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  • 09 Murder for two There is nothing I like better than a good mystery. A “whodunit” novel, a thrilling Lifetime TV movie, a Hallmark movie mystery, or an Angela Lansbury “Murder She Wrote” storyline will tantalize most anyone’s taste buds. And who doesn’t love to laugh and have fun along my life’s way? “Murder for Two,” an off-Broadway hit, has come to Cape Fear Regional Theatre, March 5-22. This play offers everything to everyone. Music, mystery, laughter and fun are just a few of the things awaiting audiences. There will also be a surprise or two, promising to enhance your theater experience. Previewed in New York in 2013 and later in Houston, Texas, this music and mystery collaboration was authored by Joe Kinosian who wrote the book and music and Kellen Blair who wrote the book and lyrics.

    Usually, the characteristics of any good mystery include “who,” “what,” “when” and “where” to create the storyline. The New York and Houston productions are important to note because they brought together two incredible musicians and actors by the name of Trace Pool and Ben Miller — the who of our production. Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting these polished and experienced actors who are handsome, delightful, yet unassuming as they describe the challenging roles they will soon recreate onstage at CFRT. Pool and Miller take their roles seriously and see them as an empowering way to stretch their creativity.

    However, Pool balances his role well when he describes it as “zany acting while playing other crazy antics at the same time.”

    Miler balances his thoughts about his role in much the same way while looking at it as “an Agatha Christie meets the Marx Brothers spoof.”

    One of these guys will play the investigator and one plays the other 13 roles. Both will play the piano while acting as well.

    New Yorker Laura Josepher, the director, is the “what” of this rib-tickling musical mystery and has the experience, fun and flexible personality that will blend together the actors’ talents, the storyline, the music, the staging and the set costuming that it will take to orchestrate and present this new and innovative style of theater to Fayetteville.
    This 90 minutes of fast-paced comedy is designed to put a smile on the face of all those who attend. The When of “Murder for Two” runs March 5-22, with special events March 5, Wine & Beer Tasting; March 6, Clue Night; March 7, Opening Night Reception; and March 12, Dueling Pianos, with all times from 6:45 – 7:15 p.m.
    The “where” of this madcap adventure will be the Cape Fear Regional Theatre, 1209 Hay Street, Fayetteville. 

  •  10 walk a while in her shoesRape Crisis of Cumberland County presents the 10th annual “Walk Awhile in Her Shoes” event Friday, March 13, at 7 p.m. at The Capitol Building on Hay Street in downtown Fayetteville.

     “This is the 10th year of our fundraising event, and the purpose is to bring awareness to sexual assault in our community,” said Deanne Gerdes, executive director of Rape Crisis of Cumberland County. 

    “There will be men standing up against sexual assault, and we have lots of victims who will be out there witnessing it. That is huge for us.”

    Rape Crisis of Cumberland County is an invaluable resource for victims of domestic violence. “Last year we had 672 victims of sexual assault in Cumberland County, and we provide services from a crisis hotline, responding to the emergency room, responding to law enforcement and going to court,” said Gerdes. “If the victim chooses not to report anything, we will support that decision as well.”

     Gerdes added the organization hosts support groups and provides individual counseling and lots of other resources. All of their services are free, and they are not contingent of this report. “A big reason why we are so confidential is because active duty soldiers who choose not to get services on Fort Bragg can come down here,” said Gerdes. “We don’t charge any insurance companies, to include Tricare, and we do that specifically to keep them 100% confidential so that they are comfortable and there is no paper trail.”

     Another important role that Rape Crisis of Cumberland County has is to assist with sexual assault cold cases. “We do cold cases, too, so we are part of the Fayetteville Police Department’s cold case unit,” said Gerdes. “We have an advocate that handles all of our backlog issues that we had in Cumberland County and we have an advocate that advocates for those victims as well.

     “We are part of the SAKI grant and we make the notifications to the victim about the status of their rape kit,” said Gerdes. “It could be tested, some of them were disposed of years ago, there may be a DNA match. … It just depends what that rape kit looks like.”

    Walk Awhile in Her Shoes is a couple of blocks and will begin at The Capitol Building and end at Segra Stadium. Men will wear red, high-heeled shoes as they walk. It’s a light-hearted way to make a positive impact for a serious cause.

    Participants can rent shoes from Rape Crisis, but they are not required to participate. “We actually do have a high heel shoe up to size 15 for men to wear, but we also have men who support the event and don’t wear the high heels, and we are fine with that,” said Gerdes. “God bless our military with their bad knees and their bad backs and someone like that who is uncomfortable. We appreciate their efforts of walking in the event,” said Gerdes.

     Gerdes recommends preregistering to make sure they have the man’s shoe size on hand. “We sure would like to see Bill Bowman in some red high heels on this 10th Anniversary fundraiser,” said Gerdes.

     Registration begins at 6 p.m. The cost is $25. For more information call 910-485-7273.

  • 15 Wrestlers groupBack in the late 1960s, veteran character Walter Brennan starred in a short-lived television Western series called “The Sons of Will Sonnet.’’

    Though the show lasted only two seasons, Brennan uttered a line describing his talents with a gun that has lingered through the years. It was only four words:
    "No brag, just fact.’’

    In wrapping up the high school wrestling accomplishments of himself and his Cape Fear teammates the last four seasons, three-time state champion Heath Wilson uttered a statement that borrowed from Brennan’s line, and is hard to argue with.

    “We’ve been the most successful athletic program at Cape Fear, even in Cumberland County, since I got to Cape Fear,’’ Wilson said.

    He pointed to the last four years that saw the Colts bring home at least two individual state wrestling champions each of those years. Three of the eight state titles Cape Fear won were his, the last one coming just over a week ago when he dominated the 3-A 145-pound weight class in the state tournament in Greensboro to win his title.

    He was not alone and teammate Nick Minacapelli had a similarly dominating effort en route to taking the 220-pound championship, erasing the disappointment of finishing third the season before.

    For Wilson, one of the biggest obstacles he had to deal with all season was the pressure of chasing a third state title after winning as a sophomore and junior. But Wilson said the pressure to win the second straight championship last year was tougher than the pressure he faced this season.

    “Butterflies are normally a routine for me,’’ Dallas said. “Don’t get me wrong, they were there. I knew what I had to do, and I got the job done.’’

    Heath Wilson, Dallas’ father and head coach, said the seeds for his son’s string of titles were sown during Dallas’ freshman year, when he came up short in his first bid for a state championship.

    Heath scored a lopsided win earlier in the season over the wrestler who would win the state title in his weight class. But he eventually suffered from what his dad calls “sticker shock."
     
    “They get in there, look at the lights, look up in the stands,’’ Heath said. “There’s not a whole lot that don’t get wide-eyed.’’ He finished third in the 4-A East Regional tournament that year and lost in the quarterfinals of the state tournament, failing to place in the top six in his weight class that year.

    That experience was all Dallas needed to correct the problem. “He blames it on his mental toughness,’’ Heath said. “After that, he decided he was going to fix it.’’
    Dallas said he would lie in bed at night and convince himself that no matter who stepped on the mat to face him, he was going to win.

    His final record for this season was 48-2, but those two losses were not against any living opponent. After he felt a sharp pain in his knee during a late-season tournament, he elected not to compete, to save himself for the upcoming run to the state finals.

    It got him two losses via injury default. “I was being safe and I took the right path,’’ he said.

    It showed in his dominance in the state tournament. None of his four matches went the distance. He defeated two of his opponents by pin. The other two, including his state finals match, were by technical fall, both matches stopped because he had gotten so far ahead in total points.

    Now that his high school career is over, Dallas is pointing to college, where he has yet to make a final decision. He’s got an official visit to North Carolina State coming up. The University of North Carolina talked to him after the semifinals of the state tournament, and he also has Campbell University on his mind.

    “Everything is still up in the air,’’ he said. “I want to take my time.’’

    So does his teammate, Minacapelli, who has scholarship offers in both football and wrestling.

    Like Dallas, Minacapelli was motivated to do better this year after a disappointing finish last season.

    “It definitely inspired me to work way harder,’’ he said after a third-place finish in 2019. “I felt like I didn’t leave it all on the mat last year. I had to prove myself. I had a chip on my shoulder.’’

    He made up for it by wrestling more aggressively this season, taking more shots and no longer relying on defense to win matches. “Now I rely on offense,’’ he said. “I could definitely see improvement.’’

    It clearly showed in the state finals. Of his four wins, three were by pin, one in just 32 seconds and only one of his three wins by pin extending to the third period. The fourth win was a major decision, 16-8.

