Editor's Note: The content included below was submitted by each candidate to Publisher Bill Bowman, and has only been edited by the production staff for spelling and punctuation.
Publisher's Note: These views are the candidates and their's alone and do not reflect the opinions of our newspaper. Up & Coming Weekly is not endorsing these candidates. These are views from citizens who want to contribute their time and talents to the community.

Cooler Heads Must Prevail: The shootings that took place this week [Jan. 1 to 8] in Fayetteville are indeed tragedies and should be handled as such.
There are no words that will comfort the families and loved one[s] of the two men who were shot and killed on our streets this week [Jan. 1 to 8], and our hearts go out to the families! Our city is saddened and heartbroken!

It is also saddening to see just how quickly some so-called leaders in this city, even faith leaders have jumped to fan the racial flames. They call for peace while giving inflammatory speeches and posting dog whistles on their time lines.

They call for peace publicly but secretly advocate for war. They publicly pray to the God of Heaven while privately hoping that all hell breaks loose.

This city has been through enough, and the last thing that we need are “leaders” who will see these tragedies to capitalize on hate and division. We need LEADERS who will bring this city together!

If we are going to be “America’s Can Do City” we have to first be “America’s Can Do Better City.”

We must be that city on a hill; we must be that beacon of light that the rest of the nation looks to when the seas are raging, the pressure is high, and the fires of hate and division are being fanned.

Fayetteville, we are a city of hope, passion, compassion, faith and prayer. We are a city that understand the importance on coming together. We cannot allow hate traffickers and race-baiters to activate their divisive agenda and further tear our city apart.

The wolves are howling, the vultures are circling, and the sharks are going in for the kill, but we must be the true gatekeepers of peace that we are called to be.

We mourn these tragic losses of life, and we pray the comfort of God for the families left behind.

Let us seek justice through peace, not through war. And let us resist the urge to hate. Let us come together in prayer and let us seek God for guidance!

We have an opportunity before to show the nation and the world what “can do” really looks like, and I know that we can do it.

Let us Lead Fayetteville Forward. TOGETHER

Thank you, God bless you, May God bless the city of Fayetteville, the families of those we’ve lost, and may God continue to bless the United States of America

Editor's Note: The content included below was submitted by each candidate to Publisher Bill Bowman, and has only been edited by the production staff for spelling and punctuation.
Publisher's Note: These views are the candidates and their's alone and do not reflect the opinions of our newspaper. Up & Coming Weekly is not endorsing these candidates. These are views from citizens who want to contribute their time and talents to the community.

I am Efrain "Freddie" de la Cruz, a retired Army Lieutenant Colonel and Mayoral Candidate for Fayetteville. This is my assessment of the crime and law enforcement situation in our "Can Do" city. First, you need to know that I served over thirty-two years in the U.S. Army and have more than twenty-eight years of experience as a military police officer. Five years of that was spent in an active combat zone, an experience that qualifies me to understand why Fayetteville is struggling with rising homicide and crime rates and how poor leadership within the Fayetteville Police Department is festering and fostering discontent, low morale and subsequently, a scandalous deficit of quality law enforcement officers.

I am a battle-tested proven leader that understands what needs to be done to curtail crime and keep our citizens safe. The crime statistics speak for themselves: Record-setting murder rate in 2021, with the first couple weeks of 2022 out to surpass that. Fayetteville does not need to be the murder capital of North Carolina. There are no easy solutions, but I strongly believe that petty crimes, property damage and murders can be significantly curtailed by allowing our Fayetteville police officers to do their job and enforce the law. When you let the people openly and without consequence break the law by rioting, looting and dangerously ignoring and violating local traffic laws, we create an environment of lawlessness. And, that is what we are currently witnessing in our city.

Recently, the Fayetteville Ethics Commission dismissed all the allegations of misconduct against Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins. Sad. She is the dark cloud hanging over the entire Fayetteville Police Department. Public safety is the mainstay of my campaign to run for mayor of Fayetteville. Of course, I believe everyone is innocent until proven guilty; however, the toxic environment in the police department and the dysfunctional makeup of our City Council all speak for themselves. As mayor, I would encourage Fayetteville citizens to replace the current leadership. As your mayor, I would strongly recommend that the City Manager fire Gina Hawkins and replace her with a chief of police with integrity and an impeccable record in law enforcement.

Regarding the recent senseless shooting of Jason Walker by off-duty Cumberland County deputy Lt. Jeffery Hash, my sympathies are with both families. Now, we must allow the official investigation of the incident to determine the case's fate. I'm confident the assigned agencies will do a thorough and fair investigation, and justice will be dispersed according to the laws of North Carolina. Justice and peace work hand and hand [sic]. I ask that everyone pray for unity, our community and the future of our great City of Fayetteville. Thank you, and I would appreciate your support and vote for Mayor of Fayetteville.

"Cali lives on the edge," Cheyanne Campos, 15, said laughing.

Her younger sister and business partner, Cali Rai,13, stands at a heavy bath bomb compressor, packing hot pink bath bomb material into the cylindrical mold. Once she is done packing it, she picks up a toy or "treasures," as they call them and pushes it into the middle of the material.

Cali Rai is carefree and outspoken. She loves a good laugh. As she stands, quickly pulling the lever to compress another bath bomb, her mother, Andrea Campos, reminds her that she needs to release the compression with two hands, "technically."

"That's too much work," Cali Rai laughs.

Cali Rai takes another bath bomb out of the cylinder and gently lets it drop into the round molds, where it'll sit for 24 hours while it hardens. On the other side of their mother's dining room table, which is covered in toys and raw materials, Cheyanne places the bowl of their KitchenAid mixer back on its stand. After each use of a bowl or cup, she cleans them. Cheyanne is orderly and precise.

She has a place for each thing and steps she follows to the T during the production of their bath products. She keeps them both on task. The girls' workspace is what was once their family dining room.

Large bags of baking soda sit among 50 pounds of citric acid and shea butter in the corner. Big cartons with dozens of bath bombs in each container are underneath tables and chairs. Surrounding one side of the room are large stands for events. Three baskets on each stand hold hundreds of brightly colored neon bath bombs.

"It's taken over my whole house," Andrea said.

The sisters both glance up and smile at each other before continuing. They are sisters who became best friends and eventually became business partners, all to help children.

Their business, Fizzy Friendz, started about five months ago. In these last five months, they have sold $26,000 of bath products, and 100% of their proceeds go to their charity — Giving Back Warm Hugs. The girls see no part of the money from all their hard work.

And hard work it is. The girls will wake up around 5 a.m. to start making more bath bombs or bath products and continue without many breaks until about 2 p.m. At this time, their mother says she has to pry them away to do homeschooling and kick them out of their makeshift studio. At some point in the evening, they'll return to the table. In their minds, every two bath bombs sold represents another pair of shoes for a child.

"We are really doing this for the kids. It just shows how much you can do for the community," Cheyanne says.

