The ongoing saga of the Prince Charles started a new chapter last month, as the county began proceedings to enforce a lien on the hotel property. The lien, the result of a $77,000 debt to the city related to unpaid fines by the property’s owner, John Chen, will be satisfied via public auction unless Chen pays the fi nes.

Chen, a New York developer, bought the hotel in 2007 for $1.9 million at a public auction to satisfy a loan foreclosure. At that time, Chen announced plans to create an apartment/business center at the hotel. Instead, he started doing internal demolition on the hotel to create low-cost apartments in the downtown sector.

Chen failed to file the necessary permits for the work he was doing in the hotel, and the property failed city and fire inspections, resulting in the ousting of the residents and the shuttering of its doors. The fi nes began racking up when Chen replaced one of the hotel’s wooden windows with a vinyl window. Because the hotel is on the National Historic Register, as well as being designated a Local Historical Landmark, all work done on the exterior of the buiding must be in keeping with its historical construction.

Although Chen later replaced the vinyl window with a wooden one, he had accumulated $77,000 in fi nes, and refused to pay them. A judge ordered Chen to pay the fines, and instead, he left the city and returned to New York.

On Jan. 26, the city filed papers requesting the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department enforce the judgement through a public auction. The auction could be averted if Chen pays the fi ne; however, that does not seem likely, according to the sheriff’s attorney, Ronnie Mitchell.

The question looming now is what will become of the grand old structure, which is starting to show signs of decay. The city, concerned for the safety of pedestrians, closed off the sidewalk in front of the hotel after external concrete fell off the building. It has been estimated that more than $500,000 is needed to bring the facility up to code.

Fayetteville’s historical property manager Bruce Daws, believes that returning the hotel to a useable facility is feasible.

“It is a very robust, Colonial revival structure,” said Daws, during a recent interview. “At the time of its construction, it was very elegant. Investors purchased the hotel in the early ‘90s and gutted a lot of it and reworked it.”

Daws said the building has suffered from a lot of deferred maintenance — painting windows, caulking and replacing wood, but that the building itself is structurally sound.

“It is not too far gone,” he said.

Daws said the hotel is important from a local and historical standpoint.

“The Prince Charles was built through community support,” said Daws. “The city sold bonds to construct it. It speaks to our automotive, transportation history. Fayetteville was the halfway point for North and South bound traffi c on U.S. 301 (pre I-95); and the hotel captured patrons from the Old Atlantic Coastline Railroad. It was in the city’s best interest at that time to promote itself as a halfway point and cater to the tourist trade so a new, modern hotel was constructed.”

Daws has heard of people advocating that the structure be torn down but feels that is not the answer. “It is our responsibility to explore options to save the hotel, restore it and maintain it,” he said. “It is the only large remaining hotel in the landscape of the historic downtown — erasing it from the landscape would not be in the best interest of the district at all.”

Daws said if the facility cannot make it as a hotel, there are other options that could prove feasible.

“Downtown apartments are very popular. It could be converted into office space,” said Daws. “It would make a wonderful museum space. There is pretty much a free hand from a historic standpoint with the interior — the Historic Resources Commission only looks at the exterior. A building of that size has a number of different options, but the popularity of living downtown is pretty great. Downtown apartments stay full. We frequently receive calls asking if there are any vacancies in the downtown area.

“But tearing it down is not the answer. It is a grand hotel. It has a beautiful outward appearance that adds to the charm of downtown. Once you tear it down, it’s gone forever. It is something that needs to stay in the downtown landscape,” concluded Daws.

The Time has come Up & Coming Weekly saw it coming as the publication has on a number of downtown issues. This time it is the ultimate and final demise of the Prince Charles Hotel. The old girl has run her course and the outcome, called for by UCW writers as far back as three years ago, is now clearly foreseeable.

Of course there are those that want to deny the hotel’s death rattle, continue compressions, rush the building EMTs to her bedside and put her on life support. But the inevitable is at hand. Have the wrecking ball standing by and advise John Chen to get the family together. Of course Chen may not be the owner in a few weeks and if that should be so then all bets are off. Latest news is that the county, at the city’s direction, is planning to serve foreclosure papers on Chen and have the hotel sold at public auction. Should that be the case and the building is sold, another chapter, in a litany of chapters about the Prince Charles Hotel will begin.

My bet is that the auction will not find any suitable bidders except Chen.

Chen has tried the patience of Fayetteville’s long tolerant city fathers and city manager enough. Now the condition of the building has deteriorated to the point that if Chen continues to hide in his New York City bunker, refusing to respond to telephone calls and emails, he may return here one day to find his Prince Charles Hotel has become the Prince Charles parking lot. There’s the matter of fines and other invoices from the city that have not been satisfied. The latest is the disconnection of the building’s electricity which has created a serious fire issue. Before that the building began shedding its masonry in large chunks offering adventure and excitement for those who would brave the north side of that section of Hay Street.

Let’s get serious about the Prince Charles Hotel. First of all, the building is currently Chen’s problem. It is not the Fayetteville City Council’s problem, at least not yet but the city must very soon adopt the old building and its associated issues as its own or put it on the auction block as announced. As has been carefully pointed out in the past, Chen knew or should have known all of the troubles surrounding the hotel when he made his ill-advised but successful bid to buy it.

The hotel, for reasons that are somewhat obscure to me, is on the Historical Register. That means that changes to the building’s exterior must comply with state and city rules for such structures. That regulation is where Chen and city government first crossed swords. But needed attention to exterior matters was only given lip service by Chen. Things got worse.

Tenants were evacuated due to fire-code violations. Today the people that care about our city have had enough of John Chen and his obstinacy. If a commercial building, apartments or residential structure in Fayetteville were to be in such poor and unsafe condition as the Prince Charles Hotel the city would move to demolish the offending edifice and would send the property owner the bill for the demolition costs.

The hotel will receive a life extension because it is on the National Register of historic buildings. That does not mean the life extension will be forever. The hotel is also in the city’s historic district which counts for something although it should not. According to Bruce Daws, Fayetteville’s historic properties manager, a procedure to demolish a building on the historic register is protracted and fraught with obstacles to prevent the needed execution. A certificate of appropriateness must be prepared and presented to the city’s Historic Resources Commission. That organization does look askance at any effort to tear down Fayetteville’s old buildings. But it does happen.

A case for the demolition has to be made that can override subjective arguments to let it stand.

If in the Historic Resouurce Commission’s infinite wisdom the decision is life rather than letting the building ride the equivalent of the death-house gurney, what use can be made of the derelict building? It has failed a sufficient number of times as a hotel, dare we say every time, and to the point that all should accept that it cannot function successfully as an accommodation source. Gut it and build upscale condos or apartments is another poorly considered idea that would go nowhere with credit providers. Maybe a minimum fix up and let the homeless live there. Perfect. It would be magnet for the under the bridge dwellers right in the heart of downtown.

Perhaps it could be made into an office building. Maybe it could, but the cost would far exceed that of a same size new building and then there’s the still unsold PWC building where a line of buyers is yet to form.

If the save-old-downtown-structures crowd continues to have their way and say the rest of us will be required to involuntarily tolerate this wart on the city’s nose. But one day sanity and practicality will prevail over sentimentality and a higher and better use will be given to the ground now occupied by the Prince Charles Hotel. Let us hope that day is soon.

Photo:  The sidewalk in front of the Prince Charles Hotel is blocked because pieces of the building’s facade have been falling. The historic building may be up for demolition.

The Business Programs Division of Fayetteville Technical Community College is proud to highlight four new curriculum certificates out of several that will be offered in the fall 2012 semester.

These certificates were developed based primarily on feedback from our Program Advisory Committees and input from several other business and industry partners regarding skills and competencies needed in today’s workforce.

Two of the certificates are business-management related, and two are information-technology related.

Our new business-management related certificates are the nonprofit-management certificate and the project-leadership certificate.

The nonprofit-management certificate is designed to provide individuals with the fundamental principles of nonprofit management. The course covers fundraising, stewardship, governance, leadership, marketing and legal/ethical issues related to nonprofit organizations.

The project-leadership certificate includes learning the basics of project management, acquiring the skills necessary to lead a successful project team, utilizing the collective knowledge of groups and managing a team through the process of completing a project.

The two new information-technology related certificates are the Microsoft desktop-support certificate and the social-media certificate.

The Microsoft desktop-support certificate is designed to develop proficiency in end-user support skills, procedures and processes necessary to support an IT operating system. Upon completion, students should be able to prepare for industry-level certifications and utilize advanced support tools to resolve end-user problems.

The social-media certificate focuses on using social media in a business or organizational setting. Topics include using popular social-media platforms (such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, et al, as part of marketing or branding strategies), blogging, using social-media analytical tools and ensuring compliance with industry standards.

As an added bonus, all these certificates are positioned under the umbrella of a related associate in applied science degree, so all credit hours earned in the certificate can be applied toward completion of the related A.A.S. degree.

FTCC is excited to begin offering these and other new certificates in the fall 2012 semester! For additional information, please contact William Griffin (dean of business programs) at 678-8564 or via email at griffinw@faytechcc.edu.

The Fayetteville FireAntz are in action in a trio of home games in the following weeks. So check your calendars and head out to one of the three upcoming home games to support your Fayetteville FireAntz.

