County and attended a school equivalent to high school while becoming a teacher himself. He became the U.S. Ambassador to Liberia and President of Fayetteville State University. E. E. Smith High School is named in his honor. He was a man of many talents. He organized and operated the Carolina Enterprise, the first newspaper in the state for blacks. In 1883, he was selected to succeed Charles W. Chestnutt as the head of Fayetteville State Normal School which is now Fayetteville State University. He was the pastor of First Baptist Church in Fayetteville for six years.

The bus tour will start and end at the museum. The route entails traveling to various locations pertaining to Dr. Smith. “It will stop at the post that Dr. Smith occupied on Blount Street that is currently owned by the city of Fayetteville,” said Daws. “People will have the opportunity to go inside to get a view of it before any restoration takes place.” Daws added that participants will get to view the Orange Street School, Ashley Heights, Worth Street, Fayetteville State University, Brookside Cemetery and other locations.

“There has been a lot of searching around trying to compare 1914 and 1930 maps to current maps to try and find an address or location,” said James Greathouse, senior museum specialist. “It is interesting because we have some old writing talking about what the area looked like and I think we will be able to bring it alive.”

It takes a lot of hard work from historians to find out information about people who lived many years ago in the past. “This has been a great learning opportunity for the staff that will translate back into the community, “said Heidi Bleazey, museum specialist. “It is a huge collaboration between faculty, staff, the libraries at Fayetteville State University and Maiden Lane, the city of Fayetteville’s Community Development, Orange Street School Foundation and the Museum of the Cape Fear.” Bleazey added that the history of the area is what they do, but you feel like you are moving around uncovering and discovering something and that is exciting.

The cost of the bus tour is $3.00 per person payable on the morning of the tour. There are a limited number of seats for the bus tour and pre-registration is required. For more information call 433-1457.

Photo: Dr. Ezekiel Ezra Smith, better known as E. E. Smith. 

Over the years, the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra has made beautiful music in our community. On Feb. 12, that tradition will continue with Mostly Mozart.

Music has long been an integral part of our lives. It is entertaining, thought provoking and often provides a glimpse into our collective past. It also reflects truths about the human condition. Some composers are more able to provide this glimpse than others — and the truly great create music that is timeless. Mozart was one of them.

Mostly Mozart will provide the community with the opportunity to explore the powerful music of one of the world’s greatest composers.

Many concerts consist of the works of a mixture of composers. Mozart’s work often makes appearances in concerts of all manners, but generally nestled amongst other great composers. Concerts sometimes follow a typical theme, but it is less common to have a concert focused on a single composer.

“It isn’t always that typical, though it depends on the orchestra. Some orchestras will categorize concerts into themes, and sometimes those themes happen to be by one composer. For this concert we decided on a Mozart-themed concert, as he is one of the well-known composers of our society,” said Julia Atkins, the marketing manager for the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra.

Another exciting aspect of this performance is the location. Locations of concerts help to create certain atmospheres for both the audience and the performers.

“While we were thinking of what we could perform in St. John’s Episcopal Church, we figured the music of Mozart would fit extremely well for that setting. During Mozart’s time, he would perform his works in smaller, intimate settings, sometimes a church, sometimes in someone’s home as entertainment. So this fits well with what he used to do during his time, while also bringing in the more well-known classical music to this community,” explained Atkins.

It can be easy to be intimidated by classical music and incredible composers. It may seem too complicated or overwhelming. Odds are with Mozart, that you have probably heard it before, perhaps without even realizing it.

“We welcome anyone to our concerts, whether they are educated in the orchestral world or not. This one is especially a great concert to come to whether you are an avid classical music listener or not as it incorporates music that we have all heard at some point in our lives, whether it’s in a TV show, commercial, movie, on the radio, etc., so anyone new or experienced will be comfortable attending this concert,” explained Atkins. “If someone new would like to learn more about the performance, there are program notes listed on our website at www.fayettevillesymphony.org. There they can read the history of each piece being performed that evening. The best thing to get the most out of this performance is to just come out and make an evening of it!”

Though dominated by familiar Mozart works, the concert is not comprised completely of a single composer, Atkins explained.

“The Bizet Symphony in C is a similar feeling as Mozart’s Symphony in G,” continued Atkins. “By feeling I mean that it sets the same mood. The two Mozart pieces have a lighter, mellow, classical feeling, and Bizet’s Symphony in C brings in the same thing. It is why the concert is titled Mostly Mozart as the entire program isn’t all completely dominated by Mozart pieces.”

Mostly Mozart is at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 302 Green St. on Feb. 12, from 7:30 to 9 p.m. For more information call 910-433-4690 or visit www.fayettevillesymphony.org.