Through Giving Back Warm Hugs, the girls provide school supplies, shoes, socks and even haircuts for kids who may not be able to afford these things.

This charity started long before Fizzy Friendz became a business. Cheyanne and Cali Rai earned money from modeling and acting and often used a portion of that money to be charitable in the community, an act fostered by their parents.

They also provided meals for the homeschool, gave away thanksgiving meals or knit hats for cancer wards after their grandmother was diagnosed with cancer.

"Somebody gave my mom the funniest pink hat, so they thought why not give that gift to someone else," Andrea said. "… they've just done a lot."

But in the future, the girls would like to continue to run Giving Back Warm Hugs. The charity currently benefits children within Cumberland County, but eventually, they'd love to see it nationwide. They say this is what they hope to do when they "grow up," and hopefully, they'll find like-minded people with "the same heart."

"We want to work in our own backyard before we go out," Cali Rai said.

The plan for this year is to continue to do their events, including weekends at Dirtbag Ales Brewery's Markets, and in November, they want to throw a Christmas party for 500 children at Fayetteville Technical Community College.

This event will include food, activities, presents and Santa. When the girls talk about this upcoming event, they do so with barely contained excitement. Cali Rai immediately rattles off all the different ideas they have for the event.

"We are going to do so much. We want to give bikes. Every kid should have a bike," Cali Rai said. "We are going to give them toys and have little segments to make it educational as well."

The girls want to do more and more events and eventually have a profound impact within the community. This event in November 2022 will be just the start of their plans for other events and a wider spread impact for children living in the area.

Fizzy Friendz's Bath Bombs come in 31 different scents with toy surprises in each bomb. There are also soaps, lotions, "dragon snot," "unicorn fluff," and other products for sale. All their products are organic or vegan and made for sensitive skin. They accept local pickup at A Bit of Carolina, as well as online shipping options.

All proceeds from sales of their products will go to Giving Back Warm Hugs.

"The amazing thing is they haven't lost themselves … to be able to be sisters and do this is incredible… to be able to laugh and joke. At their age, I was out riding bikes or playing with Barbies," Andrea explained.

She looks at both her girls and around the room, then continues. "I never saw this coming."

The girls looked at one another for a moment and smiled. A non-verbal conversation had just taken place.

Just as quickly as they started making bath bombs in the room just an hour ago, they began again.

Thousands of veterans commit suicide every year in the United States. In 2019, the suicide rate for Veterans was 52.3% higher than non-veterans, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. This hits close to home as Cumberland County is home to more than 60,000 veterans.

Agora Productions Music Company, a local company that produces live music shows at a local Veterans of Foreign Wars post, will be hosting a benefit concert to raise funds for 22 Until None.

22 Until None is a non-profit that assists these veterans, and is looking to raise money to help give financial emergency assistance as well as help with Veteran's Affair's benefits and other services to veterans who need it.

The goal for Agora Productions is to raise $5,000 for the non-profit.

Chris McHargue is the ambassador of Tarheel Chapter of 22 Until None. He helps host chapter meetings at VFW Post 670. He says the main goal for 22 Until None is to help the immediate needs for local veterans in crisis.

“We handle the immediate crisis needs that a lot of charities can’t do because it takes a long time for approval and things like that,” McHargue said. “Then we follow-up after the crisis and ask, what got you at this point and what can we do to help you from getting to this point again?”

Wade B, Bubba Sparxxx, Race Taylor Music Group, Erikka, Lane Ward, Krackle Capone and Emmy Nominated artist TONE-z will be performing at the concert. Many of the artists are country acoustic artists or country-rap artists.

Gary Fisher, the promoter of Agora Productions, says the show will not only feature great music, but it will also be helping a good cause.

“I think it’s really good for veterans or soldiers to come to VFW or places like this because they can talk to people that have gone through the same thing that they have,” Fisher said. “Sometimes just talking to somebody and seeing somebody that’s gone through it and can tell you how they went through or are dealing with it, can be a really good thing.”

The concert will be featuring the local chapters of 22 Until None and the Veterans Suicide Awareness and Prevention Series, who will have resources available to veterans who come to the concert.

22Klicks Food Truck will also be at the event for people who want to purchase food.

Outside of the sponsors, the tickets, and the fundraiser Agora Productions is hosting, they will also be having two types of raffles to help raise money for the non-profit.

Fisher says this is an all-ages show and is open for the public to attend.

The concert will take place at VFW Post 670, 3928 Doc Bennett Road, on Feb. 3. Pre-sale tickets are $15 while tickets at the door are $20. Only 250 tickets will be available.

Doors to the concert will open at 6 p.m. and the live performances will start at 7 p.m.

Tickets can be bought online at https://theticketing.co/events/22untilnonebenefit.

Dr. Larry Keen, president of Fayetteville Technical Community College for nearly 15 years, announced that he plans to retire next year.

Keen joined FTCC as the College’s president in August of 2007, succeeding Dr. Larry Norris, who retired after ten years.

“To say this is bittersweet would be an understatement,” Keen wrote in a letter to the FTCC’s Board of Trustees.

He thanked the board “for the incredible opportunity” to have served as FTCC’s fourth president and said the College is financially secure, academically strong and dedicated to continuous improvement.

Keen said he plans to continue to work hard until he retires.

"I'll be with you for another year," he told the board. "If anyone expects me to be a lame duck, they're expecting the wrong thing."

David Williford, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, said Keen will be missed when he leaves.

"It is with great sadness that we hear this news," Williford said. "We appreciate your knowledge and your leadership. We wish you the very best."

The City of Fayetteville held a community meeting last week to discuss a plan that will expand the downtown footprint beyond Hay Street. Over 100 people attended the Zoom-only meeting to discuss the Downtown Urban Design Plan.

The City Council adopted the plan in February 2020 to guide development in the downtown area.

The main initiatives talked about during the meeting were creating a downtown district and fostering downtown living.

“What our plan calls for is those six districts to be consolidated into two,” Craig Harmon, a senior planner, said. “You’ll have a Downtown 1 district, which is basically what our downtown district is now, and then a Downtown 2 district that hopes to stretch the downtown off of that. Within these boundaries, we have everything from residential to office to commercial to industrial.”

Each district has different zoning standards. By turning the six districts into two districts, the city can provide more consistency in the types of businesses and licensures available downtown.

For example, sexually-oriented businesses, principal-use parking lots and private golf courses would not be allowed in the two new districts. Right now, they are allowed in at least one of the smaller districts that are currently set up.

“The main thing that this rezoning is looking to do is help with one, cohesiveness, and, two, some predictability for property owners,” Harmon said.

Alicia Moore, another senior planner for the city, says they want to focus on the walkability and living of the downtown area and the main way to do that is to focus on businesses that serve people who can walk there.

