I have been waiting for Legally Blonde to hit the stage at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre since the afternoon last summer when Tom Quaintance, the artistic director at the CFRT, announced the new season. Let me say upfront, it was well worth the wait.

The musical, tells the story of Elle Woods, a blonde beauty from Malibu, who gives up tanning and shopping to attend Harvard Law School in order to win back her boyfriend, who is looking for a serious girl. The premise is, in and of itself, shaky. Because really, how would she get into Harvard Law when her main recom-mendation is being a sorority queen and what guy is giving up Malibu Barbie for lawyer Barbie? But that’s an argument for another day.

I’d much rather talk about the phe-nomenal cast of the show, the great music, punchy one-liners and over-the-top acting. Yes, the show has all of that and a lot more!

Shorey Walker, the New York City-based director, did an outstanding job in casting this show. She brought to-gether a diverse group of actors, most local, some regional for a tour de force that has not been seen in the area in quite some time. While all of the actors brought something to table, I would be totally remiss, if I didn’t say that two of the actors in supporting roles really stole the entire show.

The first set of kudos goes out to Samantha Fabiani who played the role of Paulette, the hairdresser/lonely heart who befriends Elle in Boston. Fabiani was last seen on the CFRT stage in Jesus Christ Superstar, where she played the role of Herod. I ab-solutely loved her in that role, as she strutted the stage in leopard pajamas, but as Paulette, she was unstoppable. She owned the role and her perfect comedic timing brought laughter from the audience every time she deliv-ered her lines. Fabiani, a graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania, is a phenomenal addition to the cast, and it is our hope that she will continue to frequent the CFRT stage in the years to come.

The first time I consciously remember seeing Chris Emano was when he was juggling in the lobby of the Cape Fear Regional Theatre prior to the start of the show Barnum. Since that time, I have seen Emano in a number of shows where he has played small roles, but nothing that has ever put him really front and center. That was supposed to be the case in this show as well. Emano was cast in three distinct supporting roles, but he stole the show lock, stock and barrel. I have never seen him as animated in any other show, but in Legally Blonde, he had the audience eating out of his hand. If you go to the show for no other reason, go to see a young actor come into his own. Chris Emano is center stage with the spotlight on him in this show, and I have to say, he has earned it.

That being said, the entire ensemble did an awesome job singing and danc-ing their way through the show, and the girls who comprised the Greek chorus were divine inspired. I mentioned this after Jesus Christ Superstar, but I have to reenforce it, Quaintance has done an exceptional job in bringing new blood into the theatre and many of those folks fill the ranks of the ensemble in this show, which gives it the WOW factor that actually had the audience cheering in the middle of the act, not at the end.

The obvious enjoyment of the audi-ence also played a great part in mak-ing this show so awesome. Too many times I’ve gone to the theatre and other than polite claps in between acts, the audience could not have even been present. The audience for this show was actively engaged in the show and they made it known that they enjoyed the show from the first, “OMG!” to the last.

Legally Blonde the Musicalat the CFRT is a home run, and is the type and caliber of theatre that local resi-dents should embrace and come to expect from the CFRT.

The show was scheduled to run through Feb. 10 but due to the out-standing response of local residents and the popularity of the show, we are happy to announce that the run has been extended for one more week, and will go through Feb. 17. Grab your phone, go online and get your tickets, this may very well be the best show of the season.

For tickets and information, visit the website at www.cfrt.org.

Pablo Picasso once said that, “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.”

Well, Harvey Littleton seems to be one of the few with the solution. Now 90-years-old, Littleton remains a thriving artist. From pottery to glassblowing to vitreography, he has showcased his talents as a man with multiple crafts. However, it is his mastery of vitreography that will soon capture the eyes of art-lovers all across Fayetteville.

Harvey Littleton & Friends is a new exhibition of vitreograph prints from Littleton and other nationally and internationally known artists, such as Dale Chihuly, Erwin Eisch, Herb Jackson, Clarence Morgan and Tom Nakashima, among others. For the first time ever, Fayetteville has the opportunity to experience these dynamic works first hand at the David McCune International Art Gallery on the campus of Methodist University.

Each print is made its own by the individual techniques the artists use when embedding their images onto a plate of glass that is then run through a printing press, creating the unique art that is vitreography.

Now known as the father of the Studio Glass Movement, Littleton has transformed from the young boy in his father’s lab at Corning Glassworks to famed mentor and legendary artist. It wasn’t known some years ago that little Littleton would stray from his father’s dreams of becoming a physicist and gravitate toward a more expressionist form of work.

While glass as art may seem like a relatively normal form of representation today, it wasn’t always so. Glass was formerly believed to be an industrial material meant only for use in factory facilities. However, in 1962 Littleton helped level the playing field when he conducted two seminal glassblowing workshops at The Toledo Museum of Art. Then just a year later, in 1963, he taught the first university program for glass in the United States at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. But the best was still to come.

In 1974, Littleton developed what is the modern printmaking technique for vitreography. Just a few years later he opened up his own glass studio in Spruce Pine, N.C., where he would invite artists of all forms to come and make vitreographs using his etching press.

Silvana Foti is the executive director at the David McCune International Art Gallery where the exhibit will be held. She had the opportunity to meet Littleton when she was passing through Spruce Pine visiting different galleries.

“I met Harvey Littleton in the ‘80s,” she said. “I never forgot that he had a studio and in 2009, I went back for a workshop.”

During her return trip to the Littleton gallery, Foti was able to study with master printer Judith O’Rourke, another talented vitreographer.

Foti considers herself fortunate to be able to bring such a timely art to Methodist University.

“This exhibition is bringing the Fayetteville area a form of art that has been around for 50 years and we’re very excited to be hosting the show,” she said. “These artists are the cream of the crop in vitreography.”

The exhibit is scheduled to open Thursday, Feb. 7 at the David McCune International Art Gallery in the William F. Bethune Center for Visual Arts at Methodist University. There will be an opening reception from 6 to 9 p.m., with a gallery talk at 7 p.m. by Littleton’s daughter, Carol Littleton Shay. Admission is free.

The gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 12 to 4 p.m. Appointments are also available. The exhibit will be on display through April 7. For more information, visit davidmccunegallery.org.

Photo: Moonbeam Dancing by Erwin Eisch.

It’s halfway through the season, and the FireAntz are in top form. After taking on a new coach this year, recruiting strong players and working hard, the team is back on top of their game and currently in first place in the Southern Professional Hockey League.

“This team is far more competitive than last year,” said FireAntz general manager Kevin McNaught. “Three years ago we went to the finals  but lost the final game. We’ve always been a competitive team, but the last two years have been down years.”

The new Head Coach, Mark DeSantis, didn’t waste any time turning things back around. McNaught credits the coach’s ability to build good chemistry between the team members as a key ingredient. DeSantis came to the FireAntz after playing professional hockey for 16 years and then taking on the role of assistant coach in Rapid City, S.D. for three seasons.

For DeSantis, building a good hockey team is as much about character as it is about skill. In the end, coach made the foundation of the team around three key players.

Obviously with a guy like Bobby Reed, our captain, he was a good example of what I want to build our team around,” said DeSantis. “He is a great person, he has good character and he’s a good hockey player. That was my number one thing — getting a guy like him.”

Andrew Small played for DeSantis his last two seasons in the Central League, and joined the FireAntz this year.

“He is a little older, comes with a lot of experience and just wants to play a lot more,” said DeSantis. “He plays 30-35 minutes a game. Bringing a guy like him in has been good for the team.”

Marco Emond was DeSantis’ next pick for building a strong team.

“Marco Emond, our goalie, has won 32 championships. You want to build around this type of person; they are what we need here in Fayetteville … and you just go from there,” said DeSantis.

Once these three players were on board, it was clear what needed to happen next.

“We have a rising star in Josh McQuaid,” said DeSantis. “His talent is off the charts — he brings it every night. The great thing about Josh is that he just loves to score, and you can’t fault a guy for that. “

At the moment, the FireAntz are at 12-1. They’ve worked hard and played their best every game, but with 19 games to go in the season, DeSantis has no illusions about what lies ahead.

“I am very happy, but it is real tough because I know we have a real good fan base and they suffered the last two seasons,” said DeSantis. “It is a tough one to start 12-1, I mean, I love it but it is hard to make changes when you make 12-1. I know that other teams are going to get better and with this record it is tough to make changes. Our fans are great and they want to see us do well every night. But as a coach, I can live with losing if we work the other team hard and give 100 percent.”

