A place where nature and adventure meets — that’s what Sweet Valley Ranch promises its visitors. They have offered Dinosaur inter-actions during the hot summer months and a terrifying haunted house around Halloween. Now that it’s December, the Ranch will be covered in Christmas and holiday lights. Festival of Lights was started last year during the pan-demic.

Fred Surgeon came up with the idea and soon enough, 18,000 people came out to look at the lights over the course of 17 nights.

This year, there are more lights, more attractions and an entirely new interactive section of the event.

“Be prepared for an amazing, dazzling, sparkling light show,” Debbie Munn, executive assistant, Surgeon & Associates, Inc., said. “This year at Festival of Lights, we are going to incorporate all of the attractions we’ve had during the year into the light show.”

The Festival of Lights features over one million lights and 350 animals throughout the show. The light displays range in themes as well. Dinosaurs, Star Wars, a Gingerbread House, a life-size nativity scene and a Military and First Responders Tribute. The Grinch will also be by Tiny's Winter Wonderland and be causing some chaos of his own at the Grinch’s Mansion. There are two sections of the festival. The main part of the event will be drive-thru only where visitors in their cars can see all different types of light displays. There is also a Drive-Thru concession called Cattleman’s Loft.

“You don’t even have to get out of your car,” Munn said. “You can buy food, you can buy gifts, you can buy T-shirts from all of our attractions.”

The Cattleman’s Loft will also feature a 14-foot Christ-mas tree, named Gabriel’s Trumpet Tree for how it is decorated.The other section of the event will where the corn maze was for the Halloween attractions, Tiny’s Winter Wonderland. This is where people can walk around and interact with the attractions. People can park, get out of their cars, get some food and enjoy amusement rides as well as visits with Santa.

But the lights are not the only thing that will create excitement at the Sweet Valley Ranch. They also are aiming to help local charities and local non-profits.

The Surgeons have created the Sweet Valley Ranch Gives Back Program. This program, which only launched a little more than a month ago, is to help charities that help people locally.

If charities can man one of the concession trucks over in Tiny’s Winter Wonderland, during one of the nights of Festival of Lights, they will receive at least a $500 portion of the proceeds as well as a match of up to $1,000 from Fred Surgeon and his wife.

They started the program with their Halloween event. They plan on continuing the Give Back program throughout their other events next year: Dinosaur World, Tiny’s Corn Maze, and Backwoods Terror Ranch.

The goal of Sweet Valley Ranch Gives Back, backed by Surgeon & Associates, Inc., is to give $50,000 minimum over the course of the year. So far, $8,000 has been donated to three different charities. Operation Inasmuch received $2,000, Agape Pregnancy Support Services received $2,000 and the Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity received $4,000.

They are open to working with more local charities over the course of the year. If you are interested in your organization being considered please email svrgives-back@surgeon-associates.com the organization name, contact person, phone number and a brief statement on why you would be a good fit for the program. The charity must be a non-profit and provide services within Cumberland County.

Tickets for the Festival of Lights can be purchased online or at the ticket booth. Tickets for adults and children are $10 a person. Children aged 2 or under are free. Farm Wagon tours are also available for large groups. Prices start at $230 and can go up to $750.

Sweet Valley Ranch will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The final night of the event will be on Dec. 26.

A 15-year-old was murdered, Nov. 29. Police said officers who responded to a call for help on the night of the murder found the victim in the parking lot of a small strip mall at 594 South Reilly Road.

“He had been shot in the chest and officers attempted lifesaving measures,” Police spokesperson Lt. Diana Holloway said. “He was pronounced deceased on the scene.”

The boy’s name was not released by police, but a family member identified him as XaeVion Thornton. He was a sophomore student at Westover High School. Homicide detectives learned that a second person had been taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center with gunshot wounds. Holloway said he had non-life-threatening injuries.

Anyone with information regarding the investigation is asked to contact Detective J. Arnold at (910) 824-9539 or Crimestoppers at (910) 483-TIPS.

Governor Roy Cooper has appointed Fayetteville Mayor Pro Tem Kathy Jensen to the North Carolina Military Affairs Commission. The Commission provides advice, counsel and recommendations to the governor, state lawmakers and state agencies on North Carolina’s military installations.

“Now is a great time to raise issues important to our current service and National Guard Members,” Jensen said. “There are more active-duty soldiers at Fort Bragg compared to any other installation across the U.S. Army.”

Jensen says she will work to prioritize the city of Fayetteville’s military interests. She will serve a two-year term on the Commission. Jensen was born and raised in Fayetteville and owns a local business.

The annual State of the Community was presented last week with leaders from Cumberland County, Fort Bragg, Fayetteville, Spring Lake and Hope Mills all talking about the past year, what's to come and their biggest challenges.

CUMBERLAND COUNTY

Cumberland County Chairman Charles Evans spoke in a pre-recorded video about Cumberland County. He said that some of the accomplishments the county had, over the past year, included creating and running massive COVID-19 vaccination sites, implementing an Emergency Rental Assistance Program, creating a new American Rescue Plan committee, creating a military food policy council to address food insecurity among military service members and their families and addressing racial injustice and diversity initiatives. Looking forward, Evans was excited to announce that several companies like Metronet, Amazon and Cargill will develop jobs locally and invest in local businesses. Other future plans include the construction of a homeless shelter, new emergency services and 911 call center and entirely replacing the Crown Theater and Arena. The biggest challenge for the county is continuing to get clean water and sewer to all areas of the county. Specifically in the area of Gray's Creek.

"Getting water to Gray's Creek and other areas of the county remains a priority," Evans said. "The county is working to partner with available Public Works Commission to have utilities serve as the water supplier at Gray's Creek."

FAYETTEVILLE

Mayor Mitch Colvin spoke live at the Greater Fayetteville Chamber about the state of the City of Fayetteville. Colvin said that the city made several investments in the community this past year. City wages have gone up to $15 an hour, over $50 million will go to the airport, a new aquatic center was built and $33 million was dedicated for public and government housing. Colvin confirmed that Amazon will be coming to Fayetteville, which will bring in an additional 500 jobs and $100 million of investment. He also announced that the Cape Fear River Trail will continue to be developed in the upcoming months. The biggest challenge for the City, according to Colvin, is getting people trained and having a ready workforce in Fayetteville.

