https://www.upandcomingweekly.com/


  • 15Grab a leather jacket, a helmet, clean off the motorcycle and gear up for the Riding for Hope Bike Run fundraiser on April 22.

    April is Autism Awareness Month and this fundraiser will spread awareness on the subject and support a good cause.

    This event is not just for motorcyclists, because the community can come out and enjoy it. Those interested in riding can register the day of the event from 8 to 9:30 a.m. The fee is $20 for riders and $10 for passengers.

    This is the Jarred Bryan Sparks Foundation’s annual fundraiser that assists with funding for The School of Hope, a private school for autistic children.
    Salina Medlin, a teacher’s assistant at The School of Hope, is also on the Jarred Bryan Sparks Foundation. She thought of the motorcycle run in 2020.

    According to Medlin, the foundation has helped raise $40,000 for the school over the years.

    This year's Bike Run will help raise money for The School of Hope expansion. Right now, they are near capacity. Once the modular buildings are up, the school can provide more space for additional students.
    The class size is small at the school — 10 students or less to one teacher.

    Another reason this fundraiser is important is because when a child is diagnosed with autism, The School of Hope wants to be top of mind when parents seek help.

    “As a mother with children with autism, I understand the frustration and fear parents go through. Cumberland County Schools doesn't have the resources needed to provide the one-on-one each [autistic] student needs,” she said. “The School of Hope has smaller classrooms, Applied Behavior Analysis and Registered Behavioral Technicians. This allows us to meet the individual needs of our students.”15a

    Fundraiser History

    The inaugural ride was in November 2020. They did not have one in 2021 and got back into action in 2022. This is the third ride.

    Because of COVID, the foundation could not have its annual spring festival in 2020. Medlin was thinking of how to fill the void for funding. She thought of a bike run because it hit all the marks — social distancing, riders could bring their own motorcycle, it's outside and folks could wear masks.

    Medlin said it was an amazing hit. She said she never had a bike run before and the community came together strong for it.

    The motorcycle community — riders and clubs — go around and find communities that might need help fundraising and do the bike runs.
    John Larson, Fort Bragg Hog Chapter, led the bike run in 2022. Medlin said he was helpful with leading the run and creating the route.

    “It came out well and I couldn’t have done it without the community’s help to spread awareness about autism,” she said.

    Larson told Medlin that typically bike rides have an honorary rider. She thought of her son, Julian.
    Julian is autistic and has always wanted to have a motorcycle. She knew this was perfect for him to do the ride.

    “I thought, ‘This would be a great opportunity for him to get out in the community and socialize with other people and have a great time by riding on the back of John’s bike throughout the ride,’” she said. “It was real good for him.”

    Medlin said they are looking for this year’s honorary rider. Medlin says being an honorary rider helps the child socialize and have a good time.

    Learn and Have Fun

    15bThose interested in attending the fundraiser may be wondering what to expect.

    “We’re always there to help educate parents who have young children with autism. Maybe they’re not sure what direction to go to help their child,” she said.

    Other happenings at the event: the foundation will sell T-shirts, have free food and a raffle for a 60-inch smart TV. Each rider that is registered in the ride will get a free raffle ticket. Sponsors of the event get a raffle ticket, too. Additional tickets can be purchased. The raffle tickets go into a jar and at the end of the bike run, a ticket is drawn. The winner can pick up the smart TV from the school the following Monday.

    The Riding for Hope Bike Run will start at 3950 Sycamore Dairy Road in Fayetteville.

    The School of Hope

    Amy and Rob Sparks created The School of Hope for autistic children. Their son Jarred Bryan Sparks lived with autism and died in June 2011 at the age of 19. In 2017, the Sparks started the nonprofit Jarred Bryan Sparks Foundation to spread awareness about autism. The foundation advocates for autistic children and provides financial support for the school. Students with the diagnosis of autism can attend grades K-12.

    For more information about the Riding for Hope Bike Run call 910-339-5683.

  • Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation offers a variety of locations around town to enjoy the outdoors and learn about local flora, fauna and wildlife.

    In addition to park facilities, there are a number of activities scheduled for April and May. Below are just a few, so be sure to check https://www.fcpr.us/facilities/recreation-centers for more information.

    Earth Day at the City Market

    Kick off the 2023 season of the City Market at the History Museum. Shop and chat with City Park Rangers about the area’s plants and animals, and outdoor adventure close-to-home at the best spots to enjoy nature. Do a kids’ craft or two at one of our vendor tables. Fresh, locally grown vegetables, fruits, eggs, honey, and other products are offered for sale. Purchase seasonal offerings along with plants, flowers, wood crafts, knitted goods, soap, candles, jewelry and other handcrafts. Market season runs from April to December, but a number of vendors appear year-round. For all ages, Saturday, April 22 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. Entry is free.

    14aJ. Bayard Clark Nature Center, 910-433-1579

    Animal Feedings!

    Alligators chomping, snakes swallowing and turtles snapping - come see what is for dinner at the nature center. Free for all ages; Wednesdays 4 p.m. and Saturdays 2 p.m.

    Arbor Day Tree ID Walk

    Come out to the park and learn why trees are important and useful. Identify some common species you might have in your backyard. Learn how to log the species you find in iNaturalist for the City Nature Challenge. Call or register online. Free for all ages. Friday, April 28 from 4 to 5 p.m.

    One Foot Challenge

    See how many different species you can find in a one foot by one foot square and log them in iNaturalist for the City Nature Challenge. You might be surprised at how many things you can find once you take a closer look! Call or register online. Free for kids 5 and up. Monday, May 1 from 4 to 5 p.m.

