I’ve never really been a victim of cancel culture. But that’s not to say my critics haven’t tried to make me one.

I began my syndicated column in 1986. It ran initially in a couple of newspapers in eastern North Carolina, then spread to dozens of others over the ensuing decade. On several occasions, left-wing activists have tried to get editors to drop my column. It never worked. In my experience, local newspaper folks didn’t like obviously orchestrated attempts to dictate editorial decisions.

During my quarter-century as a regular panelist on TV shows, I can’t say producers or stations were never subject to political pressure. They were. But I was never silenced.

I am, of course, just a relatively obscure scribbler and pontificator. At the national level, cancel culture has become a real and pervasive threat in universities, business and media. Teachers, writers, actors, and even low-level employees have been fired not for doing their jobs poorly, or for truly egregious personal behavior that reflected poorly on their judgment and their employers, but simply for expressing or even tolerating political views that online bullies didn’t like.
Before you jump to the conclusion I’m only talking about political conservatives, I’ll offer two cases of non-conservatives who’ve lost their jobs at just one outlet, The New York Times, for reasons that can only be described as ridiculous.

The first example, James Bennet, is someone I happen to know slightly. We were both reporter-researchers at The New Republic at the same time, just as the Reagan administration was drawing to a close, although the number of meaningful conversations we had could be counted on one hand.

During the riots last summer, Bennet ran an op-ed by Sen. Tom Cotton of Arkansas that advocated deploying the military if necessary to protect lives and property. Many people had a strong negative reaction to it. I disagreed with part of Cotton’s argument myself. But it was an obviously newsworthy column by a sitting U.S. senator that expressed a mainstream view held by many millions of Americans.

No doubt Bennet disagreed with Cotton, too. But he was editorial-page editor of a national newspaper. It was his job to run such op-eds. In fact, the Times even solicited the piece! But Bennet was forced out over it.

More recently, you may have heard, Times science writer Donald McNeil Jr. was cancelled because he used the “n-word” in a conversation with a student. Was McNeil engaging in some racist fulmination or treating the student in a creepy way? No. The student asked McNeil for his opinion about the fate of another student who’d been suspended for using the n-word in a video made when that student was 12 years old. While asking for clarification of the question, McNeil repeated the word. For that, he was forced out.

To be sure, there is a lot of hyperbole, hypocrisy, and shoddy reasoning to be found among current condemnations of cancel culture. When Sen. Josh Hawley lost a book contract with a major publisher after the January 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol, he said, “This is not just a contractual dispute. It’s a direct assault on the First Amendment.”

Nonsense. The constitution prohibits the government from restraining our right to speak or publish, or to punish us later for expressing political views that government functionaries dislike. It has nothing to do with the decisions of private actors.

A better argument is that even perfectly legal private decisions to cancel will, over time, weaken the culture of free expression. We need that culture. We need it to foster good journalism, to create great works of art, and to lubricate our daily interactions within a society of diverse opinions.

Remember the Hollywood blacklist of the 1950s? It’s been denounced repeatedly ever since. But now I can’t help wondering: were those denunciations really about the injustice of people losing jobs because of their political views and friendships? Or is cancel culture okay as long as the victims aren’t communists?

Welcome back to both of my readers.

As you two may recall, in the column two weeks ago we enjoyed the first six labors of Hercules in an effort to make you feel better about your own lives in comparison to Hercules’ cosmic troubles. For those of you who came in late, the nutshell version of Herk’s story was that he was the illegitimate child of Zeus. When Mrs. Hera Zeus learned Zeus was Herk’s Baby Daddy, she was sorely vexed. Hera tried to kill Herk in his crib with some snakes, failed, made Herk insane, and made him kill Mrs. Herk and his kids. Herk came to his senses and sought forgiveness by Apollo by doing penance in the form of 12 difficult labors.

Today we learn what Herk had to do in his last six dirty jobs. Job Number 7 was to capture the Cretan Bull. The Cretan Bull had an interesting family tree. The Bull’s mom was Pasiphae who was the Queen of Crete. She managed to aggravate the Sea God Poseidon. Poseidon put a spell on her that made her fall in love with the Cretan Bull. From this interspecies love affair, she gave birth to the Minotaur who was half bull, half man. Their family reunions were a caution. The Cretan Bull was raising heck all over Crete messing up fields and knocking down walls. Being a superhero, naturally Herk caught the Cretan Bull.

Labor 8 was to steal the Mares of Thrace. These were no ordinary cayuses. Instead of eating grass these horses ate people. Capturing a herd of giant carnivorous horses was a challenge even for Herk. The herd belonged to Diomedes the King of Thrace who wasn’t inclined to give them to Herk. Word on the street said Alexander the Great’s very own horse Bucephalus was a descendant of the Mares of Thrace. Herk whipped Diomedes’ cowboys. He unchained the horses and drove them down to the sea. Herk then left his buddy Abderus in charge of the horses, leaving to fight Diomedes himself at High Noon. Unfortunately, the horses ate Abderus. Herk was displeased and fed Diomedes to his own horses. Chowing down on humans had a calming effect on the horses. Herk duct taped their mouths shut and got them under control.

Number 9 was to steal the girdle of Hippolyta, the Queen of the Amazons. This was no mere panty raid. Hippolyta was an upper crust Amazon debutante who proudly wore her girdle that her Daddy had given her at her coming out party. Ever the ladies’ man, Herk sweet-talked Hippolyta out of her girdle. Herk’s old enemy Hera disguised herself as an Amazon to spread the fake news that Herk had kidnapped Hippolyta. The other Amazons attacked Herk’s ship thinking to save Hippolyta as a result of Hera’s lying mouth. In the confusion of the battle, Herk mistakenly killed Hippolyta. Luckily, he did get to keep her girdle.

Labor 10 was a doozy. Herk had to rustle the cattle herd of a three-bodied Giant named Geryon. A Giant with only one body is major trouble. Imagine what a three-bodied Giant could do. The mind boggles. There is some confusion as to whether Geryon had one body and three heads, or three bodies and three heads. He may have had six legs and six arms. Accounts vary. But whatever, he was a warrior. He owned a two-headed dog named Orthrus who guarded his cows. When Herk got near the cows, Orthrus attacked him. Herk smote him with a club sending Orthrus to doggy heaven. Geryon heard the ruckus and rumbled with Herk. Herk shot Geryon square in the head with a poisoned arrow causing his demise. To cover his tracks with the herd, Herk made the cows walk backwards all the way to the
stock yards.

Job 11 required Herk to steal the golden apples of the Hesperides who were three or more beauteous young nymphs of the female persuasion. They were sometimes called the Nymphs of the West because they lived at the edge of the world. Not only could they grow golden apples but they were excellent singers. When the occasion called for it, they could turn themselves into trees. Herk ran into Atlas who was holding up the sky. Herk volunteered to give Atlas a rest from sky holding if Atlas would steal the apples for him. Atlas shrugged and stole the apples. Atlas didn’t want to go back to holding up the sky. Herk tricked Atlas into holding up the sky again and ran off with the apples to make a really large pie.

Herk’s final job was to be a dog catcher to catch Cerberus the dog that guarded the Gates of Hell to keep the dead inside. Cerberus had three heads with a poisonous snake as his tail. He was meaner than a junk yard dog. Herk strode down into Hell setting out to capture Cerberus. Herk used his lion skin cape to wrap around Cerebrus to squeeze him into submission. Herk put Cerberus on an iron leash and his labors
were over.