    He said he was “super nervous” going into his finals match and could hear his heart beating in his chest. He quickly overcame that problem by scoring five points in the first period and taking command of an opponent he would eventually pin for the title.

    “Everything went away and I knew I had the win,’’ he said.

    It was not only a win for Minacapelli, it was the final high school wrestling match as coach for Heath Wilson, who told his team before the season that he was going to step down after 15 years at Cape Fear as both an assistant and head coach. A wrestler himself at the school, Heath Wilson was also a Cape Fear state champion.

    “We had some great kids at Cape Fear,’’ Wilson said. “To read a kid and be able to figure out how he’s motivated is a passion of mine. You’ve got to really figure out what buttons to push and what buttons not to push because you’ll run them out of the room.’’

    But the biggest thrill, obviously, was getting to coach his son to three state titles.

    “It was the best of both worlds, as father and coach,’’ Heath said. “Both the good and the bad, that experience is indescribable.’’

  • 06 01 super tuesday logoOnly two states had more Democratic delegates at stake than North Carolina in yesterday’s Democratic presidential primary. North Carolina has 122 delegates at the summer convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With 14 states competing yesterday, along with American Samoa and Democrats abroad, a third of all the convention delegates were determined. Only California, with nearly 500, and Texas, with 261, had more up for grabs on Super Tuesday than North Carolina. And regardless of the Tar Heel Primary outcome, so-called automatic delegates — once known as super-delegates — can support whomever they want. “As much as people will say it’s confusing and arcane, it is — I won’t argue about that,” said Josh Putnam, a Wilmington-based political scientist who tracks the delegate selection process. “but it’s a system that has tended to work.” Unlike long-ago, Democratic primaries are no longer winner-take-all. Delegates are apportioned in two ways — statewide and by congressional district. In North Carolina, 38 delegates will be awarded proportionately based on statewide results. If a candidate gets 50% of the statewide vote, they get 50% of the statewide delegates. But there’s a catch: a candidate must get 15% of the statewide vote to qualify for any delegates. There were 15 Democrats on the presidential ballot in North Carolina; seven were no longer in the race. But their votes will count. That potentially could dilute the numbers for other candidates, making it harder to reach the 15% threshold.

    06 02 jeremy perkins 7FOSJVtUtac unsplashInmate re-entry institution

    Fayetteville City Council late last month rejected a request from the U.S. Bureau of Prisons to build a 100-room halfway house for federal prison inmates whose terms of incarceration are ending. Council voted 5-4 to deny a special use permit for the property in the 900 block of Cain Road. Fourth District Councilman D.J. Haire made the motion, which was seconded by 2nd District Councilmember Tisha Waddell to refuse the request, saying the private contractor had failed to satisfy the criteria for a permit. Residential re-entry centers, also known as halfway houses, provide a structured, supervised environment as well as employment counseling, job placement, financial management assistance and other services.

    According to City Clerk Pamela Magill, 23 residents signed up to object. Mayor Mitch Colvin ended the lengthy comments from residents after an hour and asked council to consider a solution. Following an awkward moment of silence, Haire made the motion to deny. The property in question is located in Haire’s district.

    06 03 Taurean JohnsonTriple murder case cleared

    Bladen County sheriff’s investigators have charged a Clarkton man accused in a triple murder. Taurean Reshaul Johnson, 36, turned himself in a day after the shooting incidents, the sheriff’s office said.  He is charged with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, sheriff’s officials posted on the department’s Facebook page. Clarkton is about 50 miles south of Fayetteville. Johnson is accused of entering a home on Tina Lane, off N.C. 211 in Clarkton, and shooting several people. The home is in a mobile home park in a rural area northeast of town. Three people — Catrice Lacole Murchison, 30; Ronnie Lebert Kelly, 27; and Guy Lennon Barden Jr., 60,  were killed. An as yet unnamed 69-year-old woman survived. All four people are believed to have lived at the home, deputies said.

    06 04 marcus neto gioH4gHo0 g unsplashSummer concert series announced

    A six-month summer series of riverside concerts gets underway in April. Rock’n On the River will feature vintage rock ’n roll tribute bands. The events will be staged the third Friday evening of each month from April through September, presented by Healy Wholesale and Up & Coming Weekly. The concerts will be held at Campbellton Landing on the east side of the Person Street bridge. Performers will include Mostly Crue, a tribute band of Mötley Crüe, which will perform April 17.

    Beer, drinks and food sales start at 5:30 p.m. Shows begin at 6 p.m. Coolers and other containers are not allowed. No pets are permitted other than service animals. Sponsoring partners include 96.5 BOB-FM, Sandy’s Automotive, The Care Clinic, Deep Creek Grill, Boose Law Firm and Nobles Pound Financial Planning. Additional bands will include Trial by Fire; Bad, Inc.; North Tower; Heartbreaker; Tuesday’s Gone and Rivermist. Visit https://www.facebook.com/Rockn-On-The-River-271048666818630/ for details about the concert series.

    06 05 Military ChildcarePrioritizing military kids

    A new policy on improving child development centers on military installations is expected to be issued soon by defense officials, said Defense Secretary Mark Esper. He didn’t elaborate on the new policy, which he mentioned during remarks to troops and families this month at U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.
    “This is a family business,” he said, regardless of which branch of service. He noted that families are an important part of sustaining a service member’s career, whether it’s three years or 20 years.

    “It’s difficult to find quality, affordable childcare outside the gate,” said Patty Barron, director of family readiness for the Association of the U.S. Army. For years, military leaders have said the common thread they hear when visiting service members is the unavailability of affordable childcare. Child development centers are known nationally for their quality, and parents’ fees are subsidized by taxpayer dollars to make the care more affordable for military families.

    Picture 3: Taurean Johnson 
     
  • 13 01 Becca CollinsNo one can accuse the officers of the Gray’s Creek chapter of the National Honor Society of cutting corners when it comes to community service projects. Just ask Becca Collins, a Gray’s Creek senior.

    Each year, when they apply for membership in the National Honor Society, Gray’s Creek students are required by club sponsor and faculty member Melissa Bishop to submit a detailed plan for their senior project.

    Bishop said the plan must include a timeline, a budget and resources among other things. “When they are chosen, they get members of other National Honor Society Members together and pull off the project,’’ Bishop said.

    For her project, Collins is following in the footsteps of her former Gray’s Creek softball teammate and fellow National Honor Society member Drew Menscer.
    Last year, Menscer took on the project of organizing a fund-raising golf tournament for Rick’s Place.

    Rick’s Place is located on 50 acres of land in the western part of Cumberland County. It is named in memory of the late Sgt. Richard J. Herrema, a Fort Bragg soldier who was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Defense Meritorious Service Medal.

    He died in combat during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2006.

    Bishop said the mission of Rick’s Place is to host family events for soldiers and support them before, during and after deployments.
    “Becca wanted to carry on the golf tournament that Drew did last year,’’ Bishop said.

    Bishop said Gray’s Creek originally chose Rick’s Place as a beneficiary of their charity work after they spent a couple of days on the property. “We love their mission and what they stand for,’’ Bishop said.

    Collins, like Bishop, has a strong feeling for the mission of Rick’s Place. “It’s one of the only military places in Fayetteville that really does a lot of hands-on things with military people,’’ she said. “People can bond with their kids. I really feel the golf tournament can be a big thing to help them.’’

    Last year’s event raised $5,000 for Rick’s Place. Collins hopes to equal or increase the amount raised at this year’s event. It is scheduled for Saturday, March 21, at Cypress Lakes Golf Course.

    For those who don’t play golf, hole sponsorships are available at $100 per hole. If anyone wants to make a donation in support of the tournament, those can be dropped off for either Collins or Bishop at the front office of Gray’s Creek High School during regular business hours. “We need a lot of help from the community,’’ Collins said.

    Bishop said getting people to undertake sponsorship of a golf tournament is a huge undertaking for a high school student, but she’s confident that Collins can make it happen.

    “Becca has a wonderful supporting family,’’ Bishop said. “I know her mom (Dawn Collins) has helped her reach out to businesses and make fliers. Becca has been doing a lot on the creative side.’’

    Bishop said Becca and her family have been part of the Gray’s Creek community for many years. “I know the community is pitching in around them,’’ she said. “A lot of the community is small business owners. They love to donate to charities that benefit our soldiers right here in Fayetteville.’’

    The work of promoting the golf tournament will provide valuable experience to Becca and the members of the committee that will be working with her Bishop said.
    “They are often making cold calls to local businesses,’’ Bishop said of the students. “They have to have their pitch for why this is so important and why it would benefit companies to donate. They are learning a lot of real life business and marketing tactics and just how to talk to people in the community.’’