    14bLake Rim Park, 433-1018

    Great Pinecone Scavenger Hunt-Plant by Numbers

    Woody plants teem with wildlife and can be numbered based on species that depend on them. These “Tallamy Numbers” can guide you to selecting the most wildlife-friendly plants for your landscape. Learn about this concept as you follow clues to discover six plants marked with numbered, golden pinecones. Game sheets are located outside the office. Saturdays though Wednesdays through April 26, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

    Tuesday Tar Kiln Tour from Bill Crisp Senior Center

    Listen as rangers and historians reveal the significance of a local archaeological site. Discover the importance of the naval stores industry and find out why we are known as “The Tar Heel State.” Move across the road to remnants of a century-old turpentine factory that left kilns on the landscape. Meet staff at the new Senior Center at 7560 Raeford Road, across from Lake Rim Park. Call or register online. Ages 15 and up welcome for the free program. Tuesday, April 25 from 2 to 4 p.m.

    April Lake Rim Kayak Tour

    Lake tours are perfect for those trying kayaking for the first time and seasoned paddlers looking to relax. All equipment and basic instruction provided. We recommend beginners participate in a lake tour before going on a kayak trip. Tours are dependent on the weather. Register early, space is limited. For ages 10 and up. Participants under 16 must be accompanied by a participating adult. Friday, April 28 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Cost is $15 per participant.

  • 13 The Fayetteville Beach Music Festival is returning with a bang after a successful relaunch last year. The day-long festival will be bringing beach music and family fun to downtown Fayetteville in May, perfect to kick off the upcoming summer season and warm weather.

    The festival is a fundraiser for the Karen Chandler Trust — a local nonprofit charity that started more than 20 years ago. Karen Chandler Trust helps support cancer patients that are currently undergoing treatment. That support ranges from car rides to treatments and doctor's appointments to paying off utility bills, car payments, mortgages and rent.

    “We've been around 24 years and we've given away over $1.3 million,” Mike Chandler, a founding member of the Karen Chandler Trust, said.

    Chandler helped form the Karen Chandler Trust in honor of his late sister. Karen Chandler, a mother of two and a local musician, was diagnosed with breast cancer. Local musicians held a benefit concert to raise money to help pay off medical bills while she was fighting cancer. After she passed away in 1999 at the age of 44, the leftover money was used to form the Karen Chandler Trust.

    Helping Others

    All proceeds given to the Karen Chandler Trust, will, in turn, be given out to people in the community who need it.

    “One hundred percent of what we raise goes to residents of Cumberland County that are being treated for cancer. We have made 1,200 transportation calls taking patients back and forth to doctor appointments,” Chandler said.

    In order to qualify to receive help from the Karen Chandler Trust, the cancer patient must be a resident of Cumberland County and have a letter from a social worker or a provider explaining that they are being13a treated for cancer.

    The music festival, which is a fundraiser for Karen Chandler Trust, will take place at Festival Park in downtown Fayetteville. Last year, the foundation was able to raise a little over $20,000 and according to Chandler, over 10,000 people came to the festival.

    “They came from all over the state. We have encountered [guests from] as far as Jacksonville, Florida,” Chandler said.

    The goal this year is to raise between $25,000 and $30,000.

    “One of the things that did happen last year that I really like was there was a lot of folks that didn't know us. And as a result, we have a whole lot more folks and referrals where we were providing seats for all the cancer patients that are currently being treated here in Cumberland County,” Chandler said.

    “It's a special event. And we can tell everybody about what we do and we can help more people and it's really what we're after.”

    Six local bands

    The bands who will be performing are all local musicians. Reflections II, featuring Mike Donald, will kick off the festival at 1 p.m. Classic Soul is scheduled to go on at 2 p.m. Autumn Tyde will perform at 3 p.m. with Rivermist following them at 4 p.m.

    Chairmen of the Board, featuring Ken Knox will play out during the sunset and when it’s finally dark, The Tams, featuring Little Red, will close out the fundraiser with their performance starting at 7:30 p.m.

    “I think this event will be a joyous occasion, be fun, and we will help a lot of people,” Chandler said.

    The festival will be a family-friendly affair with games, sponsor tables and auctions. Food will also be available for purchase.
    The food trucks confirmed so far to be at the festival are Nothin Fancy, Fry Papi, American Cravings, Philly Me Up, Latin Flavours Street Cuisine, C&S Ice and Cavity Connection.

    There will also be a wholesale beer tent where the Karen Chandler Trust will receive all proceeds.
    A 12-stringed guitar is being auctioned off. The guitar will be signed by every band and their members that are participating in the Beach Music Festival. All the proceeds will be going to the Karen Chandler Trust.

    Bidding will begin at $500 with a minimum of $10 bid increments. Bids will be taken through out the day of the festival.

    The festival will take place on May 7. Gates open at noon, and the music will start at 1 p.m. It’s scheduled to last until 9 p.m.
    General Admission to the festival is $20, and children under 12 get in for free. Tickets can be bought at https://bit.ly/43fFSPd.

    Donate, Volunteer

    For more information about the Karen Chandler Trust, whether to donate or to volunteer, call 910-578-3382 or visit their website www.karenchandlertrust.com.

  • 12bThe Fayetteville Technical Community College Foundation is having its 3rd annual Trojan Fit 5K Color Run/Walk on April 22.

    The Trojan Fit 5K Color Run/Walk “is a great event for the whole family,” said Sandy Ammons, the Executive Director of the FTCC Foundation. The event will be at the FTCC’s Fayetteville campus on 2201 Hull Road.

    Check-in starts at 8 a.m. and the race begins at 9 a.m. Two routes will be available: a 5K run and a fun walk, well-suited for families with strollers.