“Another way that we support downtown as a holistic, complete neighborhood is by building on its existing draw as a destination for restaurants and other activities that you enjoy and then leave, and rounding it out with more housing options to encourage more people to live there and by supporting more everyday commercial activities,” Moore said.

The Planning Commission will hold a public hearing on zoning text changes on March 22 and then the Zoning Commission will hold a public hearing on map changes on April 12. City Council will hold a public hearing on all the changes on May 23.

The emergency rental assistance program in Cumberland County will start again now that the board has accepted $1,773,457.20 from the U.S. Treasury. However, that didn't come without discussion.

Innovative Emergency Management, the contractor who helps administer funds for the ERAP program, asked the board to amend their contract. Instead of receiving 8% for administrative costs and other services, they are now asking for a maximum of 25%. Fifteen percent will go towards administrative fees, and 10% will go towards case management.

Cumberland County Commissioner Jimmy Keefe expressed concern with the increased costs.

"I think the rental emergency program is good," Keefe said. "But I will stand by that I believe that 25% of $1.7 million, which is $450,000, going to administration of this program is not in the best interest and not good for stewardship of this money because that's $450,000 that could possibly help a lot of people and their rent."

Five board members — Board Chairman Glenn Adams and commissioners Larry Lancaster, Jeannette Council and Toni Stewart — voted in favor. Three commissioners — Charles Evans, Michael Boose, and Keefe — voted against.

The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners is moving forward to continue discussions about a multipurpose center — but now they will do so with a project manager.

The center is expected to be approximately 89,000 square feet, hold a maximum capacity of 2,500 for large events, and cost anywhere from $75 million to $80 million.

The county would like construction to start by the end of 2023 with a planned opening by 2025 — preferably on Oct. 1.

The Board of Commissioners will now start the negotiation process with MBP Carolinas, Inc. Once there is a drafted contract, it will be presented to the Board for review and approval.
MBP Carolinas, Inc. will be in charge of the site selection, assist with securing a contractor, architect and various sub-contractors, manage project accounting and coordinate the procurement of owner furnished equipment and materials.

The location for the center is undecided; however, it will be in Fayetteville. The county hopes the center will host various events, including concerts, comedy shows, family shows, theater, Broadway performances and other local and regional performances.

Commissioner Michael Boose was the only one who voted against the approval, saying that he would rather see a couple of consensus contracts as he and other commissioners have not overseen the building of a performing arts center before. He does not want to be taken advantage of by one company.

A few weeks ago, I penned an editorial about how our local Cumberland County State Legislators have set an excellent example for local City and County officials on how teamwork and cooperation net big dividends for all residents of our community.

Well, that message was again heard loud and clear on Jan. 13, when the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce hosted a community-wide "thank you" reception for our delegation at the Airborne & Special Operations Museum. And rightfully so. Our Legislative Delegation under Chairman Rep. Billy Richardson's leadership passed North Carolina's first budget since 2018. Working together, Richardson, Sen. Kirk deViere, Sen. Ben Clark,

Rep. John Szoka, Rep. Diane Wheatley, and Rep. Marvin Lucas brought an unprecedented $412 million back to Fayetteville and Cumberland County. For this, we are truly grateful! $412 million, which will improve the quality of life for every citizen in our community.

Fayetteville's future is bright, with plenty of economic potential and opportunity for growth. But only if we have competent and responsible leadership with vision. Leadership who appreciates the value of negotiation, compromise, teamwork and communication. As a media source and your local community newspaper, we will continue to do our part by providing the space in print and online to any citizen, candidate or elected official to speak directly to the Fayetteville and Cumberland County community. No exceptions! In this edition, there are several letters from Fayetteville mayoral candidates expressing their views, concerns and insights about their vision for the city. These views are theirs and theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of our newspaper. Up & Coming Weekly is not endorsing these candidates. These are views from citizens who want to contribute their time and talents to the community. We welcome and encourage this type of communication. Again, our publication is open and available to all citizens.

Remember, $412 million didn't just happen; it resulted from hard work, compromise, communication and teamwork.

Our Cumberland County Legislative Delegation set the example. Now, all we have to do is follow it.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly!

By the time this column appears to leave yet another stain on world literature, it will be almost the end of January. By then, most people's New Year's Resolutions will be ghosts in the rear-view mirror fading off into the lost horizon of good intentions. January was named after the two-headed Roman god Janus. Janus was the Roman term for an archway or a ceremonial gateway. In other words, it was a way to go in and out. At the beginning of the Roman calendar, Janus had two heads, one looking backward and one looking forward. The Romans watched the old year go away while seeing the New Year come trundling along on the other side of the archway. Hence the term, two heads are better than one. It did mean that Janus had to double his budget for hats as opposed to ordinary one-headed gods. But being a god, his credit was good.

What can we say about the month of January? Is there anything worth pondering about our fleeting first month? Funny, you should ask. You have certainly heard the old saying, "Slow as molasses in January." Well, like Sporting Life once sang in "Porgy and Bess," "It ain't necessarily so." Hop right into Mr. Peabody's Way Back Machine and take a ride on the Reading to January 15, 1919 to Boston, Massachusetts. The day began like any other January day, a bit warmer than most, but nothing way out of the ordinary. The workers at the U.S. Industrial Alcohol factory worked to produce molasses for the hungry masses yearning to eat highly sweetened pancakes. The International House of Pancakes was not invented until 1958. IHOP bears no responsibility for what happened in Boston in 1919.

So, what did happen in 1919 that undermines that statement about being slow as molasses in January? Well, listen, my children, and you shall hear of the Noon-time Great Boston Molasses Flood. To paraphrase Scatman Carruthers in "The Shining:" "A lot of things have happened in Boston, and not all of them were good." The factory in question produced massive amounts of molasses. It was right before lunch when all heck or, more aptly, all molasses broke loose. The workers were loading molasses into freight cars to tickle America's sweet tooth. The molasses was stored in an almost six-story high tank containing about 2.5 million gallons of hot molasses. That is a mega amount of molasses.

In the wink of an eye, something went very wrong. The bolts holding the bottom of the six-story vat of molasses gave up the ghost. The bolts blew out like the bottom of the Titanic meeting its fateful iceberg. News reports say an 8-foot-tall wall of hot molasses spewed out of the bottom of the vat, knocking freight cars, men, and the building walls over like a hungry 350-pound man lunging for crab legs at an all you can eat seafood buffet at Myrtle Beach. Once the molasses escaped the building, it poured into the streets of Boston, destroying a nearby firehouse and knocking down the supports of the elevated train track. Twenty-one people and multiple horses died in the flood of molasses.