    Check-in time for the tournament is at 7:30 a.m., and the tournament will begin with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m.

    There is no limit on how many teams can sign up for the event. The entry fee is $65 per person or $260 for a foursome. The format of the tournament is captain’s choice.

    The entry fee includes lunch and a golf cart.

    Early bird registration is underway by emailing either Collins or Bishop. Their addresses are rebcol3577@student.ccs.k12.nc.us or melissabishop@ccs.k12.nc.us.

  • 16 pine forestPine Forest High School baseball coach Tom Willoughby was looking for something different to jumpstart fundraising efforts for this year’s Trojan baseball team.He found it in a scene from a hit baseball film that is 31 years old. The film, "Major League," told the story of a struggling Cleveland Indians baseball team that used an odd combination of aging veterans and untested rookies to put together a successful season.

    An iconic scene from the film showed team members in their own American Express commercial. Willoughby made a few changes to the script from the movie and got his team together on the Pine Forest baseball field to do the Trojan version of the commercial.

    One of the biggest challenges was to get all the players in dress similar to the coats and ties the pretend Cleveland Indians in the movie wore.

    He told the players to watch the YouTube video of the original scene from the movie so they could see the whole thing and also watch how their respective characters said their lines in the commercial. Speaking parts went to Jared Collier, Isaac Gonzalez, Justin Clark, Greg Washington, Justin Honeycutt, Willoughby and Keyshawn Taylor.

    Taylor had the highlight scene in the commercial, reprising the role of actor Wesley Snipes who played the role of team speedster Willie Mays Hays in the movie.
    In the commercial scene, Hays slides in to home plate at the end of the commercial holding up an American Express card.

    The biggest distraction Willoughby had to deal with in making the video was creating the character of the manager of the Indians team in the movie, Lou Brown, played by the late character actor James Gammon.

    A feature of Gammon’s character in the film was a bushy mustache. Prior to the start of practice, Willoughby had grown a full beard, but the day of the filming of the video, he shaved it all off save the mustache.

    “When I showed up with the Lou Brown mustache the guys started laughing,’’ said Willoughby. As soon as the video had been shot, he went to his truck and shaved the mustache off, “just so I could focus with my guys,’’ he said.

    Seniors Justin Honeycutt and Jared Collier were among the handful of players on the Pine Forest team that had actually viewed the film. Honeycutt is a pitcher who plays outfield when he’s not on the mound. Collier has been a catcher throughout his career at Pine Forest.

    “I thought it was a great idea,’’ Honeycutt said, even though the filming took some time and presented a few challenges. One of the players with a speaking part had a difficult time getting his lines right, but Honeycutt said they came up with a simple solution. “We had to tape his lines on the back of the guy in front of him,’’ Honeycutt said.

    Collier said he enjoyed doing something different to kick off the season and try and convince people to support the program financially. “It was something to have a good time with,’’ he said. “We want to get Pine Forest baseball back on track after a tough season.’’

    Willoughby said the goal of recreating the scene was to reach out beyond the immediate Pine Forest baseball community of family and friends of the players and draw some interest from a wider audience to get financial support.

    “We were trying to have some fun with it,’’ Willoughby said. “We wanted to see if we could get something going on Twitter and Facebook.’’

    As of last Tuesday afternoon, the video was up to 694 views on YouTube. To see the video on SnapRaise and make a donation go to https://www.snap-raise.com/v2/fundraisers/111922?fundraiser_id=111922#/.

    As of last Tuesday afternoon, the video had raised $3,794 of the $5,000 goal Willoughby set for this year. Willoughby is hopeful the team will raise enough money to purchase a new net for the team’s batting cage and new tarps to protect the field from wet weather.

    “The batting cage is a safety thing,’’ Willoughby said. “It’s not safe to be around if it starts getting torn and there are holes in the net. The tarp is about keeping the field playable so we can get in more practice time
    and games.’’
    The video has been a critical success, at least on campus. “When I showed it to one of our teachers, she said ‘I’m definitely donating,’" Honeycutt said.

    For their part, Honeycutt thinks the Trojan team truly has a chance to contend for a  championship this season, not unlike the Cleveland Indians team did in "Major League."
    “We’ve got nine seniors on the team,’’ Honeycutt said. “We’ve got the talent and this is the year  to do something.’’

    Honeycutt thinks the key to success for the team will be attitudes, keeping them right and playing each game one at time.

    Collier thinks the approach to each game is important. “We need everybody to play like they’re never going to be here again,’’ he said.

  • 08 N1805P37006CThe national average wage for a police officer in the United States, according to the most recent data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, is $29.45 per hour, or a salary of $61,270 per year. But that can fluctuate. Generally, police officers employed in northern states have a higher chance of receiving larger paychecks. Officers in the highest-paying states all received salaries well above the national average, while officers in the lowest-paying states were far behind that benchmark. Some states, including North Carolina, have salaries well below the national average.

    Research indicated there is a variety of contradictory information among reliable law enforcement sources regarding wages. For purposes of this article, Up & Coming Weekly relied on the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Tar Heel state is among the 10 lowest-paying states for law enforcement wages.  The average wage is $42,980. This salary falls below the national median household income of $53,889. Police patrol officers are usually in higher demand than sheriff’s deputies or correctional officers. There were 5,738 job openings for patrol officers posted online in 2016, and the BLS reports that job opportunities are greater in areas with larger populations.

    The starting pay for an inexperienced Fayetteville police officer is significantly less than the entry-level salary for a Cumberland County deputy sheriff, $34,489 versus $39,237. The starting wage for detention officers at the county jail is now $36,500, $2,000 a year more than city police officers.

    “The wage disparity for the city of Fayetteville P.D. has always been a big concern for me since joining the police department,” said Police Chief Gina Hawkins. “I have been in discussions with the city manager in reviewing the salaries for sworn personnel.”

    Noncompetitive wages have cost the city. Hawkins said 59 officers left the police department in 2019, significantly more than the yearly average. “On any given year, we prepare for approximately 38 officers to leave the organization,” Hawkins said. She added that retirements, leaving for other jurisdictions, federal/state opportunities, disciplinary issues, resignations, personal issues, contribute to turnover. The current city police department authorized strength of sworn officers is 434.

    Candidates looking to stand out from the competition may want to consider pursuing a bachelor’s degree. Being able to speak a second language can also be a big plus for police departments that serve diverse communities. When recruiting, Hawkins said, “We look at more than just salaries and starting wages. We look at many other retention incentives such as (a) housing incentive that was approved by City Council in revitalized areas in city limits.”

    Additional pay for a college education is available in the city. An officer with a Bachelor’s degree earns an additional $2,500 per year. Those with an associate’s degree receive an extra $1,250 a year.

    The city of Fayetteville isn’t very competitive with other towns and cities within driving distance. Starting pay at communities with openings for police officers in Southern Pines is $37,300 a year; Raleigh $41,000; Apex $43,000; Cary $45,600; and Garner $45,000.

  • 17 01 Amari TaylorAmari Taylor

    Pine Forest • Indoor track • Junior

    Taylor has a 4.32 grade point average. History is her favorite subject. She loves R&B and jazz, enjoys movies and hanging out with friends. Her dream college is the University of Miami, where she would like to major in premed.

     

    17 02 Marquis eskewMarquis Eskew

    Pine Forest • Basketball • Senior

    Eskew has a grade point average of 3.8. English is his favorite subject. He plans to attend college and major in business entrepreneurship. He has been accepted at East Carolina and North Carolina A&T. He wants to own his own accounting business. He likes listening to rap music and R&B.

  • 02 FTCCTrojansI love sports. I specifically love baseball. After coaching 13 years, visiting The National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York, and graduating from umpiring school in Austin, Texas, the game of baseball, with all its characters, history and traditions, is about as genuinely American as you can get. The excitement, anticipation, and sights and sounds of attending the season’s opening game never really leaves you. 

    Now, for the first time this season, as I climbed the stairs to the top row of stadium bleachers and set my eyes on the bright green freshly cut grass embracing the newly raked infield soil of the baseball diamond, the joy and memories of experiencing America’s favorite pastime nostalgically rushed over me. That, my friends, was the feeling I had this weekend watching Joe Riddle III threw out the first pitch of Fayetteville Technical Community College’s second season opener in its new home at J.P. Riddle Stadium, Trojan Field. The stadium was built in the mid-80s through the generosity and benevolence of longtime Fayetteville resident, successful businessman and famed developer, the late J.P. Riddle Sr. and the Riddle family.