FORT BRAGG

Garrison Commander Col. Scott Pence spoke on behalf of the ongoing work at Fort Bragg. Over the past year, community meetings about the renaming of the base have been taking place but other positives, such as Smith Lake reopening this year and new strategies from the Army to help attract, retain and enable people are just a few positive takeaways. One major renovation the installation is looking at is the creation of Liberty Trail - a 14-mile loop around Fort Bragg. That trail will open in January. One concern for Fort Bragg is that one-third of soldiers, who are usually on deployment, are now at the post — creating a demand on resources.

SPRING LAKE

Spring Lake Mayor Larry Dobbins spoke briefly about the town’s financial troubles but primarily focused on what the town needs to do in the future: restructure, rebuild, rebrand, regain trust and rebirth. Dobbins will be stepping down as Mayor later this month. Mayor-elect Kia Anthony will take his place.

HOPE MILLS

Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner spoke about that change is happening in the town. Many officials have or will retire and the town will need to find new replacements for these town figureheads. In addition, a new City Manager, who is relatively unfamiliar with the area will need support. Warner says other challenges Hope Mills faces are the replacement of roads and dealing with traffic. Overall, she says the future is bright for Hope Mills continues to grow.

Jodi Phelps has been hired by the city to replace Kevin Arata as Fayetteville’s Corporate Communications Director which is a fancy way of saying spokesperson. Arata resigned earlier this year. Phelps will work with the news media and oversee strategic communications and marketing plans.

“I am honored by this chance to serve the community my family calls home,” Phelps said. “I look forward to working alongside City leadership and staff to ensure our residents are well-informed and engaged while we collectively work to build upon the strong foundations in place.”

The city said Phelps brings more than 20 years of experience in communications, marketing and organizational leadership. She previously worked at the University of North Carolina–Pembroke, where she served as Chief Communications and Marketing Officer since 2016. Before UNC–Pembroke, Phelps served as Action Pathways Chief Operating Officer in Fayetteville.

“We believe she knows this area well, which is one reason why she stood out,” City Manager Doug Hewett said. "I’m sure she will develop beneficial relationships amongst staff, neighbors and at all levels of government.”

As the mother of three adult children, I am wired to be interested in their particular thoughts about life, and more generally, the views of their generation.

Does their generation see the world the same way I did at their ages? The answers are not encouraging. They are disheartening. A survey conducted earlier this year by UNICEF and Gallup of 21,000 people in 21 different nations throughout the world found stark differences not only between generations but between different parts of the world. My generation of Americans believed that we would be healthier and wealthier than our parents' generation, and for the most part, those beliefs have proven true. By and large, we are more educated than our parents, have enjoyed higher incomes and look forward to longer life expectancies.

Our kiddos and their kiddos are less optimistic, and some statistics bear out their thinking.

Of the six wealthiest nations in the world, including the United States, only about a third of young people believe they will be better off financially than their parents. What's more, they no longer believe that hard work alone will get them where they want to go or that everyone starts at the same place. Increasingly, they believe that family wealth and connections are significant success factors.

"On one hand, you want and need people to believe that they can make a difference in their own lives, but on the other hand, you need people to understand it's about more than just their own hard work," as Bob McKinnon, founder of a non-profit helping people understand influences in their lives says, in the New York Times. According to UNICEF and Gallup, older folks of my generation believe this as well. Moreover, many younger people believe quite rightly that earlier generations, including mine, have compromised our environment at best and destroyed it at worst.

Interestingly, these lines of thought are more prevalent in wealthier, more developed nations, most of them in the northern hemisphere. Young people in less developed countries, mainly below the equator, are more hopeful than Americans of their generation.

Around two-thirds of young people below the equator believe that they will be better off economically than their parents have been and that the world is becoming a better place with each new generation. They are more likely to believe that they have control over their lives through hard work and education. As Kenyan Lorraine Nduta, 21, put it in The Times, "we do not get to choose our families or social status, but that has never been a hindrance for anyone to succeed... In fact, I think when you have less, it fuels you to seek more. The power to change any situation lies with us — hard work, consistency and discipline."

It isn't easy to imagine such sentiments coming from many young Americans in 2021.

Every generation from time immemorial is formed by its times, its culture, its geography and an individual's circumstances. Every generation believes itself unique, and the hope for a better life for the next generation still exists, even if it seems to be slipping from the grasp of some in certain parts of the world.

What stands out in this survey is that the traditional American Dream, long a standard for both Americans and people in other nations, needs some work.

It remains true that hard work and education can lift young people, but the cynicism and anxiety surfacing in our young people is worrisome.

Local politicians interested in running for office can now officially file their intentions to run. Offices open for filing include the 4th U.S. Congressional District, N.C. General Assembly, Cumberland County Board of Commissioners (at large and District 1), Sheriff, Clerk of Court, District Attorney, District Court Judge, City of Fayetteville Mayor and City Council.

Sen. Ben Clark, Rep. John Szoka, former Fayetteville mayor Nat Robertson, former police officer Christine Villaverde, high school teacher Denton Lee, DeVan Barbour IV and Cumberland County Commission Chairman Charles Evans have announced they are all running for the 4th U.S. Congressional District seat.

The Fayetteville Mayor seat will also be contested. J. Antoine Miner, Nyrell Melvin, Efrain "Freddie" Delacruz and Franco Webb have all announced that they will run. The current Mayor, Mitch Colvin, announced last Friday that he will run again for the Mayor seat.

Sen. Kirk deViere announced that he will seek re-election to the Senate District 19 seat for a third term. Rep. Diane Wheatley also announced her intention to file for re-election for the 43rd District of the NC house.

Filing ends at noon on Dec. 17 at the Cumberland County Board of Elections. The primary will be held on March 8.