Editor’s Note: No bulls, carnivorous horses, Amazons, Giants, two or three headed dogs were injured, nor were any golden apples bruised during the writing of this column. Now don’t you feel better about your own tasks in life? Now get back to work.

In Other News … millions of Americans, including this one, are breathing sighs of relief and feeling our bodies relax a bit now that hardball and toxic partisan politics are taking a break under a new Administration. Its absence gives all of us a chance to absorb other news perhaps not as intense, but important, nevertheless. Here are several national stories that have caught my attention.

Like many other developed nations, the United States’ birth rate is falling, beginning in 2008 and dipping below the replacement level. Americans are marrying later, if at all, and having fewer children. Demographers say there are multiple reasons for this, including the phenomenal expense of raising and educating children and our nation’s distinctly unfriendly family support policies.

Both Democrats and Republicans, including President Biden and U.S. Senator Mitt Romney, are proposing financial supports for families, albeit of different sorts and for different lengths of time. Other nations, notably Spain, Hungary, France and Japan, have instituted various financial incentives, but none have worked over the long term. A recent story in the The New York Times concludes, “Public child care is the only policy that has been shown to increase fertility in a lasting way … especially if its quality is high, and if it’s available for children of all ages and covers a range of work hours.”

Researchers at the Wittgenstein Centre in Vienna, which studies population, stress this: “Policies should respond to diverse needs of the population, and not to the ideological beliefs of the policy makers.”

And why should we care whether our birth rate declines? We should care because babies grow into the workers of tomorrow who provide society’s financial safety nets and become the movers and shakers for everyone’s futures.
COVID has changed so much about how we live. We must now wear masks, limit our social interactions and the number of people we see, including family and friends, and many of us are suffering mental and emotional distress of all sorts because of COVID’s effects. We now know COVID has also changed how long we live.

More than half a million Americans have died of COVID, more than in any other nation and more than Americans deaths in World War II and the Korean and Vietnam conflicts combined. The massive number of fatalities has literally lowered the life expectancy for all of us by at least one year, and more for racial and ethnic minorities. The gap between the life spans of white and Black Americans is now six years, the widest gap in more than two decades. Such declines in developed nations are unusual, and the United States had begun rebounding from thousands of opioid epidemic deaths between 2014 and 2017. Those gains are now gone. The last major U.S. life span decline was between 1942 and 1943 when our nation entered World War II.

The United States has historically prided itself on being just that— individual states that united. Each state makes its own laws and regulations, which creates a patchwork which has worked for more than 250 years. Occasionally, we find situations where a national strategy would have been more effective than the patchwork. Imagine how much more efficient and almost certainly less lethal a comprehensive national approach fighting COVID and delivering vaccines would have been than our system of each state — and in North Carolina each county — working independently. And, the 29 million people who live in Texas and who suffered through this month’s record cold snap probably wish Texas had become part of the national energy grid so that other states could have sent them some power.

In other words, national responsibility for issues involving public health and safety is not always a bad thing.

Howdy folks! Truman the Dragon here from Kidsville News! I know you may be wondering why I am writing an article in the Up & Coming Weekly community newspaper. Well, this is a first for me, but I have a very important message for the Fayetteville and Cumberland County community. You see, I created the Kidsville News! Educational Resource back in the day with my friend Bill Bowman and the assistance and guidance of Cumberland County Schools. Yep. My friend the Character Bear and I came to the Fayetteville and Cumberland County community at the very same time. Together and with the support of CCS and local businesses and educational sponsors, we have had the privilege of supporting Fort Bragg, Cumberland County and Hoke County schools for 23 consecutive years.

Pretty cool, huh? It has been a wonderful and rewarding experience providing this fun and valuable literacy and educational resource to the young K–5th-grade children, their teachers and parents. Now, summer is fast approaching! With all the lockdowns and prudent precautions our educational leaders are taking to protect our teachers and children's health and welfare, it is essential that these caring adults understand that children also need to have fun and recreation! So, my message is one of awareness for parents, teachers and the dozens of local Fayetteville and Cumberland County businesses, daycare centers, churches and nonprofit organizations that are considering hosting Summer Camps in 2021. These essential SUMMERTIME SANCTUARIES are more critical now than ever to develop a child's physical and mental health. I want to encourage every business and organization thinking about hosting a Summer Camp to know how vitally important it is to get their camp information and message out to families and the general public about what creative and exciting adventures await their children. Here's why: First and foremost - children need to have fun! They need fresh air outside of the house and away from their computer screens. They need to run, jump, play and socialize with their friends and children of their age. In other words, "kids need to be kids!" That's also why I want to remind teachers, parents and guardians that they are responsible and in full control of their child's health, development and happiness. I have tens of thousands of young friends, and it has been heartbreaking during the last year to see them sad, lonely and missing their friends and classmates. Unfortunately, that's not all they are missing. They are missing playgrounds, field trips, music venues, sports, theater. More concerning, they are missing way too many nutritious meals with healthy fruits and vegetables.

Getting children enrolled in a Summer Camp with educational and fun summertime activities will prepare them better for dealing with social and academic challenges in the coming school year. Again, this is why I am encouraging anyone (businesses, daycares, churches, theaters, schools, etc.) who is having a Summer Camp this May, June, July or August to contact me. I want to assist them in marketing and advertising their Summer Camp in the Kidsville News! 2021 Summer Camp Directory. I'm providing significant discounts for local businesses and nonprofits, a free camp directory listing, and free reading and educational resources with activity worksheets for every child. This is an important publication because parents, teachers and guardians need to know what is available for their children other than COVID masks, social distancing and a computer screen. Children need to have FUN! and parents and guardians need to know where the fun is. So, if you know a business, church or organization offering fun and exciting summertime experiences, ask them to let me help them get their message out.

Businesses and organizations promoting Summer Camps in Kidsville News! will have a chance to win a FREE $100 Shopping Spree at my very, very favorite place — Rocket Fizz Soda Pop and Candy Shop. Yep, and all the participating Campers will receive a delicious FREE gift from Rocket Fizz and a special edition of Kidsville News! For more information or to advertise, promote and market your Summer Camp call Up & Coming Weekly at 910-484-6200 or contact me directly at Kidsville 910-391-3859. Thanks a million! I will be looking forward to seeing you at Rocket Fizz this summer.

Oh, by the way, if you see my friend Bill Bowman make sure you thank him for allowing me to use his space for this important message. I'm sure he would want me to tell you, "Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly."

Leadership moves the world. That’s why it’s important, why we study it, and why we strive to be successful leaders in today’s winning organizations. Did you know that 37% of employees surveyed reported they had left a job mainly due to poor leadership? At its core, leadership is about human beings coming together to accomplish some desired outcome.

Start 2021 off on the right foot by pursuing a Leadership Studies degree at Fayetteville Technical Community College. Our Leadership Studies Program seeks students with the passion and dedication to join a new generation of organizational leaders who will confront challenges in an increasingly complex and constantly changing world. It guides and facilitates the processes that allow students a deep understanding and appreciation of the dynamics of leadership, the convergence of leadership with other people, and the role of the individual as a leader in groups, organizations and society.

In the program, students develop an understanding of leadership as a process and as a relationship among people that transcends the setting. Students gain a deep appreciation of the dynamics and responsibilities of leadership. In addition, the program prepares students for a successful career in leadership positions in a wide variety of career paths and professions to meet their professional and educational goals. For example, the program fosters crucial skills sought after by employers — innovation, teamwork, change management, adaptability, communication, critical thinking and analysis — hallmarks of leadership. These skills enable FTCC graduates to succeed in management or leadership roles in their organizations.