Foreshadowing of the modern-day flood of lawyer ads on Cablevision, over 100 lawsuits were filed against the U.S. Industrial Alcohol. The name Industrial Alcohol does not make me think of butterflies and unicorns. It sounds more like Everclear's evil twin. For those of you who have never consumed Everclear, allow me to proffer some medical advice, don't break your record of abstention. But I digress. Boston took weeks to clean its streets of molasses. One can only imagine the delightful task of policing up the corpses of molasses-soaked horses stuck to the roads. The mind boggles. Ultimately State Auditor, the Honorable Hugh W. Ogden, was appointed by the court to sort out all the claims against the U.S. Industrial Alcohol. Mr. Ogden decided the U.S. Industrial Alcohol was at fault due to the poor construction of the molasses vat. The company was ordered to pay almost $1 million to the plaintiffs.

So, what have we learned today? As usual, not much. However, we should be careful not to believe all general statements, not even this one. Not all molasses is slow in January. An 8-foot wall of hot molasses by any other name would smell as sweet. As far as the Boston attorneys were concerned, the Great Molasses Flood was a financial bonanza. They latched onto the molasses like flies on poop, reaping financial rewards that illustrated Shakespeare's quote in "As You Like It:" "Sweet are the uses of adversity, which like the toad, ugly and venomous, wears yet a precious jewel in his head."

Shall we compare an 8-foot-wall of boiling molasses to a toad wearing a jewel in his head? Why not? I would rather see a toad wearing a jewel than an 8-foot wall of hot molasses bearing down. Not everything makes sense. Once you grasp that concept, it all makes sense. If the glove fits, you must acquit — so long January. See you next year.

With a shortage of new housing construction inflating home prices across North Carolina in recent months, one community took steps Monday that could alleviate that trend for local would-be homebuyers.  

Up to 250 houses could be built in far northeast Fayetteville after the City Council unanimously approved an annexation request, allowing the land for the potential development to receive city utilities.

Located just under 2 miles northeast of city limits on Ramsey Street and south of the Tractor Road, the 117-acre, noncontiguous plot is now zoned for single-family residential housing.

The developer intends to use the land for a low-density, single-family residential subdivision.

“We love to grow the tax base; we need homes,” Mayor Mitch Colvin said. 

The annexation is effective immediately.

Increased supply lowers costs

In 2021, the median sales price of a single-family home in Cumberland County was $185,000, up from $156,000, an increase of over 18%, according to listing data from Longleaf Pine Realtors.

For new construction, like that approved by the council Monday, the median price was more than $284,000 in 2021, increasing by more than 9% from the previous year.

Increased home prices are part of a nationwide trend seen throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

A study by government-backed lender Freddie Mac last year found that nationwide, the housing market faces a shortage of 3.8 million units. Much like other markets, the low supply drives up costs.

The study credited the shortage to rising demand for homes during the pandemic and a long-term decline in new construction of single-family houses.

With 250 homes set to be built in the newly annexed land, that would amount to nearly half of the 575 new single-family homes listed in 2021 in Cumberland County, according to Longleaf Pine Realtors. The year before, 609 new homes were listed.

Of the 575 new houses listed last year, 454 closed before year’s end. That’s down more than 27% from the 623 homes that closed in Cumberland County in 2020. However, the difference doesn’t come from a drop in demand, but a substantial decrease in new home construction last year. The annexed property stands to potentially reverse that construction trend in early 2022.

Like the rest of North Carolina and the entire country, demand for housing is increasing in Cumberland County.

In 2021, Cumberland buyers closed on over 5,760 existing single-family homes, an increase of nearly 17% from 2020.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III has placed 8,500 U.S. service members on alert amid Russia's continuing provocations along its border with Ukraine.

While the units that are on alert have not been identified, Fort Bragg's own 82nd Airborne Division is an Immediate Response Force - a rapid reaction force that is available to deploy at any given moment. Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby announced Monday that they would release the details of which units are on standby once personnel and their families are informed.

"The Immediate Response Force is always prepared to go anywhere," Lt. Col. Brett Lea, a spokesperson for the 82nd Airborne Division told Up & Coming Weekly. "We are always on standby."

Fort Bragg officials have referred Up & Coming Weekly to the Secretary of Defense's office, and no response on whether troops at Fort Bragg are on the list of units put on alert has been given at this time. However, an announcement from the Office of the Secretary of Defense is expected later today or tomorrow, according to Fort Bragg officials.

What units are affected will be released once personnel and their families are informed, Kirby told the press Monday evening.

"I'm sure there are personnel readiness things that they have to do," Kirby said in the press conference. "That again is one of the reasons why I'm not giving units today. The units are getting notified, and we want to also give them time to talk about this with their families – this potential deployment order."

Passes and leave for service members on standby have been revoked.

Instead of having ten days to deploy, the units will need to deploy in five days.

"They will have to make whatever preparations they feel they need to make to be able to meet that five-day commitment," Kirby said.

Kirby said the order highlights America's commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and its common defense. If that group is activated, the 8,500 troops are based in the United States and would be part of the NATO Response Force. The American forces would be in addition to the significant combat-capable U.S. forces already established in Europe.

"Secretary Austin has placed a range of units in the United States on a heightened preparedness to deploy, which increases our readiness to provide forces if NATO should activate the N[ATO]RF or if other situations develop," Kirby said.

If the NATO force is activated, Austin's order will allow the United States to rapidly deploy additional brigade combat teams, along with units specializing in logistics, medical, aviation, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, transportation and more, he said.

"Again, I want to reinforce that as of now, the decision has been made to put these units on higher alert and higher alert only," Kirby said. "No decisions have been made to deploy any forces from the United States at this time."

(DoD photo by Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brigitte N. Brantley/Released)

Cumberland County Schools

Cumberland County Schools will operate on a two-hour delay for students and school-based staff on Monday, Jan. 24. Schools will start and buses will run two hours later than the normal time. Twelve-month employees and Central Services personnel will report to work at their normal time if it is safe to do so.

Morning Prime Time will not be available and breakfast will not be served. However, afternoon Prime Time will observe a normal schedule.

There may be roads that are not passable by buses. However, parents may transport students to school, in alignment with the two-hour delay, if they are able to safely do so. School officials will notify families if bus transportation is unavailable.

City of Fayetteville

City offices will be reopened by Monday. The biggest change will be the trash collection schedule. Last Friday's collection will be moved to Monday. Monday's collection will be moved to Tuesday. Tuesday's trash collection will be moved to Wednesday. B-week recycling will be collected next week.

Fort Bragg

Fort Bragg will return to normal operating hours on Monday. DoDEA schools are closed Monday, Jan. 24 for a teacher workday. In addition, the North Post Main Store will be closed on Monday for its annual inventory. 

Cumberland County is requesting proposals from nonprofit organizations for projects that will help the community respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. These proposals could be funded by the American Rescue Plan, which awarded the county $65.2 million. The Board of Commissioners approved  $3.5 million to go to funding nonprofit organizations that conduct programs and projects that help the county recover from and respond to COVID-19 and its negative impacts.

Nonprofit organizations will need to identify a health or economic harm resulting from or exacerbated by the COVID-19 public health emergency. The proposal should explain how the funding would address that harm, what population would be served, the proposed impact of the project and how the effort will help build toward an equitable and sustainable COVID-19 recovery. 