Don’t miss the next game on Feb. 8. The Fort Bragg Patriots — the Fort Bragg hockey team formerly known as The Dragons — is playing right before the FireAntz.

“They are playing the Fort Benning team,” said McNaught. “On that night it will be two for one tickets for military members. One ticket will get you in to both games if you are in the military.”

The FireAntz have a strong relationship with the military community and partner with the U.S. Fort Bragg Public Affairs Office to distribute tickets to FireAntz games among other things. Throughout the community the team partners with businesses and organizations, too.

For example, the team has been known to attend and sponsor blood drives, food drives and fundraisers for local charities. The Feb. 10 game is a fundraiser to benefi t the Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’s Friends of Children. “We’ve visited the hospital and they do more than cancer related things,” said McNaught. “They do a lot of fundraising and a golf tournament to raise money for local children. We are happy to work with them and support their work.”

Of course, the FireAntz love playing hockey and making every game a good time, but the team is also serious about giving back to the community, starting in the rink. FireAntz home games often include themes like military appreciation night, beach night, scout night, ladies night and more. McNaught says that the team asks a lot from the community so it is only right that they give back.

Outside the rink, the team is always looking for ways to make a difference. “We visit about four schools a week. The players go out and visit schools and we do a lot of rec centers, too,” said McNaught. “We really enjoy getting the players out with the kids. In fact, we have more kids at our games than anyone in the league. We do one kid’s night a month.”

After 17 years in the community, McNaught says keeping things fresh and fun is important to the team. “The biggest challenge when you are around it a lot is keeping things from being stale. We try to get the best team that we can on the ice every year. Off the ice we try to do more and more with the community. It is something to always work on and have an open mind about.”

Find out more about the FireAntz at www.fireantzhockey.com.

Photos courtesy of Tom Groves.

If you haven’t made it to hear any of this year’s distinguished speakers in the Fayetteville State University Distinguished Speakers series, it’s not too late. The series kicked off with Dr. Bob Zellner, who spoke on Jan. 22.

“The Distinguished Speaker Series was started by the Fayetteville State University chancellor about five years ago,” said Director of Public Relations Jeff Womble. “His thought was to bring speakers to the campus for the students, faculty, staff and community and to bring more people to the campus to give them and idea of the things we have to offer.”

The program has been a huge success, drawing nationally known speakers like Roland Martin, Donna Brazile and Al Sharpton.

At the end of each spring semester, the chancellor and members of the staff get together and come up with a list that they feel will be a benefit and enjoyment to both the students and the community.

“He wants this to be a process where the audience can come hear the speakers and get something out of it,” said Womble.

Prior to each speaker’s visit, audience members can choose to participate by writing questions on an index card. After the speaker has concluded his talk, questions are chosen from the cards and the audience has a chance to interact with the speaker.

On Feb. 9, Dr. Cornel West is scheduled to speak at 1 p.m. at Seabrook Auditorium. A graduate of Harvard and Princeton universities, West has taught at Union Theological Seminary, Yale, Harvard and the University of Paris. He has edited 13 books and written 20. West appears frequently on the Bill Maher Show, Colbert Report, CNN and C-Spanas well as on Tavis Smiley’s PBS TV Show. West’s books include Race Matters, Democracy Matters, and his latest publication, Brother West: Living and Loving Out Loud, a memoir.

He’s has appeared in more than 25 films and documentaries.

“Dr. West is highly respected in academia and is always making political commentary,” said Womble. “We are not sure what he will speak about, but we are certain it will be enlightening.

”Hilda Pinnix-Ragland is scheduled to close out the 2012-2013 series on March 12. She is the Vice President for Corporate Public Affairs for Duke Energy, the nation’s largest integrated utility headquartered in N.C.

Pinnix-Ragland works with officials at the local, state and federal levels to develop energy policies that are good for both consumers and businesses. Her numerous awards include appointments by former N.C. Governor Beverly Perdue to the Budget Reform and Accountability Commission and to the Governor’s Transition Team; the NC 4-H Lifetime Achievement Award; the Distinguished Alumni Award from N.C. A&T State University. Pinnix-Ragland was recently awarded the 2010 BOBB Award in Energy presented by the American Academy of Business and Commerce.

Pinnix-Ragland was chosen to speak in honor of Women’s History month, which is celebrated in March.

Like previous speakers, Womble expects that Pinnix-Ragland will be warmly received.

“The community certainly enjoys and embraces this program and it is a benefit to our students,” said Womble. “That is most important. Anytime we find a program that works this well for both the students and the community, we want to do everything we can to support it.”

For more information about Distinguished Speaker Series, visit www.uncfsu.edu/govandcommunity/events/Speakers%20Series/speakerartsseries.htm. To purchase tickets, call 672.1474.

Photos: Top left: Dr. Cornel West. Bottom right: Hilde Pinnix-Ragland.

In November of 1991, Disney released the animated movie titled Beauty and the Beast. Immediately, audiences all over the world fell in love with the romantic and heartwarming tale. Not only have audiences loved this story for years, with copies still being sold worldwide, but the movie also won critical acclaim as well.

Beauty and the Beast won a Golden Globe and was also the first animated film to be nominated for an Academy Award. In 2002, Beauty and the Beast was also selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress for being “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant.” The stunning success of this animated musical made it clear that the story was loved, so Disney branched out and also made Beauty and the Beast available for production on the stage.

The NETworks production of Beauty and the Beast, a musical, will be live on the stage at the Crown Coliseum on Feb. 9. NETworks Productions was founded in 1995 by Kenneth Gentry, Seth Wenig and Scott W. Jackson. Since then, the company has produced more than 50 big-name productions all over the globe. Their works include Little Women, The Wizard of Oz,and Hairspray. The company is known globally for its skill in putting on theatrical productions that are exciting, engaging and beloved by audiences. NETworks productions continues to build their reputation of producing excellence by presenting Beauty and the Beast, the musical based on the Disney animated movie.

Like the movie, the stage production appeals to all ages. From 5-year-olds to 70-year-olds, anyone who comes to see the show will be entranced.

Natasha Katz, the lighting designer for the show says, “This particular version is not an exact replica of the film but it is extremely close to allow the audience to use their imagination more.”

Beauty and the Beast is a story of love. Belle is a young French woman who delights in books. The Beast is a prince who was transformed into a beast by a witch who was disguised as a traveler. He must win the love of Belle or face remaining in his altered state for the rest of his life. Belle learns to look past the Beast’s exterior into his kingly heart and falls in love with him, breaking the spell and returning him and his castle back to their original glory.

For the younger audiences, the beauty and magic of the show is sure to dazzle. For the older audience members, there is a play between good and evil that will add meaning and a new layer to the traditional and well-loved story.

“There is a dark side to the show, which makes any fable or fairy tale exciting. From a lighting point of view the dark side needed to be explored. In truth, you can’t have light without dark, or happiness without unhappiness, or courage without fear. “Katz explained.

Tickets can be purchased online at crowncoliseum.com. For more information, contact (910) 438-4100, this number can also be used to purchase tickets. The Crown Theatre is located at 1960 Coliseum Dr.

Mama (Rated PG-13) 5 Stars

When I heard that Mama (101 minutes) had been pushed from a 2012 release to a 2013 release, I got worried. Unless they are avoiding a Harry Potter movie, when studios start playing with release dates it’s usually a bad sign. See: Red Dawn, World War Z. Happily, this was an exception to a normally reliable rule because Mama was pretty darn good.

Guillermo del Toro, sticking close to his comfort zone, produces a film that is thematically linked to his favorite themes of small, sad children touched by the supernatural. Sitting in the director’s chair is first time director Andre Muschietti, who created the short upon which the feature film is based. He does a fantastic job with the story and he knows how to make creepy kids even creepier. However, I was not in love with the big creature reveal of Mama because CGI tends to look like CGI — horror is much scarier when unrealistic effects are kept in the shadows.

The film opens with an abandoned car. It is 2008, just after the finan-cial crisis, and a man named Jeffrey (Nikolaj Coster-Waldeau) has just finished indulging in a killing spree. He takes his children and heads as far from civilization as he can get. Some strange things happen on the way to nowhere in particular, and the children end up alone in a cabin with no supplies.