The program also prepares students for employment in a competitive marketplace or guides students to a bachelor’s degree at a four-year college. FTCC has numerous articulation agreements with four-year universities, allowing students to complete additional upper-level courses with the value of FTCC’s affordable tuition.

The program helps students understand leadership not only as a position but also as a process and a relationship among people, learn how to examine issues from varied perspectives, embrace differences and change, and seek innovative solutions to complicated problems. Courses challenge students to think critically, communicate effectively and anticipate change. Students can enter the program through the gateway course (LDR-110) Introduction to Leadership.

Without question, today’s workforce must be competitive, interactive and diverse to compete and succeed in a changing global economy. Leaders will be required to meet these global challenges with exceptional leadership skill sets needed to keep their companies successful and profitable in an ever-changing economic environment. Are you ready for the leadership challenge? Experience high-quality instruction at FTCC, regardless if the class is face to face, online or blended. At FTCC, students learn from proven business leaders who excel in many levels. Visit www.faytechcc.edu to apply. Feel free to email me at bellfloj@faytechcc.edu for help or questions about the degree program. Make the SMART choice for your education — Fayetteville Technical Community College!

The Algernon Sydney Sullivan Foundation has selected Methodist University to award Algernon Sydney Sullivan and Mary Mildred Sullivan medallions and certificates beginning at the May 2021 commencement ceremony.

The University will also house a permanent plaque where the names of the recipients will be added annually.

“It is a tremendous honor for Methodist University to join the ranks of other distinguished universities and colleges that are authorized to present the Sullivan Award,” said Methodist University President Stanley T. Wearden.

“This will become one of our highest distinctions for students, an honor that recognizes the well-rounded student: academically strong, meaningfully engaged in the community, driven by a commitment to putting others before themselves. These are the qualities to which we aspire. Our mission statement commits Methodist University to truth, virtue, justice, and love, which correspond well with the goals of the Sullivan Foundation. This award gives Methodist the opportunity to recognize members of our university community who best exemplify these values.”

The medallions are awarded to college students and members of the college community who have demonstrated noble character and have acted as humble servants by serving those around them. Rev. Kelli Taylor, Methodist University’s vice president of Religious Life and Community Engagement, received a medallion in 1989 when studying at Converse College.

“Receiving the Sullivan medallion moves beyond recognition and joins recipients to a community of scholars who value the ideals of heart, mind, and conduct as evince of a spirit of love for and helpfulness to humanity,” said Taylor. “Nobility of character, a criterion that the Sullivan Foundation defines as ‘when one goes outside the narrow circle of self-interest and begins to spend himself for the interests of mankind,’ is critical to a society immersed in conversations of racial justice, love for neighbor, and unity.”

Notable recipients include former First Lady Elanor Roosevelt, TV personality Mr. Fred Rogers, former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, and tennis star Betty Pratt.

The Sullivan Foundation was established in 1934 and began awarding service-based scholarships to deserving students while establishing endowments at certain schools within its network. Its roots go back nearly 80 years earlier, when Algernon Sydney Sullivan himself was a young lawyer in Indiana. He used his legal talents and personal wealth to help those in trouble in his community, building a reputation for taking on clients who could pay him little or nothing when he believed their cause was just. When Algernon and his wife Mary Mildred Sullivan moved to New York in 1856, they remained dedicated to the cause of helping people in trouble. A believer in equality for all, Algernon also sponsored the first African American member of the New York Bar Association.

The honor that Algernon would have appreciated the most was the one he received when the New York Southern Society — an organization he himself founded — established the Algernon Sydney Sullivan Award in 1890. The award was created to recognize college students in the South for “excellence of character and service to humanity.” Algernon and Mary’s only son, George, continued and cemented the Sullivans’ legacy when, in 1934, he created the Sullivan Foundation to ensure the continued existence of the awards. The Foundation remains as strong as ever today, building a legacy of service, courage, and character.

Methodist University is an independent, four-year institution of higher education with approximately 2,000 students from across the U.S. and more than 70 countries. Methodist University offers more than 80 undergraduate and graduate degree programs (including doctoral-level options) on campus and online.

According to a 2020 research study by coworkingresources.org, an expected 5 million people will be working from coworking spaces by 2024, a 158 percent increase since 2020.

The need for facilities to provide coworking spaces is already being addressed in Fayetteville with current and new offices sweeping in.

Fayetteville’s newest coworking venture called The Hub is owned by Tyson Commercial Real Estate. The space, located at 109 Hay St., is set to open in March, and join existing spaces like Revolutionary Coworking and The Common to accommodate the increasing need for coworking facilities.

“The Hub is Fayetteville’s community connector and offers a turnkey experience and workspaces for business owners and entrepreneurs in our area,” Henry Tyson, co-founder of The Hub, said. “It’s a space to incubate an idea for an emerging company, a place for people to get together and do business with one another all while spurring each other on towards accomplishing their goals.”

The 3,500 sq ft. coworking space will offer small office spaces, desks, storage, conference rooms for meetings, patio space, and options for designated parking with the goal of flexibility for customers.

It’s a membership model said Clark Rinehart, consultant for The Hub. There is a monthly option, or folks can also come in and use the space for the day or week, Rinehart said.

Rinehart owns a coworking business in Raleigh and says his expertise is the layout and design of such spaces helps him make recommendations for the Fayetteville market.

While there are other great providers in Fayetteville, Rinehart said The Hub aims to establish a premium working space with all the amenities people expect in a professional office space.

Due to pandemic social distancing restrictions, The Hub will accommodate about 55 to 60 spots for coworking. The facility will provide premium coffee, dedicated parking, high speed Wi-Fi and staff on site to help with any issues.

Our team has worked really hard to create a premium and professional environment that will foster growth from the heart of the city, Tyson said.

The Hub is offering scheduled tours and information to potential customers and can be reached at http://hubfaye.com/landing-page/ or their email hello@hubfaye.com

“Is the traditional office space dead? No, but a hybrid model having flexibility — like you can work from home and then have a place perhaps even a small footprint companies had prior to the pandemic — that’s why I think these models will thrive,” Rinehart said. “I do think there is a market for coworking spaces in Fayetteville, especially downtown, lots of small businesses, military, entrepreneurs and people who have been running very successful companies from home who are yearning for these types of spaces.”

The Fayetteville Cumberland County Economic Development Corporation’s CORE Innovation Center located in the PWC building downtown offers tech-focused coworking spaces.

The Core Innovation Center is little different than a coworking space. Designed for government contracting and energy companies, it places emphasis on those doing business with the government, said Robert Van Geons, President/CEO of FCEDC.

Launched about 18 months ago, it hosts military contractors and technology companies with FCEDC’s that share their primary focus of recruiting and developing new businesses for Fayetteville.

The effort was designed to support the adoption of advanced technology in the Fayetteville-Cumberland County area and work to retain innovative entrepreneurs, he said.

“I think that it’s a very exciting development for our community to have various coworking spaces, many that are currently successful and many that are starting up,” Van Geons said. “It provides options for people that are teleworkers, entrepreneurs, startups.”

Kyle Simms, who rents a space out of Revolutionary Coworking located downtown said he works for a medical device company based in Oregon.

“The company hired me, and I didn’t want to move to Oregon, so they let me stay here in North Carolina, so the company picks up my rent space. It's a good flexible way of giving me an office,” Simms said. “The biggest reasons I need an office is for personal meetings, small groups and the conference room space for larger focus groups.”

As a member, Simms describes one perk of getting to use 20 hours of conference room time every month at Revolutionary Coworking. When he was working from home, it would cost $700 to $800 to rent a conference room at a hotel.

