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Josephus Daniels and Blue Ridge Parkway

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Tuesday, 15 July 2025
Written by D.G. Martin

Maybe you think I have written enough about Josephus Daniels, the founder and longtime editor of the Raleigh News & Observer.
Nope.
16One more column about Josephus Daniels. This one prompted by a recent article about the Blue Ridge Parkway.
In the June 16 New York Times, reporter Gabe Castro-Root wrote, “When Hurricane Helene ravaged much of the Southeastern United States in September, the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway also took a beating.
“Most years, the 469-mile parkway, which winds through the Appalachians in North Carolina and Virginia, tops the list of the most visited National Park Service properties, dazzling travelers with waterfalls, mountain vistas and lush forests. Despite the storm, the parkway still ranked second last year, with nearly 17 million visitors, after the Golden Gate National Recreation Area in the San Francisco Bay Area.
“Landslides, flooding and fallen trees caused by the hurricane’s heavy rain and high winds caused extensive damage to the parkway, closing the entire road for about two weeks.
“Maintenance crews have repaired much of the damage over the last several months, despite layoffs and budget cuts at the N.P.S. [National Park Service], though sections of the roadway as well as some campsites and a destroyed visitor center remain closed indefinitely.”
This recent attention is a reminder of the important role Josephus Daniels played in the Parkway’s location. Only a few older folks remember that North Carolina would have lost much of the parkway to Tennessee if Daniels had not gone to bat in 1934.
We should recognize that although Daniels held and exploited the racist views of his times, his foresight and advocacy are still improving the lives of North Carolinians of all races.
What Josephus Daniels has to do with the parkway’s location is a part of the story Anne Mitchell Whisnant tells in her 2006 UNC Press book, Super-scenic Motorway: A Blue Ridge Parkway History.
In 1933, the new President Franklin Roosevelt believed a program of massive public works would help the nation recover from the Great Depression. Whisnant explains, “The Parkway was authorized under the National Industrial Recovery Act, signed in June 1933, which created the Public Works Administration to finance large-scale public works projects as a way of pumping money into the sagging economy and creating jobs in the construction of substantial structures that would be of long-term value to the nation.”
Roosevelt approved a scenic roadway connecting Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and Great Smoky Mountains National Park located along the North Carolina-Tennessee border. All agreed that the parkway would run from Virginia down to Linville. From there it would either cross the mountains into Tennessee and end at the Tennessee park entrance near Gatlinburg or continue in North Carolina through Asheville and then to the park entrance near Cherokee.
The experts recommended the Tennessee route. But when Josephus Daniels had been Secretary of the Navy during World War I, Roosevelt was assistant secretary, and the two men remained close.
After Daniels weighed in, Roosevelt’s Secretary of the Interior Harold Ickes overruled the experts and selected the North Carolina route.
North Carolinians who enjoy traveling the parkway from Linville through Asheville owe Josephus Daniels a strong thank you.
More current information is available at Anne Mitchell Whisnant’s website https://www.superscenic.com

Sol's Arcade and Taproom fills entertainment niche

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Tuesday, 15 July 2025
Written by Lena Simmons