Time jumps five years forward. A couple of young hipsters are still invested in the case of the missing girls and their dad. Uncle Lucas (also Nikolaj Coster-Waldeau) lives with Annabel (Jessica Chastain, con-tinuing her quest to appear in every movie released this year), and they get very excited when a couple of mountain men find the girls living in an isolated cabin.

So, much as I like the movie … here’s the thing: I can totally buy into supernatural intervention keeping otherwise helpless children alive; I don’t know if I buy into the cabin going undiscovered for five years since it was in walking distance of the car crash that investigators certainly should have found, but did not. I mean, maybe I’m naïve, but I think when it comes to tracking down a guy that kills a bunch of people and then kidnaps a couple of kids, the police would maybe show a little interest in finding them.

Anyway, mountain men. They find the car crash, find the cabin and find the girls. Victoria (Megan Charpentier) and Lily (Isabel Nelisse) are filthy and fast and creepy and have a tendency to sway as if preparing to pounce. They are brought back to civilization with very little language and few basic skills. Dr. Dreyfuss (Daniel Kash) turns them into his pet project and suc-cessfully argues that Annabel and Lucas should get custody. Annabel is thrilled. She tries her best, and despite a few growing pains it seems like Uncle Lucas is going to make it work. But then things get creepy.

The girls make surprisingly rapid progress in behaving like civilized children (Victoria more than Lily), and the family moves into a huge home subsidized by Dr. Dreyfuss and filled with recording equipment. Too bad this is a horror movie be-cause of course, things must become horrible. Uncle Lucas falls down the stairs while investigating spooky goings-on, leaving an ill-prepared Annabel to play mommy with two girls who need more attention than she wants to offer.

Overall, this is a solid horror hit that also plays with themes of forgiveness, loss, change and inadequacy. Chastain delivers one of her best efforts and the two kids do a good job with material that would be beyond the years of most children their age. Heads up, in avoiding the obvious clichés the director made sure there was no standard happily ever after Hollywood ending.

Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15.

Winter Jam Comes to the Crown

The Buzz this week is all about the Winter Jam Tour Spectacular 2013. Winter Jam is returning to the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville Thursday, Feb. 7. Here are a few things you will need to know to be prepared for an amazing evening!

First, arrive as early as you can. The doors open at 6 p.m., but since the admission is just a $10 donation at the door (unless you purchase a JamNation membership*) you will want to be in line well before then. Bring water, snacks and maybe a group-oriented game to help pass the time. You’ll also need ear plugs (it will be loud) and some cash for food and art-ist merchandise.

The concert officially starts at 7 p.m., but the pre-jam party really gets things going around 6:30 p.m. with new bands Capital Kings and OBB. American Idol alum Jason Castro will round out the Pre-Jam experience.The lights go dim at 7 p.m. and the show takes off with a few fun tunes from Jamie Grace like “Hold Me” and “You Lead.” Sing along to the in-sightful ballads from Sidewalk Prophets: “The Words I Would Say,” “You Love Me Anyway” and the new one “Help Me Find It.” Then be ready to “Make A Move” with Royal Tailor!

Newsong, your hosts for the evening and the founders of Winter Jam, will inspire with “The Same God”, their new radio single “Swallow The Ocean” and the classic “Arise My Love” among others. Once your vocal chords are warmed up you will sing along with Matthew West and his wonderful story-songs like “Strong Enough,” “My Own Little World,” and his latest, “Forgiveness.”

Speaker Nick Hall will vividly present the life one can have with the God spoken about in the songs being sung. Then, for the rockers in the house, Red will pump up the decibels and the pyrotechnics! Finally Toby Mac and Diverse City will close the evening as only they can with tunes such as “City On Our Knees,” “Lose My Soul” and the new one, “Steal My Show.”

It’s the largest Christian concert that will come this way all year; 10 bands for only $10 at the door!

*If you want a guaranteed seat with some bonus benefits, details on the Jam Nation memberships is available at www.jamtour.com.

Methodist University’s Loyalty Day is rooted in a tradition of local sup-port older than the school itself. Before the then-named Methodist College opened in 1960, local leaders gathered donations for a small, private, liber-al-arts college that would be built in Fayetteville.

“The institution owes its very founding to community leaders who believed in the philosophy of university-community partnerships,” said President Ben Hancock. “Loyalty Day is rooted in a longstanding tradition of com-munity support, and it provides an opportunity to highlight the promise we make to every new student who comes through our gate that he or she will receive an exceptional education. We are grateful the community is enhancing our ‘culture of ex-cellence,’ as there has never been a great university with-out a great community.”

In 1956, the Fayetteville College Foundation, later renamed the Methodist University Foundation, pledged to raise $50,000 annually. For most years, the second Tuesday in February has served as Loyalty Day, this community fundraiser. This year’s Loyalty Day will be Feb. 12, 2013.

Many families have supported Loyalty Day through successive genera-tions. This year’s Loyalty Day chair, Cumberland County Register of Deeds J. Lee Warren Jr., class of ‘75, is a second-generation supporter.

“I remember my father writing a check every year to Methodist,” Warren said. “This was prior to my decision to even attend Methodist. … like all the rest of the community members, he was trying to support the institution.”

Years later, Warren would also be a Loyalty Day volunteer.

“Early on, it was geared toward going out into the community and mak-ing your visits, and they actually did do that on Loyalty Day. But I was never one for waiting to the last minute to do something. I liked to have a lot of mine in hand prior to the day.”

The Office of Institutional Advancement estimates that more than 550 locals have served on the Foundation since it formed, with thousands more volunteers.

Kickoff events have often been held, such as at the Chamber of Commerce’s Coffee Club meeting. Another tradition is a mayoral proclama-tion, recognizing Loyalty Day in the City of Fayetteville. One change was in 2005, when the focus of Loyalty Day shifted to scholarships.

Loyalty Day volunteer, alumna and retired MU em-ployee Lynn Clark started volunteering in the mid-1980s. To her, Loyalty Day is just as much about the Fayetteville community as the university.

“Methodist was very much meant to be a community-oriented college, and that association has continued,” Clark said.

As the University grows and evolves, the Loyalty Day tradition remains strong. While the school’s reputation has traveled around the world, its roots are still deep in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.

“Methodist has, of course, grown,” Clark said. “But in growing, it has also grown in its appeal to a lot of people. We have sent out excellent graduates all over the world. They represent Cumberland County well. People realize that it’s not the little college down Raleigh Road anymore.”

For more information on Loyalty Day, please contact Krista Lee at 910.630.7169 or klee@methodist.edu.

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The Fayetteville Duck Derby is fairly new as a local fundraiser, but already it is one that the community looks forward to each year. There are plenty of fun ways to participate, even if it doesn’t involve Quacky.

Typically, around March, local bars and restaurants compete in the Duck Derby Drink and Appetizer Competition to claim the honor of creating and serving the official Duck Derby Drink/Appetizer. For several weeks the public is invited to visit their favorite participating bars and restaurants to sample and compare the various treats and vote on their favorites. The votes are tallied and the winners are proclaimed at the Duck Derby, which is on May 4, giving the establishments bragging rights for a year. The local chefs and mixologists relish the challenge of offering creative food and drinks that the public can enjoy while supporting a great cause at the same time.

In the weeks leading up to the event, people are encouraged to buy rubber ducks to enter in the race. The ducks are given computer-generated numbers and are randomly tagged.

Quacky, the event mascot, makes appearances around town, and sometimes around the world, posting his adventures on Facebook. This season, he has already been spotted at the Fayetteville Christmas Parade and with visiting journalist Geraldo Rivera.

On race day, thousands gather at the Cape Fear River, usually at Campbellton Landing, as 15,000 to 20,000 ducks are dropped into the river. In previous years, prizes have included a new car, beach and mountain get-away weekends, gift certificates to local spas and golf courses, silent auctions and more. This year, the grand prize is a 2013 Toyota Scion D. The day has also included music, food, kids’ activities and vendors — all the ingredients for a fun day, and best of all, admission is free.

While the Duck Derby was originally established as a fundraiser for Fayetteville Urban Ministry, other nonprofits can get in on the action by registering as a team. Once a team is established, anyone who chooses to buy a duck — or several ducks — can choose which team will receive funding from the purchase. Teams have included everything from child advocacy groups to arts-related nonprofits to health-related charities and even corporate teams.