Photo: The FSO brings Mostly Mozart to St. John’s Episcopal Church.

February 13 opens this year’s duck season – Duck Derby season, that is. This is a season that is fun for everyone because it is about supporting the organizations in the community that give so much year round. And it all culminates with an event that is like no other in town — the Duck Derby.

On Sunday, April 26, the event organizers at Fayetteville Urban Ministry will drop the ducks into the creek at Festival Park for the big race. The corporate/business sponsored ducks (25-30 of them) race first, followed by the main duck race where 10,000-15,000 regular-sized rubber ducks compete to see who will win this year’s prizes. 

Unlike other fundraisers, The Duck Derby raises funds for several organizations. Last year, there were more than 70 teams registered as Duck Derby contestants. Last year’s teams included the Cumberland County Schools system, health-related organizations, arts organizations, educational foundations and more. Each one had the potential to benefit from this event. This year is shaping up to be a good one, too, with plenty of teams signing up to participate.

The Fayetteville Urban Ministry has set the wheels in motion, but the real magic happens when the duck adoptions begin. The public is invited to adopt a duck (or team of ducks) to compete in the Duck Derby. The top five winners receive prizes. This year there is a new prize category for the last place duck, too. Like always, the donors have been generous this year offering up a 22-foot travel camper from Camping World of Fayetteville for the Grand Prize.

“If winner is present, they will get $150 in cash, too,” said Executive Director of Fayetteville Urban Ministry Johnny Wilson.

The second place winner will get a 65-inch flat screen TV from Walmart Distribution Center. The third place prize is a set of tires with a value of up to $500, from Ed’s Tire. The fourth place winner will receive a full year membership to Renaissance European Day Spa. A $250 grocery gift card awaits the fifth place winner and the prize for last place is a tent and a jar of molasses from Camping World of Fayetteville.

In a new turn of events, this year, the Duck Derby is a sanctioned Dogwood Festival event and will take place during the Dogwood Festival, which Wilson sees as a benefit.

“There will be tons of live music, food, games and vendors for the entire weekend — April 24 -26 — at the Dogwood Festival,” said Wilson.

Around 4 p.m. on Sunday, April 26, the Duck Derby will round out the weekend festivities.

The Duck Derby is a fun, family-friendly event, but the weeks leading up to the event are important, too. The more ducks that get adopted, the bigger the impact on the community.

“This event is a fun way to adopt a duck and transform someone’s life through a duck race,” said Wilson. “With all proceeds combined, we have generated more than $225,000 to give right back to the community from the past four Duck Derby events.” 

So how does it work? It’s simple and only takes a click. Visit www.fayettevilleduckderby.com and click on the Adopt a Duck tab. Once there, choose the options that suit you. Adopt one duck (or many ducks) and choose the teams (nonprofit organizations) that you want to benefit from your adoption. As the event organizer, the Fayetteville Urban Ministry keeps a small portion to cover the costs of the event. The rest of the adoption fee will go to the team. Adoption papers are also available at the Fayetteville Urban Ministry at 701 Whitfield St. Sponsorships are also available.

People seeking a more hands-on approach are invited to volunteer at Fayetteville Urban Ministry, as well. Fayetteville Urban Ministry has four programs that serve all of Cumberland County clients that qualify.

Adult Literacy. Serves a population of adults that read at 5th grade level or below, GED preparation, cooking classes, financial literacy, English As a Second Language classes and job interviewing.

Emergency Assistance. Serves individuals and families that are in crisis. The program offers a food pantry, a clothing closet and some financial assistance if funds are available.

Find-A-Friend. Works with at-risk and court-involved youth after school. Workshops cover peer pressure, relationships within family, conflict resolution, saying no to drugs and more. Tutoring is offered along with one-on-one mentoring for selected youth.

Project Nehemiah. Is a home-repair program for elderly or low income homeowners clients that qualify.

“Through these four programs we will collectively serve more than 8,000-10,000 individuals and families at no cost to them,” said Wilson.

Between Feb. 13 and April 26, Quacky, the Duck Derby mascot, is available to attend local events.

“He gets booked fast and we allow him to show at least two hours for partners’ events,” said Wilson, adding that seeing Quacky out and around is one of his favorite things about the Duck Derby. “So much excitement! You see kids go crazy to high five or hug Quacky. Many folks are really blown away that for only $5 they can actually win some prizes. I cannot count how many times that folks say, ‘Well, even if I don’t win anything my donation goes to a great cause!’ And lastly, we get to see so many community impact organizations and supporters come together for a great initiative.”

Find out more about the Duck Derby and how you can help at www.fayettevilleduckderby.com. Find out more about Fayetteville Urban Ministry at http://www.fayurbmin.org.