    After three generations of baseball clubs — the Fayetteville Generals, the Cape Fear Crocs and the Fayetteville SwampDogs — the stadium was gifted to FTCC by Cumberland County commissioners as a sports and event complex to further the education, development and lifelong learning preparedness of FTCC students. There is little doubt the county commissioners’ decision was based on the assurance that the Riddle legacy and this valuable county recreational asset would both be maintained and utilized to the maximum benefit and enjoyment of the community. This decision was brilliant.

    FTCC’s president, Dr. Larry Keen, and his competent and dedicated staff have displayed great vision and leadership. FTCC has an impeccable track record of academic success along with a reputation for unparalleled attention to detail and an exceptional commitment to excellence with every program the college engages in or develops. Again, FTCC has delivered. Trojan Field is beautiful, clean and well-manicured and will definitely be a proud showplace when it hosts thousands of out-of-town visitors during the season.

    FTCC’s master plan includes opening up Trojan Field to outside commercial events as well as for use of local events like festivals, fundraisers and concerts. Congratulations to FTCC, and good luck to the Trojans. We look forward to supporting the team and spending time at Trojan Field.

    Since we are talking baseball, I wanted to share my thoughts on the Astros’ sign-stealing/cheating scandal. Notice the media have dropped the adjective “alleged” when reporting on this unfortunate situation. Here’s what is bugging me. Little League opening day is right around the corner in April. At the Kiwanis Honeycutt Recreation Center, over 400 children will take to the baseball field. How many teams will be donning Astros uniforms? It’s a tough subject and situation to explain to a child, and, unfortunately, it is not going away any time soon — if ever. The Major League Baseball Houston Astros are cheaters, and baseball fans have long memories. Without a doubt, the Astros will have to deal with the realities that resulted from their bad behavior and tarnished reputations. Baseball fans can be unforgiving, and they have already been demonstrating their displeasure at spring training with a barrage of boos and jeers every time the Astros take the field or step up to the plate. And, rightfully so.

    The MLB already had to issue stern warnings and penalties for pitchers who intentionally try to hit Astros batters. A serious situation? You bet. It is rumored that opposing teams are already strategizing to send their most expendable hurlers to the mound knowing that once the deed is done, they will be expelled from the game. Crazy, huh? Not only has the scandal tarnished the game, but many innocent lives have been destroyed —  not to mention the young aspiring careers that have vanished.

    On the surface, there seems to be very little the Astros can do about it. Many have called for the MLB to revoke their 2017 World Series title. I agree with that. However, I doubt it will happen. Even if it did, it would not solve the dilemma. They are still cheaters and that won’t get them back into the good graces of the fans or baseball community, but I do have an idea that could be a possible solution and may start the healing process to get that crippled Astros ball club back into the good graces of the nation.

    The Astros should publicly admit their wrongdoing and apologize to the baseball community. Then, they should voluntarily give up the 2017 World Series title and trophy. If they man up now, admit the wrongdoing and acknowledge how such a sinister act hurt the game of baseball by sacrificing the title, I have little doubt that over time, the fans and the baseball community would see the honor, sacrifice and dignity of such an action. Lesson learned. And, we all can be pretty confident it won’t ever happen again. I fear that unless this sincere action is taken, the Houston Astros’ reputation and brand have been damaged beyond repair.

    Think about it. Anyone can make a mistake and ask forgiveness, but once you’re branded an unrelenting cheater, it’s a hard moniker to lose and it will make the Astros vulnerable to years of boos and jeers. The only way out is for them to do the right thing — now — or live with the consequences.

     We are thankful that all FTCC sports programs put an emphasis on character development. Let’s play ball!

    Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.
     
  • 05 N1402P28001CWalt Disney was no stranger to adversity. He grew up in a large, itinerant family of modest means. His first film studio went bankrupt. But Disney never gave up. And he never stopped learning from his mistakes.

    “All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me,” Disney once said. “You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you.”

    Celebrating the virtue of perseverance may sound old-fashioned. In reality, however, it is a sound application of modern social science. In education, for example, there is a growing empirical case for the proposition that if we ask more of our children instead of trying to protect their supposedly fragile egos, they are more likely to enjoy success in school and beyond.

    A new study of grading practices right here in North Carolina has gained significant national attention. Seth Gershenson, an associate professor at American University’s School of Public Affairs, looked at the records of some 350,000 North Carolina eighth- and ninth-graders who were enrolled in the state’s Algebra 1 course from 2006 to 2016. Gershenson chose these students because they had the same teacher for the whole year and were required to take an end-of-course test to assess their mastery of the subject.

    For all 8,000 public-school teachers covered in the study parameters, Gershenson averaged the grades they gave their students and used a variety of statistical controls to adjust for student background and prior performance, teacher background and credentials, and other variables that might influence the grade averages. He then compared those average grades to the performance of the same students on the end-of-course test for Algebra 1.

    The idea, in other words, was to see if the students of tougher-grading teachers were more or less likely to succeed than were students of easier-grading teachers — all other things being held equal.

    Gershenson’s results suggest that tougher grading practices are an example of “tough love.” By expecting more at the front end as a student takes Algebra 1, the teacher makes it more likely that student will eventually achieve mastery in the subject. On average, students assigned to the toughest-grading quartile of North Carolina teachers scored 17% of a standard deviation higher on the exam than if those same students had been assigned to the easiest-grading quartile of teachers.

    That’s not a small effect. “To put this difference in perspective,” Gershenson wrote, “consider that it amounts to a little more than six months of learning. It is also larger than the impact of a dozen student absences or replacing an average teacher with a teacher whose students consistently outperform expectations.”

    Even moving from the easiest-grading 25% of teachers to one of the middle quartiles still boosted student learning by a significant amount. Gershenson also found that having a tough-grading teacher for Algebra 1 made it more likely a student would do well in subsequent math courses such as Algebra 2 and Geometry. And the benefits of higher academic expectations extended across all racial and family backgrounds.

    That last point is particularly important in light of another of Gershenson’s findings: tougher grading standards are not equally distributed across public schools. Suburban schools and those with relatively low shares of poor students tend to have teachers who give lower grades. Rural and high-poverty schools tend to have teachers who give higher grades.

    It is at least conceivable that teachers and principals in the latter groups of schools worry that rigorous grading might discourage students who are already facing significant challenges to their academic success. Their concern may be well-motivated but this study shows that acting on that concern is not well-advised.

    As North Carolina students leave high school for college or the workplace, what matters most is how well they retain and apply what they’ve learned, not how students feel about themselves. Easy grades early in life can set them up for a hard landing.

  • 19 Danny Anderson and Wife The Rev. Danny Anderson hails from the state of West Virginia, but his entire preaching career has been spent in North Carolina.He recently added Highland Baptist Church in Hope Mills to his resume as he became the church’s pastor in mid-February.

    Anderson and his wife Lisa came to Hope Mills after previously serving Baptist congregations in Carteret County, Havelock and Pollocksville.

    He also attended college in North Carolina, studying at Gardner-Webb University in Boiling Springs. He graduated from Newburgh Theological Seminary in southern Indiana near the border with Kentucky.

    Anderson said other churches had approached him but he felt the calling of the Lord to choose Highland Baptist. “We took to the people immediately,’’ he said. “As things progressed, the Lord just took care of it.’’

    Anderson’s pastorate at Havelock brought him in contact with military personnel at the Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station. He feels that experience will help him connect with both active and retired military from Fort Bragg who live in the Hope Mills area.

    “I’ve learned from that how to be in a community that’s military-based, very patriotic and loves their country,’’ he said.

    While Anderson doesn’t take a cookie-cutter approach to working with each pastorate he’s served, there is a basic order of settling in that he follows.

    “I see what the needs are, either being filled or needing to be filled, and take a plan of action from there,’’ he said.

    Anderson said the emphasis of his ministry is one-on-one. “Everywhere I’ve been in smaller areas I’ve gone door-to-door,’’ he said. “I made sure my card was in each house.’’

    His approach is to find out if they have specific prayer concerns, while at the same time trying to establish a rapport without being too intrusive into their private lives.
    “That will be most likely what I’ll do immediately,’’ he said, “get the word out that I’m in the field.’’

    As far as working with the staff at the church, Anderson prefers a team effort and reaching out for suggestions on what’s needed to best serve the congregation.

    “I do trust the people we have on staff, their calling in different areas,’’ he said. “My managerial approach is not to micromanage. I generally allow people to use their gifts, getting all those talents together, everybody contributing a certain part to the puzzle to meet the needs.’’

    Anderson estimates it will take anywhere from six months to a year for him to become comfortably educated about the Hope Mills community, learn all the names and get a feeling for the local culture.