The County will hold a virtual information workshop on Jan. 24 at 3:30 p.m. for interested nonprofit organizations and a video recording of that session will be posted for anyone unable to participate.

Submissions can be made through a formal competitive Request for Proposal process. The RFP is posted on County’s ARP webpage at cumberlandcountync.gov/ARP and under the Vendor Self Service page (Bid #391). Submissions are due Feb. 28 at 4:30 p.m.

A 19-year-old Fayetteville man is being charged with the murder of his neighbor, according to officials.

On Friday, Jan. 21, around 11:36 p.m., deputies from the Cumberland County Sheriff's Office were sent to a shooting near the 300 block of Grouper Drive. They found 20-year-old Jesse James McDowell inside the residence with a gunshot wound. He was declared dead at the scene.

His neighbor, Amaru Edward Barnes, was identified as the suspect. Barnes is being charged with First Degree Murder and is currently being held at the Cumberland County Detention Center without bond. His arraignment hearing is scheduled for Jan. 24.

Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Homicide Detective Lieutenant A. Bean at (910) 677-5496 or Crimestoppers at (910) 483-TIPS (8477).

According to Up & Coming Weekly's records, this is the fifth homicide in Fayetteville so far in 2022.

This page will continue to update as more information by officials is released throughout the week.

SHELTERS OPEN

Cumberland County will open Smith Recreation Center off 1520 Slater Avenue in Fayetteville as a shelter starting at 4 p.m. Thursday and will remain open until noon on Sunday. Pets will not be allowed to be housed at the shelter. COVID-19 screening will occur for individuals entering the shelter. Isolation and quarantine areas will be available for people who test positive or experience COVID-19 symptoms.

The Salvation Army will open for White Flag nights and serve as a daytime shelter from 9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. 

CUMBERLAND COUNTY SCHOOLS

Cumberland County Schools will be releasing students two hours early on Thursday, Jan. 20 and transition to remote learning for Friday, Jan. 21 due to the anticipated winter storm. All athletic events and after-school activities are canceled.

Students will work independently on assignments that are uploaded to the Canvas learning management platform and have five days to complete and submit their assignments. Prime Time will be closed on Friday and all athletic events and after-school activities are canceled.

Students enrolled in classes at Fayetteville State University and Fayetteville Technical Community College should consult with their instructors for additional guidance. 

CUMBERLAND COUNTY

Cumberland County Government Offices and the court system will be closed on Friday, Jan. 21. This includes the Department of Public Health COVID-19 testing sites, the Cumberland County landfill and container sites, all library locations and animal services.

“Residents need to prepare for severe weather by making sure electronic devices such as phones and tablets are charged, know where your emergency kit is located and continue to monitor the weather,” said Chairman Glenn Adams, Cumberland County Board of Commissioners. “Over the next few days, I recommend people to stay indoors and off roadways if possible.”

Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation facilities and gated parks will be closed Friday and Saturday. Activities, programs, practices, games, etc. have been canceled for these dates. FCPR plans to return to normal facility operations on Monday, Jan. 23 as weather conditions permit.

Residents can stay prepared by signing up for Cumberland Alerts, a free emergency notification system that can send alerts to your phone or email. To register, go to cumberlandcountync.gov and click on the lightning icon at the bottom right of the homepage.

CITY OF FAYETTEVILLE

City of Fayetteville leaders is telling people to prepare for frigid conditions. Emergency Management Coordinator Scott Bullard warns of possible road dangers Friday and Saturday due to wintry precipitation. 

According to the National Weather Service, snow, sleet and freezing rain are in the forecast. Fayetteville and surrounding areas are under a Winter Weather Watch through Saturday morning.  

“This time will be different, we expect more accumulation,” Bullard said. “We can expect the impacts to be felt all weekend.” 

The Public Services team has already prepared salt trucks Wednesday morning. Additionally, brine was applied to City roads Wednesday and barricades will remain at historic trouble spots. 

FORT BRAGG 

Fort Bragg will be suspending normal operations Friday, Jan. 21. Only mission essential Soldiers and weather essential civilians are to report this Friday. Non-adverse weather employees should not report for duty. Unless telework-ready, non-adverse weather employees will receive Weather and Safety Leave during the suspension of normal operations. Telework Ready Employees who are able to perform work at an approved telework site must telework the entire workday or request leave, or a combination of both.

The Manchester, Reilly, Canopy, Knox East, and Butner gates will be closed. All other gates will remain open under a normal schedule.

All Fort Bragg DoDEA schools are closed, both for in-person and remote instruction. Only two Child Development Centers, the Baez School Age Center and the Baugess Child Development Center, will be open and will be for essential staffing only from 5:30 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Womack Army Medical Center will remain open with reduced staffing.

The Exchange and Commissaries will be closed on Friday. Old Glory Express and Linden Oaks Express will be open from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Friday.
All personnel should contact their chain of command or supervisors to determine their mission essential or adverse weather status.

TOWN OF SPRING LAKE 

All Town of Spring Lake offices, including the Water Department drive-thru service, as well as the Senior and Recreation Departments, will be closed on Friday, Jan. 21 due to the forecasted inclement weather.

If you need to make a utility payment, you may utilize the online BillPay at www.townofspringlake.com, or use one of their two secure drop boxes. One is in the drive-thru lane at Town Hall, and the other is directly across from the Town Hall in the EXIT lane of the parking lot.

To report a power outage or check the status of your area, visit https://www.duke-energy.com/Outages or if you are with South River Electric, you can report your outage by using their automated phone system (910-892-8071 or 800-338-5530) and pressing 2 to report the outage. You must provide identifying information to match your outage to your account.

TOWN OF HOPE MILLS

The Town of Hope Mills Town offices will be closed on Friday, Jan. 21 due to the potential for inclement weather and black ice on local roads. All non-essential personnel will be asked to stay home.

FAYETTEVILLE STATE UNIVERSITY

Governor Roy Cooper has signed a state of emergency in advance of the second winter storm to move through the state in a week. Beginning Thursday, snow, sleet, freezing rain and ice are expected to cause significant winter impacts in central and eastern regions of the state.

“This state of emergency will waive some transportation regulations to allow for quicker storm preparation and response and power restoration,” said Governor Cooper. “North Carolinians should prepare today for this storm and make sure they have any medications, food and emergency equipment they may need over the next few days.”

The Governor's Office expects this storm to bring several inches of snowfall from the Triangle northeast toward the coast, and up to a half-inch of ice accumulation to southeastern counties. Widespread power outages begin when about a quarter-inch of ice accumulates on power lines.