Fayetteville Urban Ministry’s mission is “to show God’s compassion for our neighbors in need, and thus build our community together.” This is accomplished through several programs.

The Emergency Assistance program was started in 1974. It provides food, clothing and financial assistance to those in crisis. In fiscal year 2010/2011, this program touched more that 5,000 family members and more than 300 homeless people.

The Nehemiah project was founded in 1993. Volunteers from local churches repair homes of low-income home owners. It did not take long for this program to grow. In 1994 the emergency home-repair program that was run by the Community Development Department of the City of Fayetteville became a part of this program. Between 170 and 200 elderly and/or low income home owners receive help from the Nehemiah Project.

Locally, 24 percent of adults read at lower than a fifth-grade level. Since 1976, the Adult Literacy Program has assisted adults in the areas of reading, writing, math, English and in computer skills. Literacy doesn’t just benefit the adult student; their family members benefit, too. Approximately 150-185 adults are served through this program each year.

The Find-A-Friend Program was started in 1982. This program engages high risk kids with after-school activities and programs, summer camps and field trips. According to www.fayurbmin.org, “It costs taxpayers more than $100,000 per year to house one juvenile in confinement, and the cost to our community is limitless when a youth yields to the temptations of chronic truancy, crime and anti-social behavior. It takes less than $1,500 to sponsor a youth in FAF to participate in one year full of prevention services with a full Summer Achievement Camp.”

More than 200 youth are touched by this program every year and Find-A-Friend boasts an 80 percent success rate.

Find out more about Fayetteville Urban Ministry, visit www.fayurbmin.org. Learn more about the Duck Derby at www.facebook.com/fayettevilleduckderby. This year’s event is scheduled for May 4, so go ahead and mark your calendar.

Photo: Geraldo Rivera and Johnny Wilson.

If ever there was something worth investing in, worth protecting, worth fighting for, it is our future — the country’s next generation — our children. Most children are raised in well adjusted and loving homes that offer them the support and resources they need to succeed, and this is something over which to rejoice. For children who are abused, neglected and beat down by the ones they trust, betrayed by the adults who are supposed to build them up and keep them safe, what recourse is there? Thankfully, the children of Cumberland County have many advocates. Guardian Ad Litem is one of them. A voice for children in court, the Guardian Ad Litem program consists of two attorney advocates, four program supervisors, a program assistant, a district administrator and approximately 100 trained community volunteers. This group of dedicated professionals advocate for abused and neglected children who end up in the court system through no fault of their own.

Jane Sutherlin has been a Guardian Ad Litem volunteer for almost four years. “We are the eyes and ears of the judges in the community,” said Sutherlin. “Our goal is to determine what is in the best interest of each child. Social Services has mandates they have to follow; we are not limited by the statutory stipulations. We get to think outside the box and think in terms of what is in the best interest of the children.”

Sometimes though, good intentions are not enough and current resources only cover so much. Sutherlin, along with other volunteers and state officials are moving to form a 501c3 foundation that will help fill in the gaps.

“When all other funding sources are exhausted we would look at the potential of picking up the costs. That might be things like special camps that are needed,” said Sutherlin. “If there is a child that is obese you won’t find a state agency that will pay to send them to a camp for overweight children. That is something we would look at funding. One of the primary things we would look at is making sure each child would have something for Christmas. Social Services does what they can and the Toy Drop that Fort Bragg runs provides gifts. It is wonderful when the military units are all here. When they are all gone things are sparse.”

Thanks to other communities in the state that have similar programs, the local foundation does not have to reinvent the wheel. New Hanover and Wake counties both have similar organizations that are successful in making a difference for kids. Sutherlin hopes that Cumberland County is not far behind, as this is something dear to her heart. “I was very fortunate. When our son was 4 months old, I was given the opportunity to adopt him,” said Sutherlin. “And I look at these wonderful children and think ‘there but for the grace of God...’ He is 44 years old now and our lives have been so enriched by having him in our lives.”

To find out more about the Guardian Ad Litem program, visit www.cumberlandcountygal.com or call 910.475.3291.

Photo: The children of Cumberland County have many advocates. Guardian Ad Litem is one of them.

College is expensive, and every year all over the country the tuition prices seem to go up. There are ways for students to manage the prices, however. One such way is through the generosity of the community. Thankfully, local colleges go out of their way to work with students to make a college education a reality. At Methodist University, 95 percent of the students receive some sort of financial aid. Last year the school awarded more than $17 million in financial aid.

One of the ways that Methodist University is able to help their students is through the Loyalty Day Scholarship Fund. When most people think of Loyalty Day they think of donations from alumni, but alumni are not the only benefactors who contribute to the fund.

Methodist is a strong community-based school, and there are many individuals and businesses in the community that support it. Krista Lee, the director of the Annual fundraiser noted, “Community members are our biggest supporters for the Loyalty Day campaign. Last year 25 percent of our goal was met by alumni support, 75 percent by community supporters, faculty and staff. However, it is important to note that many of our alumni are also community members.”

While at Methodist University, students are completely entrenched in the community of the college. For many, this creates amazing experiences that motivate them to give back to their community and stay involved. The money raised through the Loyalty Day campaign goes to benefit institutional scholarships that are specifically intended for students in need. One example is Jeannie Snider, Class of 2013, who says “My ambition keeps me in college, but what keeps me at Methodist University is the family atmosphere, the wonderful faculty and staff who have helped me along the way and the amazing career-oriented opportunities I have received. I am a recipient of the Presidential Scholarship at Methodist University. This scholarship has not only helped me pursue a degree, but it has enabled me to receive the best quality education possible in criminal justice. I plan to pursue a career with the Fayetteville Police Department and am looking forward to being engaged in the community which has given so much to me.”

Over the years Loyalty Day has grown just as the university has expanded both its reach and programs. “Loyalty Day was born out of a commitment of annual support made by the Fayetteville community in 1955 when Methodist University was established. At that time, the community pledged $50,000 a year. We try to increase our goal each year. This year we have a goal of $130,000 and are hoping to surpass it through the overwhelming support of our community.” Lee said.

For more information contact Lee at 630-7169. To donate visit the website www.methodist.edu/advancement/loyalty.htm “We print the Loyalty Day thank you advertisement in the paper in April and usually conclude our campaign follow-up by the end of March,” says Lee.

Photo: Over the years Loyalty Day has grown just as the University has expanded both its reach and programs. 

Fixing a System that Is Broke and Broken

North Carolina currently faces a more than $2 billion debt to the federal government for loans used to fund the state’s share of unemployment compensation benefits — this is the third largest unemployment insurance debt in the United States.

Record-high unemployment rates, a very slow economic recovery and extended benefits mandated by the federal government led to a significant increase in claims that quickly depleted the state’s unemployment trust fund.When the trust fund was solvent in good economic times, there was a reduction in UI taxes, while at the same time benefits were being expanded. The combination of these factors resulted in an unsustainable system that was ultimately not prepared for the severity of the recession.

Neither the tax rates nor the benefit structure single-handedly led to the debt crisis and, similarly, fixing just one of these factors is not a viable solution to creating a solvent and effective UI system for the future. Our state’s UI system has an annual deficit of $470 million a year. The benefit payout has simply outstripped the ability to pay for the program and inaction for many years caused the problem to quickly go from bad to worse. A number of measures have to be considered in order to bring balance to the system. North Carolina’s UI benefits paid are more generous than the national average and above the regional area.

North Carolina’s unemployment insurance system is not only broke but also broken. The broken UI system has leaked $556 million in improper jobless benefits payouts between 2008 and 2011, of which millions involved allegations of fraud. An investigation uncovered serious problems that contribute to UI fraud going back 15 years.

It gets worse. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, North Carolina had the worst scores in the country on important quality-control measures. In fact, of 120 quality checks performed by the department on our state’s unemployment agency since 1997, it has passed only twice.

The responsibility to pay off this debt falls squarely on employers. Under current federal guidelines, and given the state’s outstanding loan balance, North Carolina employers will repay approximately $2.5 billion in principal and more than $500 million in interest from 2011 to 2019 to extinguish the state’s loan.

On Nov. 10, 2012, North Carolina missed another deadline to repay the federal UI loan in order to avoid additional tax penalties. This translates into a tax increase on every job from $63 to $84 per employee, and will continue to rise annually until the debt is paid. These crippling tax increases at the federal and state levels year-after-year will cost North Carolina jobs, making our unemployment problem worse. Inaction on this issue cost employers a total of $395 million in 2012 alone.