    It costs $35 plus a $3.10 sign-up fee to race or walk, including the Trojan Fit 5K Color Run T-Shirt. Those wanting to participate can register and pay online at https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/Fayetteville/FTCCTrojan5KRunWalk. The same link can be used for those that want to sponsor or volunteer at the event.

    The race map for the event can also be found on the website. The race map will show you the paths available, color station locations, water stations, parking, and more. The race shirt pick-up will be available from April 17-21 at the FTCC Foundation Office at the Harry Shaw Virtual College Center at 2225 Hull Road.

    The money from this event goes towards the FTCC Foundation. “The FTCC Foundation is the fundraising arm of the college,” said Ammons. The FTCC Foundation supports FTCC scholarships, grants and various programs that help with the unfulfilled needs of FTCC.

    For example, during the pandemic, the FTCC Foundation used its funds to support multiple students in need to pay for things such as groceries and rent. That is one of the ways the FTCC Foundation continues to provide FTCC students a chance at a brighter and more prosperous future.

    The FTCC Foundation is a nonprofit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

    The Trojan Fit 5K Color Run is a 3-mile untimed run inspired by Holi, the Festival of Colors, that also celebrates the start of spring. The throwing of colors is a symbol of love and happiness. There will be multiple color stations where participants will have the option to participate in throwing colors.

    The annual FTCC Foundation Trojan Fit 5K Color Run "is also sanctioned as a Dogwood Festival event." said Ammons.

    Take advantage of this fun and meaningful event! Register today and help support FTCC students through the FTCC Foundation.

    For more information, please visit https://www.faytechcc.edu/foundation-events/or https://runsignup.com/Race/NC/Fayetteville/FTCCTrojan5KRunWalk.

    For more information email an FTCC Foundation representative at foundation@faytechcc.edu or call 910-678-8441.

  • 12aThe upcoming Gilbert Theater production will induce laughter and comedy like no other play this season.

    “All in the Timing” is a collection of one-act plays by David Ives, and was written between 1987 and 1993. Four of the six one-act plays will be performed at the Gilbert Theater.

    Lawrence Carlisle III, the artistic director of the Gilbert Theater, is excited to showcase this production at the Gilbert. He tells Up & Coming Weekly that the comedy of these short plays are similar to sketches one would see on “Saturday Night Live.”

    “Just think of it almost like a sketch show, like a sketch comedy show. They're a little longer than normal sketches, but it’s kind of quick like that or they're all pretty short. I don’t think any of them is longer than 40 minutes.”

    Sandra Walker will be directing two short plays with Carlisle directing the other two. He actually was able to direct the same plays in college.

    “I knew that when I got this job that I wanted to do more of them from ‘All in the Timing.’ So that was the basic reason that I put it in the season.” Carlisle said.

    Carlisle says the past few productions have been more on the serious side so this sketch-like comedy is a breath of relief.

    “The last couple of years and up to and including this one have been kind of a bummer. So I figure anything that I can do to bring a little levity to people I think is a good thing. We’re just coming off ‘Shakespeare Abridged,’ which was really funny. And this one is, to me, just as funny, but in a different way, because this one is a little bit more cerebral and the wordplay comedy, which ties into the title because when it's with that kind of comedy, it is all about timing.”

    In “Sure Thing,” a couple on a first date has the opportunity to reset the date each time they say the wrong thing.

    “Words, Words, Words” is a take on the “infinite monkey theorem,” which is the idea that given enough time, three monkeys in a room could eventually write any given text.

    In “The Philadelphia,” a man discovers that he’s entered a strange pocket of the universe where the only way to get what he wants is to ask for the opposite. In the last short play, “Variations on the Death of Trotsky,” the audience is treated to the famous Marxist waxing poet dying, and dying, and dying over and over and over again.

    The show will kick off on April 21, when there will be a special announcement by Carlisle right before the production starts. The production of “All In the Timing” will run through May 7, with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.

    Ticket prices are $18 for non-season holders. There are discounts available for military members and students. This production is rated PG-13 for swearing and adult themes. To buy tickets, contact the Box Office at 910-678-7186 or go to https://ci.ovationtix.com/36002/production/1151812.

  • 11Fed up with size-exclusive fashion, Fayetteville cousins Mary Conrad and Alex Shoup have made it their mission to bring style and confidence to every woman that walks through their doors or logs into their app — no matter what size they wear.

    2313 Glitter Ave., Fayetteville’s first fully size-inclusive boutique, is located at 1009 Marlborough Road. Carrying sizes ranging from small to 3X in nearly every clothing item, the unique boutique encourages women of all shapes and sizes to “Wear the Whatever.” From miniskirts to crop tops, 2313 Glitter Ave.’s brand of body positivity extends to every woman and every body.

    Established as an Etsy shop in 2015, the online boutique was originally in the cute accessories business before venturing into fashion. Selling items like vinyl decals, stickers and drinkware, the shop added clothing in 2018 to increase its revenue — but soon ran into an all too common issue.

    “Ordering a small, medium or large package of clothing is really limiting,” Shoup explained. “If I’m not technically plus-sized, but I’m struggling to fit into these clothes — what about everyone else?”

    In an industry where “plus size” is marketed as an entirely different section with completely different styles, 2313 Glitter Ave. bridges the gap between what fashion has been and what it needs to be.

    By 2019, the online boutique was fully inclusive. After going viral in 2020, Shoup and Conrad purchased their first warehouse and launched the 2313 Glitter Ave. app. Despite the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, the ladies of Glitter Ave. knew they had something special and took a leap of faith — selling out their inventory in a matter of weeks.