On Friday, Feb. 17, the Fayetteville FireAntz will host a very special night for the Fayetteville Animal Protection Society. Game time is 7:30 p.m. and will be against the Huntsville Havoc.

The FireAntz will honor one of the most progressive shelters in North Carolina, a shelter which prides itself on its policy of no-Kill. The Fayetteville Animal Protection Society has been rescuing and sheltering animals for 28 years and is a great place to visit if you are looking for a new addition to your family or unable to keep your current pet.

FAPS was once known as Animal Haven of Cumberland County, but changed its name after several years, and a great deal of discussion, to Fayetteville Animal Protection Society to better reflect the area the shelter serves, and to speak of its interest in humane education, spay/neuter outreach and legislative changes in regards to the treatment of animals.

With your help, FAPS continues to grow as one of the most progressive shelters in the state of North Carolina. Its focus not only includes creating and providing a safe haven for animals, but also the further education of the community to prevent the problems associated with unwanted pets through a spay/neuter outreach and humane education programs which are available to both adults and children.

The following week, Wednesday, Feb. 22, the FireAntz will host its 5th Annual Public Safety Night. This game will be against league rivals, the Knoxville Ice Bears. Multiple counties will have emergency-vehicle displays in the North VIP parking lot.

Children and adults will have the chance to learn all about these emergency vehicles and will get to see the inside workings of the emergency vehicles.

Also that week, Friday, Feb. 24, the FireAntz will be celebrate their 10-year anniversary. The game begins at 7:30 p.m. and will see the FireAntz taking on the Augusta Riverhawks. The FireAntz will sport special anniversary jerseys, which will be auctioned off after the game. Come out, support and celebrate with us!

You can check out the rest of the season to find game times, FireAntz community visits and upcoming events at the website www.fireantzhockey.com or you can contact the FireAntz Office by phone at 321-0123.

Gather your friends and family to come out and enjoy Fayetteville FireAntz hockey where fire and ice unite!

Who does not want to experience a night of red-carpet luxury? Well look no further because Hollywood glamour arrives at one of the newest event venues to hit the Fayetteville scene, SkyView on Hay, Sat. Feb 25.

Evening with the Stars, an Oscar pre-party is hosted by the Partnership for Children, is guaranteed fun and a chance for people to come out and experience a red-carpet event. Being chauffeured in newest model from Lafayette Ford Lincoln, guests will walk the red carpet in style while being interviewed by the event’s own Joan Rivers. Great food will be provided for the guest and it’s a great opportunity to enjoy an excellent night on the town at one of the newest venues in the Fayetteville community.

Lindsey Haire,the event’s volunteer coordinator, says the event is the organization’s fourtth annual Oscar night pre-party and the SkyView’s first event, with the exception of weddings, since its opening this month.

“We have had great turnouts in the past and we expect to have a big turnout at this event.” Haire explains. “We will have entertainment from The World Famous Dueling Piano Show as well as delicious food.”

SkyView on Hay Street is an excellent place to have the event. With its recent opening in February,the downtown venue is one of the most elegant venues in downtown. The chic setting is perfect for a red-carpet affair and guests should be most pleased. Owners of the venue are very excited about the event as well.

Guests will enjoy this Oscar evening that is in support of such a worthy cause. All the proceeds for the event benefit two priority projects sponsored by the Partnership for Children of Cumberland County: Partnership’s Kidstuff and Government and Military Affairs.

“We want people to come out and support Kidstuff and the Military Affairs,” Haire says.

The Partnership for Children of Cumberland County is a nonprofit organization that focuses on making a difference in the lives of children in Cumberland County. The organization develops high-quality programs for children that nurture healthy development and progress. The mission of the Partnership for Children of Cumberland County is to build partnerships with families and the community so that all children have the opportunity to succeed in school and be prepared to contribute to the community’s social and economic future.

Beginning as a partnership with Smart Start in 1993, the organization has grown into a well-respected nonprofit organization with a diverse and talented range of people who work hard to create an outstanding organization. The organization has many funded programs to help the community such as Read To Me, art-trunk parents kits, Kindermusik and Music Therapy Connection to name a few. The Partnership for Children of Cumberland County is an excellent source to gain insight on any issue related to early-childhood education, looking for large networks of teacher and childcare providers, information on accredited childcare and preschool programs or any of the latest expert opinions on the care of children up to age 5.

After the event on Saturday, Cameo Art House Theatre members are invited to a party at the theatre on Sunday. For no additional cost, the members also have the opportunity to watch the televised Oscars at the theatre as well.

Evening with the Stars Oscar pre-night party begins at 7 p.m. until 11 p.m. Tickets prices range from $60 to $100. Cameo Theatre members and Fayetteville Young Professionals will pay only $40. Tickets may be purchased online by visiting www.ccpfc.org.

Photos:  Above and right, members of the community dress has their favorite Hollwood stars.

The Grey(Rated R)  4 Stars

See, there’s this guy. He might seem like an ordinary guy, but then something happens, and he becomes a special agent/mercenary/special forces guy/survival-ist/MacGuyver/Superman. Related to this, he is a crack shot, does stuff with chewing gum and duct tape, and is always the last man standing. Like the modern day superhero he is supposed to be, this character typically has one major superpower. For example, in Kinsey, he played a character with a really big … brain. Alongside this superpower, he also has one major weakness. For example, in Unknown, he has amnesia. Well, if Joe Carnahan can pull off The A-Team, I guess he can pull this off too.

John Ottway (Neeson) is a sharpshooter working for an Alaskan drilling company, but he doesn’t really seem to enjoy his job or his co-workers very much. Or, at least this is what I am led to believe by his frequent use of the phrase “scum of the earth.” The job finished, he and the team of dirty, hairy guys prepare to fly out. But wait! They crash into the Andes Mountains and need to eat each other to survive!

Ok, that doesn’t happen. But there is a crashing-in-a-snow-storm scene that is easily as cool as the one in Alive. When he recovers from being slammed into the ground at a fantastic rate of speed, he finds his hat and checks around the flaming wreckage. By nightfall, he has alpha-maled the other survivors into a more or less cohesive pack. His pack includes Hendrick (Dallas Roberts), Diaz (Frank Grillo), and Talget (Dermot Mulroney), and a whole lot of red-shirt wearing can-non fodder.

The next morning, realizing that they crash landed in the hunting territory of a wolf pack, Ottway mobilizes his pack to get out of dodge. PSA: wolves are beauti-ful majestic creatures that should not be hunted or molested. When you crashland your noisy smelly plane into their home, soaking the earth with blood and gasoline, do not take their efforts to defend themselves personally. End PSA.

The group plans to hike to a nearby wood, and never thinks about the value of making snowshoes. Which will come back to haunt them in a big way, as they spend most of the movie sinking up to their hips in snowdrifts. The wolves track the group, trying to pick them off one at a time. This forces them to continue moving despite the fact (that Ottway should know) that if you are lost in the woods you are supposed to stay put until the rescuers find you. A nice wolf pack/human pack parallel develops, when some members of the human pack try to challenge Ottway, just as subordinate wolves try to challenge the alpha wolf. In both cases, the alpha wins pretty decisively.

I guess spending a few days starving out in the freezing cold and being chased by a wolfpack makes you stupid, because when the guys come across a deep ravine, they decide they are expert knot tiers and plan to jump the gorge by creating a rope from jackets and stuff. Does it count as a spoiler if I tell you that it doesn’t go according to plan?

As the men receive increasingly hilarious injuries, the film verges on cliché, with Ottway screaming into the sky in a search for God or something. It doesn’t fit the tone of the movie, and really does slow the film’s climax.

At this point in his career, you can pretty much write a Liam Neeson “man-with-a-certain-set-of-skills” action thriller with a homemade plot generator. Like all the rest, The Grey (117 minutes) is a moderately enjoyable addition to his already long, long, list of action-thrillers, and if you like Neeson, you will like this. Of course, some might complain about the ending. If it means that much to you, stick around for the final scene after the credits.

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

It is too bad that sports reporters and historians at Atlantic Coast Conference headquarters are not reading ACC Basketball. This UNC Press book by Sam Walker was published last year and chronicles the game during the conference’s first 20 years. On the other hand, maybe it is a good thing for my old basketball coach, Lefty Driesell.

How do I know sports reporters and ACC staffers are not read-ing the new book? It came out in the controversy that developed about UNC Coach Roy Williams taking most of his players off the court 14 seconds before the game ended in Carolina’s recent loss to Florida State. Williams thought the game was ending early. One story line in the following days was about other times that ACC basketball games ended early.

After checking with an ACC staffer, the Raleigh News & Observer reported, “As best as anyone can tell, UNC’s loss at Florida State would have been just the second ACC game to end before time expired. The first time it happened — and apparently the only time — came in Maryland’s 60-55 home victory against N.C. State on Jan. 7, 1967.”

If the ACC and N&O had read ACC Basketball, they would have found, on page 2, Sam Walker’s description of another early game ending when Maryland played South Carolina in Columbia. “On December 16, 1970, South Carolina was cruising to an easy victory when, with 4:52 remaining in the game, two players got into a shoving and elbow-throwing skirmish. Both benches rushed to the aid of their teammates, and a slugfest broke out. As Driesell tried to separate players and stop the melee, he was struck twice by South Carolina forward John Ribock. The fracas continued for about four min-utes before police managed to halt the fighting and the referees decided to end the game.”