To prepare for this storm and possible power outages, North Carolina Emergency Management advises people to:

• Get the groceries and essentials you need before Thursday evening. Travel will become hazardous in many parts of eastern North Carolina after that.
• Keep cell phones, mobile devices and spare batteries charged in case your power goes out
• Keep fresh batteries on hand for weather radios and flashlights.
• Dress warmly. Wear multiple layers of thin clothing instead of a single layer of thick clothing.
• Properly vent kerosene heaters and ensure generators are operated outside and away from open windows or doors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Never burn charcoal indoors or use a gas grill indoors.
• Use a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration weather radio or a weather alert app on your phone to receive emergency weather alerts.
• Store an emergency kit in your vehicle. Include scraper, jumper cables, tow chain, sand/salt, blankets, flashlight, first-aid kit and road map.
• Gather emergency supplies for your pet including leash and feeding supplies, enough food and for several days and pet travel carrier.
• Do not leave pets outside for long periods of time during freezing weather.

Visit ReadyNC.gov for additional information on winter weather preparation, as well as information on power outages. Visit DriveNC.gov for current travel conditions from NCDOT.

When I first heard of ghost kitchens, my thoughts went to ghouls cooking up a Halloween brew, ladles dancing in midair, unexplainable noises filling up the kitchen. I am happy to report that it is not the case. Not too long ago, I received a call from a recruiter who was looking for a place to host a ghost kitchen, and he was interested in using my restaurant. I must confess that I was taken aback and decided to do some research.

Ghost kitchens are virtual restaurants created on app platforms. No cooking or restaurant experience is necessary to create one. This is the easiest way to have your own restaurant.

According to Cloudkitchens.com, if you have a concept in mind, a menu, and the right amount of cash, you can have a restaurant. Ghost kitchens use existing restaurants to cook the menu items and package them for take-out. This concept of virtual kitchens arose before the pandemic came upon us; however, with the surge of take-out and delivery during the pandemic, virtual kitchens became more popular. In today’s restaurant world, deliveries make up 60% of total sales; hence, virtual kitchens have found fertile ground for their sales.

How do ghost kitchens operate? They do so through ordering apps, such as DoorDash or UberEats. Customers who want to order their meal delivered, choose a restaurant on a delivery platform, browse the menu, and pay online.

Meanwhile, the restaurant receives the order on a dedicated ordering system, prepares the food, packages it for delivery, and hands it out to a delivery driver.

This new business model was welcomed by brick-and-mortar restaurants that lost business during the initial stages of the pandemic.

With dining rooms empty, and increased demand for delivery, many restaurants agreed to be the kitchen where virtual menus are prepared. It sounds like the perfect solution to a serious problem. Ghost kitchens have kept many restaurants in business and people in the workforce.

Who is the target customer for ghost kitchens? According to statistics, Gen Z (18 to 24 years old) is the section of the population who orders the most, followed by Millennials (25 to 40 years old). The target market of virtual kitchens is key to understanding why they have become so popular.

There are pros and cons to this new business model. The advantages are many, especially for restaurants. Virtual kitchens do not require much capital to start up a restaurant. There are no remodel or building expenses. Overhead is practically nonexistent, and the hiring and firing headache is not even an afterthought.

The restaurants who agree to be the brick and mortar for the virtual kitchen keep busy with online orders and do not have to worry about hiring delivery drivers, as they come with the package deal. What are the disadvantages? Lack of transparency, for starters. But, that might not be a priority for Gen Z and Millennials. I assume the rest of us would like to know where the food is prepared, or that the food comes from a virtual kitchen.

Some folks care about the sanitation score of restaurants. With virtual kitchens, such a score is unknown because the menu found online doesn’t disclose where the food is prepared.

It’s obvious, due to the current circumstances, that ghost kitchens are here to stay, as long as people request delivery or carry out.

Perhaps, with customer demand, there will be more transparency.

The right fitness center is a place where you look forward to exercising, socializing and a place you can unwind. There are many reasons people join a fitness center, and your reason should be that it meets your needs.

A fitness center can be the perfect choice for those that like to engage in group activities, specialty fitness, extensive use of machines, specialized training and fitness centers with specific amenities for seniors.
Joining a fitness center is not only a monetary investment. It is an investment for you. It should be a place where you look forward to working out and making new friends. Selecting a suitable facility is much like building a new relationship.

A good center is aesthetically pleasing, has quality equipment, is clean, safe and has friendly and knowledgeable staff. Fitness centers vary in amenities, equipment options, group fitness classes, services and monthly pricing. Defining what type of center you are looking for will help you make the right choice when visiting facilities. You are investing your time and money and need to be confident that your choice is the right fit for you. Look at the center's website or social media pages and ask your friends if they like the center at which they are members.

Making a fitness center checklist will help you in making the right decision. On this list, answer the following questions. First, what is the main reason you are interested in joining a fitness center? Is it for weight loss, strength training, toning, specialty training, cardio activities, weight lifting, circuit training, water aerobics, personal training or overall fitness? Is the center convenient to your home, has good parking, and you feel safe there at night? Do you like amenities such as a pool for exercise, sauna, dry sauna or whirlpool? Do they offer group fitness classes that you may be interested in, and are the times the classes available right for you? Are the hours of operation convenient to your schedule?

If you are a weight lifting enthusiast, are there a diversified number of machines and free weights to target the areas that you are interested in working? Do you like a more boutique center with one-on-one training? Do you want a center with a coed room or a separate area for women? Are you interested in joining a facility that offers a program for Silver Sneakers or a center oriented towards an older or younger clientele? Are you interested in a center that meets a set budget?

It is essential that you visit the center or centers you are interested in joining. Make an appointment for your visit and ask questions from your list. Make your visit count and take a good look at the surroundings for cleanliness, overall age of equipment, and the staff's knowledge. Did you find the staff friendly and feel that you are selecting a facility that could be your new fitness home? Make the time and take a close look at your contract because it is binding and a monetary commitment.

Be sure you are comfortable with their membership terms. Joining a fitness center is a commitment beyond just a signed contract. Your commitment should be to attend regularly and set goals for your fitness journey while making new friends and achieving your goals. Live, love, life, and health!

Do you ever just long for peace? And I'm not talking about the absence of war; that's too far above my pay grade. I'm talking about the kind of peace that finds us calm and content in the middle of even the worst imaginable scenario. That kind of peace is possible, but for many, it completely eludes us.

In a world where seemingly everything we do and say is contested, the stress of making what would once have been the simplest of decisions comes under scrutiny. The preconception that we can't be 'for' one thing without being 'against' another gets in the way of relationships of every kind.

As a Christian in today's world, our charge is the same as it has always been, be peacemakers. Some interpret that as a call to roll over and accept whatever comes next, but I believe it means – maybe now more than ever – to step up and step in.

Time after time in the Bible, we are told not to be afraid. You can interpret that to mean there will be plenty of opportunities to be afraid, but that we shouldn't be. One such instance is found in the Gospel account given by John.

Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid." (John 14:27)
Not long afterward, Jesus tells his disciples that the world will hate them.