    While fearlessness is certainly one ingredient in the boutique’s recipe for success, it’s also the dedication Shoup and Conrad bring to the business that has made it such a hit with shoppers worldwide.
    Not content to simply have size-inclusive items in stock, 2313 Glitter Ave. goes live for its customers daily with a full slate of size-inclusive models ready to show real inventory on real bodies. Their various social media platforms, which boast over 200,000 followers, have garnered a reputation for being body-positive and uplifting — a mantle the owners carry with pride.

    “Wear the whatever — that’s our motto,” Shoup explained. “Whatever you think you can’t wear — wear it. We try to go above and beyond to help women find clothes that make them feel confident and comfortable. We’re trying to build self-confidence and self-love while selling clothes on the side.”

    The two women, who’ve now been in business for over eight years, are excited to bring the same thoughtful experience their shoppers receive online to their new storefront. Brick-and-mortar Glitter Ave. will have the same flair as its internet presence but with little touches that speak to a unique understanding of its customers. Flattering lighting and large air-conditioned dressing rooms bring dignity and comfort to an experience many women can find frustrating.

    “We really try to step back and see that we’re a comfortable space for everyone to try on clothes,” said Shoup.11a

    2313 Glitter Ave. officially opened its doors on March 25 and will run on a limited schedule for now. Featuring many of the same styles, including an all-inclusive line of swimwear, found on their app and website, the clever boutique is a one-stop shop for Fayetteville’s most fashionable shoppers. Additionally, the boutique offers convenient local pick-up on Blount Street through their app for those who can’t find what they’re looking for onsite.

    While they’re more than happy to provide such an important service, Shoup hopes 2313’s success opens the door for more boutiques to widen their selections.

    “We’re just a boutique, but it’s so much more than that,” Shoup shared. “We’re changing lives. We want to break stigmas and let women know, small or large: they can wear anything they want. It’s one of the main reasons we do what we do, and we really want to bring that to Fayetteville. I hope more stores and boutiques will expand their sizing, but we’re happy to be the first.”

    To shop, visit https://2313glitterave.com/.

    2313 Glitter Ave. is located at 1009 Marlborough Road. Business hours are Wednesdays, 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., and every 2nd Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

  • 10a A man, a plan and a van launched Gill Security on April 1, 1983. It was April Fool’s Day but there was nothing foolish about Dick Gill’s plan.

    Forty years later he oversees a company that protects thousands of families and businesses in the Cape Fear region.

    In a twist of fate, it was a burglary that inspired Gill to go into the security business. There was a break-in at his father’s real estate office and Gill installed a burglar alarm. He quickly realized there was a need for this service in his hometown.

    Gill had already established his reputation as a hard worker and had a passion for tinkering with electronics.
    Following his graduation from Terry Sanford High School in 1971, Dick received his associate degree in electronics from Robeson Tech. He put himself through school working in the shipping department at Sears.

    Once he obtained his degree, Sears moved him into television repair. After the break-in, he was inspired to get into the security business and started working nights and weekends at Maximum Security.

    Local Start, Regional Expansion

    His first official security system installations were for Ken Ritter’s Exxon Station, Bryan Pontiac’s new building on Raeford Road and Valley Motors. Ritter later founded Ken’s Muffler Shops and Gill's systems protected all of them. After working for other security companies Gill made the decision to launch Gill Security.

    Today Gill Security employs almost 40 people and protects some of the largest commercial businesses in the region including health care facilities, public utilities, correctional institutions, government entities, churches, day care centers, fast food chains and restaurants. The primary focus has always been on protecting what you can’t replace and keeping families, homes and businesses safe. 10b

    The Gill name is synonymous with customer service — whenever you call the office you always get a live person to talk to and the firm is proud of their 4.9 Google review rating. Gill Security has been blessed with loyal customers and many have trusted Gill for over three decades.

    JoAnn Bishop and her late husband Richard, were among Gill’s early customers. The Bishops chose Gill Security to protect their home after Bishop worked with Gill on installing a large security system for their church, Mt. Sinai Baptist.

    Mrs. Bishop has stayed with the company for almost 40 years because they are reliable, professional and offer a personal touch. She said she feels like she is calling a friend when she calls Gill Security.

    The life-safety company has expanded over the years, acquiring other companies, and extending their reach far beyond Cumberland County.
    In addition to doing business in all adjacent counties they have multiple accounts in Wake County and several coastal communities. Many local customers have entrusted Gill to protect their second homes at the beach.

    Family and Community Ties

    Protecting those in the community is not just about business for Gill.

    10cHe and his wife, Mary Adcox, have always been active in the community attending First Presbyterian Church and later Snyder Memorial Baptist. They have been heavily involved with the As One Prayer Walk, Youth for Christ, Fayetteville Academy and Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation.

    The Gills have two daughters and one granddaughter. Their oldest daughter, Melodi Borkowski, is a social worker at Pine Forest Middle School and her husband, Thomas, is Gill Security’s IT expert. Their granddaughter, Caroline, is a junior at Pine Forest High School.

    The Gill's youngest daughter, Mary Margaret Lovette, works for a digital marketing firm in Wilmington . Her husband, Ty, is a football coach for Topsail High School and they live in Porters Neck.

    In the past four decades, Gill and his team have witnessed many changes in the alarm and fire industry including technology that have allowed customers to interact with their home security systems on their smart phones. The company strives to keep pace with new technology. The installation of camera equipment and fire systems represents a large percentage of the company’s growth.
    Recently, the company installed one of the area’s first Bi-Directional Amplifier (BDA) Systems at Cape Fear Valley Hospital which allows emergency responders enhanced communication via public safety radios.

    Still Going Strong

    Dick Gill has no immediate plans to retire and still does installations and trouble shoots while acting as the company visionary.

    Day-to-day operations are managed by Eastover native Alan Buffaloe who joined the company in 2009 as the general manager.