“I was already working remotely out of the coworking space since 2017 before the pandemic,” he said. “I have had an office there since, but now I use it more just because the kids are at home and remote learning and it’s made it a bit difficult to work from home.”

Revolutionary Coworking offers different membership levels, for more info visit https://www.revolutionarycoworking.com.

While family may be a distraction for some who work from home, others can feel a sense of isolation working from home. Some workers want the option to come work in a dedicated space two to three days outside of their home, Rinehart said.

“Bringing people who have certain interests and affinities together to really create this greater sense of ‘we are in this together’ and we want to see this innovation hub emerge from the heart of Fayetteville,” Rinehart said.
Van Geons said there is absolutely a market in Fayetteville for coworking spaces.

“If you look at the Commons, they are expanding their coworking space on Morganton Road, The Hub will serve more everyday folks, and Revolutionary has more short-term folks as well,” he said. “Each of them is serving a different audience and there's room for a lot more here.”

Families needing rental assistance in Cumberland County and Fayetteville have several options available to them. Charities, churches and government agencies provide routine assistance in the county. Services offered include shelter, section 8 housing choice vouchers, emergency rental help, low-income housing, and money for security deposits. The U.S. Treasury Department has awarded more than $10 million to the city of Fayetteville and Cumberland County to implement a local Emergency Rental Assistance Program. It’s a significant part of the federal government’s COVID-19 relief package.

An agency is being sought to administer the program and provide direct services of the ERAP which are designed to assist families struggling to make rental and utility payments. Renters in North Carolina cannot be evicted for non-payment of rent. Gov. Roy Cooper issued Executive Order 91 extending the eviction moratorium through March 31. “Both the city and county have issued a joint request for proposal to locate a firm to administer this program because we are expecting an overwhelming number of applications that will be beyond our current capacity to administer,” said Cumberland County Community Development Director Dee Taylor.

Once a firm is selected, a contract is expected to be executed in March or April. No less than 90 percent of the $10 million must be used for direct financial assistance, including rent, rental and utility arrears, utilities and home energy costs, and other expenses related to housing. Funds granted to the city and county generally expire on December 31, 2021. If you or someone you know needs rental, utility or other types of assistance, contact the Coordinated Entry Referral System at 910-479-4663.

A housing referral specialist will conduct a preliminary needs assessment and refer the caller to the appropriate agency for assistance. Delays should be expected because of a high volume of inquiries. Income restrictions apply. In addition to the rental assistance program, the Low-Income Energy Assistance Program administered by the Department of Social Services can help with utility bills. Applications can be accessed at http://www.ccdssnc.com/energy-assistance-programs or by contacting the DSS LIEAP message line at 910-677-2821 or DSS at 910-323-1540.

An “eligible household” is defined as a rental household in which at least one or more individuals meet the following criteria: Qualifies for unemployment or has experienced a reduction in household income, incurred significant costs, or experienced a financial hardship due to COVID-19; demonstrates a risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability; and has a household income at or below 80 percent of the area median. Households that include an individual who has been unemployed for the 90 days prior to application for assistance and households with income at or below 50 percent of the area median will be prioritized for assistance.

Cumberland County is asking people who are interested in applying for grant money to gather some documents before submitting their applications. Applicants will need to provide proof of residency (driver’s license or any other official document) and a copy of rental statement or lease agreement and/or utility bills showing past due amounts. Applicants will also need to verify their household income and provide proof of financial hardship for the previous two months.

A new federal commission charged with renaming military sites named for Confederate leaders has three years to complete its work. The appointees are likely to face significant political pressure from local officials and members of Congress as they review and propose changes to a host of military locations named for Confederate officers and officials.

The most prominent of these are 10 Army installations, including Fort Bragg. Some conservative lawmakers have worked to block the changes, arguing the move would be confusing and upsetting to communities surrounding the well-known sites. Under the rules laid out by Congress in the fiscal 2021 defense authorization act, the panel will develop plans to replace the names while “incorporating local sensitivities associated with the naming or renaming
of assets.”

President Joe Biden is on record supporting name changes. The commission must submit its report on recommendations regarding military sites by October 2022. Under the law, the Secretary of Defense must implement the commission’s plan no later than Jan. 1, 2024.

Fayetteville Police are probing at least three home invasions over the last three weeks. The most recent incident occurred at a home in Haymount. Officers were dispatched to a residence on Ellington St. at 5:18 a.m. Feb 13. Police spokesman Sgt. Jeremy Glass said a man entered the residence through a rear sunroom door. The homeowner spotted the subject in a bedroom where his wife was sleeping. “Startled, the suspect discharged a firearm... then fled the scene,” Glass said. No one was hurt.

Detectives are requesting the public’s assistance in reviewing security camera footage along Ellington Street toward Morganton Road during the night and early morning hours of Feb. 13. Anyone with video evidence is asked to contact police. The FPD reminds residents to lock their doors and windows, set their alarm systems, and remain vigilant to suspicious activity in their neighborhoods.

Six homicides in six weeks! Fayetteville Police spokesman Sgt. Jeremy Glass tells Up & Coming Weekly that half a dozen murders through Feb. 15 compare to three homicides during the corresponding period last year. 33 homicides were recorded in 2020 tying a local record. Glass said Police Chief Gina Hawkins stresses crime prevention in efforts to drive crime numbers down.

“Preventing certain crimes is a daunting, if not impossible task,” Glass said. “However, we continue to provide resources, crime prevention programs, technology and manpower trying to reduce crime.” Police could not provide information as to trends of gun violence in the city.

Coincidently, gun ownership has exploded since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and the civil unrest that gripped the nation over the summer. Americans purchased more guns in January 2021 than any other month on record, according to the FBI which has tracked gun sales since 1998. American citizens bought more than 4 million firearms last month which is a rise of 60% over last January.

Just in case you missed me last week, I was not off traveling the world as I have done many times before, sometimes for weeks at a time. I was not loafing in bed reading novels and eating bonbons. I was babysitting!

My one and only grand baby is a 13-month-old boy and the focus of our family’s attention. In a what seems the blink of an eye, he has gone from an unpredictable and absolutely dependent infant to a little boy ready to roll.

He rarely misses a meal and thoroughly enjoys tossing tidbits from the high chair to his “brother,” the family Labrador retriever, always at the ready to receive flying food of any sort. Words are beginning to flow, prominently among them a version of “basketball.” That word applies to any round object, including oranges which roll easily along the kitchen counter and make a satisfying smack when hurled at the floor.

Strolling is a favorite activity, although pushing a version of baby shopping cart is becoming more popular as actual walking looms.

Simply put, he is a toddler with the world unfolding before him.

My friends who became grandparents long before I did are right. Being a grandmother is in many ways easier than being a mother. It has all the pleasure, wonder and love of parenting without the daily frustrations, exasperations, physical demands, financial burdens, and all the other realities of having children. I had worried that I would not remember how to handle young children, but it comes back, just like riding a bicycle. I saw with my own children how cherished and meaningful an involved grandparent can be, and I aspire to have such a relationship.

All of which brings to mind what I want this precious boy to learn and embody as he grows up.

I want him to understand from an early age that good health — physical, mental, emotional and spiritual, is important and worth working to establish and maintain.

This means nourishing food, regular physical activity though not necessarily athletics. Rest and quiet time for personal reflection should be part of regular routine. It is true that nothing else much matters if we don’t have good health.