While tax adjustments are an appropriate part of a comprehensive solution, it would be irresponsible not to address the problem as a whole, which includes ensuring that employer investments into the fund are managed efficiently and inserting accountability measures into the system.

It is important that we make common-sense reforms to align tax revenues with benefits and allow North Carolina to be competitive with other states which helps attract business and investment. The goal is that no one will ever reach the end of their benefits. A job is the ultimate economic stimulus and changes to affordability would be consistent with the goal of an enhanced focus on reemployment of UI claimants.

The Fayetteville Regional Chamber has joined a Reemployment Coalition of businesses, local chambers and allied business organizations to address the state’s broken UI system and advocate for reforms that put the focus back on jobs.

Photo: Record-high unemployment rates, a very slow economic recovery and extended benefits mandates by the federal government led to a significant increase in claims that quickly depleted the state’s unemployment trust fund.

The Impossible (Rated PG-13) 3 Stars

The Impossible (114 minutes) is a hard film to review. First, it is based on the true story of real people who survived the most devastating tsunami in recent memory. That makes it real hard to crack jokes or make sarcastic observations, and that’s 90 percent of my typical review content. Second, the acting isn’t terrible. The other 10 percent of most of my reviews revolves around calling out the over and under actors.

The length was fine, the narrative arc balanced throughout the film, and director Juan Antonio Bayona managed to avoid Spielbergian levels of emotional manipulation. Most of the bodies that show up are covered, but there are several scenes that hint at the number of dead — though, I sus-pect, without conveying the true magnitude of the disaster. Toss your leads around in a huge water tank all you want, it’s still going to fall short of the actual tsunami.

I may not have much to work with, but I can point out that the story of a Spanish family was conveniently turned into the story of a bunch of white people. In the film, María Belón is called Maria Bennet (Naomi Watts), her husband Enrique becomes Henry (Ewan McGregor) and son Tomas becomes Thomas (Samuel Joslin). At least sons Lucas (Tom Holland) and Simon (Oaklee Pendergast) get to keep their names. The director may claim that his goal was to create a family of ambiguous ethnic background, but he didn’t do such a good job since after seeing the film I was left with the impression that they were from England originally. I’m not sure which was the biggest clue, but maybe it was the English accents?

The film opens on a plane. A family of five is headed overseas to vaca-tion in Thailand. There is a bit of character-establishing family discussion. It seems that Thomas is upset by his older brother Lucas ignoring him, so Mom Maria runs interference. Meanwhile, Henry fills out paperwork. As family dynamics go, the brief scene is enough to reveal all. There is a bit of mild sibling rivalry, a stay at home mom mediating the squabbles and a father more concerned with external needs than family business. McGregor and Watts have a fairly realistic chemistry and the two youngest kids are too cute to be believed.

They settle into their rooms, complete with ocean view and do vacation stuff together. They celebrate Christmas and I wonder about the lo-gistics of shipping Christmas presents back and forth by plane. Wouldn’t going to Thailand be present enough? Perhaps my standards for gift exchange are a bit off.

The appearance of the tsunami is both intense and brutal, occurring just as Henry and the two younger boys are playing in the pool, separated from Maria and Lucas. The film follows Maria and Lucas as they are swept away and hurled into a va-riety of moving and stationary objects by the unrelenting flood waters. This is seriously edge-of-the-seat stuff. Eventually, battered and dressed in the remains of their lounging-by-the-pool outfits they reach semi-safety and are assisted by locals. The rest of the film is about this little family trying to reconnect in a sea of people. Overall, a tense film that man-ages to show just a little bit of the reality of a devastating natural disaster.

Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15.

Fayetteville Technical Community College is excited to announce that starting Fall 2013, it will offer an associate degree in Health and Fitness Science. Do the topics of fitness, nutrition, ex-ercise science, personal training and group exer-cise interest you? Does working with different aged populations and motivating others sound appealing to you? Want to make good money by doing something that you enjoy? Would you like to have the freedom to create your own personal work schedule?

If you answered yes, then a Health and Fitness Science degree may be perfect for you.

As a graduate of FTCC’s Health and Fitness Science program, you will have the skills to manage a fitness center, meet the needs of fitness clients, develop and cultivate your exercise programming ideas, lead group-exercise classes, become a personal trainer and work with special populations to promote health and encourage an overall better quality of life.

The career opportunities are numerous for Health and Fitness graduate. According to the Bureau of Labor 2010 statistics, the median salary for a fitness trainer or instructor was $31,090 per year or $14.95 per hour. According to the same statistics, the fitness industry job market is expected to increase by 24 percent by the year 2020. That is 10 percent faster than the national average of all occupational growth for the same time frame. As you can see, the fitness industry is in high demand and looking for some-one like you. Come join FTCC’s Health and Fitness Science program and open your world to this amazing and rewarding fitness industry.

To learn more, contact Fayetteville Technical Community College at (910) 678-8400 to speak with an academic coun-selor to learn more about this new associate degree program and how to enroll at FTCC.

Photo: According to the same statistics, the fitness industry job mar-ket is expected to increase by 24 percent by the year 2020. 

4th Friday, the community’s celebration of the arts, is reaching a high note this month, as The Arts Council Fayetteville/Cumberland County and the Friends of African & African-American Art bring an impressive exhibit called Songs from the Soul A Revue: Art Comes to Life to town.

The exhibit contains portraits and educational text panels featuring Smokey Robinson, Bo Diddley, Marvin Gaye, Quincy Jones, Tina Turner, Aretha Franklin and more. Like many of the artists the exhibit celebrates, look for a larger-than-life experience. Along with colorful portraits and illustrations, the exhibit uses black and white photographs and caption panels to shine a light on the relationships between music, history and culture and the influence these artists had in several music genres, including rhythm and blues, jazz, soul, gospel, disco and rock and roll.

“It is colorful portrait illustrations plus black and white photos from William Gottlieb. The photos are more behind-the-scenes with these artists,” said Mary Kinney, marketing director at the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County. “There is a beautiful one of Billy Holiday in the dressing room. Some are of performers standing outside having a cigarette together or in rehearsal. This particular photographer travelled with these artists, so he was with them during these moments. It is a more intimate scene into their lives.”

The portraits on the other hand, “… are very vibrant colors and really fun happy portrayals of the artists. They are all just stunning and musicians are smiling or singing,” said Kinney. “They capture warm moments for these icons.”

The 23 portraits are the work of international artist Wolfram Schramm who hales from Geringen, Germany. The 15 black-and-white photographs are from the William Gottlieb collection, Songs from the Soul, a collection that reflects the influences of famous African-Americans during the Civil Rights movement through today’s pop culture.

More artists who seem to come to life in Songs from the Soulinclude: Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Nat “King” Cole, Ray Charles, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, B.B. King, Little Richard, Diana Ross, Whitney Houston, Gladys Knight, Mariah Carey, Donna Summer, Patti LaBelle, and Berry Gordy Jr., the founder of the Motown record label, the Apollo Theatre, Cotton Cub, Soul Train.

The exhibit opens on Jan. 25 at The Arts Council. A reception is planned from 7-9 p.m. Fayetteville State University’s Department of Performing and Fine Art’s performance groups Mane Attraction and Men of Distinction will perform Songs from the Soul — A Revue: Art Comes to Life under the direction of Denise Payton. FSU Jazz Express will also perform under the direction of Dr. Neal Finn. The exhibit will hang until Feb.16. Visit www.theartscouncil.com for more information and gallery hours.

In celebration of Black History month, several activities have been planned around the exhibit. On Feb. 2, local artist and nationally known jazz musician Ray Codrington is scheduled to perform a Jazzy Jam session at The Arts Council from noon to 4 p.m.

“It is a jam session in the sense that other artists will come and play with him and will be coming in an out,” said Kinny. “There is a surprise local guest talent scheduled to perform, too. It is someone that people will not expect to see. His profession is not as a musician but he is very talented musically.”

On Feb. 16, kids 7-13 are invited to a music and art workshop at The Arts Council. The event is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is free. Space is limited, and registration is required. Call 323-1776 for more information or to register.