Photo: Duck Season is open. Buy your duck now to help build a stronger community. 

Jumping into icy water, as crazy as it may seem, has been a tradition in many countries as either a health tradition or a celebration of the New Year. The Nordic countries, Finland in particular, are famous for this sauna culture. People sit in saunas in order to sweat out impurities and then jump into nearby freezing bodies of water to wash them away and close the pores. Now the tradition has taken on a new life as a sort of dare and fundraising challenge called the Polar Plunge. The event takes place on Feb. 21, at Addison Ridge apartment complex.

This Polar Plunge is more than the traditional dip in the pool and jump out. There is a bit more of a challenge. “There will be coins at the bottom of the pool. Each coin will have a number on it. The number will correspond to one of the many great prizes that have been donated to this event. Once a person has their coin they can compare it to the board that will have the number associated with the prize,” said Apartment Manager Heather Gonzalez.

Some of the prizes that have been donated so far are fitbits and a Kindle Fire.

This year, the Polar Plunge is sponsored by Addison Ridge, which is also providing the pool, and Disaster One. The event is to support the Wounded Warrior Project.

“There’s a $12 fee. All of it goes to wounded warriors,” said Gonzalez. “With the wounded warriors being an issue so close to home for so many and with Fort Bragg and the military right at our back door, this just seemed like a great charity to support because they give back to the military. Soldiers give so much to our town just by being here. They do so much and sacrifice so much. This is a fun way to celebrate and support them.”

The Wounded Warrior Program is dedicated to helping wounded veterans readjust and lead rewarding and productive lives. It does this through various projects that focus on four core ideas:

Mind. Interactive programs and retreats are designed to give people the tools they need to readjust and maintain happy healthy relationships.

Body. The project also focuses on the body by providing care and maximizing rehabilitation to encourage warriors to continue to live active healthy lifestyles.

Economic empowerment. The organization offers education programs, training and employment assistance to help create long-term financial stability.

Engagement.The Wounded Warrior Project also assists warriors by promoting engagement with their peer mentoring, Alumni program and more.

Proceeds from the Polar Bear plunge will assist the Wounded Warrior Project in continuing their valuable work with our nations heroes.

To participate in the Polar Plunge there is a $12 entry fee. You must be 18 years or older and there is a waiver. You can pay to jump yourself or nominate a friend.

There are also three levels for sponsors. The Baby Bear is a $100 donation and includes your logo on flyers, name on T-shirts, and nomination of two participants. The Mama Bear requires a $200 donation, and in addition to what is offered with the Baby Bear, it includes a booth at the event. The Papa Bear with a $300 donation builds on the Mama Bear with a link on the Addison Ridge website for three months.

The Polar Plunge is taking place Feb. 21 from 1 to 3p.m. at Addison Ridge located at 1000 Antietam Creek Dr. For more information, call 226-2444.

Photo: The Polar Bear plunge benefits the Wounded Warrior Project.

Keep It Local

Anyone in the local pageant business knows that the lovely and talented Jocelyn Naylor was our Miss Fayetteville in 2014. However, I can say confidently that few Fayetteville residents outside the franchised pageant organization that sponsors the Miss Fayetteville Pageant know of her.

There is a reason for that. Naylor is not from Cumberland County. She is, in fact, from Fuquay-Varina in Wake County. She was crowned last year by the 2013 Miss Fayetteville, Victoria Huggins, who hails from the city of Lumberton in neighboring Robeson County. Both these ladies are extremely talented, beautiful and deserving of their title, honors and scholarships. They are just not from Fayetteville.

On Jan. 24, during the 2015 Miss Fayetteville Pageant at Huff Concert Hall at Reeves Fine Arts Building on the campus of Methodist University, Naylor gave up her Miss Fayetteville title to another Lumberton native, the lovely, talented and beautiful, Comfort Johnson, a 23-year-old student attending UNC Pembroke. Comfort will represent Fayetteville and compete for the coveted Miss North Carolina title and hopefully, for the title of Miss America. This is many young women’s dream and we wish her the best.

The Miss America Scholarship Program has many merits and I applaud the amount of time, effort and dedication that goes into this endeavor by the contestants. What I have never understood is why this program and process on the local level seems to be so subdued and quiet in our community. I am not alone in this observation. As a media source, I have the same concerns as many others familiar with the organization. This is that the process being used to publicize the event and recruit contestants to participate is a flawed process. Flawed in its orchestration and perhaps unfair or at best, misrepresented. After all, what other reason could there be for allowing outside contestants to enter another city’s local event?