I want him to value education and to work for it. Education determines not only our careers and our lifetime earnings, but it also enriches the quality of our lives as we enjoy the knowledge we have and continue to seek more. We understand and enjoy the world around us so much more when we know what we are seeing. I want him to understand that learning never stops only when breathing does.

I want him to know he will have two kinds of families — the people to whom he is related and the people he chooses as friends. Both are precious and must be nurtured at all stages of life. These are the people who will laugh with him, cry with him, and share life’s offerings.

At the same time, he needs to learn to love and trust himself, to enjoy his own company, and to understand that no one in his circle of family and friends will be with him forever. The only person who will take every step with him is himself.

I remember my parents, of course, as well as my grandparents and some of their siblings and still feel their impacts. I have come to understand that children have an innate need for relationships with people in the generation older than their parents. I look forward to that with this little boy for as long as we are flowing down the river of life together.

The Lafayette Society and Fayetteville State University are partnering to present the Global Studies Lecture Series. This annual speaker series will be held virtually Feb. 25 and will feature the life and work of Charles W. Chesnutt, a successful African American writer.

This speaker series is hosted by the Lafayette Society and the Departments of Intelligence Studies, Geospatial Sciences, Political Science and History at FSU. This series will be presented by Joshua James, Dr. Maria Orban, Dr. Blanche Radford Curry and Nicholle Young. Each presenter will discuss different aspects of Chestnutt's life, from his upbringing in Fayetteville to his ideas about race and the circumstances of the African American community during the rise of Jim Crow.

Although he also lived in Cleveland, Ohio, most of Chesnutt’s literary works developed from his life here in Fayetteville. Chesnutt attended what is now known as Fayetteville State University when it was called the Howard School. The Howard School was intended to educate African Americans coming out of slavery; it became a top school at the time in the Fayetteville area. Chesnutt served as a principal at the school for a time.

This speaker series aims to detail the historical richness to be found in Chesnutt’s life as it relates to the Fayetteville community. This event will be taking place virtually on Feb. 25 from 7-8 p.m. with Dr. Rob Taber, a history professor and co-advisor for the Black History Scholars Association at FSU, as the moderator.

The Lafayette Society has also started an endowment at FSU for “the Study of the Age of Revolutions, Emancipation and Civil Rights.” When fully funded, proceeds from the endowment will be used for continued educational programming, speaker fees, student grants and faculty support. Anyone interested in contributing to the endowment at FSU can visit www.lafayettesociety.org and go to the “Outreach” tab.

The Lafayette Society was founded in 1981 to bring historical awareness about the city’s past by bringing to life the rich history of Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier — the Marquis de Lafayette.

Lafayette was a French aristocrat and military officer who served with George Washington in the Revolutionary War. With his ties to the King of France, he helped the colonists gain their freedom from England. The Lafayette Society was established to help preserve his history and remind Fayetteville of the role its namesake played in the American Revolution. The president of Lafayette Society, Hank Parfitt, describes Lafayette as having a “silver halo of kindness.”

Parfitt believes studying historical figures such as Chesnutt and Lafayette can help us learn more about the efforts of those who came before us in the fight to provide freedom and equality for all our citizens.

Dr. Gwenesta B. Melton, a local medical doctor who serves as a board member in the Lafayette Society, said learning about Lafayette is an interesting endeavor.

“Upon careful review of his life, his stance on human rights for all people was visionary in scope for his time." Dr. Melton said. “As an abolitionist, slavery was abhorrent to him. Realizing half of humankind are women, he recognized the value and worth of women and advocated for our rights. Leadership skills came to him easily and at a young age. All these attributes make General de Lafayette an extraordinary human being.”

“As an African American professional woman, his lessons and visions are just as pertinent now and render a glorious example of how we all can live in a world with peace and harmony. Our Society aims to teach this to all living in Fayetteville.”

Parfitt said the Lafayette Society and FSU share a goal to “inspire students to learn history.” They plan to continue to sponsor this speaker series every February and expand the event to include more educational opportunities.

For more information about the Feb. 25 speaker series on Chesnutt visit www.lafayettesociety.org.

Pictured above:Charles W. Chesnutt

Pictured below:Marquis de Lafayette

The Gilbert Theater has been around since 1994 when it was started in the basement of Lynn Pryer's house, and for the last 26 years, it has produced many wonderful theatrical performances on the main-stage season. “FayetteVAUDEville” was an idea that the board of the theater came up with to produce something new and fresh to end 2020. Last October, the theater put on its first-ever performance of “FayetteVAUDEville” starring Jermey Ruis for his Dark Magic. If you missed that production, reserve your tickets now because "FayetteVAUDEville" is returning Feb. 26 and 27.

“FayetteVAUDEville” is not just a typical theatrical product that one is used to, this performance will showcase some local artists and their talents. This show will star singers Karen Morgan Williams and Tim Zimmerman; belly dancer Fahada (teaches locally in Fayetteville); and comedian Vadrin Colvin-King.

“The ‘FayetteVAUDEville’ is a show intended to pull talent from our local community and string the talents together for a fun adults night,” said Brittany Conlin, business manager of the Gilbert.

From singing to belly dancing, the Gilbert Theater will present “FayetteVAUDEville” to mature audiences on the nights of Feb. 26 and 27 at 8 p.m. This show is not something you will want to miss. The show is supported by a mini-grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/ Cumberland County.

This show will have a max capacity of 25 people per show and tickets are available for purchase at the Gilbert Theater website. Season holders will have to purchase tickets for this show. The theater is very adamant about protecting everyone so they will be doing temperature checks at the door and masks will be required. The theater has already planned the next two “FayetteVAUDEville” performances to come in April and May of 2021.

The “FayetteVAUDEville” auditions had such a great turn out of adults and children that the Gilbert theater is moving forward with a kid-friendly version of the show entitled “The Greatest Showcase: A Youth Variety Show.” This show will be brought to the public on March 5th and 6th at 2 and 5 p.m. by the Gilbert Theater and the Kids with Hearts for Arts. The tickets will be $12.

The Gilbert theater has a wide variety of shows coming to center stage this season which began with the murder suspense “Ropes.” The next two shows to follow are “Oedipus Rex” and “Urine Town: the Musical.”

The Theater also offers educational opportunities, with the most recent being a virtual class taught by Montgomery Sutton.

For more information on shows, auditions, education and ticket sales visit the website at gilberttheater.com.

“InnerWoven” is an urban knitting project curated, designed and executed by Fayetteville’s own fabric artist Kia Love. The installation can be found at Linear Park along Mason Street.

Those willing to take a walk off the beaten path are invited to see how fiber art emboldens nature with color, textile and a tribute to Black History Month.
Inspired by the bright colors and patterns of African wax print fabrics, “InnerWoven” is a series of five large-format knits wrapped on tree trunks in downtown Fayetteville’s greenway, Cross Creek at Linear Park.

The temporary fabric installation highlights the importance of textiles and craftsmanship in Black culture. Brightly colored knitwork, black and white accents and unique three-dimensional elements are used to encourage the audience to get a closer look to spark their interest and highlight the importance of handcrafts.

Kia Love dedicated the installation to all of the strong African American women who have used fiber art as a way to heal themselves, to pass along stories about their lives and most importantly their history. For centuries, Black people were among the most skilled knitters, weavers and sewists in America known for their expertise in textiles and natural dyeing techniques. Women would gather regularly for after hour knitting and sewing circles as a way to create clothing for the community and to teach to the younger generation. Children as young as five would be taught the skill.

Love is a self-taught knitwear designer and fiber artist born and raised in Fayetteville. Her knitting journey began 19 years ago when she hit a creative rut and needed inspiration. Knitting was a way to challenge herself, regain focus and manage anxiety.