The Community Police Advisory Board is closer to being finalized and should start in the new year. The board's mission is to provide recommendations to the City Council, City Manager and Police Chief to improve the quality of policing in Fayetteville in a cooperative effort between the community and the police. 

Annual Christmas Tree Lighting
The annual Christmas Tree Lighting will help kick off the Christmas season on Fort Bragg.

In addition to the Christmas tree lighting, the Family of the Year will be announced at the new Family of the Year celebration. Fort Bragg will be kicking off the Christmas Tree Lighting and all of the activities that come with it after the Family of The Year celebration.

Each year, Fort Bragg’s Army Community Service accepts applications for the Family of the Year which honors soldiers and families that have provided exceptional service throughout the year. This year 21 applications were received.

The tree lighting will have an aerial demonstration by the Golden Knights, a visit from Santa, holiday entertainment by the 82nd Airborne Division Band and Chorus and of course holiday lights and inflatable displays. Cookie decorating and a trackless train are two of many activities that will be available to the children attending the event.
The Christmas tree for this year’s Christmas Tree Lighting celebration arrived at the Main Post Parade Field last week. The tree came from Mistletoe Meadows Farm, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The tree is a 24-foot Fraser Fir.

“We are very excited to see everyone for this year’s in-person event,” Theresa Smith, Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, said. “The holidays are such a special time for everyone and we love being able to kick off the season with
this event.”

The Christmas Tree Lighting and Family of the Year celebration will take place on Dec. 3 from 4 to 8 p.m. Santa will make his appearance around 5:30 p.m. Food and drinks will be available for sale as well. The event will take place at the Main Post Parade Field.

Trees for Troops
Service members can get a real and free Christmas tree this year at the annual Trees for Troops event.

The program is for Active Duty families who are E-6 and below, and for Reservists on Active Orders.

450 trees are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

In order to get a tree, a voucher will need to be picked up at the Fort Bragg Leisure Travel Services. They will be available through Dec. 3 or until they are all gone.

Pick-up will be on Dec. 3 from 8 to 10 a.m. at the Smith Lake Recreation Area. To pick up the tree, the recipient needs to bring both the voucher and their DoD ID Card.

Those who did not get a chance to pick up a voucher can try and pick up a tree. If there are any trees leftover, they will be given out first-come, first-serve to service members who are E-6 and below.

“Not only are service members receiving a free, real tree for the holidays; it’s a chance to bring cheer to those who may not be able to go home for the holidays,” said Staff Sgt. Jakoby Mallory, President of the Fort Bragg Better Opportunities for Single Soldiers. “The abundance of support from volunteers from around the community also shows service members the family they have here, at
Fort Bragg.”

Over the past 16 years, the Christmas Spirit Foundation has delivered a total of 262,265 real Christmas trees throughout the country for service members and their families.

Trees for Troops is a nationwide program that delivers trees to 75 different military bases and installations.

Fayetteville City Council members finally voted to select a new commissioner for the Fayetteville Public Works Commission.

Last Monday night, City Council selected Retired Col. Don Porter to serve as the new PWC commissioner. He was supported by Councilmembers Johnny Dawkins, Larry Wright, D.J. Haire, and Christopher Davis. Mayor Mitch Colvin also voted in Porter’s favor.

Porter is a retired Military Logistics Specialist and served 20 years as an Executive Director of Economic Development in Hoke County and the City of Raeford. In his application, he says that he believes that city-owned water and sewer is good not just for citizens but also for business recruitment.

Porter was initially recommended to the position by the city’s Appointment Committee last month. City Council was split on the decision and kept delaying the vote. Porter's term is expected to end on Sept. 30, 2025.

Only a few weeks until showtime, the main room at Charlotte Blume School of Dance is packed and abuzz with energy. More than forty dancers stand, in fifth position, the floor a mixture of soft and pointe shoes, legs extended, and arms outstretched with delicate fingers pointing toward the ceiling.

The room is small but warm, a far cry from the thirty-degree weather outside. Upon each call from one of their instructors David Alan Cook, the dancers shifted positions in unison — a dance so precise it looks as if they are pulled by strings. Along the walls of the room are nutcrackers, candy canes, tin solider hats and pictures of Christmas lore — all relics of Clara’s fantastical dream, and fifty-one years of tradition. In the back sits the head of the mouse king, crown and all, awaiting his on-stage debut.

At Charlotte Blume School of Dance and throughout Fayetteville, it’s time for “The Nutcracker.”

Just beyond the dancers plays a video of Pepta's “The Nutcracker.” The dancers strive for precision. They match their movements against Pepta's dancers. In the studio, the only sound that can be heard is the soft, shallow pattering of feet on laminate floor. The dancers lightly glide to the tape on the floor that marks particular fractions of the stage. Their bodies remain angled out toward the audience. They check their position, readjust and do it again and again. This will continue dozens of times.

“We’ll run the same two minutes for an hour to get it right,” Dina Lewis, the school’s executive director, says as she watches her dancers’ arms and feet. Lewis says they’ll tell the girls to pretend they are holding pennies between their knees for their bourrée.

“We say it because quarters are too big.”

Technique, according to Lewis, is why students come to this dance group.

The music stops, and just like that, the current dancers run “off stage” and others run on to take their place.

“Dancers, you have to pay attention while you are working on the stage,” Cook says, his shoulders held back and feet held in position. Like an orchestra leader, he brings his attention to different areas of the room, tightening the dance and congratulating dancers on their hard work. In the other corner, Emalee Smith, another instructor, is perfecting the dance of some of the older dancers.

The dream continues.

In many ways, so does the dream of Charlotte Blume. Blume passed away in 2016. “The Nutcracker Ballet” is a legacy of sorts for the North Carolina State Ballet and for Charlotte Blume School of Dance. Blume started “The Nutcracker” in 1959 and it has run every year since, with the exception of last year. It is a legacy that is now kept alive by Lewis, the executive director for the school and the President of North Carolina State Ballet.

Lewis talks of Blume fondly and reverently like a maternal figure whose ghost is welcomed to haunt the school. Each part of this play, for Lewis and other dancers who knew Blume well, keeps her alive.