    Together, Gill and Buffaloe have inspired the company’s six core values of (1) God first — team second— me last; (2) We honor an old fashion work ethic; (3) the customer is our priority; (4) Can do attitude; (5) Work and life balance and (6) Continuous improvement.

    That set of values has guided Gill and his team for forty years, and it seems to be working.

    For more information on Gill Security call 910-433-2868 or visit www.gillsecurity.com.

     

  • 9Carelon, the healthcare services subsidiary of Elevance Health, opened a new healthcare facility in Fayetteville April 5 with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

    The integrated healthcare center — the first of its kind for the company — will offer advanced primary care services, behavioral health services and non-clinical employee assistance program counseling under one roof.

    The Carelon care center is staffed by a multidisciplinary team of primary care and behavioral health clinicians.

    “Our first physical Carelon care center location offers a new choice for complete care for military, Medicare and Medicaid patients in and around the Fayetteville area,” said Pete Haytaian, Executive Vice President, Elevance Health and President, Carelon.

    “By offering both physical and behavioral health support in one location, we can provide easier and more comprehensive access to care that meets the unique needs of our patients,” Haytaian said.

    The center will accept scheduled appointments, same-day appointments and walk-ins for most primary care services. The center will also offer support for complex, chronic health conditions, wellness coaching and education, and clinical behavioral services, with both in-clinic and virtual options.

    Patients must have insurance plans with TRICARE, BlueCross BlueShield of North Carolina (Medicare), Healthy Blue (Medicaid patients 14 years old and up), or Original Medicare.

    The facility is located at 1590 Skibo Road and is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. To make an appointment, patients can call 910-717-0676 or visit www.carelon.com/health-clinics.

    Carelon, part of the Elevance Health family of brands, is a healthcare services organization that serves one in three people in the United States by offering connected capabilities that include research; an integrated, whole-health approach to care delivery; pharmacy; and digital platform and technology services.

    The Carelon companies support whole health by turning data into insights, insights into action, and action into personalized, innovative, and meaningful outcomes. By collaborating with clients and partners,

    Carelon provides a personalized, streamlined, end-to-end experience that connects each individual with the technology, data, and expertise needed to address and solve complex health challenges.

    For more information, please visit www.carelon.com or follow Carelon on LinkedIn.

  • 8School choice would continue its growth trajectory in North Carolina under a budget passed by the House April 6 in a bipartisan vote of 78 to 38.

    Nine Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the spending plan for the new biennium, which expands school choice by growing private-school choice programs and charter schools.
    The budget makes three changes to the Opportunity Scholarship Program, a means-tested scholarship designed to allow low- and moderate-income families to attend the private school of their choice.

    First, it would eliminate the requirement that students in grades third through eighth attend public school for at least a year prior to receiving the scholarship. Under the current structure, the requirement is only waived for students in kindergarten, first grade, and second grade.

    Second, beginning with the 2024-2025 fiscal year, the budget allocates an additional $392 million to the program’s reserve fund over a seven year period. Third, the budget removes a requirement that private schools participating in Opportunity Scholarships submit student test data to the state government each year.

    “We applaud leadership in the North Carolina House of Representatives for passing a budget that seeks to expand parental school choice,” said Mike Long, president of Parents for Educational Freedom in North Carolina. “While we believe more can be done to fund students over systems, we are hopeful that through the budget process, we will see a state budget that expands access to educational options like North Carolina’s Opportunity Scholarship Program and funding equity for our state’s public charter schools.”

    Gov. Roy Cooper had proposed a budget that would eventually phase out Opportunity Scholarships. On April 5, Rep. Lindsey Prather, D-Buncombe, offered an amendment to the budget on the House floor that would have halted increases in funding for the program and restored the reporting requirement for test data.

    “The state has a constitutional obligation to ensure every student has access to a sound basic education. Unfortunately, the Opportunity Scholarship Program provides public funding to unaccountable non-public institutions for the education of our students,” said Prather.

    The amendment failed 69-44, with two Democrats — Reps. Cecil Brockman, D-Guilford, and Garland Pierce, D-Scotland — joining Republicans in voting it down.

    The budget also removes the State Board of Education’s oversight to authorize or shutter charter schools, shifting this responsibility to the Charter Schools Advisory Board.

    Republican lawmakers have proposed two measures — House Bill 406 and House Bill 420 — that would expand school choice to an even greater degree. H.B. 406 would grow eligibility for Opportunity Scholarships to even higher earning households, while H.B. 420 would phase out Opportunity Scholarships and ultimately replace them with Education Savings Accounts, available to parents regardless of income level.

    The Senate is likely to releases its budget in May.

  • 6 At first glance it appeared to be a floating nursing home, except all the patients were ambulatory. It was in fact, a Viking cruise down the Rhine River. I am a member of a certain age demographic that takes river cruises. We got a cheapo deal with a galley slave cabin on the Swan Deck. That means when you look out the porthole, you see the bottoms of water fowl.

    Here is the Captain’s Log of floating through Germany. We had one prior trip on a large cruise ship with 5,000 of our closest strangers. The river cruise has only 195 fellow travelers which is preferable to a floating city. On the smaller boat you actually get to know some of your fellow sailors.

    We traveled all night on the Dead Eye Flight to Amsterdam. Not much had changed since my last visit 50 years ago except for some new signs. Apparently, some visitors to Amsterdam have to be reminded of their manners. One sign said “No Public Peeing. It’s illegal” with a stick figure relieving himself. Another sign said “Don’t buy drugs from street dealers. The drugs can be poisoned.” Marijuana is highly legal in Amsterdam, but the government wants a cut of the revenue. Despite the signs, the streets smelled like 1968.