After graduating in 2015 from Queens University of Charlotte with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Architecture, she decided to turn her passion for hobby into a business. She launched her brand Kia Love — a women’s knitwear and home decor brand. She specializes in fashionable accessories and home décor for the daring individual who loves bold color and texture. Her custom collections emphasize craftsmanship and feminine design.

Love is passionate about slow fashion, the healing powers of fiber arts and the importance of teaching sewing, knitting and textile design to others in her community. By sharing her gift, she strives to pass down a craft that seems to be lost in the digital age.

She aspires to educate others on the concept of quality over quantity and most importantly, having something of your own to turn to when the distractions of the world become too much.
“Innerwoven” was made possible by a grant from the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County's Mini Grant program. The Cool Spring Downtown District, Fayetteville’s managing partner for the Arts and Entertainment district, joined with the artist to bring this unique installation to life in celebration of women who have “Innerwoven” fabric as a means of clothing, warmth and comfort for centuries.

Visit “Innerwoven” at Cross Creek at Linear Park during Black History Month. For more information visit www.visitdowntownfayetteville.com or the artist’s website at www.kialove.com.

MetroNet and the city of Fayetteville will bring 100% broadband internet, television and phone services to businesses and residents in greater Fayetteville. Indiana-based MetroNet will spend more than $70 million to develop its high-speed system which is the company’s first deployment in North Carolina. Fayetteville, Hope Mills and Spring Lake as well as Linden, Wade, Stedman, Vander, Godwin, Eastover, and Falcon and much of unincorporated Cumberland County, as well as portions of Hoke County, including Raeford and Rockfish will be tied together.

Fayetteville has DSL, cable, fiber, fixed wireless and satellite internet available depending on the area. DSL covers nearly all of Fayetteville. Common speeds average around 10-40 Mbps depending on the area and provider. Internet is provided using the same cable cords as cable television. Cable internet has much faster speeds on average than DSL. MetroNet will compete primarily with Charter Spectrum for internet, television and telephone service.

There are also two small satellite services and CenturyLink provides DSL availability. There may be early termination fees for changing service when under contract. Spectrum offers a contract-free, or month-to-month, option. Program prices and internet speeds vary.

Fayetteville-Cumberland Economic Development Corporation President Robert Van Geons says MetroNet’s high speed broadband service is “state-of-the art infrastructure that will literally link our business community to the global marketplace, at the speed of light. Small businesses and entrepreneurs will be able to utilize and deploy next generation technologies and develop tomorrow’s
innovations.”

In addition to television and telephone services, ultrafast internet broadband will also support teleworking, distance learning and virtual medicine. A fiber optic network uses tiny strands of glass which are extremely thin. To be specific, they are less than a tenth as thick as a human hair. Each optical fiber transmits beams of light over great distances. The beams carry unprecedented amounts of data — much more than cable or DSL — directly to homes and businesses.
Amid COVID-19, the community's need for increased broadband access has become even more apparent for virtual learning and remote school and work. “MetroNet will provide small businesses, start-ups, students and teleworkers with capabilities previously unavailable to much of Cumberland County,” Van Geons said.

Mayor Mitch Colvin said the company is known for its reliable, high-speed internet friendly service, and fair pricing with no long-term contracts.

"We've experienced such a warm welcome from Mayor Colvin and the City of Fayetteville since we began discussing this project," MetroNet President John Cinelli said. "It's clear that this community is rich in diversity and opportunity, and we're excited to be a part of it as we move forward together.”

Projects of this size typically take approximately two years to build, Cinelli noted.

As the work gets underway, residents will receive communications by mail about construction activity in their neighborhood 30 days prior to starting. The company provides additional messaging, such as yard signs, to let residents know when the temporary construction process is beginning in their neighborhood.

Do you have troubles? Current events got you down? Did you bet on the Kansas City Chiefs? Break into the Capitol Building only to find the FBI is now after you? No matter. As the Master of Ceremonies said in “Cabaret,” “Leave your troubles outside. In here life is beautiful. The girls are beautiful. Even the Orchestra is beautiful.” We don’t have an orchestra but today you can forget your troubles through the German custom of Schadenfreude which is taking pleasure in the misery of others. Hercules had major problems that will make you feel better about your own life.

Let’s fire up Mr. Peabody’s time machine to find out why Herk was sentenced to hard labor and what he had to do to get a pardon from the Greek God Apollo. Herk was the love child of Zeus who was King of the Gods. Zeus wandered off the reservation resulting in his Baby Mamma Alceme becoming in the family way. When Zeus’ wife Hera found out, she was none too pleased. Heck hath no fury like a Goddess scorned. While Herk was a mere toddler cooing in his crib, Hera sent a couple of large snakes to strangle Baby Herk. Like Davy Crockett who killed him a bear when he was only three, Herk strangled the two snakes instead. Herk was not a baby to be trifled with.

Although Herk foiled Hera’s serpentine plot, she did not give up her anger but bided her time. Today’s helpful tip for men of the male persuasion: Anytime a woman is biding her time, you had better watch out. Herk grew up to young manhood, got married, and had two kids. It was the perfect Grecian formula for happiness. Unfortunately, it was not to last. Hera put a spell on Herk which made him insane in the membrane. During his period of Hera-induced insanity, Herk in a murder most foul, killed his young wife and children. When he came to his senses, he was stricken with horror and remorse. As Edgar Allen Poe wrote: “I became insane with long intervals of horrible sanity.” He went to see Apollo who oversaw healing to beg to be punished for his
dastardly deeds.

Apollo knew Hera was behind Herk’s misdeeds, but temporary insanity was not yet accepted as a defense to murder. Apollo ordered Herk to perform 12 seemingly impossible jobs to obtain forgiveness and absolution. These tasks later became known as the 12 Labors of Hercules. They also made Steve Reeves a lot of money playing Hercules in the 1950s. To feel better about your own troubles, imagine what Herk had to go through. Enjoy his misery, like a psychic poultice you will feel better fast.

Herk’s first job was to kill the Nemean lion that had been chowing down on the good folks of Nemea. Herk fought the lion and strangled him in his very own den. Not being one to waste a good lion skin and having an excellent fashion sense, Herk wore the lion’s hide as a cape from then on. His next task was to kill the 9-headed hydra snake. The problem with the hydra was when you cut off one head, like a hungry relative it would come right back. Herk solved that problem with the help of his nephew who took a torch to the stump of the head as soon as Herk cut off the head. The torch cauterized the stump and prevented the regrowth of the head.

Herk then had to capture the favorite pet deer of the Goddess Diana. Apollo figured that Diana would never let Herk take her pet, but Apollo did not count on Herk’s charm with the ladies. He sweet-talked Diana into giving him the deer. Next up was catching the giant man-eating Erymanthean boar. This is not to be confused with your uncle Fred who is a stultifying bore. Herk made a big net and caught the boar. Then it was barbecue, black eyed peas and hushpuppies for the whole town. Next it was on to clean up the Augean stables where zillions of cattle had been doing their bovine business for centuries without anyone cleaning out the stables. It was a dirty job but Herk did it by changing the course of two rivers to flood the stables and wash the cattle poop away. This was before the EPA and no environmental impact statement had to be filed.