Where does a person in Fayetteville go for fun and games? Sol's Arcade and Taproom. Sol’s Arcade and Taproom is located at 421 Maiden Lane, near Segra Stadium. The arcade and taproom is open Monday through Thursday, 3 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 3 p.m. to 1 a.m.; and Sunday, noon to 10 p.m. Families, friends, and furry friends are welcome.
15Sol’s Arcade and Taproom is an entertainment venue of retro and current arcade games, a sports bar lounge, and a self-pour taproom with twenty-one craft beers. The facility features private party rooms and pet-friendly outdoor and indoor seating. Sol’s is a family-friendly venue during daytime hours; adults only are recommended during evening hours.
Sol’s arcade has a variety of retro games, including 2 Jet Pong, Cut to Win, Raw Thrills Cruis N Blast, 4X ICE NBA Hoops, Ticket Time, Bobblehead Baseball, Bear Hunter, Lateral Thinking, 4X cranes, SIM Range Hunter Education, Sequential Targets, CQC, Controlled Pairs, Target Shooter, The Pirate Ship, Transitional Drill, Warehouse Warfare and Extreme Squirrel Hunter.
Pour from twenty-one taps as a sipper, sampler, or full pint size. Craft beer choices include Man of Law, Hazy Little Thing, Shotgun Betty, Pineapple Cider, Coors Lite, and Blood Orange Kolsch.
Sol’s Arcade and Taproom’s merchandise is available to the patrons. Patrons can purchase hoodies, hats, cotton tees, card decks, spiral notepads, pet bandanas, bumper stickers, vinyl banners, frosted glasses, mugs, and puzzles.
One of the economic development challenges of Cumberland County is a vibrant nightlife. Sol’s Arcade and Taproom addresses this economic void with the addition of community engagement.
“Every hoop we jumped through, every hurdle we faced, and every roller-coaster of emotions was one hundred [percent] worth it to get to this point. We are ready. We aim to create a socially interactive experience where people can escape the concerns of day-to-day life and make friendships. Additionally, we plan to host community fund-raisers to give back to various causes,” said Cameron Carlotti, owner of Sol ‘s Arcade and Taproom.
Stop by Sol’s Arcade and Taproom for fun in Fayetteville. For more information, contact Sol’s Arcade and Taproom via email, inquries@solsarcade-taproom.com.

(Photo courtesy of Sol's Arcade and Taproom Facebook page)

Construction Camp builds confidence and equips workforce

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Tuesday, 15 July 2025
Written by Anna White
Brandon Price, CEO of the Fayetteville area Habitat for Humanity, is passionate about making sure everyone has safe, affordable housing. The mission is more than a job for him; it comes from a place of personal experience. 
“I understand [that] need,” he shared, reflecting on his youth spent living in a trailer near Seagrove, NC, “We had issues we couldn’t address because we just had limited resources.” 
He said that he has seen tenants who are reluctant to ask landlords for repairs because they fear they’ll see their rent increase. Additionally, many people don’t know how to do simple repairs themselves, whether they rent or own. 
12“When you come from that, and you see how people live, you understand how, if people could have safe, affordable housing, it might change theirs and their children’s lives,” Price observed. 
He described a housing crisis in the Fayetteville area that leaves “many families living in what we call ‘substandard’ housing.” With the average new home priced above $300,000, few, if any, homes available under $150,000, a dwindling workforce and rising material costs, Price says families are feeling the impact. 
“The demand is high and the resources are few. They're just not there, and so you end up waiting, you know, two and three times as long trying to get a repair done. Or homes are taking two and three times the time that it would usually take for them to be completed, because we just simply don't have enough people who know what they're doing to provide a quality product for families.”
This impact is felt among renters and homeowners alike, according to Price, “It's going to cost [renters and homeowners] two and three times what it would typically cost to make some of these simple, routine repairs.”
The Fayetteville area Habitat for Humanity is on a mission to address that problem by teaching practical skills that will equip the next generation of renters, homeowners, and builders to not only do their own small repairs but also consider careers in trades like construction. 
Their 2nd annual Construction Camp kicks off July 28 through Aug. 1 this year, and will introduce participants to hands-on experiences in electrical, framing, plumbing, and drywall. Taught by licensed tradesmen and sponsored by dozens of community organizations, the camp is poised to “build the future with the future,” according to the Fayetteville area Habitat for Humanity website. 
It’s a highly sought-after and 100% free event that Price said generated significant interest last year — so much interest that they had to delete the Facebook post announcing the 2024 Construction Camp. The post was shared over 800 times, and the Habitat received interest from students and families in Alabama, Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee and South Carolina. 
Since then, they’ve narrowed their service area to Cumberland, Bladen, and Sampson counties, focusing on recent high school graduates, rising seniors and rising juniors. He said they’ve continued receiving interest year-round, and Construction Camp 2025 was booked to its 35-student capacity in no time. 
Last year, they capped capacity at 25 students and dedicated 4 days to the camp. This year, they’ve increased the capacity by 10 students and added an extra day for a total 5-day camp.
Each day will find students learning new skills at the host location, Sweet Valley Ranch. 
13Day 1: Students will become familiar with tools and start a framing project for Sweet Valley Ranch that will be completed throughout the camp and allow students to give back to their host. 
“We’re going to go through each of those tools, teach them the appropriate names and functions and teach them how to use them safely,” said Price.
Day 2: Students will learn about small repairs. They’ll change and install doorknobs and deadbolts, hang drywall, and repair holes in walls. 
Day 3: Students will dive into plumbing projects. Price shared, “We're going to teach them how to replace the toilet from the hole in the floor, teach them how to repair and replace the plumbing underneath their kitchen or bathroom sinks, and to change out faucets, all under the instruction of a licensed plumber.”
Day 4: Students will learn how to perform electrical tasks such as changing light switches and repairing or replacing ceiling fans. Price says safety is the camp’s number one priority, and students will learn how to safely do repairs as they would in the real world. 
Day 5: Students will finish their framing project for Sweet Valley Ranch and participate in a graduation ceremony.
After graduation, students will leave with a full toolset, courtesy of Lowe’s, and a newfound sense of confidence in their abilities. 
Price says he hopes exposure to the trades could encourage them to consider career paths beyond traditional options. 
“You can become really good at using your hands and make a really good living to take care of you and your family in the trades. I want this work to be respected, and I want the students to know that they can make a very respectable living choosing the trades and whether they go to college or not.” 
Price said the camp wouldn’t be possible without the Fayetteville area Habitat for Humanity staff and their 26 community partners that include local businesses, schools, churches and nonprofits. 
“We've worked really, really hard to produce the camp. It takes a lot of man-hours and a lot of manpower, and our team has really put a lot of sweat into making sure that these kids get a high-quality camp,” he shared. 
He added that the Fayetteville area Habitat for Humanity’s mission starts with faith and translates into meeting practical needs within the community. 
“We're trying to spread the love of Christ. We're a Christian organization,” he explained. “You don't have to be a believer to participate in the camp or to receive the services that we provide the community, but Christ is the cornerstone from which we build, and we appreciate every single one of our community partners, our sponsors, and everyone who's continuing to believe to lift these students up, to lift up Habitat and our efforts to provide the best, most affordable, safest housing in our community.”