    Once that happens, he’ll feel more comfortable about instituting any major changes that might be needed. “I’m not one to change or institute things for the sake of instituting something,’’ he said. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.’’

    Anderson said his main concern will be building relationships. “People are people,’’ he said. “Human nature is human nature.

    “Just being there at the time of need and developing that trust is basically the way I approach it.’’

  • 04 imagesTrigger warning. If you are easily offended by anything, kindly skip this column and go directly to the cross word puzzle. Today will have something everyone can find offensive. Let me count the ways of those who will find this stain on world lit objectionable — fans of Silent Sam, enemies of Silent Sam, feminists, Dook fan and, most importantly, UNC Tar Heel basketball fans. If you fit into any of these categories, this column is not for you. It is my position that the Ol’ Roy and the Tar Heels’ Terrible, Horrible, No Good and Very Bad Season is a direct result of the curse of Silent Sam. Allow me to retort.

     Unless you have been living under a rock, and admittedly many Tar Heel basketball fans wish they were living under a rock, UNC’s round ball team is having less than its usual stellar season. I attribute this to the events of Aug. 20, 2018, when a mob tore down the statue of Silent Sam on McCorkle Place at UNC. Already the folks that tore down the statue are offended because I called them a mob. Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Sam bit the dust and the troubles began in earnest.

     A bit of history of Sam. Sam was erected on the campus of UNC in 1913 by the Daughters of the Confederacy as a monument to UNC students who fought in the Civil War. At the dedication of Sam, Julian Carr gave a speech that included “One hundred yards from where we stand, less than 90 days perhaps after my return from Appomattox, I horse-whipped a Negro wench until her skirts hung in shreds, because on the streets of this quiet village she had publicly insulted and maligned a Southern lady…” If this statement doesn’t offend you, may God have mercy upon your soul, because I don’t.

    Sam more or less stood around for the next 100 years. Like the Sphinx, he don’t say nothing. When I arrived on campus in 1970, as part of the official new student campus orientation tour, we were told he was called Silent Sam because when a virgin walked by he would fire his rifle. He never fired his rifle. We all laughed because this was way before the #MeToo movement. Herein, feminists are invited to be offended. So Sam’s name comes from a stupid joke. People who appreciate good jokes are herein invited to be offended.

     Toward the end of the 2010, protests about Sam gathered steam. The University managed to spend almost $400,000 protecting Sam from attack and vandalism in the 2017-2018 school year. Fun fact — in-state undergraduate tuition and fees for that academic year at UNC was about $9,000. Forty-three students could have received full scholarships to UNC for the cost of protecting Sam that year. Drums kept getting louder, and eventually, a mob pulled down Sam. Having worked as a lawyer for 40+ years, I do not believe in vigilante justice. The offense that Sam gave as a symbol of the Confederacy and slavery is understandable. The remedy the mob took in tearing him down is not. The legal system is supposed to deal with issues, not street violence.

     Having said that, the rule of law took a mighty strange turn after Sam went into storage in a “secure undisclosed location,” possibly with Dick Cheney. The UNC Board of Governors, ironically abbreviated as BOG, followed Dean Wormer’s advice and made a double secret deal with the Sons of the Confederacy. The BOG agreed to a settlement with the SOC to give them Sam and pay them $2.5 million dollars to give Sam a new home. Fun fact — that $2.5 million would have funded 277 in-state scholarships. As a spineless sweetner, the BOG paid the SOC $74,999 as a bribe not to come on the UNC campuses to demonstrate for five years. Apparently the BOG forgot Congressman C.C. Pinckey’s famous 1797 statement “Millions for defense but not one cent for tribute.” Upon seeing the light of day, the BOG’s double secret settlement was roundly criticized and ultimately set aside by the same judge who originally approved it. Fifty-two thousand dollars of the $2.5 million was paid to the SOC’s attorney, and the SOC gets to keep the $74,999 in tribute to leave UNC alone. That $127,000 is gone with the wind, along with the 14 in-state scholarships it could have funded.

    So what does this have to do with the Tar Heels’ basketball team? Sam has put a curse on the team. Sports curses are real. The Boston Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the Yankees in 1918 and didn’t win another World Series for 84 years. The Chicago Cubs evicted Murphy the Goat from game four of the World Series, which led to a 108-year absence from winning the World Series. The Heels have lost a series of heart breakers due to last-second miracle shots by their opponents. It’s the curse of Silent Sam expanding the goal for our opponents to the size of a hula hoop and shrinking UNC’s goal to the size of pin heads. Nothing else can explain what has happened in our winter of discontent.

     What is the remedy? Bring in the three witches from “Macbeth” to lay on an anti curse? Send Sam and the members of the spineless BOG on a long cruise on the good ship Corona Princess? Melt Sam down into commemorative coins and give half to the Sam protestors and half to the Sons of the Confederacy to sell to raise money for their respective causes? Pay the Dook refs more than Dook pays them?

     Some problems don’t have answers. But this losing of incredibly close games by the Tar Heels has just naturally got to stop. Mob rule versus double secret Spineless Board of Governors rule? Choose your poison. Forget it, Jake. It’s Chinatown.

  • 10 downloadEvery month, The Cool Springs Downtown District puts on an event called Fourth Friday. During the event, the community is invited to celebrate all that downtown Fayetteville has to offer. It involves gallery openings, arts and entertainment, shopping, dining and more. Fourth Friday will take place on Feb. 28 from 6-9 p.m.
    The Arts Council will host a spoken word event as a part of its “Troublesome Presence” exhibition. This spoken word event is the last programming installment in the exhibition.

    Metoya Scott is the public relations manager for the Arts Council. When asked about what she is looking forward to most about this event, she said, “Just basically looking forward to how these local poets interpret the art and learning from that.”

    For more information about “Troublesome Presence”, contact the Arts Council at admin@theartscouncil.com or 910-323-1776.

    The Cool Spring Downtown District also has much going on for Fourth Friday. This month’s theme is called “Lasting Impressions.” The intent of this theme is to honor Black History Month by dedicating the theme to black-owned businesses. They are partnering with the Greater Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce and Circa 1865 to focus on our community’s rich black history while also promoting black business owners.

    Cape Fear Studios has special exhibits planned as well. It will host a military art exhibition where the works on display are created by military personnel who are active duty, reserve, national guard, veterans and retirees. The dependents of these military personnel will be welcome to enter pieces as well. Those who attend must be 18 years or older. The art exhibition will be called the “2020 Alpha Romeo Tango Exhibition.” A People’s Choice Award will be presented. This exhibition will be on display from Feb. 26 to March 24. Two entries per artist may be submitted. All styles and subjects are welcome. On Fourth Friday, a reception will take place. The reception will last from 6-7:30 p.m. At 7 p.m. the People’s Choice Award will be announced. Voting for the award will begin on Feb. 27, at 7 p.m. Voting will end at 6:45 p.m. opening night. The event will be free and open to the public. For more information on the Alpha Romeo Tango Exhibition, contact Cape Fear Studios at artgallery@capefeartstudios.com or 910-433-2986.

    The Fascinate-U Children’s Museum also hosts an event for Fourth Friday. Susan Daniels, the executive director of the Fascinate-U Children’s Museum, said that the museum has been working with Fourth Friday for years. This month, there will be an arts and crafts event. During this event, children will make newspaper polar bears. For information on the Fascinate-U Children’s Museum, contact sierra@fascinate-u.com or 910-829-9171.

    For more information about Fourth Friday, contact the Cool Spring Downtown District at info@coolspringfay.org or 910-223-1089.

  • 21 EENobody’s cranking up heavy machinery and clearing land just yet, but the Cumberland County Commissioners recently addressed the idea of some day having to relocate E.E. Smith High School.

    Board Vice-Chairman Glenn Adams is closer than any of his fellow commissioners to the importance of the issue. A Smith graduate, Adams has spent the last 16 years as the color commentator for E.E. Smith high school football games aired on local radio station WIDU.

    Adams said the final decision on closing E.E. Smith and moving it to a new location rests in the hands of the Cumberland County Board of Education.

    But because of declining enrollment at the school, Smith said the commissioners need to consider what the school’s future is before serious decisions have to be made on coming up with money for a new building if it has to move from the current one.

    According to the 2019-20 average daily membership figures compiled for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, Smith’s enrollment of 1,153 students made it one of the smallest public senior high schools with athletic teams in Cumberland County.

    Adams suggested the current enrollment at Smith is closer to 900 students.

    While the existing E.E. Smith school building on Seabrook Road has been home to the school for many years, it wouldn’t be the first time the campus has relocated Adams said.