Cape Fear studios opens its 2013 Black History Month Exhibit on 4th Friday. The display features the works of local artists Edwina C. Clark (Cape Fear Studios member artist), Winson Colter Clark (artist and son of Edwina C. Clark), Dwight Smith (artist, FSU professor), Stacey Robinson (artist, FSU graduate). Stop in and meet the artists from 6-8 p.m. on Jan. 25.

The Downtown Alliance is focusing on heart health at 4th Friday and will offer free fitness assessments at J’s Fitness Factory. Group fitness classes are planned and attendees get a chance to check out J’s Fitness Factory.

Don’t forget to stop by the Market House and check out the exhibit covering Fayetteville’s Historic District architecture.

Fascinate-U offers free admission for 4th Friday as well as a project. This month, visitors are invited to make Valentine’s Day cards. The museum is open from 7-9 p.m. for this event.

The Fayetteville Art Guild, located at Gallery One13, 113 Gillespie St., opens a new exhibit called The Creative Spirit, a juried photography show. The gallery is open from 6-9 p.m. for 4th Friday.

At Hay Street United Methodist Church, the praise bands of Hay Street UMC, Snyder Memorial Baptist Church and Highland Presbyterian will perform a Music 4 Missions concert.

Explore local history at the Fayetteville Area Transportation Museum. The featured exhibit this month showcases Fayatteville’s Edgar Allen Poe. Poes was a prominent businessman who lived in Fayetteville in the early 1900s. He manufactured bricks and pottery.

Find out more about 4th Friday at www.theartscouncil.com.

Photo: Vibrant and colorful portraits make up part of the Songs from the Soul exhibit at the Arts Council.  Photo credit, www.ArtVisionExhibitions.com

Fayetteville State University Hosts MLK Celebration

The FSU Department of Performing and Fine Arts will present its Annual Martin Luther King Jr. Concert featuring the FSU Concert Band and The Army Ground Forces Band from Fort Bragg. This free concert takes place on Jan. 21 in Seabrook Auditorium on the main campus of Fayetteville State University at 7 p.m.

The concert provides a rare opportunity to hear works by African-American composers for a concert band.

This concert commemorates two significant events this year: the 150th anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington. The FSU Concert Band will perform Have a Dream by Greg Danner in commemoration of the March.

The Honorable Mayor Anthony Chavonne will join the combined ensembles in Randol Bass’ New Birth of Freedomfor band and narrator. This narrative setting of Lincoln’s immortal Gettysburg Address was commissioned by the United States President’s Own Marine Band in early 2009.

The program ends with Mark Camphous’s A Movement for Rosain honor of the Civil Rights heroine Rosa Parks. Other works on the program include compositions by Alton Adams, Aaron Copland, and Samuel Coleridge-Taylor.

The event is free and open to the public. For more information about the concert, please contact Alfred Davis at 910-672-1446 oradavis50@uncfsu.edu or Dr. Earnest Lamb at 910-672-1571 or elamb@uncfsu.edu.

Crisis Intervention Team Honors Public Safety Professionals

On Jan. 8, the Fayetteville-Cumberland Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) recognized five local public safety professionals from the Cumberland County Emergency Services Department, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, and the Fayetteville Police Department for outstanding service. The awards ceremony, hosted by the local CIT and the National Alliance on Mental Illness, was held at the county’s Mental Health Clinic, 109 Bradford Ave.

The following individuals received awards:

Cumberland County Emergency Services: Telecommunicator of the Year Wanda Barton

Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office:Deputy of the Year Sgt. Corrie Simmons

Trainer of the Year Sgt. Hardin Brown

Fayetteville Police Department: Officer of the Year Lt. Randy Podobinski

Telecommunicator of the Year Tracy Trogdon

“We are looking to build a comprehensive and seamless system of crisis response in Cumberland County,” said Cumberland County CIT Coordinator Wayne Cannon. “I am extremely proud of those who were acknowledged at the awards reception.”

CIT is a jail diversion program designed to be a specialized law enforcement response to individuals experiencing a crisis related to mental illness. The program seeks to help citizens get treatment instead of incarceration. Currently, 250 law enforcement offi cers and 54 telecommunicators in Cumberland County are CIT certified.

The Gilbert Theater’s fourth main stage production of the season brings together the works of three local playwrights: Stephen Miles, James Dean and Robyne Parrish in a thought-provoking evening revealing the struggles and unburdening of the soul.

The opening one act play, Grey Zones by Miles explores the relationship between a married couple when many truths are exposed. The role of the husband, a World War II veteran, was written by Miles for Dean. Dean is a favorite with local audiences for his many superb performances with The Gilbert Theater, Cape Fear Regional Theater and other area theaters. Carrie Carroll, also well known to Fayetteville audiences, portrays his wife.

Miles is currently the playwright-in-residence at The Gilbert. He was the founding member and president of Writer’s Ink Guild, a Fayetteville writer’s group, and founder and president of the Professional Writer’s Group, which is comprised of professional playwrights statewide. He taught creative writing at Methodist College and will assist with the Veteran’s Writer Group at Methodist on Feb. 9. He has won many awards for his works including the Sanskrit Award, Thompson Theatre Playwright’s Award, Tar Heel Writer’s Award and was a finalist in the International Playwrights Festival in 2012. Other notable works by Miles produced at The Gilbert include Yesterday’s News (2008), Clusters (2011) and selections from Deros: A Vietnam Trilogy, which was performed as part of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Ceremonies during Fayetteville’s Heroes Homecoming in November, 2011.

Grey Zones is followed by Dean’s Method Man and Parrish’s GoodBadUgly.

Grey Zones will last about one hour; however, the following two plays by Dean and Parrish are more properly characterized as shorts lasting about 25 and 10 minutes respectively.

Dean’s Method Man is a glimpse into the life of two actors, Stan and Ollie, who have come to an audition to find that no one else is in attendance — not even the director and producer. They are thus forced to interact producing some unexpected consequences and hidden agendas. Several other plays by Dean have been presented at The Gilbert including Murder Knocks at the Musical Box (2001) and the winner of a Gilbert playwright contest, Colonel Hollister’s Daughter.

GoodBadUgly is the first play to be presented at The Gilbert by Parrish, which she describes as a spiritual transformation. Parrish is the new artistic director at The Gilbert and is in her fi rst season with the theater. This short was originally written for a playwright competition in Pittsburgh, Pa. It was performed as part of the Swan Day Festival with No Name Players at the Hazlett Theatre in Pittsburgh in March 2011. She has also authored several children’s books under the pseudonym, R. M Parrish.During the interview, each playwright was asked to use one word which would best describe their work. The replies in order of performance were “Poetic,” “Edgy” and “Naked”.

This should prove to be an evening that induces thought. As Lynn Pryer, founder of The Gilbert Theater and former artistic director so often said, The Gilbert is where storytelling takes center stage.”

The production runs Jan. 31 – Feb. 10 (preview Jan. 30), Thursday — Saturday at 8 p.m. and matinees Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. Naked contains full frontal nudity, strong Language and adult situations and is not recommended for all audiences.

Loud noise, screaming fans, backstage passes. A rock concert? Absolutely not. Monster X Tours comes to the Crown Coliseum with a show guaranteed to please the most ardent supporters — or one new to the world of monster trucks. Shows are scheduled for Jan. 25 and 26, starting at 7:30 p.m.

Monster trucks gained prominence when Bob Chandler’s “Bigfoot” was the first to drive over and crush cars. In 1981 he performed at the Silverdome in Detroit and introduced the bigger 66” tires. What had previously been a side-show at mud-bogging and truck pulling shows became a headlining event. Over the years modifi cations have been made to the trucks to ensure safety for the drivers as well as the audience.

Noisy. Absolutely. The average decibel level produced by these 500+ horsepower behemoths is equivalent to a jackhammer or rock concert. Attendees will say their hearing wasn’t right for a couple of days following the event but a set of ear plugs will reduce the noise to a more comfortable level (highly recommended).

Monster X Tours CEO Danny Torgerson stated, “Our show is at the pinnacle of this sport. We have an exemplary record for safety and quality and hold ourselves to the highest standards.” The Monster Truck Thunder will be provided by Project X, Scorpion, River Rat and Heavy Hitter. These 10,000 pound car crushing giants will compete in racing, wheelie contests and bring the house down with amazing freestyle competition.