Beauty in paring back: Downtown Market refocuses

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Tuesday, 15 July 2025
Written by Anna White
Johannah Brumm’s lifelong obsession with creating beauty is propelling her business through new life cycles and unexpectedly opening doors for budding friendships. Though coming up on her 10-year anniversary as a business owner, florist, event planner, event decorator, and creative class instructor, it’s taken time to shape a business that she’s truly passionate about. 
Initially located at 325 Blount Street in the warehouse district of Downtown Fayetteville, the Downtown Market worked with local farmers and artisans to stock local products including eggs, milk, meats, veggies, candles, soaps and gifts in addition to providing florist services, event planning, event decor and creative workshops.
Brumm said the storefront side of the business did well during the COVID-19 pandemic. During that time, they offered delivery and saw an increase in sales as community members' interest in locally sourced products grew. 
11But the storefront was never Brumm’s favorite part of the business venture. She says a friend and fellow business owner shared the illustration of a tree growing wild and tangled branches that needed a trim to keep it healthy. Businesses, he said, need a similar pruning every 5-10 years. 
“I was like, ‘Oh my god, you’re right. I’m going to do that.’ and he was like, ‘Do it!’” Brumm shared.
Ever intent on keeping the sparkle in her business venture, she set about selling her remaining inventory in the storefront and transitioning to a new space located at 3005 Sigman St. 
The new space has been a canvas for Brumm’s brimming creativity. 
“The new space is really huge,” she shared, adding that she’d describe it as a “studio.” It doesn’t include a storefront —one of her favorite changes—but does accommodate events. She already has 3 events booked through August. 
She’s spruced the space up with her signature vintage style and dollops of her favorite colors: black, gray and glitter. An 80-foot glitter wall is the perfect backdrop for photos, and a glitter epoxy floor complements the sparkling chandeliers hanging from a black ceiling. 
Brumm’s current class offerings are varied, and she loves creating spaces for people to experience whatever they want: “If you want to make candles that day, you can make candles and then one of your friends can make a flower arrangement or whatever!”
An unexpected result of hosting classes within the community has been seeing friendships form among class attendees. 
“The part that I like about my workshops is that I have so many clients now that have made friends in the workshop, and now they all do them together. So it's just like a cute little group of people,” Brumm explained. 
By far, Brumm says that planning themed parties, baby showers particularly, are some of her favorite events. She loves pulling together props and balloon garlands to create an immersive and aesthetically appealing experience for guests. 
“That’s the kind of stuff that makes me happy,” she shared. 
Whether teaching the community to make disco balls, arranging fresh flowers, or waking up in the wee hours of the morning to tackle events as both decorator and planner, Brumm’s “structured chaos” has one common theme: creating beauty where there was none before. Learn more about Brumm’s creative offerings at ncmilkman.com 