Herk moved on to a little town called Stymphalos which had an even worse problem with a ravenous flock of birds than the town of Bodega Bay, California, in Alfred Hitchcock’s movie “The Birds.” The Stymphalan birds weren’t satisfied with just pecking the townsfolk, no Siree Bob, those birds ate the people like so much sunflower seed. Once again, Herk’s way with the ladies came to his rescue. He direct messaged the Goddess Athena for help with his avian issue. She gave him some cool bronze noise makers called krotala. Herk clanged the heck out of the krotala and the angry birds flew away never to bother the town again.

Unfortunately, we have reached the first six labors of Hercules but have run out of space in today’s column. Kindly come back in two weeks, same Bat Time, same Bat Channel to find out what Herk’s final six labors are and learn whether Herk obtains immortality. Now don’t you feel a little better about your own troubles? See I told you so. Herk was in a pickle. The worst is yet to come. Odds are you will not have to fight any 9-headed snakes, carnivorous birds, or muck out a giant stable tonight. Rejoice in the Schadenfreude that Herk has made and be glad in it.

To be continued …

Chances are that at one time or another, you have sat down at your kitchen table and planned out a budget or balanced your checkbook for your family. For most of us, budgeting means making some tough decisions and compromising to make ends meet. Unfortunately, setting a budget does not look the same for Washington Democrats.

Recently, House Democrats voted to pass their budget for the upcoming year. Not only did their plan open the door for massive spending, but it also paved the way to pass multiple spending bills without one Republican vote. This includes President Joe Biden’s latest $1.9 trillion COVID-19 spending bill – a bill that funds many unrelated items. If anything can be bipartisan in Washington, defeating the coronavirus should be at the top of the list. However through this budget resolution, Washington Democrats have signaled that talk of unity and bipartisanship were just that and they have no interest in working together to tackle the issues facing us.

President Biden’s partisan relief plan is incredibly expensive and comes while over $1 trillion in funds from previously-enacted COVID-19 legislation remains unspent. Let me say that again - $1 trillion that we have already approved is sitting there unspent. This includes $280 billion remaining for the Paycheck Protection Program, $239 billion unspent for health care measures, $172 billion unspent for unemployment insurance, and $59 billion unspent for schools. Now adding an additional $1.9 trillion on top of this unspent funding not only represents a massive undertaking six times larger than the 2009 Obama stimulus plan, but this is all borrowed money and we can’t afford to keep borrowing and spending blindly.

Instead, we should continue to identify and fund the real needs of workers, small businesses and health care professionals on the frontlines of battling coronavirus in our community. I stand ready to continue working with Democrats to combat coronavirus, speed up vaccine distribution, and find ways to increase jobs and opportunities for you and our neighbors. However, using COVID-19 relief as a Trojan Horse for massive spending and radical policies that threaten jobs is not what American workers and families need.

Unfortunately, this is par for the course with President Biden’s agenda so far. By signing more than 40 executive actions, including rejoining the Paris Climate Accords, canceling the Keystone XL Pipeline, and ending federal oil and gas leasing, he has jeopardized thousands of American jobs. I fear the President is more concerned with fulfilling a left-wing partisan climate agenda than creating jobs or being a “President
for all.”

Now, President Biden’s most recent executive actions have done more than kill jobs and put our economy in danger - they have put our national security at risk. Recently, President Biden reinstated catch and release and promised to dramatically rollback the immigration policies of the previous Administration to prioritize undocumented illegal aliens.

President Biden’s proposed Create a Pathway to Citizenship for Undocumented Aliens legislation prioritizes immigrants during a time when American citizens and businesses are hurting. The bill doubles-down on family-based immigration, clearing backlogs through amnesty, and increasing the number of visas we issue. The bill will also allow undocumented individuals to apply for temporary legal status, with the ability to apply for green cards after five years. And, President Biden’s decision to end construction of the border wall is a signal that he is not concerned about addressing border security.

These priorities of the Biden administration and Democrats in Congress continue to miss the mark. However, I won’t give up. I remain committed to working across the aisle for common sense solutions to the problems we face, including rebuilding our economy, passing targeted COVID-19 relief and reopening our schools. And like you and I have to do, I’ll continue to push our government to balance its checkbook along the way.

After five decades of living in Fayetteville, I never thought I could have learned so much and been so proud of an organization and project than I am of the Fayetteville Kiwanis Club and the celebration of their 100th Anniversary.

Not only did I get a profound community history lesson, but I became overwhelmed with pride at the work ethic, dedication and intestinal fortitude demonstrated by Fayetteville’s founding leadership. Ten decades of infectious and motivating intentions is best described in only two words: Do good.

Writing, producing and designing the Fayetteville Kiwanis 100th Anniversary Edition of Up & Coming Weekly was an actual labor of love not only for me but for our entire staff. For most, it provided them their very first insights into the origins, vision and rich history of our community. It created for them a foundation of pride and a better understanding of our community. I think it mostly made them aware of the immense and abundant empathy, compassion, kindness and sense of generosity that Fayetteville residents naturally radiate out to humanity.

Well, our newspaper realized this twenty-five years ago and built an entire publishing company showcasing and accentuating Fayetteville’s unique benevolence. A benevolence we are proud of and one we need not profit from. Our small financial donation of proceeds from the issue goes to the Fayetteville Kiwanis Club to help support the work and significant impact they have on children in our community through the hosting of dozens of local programs.

I have found that two sayings have always been accurate and have never failed to motivate and inspire me: One — Always do the right things for the right reasons. Two — KIDS NEED KIWANIS!

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Pictured: Publisher Bill Bowman (right) and Jim Schaffer (left) present a check to Kiwanis of Fayetteville President George Turner (center). The proceeds from the Jan. 20 commemorative Kiwanis issue of Up & Coming Weekly will help support local programs benefitting kids.

The Fayetteville Public Works Commission welcomed Elaina Ball as the new Chief Executive Officer and General Manager in December. Ball, who has 14 years of utility experience, is the first female leader in PWC’s 115-year history and just the 9th CEO/General Manager.

“Elaina has a wealth of experience in the electric industry, including generation, which is a huge asset for us,” said PWC Chair Wade Fowler.

“She’s been a leader at outstanding utilities including public power utilities in San Antonio and Austin, Texas," Fowler said. "She was highly sought after by several other organizations and we are very fortunate that she chose PWC and Fayetteville. We are excited about the future of PWC and what she brings to it.”

Ball came to PWC from El Paso Electric where she served as Senior Vice President in Operations and Administration roles. Since 2018, she oversaw functional areas of the company including Power Generation, Power Marketing, T&D, Customer Care, Technology, Safety, Environmental and Public Relations and Corporate Communications.

She was responsible for over 800 employees and helped El Paso set new records for annual customer satisfaction scores and earn its first JD Power top performing utility award in 2019. El Paso Electric is a regional electric utility that serves over 400,000 customers in west Texas and southern New Mexico.

Prior to joining El Paso Electric, Ball worked at Austin Energy, the publicly owned electric utility serving 450,000 customers in the Austin, Texas, area.

Ball served as Vice President, Technical Services at CPS Energy, the municipally owned electric and gas utility serving over 800,000 customers in the greater San Antonio area from 2006-2012.

Fayetteville PWC is a municipally owned utility that provides electric, water and wastewater service to over 118,000 customers in Fayetteville/Cumberland County. PWC has over 600 employees and is the 37th largest municipal electric utility
in the U.S.

“I’m very excited to join the great team at PWC and for our family to be a part of this community,” said Ball. “PWC is a significant asset and plays a vital role in the community’s success. It is known throughout both the electric and water utility industry for its excellent operations and I look forward to continuing the legacy of strong leadership at PWC and continuing that excellence of providing safe and reliable service to our customers.”

Among Ball’s priorities is taking care of the team and customers and getting to know them better, she said.