That story of another early ending is not the “good thing” for Coach Driesell.When I read and enjoyed ACC Basketball I asked UNC Press to send him a copy, thinking he would enjoy some of the stories about him.

I was wrong. Driesell called me the day after he got the book. “I’m going to sue them,” he said. Hepointed to a paragraph in the book about the recruitment of basketball star Charlie Scott in 1966. Scott was headed to Davidson, where Driesell was coaching, until Coach Dean Smith persuaded him to go to Carolina. It said that when Smith and Driesell met afterwards, “Smith offered his hand to Driesell and said something along the lines of ‘no hard feelings.’ A fuming Driesell indicated that there were indeed some hard feel-ings by spitting on Smith’s outstretched palm.”

Driesell was livid. “I would never spit on anybody’s hand. That is terrible.”

He was worried about his friends’ reactions and especially about what “Dean’s family would think.”

Thanks to ECU athletic director, and Driesell’s assistant coach at the time, Terry Holland, the book’s version was corrected. Holland told Walker and UNC Press that “I was standing right beside Coach Driesell and can guarantee that there was no spit-ting involved.”

As a result, the new printing of ACC Basketballrevises its report to say simply, “Driesell looked down at Smith’s hand and shook his head to indicate that he was not ready to concede defeat.”

So the good thing for Driesell about reporters not reading ACC Basketball yet, is that when they do, he can hope they will read the revised version and not see a word about spitting.

“But what about people who read the earlier version?” Driesell asked me.

“All I can do,” I told him, “is write a column that says you didn’t spit in anybody’s hand, and my readers will know the truth.”

Photo: The good thing for Driesell about reporters not reading ACC Basketball yet, is that when they do, he can hope they will read the revised version and not see a word about spitting.

Despite his recent stumbles in Colorado and Minnesota, Mitt Romney is still the favorite to win the Republican nomination for president. As Democratic and Republican strategists begin to work on their general-election strategies, swing states such as North Carolina will be their main focus. But the presiden-tial race, as important as it is, won’t be the only political story that focuses on battleground states.

Republican hopes to hold their majority in the U.S. House and win control of the U.S. Senate will hinge on the fate of key races in a handful of states. Some but not all of these are also battleground states in the presidential race. Similarly, Republican efforts to secure their newfound power in state capitals will focus on at least four gubernatorial races and battles for control of legisla-tive chambers in about a dozen states.

The indispensable website RealClearPolitics lists 25 seats in the U.S. House as most likely to flip from one party to another. Three states have multiple seats in play: Illinois with five, and California and North Carolina with four each. Our state’s most competitive House races will be in 7th, 8th, 11th, and 13th districts, all currently held by Democrats but made more competitive for GOP candidates by GOP-led redistricting. These four districts span the length of the state, with the 7th District covering Southeastern North Carolina, the 8th District stretching from the Sandhills to the outskirts of Charlotte, the 13th District including parts of Wake County and Eastern North Carolina, and the 11th District covering the western mountains.

These House races partially make up for the fact that our state has no Senate race this cycle. Nationally, Republicans need four seats to win a major-ity in the upper chamber. The GOP is currently favored to pick up Democratic seats in North Dakota and Nebraska. No current GOP seats are in similar danger. Of the eight Senate races rated as toss-ups, six are Democratic and two (Massachusetts and Nevada) are Republican.

At the state level, Republicans spent 2009, 2010 and 2011 achieving their greatest political victories since the 1920s. At the start of the year, Republicans held 29 of the nation’s governorships, with 20 in Democratic hands and one independent (Lincoln Chafee of Rhode Island). There are 27 Republican leg-islatures, 15 Democratic ones, seven splits, and one nonpartisan (Nebraska). Republicans hold 53 percent of state-senate seats and 54 percent of state-house seats.

In 2012, it’s fair to say that Republicans will be playing offense in state-wide races while Democrats will be playing offense in legislative races. Only one Republican governorship — a Wisconsin recall election for Scott Walker — appears to be in danger in 2012, while Democratic governorships in Washington, Montana, New Hampshire and North Carolina are all very much in play. As for legislative politics, the impact of redistricting, demographic shifts and local political and economic factors has yet to be fully analyzed. Nevertheless, it seems likely that there will be spirited battles over control of at least one legislative chamber in Colorado, Iowa, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington, among others.

Add all this up, and here’s one way to think about the various electoral battlegrounds for 2012:

• Triple-crown states will host competitive races for president, competitive races for either U.S. Senate or multiple U.S. House seats, and competitive races for either governor or legislative control. There are four triple-crowns at the moment: Montana, Nevada, North Carolina and Wisconsin.

• Double-crown states will host competitive races for president as well as key federal or state contests. They include Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Of the triple-crown states, I figure that North Carolina and Wisconsin will draw the most national attention, the former because of this year’s Democratic National Convention in Charlotte and the latter because of last year’s high-profile battle over labor union power.

So if you are a political junkie, a political journalist, a po-litical operative, or a purveyor of political advertising, North Carolina is a wonderful place to be at the moment.

Controlling Blood Pressure is One Key to Heart Health

High blood pressure can lead to more than just heart problems. Among other things, it is directly related to decreased cognitive functioning, according to research. That’s why it is important to carefully monitor a senior with high blood pressure.

Q. My 75-year-old widowed mother just had a physical and her doctor said her heart is in great shape. She does have borderline high blood pressure, though, so the doctor prescribed a medication. Are there other things she could do?

A. It sounds as if your mother has taken good care of herself if her heart is in such a healthy condition. One important component of good heart health is blood pressure, and the risk of high blood pressure does seem to increase with age, according to the American Heart Association. In fact, 90 percent of Americans over the age of 50 have a lifetime risk of high blood pressure.

High blood pressure can lead to other problems, too. Increased blood pressure in older adults is directly related to decreased cognitive functioning, particularly among seniors with already high blood pressure, research reveals. This means that stressful situations may make it more difficult for some seniors to think clearly.

Dr. Jason Allaire is an assistant professor of psychology at N.C. State University and co-author of a study on high blood pressure and cognitive function. Allaire explains that study subjects whose average systolic blood pressure was 130 or higher saw a significant decrease in cognitive function when their blood pressure spiked. However, Allaire notes, study subjects whose average blood pressure was low or normal saw no change in their cognitive functioning-even when their blood pressure shot up.

So how do you navigate around high blood pressure and its consequences? Your mom’s doctor will be her best source of information for lifestyle and diet changes.

“High blood pressure remains an epidemic in the United States, but it can be prevented,” said Lawrence Appel, M.D., lead author of an American Heart Association scientific statement, published in Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association.

“By improving their diet, people can reduce their blood pressure and put a major dent in their risk of stroke, coronary heart disease and heart failure,” said Appel, a professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore.

The statement also recommends combining an overall healthy diet with weight loss, eating lots of fruits and vegetables, limiting alcohol consumption, lowering salt intake and increasing potassium intake.

The National Heart, Lung and Blood institute Health Information Center recommends following its Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) plan. The DASH eating plan is rich in fruits, vegetables, fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, whole grains, fish, poultry, beans, seeds and nuts. Talk to your doctor about whether the DASH plan will work for you. The plan also recommends being moderately active for at least 30 minutes on most days of the week.

If your mother lives alone, you might want to consider a companion for her. Encourage her to develop a relationship with someone who shares some of her same health interests and concerns.

Here’s hoping your mother has many more years of healthy heart living.

Photo: One important component of good heart health is blood pressure. 

Music and Education Go Hand in Hand

Education of children is one of the greatest responsibilities of parents and guardians. Parents care about their kids’ academic achievement. Superior academic achievement is especially important in the current employment climate because employers are looking for the best students.

Music educators have always believed that a child’s cognitive, motivational, and communication skills are more highly developed when exposed to music training. Now, study after study proves that music instruction is essential to children’s overall education because it improves their academic performance. The positive effects of music education are finally being recognized by science, verifying what music teachers have always suspected.

Since the dawn of civilization, music has been an integrated part of a child’s education, as society realized the potential that sounds have in shaping the mind of a young pupil. In most countries in the world today, music lessons are still offered in schools as part of the basic curricula, along with sports and drawing. The Ancient Africans and Greeks recognized the importance of all these activities being performed alongside mathematics and physics, because they complemented each other.

Many studies have been performed to examine the affect of musical instruction on the brain. Researchers at the University of Munster, Germany, (1998) reported that music lessons in childhood actually enlarge the brain. The auditory cortex is enlarged by 25 percent in musicians compared to those who have never played an instrument. According to a study by Frances Rauscher of the University of California, Irvine, (1997) links between neurons in the brain are strengthened with music lessons. Dr. Frank Wilson’s study (1989) involving instrumental music instruction and the brain revealed that learning to play an instrument refines the development of the brain and the entire neurological system.

Mrs. Kia Walker, the owner of the Blue Violin Music Education Center has instructed music for 15 years. She found that music education improves the students skills in several categories in as little as four months of instruction. Improvement categories include academic, social, memory, language, mathematics and science. She also found an improvement in the confidence of the students to excel. By having a musical instrument to express themselves they are able to surpass in all activities. She has also found an improvement in the students’ time management skills. The students have to assess the time needed to master the skills it will take to perfect their public performances of songs and melodies. The multi dimensional activities leading to the performance include memories, rehearsals and playing skills.