“Each set has a piece of her in it … we have pieces of her that we make sure is [on] that stage.”

In 2020, like much of the world, this version of “The Nutcracker” did not go on.

“We sat home last year watching 'Nutcracker' on TV like everyone else did,” Lewis said.

But in December 2020, around Lewis’s birthday, she received a card from a little girl who played a mouse in “The Nutcracker” just the year before. The note, which wished Lewis a happy birthday, also said, “all I want for Christmas is for "Nutcracker" to come back.”

When February came around, Lewis said the company was short of funding for the play due to all the closures during COVID-19. She and the board decided that regardless of the funds, 2021 needed

“The Nutcracker.” The community needed “The Nutcracker.”

“There’s a little mouse that we all need to thank … one I just couldn’t say no to.”

The little girl's note is now posted on Lewis’s mirror at home. The little girl has since moved with her family due to the military. Lewis says a lot of what she learned and embodies now comes from Charlotte Blume. It’s all about giving back, she says. While a mouse helped her bring back the beloved play, Blume has always been at the heart of it.

“You just feel like you owe it to Charlotte to continue this.”

Charlotte Blume School of Dance will hit the stages Dec. 11 at the Crown Theatre. There are 69 dancers in this year's production, from ages 5 and up. Each year, Lewis says, the choreography changes slightly to keep students and the audience engaged. This year, she tried to keep unification at the center of the play.

At the end of the day, Lewis sits back and looks at the pictures of “her kids,” handwritten notes from students and pictures of Charlotte and smiles when she speaks about this year’s production of “The Nutcracker.”

“When the picture comes together … [it’s] magical. It’s the coolest thing. I get chills thinking about it. I think Charlotte is going to be proud of us. She’s going to be pretty happy.”
Tickets are $25 for adults, $20 for military and $10 kids ages 3-16. Kids under 2 are free.

Across town, in the top portion of Countryside Gymnastics is Leslie’s Dance Academy. Leslie Dumas, owner and executive director, sits among plastic storage containers of all shapes and sizes that house different costumes and props for her production of “The Nutcracker.” She sits, waiting on dancers to arrive. Her dancers, too, are preparing to go on stage and perform “The Nutcracker.”
Dumas has been running this version of “The Nutcracker” since 2000 when she took it over from Ann Clark, who owned another studio in town. Both Clark and Dumas trained with Charlotte Blume. Dumas trained with Charlotte Blume from a young age until 18.

For “The Nutcracker,” she collaborates with other studios in town, through The Dance Theatre of Fayetteville, to bring all their dancers together to perform the play. Last year, much like Charlotte Blume School of Dance, her company didn’t perform “The Nutcracker.”

This year, Dumas wasn’t told they could have their traditional stage at Methodist University until the end of September. This gave Dumas and the other studios two months to prepare the show.
She said this year they’ve had to make some changes in how they traditionally run it due to all the changes from COVID-19.

“We didn’t do an audition. I usually do most of the choreography, but I let other studios pick what they want to choreograph.”

On Nov. 21, the collective group had their second full group rehearsal, just a week and a half before the performance. For Dumas and others, this is about the collective and anyone who wants to be a part of the play can “come in.”

“It’s supposed to be fun.” Dumas relates the overall experience to the fun and chaos of the party scene at the beginning of the play.

As she talks, young dancers arrive and come to greet her. She smiles, asks about something personal to each and then they run off to get into dance clothes.

Dumas is set on getting the show to stage and bringing the dancers together.

“It’s going to be what it is after a COVID year of nothing,” Dumas says. “Everyone has to understand that perspective. The world stopped in March of last year. There was no dance, no gym, no nothing.”

The Dance Theatre of Fayetteville will perform the Nutcracker December 3-5 at Methodist’s University’s Huff Concert Hall. Tickets will be $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Kids ages 5-17 will be $5 and kids ages 4 and under will be free.

The City of Fayetteville will be requesting $20,000 to repair the property at 242 Hay St. They would like to use the money to power wash and repaint the exterior of the property. They would also like to rebuild the balcony structure using composite decking, install composite handrails, replace the rotted door and door frame to the balcony, repair rotted wood on the window frame closest to the balcony door and repair cracked tile at the front.

Since the location is part of a historically protected area, they will only be fixing what is rotted or broken and repainting the building in the original colors.

Members of the public have until Dec. 13 to submit written comments to the Economic and Community Development Department at City Hall about the
project.

Diane’s Vintage Market was previously located at the site but closed in October of 2019.

Many folks ask me about the correct spelling of the holiday. Confusion comes because the holiday’s name is in Hebrew, which uses an entirely different alphabet that includes sounds not found in English. The first letter has a guttural sound like the German achtung, so some people use CH while others opt for the closest sound in English, the letter H, to avoid people mistakenly thinking it has the English CH sound.

Additionally, depending on where you’re from, some Jews pronounce the final vowel as AH while others say OH. Also, when transcribing the name into English some do it based solely on sound while others try to parallel Hebrew spelling. In Hebrew, it ends with the equivalent of a silent H (like in Sarah), so some spell it in English ending with an H and some without. This all results in many legitimate renderings of the name into English.

Chanukah (my preference) means dedication or rededication and refers to the rededication of the ancient Temple in Jerusalem following its purification upon recapture from the Syrian army 2186 years ago. It celebrates the miracle of the successful revolt of a rag-tag force of faithful Jews, hiding in caves and frequently using guerilla tactics against their powerful overlords, who had prohibited the practice of Judaism and introduced pagan sacrifice into the holy Temple.

Because the Jews celebrated the rededication of the Temple by belatedly observing the eight-day biblical festival of Sukkot (Tabernacles), Chanukah was established as an annual eight day celebration of this miraculous preservation of Judaism. A legend, told hundreds of years after these events, relates that reluctant to delay the rededication of the Temple for the eight days necessary to acquire the special olive oil required for the sanctuary’s Menorah (a seven-branched, continually burning candelabrum), they lit the only pure oil they had found – a single day’s worth. Miraculously the Menorah burned for eight days until new oil arrived.