First, the program appears to be more selective in nature than inclusive. This limits participation and the number of contestants simply because they are not made aware of the opportunity. Second, the pageant itself is grossly understated and poorly marketed with little or no promotion or advertising. Matter of fact, the Miss Fayetteville Scholarship Pageant does not have a website and uses Facebook as its only source for information. Once there, you have no contact information, no “about us” information or information about the contest, requirements, scholarships or how to get involved with the process.

Third, advertising and promotion of the pageant itself is virtually nonexistent. The only publicity and awareness there was that a Miss Fayetteville Pageant was even taking place this year was posted online by The Fayetteville Observer... the night of the event. The newspaper updated its post for the next day and then featured the winners in the Saturday Extra supplement.

Finally, last, but not least, our Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville. Believe me, people are baffled and confused by that. For an entire year Miss Fayetteville will travel around the region under the guise of being from Fayetteville but, in reality, she cannot be an effective Ambassador because she really doesn’t know anything about our community. And, that is what is unfortunate. These young women work extremely hard to compete for that title. Sure, beauty, poise and talent are important, but so are work ethic, character, dedication, commitment and matters of the heart. We see and experience these traits from the contestants who commit to participate locally. By not emphasizing this “local” qualification in the competition, the Miss Fayetteville Pageant franchise owners are doing a grand injustice to the contestants and the communities from which they hail. They rob local communities of true recognition and the sense of pride and accomplishment that comes from supporting one of their own.

Again, this is not about the contestants, it’s a commentary about the operation of an organization that chooses to operate in a way that diminishes their own goals and objectives.

Over the years, Fayetteville has had several wonderful “local” young women win the Miss Fayetteville title. All have represented our community with beauty, dignity and style. Now, I’m not a pageant person so I don’t keep up with such things, however, in the last decade we have had several “local” Miss Fayetteville’s. Kinsey Boarts, Tiffanie Wagner, Katie Elizabeth Mills and Brooke McLaurin come immediately to mind. These local, homegrown queens received much local support and encouragement from residents, friends, family and local businesses and organizations.

Everyone took great pride in watching them work in our community, show up at community events, donate countless hours supporting children and working with local charities. I never really saw or met any franchise pageant committee members reaching out in support of these young women on their quest for the Miss North Carolina title. My point is that when the contestants were local everyone took pride, ownership and had a vested interest in the success of the young girls. They represented the City of Fayetteville and we supported them. Brooke McLaurin, who actually went on to become Miss North Carolina, and Katie Mills were two of the most devoted and hardest workers for this community. Again, I never saw much outside support.

I guess I’ll conclude by saying this: The rules are the rules. However, if our city name is going to be invoked, the community should benefit from it and the contestants should benefit also. Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville or Cumberland County not from Lumberton, Raeford, Wake County or Harnett County. On the same hand, our local talent should not be forced to compete in other communities. Crowning a Miss Fayetteville should be a “big deal” in Fayetteville each and every year. Not served up as a nonevent or afterthought that surprisingly shows up in the Saturday Extra the day after.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Photo: If our city name is going to be invoked, the community should benefit from it and the contestants should benefit also. Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville or Cumberland County not from Lumberton, Raeford, Wake County or Harnett County. 

Keep It Local

Anyone in the local pageant business knows that the lovely and talented Jocelyn Naylor was our Miss Fayetteville in 2014. However, I can say confidently that few Fayetteville residents outside the franchised pageant organization that sponsors the Miss Fayetteville Pageant know of her.

There is a reason for that. Naylor is not from Cumberland County. She is, in fact, from Fuquay-Varina in Wake County. She was crowned last year by the 2013 Miss Fayetteville, Victoria Huggins, who hails from the city of Lumberton in neighboring Robeson County. Both these ladies are extremely talented, beautiful and deserving of their title, honors and scholarships. They are just not from Fayetteville.

On Jan. 24, during the 2015 Miss Fayetteville Pageant at Huff Concert Hall at Reeves Fine Arts Building on the campus of Methodist University, Naylor gave up her Miss Fayetteville title to another Lumberton native, the lovely, talented and beautiful, Comfort Johnson, a 23-year-old student attending UNC Pembroke. Comfort will represent Fayetteville and compete for the coveted Miss North Carolina title and hopefully, for the title of Miss America. This is many young women’s dream and we wish her the best.

The Miss America Scholarship Program has many merits and I applaud the amount of time, effort and dedication that goes into this endeavor by the contestants. What I have never understood is why this program and process on the local level seems to be so subdued and quiet in our community. I am not alone in this observation. As a media source, I have the same concerns as many others familiar with the organization. This is that the process being used to publicize the event and recruit contestants to participate is a flawed process. Flawed in its orchestration and perhaps unfair or at best, misrepresented. After all, what other reason could there be for allowing outside contestants to enter another city’s local event?