    Adams believes the school has moved twice previously in its history, once from Washington Drive and a second time probably from a location on Orange Street.

    What’s causing the concern, Adams said, is there aren’t enough people living near the current Seabrook Road location to continue providing students to attend the existing school.

    “You’ve got to have some kind of alternative and you can’t wait until the end to decide where that is,’’ he said.

    Even if the school does have to move, Adams stressed it’s not the building that makes a school. It’s the people who walked the halls and competed on its athletic fields and in its gymnasium.

    “That heart will go wherever the building is,’’ he said. “They (the alumni and faculty) are forever going to be there.’’

    The big question would be where to put a new building, and Adams said that decision is in the hands of the Board of Education. “You don’t want to go into someone else’s district,’’ he said, noting that Smith is bounded by the Pine Forest, Westover and Terry Sanford districts.

    “You have to be cognizant of those other schools,’’ he said.

    Adams stressed that any plan to relocate E.E. Smith is years down the road, but now is the time to begin the discussion so as many people as possible who will be affected by the move can offer their opinions on what to do.

    “There are always going to be those who are nostalgic and say don’t move it,’’ Adams said. “There are others of the opinion that the school is not the building. I think it goes both ways. People are probably hearing this for the first time.’’

    Adams said he has spoken with Dr. Marvin Connelly, superintendent of the Cumberland  County Schools, and said the superintendent is open to all options available.
    “He hasn’t put anything off the table,’’ Adams said.

    While the school board will make the final decision on what happens with E.E. Smith, Adams said it’s the task of the county commissioners to give the school board as many viable options for what to do with E.E. Smith as possible.

    “It’s the county commissioners that fund the schools,’’ Adams said. That’s why he wants to start the conversation now, to provide for as many options as possible to make sure whatever alternatives are on the table will be positive.

  • 07 01 Sheriffs Deputies 2Cumberland County Commissioners have approved a significant adjustment in the wages of sheriff’s deputies and detention officers. They appropriated $354,233 to provide market adjustments to entry-level law enforcement salaries for the remainder of the fiscal year beginning March 1. A statewide study showed Cumberland County entry-level law enforcement wages were 10% lower than comparable counties, while average pay was 16% lower.

    The turnover rate for jailers at the detention center resulted in a vacancy rate of 45%, according to County Manager Amy Cannon. “We have continued to struggle and have challenges  with employee recruitment and retention,” Cannon said.

    Pay for entry-level detention officers will increase by $2,300 to $36,500. The entry-level wage for a sworn deputy sheriff will increase by $1,750 to $39,237. This increase applies to all department classifications, excluding the rank of captain and above.

    “We believe this is a step in the right direction in the process to begin impacting positively our recruitment and retention.” Cannon said.

    07 02 JP Riddle StadiumJ.P. Riddle Stadium renovated

    Fayetteville Technical Community College’s 2020 baseball season will begin Feb. 29 at the newly revamped Trojan Field at J.P. Riddle Stadium, 2823 Legion Rd., with a doubleheader between Fayetteville Tech and Paul D. Camp Community College of Suffolk, Virginia. The Cumberland County Board of Commissioners gifted the stadium to the College two years ago. The men’s baseball teams of FTCC and Freedom Christian Academy will join the Fayetteville Swamp Dogs in utilizing the field and stadium.
    “We thank the Cumberland County Commissioners for this opportunity to be associated with the J.P. Riddle Stadium and to continue the Riddle family’s intent to share this asset with the citizens of Cumberland County,” said Dr. Larry Keen, FTCC president. FTCC’s ownership of J.P. Riddle Stadium provides educational opportunities for staff, faculty and students representing various academic program areas to support of FTCC events, Keen added.

    07 03 Pet Adoption 2PetSmart Charities makes local donation

    Cumberland County Animal Control has been awarded a $30,000 grant by PetSmart Charities to support the adoption of cats and large breed dogs. The funds will be used to pay for spaying and neutering nearly 500 dogs and cats. That will allow the shelter to reduce adoption fee to $28 for selected animals and save more animals, Animal Control Director Elaine Smith said. “We are so excited to receive this grant so that we can really help our harder to adopt... older pets, pets with treatable health issues and our large dogs in particular,” Smith said.

    The Animal Control adoption fee includes a pet’s rabies vaccination, privilege license, microchip and spaying or neutering by a local veterinarian. For more information about adopting a pet from the Animal Control Shelter, call 910-321-6852, or to see all the animals available for adoption, visit http://bit.ly/CCAdoptablePets.

    07 04 citizens academy 2Citizens Academy

    The next Fayetteville Citizens Academy class will be held Wednesday, March 11, with a focus on several divisions of Fayetteville’s Public Services Department, including Traffic Services, Street Maintenance, Stormwater and Solid Waste. Academy participants will have an opportunity to engage in hands-on learning, view equipment, tour facilities and meet city personnel tasked with serving the community. The class size is limited to 25 residents. Class begins at 8:15 a.m. and will conclude at or before 5 p.m. To apply, log on to www.fayettevillenc.gov/citizensacademy, scroll to the bottom of the page and complete the form online. The submission window for this session closes March 2. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance by close of business Friday, March 6. “Our one-day Citizens Academy event gives residents an opportunity to see City of Fayetteville staff in their element, doing what they do every day to support and serve our citizens,” said Corporate Communications Director Kevin V. Arata.
    Lunch will be provided, and residents are asked to dress appropriately for the weather and in closed-toe footwear. 

    07 05 Build a Better Murchison 2 Build a Better Murchison

    Planners are in the home stretch of a special Fayetteville event. The Longleaf Pine Realtors Association is using a $5,000 grant from the National Association of Realtors to stage the Build a Better Murchison project March 7. It’s a block party that will take place from 12-5 p.m. at and around Seabrook Auditorium and Bronco Plaza. This temporary demonstration project will add new crosswalks, a greenery-lined median and a two-way bicycle track. The event will feature live music and other entertainment plus food vendors and artists.

    Eric Vitale, a transportation planner with the Fayetteville Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, said, “There could end up being more people attending this event than another one held in Haymount in June 2018.”

    The vendor registration deadline is Tuesday, March 3, at 5 p.m. Meetings for volunteers and interested vendors are scheduled March 3, 4 and 5. Visit the website if you want to learn more www.betterblockfaync.com.
  • 09 Soldiers studyingFayetteville Technical Community College has again been ranked among the top five Military Friendly® large community colleges in the nation for 2020-21. The prestigious designation by the national Military Friendly® Schools Program affirms FTCC’s commitment to providing military members, veterans and their families with high-quality educational services that are affordable and convenient.

    A wide range of classes and programs are available in a variety of settings on FTCC’s campuses at Fort Bragg and online. The school awards appropriate credits for prior military learning and follows up with comprehensive services to meet the special educational needs of military personnel and their families. FTCC’s All American Veterans Center on the school’s main campus provides educational assistance and support to veterans. A Transition Tech program provides industry-focused training for military members who are preparing for civilian life.

    The North Carolina Military Business Center headquartered at Fayetteville Tech works to support the integration of skilled transitioning military personnel and veterans into the civilian workforce.

    The mission of the NCMBC is to leverage military and other federal business opportunities to expand the economy, grow jobs and improve quality of life in North Carolina. “FTCC is pleased to be recognized again nationally as one of the best Military Friendly colleges in the large community college ratings,” said Dr. Mark Sorrells, FTCC’s senior vice president for Academic and Student Services.

    The Military Friendly® Schools rankings are compiled each year by Viqtory, an independent media firm that promotes economic opportunities for veterans, transitioning service members and military spouses. The 2020-21 Military Friendly® Schools list will be included in the May issue of G.I. Jobs magazine, which is published by Viqtory and is also available at www.militaryfriendly.com. The term “military” refers to all people in the military community, including active duty, reserve and National Guard service members, veterans and military spouses. It’s a trademarked name because there are several copycat military lists and ratings programs that don’t possess the rigor and history of Military Friendly®.

    The ratings are based on extensive data from public sources and responses from a proprietary survey. Final ratings are determined by combining the institution’s survey scores with the assessment of the institution’s ability to meet thresholds for student retention, graduation, job placement, loan repayment, persistence and loan default rates for all students and, specifically, for student veterans. More than 1,000 schools participated in the 2020-21 survey, with 695 earning the Military Friendly® designation.
    The rankings distinguish the top 10 Military Friendly® schools in several categories, including large community colleges. Top 10 schools, such as FTCC, are awarded gold status, as are those that score within 10% of the 10th-ranked school. Visit https://www.faytechcc.edu/military-veterans to learn more about FTCC’s programs for the military and veterans.