Health & Wellness: Screen time: Schedule your important screens this summer

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Tuesday, 15 July 2025
Written by Roxana Ross

Guys, every time you reach for the sunscreen this summer, take a moment to think about your other important screens. No, not your phone or tablet – your health screens!
Just like wearing sunscreen is a smart and simple way to prevent unwanted health problems, health screenings can save your skin, along with the rest of you! If you’re thinking that the doctor’s office is a place you go only when you’re sick, remember that “proper maintenance” includes your body, too. This summer, use some of those extra daylight hours to make sure you’re up to date on your screens.
“Routine screening tests can help catch problems early, even before you notice any symptoms,” said Shaun Hines, DO, who sees patients at Bladen Medical Associates – Bladenboro. “Often, treatment is easier and more effective in the earlier stages, too.”
If you haven’t been to a doctor in a while, Dr. Hines recommends asking your primary care provider for an annual exam, something most insurance covers at a low cost.
8“Depending on your age, family history and other factors, you and your provider can talk about what tests you need at that appointment, and what tests they can schedule you for after,” Dr. Hines said. “Several basic screenings can be done at your primary care provider’s office.”
Below are some of the basic tests recommended for most men:
Blood pressure tests: The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends blood pressure checks at least every two years, more often if your blood pressure is high. Keeping your blood pressure at safe levels will reduce your risk of heart disease, the leading killer of American men. In the United States, the risks of heart disease and stroke are also higher in Black men.
Cholesterol screening: These should start even before age 20. High blood cholesterol is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease.
Colorectal cancer screening: Regular screening for this cancer should start at age 45, and maybe sooner if you're at high risk, which can depend on family history, weight, diet and other health factors.
Prostate exams: U.S. Prevention Services Task Force recommends discussing prostate cancer screening when you turn 55 years old. The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test and a digital rectal examination can uncover this cancer at an early stage. For men at high risk, such as Black men and men with a close family member who had prostate cancer at an early age, the ACS recommends the discussion with your doctor start at age 45 or earlier.
Diabetes testing: Men who are overweight or obese should start being screened for diabetes at age 35, and all men should start screenings at age 45. A simple blood test can reveal if you have diabetes or its precursor, prediabetes. Identifying and treating these conditions in their early stages helps prevent serious damage to organs throughout the body. This test is even more important for men with risk factors such as a family history of diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol or high body weight. You're also at higher risk if your family background is Black, American Indian, Asian, Pacific Islander or Hispanic.
Skin exams: Start with monthly self-exams to look for growths or changes that could be skin cancer. Signs to look for include any type of change in a mole or freckle, or a growth with uneven colors, borders or shape, or that is larger than a pencil eraser. Check your whole body, head to toe, and talk to your doctor about anything suspicious.
Depression screening: Mental health is often overlooked or underemphasized, but depression is a serious, treatable disease that should be a part of everyone's regular healthcare. If you've felt down, hopeless or uninterested in the things you usually enjoy for two weeks straight, it's even more important to ask your doctor about screening for depression.

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