Photo: In most countries in the world today, music lessons are still offered in schools as part of the basic curricula, along with sports and drawing. 

Time and time again we hear about people talking about the smallest half hel-met and we hear them asking where they can find one. The truth of the matter is that the smallest helmet isn’t always necessarily the best one.

There are a number of things that you should think about when you begin your search for the smallest hel-met. One thing that you might want to ask yourself is will the smallest half helmet provide you with the neces-sary protection. Many times those who try to make a hel-met that is really small will skim on the parts that matter the most.

One part of the helmet that manufacturers might take shortcuts on is the inner padding. In order to make the outer shell of the helmet small, you have to reduce the size of what is inside of the helmet right? This isn’t necessarily the best way to go because it reduces the effectiveness of the helmet all together. DOT helmets are made to meet certain standards that are set in place in order to provide safe helmets for riders. If your helmet does not meet these standards, then you should question whether or not it is right for you. Beware of those that claim to have the smallest helmet because it may not necessarily be the safest one for you.

Appearance often has a lot to do with how riders pick their gear. The helmet is certainly no exception, which is why many riders really don’t care what it looks like on the inside as long as it looks good on the outside. Unfortunately, this isn’t the right attitude to have when it comes to your helmet. Safety should always be your number one priority.

Finally, you might want to inspect the materials used to make the sup-posed smallest half helmet before you purchase it. There may be some instances where manufacturers will skim on the materials used in order to make the helmets smaller. This means that the outer shell might be thinner than normal. Again, this isn’t going to make the safest helmet for the rider. Instead, look for helmets that have thick polycarbonate shells that will hold strong against high impact pressure.

The next time you shop for a helmet, ask yourself whether or not you are willing to sacrifice your safety for the appearance. This might help you make your decision when considering which one to buy.

Kids of the ‘80s — or anyone who appreciates the musical sound of that especially big-haired decade — are in for a treat when Rock of Ages comes to the Crown on Feb 14. The fourth in a series of fi ve shows presented by Community Concerts, this particular performance promises to be huge. If you’re new in town or have somehow missed the last 75 years of amazing entertainment that Community Concerts brings to town each concert season, Rock of Ages is a great choice for a first show.

The musical is set in 1987 on the Sunset Strip. Sherrie, a small-town girl, comes to L.A. to make it big. Drew, from South Detroit is drawn to Hollywood for the same reason. The two meet — and they fall in love to the songs of the ‘80s. Songs by Journey, Night Ranger, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Pat Benatar, Twisted Sister, Poison, Asia, Whitesnake and more recount the emotions, drama and excitement of their love story/adventure.

Nominated five times for a Tony Award, Rock of Ages brings back fond memories for fans of the big-hair bands of the ‘80s.

“We are really excited about Rock of Ages,” said Michael Fleishman, attractions director for Community Concerts. “This show is a huge hit on Broadway and is being made into a movie starring Tom Cruise and Alec Baldwin. It’s something we believe our audience will really enjoy.”

Some other big names in the film include Julianne Hough, Malin Akerman, Catherine Zeta Jones, Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti and Mary J. Blige. Fans of the stage version can enjoy the show in theaters on June 1.

“Tickets have really starting jumping on this show,” said Fleishman. “This is a great thing to do for Valentine’s Day. It is something a little different. Instead of waiting at your favorite restaurant for an hour, this is a chance to hear all the music of the ‘80s in a really fun and upbeat show.

”Dominique Scott couldn’t agree more. He plays the part of Drew in Rock of Ages and is looking forward to putting on a top-notch show when they come to the Crown.

“My favorite part is the audience’s reaction to the show,” said Scott. “People really love it. There is a general sense of excitement about the show. People who know nothing about the story or music when they walk in all walk out having had a good time. By the final number the crowd is up on its feet laughing and clapping and enjoying the show.”

Scott says that the cast loves the response they get from the audience at each performance and that the synergy that develops between the cast and the viewers can be pretty intense.

“It is breathtaking to perform in front of thousands of people every night. They know all the songs for the most part and by the end everybody is standing up and dancing and having a good time,” he said. “There is a certain energy that we share with the audience back and forth from the stage and it is something that is really special and breathtaking — and something that I look forward to every night.”

Now in its 76th season, Community Concerts is not only Fayetteville’s oldest arts organization; it is comprised of an all-volunteer workforce dedicated to bringing quality entertainment to Fayetteville and the Fort Bragg/Cumberland County community. With a keen ear tuned to what interests and excites its audiences, the group has steadily expanded and grown as similar community groups around the country have fallen by the wayside.

Clearly, community is the operative word in the organization’s name. Beyond great entertainment, Community Concerts also supports programs thatbenefit local citizens.

The Boy’s and Girl’s Club receive generous support from Community Concerts as do deserving seniors. Local children benefi t from music clinics and a music scholarship fund. Each year the group recognizes local performers and musicians in the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame.

“There are so many people in our community who have contributed to the quality of life here,” said Fleishman. “They’ve entertained us, taught our children and brought the love of music and entertaining into the lives of our citizens. These are people who deserve to be recognized and it is only right for us to do that.”

In the end, making Fayetteville a better place is what matters to the volunteers who drive Community Concerts. Being able to make meaningful differences in the community, provide great shows for their audiences and still have a great time is one of the reasons Fleishman has stayed with the group for so long. Every year is a new adventure and every show is a chance to make the audience cheer — and Rock of Ages is a show that he expects will have people on their feet throughout the night.

“This is a very fun show. It was a big hit on Broadway and it is going to be a big deal with this movie coming out,” said Fleishman.

The 2011-2012 season comes to and end on Friday, April 14 when the incomparable Patti LaBelle comes to the Crown.

Rock of Agesstarts at 7:30 p.m. at the Crown. Tickets are available to all Community Concerts shows at www.community-concerts.com/contact-us and at www.atthecrown.com.

The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra (FSO) is noted in the community for its strong support of andcommitment to bringing symphonic music to the young, including many who might not otherwise have the opportunity to attend a concert. Just recently, the FSO held its second annual Exceptional Children and Adult’s Concert, complete with the “instrument petting zoo.” Its Holiday Extravaganza featured the Cumberland County Youth Orchestra and the Music Makers Fall Cohort, a program funded by the Youth Growth Stock Trust through the Cumberland County Education Foundation and developed by the FSO with the Boys & Girls Club and Fayetteville Parks & Recreation. And now, funded by a grant from the U.S. Embassy in Jordan, some members of the FSO, under the baton of Maestro Foaud Fakhouri, will travel to Jordan, February 16-24 to perform with the Amman Symphony Orchestra and present concerts to schoolchildren.

The symphony will engage in three different programs while in Jordan, Fakhouri explained. The first performance is an evening concert, which is part of the Amman Symphony Orchestra’s regular season Masterworks, similar to what the FSO does here. The concert will include the overture to Verdi’s “La forza del destino,” Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite” and Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 1.”

The second and third programs involve working with students.

“We’re doing four other performances during the day for schoolchildren, similar to what we do in Fayetteville for our third graders,” Fakhouri said. “This project came through a grant with the U. S. Embassy in Jordan. So they want us to focus on education. That was one of the priorities that they wanted to see happen. And we’re introducing children to classical music by performing American blockbuster-movie music. The idea is that these kids may have heard of Harry Potter or Pirates of the Caribbean or Star Wars, but they would not have associated that what they heard on that movie screen is actually performed by an orchestra. I thought that this would be a good idea to sort of say, ‘You’re familiar with this music, but here’s how it’s done, and these are the instruments that make that type of sound.’”

And Fakhouri wants to ensure that the experience will be meaningful beyond just the 40 minutes of the performance.

“They’ve probably never been to a symphonic concert in their lives, they’re going to see this and then they’re going to go home. What do we give them to take home and extend that experience and actually get them to say, ‘I saw this instrument, and this is what I want to learn’?” asked Fakhouri.

Fakhouri approached one of the symphony’s education coordinators as well as librarian, who plays with the FSO.

“She created a mini booklet that we’re going to give to every one of those kids while we’re there,” he said.

The FSO is also providing master classes to students of the National Music Conservatory as well as students at King’s Academy, a private boarding school about 45 minutes outside of Amman. Members of the FSO will stay at King’s Academy during their visit.

This cultural exchange is not the fi rst between the FSO and musicians of Jordan.

“For our 50th anniversary, we invited the Queen of Jordan to come” said Fakhouri. “One of the Queen’s projects is the National Music Conservatory in Jordan. We invited musicians from the conservatory to come here, and she came and saw us perform with them. She invited the symphony to go to Jordan to perform, which was funded by the conservatory.”

Fakhouri notes that this trip is a bit different. During a guest conducting engagement, he spoke with a friend about the project, and she suggested bringing some of the musicians from the FSO again, and she would explore sources of funding.

“The embassy was very interested, provided we did the education component. And the embassy seems quite excited to be involved in this project,” Fakhouri said.

In addition to rehearsals and performances, the FSO will take some time to explore the historic area, including the “lost” city of Petra, familiar to many from Raiders of the Lost Ark fame; Jerash, a well-preserved Roman ruin; Mt. Nebo, where Moses stood, and of course, the Dead Sea and the baptismal site of Jesus. The FSO hopes to post updates and pictures to its Facebook page while in Jordan and then create something on the FSO website after their return.