    Fayetteville Technical Community College was established in 1961 and serves over 38,000 students annually by providing over 280 occupational, technical, general education, college transfer and continuing education programs to meet the needs of students and the community. It is the fourth-largest community college in the state and boasts one of the largest Continuing Education departments. Visit FTCC’s website at www.faytechcc.edu.

  • 06 Financial advisorInternational Women’s Day 2020 is observed on March 8. This special day celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women.
    Yet, women still face gender barriers as they seek to achieve their financial goals.

    How can you address these challenges?

    To begin with, you need to be awareof what you’re up against. The wage gap between men and women has closed somewhat, but it hasn’t disappeared. Full-time female employees earn about 82% of what men earn, according to the Census Bureau. Over a 40-year career, a woman who worked full time would lose, on average, more than $400,000 because of this wage gap, according to the National Women’s Law Center.

    Furthermore, a woman turning age 65 today can expect to live, on average, until age 86.5; for a 65-year-old man, the comparable figure is 84. Those two-and-a-half years can amount to a lot more living expenses.

    Plus, by taking time off from the workplace to raise children and care for elderly family members, women often end up with lower balances in their 401(k)s and IRAs than men.

    So, what can you do to help eventhe playing field, in terms of building adequate resources for retirement? Here are a few suggestions:

    • Contribute as much as possible to your retirement plans. During your working years, put in as much as you can afford to your 401(k) or similar employer-sponsored retirement plan.

    Most people don’t come anywhere near the 401(k) contribution limit, which, in 2020, is $19,500, or $26,000 if you’re 50 or older, and you might not be able to reach it, either, but strive to do the best you can. And every time your salary increases, bump up your annual contribution. If you are able to “max out” on your 401(k), you may still be able to contribute to an IRA.

    If your income exceeds certain limits, you can’t contribute to a Roth IRA, which offers tax-free withdrawals of earnings if you meet certain conditions, but you may still be able to fund a traditional IRA, although the tax deductibility may be reduced or eliminated.

    • Use Social Security wisely. You can start taking Social Security as early as 62, but your checks can be larger if you wait until your full retirement age, which will likely be between 66 and 67. And if you’re married, you may be able to choose between claiming your own benefits or receiving 50% of your spouse’s benefits, which could help you if your spouse has considerably higher earnings. Your spouse does not lose any benefits if you choose this route.

    • Look for every opportunity to save and invest. As mentioned above, women often lose out on some retirement savings when they take time away from the workforce to raise families and eventually become caregivers for elderly parents. But even if you aren’t working full time, it doesn’t mean you have no chance to boost your retirement savings. If you can do any paid work, whether it’s part time or as a consultant, you can contribute to an IRA — and you should.

    It’s not easy to overcome the structural disadvantages women face when seeking to reach financial security. Taking advantage of the savings and investment possibilities available can help.

  • 23 01 Danielle NovakDanielle Novak

    South View • Softball/volleyball • Senior

    Novak has a 3.6379 grade point average. She is a member of Health Occupations Students of America, the Tiger Stripes Club and Buddy Special Olympics.

    23 02 Davin SchmidtDavin Schmidt

    South View • Soccer• Senior

    Schmidt has a 4.5833 grade point average. He is the National Honor Society President, Spanish Honor Society President, a member of the Academy of Scholars and ranks first in the senior class.

  • 02 Money on fireAccording to its Wikipedia page, the Bizarro World “is a fictional planet appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics.... In popular culture, ‘Bizarro World’ has come to mean a situation or setting which is weirdly inverted or opposite to expectations.” Many Americans may feel like we are living in a “weirdly inverted or opposite” world.

    If you are over 30 years old, you were probably brought up believing our nation was built on hard work and free enterprise. In America, we are free to work hard, study hard and express ourselves in totally uninhibited dimensions. These freedoms bring forth amazing, innovative entrepreneurial ideas and accomplishments —  ideas that give birth to more creative ideas and ventures that create opportunities and jobs that provide wages for families to exist, experience and enjoy America’s unique way of life. In turn, we have more ideas, more opportunities, more jobs and more wealth. And, the more wealth that accumulates the more opportunities for investment. These notions add up to be an abridged definition of capitalism with a capital C.

    However, lately, many people in our country have been introduced to an opposing ideology: democratic socialism. Welcome to Bizarro World! It makes no difference what race you are or what your political stances are. Democratic socialism is an ideology that threatens our freedom, deteriorates morality, and just generally negatively affects our nation indiscriminately.
    Along with this ideology comes ignoring our own laws. Illegal activities become legal. Good is perceived as being evil. For example, police and law enforcement once looked upon as guardians of humanity are now perceived as the enemy and have become targets of random hostility.  Immigration Customs Enforcement once honored for their valor in keeping Americans safe from outside threats are now chastised, ridiculed and harassed for doing their jobs. In spite of federal law, sanctuary cities are becoming prolific. In Bizarro World fashion, these cities can actually protect and harbor criminals whose mission is to rob, harm and terrorize innocent Americans regardless of race, religion or political affiliation. In Bizarro World, crime goes unpunished, prisoners get to vote, and victims’ voices are silenced or ignored.

     It’s our government allowing this to happen and it’s our apathy that allows the government to continue the lying and mocking of our Constitution. And, while all this governmental dysfunction is going on unabated, much of the media has become a willing partner in creating and disseminating fake news, keeping Americans ignorant and uninformed.

    Most Americans have no idea this new political ideology has been created: democratic socialism.

    There is nothing democratic about socialism. This unorthodox ideology has radiated directly from Bizarro World for several reasons. Firstly, socialism is anti-capitalist. Secondly, socialism has never succeeded anywhere in the world. Thirdly, the biggest anti-capitalist, pro-socialist advocates are rich, very well-to-do millionaires. It’s easy for them to tout free health care, free college, free this, free that when never offering up a plan on how they are going to pay for these entitlements.

    America was built on capitalism and a free enterprise way of life. As a result we have become the greatest nation in the world. We have succeeded where other countries have failed and continue to fail. Why would anyone think a made-up ideology like democratic socialism would work in America? It is my hope that people come to their senses and realize Bizarro World is not the real world. There is no such thing as democratic socialism; however, communism is real. In the real world, hard work, truth, mercy and goodness have always triumphed. That’s the American way!

    Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 22 01 Vernon AldridgeThe schedule is set for the annual Cumberland County Schools Football Jamboree, with few changes from last year’s event.
    This year’s games will be Thursday, Aug. 13 at South View High School and Friday, Aug. 14, at Terry Sanford High School. That will be the first athletic event held in Terry Sanford’s rebuilt stadium.

    There is no rain date for either scrimmage. A final decision on ticket prices will be made at next month’s Cumberland County Schools athletic directors meeting.
    Vernon Aldridge, student activities director for the Cumberland County Schools, said all of the non-Cumberland County schools that took part in last year’s jamboree asked to return this season.

    22 02 Bill SochovkaOne of the main reasons may have been a change Aldridge made last year, switching the format from what most jamborees do in having four teams on the field at the same time, each pair playing on half the field.

    Last year, Cumberland County changed to a full-field format for each scrimmage session. Aldridge indicated that was a hit with the coaches.

    “It allowed them to open up their playbooks,’’ Aldridge said. “It also allowed them to know they could return punts, and to get in some snaps out there with the kicker
    and punter.’’

    Pine Forest football coach Bill Sochovka, who has spent 25 years at the school, the last 13 as head coach, echoed some of Aldridge’s points about the advantage of full-field
    scrimmages.

    “It gives a really good sense of where your kids are in terms of game preparation,’’ he said. He added it’s a benefit for younger players, especially quarterbacks, who get a better sense of the speed of the game on a full field.

    “You coach all year, do your 7-on-7’s, then all of a sudden you’ve got a full rush,’’ Sochovka said. “It also helps when you break down film the following week.’’

    Another big plus since Aldridge expanded the county scrimmage to bring in more outside teams is Cumberland County Schools don’t have to see someone they’ll play in the regular season.

    “You don’t want to do that,’’ Sochovka said of meeting a regular-season opponent in a scrimmage setting.’’

    Here is the schedule for the 2020 BSN Cumberland County Schools Football Jamboree:
     
    Thursday, Aug. 13 at South View High School
    5 p.m. - Lumberton vs. Douglas Byrd
    6 p.m. - Hoke County vs. Overhills
    7 p.m. - Union Pines vs. Gray’s Creek
    8 p.m. - Clinton vs. Pine Forest
    9 p.m. - Seventy-First vs. South View

    Friday, Aug. 14 at Terry Sanford High School
    5 p.m. - Apex Friendship vs. Triton
    6 p.m. - St. Pauls vs. Westover
    7 p.m. - Richmond Senior vs. Cape Fear
    8 p.m. - Scotland vs. Terry Sanford
    9 p.m. - E.E. Smith vs. Jack Britt
  • 18 PosterRonnie Holland knows firsthand what a successful organ transplant can mean to someone in need of a second chance at life.