    I went on an academic fact finding mission to the Red Light district to see if the ladies had changed their sales methods. Fifty years ago, hookers sat in the windows looking bored. In 2023, the granddaughters of those original hookers sat in the windows looking bored playing with their iPhones. I suspect the cooties remained the same.

    Back on the boat while consuming adult beverages we were treated to a passenger karaoke chorus singing “How Deep is Your Love” and “Memories” from “Cats.” The horror. The horror.
    We sailed into Cologne making the mandatory visit to the Cathedral which was impressive and cold. My wife, Lani, went to see a palace. I went to see the Ludwig Modern Art Museum. The museum’s overall collection was quite good. Unfortunately, for reasons only known to the curator, about half the museum’s walls were dedicated to a special exhibit by someone named Ursula. I like weird. I almost always find weird to be good. Ursula demonstrated that weird can be bad. I became trapped on a floor that was all Ursula all the time. For a few soul freezing moments it appeared I would never get out of Ursula Land.

    Next port of call was Koblenz. We wandered into the excellent Hannelore Bar starring a one-man band alternating singing and playing a saxophone. When we walked in he was singing Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire,” followed up by “Take Me Home Country Roads.” Until you can say you have heard these songs sung with a Bavarian accent, you cannot truly say you have lived. It was a peppy and cheerful place, far from home.

    Shipboard is a challenge to self-control. There are 24-hour-a-day German pastries next to the free coffee. I failed miserably. Germans know their baked goods. They are delicious. (The pastries, not the Germans themselves). What mortal can resist apple strudel and coffee? Weight gain abounds. Each day featured a piano player tickling the ivories for our listening pleasure. One selection was the theme from the “Titanic,” seemingly an awkward choice for a cruise boat. I kept waiting to hear “Just Call Me Angel in the Morning” from “The Poseidon Adventure” but it didn’t happen.

    Our ship’s social director was unfailingly polite and competent. However, in a World War II context, I would not have wanted him to be the commandant of my POW camp.

    There are many locks on the Rhine. We passed the first one at night. The ship bounced sideways waking me up. At the time I did not realize it was a lock. I suspected an ice berg. The rest of the night I got up periodically to put my feet on the floor to see if it was wet and time to abandon ship. The floor remained dry.

    Lani had an unhappy experience with a crab cake. It resulted in her breaking her 40+ year no vomit streak. It reminded me of when Seinfeld looked for the Black & White Cookie and tossed his cookies. Bigly sad. She did recover after a day. I went solo into Strasbourg, France, which has bounced like a ping pong ball between Germany and France for centuries. Now there is not even a sign on the bridge when you pass from Germany into France. Strasbourg supplied an excellent parade with weirdly dressed marching bands celebrating the end of winter. Bikers playing drums. Skeletons dancing. Dinosaurs prancing. Ghosts passing out candy to the kinder. It was groovy.

    The procedure to go home was finely tuned and heavily Germanic. If you miss a check point, you stay in Europe. Our flight was out of Basel, Switzerland. Luggage had to be in the hallway by 3 a.m. On the van to airport at 4:30 a.m. Flight leaves at 6:30 a.m. It was not a night conducive to unfettered sleeping. However, all is well that ends well. We would go on Viking again.

  • 5 I recently attended a “sprinkle,” and, no, it was not raining.

    A sprinkle, I now know, is a small baby shower for a mother-to-be who already has at least one bundle of joy at home but who still needs a few little things for the new member of the family. This is especially true if the new arrival is a different gender than earlier kiddos.

    I was, as far as I could discern, the oldest guest at the sprinkle. The honoree and her friends, most of whom were in some stage of pregnancy from undetectable to bursting at the seams, oohed and ahhed at all the sweet baby clothes and cuddly toys, and as the mother of three, the whole thing triggered all sorts of warm memories for me.

    That said, the young mothers and mothers-to-be attending the sprinkle seemed at the time like a booming generational representation, but, in fact, it is my generation and those just behind me that are booming.
    If life falls into 3 different stages — one’s individual childhood, the period when we have children, and when our children have children, it is the last group that is growing, not the first or second.

    There are numbers to prove it.

    According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the United States is joining the growing number of nations with significantly aging populations. Japan has the world’s oldest population with one out of every four people 65 or over, and some European nations, notably France, Spain, Germany and Italy, are fast heading in that direction.

    Census data report that in 1900, a mere 4% of Americans were 65 or over. Currently, about 56 million Americans, or nearly 17% of us, are 65 or over, and projections are that we will reach the Japanese statistic of one in every four people by 2060.

    High quality food coupled with a better understanding of nutrition as well as accessible health care have produced seniors who are healthy and active, with some on second or even third careers, playing tennis, and generally enjoying life in ways prior senior generations did not. We are living much longer than Americans of the past, with a life expectancy of around 76.

    The babies coming to the mothers at the sprinkle can expect to reach 74 for the boys and 80 for girls. This is two decades longer than most Americans lived in the 1960s.

    Clearly, old age is not what it used to be, but all this good news comes with bumps in the road. Younger working Americans are paying into Social Security for today’s pensioners, the same situation that pushed France to raise its retirement age from 62 to 64, causing riots in the streets.

    Politicians, both Democrats and Republicans, are terrified to discuss this issue in public, but those chickens will come home to roost eventually.
    In addition, not all seniors are healthy and playing tennis. Millions of us are in declining health with few options for care and profoundly lonely.

    The precarious nature of old age is why Americans are concerned about the two geriatric frontrunners for President of the United States in 2024. Should we actually elect a leader staring down 80?
    Old age is a concept, just like youth. It is also a fact. Just as we have begun to rethink what constitutes adulthood — is it age, physical size, or maturity of the human brain, we need to consider what constitutes old age.