Fakhouri stresses the signifi cance of such cultural exchanges relative to the Fayetteville community.

“We are taking Fayetteville overseas, and we are introducing people to what we do here and impacting their lives. What we do to represent Fayetteville is important, and the only reason we are able to do these types of projects, to take them outside, is because of the generosity of the people who support us,” said Fakhouri. “And from their support, we are able to do these programs here and get positive feedback from our community, from our children and the schools, especially with regards to education, and that’s what we’re modeling this program in Jordan upon. We’re basing it on the positive experiences and our long history with these types of projects in Fayetteville. We’re just duplicating them there for a place that really needs them. There aren’t many orchestras our size that can say that they do this type of work.”

“There’s a lot of chaos in the world, and these types of things maybe help make people understand each other a little bit better.”

For more information on the FSO, visit www.fayettevillesymphony.org.

Are you ready for a night of laughs and non-stop entertainment? Well get ready, because Mike Epps is live at the Crown Center on Sunday, Feb. 19. The comedian is back again to give the audience new laughs and enjoyment as part of his I’m Still Standing Tour.

The funnyman has proven his talents numerous times in the entertainment industry. Epps’ biggest debut was his appearance on HBO’s Def Comedy Jam. In 1999, Epps received recognition for these outstanding performances on the national stage. It took the comedian to the next level. He decided then to move to Los Angeles and pursue a career in comedy. Of course, the comedian had been doing stand-up for many years. It was something he believes he was destined to do and it shows with his success in the entertainment industry.

Fellow entertainer, rapper and actor, Ice Cube took notice of the comedian while he performed at the L.A. Comedy Store. This encounter lead to one of the comedian’s first roles in a movie, Next Friday. He played the role of Day-Day, the cousin to Ice Cube’s character, and the movie was a true comedy hit. Since his debut as an actor, Epps appeared in the movies Bait, How High and even played the voice of Sonny in Dr. Dolittle 2.

It is safe to say that the comedian has had a great career and it continues to grow. He has truly made a name for himself in the entertainment industry. Of course, Epps still tours the country and performs at many sold-out arenas and theatres. His onehour comedy special, Inappropriate Behavior, that aired on HBO was rated the top one-hour special of the year. DVDs, of the performance, were made available to the public that same month.

On Sept. 10, 2006, Epps switched roles and began to host HBO’s Def Comedy Jam. Epps has performed in many other movies since his debut as an actor including: All About the Benjamins, Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, Soul Men, Hancock, Open Season, The Fighting Temptation, Open Season, Friday After Next and Jumping the Broom, to name a few.

The Crown Center is delighted to see the comedian perform again for the community of Fayetteville. Garry Marshall, director of marketing and sales, stated the comedian had another performance at the Crown Center a year ago, which was very well received by audience members.

“He is a very talented performer,” Marshall explained, “He gives a show that is very crowd-pleasing.”

Tickets for the show are selling rather quickly and it is highly recommended that future audience members purchase tickets soon to ensure the best seats.

“This is a reserved-seat show and the sooner you purchase your ticket the better the seats you will get,” Marshall adds.

At the Crown Center theatre, parking is free and all normal concessions will be opened on the night of show. The comedy show will begin at 7 p.m. Call 438-4100 or visit www. atthecrown.com for ticket prices and hours.

Photo: Comedian Mike Epps.

“We’re going to party with a purpose,” Brandon Price says with a laugh when talking about the Find-A-Friend Program Spring Mardi Gras Ball. This is the third year for the Mardi Gras Ball, which benefi ts Fayetteville Urban Ministry’s Find-A-Friend Summer Camp. The ball is Saturday, Feb. 18, from 7 p.m. until midnight at the Holiday Inn Bordeaux.

“Expect a first-class event,” says Price, Find-A-Friend’s mentor coordinator. “It’s a black-tie event. We’re featuring the Methodist University Jazz Band. It’s an awesome jazz band. Later in the evening we’ll have a DJ. We’re going to have a good time.”

Find-A-Friend has been serving Cumberland County since 1982. The program works with at-risk youth through after school programming, intensive interpersonal-skills workshops and mentoring.

After the effort the children put into learning new life skills, summer is the time to have some fun and test what they’ve learned. Find–a-Friend mentors take them to local restaurants, the Asheboro zoo, the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science, the planetarium in Chapel Hill, Fort Fisher Qquarium and The Climbing Place. “… and we do lots and lots of swimming,” said Price.

Life skills aren’t the only objective though. Life experience is also a goal. Price explains, “We recognize that some of our kids have never ordered off of a menu. When we take them to a sit-down restaurant, we’re teaching them how to order off of a menu and ask for things properly and use manners rather than yelling across the room. We are always in teach mode. We do things that they wouldn’t normally get to do.”

The talent show at the end of the summer is a way for the children to celebrate their new found poise and confidence. Price recounts the story of a young girl who arrived at Find-A-Friend with “no, not even low, self-esteem.” She hid her full figure behind gothic clothing. By the end of the summer, she was participating in the talent show in a red dress and heels. It brought her mother to tears.

Another young man came to Find-A-Friend as a high-risk 13-year-old. He was born to a very young mother who was struggling to raise her son. Through the support of Find-A-Friend, the young man graduated from high school and is now entering the military.

Find-A-Friend supports more than 200 children a year and about half of them attend the summer camp. With the help of the community, Price would like to see those numbers rise. The ticket price for the ball is the equivalent to paying for one child to go to summer camp. “Anytime that anyone donates to Urban Ministry or Find-A-Friend, those funds go directly back into our community. We are working with kids from this community. We have an open door policy. Anybody, at any time, can walk through our doors to see what we do and see what their money does,” Price says.

If you would prefer to work directly with the children, Find-A-Friend is always seeking mentors, especially male mentors. Price stresses, “It’s not a ‘their problem, their community’ issue — it’s our community. We all have a responsibility to give through time, talent or treasure. There is always a way you can get involved with Find-A-Friend.”

Mardi Gras Ball tickets are $50.00 per ticket or two tickets for $80.00 and can be purchased at the Find-A-Friend offi ce at 725 West Rowan St. Tickets can also be purchased via the telephone by calling 910.483.4661.

Photo: Fayetteville Urban Ministry hosts a Mardi-Gras party on Feb. 18 to raise money for the Find-a-Friend program.

It is the kind of surprise for which every ambitious politician must be prepared: The unexpected decision by an incumbent elected official to retire.

It is, my friend Jay Rivers told me, the kind of window of opportu-nity that opens ever so slightly and rarely. Be ready to decide quickly and pounce on the unexpected opportu-nity, before the window closes as a result of others’ decisive action.

John Spratt, the former South Carolina Congressman, once told me about his first campaign. It started when his Congressman dropped the bombshell that he would not run for reelection. Many other ambitious politicians would have loved to go to Congress, but all were surprised and unprepared to gear up a campaign. Spratt, though surprised, was ready. Sometime earlier he had made a telephone list of key people in his district. Before the day was over, he called everybody on the list.

First, he asked for their support. He tried to get them to make a solid en-dorsement. When seasoned political leaders make such early commitments, most try to keep them. There are exceptions, but whatever their failings, such leaders like to have a reputation for keeping their word.

Politicians, like the rest of us, have a hard time turning down a request for support from a friend. Although the people on Spratt’s list had other friends who might have wanted to run, Spratt got their commitments because he was first to ask.

Some on the Spratt’s list would be more cautious, saying something like, “I am not ready to commit.” Spratt would try to get them to promise not to support any-one else until the dust settled and “We’ve had a chance to visit again.”

Others might tell Spratt that they liked him but that he would not be their first choice, saying, “I really hope Joe Blow will decide to run, and, if he does, I will have to support him.”

Then Spratt might ask, “If Joe doesn’t run, can I count on your support?”

All this early work garnered Spratt important supporters, some of whom might have gone to other candidates if he had not asked first.

Spratt’s first campaign was 30 years ago, but being first to make the calls is still critical.

Today, however, there is something even more important: Being ready, willing and able to raise or give the multimillion dollars necessary to conduct the campaign.

When today’s political candidate makes these early calls for support, the first questions from many people will be, “Where is your money going to come from? Do you have enough personal money to put in the pot? Where are you going to get the millions and millions it takes to win?”

After Governor Beverly Perdue’s announcement that she will not run this year, Lieutenant Governor Walter Dalton and state Representative Bill Faison were ready. They have the advantage of being first to make the public request for support.

But as they are making calls and asking for commitments, they have to re-spond to the money questions. Faison has some personal wealth, but he will have to persuade prospective supporters that he has enough money and is willing to spend it. Dalton has shown he can raise funds to win a statewide race, but he will have to convince people that he can step up the fundraising to a much higher level.

Both are getting some cautious responses from people who think Erskine Bowles would be the strongest Democratic candidate or those loyal to one of the many other possible candidates.

But there is something nobody can take away from Dalton and Faison. They were ready. They are out there, making early calls. And they have a better chance to win than if they had waited until that window of opportunity started to close.