First, the program appears to be more selective in nature than inclusive. This limits participation and the number of contestants simply because they are not made aware of the opportunity. Second, the pageant itself is grossly understated and poorly marketed with little or no promotion or advertising. Matter of fact, the Miss Fayetteville Scholarship Pageant does not have a website and uses Facebook as its only source for information. Once there, you have no contact information, no “about us” information or information about the contest, requirements, scholarships or how to get involved with the process.

Third, advertising and promotion of the pageant itself is virtually nonexistent. The only publicity and awareness there was that a Miss Fayetteville Pageant was even taking place this year was posted online by The Fayetteville Observer... the night of the event. The newspaper updated its post for the next day and then featured the winners in the Saturday Extra supplement.

Finally, last, but not least, our Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville. Believe me, people are baffled and confused by that. For an entire year Miss Fayetteville will travel around the region under the guise of being from Fayetteville but, in reality, she cannot be an effective Ambassador because she really doesn’t know anything about our community. And, that is what is unfortunate. These young women work extremely hard to compete for that title. Sure, beauty, poise and talent are important, but so are work ethic, character, dedication, commitment and matters of the heart. We see and experience these traits from the contestants who commit to participate locally. By not emphasizing this “local” qualification in the competition, the Miss Fayetteville Pageant franchise owners are doing a grand injustice to the contestants and the communities from which they hail. They rob local communities of true recognition and the sense of pride and accomplishment that comes from supporting one of their own.

Again, this is not about the contestants, it’s a commentary about the operation of an organization that chooses to operate in a way that diminishes their own goals and objectives.

Over the years, Fayetteville has had several wonderful “local” young women win the Miss Fayetteville title. All have represented our community with beauty, dignity and style. Now, I’m not a pageant person so I don’t keep up with such things, however, in the last decade we have had several “local” Miss Fayetteville’s. Kinsey Boarts, Tiffanie Wagner, Katie Elizabeth Mills and Brooke McLaurin come immediately to mind. These local, homegrown queens received much local support and encouragement from residents, friends, family and local businesses and organizations.

Everyone took great pride in watching them work in our community, show up at community events, donate countless hours supporting children and working with local charities. I never really saw or met any franchise pageant committee members reaching out in support of these young women on their quest for the Miss North Carolina title. My point is that when the contestants were local everyone took pride, ownership and had a vested interest in the success of the young girls. They represented the City of Fayetteville and we supported them. Brooke McLaurin, who actually went on to become Miss North Carolina, and Katie Mills were two of the most devoted and hardest workers for this community. Again, I never saw much outside support.

I guess I’ll conclude by saying this: The rules are the rules. However, if our city name is going to be invoked, the community should benefit from it and the contestants should benefit also. Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville or Cumberland County not from Lumberton, Raeford, Wake County or Harnett County. On the same hand, our local talent should not be forced to compete in other communities. Crowning a Miss Fayetteville should be a “big deal” in Fayetteville each and every year. Not served up as a nonevent or afterthought that surprisingly shows up in the Saturday Extra the day after.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Photo: If our city name is going to be invoked, the community should benefit from it and the contestants should benefit also. Miss Fayetteville should be from Fayetteville or Cumberland County not from Lumberton, Raeford, Wake County or Harnett County. 

The FireAntz’s Jan Safar has been explosive on the ice this season, leading the league in scoring as a defenseman, recording two goals and 20 assists for 22 points through his first 30 games.

Safar, born in Prague, Czech Republic, is a passionate 27-yearold who immediately fell in love with the game of hockey at the young age of 7. His love for the game of hockey has only grown from the time his grandpa taught him to skate. Safar looks up to his grandpa for planting that seed, which then blossomed as his love for the game of hockey grew.

As a talented defenseman for the Antz, Safar has proven to be quite the team player as he leads the team in assists. Safar’s game day routine consists of waking up early, going for a light skate, followed by a pasta platter for lunch around 1p.m. and a good snooze.

He has enjoyed his time here in Fayetteville and says that Military Night was his best experience since coming to town.

“It was a great atmosphere,” he said. “The fans were great; really fun to play that game.”

Safar hopes that his love and passion for the game of hockey will assist him “to lead the FireAntz to win a championship in the future.”

In his spare time, Safar enjoys the finer things, a little bit of cooking, going for walks, watching movies and working out. He’s a huge fan of sushi and his favorite restaurant in Fayetteville is Shogun.

Safar’s hockey career has landed him far from home, which allows him little time to see his two younger sisters and the rest of his family. It’s a huge sacrifice that the average fan may not consider when attending games. Many of the FireAntz players share this common trait, which is what makes the bond of these teammates so unique — they’re a family.