"If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first."

He went on to say, "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you." (John 15: 18-19)
This statement doesn't sound very comforting. Hey, those people you'll see later today. They hate you. And so will the ones you meet tomorrow.

Yet Jesus said these words to those close followers with both peace and conviction.

The comforting part is that he tells them not to sweat it. That he's telling them in advance is perhaps the most remarkable thing Jesus could have done.

Knowing that to believe and follow the things Jesus taught is setting myself up for rejection seems a fair enough warning, but it still doesn't account for the pain and conflict we experience on a day-to-day basis.
With or without God, stuff happens. Friends die, people take advantage of us, and those we love the most might walk away without notice.

I've said many times, the price of discontent is high. And it is. Very high.

We find ourselves looking for more, better, faster, and we begin to stir up a little war within even ourselves.

But there is peace. And it comes from a place far from here but is within reach every second of the day. What's better is that you can not only have peace, but you can extend it to others.

City Council met last Monday and approved several resolutions unanimously. One of those resolutions was to adopt Juneteenth Day as a city holiday. Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of African American slaves in the United States and became a federal holiday last year.

This means that on June 19, regular full-time and part-time employees shall earn holiday leave in proportion to their average hours worked per day and City Hall will be closed.

City Manager Doug Hewett told the council during a work session at the beginning of the month that there will be no direct budget costs, however, productivity costs loss could be estimated at around $482,600. Other considerations included the trash pickup schedule which would have to be rearranged.

Liberty Park, Fort Bragg's newest park, will open with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Jan. 19 at noon. The 117-acre park is situated on an old section of Bragg Boulevard that used to be a public thoroughfare that ran through the installation. That part of Bragg Boulevard was closed off with the opening of the I-295 Murchison Bypass in 2016.

"We had a great opportunity to do something with the section of road instead of just leaving it there as an abandoned section. We thought, now that we have this asset and opportunity, what do we do with it?" said Brian Vesely, Directorate of Public Works architect and chief of design and project management.

In 2019, the idea of a park for the area began to emerge. After brainstorming and discussing the park concept, that idea morphed into a more ambitious project. Eventually, the parks in Fort Bragg will all be interconnected with a trail system called the "Liberty Trail." The eventual 14-mile trail system will loop around historical sites around Fort Bragg, including the Iron Mike statue on Randolph Street and the All-American Chapel on Ardennes Street. Liberty Park is the first phase of that project. Vesely estimates that Fort Bragg will complete Liberty Trail in five-to-six years.

Liberty Park touts 2.8 miles of unpaved trails and 3.4 miles of paved paths. In support of Fort Bragg's sustainability mission, the park's paved trails utilize the old asphalt from the section of Bragg Boulevard the park currently sits on. Fort Bragg built benches set up in areas along the paths, with wood milled from trees taken from the park.

Along the park's paved trails, visitors will find twenty-five physical fitness stations. The unpaved trails meander through the conifer forest that originally lined Bragg Boulevard. Guests can enjoy walks through the forest and wildflower groves. Four new pavilions have also been built for families to enjoy. Two churches in disrepair are in the park's boundaries and will see facelifts through the coming months. The plans are to transform the churches into community centers.

"It's a stretch of road that could have been a blemish. It was left in disrepair," said Col. Scott Pence, Fort Bragg Garrison Commander. "And now the new renovation turns it into a point of beauty that can raise and enhance people's mental health as they interact with it."

In addition to creating the park for families to enjoy, designers also had storm resiliency in mind. Pence explained that designers constructed the park to help safely and mindfully direct flooding from thunderstorms and hurricanes.

Following the opening ceremony, volunteers will plant azalea bushes as part of the Fort Bragg Directorate of Public Works Arbor Board mission. Vesely said he is excited about the azaleas and how the park will look in the spring.

"I envision it as this amazing bloom of flowers that will draw people to the park. You'll have this amazing... bloom of hundreds of azaleas and hundreds of dogwoods. It will really be a neat event every spring when all these flowers will come out. It will be this sort of beautiful tapestry all along the park," he said.

Vesely is proud of the project and the improvement it represents to Fort Bragg's livability.

"It'll be a point of pride for me when I see people out there actually enjoying the park in the way I hoped and envisioned they would enjoy it. I [want to] enhance the quality of life for people on Fort Bragg," said Vesely.

If you are not worried about the future of American democracy, you are not paying attention.

There is a lot of hot air on this topic from the left and the right. People share their thoughts based on little more than individual political leanings and overheated emotions — no need to take my word for this. Just turn on CNN, Fox News, or scroll your Facebook or Instagram accounts, and you will get the idea pronto.

That said, there is also a great deal of learned and informed information and commentary to indicate that we are indeed a nation in distress. We are a nation facing divisions of historic proportions, on the precipice of sliding from a representative democracy toward a more authoritarian form of government.

My first brush with this powerful and terrifying possibility came when reading the 2018 book "How Democracies Die" by two Harvard political scientists. They chronicle how elected leaders undermine the political process to increase their power. It has happened to other democracies, and these authors see it unfolding in the United States. More recent books on the same theme include “Four Threats: The Recurring Crises of American Democracy” and “American Democracy in Peril: Eight Challenges to America.”

These conversations have continued and expanded among scholars, historians and regular Americans who fear for our nation.

Here are some numbers to get us started. Last summer, a PBS Newshour/NPR/Marist poll found that 67% of American adults believe our nation's democracy is under attack. A more recent CNN poll finds that 93% of us believe that our democracy is under attack (56%) or is being tested (37%). A majority, 51% of us, believe that elected officials will overturn an election in coming years because their party lost.

Perhaps most alarmingly to me, the Brookings Institution, a Washington think tank generally considered on the conservative side, reported earlier this month that Americans of all political stripes see the potential for violence. Thirty percent of Republicans, 17% of independents, and 11% of Democrats, now agree that violence might be necessary to save our nation.

If we concede that those who do not know or understand history are doomed to repeat it, then we really should be nervous.

Barbara Walter, a political science professor at the University of California at San Diego and an advisor to the CIA on political instability, believes we are perilously close to another civil war. She and others cite extreme partisanship, geographic sectionalism, urban and rural divides and differing visions for state and federal governments.

Not all scholars and observers agree with her. Still, most are concerned about the toxic political atmosphere and systematic attacks on voting undermining public faith in the political process.

These ideas are alternately unsettling and baffling for most Americans, leaving us confused at best and terrified at worst.

Both ends of the political spectrum, those who think it is happening as you read this and those who scoff that it can never happen in our America, need to back up and take a deep breath.

The fact that "We the People" are now talking about this indicates we are concerned, even alarmed. It also tells us that both sides must be thoughtful in what we say and do as we go through a troubled and challenging period in our nation's history.

Western European nations fell to fascist governments in the first half of the 20th century, as did southern hemisphere nations in the second half. We are foolish to believe it could not happen here.