“It's been terrific so far, the community has been so welcoming I have met so many different people from different industries, different fields and different walks of life and that’s something that struck me and it’s actually a big difference here in Fayetteville compared to the other utilities I was looking at before coming here,” Ball said.

With Ball’s leadership Fayetteville PWC is looking forward to updating its strategic plan, system work to maintain reliable service and supporting several projects already underway.

One such project is the PWC Community Solar, North Carolina’s first municipal community solar farm. The farm is a large-scale, ground-mount solar array offering electric customers a shared renewable energy option and an alternate to rooftop solar. Customers pay a monthly subscription fee and in exchange, receive a bill credit for the value of the solar less the cost to operate. All electric customers can participate as a subscriber in the program.

There are a number of benefits to the Community Solar project. It adds renewable energy to the local power grid without the effort and expense of installing solar panels at a home or business. Customers get paid for a portion of the power generated by the solar array.

Ball mentioned that anyone interested in helping provide cleaner, greener power for the community can visit the PWC website to learn more about installing panels, bill credits and moving toward an increased use of clean energy.

Among Ball’s priorities as the CEO and General Manager is ensuring that PWC remains customer-focused and keeps services safe and reliable while remaining cost affordable, she said. A personal driver and focus area for Ball is the improvement of the supply chain to help grow opportunities for local and diverse businesses, she said.

“As far as day-to-day, I am trying to spend the day in the field, trying to get to know our employees, see our facilities,” Ball said. “We are budgeting right now, and it really helps me get the sense of needs that the system has while getting to see the people, equipment and the business and challenges,” she said.

A native Texan, Ball attended the University of Texas at Austin and graduated with a degree in Chemical Engineering. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, only about one-quarter of those working in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, widely referred to as STEM, are women.

The number of women entering the professional fields of STEM is slowly growing around the world, but there is still a sizable gender gap in these professions.

Many women who do enter STEM fields and have successful careers like Ball do not necessarily consider themselves trailblazers, but simply do the best job they can in a field they enjoy.

In high school, Ball realized her love for mathematics and chemistry which led her to picking her current career path.

“I am a process person and love problem solving and being a chemical engineer is perfect for that,” she said. With a background in leadership roles, Ball said it is exciting to have this opportunity at PWC while representing women in a traditionally male career field.

Aside from work, Ball is looking forward to becoming more involved in the Fayetteville and Cumberland County communities. While working in Texas, Ball was an active civic leader, serving on the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Board of Directors. She is also a current Board of Directors member of the Association of Women in Energy.

An avid reader and snow skier, Ball is currently a member of the Fayetteville Running Club and hopes to join the local Kiwanis chapter and also find a local church to attend. Ball is married and has two children, but her family is still in Texas for now.

“But we have bought a house in the area and are renovating,” she said. “So I am really looking forward to my family joining me this spring.”

Pictured below: PWC CEO/General Manager Elaina Ball splits her time between work in the office and field visits getting to know PWC employess and facilities.

The Fayetteville Transportation and Local History Museum has put together another fantastic African American exhibit to honor Black History Month. This local museum for the past three years has followed a theme to showcase African American professionals from Fayetteville’s history and will keep the exhibits up for a year after they are revealed.

This year the museum released an exhibit on Feb. 2 to honor African American architects. This exhibit is focused on bringing awareness and attribution to these early builders and historic buildings in the downtown area.

These architects were from the Fayetteville area and some of these buildings are still standing today. There is a “rich history” in Fayetteville and this museum allows people to step back in time to really understand the historical roots.

Catherine Linton, the Museum Specialist, is the one that helped bring to life this year’s exhibit entitled, “African Americans Building Fayetteville.” She is a former museum specialist with the Country Doctor Museum at East Carolina University.

“Some buildings that are attributed to these builders are not standing today, but we want to bring attention to the ones that are, to bring history and awareness to the community,” said Linton in describing the focus of this exhibit.

One of the builders that really stood out to Linton while assembling the exhibit was Abel Payne. Payne was an enslaved man that eventually purchased his freedom, but continued to work as a carpenter to afford freedom for his children. Linton said the story stood out to her because it is a “good story about overcoming obstacles.”

This year’s exhibit is the third one the museum has done to follow the theme of African American professionals in Fayetteville’s history. The first exhibit the museum did in 2019 was about African American businesses, followed by the 2020 exhibit about African American doctors. Last year’s exhibit still remains on the first floor to the right of the entrance until the end of February 2021. This new exhibit, “African American Builders,” will remain until the end of February 2022.

The museum is located in the restored 1890 Cape Fear and Yadkin Valley Railroad Depot, with two floors of exhibits and artifacts. It is open to the public of all ages and guided tours are available for schools, church groups, home school groups and more. They also offer activities such as walking tours of downtown, bus tours, a Saturday farmers market, and more for children and adults.

The museum annex is next door for continuous history on the Fayetteville area.

For more information visit the Fayetteville Transportation and Local History Museum at www.fcpr.us, and they are open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Pictured: The Transportation and Local History Museum opened a new exhibit on Feb. 2 in honor of Black Histoy Month. "African Americans Building Fayetteville" highlights Black architects and builders in Fayetteville's history. The exhibit will be on display for one year. The 2020 Black History Month exhibit about African American doctors will be on display until the end of this month.

The Gilbert Theater’s latest show “Rope” premiered Jan 29. with a full house on opening weekend. The crime-centered, murder-themed play brought a thrilling drama to the stage for its audience.

Originally written by Patrick Hamilton in 1929, the British play was later made into a movie by the famous filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock in 1948. The Gilbert’s production of “Rope” runs through Feb. 14. Tickets are $16 for adults, $14 with military, student, first responder and seniors.

The play opens with a cold-blooded murder of a young man by the two lead actors Wyndham Brandon (played by Chris Walker) and Charles Granillo (played by Tim Zimmermann).

The characters of Brandon, with his air of intellectual superiority and a temper, and Granillo with his tenderness and remorse, make quite the interesting murderous duo.

The two leads decide to host a dinner party around the wooden chest where they’ve hidden the body. The dinner party is supposed to be an amusement to the duo, especially Brandon as getting away with the “perfect crime.”

The guests include Kenneth Reglan (played by Quentin King); Leila Arden (played by Megan Martinez); Sir Johnstone Kentley who is the father of the murder victim (played by Gabe Terry); Mrs. Debenham (played by Kathy Day); Rupert Cadell (played by Lawrence Carlisle III); and amongst them is their butler, Sabot (played by Dylan Atwood).

The guests comment on the “queerness” of the evening, and the strangeness of the food being served on the wooden chest. Arden’s character goes as far as to jokingly suggest the hosts are hiding a dead body in it.

Cadell suggests it would be obvious stupidity to murder then host a party around the body, which seems to get under Brandon’s skin. Meanwhile, filled with regret and fear, Granillo drinks his feelings away through the night.

The characters bring forth a drama filled evening, not short of laughter, suspense, thrills and some philosophical back-and-forth about murder.

Suspicious and quickly picking up clues, the clever Cadell lures the duo into confessing to murder and the “perfect murder’” plan that they failed at executing.

The hard work of the cast and crew is reflected in the costumes, set and acting during the two-hour, fun-filled thrill of the evening.

For those looking for a drama-filled affair, “Rope” at the Gilbert Theater is one to see.

For tickets visit, https://www.gilberttheater.com/index.php

Pictured above: Lawrence Carlisle III (left), the Artistic Director of the Gilbert Theater, joins the cast of "Rope." Photo by Jonathan Hornby.