In the off-season, Safar spends time with his girlfriend in Canada, training for hockey and teaching at hockey schools when he can.

Fast Facts About Jan Safar
Favorite Song:  Hideaway by Kiesza
Favorite Movie  Braveheart
Favorite Sports Teams:  Sparta Praha and Toronto Maple Leafs
Favorite Sports Aside From Hockey: Tennis and Skiing

Photo: Jan Safar, a native of the Czech Republic, is a talented defenseman, who leads the
FireAntz team in assists. 

Fans of shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With the Stars are in for a treat with the next show in the Community Concerts 2014-2015 season.

On Feb. 11, Dancing With the Pros Live: You Pick the Winner, comes to the Crown Theatre. The show features dance styles that include the Cha-Cha, Waltz, Tango, Swing, Freestyle, Samba and the Jitterbug, bringing the glamour and pizzazz of competitive dance right to the audience.

Some of the familiar faces in this show include Karina Smirnoff as head judge; guest star Edyta Sliwinska and competitor Chelsie Hightower from Dancing with the Stars; and host Alan Thicke, star of the hit TV show Growing Pains. Benji Schwimmer is set to compete and actor and dancer, Oscar Orosco holds a spot as one of the judges. Vocalists Joanna Pacitti, from American Idol Season 8, and Angel Taylor, from The Voice Season 2 will grace the stage, as well.

Smirnoff is excited to return to Fayetteville.

“I am so excited to return to Fayettville, I have been through there many times and have worked at a local studio,” said Smirnoff. “I love that we are coming to perform in a military town and I can’t wait for everyone to come out and enjoy the show.”

The remaining competitors on the tour are dance champions Artur Adamski, Paul Barris, Tess Buchatsky, Sasha Chernositov, Dmitry Demidov, Denys Drozdyuk, Arina Grishanina, Regina Maziarz, Antonina Skobina and Anastasia Trutneva.

For many viewers, shows like So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With the Stars are as much about the love of dance as they are about voting for the competitors. The audience will have a say in the outcome of this show, too. Using electronic remotes, the audience can vote for their favorite dancers during the show.

“This show is very interactive. The flow of it is super fast and the audience gets to experience several champions performing in their own category,” said Smirnoff. “As I judge, I get to offer professional advice to the performers, which as a dancer myself I always valued, but it is the audience that decides the winners. When I get to talk to the audience I always suggest that they vote for the dancers that move them and with whom they connect. It has been really fun to see how differently the audiences vote from city to city.”

Community Concerts is half way through its 79th season. Scotty McCreery opened this year’s series in October and was followed by Sister Act in November and Trace Adkins in December. Dancing Pros Live: You Pick the Winner brings a fun twist to the season by making the audience a part of the show. Next in the lineup are The Australian Bee Gees on March 25. Smokey Robinson closes out the season on April 16.

True to its mission to bring the finest in top-notch entertainment to Fayetteville, Community Concerts seeks out and brings fun interesting shows to the community each year. The dedicated volunteers behind this organization truly understand the value of the arts and music and celebrate their love for all things musical on a local level throughout the year.

Each year, the organization offers a scholarship to a promising high school graduate. To date, 24 students have received scholarships from Community Concerts.

Community Concerts supports local musicians and local children throughout the year by providing opportunities for them to perform. Voices of the Heart and Linda Kinlaw’s School of Dance have shared the stage with showcase performers in the past as has local country singer Trae Edwards.

The Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame program, which was founded in 2008, honors musicians who have brought distinction to Fayetteville through their talents. The Music Hall of Fame inductions usually take place at one of the Community Concerts events in the spring.

Community Concerts provides free concert opportunities to groups ranging from children to deserving seniors. In recent seasons, these have included the Vision Resource Center, Urban Ministry, The Sunshine Center, members of local fire and police departments and many more.

Tickets for the Dancing With the Pros Live: You Pick the Winner are $50, $42 and $28. Groups of 10 or more can save $3 on tickets by calling Cena at 910.438.4123.

To find out more, visit www.community-concerts.com.

Photo: Dancing With the Pros Live: You Pick the Winner, a fun, interactive dance show, is on stage at the Crown on Feb. 11 as part of the annual Community Concerts subscription series.

Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire is an American classic. So it is only suiting that this brilliant play is brought to life in a theater that prides itself on presenting quality works:

The Gilbert Theater. The Gilbert Theater is set to open A Street Car Named Desire — its third play of the season — on Feb. 13. Following the smashing success of the season’s comedic opener, Nunsense, and a warm welcome for the traditional favorite A Christmas Carol, the Gilbert tells an intense tale with this classic.