    The world is shifting around us, and it is time we figure out how to use all our human resources both appropriately and fairly.

  • 4 How often do the majority and minority leaders of any legislative chamber in America agree on a significant policy change? You can probably count those occasions on your fingers without putting down your coffee cup.

    But one such example is unfolding right now in our state capital. Rep. John Bell (R-Wayne) and Rep. Robert Reives (D-Chatham) are two primary sponsors of House Bill 346, which would loosen some state controls on the operations of Blue Cross NC. Bell and Reives are also, respectively, the majority and minority leaders of the North Carolina House.
    Critics of the bill argue it represents a back-door attempt to transfer the value of the nonprofit health insurer into private hands.

    Back in the late 1990s, some of these critics helped block a major effort to convert Blue Cross into a for-profit entity. The result was a 1998 law that requires the proceeds of any such sale to private owners to flow into a charitable foundation.

    That was my position in 1998, too. While Blue Cross NC had by then become a fully taxed entity, much of its assets had been accrued during an earlier period when it benefitted from sizable tax breaks and other state assistance. If it were sold to private firms or shareholders, who would the buyers pay? Surely not themselves, the state, or the former executives or directors of the nonprofit.

    It seemed prudent at the time to require any such for-profit conversion to result in an independent foundation dedicated to the health and wellbeing of North Carolinians.
    It remains the prudent policy today. The bill Bell, Reives, and dozens of other state lawmakers are sponsoring this session wouldn’t change it. If the leaders of Blue Cross NC decide to sell, the proceeds will go to a foundation. Where I differ from the critics is that I see House Bill 346 as making a sale less likely.

    Right now, Blue Cross is the dominant player in North Carolina’s market for private health plans. Indeed, it’s the only insurer selling policies in all 100 counties.

    But health care is undergoing rapid change. Both federal legislation and industry trends have created increasing returns to scale. Local hospitals and other providers are merging, becoming parts of national chains. Insurers are also scaling up, in part to compete for the business of employers who operate across the country.

    Among other benefits, these scaled-up companies can invest productively in new technologies, massive databases, artificial intelligence, and other lines of business that enhance their ability to control insurance premiums and promote wellness.

    Generally speaking, however, the insurers don’t make investments directly, which would quickly run up against state-imposed caps on the investment of their assets.
    Instead, they are organized as holding companies that own both the tightly regulated insurance company as well as affiliated subsidiaries.

    Under current law, Blue Cross NC can’t do that. Moreover, as a “hospital service corporation” under state law, it faces not only a 10% cap on how much of its assets can be invested in non-insurance ventures but also an automatic trigger to convert to a for-profit company if it ever sold a significant interest in such a venture.

    House Bill 346 would permit it to reorganize as a nonprofit holding company that would continue to own the nonprofit Blue Cross insurer as well as other affiliated companies and investments. The bill also stipulates that no current executives receive equity-based compensation from any subsidiaries created by the holding company and that any subsequent sale of Blue Cross would still put all the proceeds of that sale — from all lines of business — into a foundation.

    The way I see it, the critics are mistaken about the bill. It would reduce the probability that some out-of-state entity will end up owning and controlling North Carolina’s largest health insurer.

    That’s one of the reasons both Republican and Democratic leaders in the General Assembly have lined up behind it. They see it the same way.

    Editor's note: John Hood is a John Locke Foundation board member. His latest books, Mountain Folk and Forest Folk, combine epic fantasy with early American history (www.FolkloreCycle.com).

  • Hand Guns Since 2019, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office has denied more than 6,000 requests for permits to purchase handguns. Action by the state legislature last week has put an end to that permit process.

    The legislature overturned a veto by Gov. Roy Cooper of S.B. 41, which repeals the requirement that anyone buying a pistol get a permit from a county sheriff.

    Sheriff Ennis Wright said in a statement last week that people who want to purchase a pistol in Cumberland County are, effective March 29, no longer required to get a permit from the sheriff.

    Since the beginning of 2019 and through March 29, 6,006 pistol permits were denied by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, according to data provided by that office. The number of denials each year is as follows: 974 in 2019; 1,942 in 2020; 1,494 in 2021; 1,303 in 2022; 293 in 2023.

    Even with passage of the new state law, a permit will still be required for concealed-carry weapons.
    Under the now repealed system, North Carolina sheriffs were able to evaluate the mental health and domestic violence history of someone seeking a pistol permit. The federal background system through the National Instant Criminal System, or NCIS, is still in place, but Wright said in an emailed statement to CityView that he does not believe that system is adequate.

    “I wasn’t for repealing the pistol purchase permit applications. I am concerned that the (NCIS) background check process is not as complete as safety would require and is not as thorough as the background investigation that the Sheriff’s Office conducted for pistol purchase permits,” Wright said.

    Wright emphasized that other federal and state laws regulating firearms are still in place.

    “Citizens must know that anyone obtaining or transferring any gun must comply with federal and state laws,” he said.

    The overturn of Cooper’s veto of S.B. 41 fell along party lines with all Republicans voting to overturn it and all Democrats voting to sustain the veto. Republicans in the General Assembly have a supermajority in both the House and Senate, allowing the legislative body to overturn any veto by the governor if no Republicans buck the party.

    Democratic lawmakers are concerned that the repeal will make it easier for violent individuals to access a firearm.

    “As an educator and former magistrate, I am concerned about gun violence and the state of mental health across our country. As a result, I voted to uphold Gov. Cooper’s veto,” said Rep. Frances Jackson, a Democrat from Cumberland County.

    Democratic representatives are also concerned about people with a history of domestic violence having easier access to firearms.