As frustrating and imperfect as democracy may be, 1947 Winston Churchill's take still rings true now. "Many forms of government have been tried and will be tried in this world of sin and woe. No one pretends that democracy is perfect or all-wise. Indeed, it has been said that democracy is the worst form of government except for all those other forms that have been tried from time to time."

The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra's unofficial home at St. John's Episcopal Church enhances the intimacy of performances. The upcoming performance, "Too Hot to Handel," will be performed in its intimate setting at St. John's.

"We will be performing at St. John's on Jan. 21, [the performance is] entitled 'Too Hot to Handel' featuring music by the great English-German baroque composer, George Frideric Handel, the composer of the famed Hallelujah Chorus," said Stefan Sanders, Music Director at the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. Sanders is a graduate of the Julliard School, the University of Texas at Austin, and the Interlochen Arts Academy.
Baroque Era music dates to approximately 1600 to 1750.

Handel received his training in Halle and worked as a composer in Hamburg before settling in London in 1712. Handel's compositions include 42 operas, 25 oratorios, more than 120 cantatas, trios and duets, numerous arias, odes and serenatas, solo and trio sonatas, 18 concerti grossi and 12 organ concertos.

The range of Handel's music inspired the upcoming "Too Hot to Handel" concert. While he wrote a lot of sacred music, as well as purely instrumental music, and operas the latter two will be the focus in this program.

The highlight of the program is Handel's "Music for the Royal Fireworks."

Bronwen Pence will perform as the soprano soloist for "Too Hot to Handel." Pence has a bachelor's degree in vocal performance specializing in opera from the University of Michigan. She has performed in numerous operas, operettas, musicals and choirs over the years. She currently is a member of Cumberland Choral Arts and a member of the Cross Creek Chorale.

"I am looking forward to collaborating with such an expressive and talented conductor and ensemble to present the fullest expression of these songs," Pence explained. "I have performed Handel's work before but only with Piano accompaniment. It will be a joy to perform them with full orchestra."

Pence explained that the music in this program is for everyone.

"Live music from talented performers is an uplifting experience," said Pence. "You do not have to be an expert or a musician to enjoy the works."

Sanders also touts the approachability of the program for all listeners and his favorite part of the program is the diversity in style and genres in which Handel wrote; the selections in the "Too Hot to Handel" program highlight this.

"If someone has never been to see and hear the symphony, I encourage them to come with an open mind and an open heart," Sanders said. "Classical music is for everyone and does not require anything from the listener other than their attention. Anyone that enjoys live musical performances should attend this program."

To purchase tickets, you may contact the symphony office at (910)433-4690 or you may purchase online through the website https://www.fayettevillesymphony.org/.

The annual fashion show from An Affair to Remember is back. The exhibition empowers local young women and female leaders in local businesses and non-profits.

Kathy Jensen, the founder of An Affair to Remember, Pageant and Formal Wear, started the show eleven years ago. When community members approached her about a fashion show to highlight upcoming trends, she wanted to highlight women and girls in town instead.

Then, four years ago, the community presented the idea of highlighting local women in business and non-profits, "Women of Power" in Fayetteville. These "Women of Power" would not only receive recognition, but they would also be able to talk to and inspire young women in high school.

"It is one of the things we do as a business that if you are in high school and you buy a dress from us, you have the opportunity to walk the runway because there were so many pretty girls in here, but they didn't think they were pretty," Jensen told Up & Coming Weekly.

Jensen hopes that the women in her shows present as role models and help set the tone for girls finding their place in the world.

"My generation was a man's world. And as a young girl, you would be blessed if your parents thought you could be more than a housewife," Jensen said. "Young women are trying to figure it out. But when they see and meet women that are doing that, they look up to them and say, 'I can do that.'"

"Women of Power" was met with success that a non-profit organization called "Women of Power" Society of N.C was born from the concept. Last year, they partnered with the Center for Economic Empowerment and Development (CEED) to host a "Women of Power" brunch, which sold out and was another resounding success. As a result, they are now looking to create an endowment fund to help women access financing for their businesses, especially during this time of financial uncertainty with the pandemic.

Organizers hope that the endowment, set up with CEED, will help upcoming businesswomen know how to access government grants.

"Empower them by knowledge," Jensen explained.

This year's fashion show is themed "I'm Unstoppable."

This upcoming show will be the tenth fashion show that An Affair to Remember will be hosting; they took one year off. This year, there will be two different shows. The first show, "Unstoppable Little Ladies," will feature girls from the elementary and middle school age ranges. That show will start at 2 p.m. with doors opening at 1:30 p.m.

The second show will feature high school-aged girls and the "Women of Power." They will be wearing the latest prom and pageant dresses from top fashion designers. This show will start at 7 p.m. with doors opening at 6 p.m.

Overall, there will be 100 models this year and 20 featured "Women of Power."

Jensen says that this show is a perfect girls' night out - especially for mothers and daughters.

"It's a great night out. It's a great thing," Jensen said. "We have mothers and daughters that come every year. We have a group of girls that dress alike and come every year. We have people that dress up."

Tickets for the "Unstoppable Little Ladies" show are $20, and tickets for the "Women of Power" show range from $20 to $400. Both shows will occur at the Crown Expo on Sunday, Jan. 23.

Editor's Note: This article has been updated to reflect the new dates/times of the shows due to inclement weather.

The Cumberland County Board of Education voted last week to continue with its mandatory face mask policy. The board is required by state law to vote each month on the mask policy. The board voted 6-1, with Nathan Warfel being against the mandate.

Superintendent Marvin Connelly Jr. told the board that the current rate of positive tests for COVID-19 is more than 32 percent in Cumberland County. According to the school's COVID-19 Data Dashboard, between Dec. 31 and Jan. 6, there were 828 cases of COVID-19.

Outside of the mask mandate, the board approved to make HVAC upgrades for Douglas Byrd Middle, Douglas Byrd High, Pine Forest High and Lewis Chapel Middle School.

At Douglas Byrd High, they will be replacing the existing water-cooled chiller, associated pumps, multi-zone and single-zone air handlers and duct cleaning. The existing controls will also be upgraded.

At Douglas Byrd Middle, they will be replacing two air-cooled chillers, associated pumps and multi-zone air handlers. The existing controls will also be upgraded.

At Pine Forest High, they will be replacing the existing 375-ton chilled water plant, eight multi-zone dual temperature air-handling units and duct cleaning.

At Lewis Chapel Middle, they will be replacing the existing 175-ton chilled water plant and eight multi-zone dual temp air-handling units, and duct cleaning.

The total cost of the upgrades is $9,282,195; however, Emergency Relief funds, given to the county for COVID-19 impacts, will be used for the Pine Forest High repairs and for the Lewis Chapel Middle repairs.

The work at all of the schools is scheduled to be completed this summer.

The next school board meeting is scheduled for Feb. 8 at 6 p.m.