Artistic Director Robyne Parrish sets the stage. “Blanche DuBois (Amanda Brooke Lerner), a fading, though attractive Southern Bell — a troubled woman trying to find her place in the world. Blanche arrives at the doorstep of her polar opposite sister, Stella (Staci Sabarsky) and brute of a man brother-in-law, Stanley (Chris Daftios),” explained Parrish. “Blanche is shocked by her sister’s low-class lifestyle of living and Stanley’s aggressive behavior. Blanche’s efforts to impose herself between them only enrages the animal inside Stanley. Mitch (Nathan Pearce), Stanley’s friend, himself alone in the world, sees Blanche as a beautiful and refined woman. Blanche’s secrets slowly catch up with her and the world she knows and lives in rapidly falls apart.”

Sabarsky is no stranger to the Gilbert stage. She played Maureen in Rent. This season she carries the role of Stella.

“What I love about Stella is how well-rounded and multi-dimensional she is,” said Sabarsky. “At times she is strong at others she is weak, but she is always interesting and integral to the storyline. It’s easy to say that this is Blanche’s story, but really it’s about the dynamic between the two sisters and Stella’s husband, Stanley. I always love delving into the relationships between the characters in a play and Williams’ characters are so rich and never boring. That’s one reason why I believe this piece of American theater is still so relevant today.”

A performing arts teacher by day, Sabarsky also directs. When it comes to acting though, it is all about making a connection.

“I love that theater, in particular, is a shared experience with the audience. For those few hours, we take a journey together. It’s magical … it’s never the same. And, for those few hours, you get to step into someone else’s skin and experience what their life is like,” she said. “Tennessee Williams is one of America’s best playwrights. He understands the dynamics of relationships and his work is still touching and relevant more than 60 years later.”

Sabarsky could not have said it better. In many ways, having a shared experience is what the Gilbert Theater is all about. Since its early days in Lynne Pryer’s (the founder of the theater) home, then moving from one location to another, people who make the Gilbert Theater the place the community so dearly loves have worked tirelessly to reach out to and train performers, playwrights and directors and engage and entertain the community.

“The Gilbert is a place to come and grow as an artist. We are a very inclusive, open community. One of our main goals of late is diversity. We create more opportunities for actors and other artists who have been historically underrepresented on and off the stage,” said Parrish. “And while we do welcome guest artists occasionally, for example the two New York City actors in Streetcar, we are very much a community-minded organization that showcases local talent. Ninety percent of our artists annually are made up of locals.”

Director Brian Adam Kline is eager to open the show.

“We have a brilliant cast and look forward to affording the opportunity for the community to experience Tennessee Williams live and in color. If you love any of the films you will love the play,” said Kline. “Travel back in time with us and experience this legendary piece of theatre.”

“We cannot tell you how excited we are to present this breathtaking story as our feature classic this season,” Parrish added.

The cast includes two Equity actors, Amanda Brooke Lerner as Blance and Chris Daftios as Stanley.

Other performer are:

Stella: Staci Sabarsky (Rent, Maureen)

Mitch: Nathan Pearce (Carol, Company)

Yudor Forbes, Deanna Robinson, James Merkle, Brandon Shane Bryan, Michael Carney, Kaley Morrison, Justin John, Maria Forte and Joanne Mason represent on stage as well.

In addition to stage performances, the theater hosts The Gilbert Repertory, a resident repertory company of a 12-14 actors who call the Gilbert Theatre their artistic home. Artists are admitted to the program by audition only and the repertory only accepts new members every two years.

The Repertory has its own show every season and members also direct and write.

Gilbert Glee is the Gilbert’s youth company. Through the Glee initiative, the Gilbert aims not only to entertain, but also to educate young people by engaging them with timeless literature through expressive theatre and music. Glee runs September through June and culminates in a performance in June 2014.

Parrish has big plans to connect with the community this coming year in new ways, as well.

“We plan to partner with Cumberland Peace to bring a staged reading of VESPA which deals with end-of-life challenges in April,” she said. “We will also partner with the Cape Fear Museum on the annual Poe House Halloween event in October. Our season is only halfway through and next season is going to be the best yet! A hint about our fall opener — it involves monsters.”

To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.gilberttheater.com or call 678-7186.

Photo: he cast of the A Street Car Named Desire, on stage at the Gilbert Theater, are deep in rehearsals as they prepare to bring an American classic to the stage.

Since the very first person rode the very first set of tracks, trains have been intriguing for children and adults. One way that this manifests is through television shows, particularly for children. A relatively new television show that brings the excitement of trains and valuable life lessons to kids across the world is Chuggington. Perhaps even more exciting is the opportunity for fans to experience the adventures of their favorite Chuggington characters live with Chuggington Live: The Great Rescue Adventure coming to the Crown Theatre on Feb. 13.