The main observance of Chanukah is the home lighting of an eight-branched Menorah each evening to publicize the ancient miracle of Judaism’s survival. A single light is kindled on the first night, adding one more each night, until eight are burning at the end.

Honoring the legend of the oil it is customary to eat fried foods during Chanukah, such as potato pancakes and jelly donuts. Chanukah gift-giving mostly originated in America so Jewish kids wouldn’t feel jealous of their classmates’ Christmas gifts. There is no requirement to give any, much less, eight gifts.

Chanukah shifts on our calendar because for religious purposes Jews follow a lunar calendar (although the periodic addition of leap months keeps the Jewish holidays aligned to the same season).
Finally, Chanukah is considered a minor Jewish holiday, because it does not originate in the Hebrew Bible, but in the later books of First and Second Maccabees. That makes it comparatively less significant than the biblical festivals like Passover. It receives oversized attention in America because of its proximity to Christmas.

Editor's Note: Chanukah runs this year from the evening of Sunday, Nov. 28 through the evening of Monday, Dec. 6.

The Green Beret Jingle Jog is an annual 5K walk/run and 10K road race. This year Jingle Jog is turning a decade old. Last year, 2020, would have been the event's tenth anniversary, but COVID-19 halted the event. In connection with changes made in the wake of the pandemic, participants can register and participate virtually this year.

The annual run benefits Special Forces Association, Chapter 100, a non-profit organization. The proceeds support Green Berets and their families within the local community, predominantly those associated with the 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne). Most recently, Special Forces Association Chapter 100 awarded local Special Forces families ten $2,000 scholarships for grade school and college tuitions. Special Forces Association, Chapter 100 supports Green Berets in times of need.

"If they are gone or away and something is needed, we are the first people they [families can] call," explained Jason Orello, treasurer, Special Forces Association Chapter 100.

This year Jingle Jog, which began as a downtown Fayetteville event, is joining forces with the Jordan Soccer Complex at 445 Treetop Drive. There will be a selection of vendors on-site that include, but are not limited to, the Vagabond coffee truck and Fizzy Friendz Bath Bombs.

Two young sisters run Fizzy Friendz Bath Bombs, Cali Rai Campos, aged 13 and Elizabeth Campos, aged 15. The shop carries a selection of bath products. The proceeds from the sales of this business support a community-driven mission. That mission is realized through a charity formed by the five Campos family children, Giving Back Warm Hugs Nonprofit Corporation, helping children in need.

Orello is hoping for even more vendors to join the event. Last-minute vendors are welcome at no cost. They can reach out to Orello by phone, 910-797-3957 or by email, jayorello7414@gmail.com

"If it helps somebody and it promotes their business, then come on out," Orello said.

In Jingle Jog's early days, Julio Ramirez, a retired Green Beret, was a big part of the planning of Jingle Jogs of the past and also planned a host of other local charity runs. Ramirez passed away three years ago from leukemia at the age of 54. In his honor, his wife, Coco Ramirez, has taken up the gauntlet and has been working with Special Forces Association, Chapter 100 to plan the Jingle Jog this year in his stead. Some of the older Jingle Jog t-shirt designs bare his name. The Jingle Jog t-shirt given to registered participants has changed over the years.

"The shirt is a thank you for coming out and recognition for the sponsors," Orello said.

In addition to the change of venue, there is also a new shirt design this year. The design features a reindeer with a green beret. The event is on Dec. 4, and the race will start at 9 a.m. Jingle Jog is a family-friendly event and is suitable for the whole household. Jingle Jog is a festive event, and participants, human and canine alike, have been known to dress up in all manner of holiday costumes.

This year will be no different; costumes, strollers and pets will be welcome at the Jingle Jog.

There are currently 165 participants registered. Registrants include local high schoolers who are to participate and compete. The high school cadet team with the best overall run will walk away with an 18A Special Forces Trophy. There is a registration discount for high schoolers wishing to compete on the website.

To register for the Jingle Jog, visit greenberetjinglejog.itsyourrace.com.

Four red, white and blue coaches have been placed in service. Four more are on the way, according to Fayetteville Transit director Randy Hume. He said the change was made to bring the transit system in line with the city’s new color palette.

The City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, plus nine businesses and civic partners, have launched an intensive project to develop a community-wide branding campaign to create an updated and unified approach to make known the area’s strengths, assets, diversity, vision and potential.

Another eight new buses are expected to be delivered after the first of the year. The cost of FAST buses is provided primarily by the Federal Transit Administration. 18 citywide bus routes are operational.

The Cumberland Choral Arts began in 1991 and are now celebrating their 30th anniversary. Sandy Cage, the President of the Board of Directors for the CCA, says they are still the best-kept secret in Fayetteville.

They are a community group that welcomes anyone to join. They don’t do formal auditions, rather they do voice placements. They hold several performances in a non-COVID year.

One of their annual traditions is to perform the Messiah, a classical work by George Frideric Handel that is best known for its “Hallelujah” chorus. The CCA will be partnering up with the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra for the second performance in a row to present the piece to the community, just in time for Christmas.

“I think there are people in the community who look forward to this every year,” Cage said. “There are some who say that it's not Christmas yet until they come and hear the Messiah.”

The annual tradition started at Fort Bragg but grew and is now performed for the majority of the Fayetteville community.

While COVID-19 did shut down CCA performances for close to two years, some positives did come out of it.

The CCA continued to post virtual performances on their social media pages and one of their videos went viral.

“We are extremely excited because last year when we couldn't do our normal concerts, we ended up doing virtual pieces, and our artistic director, Michael Martin, worked to put those together and one of them was noticed online and we received an invitation to sing at Carnegie Hall in May,” Cage told Up & Coming Weekly.

Cage explained that the composer of the piece is having a musical festival at Carnegie Hall, and because the composer noticed their cover of the piece online, the CCA has been invited to participate. There will be 32 performers going to New York to participate in May.

"We never dreamed anything like that could ever happen, so that invitation was quite a shock but a wonderful one. We are really looking forward to it,” Cage said.