In addition, there will be a freestyle motorcross lead by X-Game medalist Justin Homan and others. Tricks will include roof-scraping cliffhangers, double grabs, superman seat grabs and the ever-challenging backfl ip. Not enough excitement yet? Purchase a Pit Party Pass and meet the drivers and get the ride of your life during the party or intermission.

“We recently returned from an Eastern European tour. Monster X Tours was the first event of its kind to visit Moscow and we played to sold-out audiences. We also had events in Poland, Lithuania and Latvia. In an average season we will conduct 100 shows from coast to coast and will be appearing in Hawaii in May,” Torgerson said.

The Pit Party starts at 6 p.m. and winds up at 7 p.m. with the show starting at 7:30 p.m. on both days. The show will be loud and exhaust fumes can be expected. No video recording or long lens cameras allowed. The show is not recommended for children under two years of age.

Tickets and Pit Party Passes can be purchased online at www.Ticketmaster.com, or by phone at 1-800-745-3000. Tickets can also be purchased directly from the Crown Coliseum by calling 910-323-5088.

Photo: Monster Trucks are coming to the Crown on Jan. 25 and 26. 

A big event makes its return to the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville on, Thursday, Feb. 7. For those whodon’t know or haven’t been to one, this year’s Winter Jam is not one to miss.

According to Turning Point Newstoday, this is regarded as the top contemporary Christian tour and visits 44 cities along the way. There are a number of well-known bands on this bill. Nick Hall is the inspirational speaker for this major show.

According to Marshall Perry, director of marketing and sales at the Crown, even though the show begins at 7 p.m., the pre-Jam party begins at 6 p.m. and that is also when the doors open. Expect to see Jason Castro, OBB and Capital Kings as part of the preshow. Marshall recommended “… you get in line early, because there is going to be a packed house. Also, there will be music playing from the start.”

Audiences can look forward to amazing performances by Royal Tailor, Sidewalk Prophets, Newsong, Jamie Grace, Matthew West, Red and this year’s headliner Toby Mac. Mac is a Grammy winning multi-platinum recording artist who includes well-known hits as part of his set. A popular Christian music performer, Mac was part of DC Talk, which performed as a three-man group in the 1980s and 1990s. Newsong is the host & anchor band, which means they “welcome the groups,” according to Perry.

Newsong is a founding member of the Winter Jam concerts. In fact, the group premiered the first Winter Jam Tour Spectacular in 1995. Last year, the concert tour “outpaced attendance for all other tours in the first quarter, including Cirque du Soleil’s Michael Jackson: The Immortal, Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters, The Black Keys, Jason Aldean and Brad Paisley, according to Pollstar’s 2012 Worldwide First Quarter Ticket Sales “Top 100 Tours” chart,” claims the event website.

If you want to get a sneak peak of the show, and get a taste of what the performance will be like, Perry explained that additional background information is provided on the official YouTube channel of Winter Jam. Fans can also visit JamTour.com as well, for more information about this event.

Although it costs $10 to attend, special privileges are given to people who become a member of Jam Nation. There are three different levels of Jam Nation membership: Individual Platinum, Group Premium and Group Basic. These group packages are available to groups of 10 or more people. Benefits of these VIP passes/platinum editions include early entry into the venue with an access pass and lanyard, select seating, early-bird onsite merchandise shopping, an official limited edition t-shirt from this event and an exclusive question and answer session with an artist. Jam Nation door time is 4:30 p.m.

Visit www.jamtour.com or www.atthecrown.com for more information.

Photo: Toby Mac headlines this year’s Winter Jam.

On cold clear winter nights the stars come alive. In the inky night sky the glimmering stars reveal not only their beauty, but to those who watch closely, their mysteries. The study of the matter of outer space is called astronomy. This scientifi c discipline has led to amazing triumphs of humanity such as discovering other earth-like planets and putting a man on the moon. This amazing science is not relegated to professionals however; amateur astronomers have made many important discoveries. All anyone really needs is a telescope and a love of the stars.

On Jan. 31, anyone who has an interest in the stars will have the perfect place to share their passion and gain some more knowledge at Lake Rim Park. Participants will be able to gaze at the stars with fellow enthusiasts and learn about the constellations and many other celestial objects as well as the folklore behind them.

Michael Moralis, a park ranger at Lake Rim Park, will teach the class, which consists of two parts. The fi rst part is an introduction to the night sky where participants will learn about the many interesting objects and systems that can be found throughout space, such as: planets, stars, nebula and galaxies.

“I will talk about constellations as well, and the stars that are in them, the stories on how they got their names and how to find them,” said Moralis.

Moralis advises participants to “bundle up, because it’s cold and the entire class is outside. Winter is the best time in North Carolina to watch the sky, because the weather is usually clearer this time of year. It is the best time of the year at Lake Rim because there aren’t any ball practices. When ball parks are lit up, the glare from the lights makes it harder to get a good view of the night sky. The introduction to the stars is outside under the picnic shelter and the actual star gazing is from the football field.

“Attendees are welcome to bring telescopes and binoculars if they want to zoom in on something I’m talking about, but it is not required. I try to partner up with Johnny Horn and the Fayetteville Astronomy Club to make sure there are telescopes around,” said Moralis.

Anyone who wants to participate should know that the event is free, but registration is required. The last day to register is Jan. 30. Be sure to dress warmly; hot chocolate would probably not be out of place. The event is scheduled to take place at Lake Rim Park on Jan. 31 from 6 until 7:30 p.m. Lake Rim Park is located at 2214 Tar Kiln Dr. For more information, or to register, call 424-6134.

Photo: Explore the night sky at Lake Rim Park.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D (Rated R) 2 Stars

I don’t use the phrase shamelessly derivative cash grab lightly. I find it ut-terly incomprehensible that Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D (92 minutes) was number one at the box office the week it released. I mean, neither Django nor Les Miserables was able to take down The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, and here we have this worthless bit of nothing leapfrogging into the top spot.

I really enjoyed the original when I first saw it (a shoddy copy on VHS) and I enjoyed the remastered DVD even more. The se-quels were completely unnecessary, and the millennial remakes amounted to little better than torture-porn. Going into this film, I thought I was about the see the third in the remake trilogy so I was extremely puzzled when the film appeared to start with scenes from the original — including shots of original Leatherface Gunnar Hansen.

The quality of the earlier footage is ruined by the insertion of Bill Moseley. He is not even playing his Chop-Top Sawyer character from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2. Instead, his character is the patriarch of the clan who was played by Jim Siedow in Chainsaw and its sequel, Drayton Sawyer. Things start to make sense when the original footage segues into new scenes of the Sheriff (Thom Barry) shout-ing at Drayton to bring the boy out. At first there is some disagreement in the Sawyer clan as to whether or not to send Leatherface out, but then some Texans with cowboy hats and shotguns/rifles/guns show up and start slinging nooses. Clearly, things are about to get interesting. With the shouting back and forth headed towards Leatherface being taken into custody forthwith, the Texans decide that lynching is too good for those who cooperate with authority, and so they set the place on fire.

As you would expect, a small fire quickly engulfs the large house and burns it to the ground. But wait! There’s a survivor! One of the Texans takes a baby from the wreckage and gives it to his wife. Recap: this film is the sequel to the original, not the remakes, but it essentially ignores the events from the original sequels, assuming Drayton Sawyer is killed in the fire. Of course, if there was one survivor they may be a few more…

Anyway. The baby grows up to be a hottie with really pretty eyes who appeared in It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia that one time. Heather (Alexandria Daddario) finds out she was adopted and has inherited a large property in Texas. She plans to head down South to settle the estate. Her boyfriend Ryan (Tremaine Neverson) and frenemy Nikki (Tania Raymonde) decide to go with her, bringing along Ryan’s friend/Nikki’s hook-up Kenny (Keram Malicki-Sanchez) to be supportive.

On the way to Texas, they run into a hitchhiker. Of course, it turns out that Darryl the Hitchhiker (Shaun Sipos) was working a scam all along, and tries to rob the estate the first chance he gets. Because, duh, stupid young people, don’t pick up hitchhikers.

While the trusting fools get supplies, Darryl begins poking around until he finds the butler’s pantry and a secret door. I feel like I should include Spoiler Tags here, but I’m not spoiling much, given the title of the film. Out pops Leatherface! He blud-geons Darryl to death and I roll my eyes in disgust because it’s not called Texas Bludgeoning Massacre 3D. The death count rises and the stupid chainsaw has still not made an appearance.