Photo: John Spratt

No, it’s not a new appetizer. It’s a phone app that is bringing big-city shopistication, to Fayetteville at two of our finest eateries. Not only can mobile-phone users check bank balances online and use social media to connect with people around the world, now they can make restaurant reservations for a more trouble-free and convenient experience with apps like OpenTable. This online system is an expedient reservation booking solution for more than 20,000 restaurant custom-ers each month. The Hilltop House in Haymount, and the Mash House, located located on Sycamore Dairy Road, are Fayetteville’s first —and, so far, only — establishments to use the app and it is making life easier for both the restau-rants and their customers.

Since1998, OpenTable has seated more than 250 million diners around the world and has become the organizational tool for many owner-operated restaurants in metropolitan areas. Local customers can make reservations online with-out even placing a call to a restaurant. Diners have access to booking a table 24/7 on OpenTable where they are provided with real-time availability.

Imagine the possibilities for using this convenient piece of technology: last minute out-of-town guests, a great piece of news like a promotion or a pregnancy, remembering a birthday at the last minute or maybe its been a long day and you just want to meet some friends for dinner. OpenTable makes it fast and easy, so customers can focus more on what really matters to them. This is just one more way to make a great dining experience better.

OpenTable has proven beneficial to restaurants that have made the system a part of their overall management. It aides in the proper running of the restaurant by creating a system that can book seats online for any size party without the hassle of numerous people calling at potentially busy times. It helps counter overbooking by providing true availability for online and even phone bookings. In the end, it can increase revenue for restau-rants and improve service quality for customers. Both the Mash House and the Hilltop House are impressed by the system and look to see reservations grow using OpenTable.

Nikki Atkinson, manager at the Mash House, has used the system before with different companies. She lived in Boston and says that it is very common for restaurants to use OpenTable. “It is very convenient and the touch screen system keeps it orderly for my staff,” Atkinson says, “I would love to see more restau-rants use it.”

The Mash House is located right in the heart of Fayetteville and offers customers a unique dining experi-ence. OpenTable gives customers easy and hassle-free ac-cess to their freshly-made food and award-winning, hand-crafted beer.

The Hilltop House has been pleased with OpenTable since the restaurant started using it in early January. Beth Shearin-Smith, owner of the Hill Top House, appreciates the efficiency it brings to managing her business, and based on the response, customers think it is great, too.

“We had OpenTable reservations within 24 hours of going live with the system,” Shearin-Smith says, “It has made a tremendous increase and impact to our business.”

Shearin-Smith felt it was the right time to start using the system given the way social media has become so vital in peoples’ lives. She wanted the Hilltop House to stay as up-to-date as possible and she could not be more impressed with the results the app has shown in such a short period of time. “

As a business owner, the system shows great results,” Shearin-Smith adds, “It is a very good organizational tool.”

Because of the business they have received from OpenTable, Shearin-Smith says the “Hilltop House is able to show how great the food, service and ambiance is.” It is one more tool that enables restau-rants to better serve customers.

For more information about Open Table visit www.opentable.com.

Haywire (Rated R)   Two Stars

Seeing as how Haywire (87 minutes) features a supposedly strong female lead, I really, really wanted to like it. But I didn’t. I thought it was improbable, poorly cast, badly acted, stupidly plotted and inanely written. Points for getting Michael Fassbender to star in your crappy movie Steven Soderbergh, but you get an F- for everything else. And Fassbender, you’re on notice. Star in one more crapfest and I’m not your girlfriend anymore.

The film opens in a good place, a clearly half-frozen woman, Mallory Kane (Gina Carano) eyes a roadside diner from a snowy wooded area, focusing particularly on the hot coffee offer in the sign. I feel you Mallory! She is cautious for some reason, but eventually heads in and orders something. Not too long after, a guy named Aaron (Channing Tatum, who is dumb and gross) walks in and orders some of that coffee.

This is when the movie lost me, as Mallory has possibly the most grating throaty tone I have ever heard coming out a woman’s mouth. It sounds affected and pretentious, and I hope at some point she gets a karate chop to the throat and can’t speak for the rest of the movie. So, like Itchy and Scratchy, after a few preliminaries Aaron and Mallory fight, and bite, and fight and bite and fight, involving all sorts of innocent bystanders in their ballet of combat. Given the options, I am not sure who to root for.

Mallory manages to extricate herself and grab a would-be knight in shiny armor’s car. Scott (Michael Angarano from Sky High) is surprisingly blasé about the whole thing, and way more helpful than I would be at this point in the discussion. What’s that? You’re on a black-ops mission for a company that is sending people to kill you and are now kidnapping me and stealing my car? Why, of course I will extract the bullet from your arm and dress your wound while you drive us to points unknown! Since you’re so pretty, there’s no way you’re an evil spy!

Now begins the super irritating narrative framing device that I am sure Soderbergh just felt so arty and clever for using. Mallory starts to tell Scott about a mission in Barcelona, quizzing him every few scenes on names and details like they actually matter. You know what would have been cool? If it turned out she was pulling a Keyser Soze, and the whole story was based on random stuff she found in stupid Scott’s stupid car? I really wish they had gone there

.It turns out that she is an ex-Marine, working as a subcontractor with her ex-boyfriend Kenneth’s (Ewan McGregor) company. Kenneth was hired by a government agent, Coblenz (Michael Douglas) and some other character, Rodrigo (Antonio Banderas), to rescue a guy named Jiang (Anthony Brandon Wong) from Barcelona. The next part of the story involves Mallory getting yet another assignment, working with British Intelligence. Her contact, Paul (Michael Fassbender) meets her in Dublin, and spews sexist comments at her for a while.

Rightfully suspicious, she figures out that some kind of double-cross is in the works and starts beating people up and running around Dublin. She runs for a really long time, and then contacts Coblenz to set up a meet with Kenneth. Which should totally work, because of all the people who might have been involved in the set-up, I am totally sure that guy who part of your last mission that you now know caused all the trouble is com-pletely trustworthy.

That brings us back to the beginning of the movie, and, lucky for Scott, Mallory sends him on his way and heads out to meet her Pop (Bill Paxton). The two set up an ambush that is both elaborate and stupid, which should not work, but which does thankfully speed up progress towards the climax a bit. Overall, I have never sat through a lon-ger 87 minutes in my life. View at your own risk.

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

Katie Crenshaw and Aurora Alexander are passionate about ducks, — rubber ducks — not because they are cute and yellow and they bob around so playfully in the water, but because ducks change lives. Crenshaw and Alexander are the organizers of the Fayetteville Duck Derby, an event that sold more than 15,000 ducks and raised more than $120,000 for local nonprofi ts in 2011.

Last year, the inaugural Duck Derby took the town by storm. Local restaurants created drinks and appetizers for the event and competed for the honor of being the official Duck Derby refreshment. Ducky was spotted at locations around town and pictures poured in showing his adventures. Nonprofi ts teamed up and supported one another in the community fundraiser, and local businesses and sponsors generously offered up some great prizes. The event culminated at Campbellton Landing where thousands of ducks were poured into the Cape Fear River and spectators were treated to a family friendly day of food, fun, music and Fayetteville’s fi st official duck race.

“This event really brought awareness to a lot of local nonprofits,” said Alexander. “In fact, last year Fayetteville Urban Ministry’s Find-a-Friend program was on the chopping block due to budget cuts.”

“It was money raised by the Duck Derby that saved the Find-a-Friend program,” added Crenshaw.

The event was great fun indeed, and full of many high points for the two volunteers, but in the end it was watching nonprofi s get some much-needed exposure and funding that really touched them.

“There were so many moments during the Duck Derby campaign that just left us in tears,” said Alexander. “The support from the community was amazing. This brought awareness to a lot of local non-profi ts. People didn’t just come to this event, they were excited to be there — and that meant so much.”

This year looks to be just as exciting, maybe even more so.

The campaign kicks-off with an invitation only Very-Important-Duck Party. Blue Moon, Chris’s Open Hearth Steak House, Hellas Restaurant & Sports Bar, Hilltop House, Huske Hardware Restaurant & Brewery, IT’Z Entertainment City, Mash House Brewery & Chophouse Restaurant, Pierro’s Italian Bistro and The Wing Company have all stepped up to compete for the honor of creating the offi cial appetizer and the offi cial Duck Derby Drink.

Their menu items will be revealed at the VID party and then during the months of March and April, the community is invited to visit any one — or every one — of these eateries, try their specially created menu items and cocktails and then go to the Duck Derby website to vote for their favorite. The winner is announced at the event, which is May 5.

Part of the 31 Day Salute, the Duck Derby is military friendly.

“We are really happy about the connection we have with the military. They are such a huge part of the community,” said Alexander. “Our first unofficial ducks that floated down the river last year had a military escort. We also observed a moment of silence at the event. This year we are pleased to add another element; a military unit is going to bring a display to the Duck Derby, too.”

Alexander and Crenshaw are looking to make this event fun, but just like last year, the real goal is to benefi t the community.

“Learning about the local nonprofi ts and knowing that you are making a difference, is really a big part of this,” said Crenshaw.

Last year, the two spoke with countless people and met with local captains of industry to get the campaign off the ground.

“Even if we never raised a dime, everyone that we spoke with about supporting the event sat through our presentation, which talked about the organizations that would benefit from the Duck Derby.”

Local organizations and businesses stepped up last year and are returning again to take part in the fun and make a difference too.

“Really the biggest thing people can do now to help, is to go out and adopt a duck. The ducks are available online at the Duck Derbywebsite and can also be purchased at the corporate sponsors listed on the website. Keep an eye out for chances to adopt ducks at community events like 4th Friday and FireAntz games.