The future of the CCA is looking bright as more people attend and join the choral group.

“We are looking forward to growth in our group, more people singing, more people attending our concerts and possibly sponsoring our own music festival,” Cage said.

She also tells Up & Coming Weekly that there are plans to possibly hold a European tour in the next couple of years.

The upcoming concert, Messiah, is free to attend and no reservations are required. However, they are asking audience members to wear masks during the event.

The concert will feature four soloists, one being a local school teacher - Leigh Montague.

Montague is a Fayetteville native and attended Pine Forest High School. She graduated in 2008 and attended UNC Pembroke. She currently teaches at Cumberland County Schools and has done so for the past nine years.

The community concert will take place at Cedar Falls Baptist Church. Doors will open at 2 p.m. and the concert will start at 3 p.m. on Dec. 5.

Cumberland County Commission Chairman Charles Evans has set his sights on higher public office. He says he will run for the U.S. House of Representatives in North Carolina’s revised 4th District. The 4th Congressional District is newly drawn with no incumbent. The district includes all of Cumberland, Sampson, Johnston Counties, most of Harnett County and a small fragment of Wayne County.

“This district is home to Fort Bragg and the county that's home to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base,” Evans noted. “As a veteran, I understand what military families and personnel need and will be their number one ally in Congress."

Evans has served on the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners for the past 11 years and previously served on the Fayetteville City Council from 2005-2009. He is affiliated with the Democratic party.

Sen. Ben Clark and Rep. John Szoka have also announced that they will be running for the seat. Szoka will be running against former Fayetteville mayor Nat Robertson and former police officer Christine Villaverde for the Republican primary. Clark and Evans will run against each for the Democratic primary.

The holidays are upon us and the Cape Fear Botanical Garden will be bringing in crowds with Holiday Lights in the Garden. This is the eleventh year that the event has been held.

“We started preparing in July … staff members have been working out in the Garden one to two days a week to prepare for BOO-tanical and Holiday Lights,” said Meghan Woolbright, marketing coordinator, Cape Fear Botanical Garden.

Holiday Lights in the Garden include more than one million lights displayed throughout the botanical gardens. More than simply walking through the lights, there are activities for everyone. Cape Fear Botanical Garden’s glowing light maze is constructed with cool white lights.

“Our team hit the ground running with the light maze construction and it was a huge hit for BOO-tanical [event] this year and we're sure it will be for Holiday Lights as well. It'll be like your own winter wonderland,” Woolbright said.

Santa will also be on the scene ready to hear requests from children. Joining Santa, the Grinch will also be found among the lights.

Visitors may purchase photos with Santa, but selfies with the Grinch are free.

Visitors are invited to enjoy dinner and snacks from local food trucks to include Howell N' Dawgs, Hollywood Java, Household 6 Catering, and Gloria's.

Visitors can also warm themselves with hot cocoa and s’mores.

Entertainment will be scheduled on select evenings and free crafts for children will be provided.

There will be live entertainment including the Fayetteville Technical Community College Jazz-Orchestra Ensemble, Highland Brass Players from Snyder Memorial Baptist Church, Fayetteville Jazz Orchestra, Gilbert Theater GLEE, Berean Baptist Choir, and Champion Davis Saint – Amand.

If visitors have last-minute Christmas shopping they can check items off their list in the Garden Gift Shop, which will be open each evening.

Parking will be free but it is limited. On Dec. 17 and 18, Holiday Lights visitors can park downtown and ride the Can-Do Coldwell Banker Trolley to the Cape Fear Botanical Gardens; tickets to ride will be $5 and can be purchased on Eventbrite.

The trolley will be picking up and dropping off between Cool Springs Downtown District office and Cape Fear Botanical Garden every 20 minutes.

A Member Preview Night is scheduled for Dec. 2, which will be free to all Cape Fear Botanical Garden members and they can welcome one guest at normal admission price. Members can pay for guest tickets at the Garden Gift Shop.

For more information or to purchase tickets visit https://www.capefearbg.org/event/holiday-lights-in-the-garden-2/

What can you say about a 17-pound potato named Doug? That he was beautiful? That Doug loved Mozart and Bach? That he would make a lot of vodka? Who knows if a Big Potato loves music? To find out the truth, Mr. Science went all the way to New Zealand to investigate the strange case of the world’s largest potato. An excellent article in The Guardian by Eva Corlett brought Doug to the attention of the world.

Once upon a time, Colin & Donna Brown lived a quiet life in Hamilton, New Zealand puttering their days away in their garden. The greatest problem they faced was keeping Peter Rabbit away from their carrots in the manner of Mr. McGregor. Unbeknownst to them, Colin was about to make a discovery that would bring them to the attention of the world. Colin was weeding his garden when his hoe hit something large and solid underground. Colin had struck Doug. Ms. Corlett’s article reports Colin said: “Donna this must be one of those white sweet potatoes that we grew because some of them grow massive out here.” After giving the object the old taste test, Collin realized he had unearthed a giant white potato.

What do you do with a giant potato? You give him a name that suits his personality. Thus, Doug the Giant Potato was christened. Colin said: “We put a hat on him. We put him on Facebook, taking him for a walk, giving him some sunshine. It’s all a bit of fun. It’s amazing what entertains people. It’s fair to say our veggie garden can get a bit feral. There are some parts of the garden you need to pack a lunch and advise your next of kin before heading to.”

Colin reports they had not planted potatoes for two or three years deepening the mystery of Doug’s origin. Could Doug have been seeded by aliens like the pods in Invasion of the Body Snatchers? Was Doug part of an interstellar plot to take over the Earth one French Fry at the time? The potato soup thickens. Might Doug be the vanguard of an army of giant intelligent tubers bent on seeking revenge against humanity for the transmogrification of millions of their Earthly relatives into potato chips, hash browns, mashed potatoes, twice-baked potatoes, boiled potatoes, potato casserole, baked gnocchi, tater tots, Shepherd’s pie, or potatoes au gratin?