    Five years ago, his daughter had a successful liver transplant at UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill.

    Now, Holland wants to help other people in need of a similar life-saving procedure, or charity for other needs.

    After he retired several years ago, he formed a band he named Common Ground. As an outreach ministry of Hope Mills United Methodist Church, Holland’s goal is for his band to help various individuals and charities in need of financial help by holding concerts to raise money.

    The first one is scheduled at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 7th, at Hope Mills United Methodist Church at 4955 Legion Road. There is no charge for admission but donations will be accepted after the service.

    Holland preferred asking for donations rather than having a set admission price. “We want people to feel led to do what they want to do,’’ he said.

    The first concert will benefit the Jason Ray Foundation. The foundation was created in memory of Jason Ray, who wore the Rameses mascot costume for the University of North Carolina before he was killed in a traffic accident.

    Ray donated his organs to others, and the foundation was started to raise money for the UNC Hospital Comprehensive Transplant Center Foundation.

    “This is something that’s near and dear to my heart,’’ Holland said. “I hope it takes off. Whether it’s one person or 100,000, we’re going to sing.’’

    Members of Holland’s group include Belinda Davis, Linda Currie, Janet Beaty, Dave Probus, Morrie Turner and Scott Reese. A special guest at the first concert will be guitarist Brad Muffet, who formerly played with nationally-known artist B.J. Thomas.

    The group will perform a variety of music during the event, Holland said. Selections will include gospel, 60’s music, beach music, bluegrass and blues.Light refreshments will be served after the concert.

    Holland said the sanctuary of the Hope Mills church will hold about 200. If the sanctuary is full, he said they can stream video of the performance into the church family life center. “I hope it gets too big and we have to go somewhere else,’’ he said.

    The event is called the Living Water Benefit, which is illustrated in an original painting by one of the group’s members, Linda Currie.
    It shows a waterfall flowing underneath a cross.

    Holland said the picture symbolizes that Jesus Christ died to free everyone from sin. Water is included because everyone needs water to live, and water is used to baptize believers.

    He sees the transplant as being similar since it gives the recipient a new life.

    If anyone has questions or would like to make a donation, they can contact Holland at 910-624-4166 or by email at ronnieholland51@gmail.com.

  • 11 julio rionaldo xIoze9dH4WI unsplashThe Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra’s “In Their Footsteps” concert is one that will be a classic and a performance the whole famioy can enjoy.
    The concert will take place at Huff Concert Hall at Methodist University on March 7. The performance starts at 7:30 p.m.

    During this performance, the audience will experience the skills of the symphony’s talented musicians and travel with them and the Fayetteville Symphony Youth Orchestra as they walk in the footsteps of classical composers and even a North Carolina composer.

    What started in 1956 as a simple orchestra has expanded into an incredible group of musicians that performs all across the community of Fayetteville. The mission of the orchestra is to educate, entertain and inspire the citizens of Fayetteville, North Carolina as the region’s leading musical resource.

    Before the concert, a preshow talk will take place. This preshow talk will be a formal interview done by the Music Nerd,  Dr. Joshua Busman.

    Jesse Hughes is the executive director of the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra. When asked about the preshow talk that will take place beforehand, he said “ It’s an informal interview that involves Dr. Joshua Busman who is a professor of composition at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. The purpose of it is to give the audience insight into the lives of musicians from a practical standpoint. In other words, he will interview some of the musicians and ask them how did they prepare for a concert or for a particular concert, when they became interested in music and at what age, and things like that, and establish a connection with the audience.”

    About the theme, Hughes said, “The theme was programmed by our musical director. It pays homage to great composers that have gone before. It’s a combined program that combines the Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra and the Fayetteville Symphony Youth Orchestra. So, it is basically the young following in the footsteps of the old.”
    Composer Hector Berlioz takes center stage this performance. “First off, the concert is going to focus on a composer named Hector Berlioz. Mr. Berlioz is a well known classical composer, so its basically paying homage to his work. Also, that first half is going to feature a composition by a North Carolina native, Jacob Hensen, who is currently pursuing his master’s degree at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts.”

    “Then the second half of the program features music by composers based on American style music such as the Suite of Old American Dances. The type of music they are playing is called academic music. It is performed more by bands at the high school and college level. So, it is very popular in those populations.

    “What makes it fun is the cultural enrichment it brings to the community, the involvement, and  the connection that is established with the orchestra and the patrons, especially when we play pieces that people can relate to.

    “I think they are important because they provide cultural enrichment. It denotes the example of the accomplishment of something that requires regiment and discipline. It’s also something that captivates the community and is all inspiring.”

    For information on how to buy tickets go to fayettevillesymphony.org.
     
  • 05 Colvins buildingDear Thomas Batson, Jeremy Fiebig, Gordon Johnson, Tiffany Ketchum, George Turner, Henry Tyson and Liz Varnadoe,

    I recently read an article printed in the Feb. 5-11 issue of Up and Coming Weekly, “Six to one. Mayor wins. Fayetteville loses!” It describes how the current mayor of Fayetteville, Mr. Mitch Colvin, made significant changes to the exterior of his building, the old Kress building, located downtown. These changes were made without adhering to the Certificate of Appropriateness guidelines.

    This has a serious consequence, as I see it, in that you, the Historic Resources Commission, would allow this to happen. The guidelines now become moot. What is the purpose of having those guidelines if you won’t adhere to them? After all, a 6-to-1 vote by the Commission allowing Colvin’s changes says that you would rather not even consider the guidelines put into place to protect downtown Fayetteville’s appearance that would apply to any business owner who operates in a building downtown, not just someone in a leadership position. Bruce Arnold, owner of Rude Awakening coffee shop, pointed out that the changes to the Kress building violated the COA guidelines. He voted against approval as each of you could have and should have voted, yet he was made a victim by pointing out the violation. This is appalling and shows a true lack of leadership on your part.

    Why have this Commission? As for actions of leadership for a personal benefit, is this another case of being handed the keys to the Ferrari just after obtaining one’s driver’s license? A similar situation with downtown property will come up again with business owners who may want to make changes to suit their personal tastes.

    Rick Bryant, Fayetteville citizen

  • 16 spare tireWalt Brinker, 1966 West Point graduate, retired US Army infantry lieutenant colonel and Vietnam War veteran, retired civilian project manager, instructor at FTCC, and Eastover resident, has provided well over 2,000 free-of-charge roadside assists as a hobby. With experience from these assists he wrote a book, “Roadside Survival: Low-Tech Solutions to Automobile Breakdowns,” for the everyday motorist. He also set up a website, “roadsidesurvival.com,"  to help individuals, driver education teachers and law enforcement. This vignette captures one of his many assists along with lessons:

    On July 11, 2014, as I was descending from a high level at the large parking garage at Duke Medical Center, I spotted an older Chevrolet pickup with a flat left rear tire and a family standing around. The 40-something year old male driver, whom I’ll call “Willie," looked at my car as I stopped and rolled down my right-side window and asked him, “What do you need?” He replied, “I need air." Turns out his tire had gone flat while his family was in the hospital. He asked if I could pump up his flat tire, and I agreed to. I asked him whether he had a spare tire and would prefer me to mount it. I showed him the plug in the pickup’s rear bumper, which would need to be unlocked with his ignition key and removed in order to insert the segmented shafts to engage the spare’s lowering mechanism. He showed me his ignition key, which was missing ¾ inch off its tip, so it would not unlock the plug. I asked him how he started his engine with that key. He replied, “I have to jimmy it to make it work.”

    I also offered to use my jack and other tools to remove his flat tire, find and plug its leak and reflate it. Willie replied that one of his children had a medical disorder that likely would cause him to become upset during such a delay. So I used my compressor to reinflate Willie’s flat tire. I reminded Willie that he needed to get his tire fixed right away, since it soon would be flat again. Smiles, handshakes, lots of thank-yous and we departed.

    Walt’s tips:
    • Don’t set yourself up to fail, especially with a family in tow: Bad ignition key that would barely start the engine and would not permit access to the spare tire. Cost to replace an older vehicle’s key: $8-$10.
    • Without access to the spare tire, it’s just like not having one.
    • Stowing a 12-volt compressor permits re-inflating low and flat tires with slow leaks — and spare tires that have gone flat.

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