When it comes time to adopt a duck, choose a team (nonprofit) and they will receive some of theproceeds from this event. If you are feeling noncommittal, adopt a duck without choosing a team and the money will go to support Fayetteville Urban Ministry. There are 15,000 ducks waiting to be adopted, so the competition is stiff, but the prizes are pretty enticing.

The grand prize, donated by Rick Hendrick Toyota, is a 2012 Toyota Scion TC; second prize is a Las Vegas getaway; third prize is a catered Cape Fear River Cruise; fourth prize is a set of tires from Good Year and fifth prize is a year membership to The Spa Fitness & Wellness Center and Renaissance European Day Spa Gift Certificates.

Visit www.Fayetttevilleduckderby.com to adopt a duck or to find out more about the fun-filled event.

Photo: The Duck Derby Committee — Back row:  Katie Glover, Ruthie Dent, Christy Short, Katie Crenshaw Front row:  SarahMarie Daughtry, Jenny Beaver, MaryJane Jones, Mandy McMillan, Aurora Alexander Not photographed:  Leonna Byrd, Melissa Reed, Juelle McDonald, Holly Vollor, April Pridgen. 

The Cumberland County Republican Party Ronald Reagan Day Dinner on Feb. 4 offers candidates an opportunity to share their views, to do some campaigning and to honor the late Republican President Ronald Reagan. While learning about candidates is an important part of the election process, the dinner is about more than speeches and elections, according to Mikele Haywood, Cumberland County Republican Party events’ chair. She said the dinner is a time to inspire people and engage them in meaningful discussions and activities involving issues that are shaping the nation.

“The Reagan Day Dinner is not just a tribute to Reagan, he was a great man and it is a tribute to him, but it is also a kickoff point for the 2012 campaign,” said Haywood. “It is an important and exciting time. We have exciting candidates coming and it is a great excuse to get out for the evening and be involved.”

Not only do people get a chance to hear what candidates have to say, Haywood pointed out that most of the candidates stay around and chat with attendees after the formal portion of the event. It’s educational and allows voters to make a personal connection with the people running for office.

Some of this year’s scheduled guests are former N.C. GOP Chair Jack Hawke; Dan Forest, candidate for Lt. Governor; Illario Pantano, candidate for U.S. Congress District 7; N.C. Senator David Rouzer, candidate for U.S. Congress District 7; and U.S. Congresswoman Renee Ellmers.

In addition to a meal, speakers and engaging discussions, there will be opportunities — lots of opportunities — to volunteer, to register to vote, to become informed, and more.

“The Fayetteville Republican Woman’s Club is the sponsor and co-host for the dinner this year. They will have information there, too,” said Haywood.

“We are also doing a 50/50 raffle. We’ve been selling tickets for $5 and hope to sell more at the dinner so that someone can leave with a nice chunk of change in their pocket.”

Everyone who comes to the dinner will have a chance to vote in a presidential straw poll. “We will announce the winner toward the end of the evening. It is always exciting to see who wins,” said Haywood. “I can tell you that last January when we did a straw poll, Newt Gingrich was the winner here in Cumberland County.”

Living as a conservative in a typically Democrat southern state, the importance of like-mindedpeople gathering together to support each other in a common cause is not lost on Haywood. Educating people about issues and looking for ways to become involved and make important changes are a few of the benefi ts that come out of events like this. To Haywood, events like the dinner are about conservatives coming together and realizing that they are up against some serious challenges.

“(With) the changes that have already taken place in this country, it is going to be devastating if we can’t come back from the abyss,” said Haywood, undaunted. “It all starts at the grass-roots level. This is where it all begins, with people coming together.”

The dinner starts at 6 p.m. Tickets are $40 per person; $75 per couple and $300 for a table of 8. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 850-3859 or 489-2055.

Photo: Above left: Congresswoman Renee Ellmers and (Right) Illario Pantano, a candidate for Congress, are among the guest speakers at the Reagan Dinner.

A great display of music is brought to local residents and students by The University of North Carolina at Pembroke on a regular basis. One of the latest shows is the Tchaikovsky St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, which performs Feb. 9, at the Givens Performing Arts Center(GPAC)

.The orchestra has a unique background that has made it popular throughout Russia. Founded during World War II, it has had the privilege of working in different musical genres and has received rave reviews throughout the former Soviet Union.

Conductors from the St. Petersburg Conducting School,which was founded in 1862, regularly work with the orchestra. The group is home to Russian Romantic composers and 20th century classical composers alike, and has cultivated a devoted audience.

The Tchaikovsky St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra offers more than great music — it makes a difference in the community by offering educational and charity programs that expose young audiences to a vast repertoire. The orchestra regularly performs at Young People’s Concerts in St. Petersburg, Russia. The group also tours around the world and has met with much success in Europe, China and Japan. It should come as no surprise that the GPAC is bringing this prestigious orchestra to perform for the community.

David P. Thaggard, assistant executive director at GPAC, says that the performing arts center returned orchestra performances to the campus a couple of years back. “We felt that we were doing a disservice to the students due to less diversity,” Thaggard explained.

Thaggard says the students at the university have the opportunity to learn something new by viewing all that the show has to offer. Both students and music lovers can relate to the symphony and possibly get some new insight. Audience members can expect to hear music that ranges from baroque compositions by Vivaldi, Bach and Handel to contemporary compositions by Schnitke, Banshikov, Desyatnikov and Kancheli.

“You get to experience different performing art while still being in an educational environment,” Thaggard said.

Going into its 36th year, the GPAC is one of the largest performing arts centers in all of Southeast North Carolina. The center brings in a wide variety of entertainment that is economically suitable for students and local residents. Thaggard explains that the mission of the center is to cater to the community and students. The GPAC, supported by student affairs and student programming, receives much of its support from the university. Some of the upcoming shows include Broadway favorites, ballet and distinguished speakers.

“We have a big turnout with our shows,” Thaggard said.

The curtain rises on the Tchaikovsky St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra at 8 p.m. The performance lasts about two hours with an intermission in between segments. To purchase tickets for the orchestra or any future performances, contact the box office at 910-521-6361.

Photo: The Tchaikovsky St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra will perform at the Givens Performing Arts Center on Feb. 9.

The Animal Called POW, a special exhibit, opens at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum on Friday, Feb 10.

The temporary exhibit is sponsored by the Directorate of Plans Training and Mobilization (DPTM) and the Airborne and Special Operations Museum Foundation. It focuses on educating the public about the prison camps in South Vietnam and the horrors the soldiers incarcerated in the camps faced. The exhibit runs through January 2013, and takes a hard look at rescue missions, Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) training, as well as current prisoners of war. Dr. Nicole Suarez, curator at the Airborne and Special Operations Museum, says that this has been the most worthwhile exhibit that she has worked with.

“People aren’t aware that there were prisoners of war in South Vietnam and our mission is to inform and educate the public about it,” Suarez says.

Colonel James “Nick” Rowe, a U.S. Army offi cer, is a main discussion point in the exhibit. He was one of only 34 prisoners to escape during imprisonment in the Vietnam War. The exhibit displays a replica of the “tiger cage” that housed the soldier while he was held captive. Rowe, who retired following his escape, was later recalled to active duty to use the lessons he learned during his struggle to survive to create the SERE training that is still taught to high-risk personnel in today’s armed forces.

In 1989, Rowe, who was assigned to the Joint U.S. Military Advisory Group in the Philippines, was assissinated on the morning of April 21, 1989, as he was being driven to work in an armored limousine. Rowe’s vehicle was hit by gunfire from a .45 caliber pistol and an M16 rifle. Twenty-one shots hit the vehicle; one round entered through an unarmored portion of the vehicle frame and struck Colonel Rowe in the head, killing him instantly. He is buried in Arlington Cemetery.

Visitors will get a glimpse of what it was like to live in these prison camps by viewing an immersive indoctrination hut, which replicates the one used in “Force of Darkness” in South Vietnam.

“A prison camp has been created inside the exhibit for the public to walk through and understand what it was like for these soldiers,” Suarez adds.

The walls of the exhibit are made of bamboo, which offers a more realistic approach to the public. A display of actual artifacts from the POWs is also on display, as well as a section of the exhibit that shows movie clips related to POWs throughout the years. The public will gain some knowledge and hear of lessons learned from the prisoners of war and the escape attempts that they made. Suarez also added that as visitors walk through the exhibit they hear the POWs’ stories in their own words. This allows visitors to have a more realistic experience. “I think the general public can take something away from viewing this exhibit,” Suarez says.

The Airborne and Special Operations Foundation was inspired by the Heroes Homecoming celebration in Fayetteville last year, which honored Vietnam Veterans. The group created this exhibit to acknowledge and praise these veterans’ stand for sacrifi ce, teamwork and victory. The mission of the organization is to provide a unique and educational experience on U.S. history and basic core values of airborne and special-operations soldiers. The organization members want to preserve interpretation and recognition of U.S. Army airborne and special-operations history, equipment, technology, legend, art and weaponry.

The main exhibits in the museum are the Early Airborneexhibit, World War II Exhibit, Korea and Cold War exhibit, Vietnamexhibitand Contingency Operations and Training exhibit. Set up in a chronological manner, visitors travel through time, beginning in the 1940s.