Ponder the facts about potato consumption and beware. If there are intelligent Space Alien Potatoes across the universe it’s easy to see why they would consider the Earth to be the archenemy of potatoes. Mr. Google reports that the average person eats about 110 pounds of potatoes a year. The National Potato Council reports that in 2020 about 42.7 billion pounds of potatoes were produced and eaten each year. That is no small potatoes. If Intelligent Space Potatoes are able to get those potatoes to unite and throw off their chains, no human is safe. We are all doomed to fall to an attack of Killer Potatoes.

But there is hope. The Guinness Book of World Records reports that the largest Pre-Doug potato was found in England in 2011 weighing about 10 pounds. Doug is clearly the King of Potatoes. Fortunately, Doug at this point seems content to amuse New Zealanders and not take over the world. Humanity’s best bet to stave off Killer Potatoes is appeasement by recognizing their accomplishments to show we can be their friends. Consider some of the great potatoes of history: Mr. Potato Head reigned supreme as a toy in the 1950s. The most famous dog in beer ad history was the late great Spuds MacKenzie. Every August 19th is National Potato Day. Great days in Potato History include 2000 BC when the Incas first planted potatoes as a crop. In 1536 the Spanish Conquistadores invaded Peru and took back the first potatoes to Europe. Thomas Jefferson first served French fried potatoes in the White House in 1802. In 1885 Van Gogh painted his famous picture The Potato Eaters immortalizing the role that potatoes play in nutrition. In 1995 NASA launched potatoes into orbit making them the first veggies grown in space. The list goes on and on.

The greatest episode of the Andy Griffith show combines Aunt Bea’s pickles, kindness, and potatoes. Clara has won the best pickles at the county fair for eleven years. It’s a big deal for Clara. Barney and Andy make a fuss over Aunt Bea’s pickles even though her pickles are terrible. The guys switch out her pickles for store-bought dills not knowing Aunt Bea has decided to enter them in the county fair. At first, they think it would be funny for Aunt Bea to win with store-bought pickles. Then Clara talks about how much winning the best pickles means to her since her husband passed away. Andy and Barney then have to eat all store-bought pickles so Aunt Bea will enter her own terrible pickles and lose to Clara. Clara wins the contest. Andy closes by saying: “What’s small potatoes to some folks can be mighty important to others.”

But if flattering potatoes doesn’t work, Doug and Donna have saved the Earth. They wrapped Doug in plastic to preserve him and plan on making him into vodka.

Cumberland County school bus drivers will share in additional system-wide bonuses being provided by the board of education. The school board decided on Nov. 17 to give the school district’s 6,000 full-time employees $1,000 bonuses in December and again in May. Local bus drivers have been demanding better pay and have staged protests recently. More than 100 buses were idled two weeks ago because of a "sick-out" staged by drivers.

Starting pay for bus drivers in the school district is $12.21 an hour. A new state budget proposal includes a provision that the minimum hourly wage for non-certified school employees be raised to $13 this year and to $15 in the 2022-23 fiscal year. The state sets the baseline for pay in public schools, and some counties “supplement” those wages.
The Cumberland County school district used to have a competitive supplemental package, but education officials say they are falling behind.

"Determining the full cost (local, state and federal) of adjusting our minimum hourly salary to $13 or $15... is extremely complicated and if conducted internally could take an inordinate amount of time that we do not have given the state of the labor market," a memorandum released by the board said.

Drivers say they are frustrated over a stalemate between the Cumberland County Board of Education and the county commissioners. The Board of Education develops the budget, but county commissioners provide the funding.

"If you raise the pay for just one group, then you have many other groups within the district that did not get that same consideration," said Clyde Locklear, associate superintendent of business
operations.

Many North Carolina school districts are struggling to hire and retain workers because of low wages and working conditions many complain about. More than a third of Cumberland County Schools, 50,000 students, depend on bus services to get to school.

In the tradition of Charles Dickens’ classic short story, “A Christmas Carol”, the annual A Dickens Holiday is a Victorian-era holiday shopping and entertainment celebration held in historic Downtown Fayetteville. A Dickens Holiday is intended to encourage the community to shop and support local businesses during the holiday shopping season.

This is the twenty-second year that the Arts Council of Fayetteville, through support from the City of Fayetteville, Cumberland County, and the North Carolina Arts Council has planned the event. Vendors line both sides of Hay Street selling a diverse range of goods from hand-knit scarves to metal sculptures, local honey to flavored popcorn — the artisans offer unique products. Shoppers can grab one-of-a-kind gifts to put under the tree.

Vickie Toledo used to be a patron, now she is a vendor, The Crafty Rooster. She has been a patron for 16 years and a vendor for four years.

“I love the theme and the people who dress up. It makes it so much more fun than a holiday craft fair,” said Toledo. “It's a craft fair in the era of Dickens, with all the characters from A Christmas Carol, carriage rides and cider, a beautiful candle-lit march down Hay Street and more. It’s a blast.”

A Dickens Holiday is considered the kickoff event for the holiday season bringing together the best that Fayetteville has to offer. Each year, thousands of onlookers join in the Hay Street festivities.
Following guidance from the Cumberland County Health Department and in light of COVID-19, the Arts Council’s Board of Trustees has taken a cautious approach to this year’s celebration by encouraging social distancing and offering a lower density of crafters, artists and vendors for the event. Also due to COVID-19, the Dickens candlelight procession to the Market House and firework display will not take place this year.

There will be street performances by Michael Daughtry, David Nikkel, Coventry Carolers, Highland Brass Ensemble and others. In addition, there will be festive holiday performances by the English Country Line Dancers, a solo violinist, Gilbert Glee, a magician, Highland Brass Ensemble, a stilt walker, Oakwood Waits Double Ensemble, Anthony Sutton and Friends, Fayetteville Symphony Youth Orchestra, and the Alpha Omega Dance Academy’s ballet excerpts of "The Nutcracker."