“This is a high-energy, multimedia show,” said Rori Nogee, who plays the character Lori in the show. “It’s interactive and fun. Kids love it. It’s a chance to see the latest Disney Jr. characters and the audience gets to be a part of the story.”

Chuggingtonis a popular animated children’s show that focuses on young trains called trainees. They strive to learn and to train in order to join the Chug Patrol. They are faced with challenges that teach them important life lessons like the value of friendship, hard work, determination, teamwork and courage. The show has been translated into 36 different languages and in the United States it is broadcasted through Disney and Disney Junior Channels.

“While the show typically appeals to young boys, I love that my role is that of a strong woman,” said Nogee. “It sets a good example for them and falls right in line with the other themes in the show like the value of hard work, determination and team work.”

Chuggington Live: The Great Rescue Adventure is a 75-minute, two act musical full of fun and excitement for fans of the friendly trains. In the show, the three trainees Koko, Wilson and Brewster are starting on their advanced training to become part of the Chug Patrol. However, Koko needs help after she gets into some trouble at the Rocky Ridge Mine. Wilson puts his new skills to use to help save his friend. The show focuses on the importance of courage and determination when facing large challenges. The trains share with the audience important life lessons.

The show is full of new songs and fan favorites from the TV series. The onstage trains are as mechanically marvelous as their real-life counterparts. They have working mouths, eyes and an interactive animate background. This is an incredible opportunity for new fans and old. For those who have experienced the show before, it is an exciting way to experience familiar characters. For new viewers, the adventure is an exciting show with great new friends.

Chuggington Live: The Great Rescue Adventure will be at the Crown Theater at 7 p.m. The theatre is located at 1960 Coliseum Dr. Ticket prices range from $20 to $45. Tickets are available through ticketmaster.com, The Crown Box Office or by calling 1-800-745-300. For more information, visit www.crowncomplexnc.com, http://lifeliketouring.com/chuggingtonlive or call 910-438-4100.

Photo: Chugginton Live: The Great Rescue Adventure is on stage at the Crown on Feb. 13.

The life insurance industry has the best IRS-approved retirement savings plan today — and most investors know nothing about it. This retirement savings vehicle is not a pre-tax qualified, 401(k)-type plan, a Roth IRA, an annuity or whole life insurance. It is the financial industry’s No. 1 secret — Indexed Universal Life (IUL).

The ugly truth is that the 401(k) is a lousy idea, a financial flop, a rotten repository for our retirement reserves. The solution: a new type of insurance. Retirement savings, it turns out, are exactly the type of asset for which we need insurance. Insurance protects against risks that can’t be predicted, for instance, when the market collapses and investors can’t afford to recover from it on their own.

People insure nearly every other aspect of their life: their health, their home, their vehicles. Why not protect a safe, comfortable retirement against the risks that can’t be predicted and that investors can’t afford to recover from on their own; and why not cut out the tax man in the process? These are all legal, and totally above board, established life insurance principles. It may sound too good to be true, but it’s just what life insurance is and does. Yet the general public — and even many financial advisors — have absolutely no idea that a tax-free, market-risk-free, gains-locked-in, congressionally-approved solution has been sitting right under their noses for 14 years. Let’s lay out the basic principles of Indexed Universal Life (IUL).

Indexed Universal Life’s basic principles:

1. The money grows tax deferred, access to it is tax free and it does not affect taxation of Social Security. This alone can save thousands of dollars in taxes.

2. It is guaranteed by contract never to lose money due to a market loss. IULs are not tied to the market but are linked to the market by a selected index and all gains (subject to a cap) are locked in.

3. Historical returns, based on actual illustrations from the top carriers going back to the late 1980s, are usually somewhere between 7-9 percent, mean actual interest rates of return.

4. The death benefit is paid out to the beneficiary — tax-free.

5. Many parents use the cash value in the IUL to fund college.

There are many more benefits to the IUL than those listed above.

It looks like odds are good that Indexed Universal Life may offer roughly two to three times the amount of benefits over conventional investments, depending on the actual index returns and the investor’s tax bracket. This is a result of protection of principal against market losses, the indexing and legally cutting out the tax man. This is what Einstein called one of the most powerful forces in the universe: compounding interest.

Sources: Read more: http://www.foxbusiness.com/personal-finance/2012/02/22/legally-cutting-out-tax-man-in-retirement/#ixzz2eOvEEssz Gandel, Stephen (2009, October 9). Why It’s Time to Retire the 401(k). TIME. Retrieved from http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1929233,00.html.

Photo: It can be challenging to find effective ways to save for retirement.