Eventually, the town’s police force gets into the action and tries to lure Leatherface into an abandoned slaughterhouse for the final act. Narrative in-consistencies abound, and an after-credits scene provides little satisfaction. The entire effort is ugly, nasty and more than little bit icky, and not in that arty way like Gummo.

Now showing at Wynnsong 7, Carmike 12 and Carmike Market Fair 15.

A season of “Blessings” for Laura Story

Sowing & Reaping

As we go through life, we will all inevitably reap what we have sown. Laura Story has been faithful in her music ministry as well as her devotion and support to her ail-ing husband, Martin. Lately she has certainly been enjoying the reap-ing end of the equation.

Heading to the Grammy’s

Her song “Blessing” has been her most suc-cessful song to date, both in sales and more importantly in the im-pact it has had on people’s lives. As a result of this success, Story was nominated for and won her first Grammy Award! A rare feat for any Christian artist, and even more a fe-male worship artist.

Multiple Doves

Story was recog-nized by her peers in a big way at last month’s 43rd Annual GMA Dove Awards. She walked away with Pop/Contemporary Song of the Year and Album of the Year, as well as overall Song and Songwriter of the year — all stemming from her huge hit “Blessings”!

The Singer/Songwriter Becomes an Author

Capturing an incredible thought in a song is nothing new for Story. What is new is turning those thoughts into a devotional book called What If Your Blessings Come Through Raindrops? Comprised of 30 daily devotions designed to draw readers into a deeper understanding of God’s sometimes mysterious gifts, What If Your Blessings Come Through Raindrops? includes the devotions “He Loves Us Too Much to Give Us Lesser Things”; “When Faith Disappears”; “The Blessed Thorn”; “Giving Endurance a Chance to Grow”; and “How Can We Find Peace Amid Suffering?” Each devotion contains Story’s personal reflections garnered from her own journey, along with prayers, quotes and a journaling page for read-ers to recount how blessings have impacted their own lives.

Best Blessing of All

As if the music awards and the success of her new cd and book weren’t enough to make this one of Story’s best year’s ever, she and husband Martin recently learned that she is pregnant. The bundle of joy is due to arrive in September and the expectant mom and dad couldn’t be more excited. 2012 was a year of bountiful blessing for Story and we wish her many more!

Photo: Lara Story

David Jewell and his friends like to ride motorcycles. And most any biker will agree, after a long ride, nothing tastes better than some delicious comfort food and a cold brew, but the group of buddies had a problem. The riding part was easy. It was finding fresh, good tasting food and good beer that proved difficult. So in 2005, they opened the first Mac’s Speed Shop in Charlotte.

“We absolutely expected to be out of business within a year. We were just trying to solve a problem for ourselves,” said Jewell.

They hit the jack pot when they started planning the menu, though.

“We knew a guy, a chef at a white tablecloth, fine-dining restaurant here in Charlotte,” said Jewell. “He had some really old family recipes that he pulled out and shared with us. I’m talking about things like BBQ, baked beans, banana pudding and things like that.”

Eight years later, there are five locations throughout the state (including one on McPherson Church Road in Fayetteville) and Mac’s Speed Shop is getting rave reviews from the Charlotte Observer, Garden & Gun and the Washington Post. The restaurant has a competitive BBQ team that competes and routinely places in international competitions. Celebrities, foodies and politicos alike including Dale Earnhardt Jr., Zach Galifanakis, Anthony Bourdain, Nick Nolte, Michael Jordan, George Stephanopoulos and Madeline Albright have been seen eating at Mac’s.

Until a year or so ago, Jewell didn’t have much reason to travel to Fayetteville, but then” … we heard in conversation that there were hour-long waits at chain restaurants there and we had high hopes that people would appreciate us. A traditional BBQ place might be open for lunch or dinner and they don’t usually have beer. We expanded the menu and we had hope that if there was that kind of demand for national chains that something as cools as what we were offering would resonate with Fayetteville.”

What started out as beer, bikes and BBQ has grown into beer, bikes, BBQ, bands and even babies said Jewell. They owners work hard to make sure each establishment has an authentic feel that patrons can make their own. He knew they were on to something when “…one Sunday there were two outlaws in vests with patches eating and sharing a picnic table outside with what looked like an 80-year-old couple in their Sunday best. It was real and that’s what brings people together. You are just as likely to find a group of bikers as you are a family with young children or senior citizens here.”

BBQ is a big player on the menu, but chicken, ribs, wings, salad and more are available. While food is the driving force at Mac’s, beer afficionados won’t be disappointed.

“We have more than 50 different beers on tap,” said Jewell. “And we bring in the best beers we can find. We have some from North Carolina and a few from Michigan and Colorado, too.”

While Mac’s Speed Shop is still a relative new comer to Fayetteville, the owners are serious about giving back.

“We want to be a positive force in the community,” said Jewell. “We are not a national chain that comes in and throws open our doors and just takes money from people. We want to get involved in the community. We do a lot with Toys for Tots and we do things like poker runs to help people.”

Find out more about Mac’s Speed shop at www.macspeedshop.com or stop by and see them at 482 N. McPherson Church Rd.

Every generation produces a few incredible people. They see things in the world that they don’t agree with and they step forward and change them. They are the face of cultural movements, and they inspire future generations with the tales of their bravery. They are the people who are imprinted on our collective social psyche; Martin Luther King Jr. is one of these people. His dedication to the Civil Rights movement still impacts people today. He made the world a better place. In celebration of MLK Day, the community is honoring Dr. King with several events and activies.

In honor of all the ideals that Dr. King upheld, Fayetteville State University, Fayetteville Technical Community College and Methodist University are collaborating with the Corporation for National and Community Service, to create an event that would make Dr. King proud.

The CNCS is a government organization that supports community service. The organization is partnering with universities and colleges around the nation to honor Dr. King with a day dedicated to community service. This is the the fourth year for this event and it looks to be a remarkable experience for volunteers and beneficiaries alike. Melissa Lyon, program manager at the Fayetteville State University Office of Civic Engagement and Service Learning says the event “invites students, faculty/staff and community members to make Jan. 21 a “day on instead of a day off,” in the spirit of the event.

Since 1994, when Martin Luther King Jr. Day was first named a national holiday by Congress, the CNCS has led the charge in making the Federal holiday a day of service that truly honors the legacy of Dr. King. Officials at the CFNC say, “Dr. King worked tirelessly for increased opportunity for all Americans. Now more than ever we need to create and support opportunities for Americans to strengthen their own and each other’s economic security. Service is a powerful way for citizens, nonprofits, the private sector and government to work together to meet critical needs and advance King’s dream of opportunity for all.”

Over the years, CFNC has made a huge impact in the ways many Americans spend MLK Day. Across the country Americans will be giving back to their communities on their holiday, and this year is no exception. “The 2013 MLK Day of Service will include thousands of projects spread across all 50 states. Families, students, congregations, employees, and individuals of all ages and backgrounds will come together to celebrate MLK Day by making a difference in their communities. Projects will include delivering meals, refurbishing schools and community centers, collecting food and clothing, signing up mentors, supporting veterans and military families, promoting nonviolence and more, with many projects starting on King Day and lasting throughout the year,” CFNC officials report.

Anyone in the Fayetteville area that would like to participate in the nationwide honoring of Dr. King through a day of service can register to volunteer at http://2013mlkday-eorgf.eventbrite.com. For more information about the nationwide event, visit www.mlkday.gov and for information on local events contact Melissa L. Lyon at 672-2484.

Join the Fayetteville/Cumberland County Ministerial Council, Inc. on Monday, Jan. 21, at the Crown Exposition Center for the 20th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Prayer Breakfast followed by the 4th Annual Day of Service.

The breakfast runs from 7:30-10 a.m. Kim D. Sanders is the scheduled keynote speaker. Entertainment will include the Fayetteville State University Gospel Choir under the direction of Dr. Brooksie E. Harrington and 2012 Piece Magazine Gospel Showcase Winner Pastor Donnell Peterson & Rhema Music Group based in Greensboro, N.C.

Tickets are available in advance for an $18 donation or a $20 at the door. Find out more about this event and how you can participate at www.ministerscouncil.net, or by calling Bishop Larry O. Wright Sr. 910-568-4276 or Dr. Maxie Dobson 910-624-7785 and Reverend Mary Owens 910-670-9640.

Photo: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.