Characters from “A Christmas Carol” including Father Christmas, Ebenezer Scrooge, the Ghosts of Christmas Past and Christmas Future, Jacob Marley, London Bobbies and the Cratchit family with Tiny Tim will be ambling around downtown, mingling with the spectators. This is Eric Hoisington’s fourth year participating in A Dickens Holiday by playing the role of Ebenezer Scrooge.
“I am a huge fan of Charles Dickens and have read all of his novels, so it’s amazing to see Fayetteville town’s people once again exposed to the quaintness of Victorian times and the drama inherent in 'A Christmas Carol' while played out by various town-thespians,” said Hoisington. “I walk up and down Hay Street in a bad mood, trying to terrorize the crowd with the depravity that is Ebenezer Scrooge.”

There are memories to be made at the event including Victorian horse-drawn carriage rides on Hay Street, and Dickens photo cut-outs and a holiday selfie station. The event is free and dog-friendly, though owners should check if animals are allowed inside establishments. A Dickens Holiday event will be held on Nov. 26, from 1 – 8 p.m.

In the next few weeks, Cumberland County District Attorney Billy West will hold informational sessions for people who think they may qualify to be lawfully expunged. An expungement clinic will be held in the Spring of 2022 where local attorneys, the public defender’s office, and Legal Aid of NC will assist individuals in having their records expunged. So, what in the world is expungement? To “expunge” is to “erase or remove completely.” In the law, “expungement” is the process by which a record of criminal conviction is destroyed or sealed from state or federal records.

An expungement order directs the court to treat a criminal conviction as if it had never occurred, essentially removing it from a defendant’s criminal record as well as, ideally, the public record. It is important to clarify that expungement is not “forgiveness” for committing a crime — that is a legal pardon. Likewise, pardons are not expungements and do not require removal of a conviction from a criminal record. When a criminal record is expunged, the public record of the arrest, charge, or conviction is deleted.

Notice is also sent to a range of government entities, such as the sheriff’s office or police department that made the arrest and the division of motor vehicles. These agencies are directed to purge their records relating to the arrest, charge, or conviction. For most purposes, it’s like the legal proceeding never happened. However, confidential records are retained after expungement. These records are available under very limited circumstances, such as when a judge considering an expungement application wants to know whether the applicant has been granted an expungement in the past.

Who should be expunged?

"It's someone whose license has been suspended for at least 5 years due to unpaid fees on a minor traffic offense that has already been adjudicated such as a stop sign offense, speeding ticket, expired registration," West said.

Fayetteville criminal justice activist Demetria Murphy said the economic treadmill is exactly what stops people from getting their licenses again.

"Someone who goes from making $8 or $9 who now can go and work for a distribution center and have their regular driver's license back...puts them in a position to actually win," Murphy said.

Under North Carolina law, a person whose record has been expunged generally does not have to disclose the arrest, charge or conviction on job applications, applications for housing, and in other settings where a criminal conviction may have a negative impact. Prospective employers and educational institutions can’t require applicants to disclose expunged entries. In fact, North Carolina law specifically protects people with expunged criminal records from perjury and similar charges relating to failure to disclose an expunged record. Employers who violate this law can be fined.

North Carolina law provides for expungement of a wide variety of arrests, charges and convictions. In some cases, expungement is available only to people who were under a certain age at the time of the crime. Other expungements are available regardless of age. The best source of information about whether your arrest, charge, or conviction may be eligible for expungement is an experienced Fayetteville criminal defense attorney. For more information, contact the District Attorney’s Office at (910) 475-3010 or at Cumberland.DAExpugements@nccourts.org.

Military Giving Tuesday is set for its third year of observance on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving, which falls on Nov. 30. Its inception began in May of 2019 when three of the Armed Forces Insurance Military Spouse of the Year awardees came together with a shared vision.

Jessica Manfre, 2019 Coast Guard Spouse of the Year, Maria Reed, 2019 Army Spouse of the Year, and Samantha Gomolka, 2019 National Guard Spouse of the Year “wanted to create something special that would unite all the branches of service in a collective effort to serve with purpose and in kindness.” The #GivingTuesdayMilitary movement was born.
In its inaugural year, 2019, the campaign utilized hashtags to record over 2.5 million acts of kindness. When Stacy Bilodeau, 2018 Coast Guard Spouse of the Year joined the team in 2020 the movement produced Inspire Up, a 501c3 whose mission is to “Inspire Up a kinder and more giving world by uniting the military and civilian communities through empowerment, education, community building and a commitment to serve,” according to inspireupfoundation.org.

“It’s not about money, it’s about kindness,” explained Director of Community Engagement and Director of GMT, Brittany Raines, who is a Fort Drum military spouse.
Local Fort Bragg spouse Tawni Dixon, a member of Fort Bragg’s 2020 Family of the Year, connected to the movement via Raines and with her counterpart Shauna Johnson, together as GMT Ambassadors they are bringing the movement to Fort Bragg.

They have created a Facebook group (GivingMilitaryTuesday – Fort Bragg) and they are spreading the word via personal networks.

“We have a really amazing volunteer pool here at Fort Bragg. I think Fort Bragg just has a lot of rock-star-volunteers here and so once you talk about it word just travels really fast,” Dixon said. “We know that Fort Bragg is such a family it has been easy to get the word out.” It’s all about improving the community and bringing smiles to people’s faces.

“Our motto is dropping kindness all over the center of the military universe. It doesn’t matter how, it can be so simple,” said Dixon

One example Dixon shared is when, at her place of work, someone placed googly eyes on a debit card payment system and in a few other select places and it made people smile.

“It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture we just want people to spread kindness.”

The group has several events planned to further their cause. They will be supporting the Armed Services YMCA’s Operation Holiday Hooah to give out gifts to military families in need, and they will be participating in a packing party and helping to distribute food at the ASYMCA Food Pantry on Nov. 30 in observance of GMT.

If you are interested in participating and want to get involved, the group can be contacted at givingmilitarytuesdayfortbragg@gmail.com.

It is open to anyone who wants to volunteer, although events on post may require a DOD ID or entry through All-American Access Control Point.

“Giving Tuesday is not about being grand… it's really just about being kind in the world,” said Dixon.