The museum also includes a theatre and simulator where visitors can gain a more virtual experience.

Admission to the Airborne and Special Operations Museum is free, however, donations are accepted. Doors to the museum are open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday and on Sundays from noon to 5 p.m. The museum is closed on Mondays. Volunteers are always welcome and contribute to the success of the museum. For more information about the museum or any volunteer work, contact the museum at 910-643-2766 or email at info@asomf.org.

MISSION IMPOSSIBLE(RATED PG-13) 4 STARS

 I don’t know what to tell you people. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol(133 minutes) was long and had some boring parts, but it didn’t suck. If you’re into seeing a crazy-pants cultist perform some physically impossible stunts while looking intently at the camera, you should really enjoy it. Although you should be careful not to look directly into his eyes; that’s how the thetans get you! There are some pretty girls rolling around on the floor together, ripping at each other clothes and bashing vases over each other’s heads, too. But that is in no way sexist or exploitative, because, see they’re spies and stuff, and they are in a fight so it makes perfect sense within the logic of the plot. And boy spies do exactly the same thing, except they don’t, so it’s sexist. Unless you count the Viggo Mortenson full frontal sauna fight from Eastern Promises.

As far as I am concerned, the franchise peaked with Mission Impossible II, but this one is certainly watchable enough. The logic behind choosing Brad Bird to direct eludes me. I’m not com-plaining (after all, this is the guy that did the “Family Dog” episode of Amazing Stories and Ratatouille), it just seems an improbable jump

. I guess he did all right. Can he do a feature length version of “Family Dog?” That would be cool.So, Abrams clearly had a hand in recruiting, since Josh Holloway shows up early in the film as MI agent Trevor Hanaway. He gets to play with some cool new technology that works really well, unlike later in the film when, like toys on Christmas morning, everything breaks two seconds after it’s out of the package. He is tracked by an elite assassin with an awesome name, Sabine Moreau (Lea Seydoux). As what should have been a simple snatch and grab operation goes toes up, we transi-tion to a Moscow prison.

Apparently, Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) did something naughty and ended up in the gulag. Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg) and Jane Carter (Paula Patton) plan a nifty prison break, that involves exposing the dedicated prison guards who are only trying to do their jobs to a full-scale prison riot. At least Ethan heads back to save that one prison guard … nope. Nope. He is walking right past the guy getting beaten to death to collect his plot point Bogdan (Miraj Grbic).

After some very arty opening credits, Ethan gets his mission message and takes the team, sadly not including Ving Rhames, to the Kremlin. They do some technology stuff, only to find out their mission is a bust and take off, followed by a massive explosion.

Ethan manages to mission impossible his way out of his impend-ing arrest only to hear the rather disappointing news that he and his team are going to act as scapegoats for the U.S. government, and that MI will be disbanded under the rules of the Ghost Protocol. Doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, but whatever. At least Ethan has Brandt (Jeremy Renner) to keep him company when he goes under-ground! And from all the smoldering glances they keep giving each other, it doesn’t look like he misses his MI: III wife at all.

The team regroups in a near impossible-to-access moving bun-ker, which might look like a well-cared for state of the art weapons cache, but is apparently filled with junk because none of it works. They head out to Dubai to look for a mystery man with a nuclear device (Michael Nyqvist). Despite being disavowed, they still have unlimited funds and lots of fake ID’s, so when they can’t nab him there, they track their guy to Mumbai, and send Jane in to seduce important information out of some dude. Because in an MI movie, that’s all highly skilled spy ladies are good for. Also, they get emotional and kill people they’re not supposed to kill.

Overall, watchable if you don’t spend too much time thinking and you don’t mind suspending disbelief regarding what is and is not physically possible.

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

Medication Problems and the Elderly

At 83 years old, Sally still lived in her own home, and enjoyed working in her garden and canning peaches. It was becoming harder to motivate herself, to get up in the mornings and accomplish the day’s tasks. She confided to her daughter that she felt anxious and tired. Her daughter, who was taking medication for her anxiety, took Sally to her own doctor, (not Sally’s doctor) and got her a prescription for Valium. In doing so, the daughter’s doctor, who had never seen Sally and who did not have her medical history, was only aware of a few medi-cations they told him she was taking.

Sally, in fact, was taking 9 different medications as well as herbal supplements.

The addition of Valium to her existing list of prescribed drugs sent her to the emergency room with respiratory distress. If she had gone to her own doctor, he would have found that a dosage adjustment of her current medications would have solved her anxiety.

Medication errors are common in the elderly. Many seniors take on average six to eight different prescriptions, as well as over the counter drugs. Many times the elderly will not go back to their doctor to have their dosage evaluated and changed if necessary.

Family members should be aware, that elderly parents tend to take the family’s advice over going to their own doctor. Even though children want to help increase the health and stamina of their parents, they may in fact be causing damage by misdirecting their loved ones.

An online article on HealthSquare.com, titled “Drugs and the Elderly,” talks about physical symptoms and medications.

“Among the first signs that a drug may not be working properly in an older person is a change in mood, energy, attitude or memory. Too often, these alterations are overlooked, ignored, or chalked up to “old age” or senility. Older people may feel that their blue mood is caused by something external such as the death of a friend or boredom. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Virtually every heart medication, blood pressure drug, sleeping pill and tranquilizer has been known to trig-ger depressive symptoms.

“When a psychological symptom appears in an older person, examine his or her medication or drug use first. Consider, too, factors like alcohol intake, poor nutrition and hormone imbalance. And never dismiss the possibility that a real psychological problem has developed and may itself require medication.”

There are many things family members can do to help monitor medications for their elderly parents.

• Make a list of medicines prescribed and all supplements being taken.

• Give this list to the doctor and pharmacist and have one on hand for emergencies.

• Use the same pharmacy to fill all prescriptions. Pharmacies keep a record of your prescribed drugs and will verify your doctor’s instructions. They will also tell you if foods or over the counter supplements will interact with a prescription.

• Dispense pills in a daily pill organizer box.

• Have a family member be responsible to call or physically monitor the taking of medication. Family members who live long distances from their elders have available to them new technology in medication monitoring.

• Alarms for pill boxes, watch alarms, medical alarm bands and necklaces that ring a reminder.

• Computerized pill box dispensers that ring a designated number if the pills have not been taken.

• Home Telehealth. Technology has developed computers and computer cameras to help the elderly in their homes stay safe and healthy. Home telehealth — set up by medical professionals in the home — enables providers to monitor such things as medications and blood pressure and actually see the patient. Patient questions are an-swered and advice is given, while the monitoring nurse views through the video phone how his or her patient looks physically.

• Home Care Agencies. Homecare companies offer a variety of service options in helping families care for and properly dispense medication to their elder parents.Overmedication or taking medication incorrectly may lead to early mental confusion and decline in health in seniors. If medication problems were ranked as a disease in cause of death, it would be the fifth leading cause in the United States.

Photo: Many seniors take on average six to eight different prescriptions, as well as over the counter drugs. 

Robotics has not only become an integral part of manufacturing processes but is also now sneaking into our homes. Everyone has seen the iRobot Roomba, the vacuum cleaning robot that moves around the room sucking any dirt in its path. You may have even seen demonstrations of robot lawn mowers, such as the Robotics RoboMower. The prices really aren’t that high. About $400 will take care of your dirty floor and another $1,700 will take care of your overgrown lawn. Who would have thought that the dirty floor and overgrown lawn would be the “killer” applications for robotics in the home? The sci-fi shows have led us to believe that robotic servants, dogs, or children would have been the first instances of home robots.

What jobs involve robotics? Well, there’s mechanical design; there’s electrical design; there’s electronics design; there’s software design; and then there’s AI (Artificial Intelligence). All of this robot research, design and development is performed by engineers, both hardware and software types. What about engineering technicians? Well, someone has to build, test and maintain these robots during the development, manufacturing and lifetime phases of these robots and that’s the job of the electri-cal, electronics, computer and mechanical engi-neering technicians.

What kind of salaries are we talking about? According to the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual salary of electrical and computer engineers is about $90,000, and the salary for engineering technicians is about $53,000. Note these are median salaries for experienced engineers and technicians.

How do I get into robotics? Well, right here at Fayetteville Technical Community College. The Electronics Engineering Technology Program at FTCC has evolved from a typical electronics program into one that covers many of the different aspects of robotics. There are courses in the C, C#, assembly and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) programming languages, all of which can be used to program a robot. There are courses in microprocessors and PLCs, which serve as the brain of a robot. There is a course in control theory, which covers feedback and motor control. You have to make sure the robot has all the right moves. There’s a course in AI, which covers finite state machines, fuzzy logic, neural networks and genetic algorithms.

So what about robots? Well, we have robotic arms and those wonderful Robotis Bioloid Robots to apply all this knowledge in the above courses. We also have the PLCs and have used the Microchip PICs to make our own versions.

In addition to our Electronics Engineering Technology Program, we are currently working to get a Pre-Engineering Program (Associate of Science) at FTCC. With this program, you would be able to get the first two years of an engineering degree at FTCC and then finish with a bachelor’s of engineering degree at the university of your choice.

Call me (Beymer Bevill, FTCC Department Chair) at 678-8216 to schedule a tour of the facilities and discuss what opportunities await you in the exciting field of robotics and other electronics-related areas. I’ll be waiting for your call.