    Of the 44 homicides in Fayetteville in 2022, nine were attributed to domestic violence as a possible motive, the most of any other classification, CityView has reported.

    “Eliminating strong background checks will allow more domestic abusers and other dangerous people to own handguns and reduces law enforcement’s ability to stop them from committing violent crimes,” Cooper said in a statement when announcing his veto.

    Democratic Rep. Charles Smith of Cumberland County echoed the governor in an interview with CityView.

    “I just don’t think that we should be loosening or repealing what I would consider a common-sense gun regulation that keeps guns out of the hands of potentially dangerous individuals,” Smith said.

    Republican Rep. Diane Wheatley of Cumberland County said in an emailed statement that the sheriff permitting system is redundant.

    “This repeal does not stop any federal or state background check when purchasing a gun,” Wheatley said. “Instead, it will only save local sheriff’s offices from having to run redundant background checks on law-abiding citizens wishing to purchase a gun.”

    Wright, who opposes the repeal, said that private sales of guns don’t require sellers to utilize background checks, making a purchase easier for those not legally permitted to possess a firearm.

    Other members of the Cumberland County state delegation could not be reached for comment.

    Tim Moore, the Republican speaker of the House, said in a press release that the permit system infringed on Second Amendment rights.

    “This legislation preserves the Second Amendment rights of North Carolinians by repealing the outdated pistol permit system,” Moore said.

    “These have been long-standing goals of Second Amendment advocates in our state, and we have finally brought this legislation over the finish line,” the speaker continued.

    The passage of the bill, which also allows individuals to carry guns into churches attached to schools, comes after a shooter entered a private Christian elementary school last week in Nashville, Tennessee, and killed six people, including three children.

    In Cooper’s news release, the governor cited a report by the 2023 North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force that found gun deaths of children across the state increased by more than 230% between 2012 and 2021.

  • nc flag The news of Rep. Tricia Cotham, Mecklenburg County, changing her party affiliation from Democrat to Republican has sent shockwaves throughout the North Carolina politics, even making national headlines.

    The move now gives Republicans a veto-proof supermajority in the General Assembly. The proverbial question is, how does it affect the state Democrat Party moving forward, including Gov. Roy Cooper?

    “As a former Democrat, I understand her feelings about being thrown under the bus, and I think this sends an important signal to the statewide Democratic Party that if they want to be a big tent party, they have to make room for moderate centrist Democrats to have a place,” political consultant Brad Crone, president of Campaign Connections, told Carolina Journal in a Wednesday phone interview.

    He said he has followed her career since she began serving in the State House and believes her when she says she is a public servant. Cotham first served in the House from 2007-2017.

    At a press conference Wednesday morning at NCGOP headquarters, Cotham said she felt unwelcome in the Democrat Party from the time she ran in the 2022 Primary. The attacks on her and her family, including her two young sons, only increased on Twitter and in person, prompting her change of political affiliation.

    “There's no place for that in our political system or in political speech there's just no place for it at all,” said Crone. “I have seen it personally and understand it, and we have got to be respectful of people who may not agree with us in our political discourse. I thought (U.S. Sen. Dan) Bishop, whom I do not agree with probably on 80% of the issues, but I respect, I thought his comments were most appropriate.”

    Bishop spoke at Cotham’s press conference.

    House Minority Leader Robert Reives and others had begun their take on her and others on March 29 after she, along with Reps. Michael Wray, D-Northampton, and Cecil Brockman, D-Guilford, had missed voting on overriding Gov. Cooper’s veto on S.B. 41. Reives said in a press release “Elections have consequences” and said the only avenue to change would be through the primary and general elections of 2024. Reives and others called for her resignation after her announcement.

    NCDP Party Chair Anderson Clayton called for Cotham’s resignation at a press conference Wednesday afternoon.

    “This is about honesty and accountability to the people who elected her and serve in their best interests,” Clayton said. “I'm from a place where honesty means something, where folks are going to take you at your word. Your word ain’t good for a hill of beans if you’re not going to stick to it.”

    Clayton, a 25-year-old progressive, was elected in February to lead the state party over establishment candidates. Cooper and Attorney General Josh Stein both endorsed former Democratic Party Chair Bobbie Richardson, but party leaders elected Clayton instead. In the press conference, speakers questioned Cotham’s loyalty and policy positions, particularly on abortion access.

    “It is now our fervent hope that her vote on this issue, and so many other issues important to women across this state is not up for political grab,” said Elizabeth Goodwin, President of the Democratic Women of North Carolina."We ask of Rep. Cotham that she let the same values that voters believed she possessed when they elected her, guide her future votes even if she no longer sticks to the same party.”

    “The question of course remains will her voting patterns change along with her party affiliation?” said Chris Cooper, professor of political science & public affairs at Western Carolina University, in a phone interview with CJ Wednesday.

    “Abortion is an obvious example,” he said. “She's been at the forefront of it because she made it clear that she was Pro-Choice in the past. Will she agree for some restrictions? Will she follow along with the Republican Party more often? I think these are the questions we all want to know the answer to.”
    Regarding Gov. Cooper’s veto power, Cooper says “It has no teeth,” making him a lame duck in most instances.

    Cooper said there’s also the question of her political future and if a Republican primary electorate will want to support a candidate who has been so vocally Pro-Choice and vocal on other issues that run counter to the mainstream of the Republican Party.

    So, what do Cotham’s chances to win re-election look like in the future now that she has changed parties?

    “Cotham would have difficulty winning as a Republican in her current district,” said Dr. Andy Jackson, director of the Civitas Center for Public Integrity at the John Locke Foundation. “Locke's Civitas Partisan Index rates it (House District 112) as safely Democratic (D+12). However, if the North Carolina Supreme Court rules in favor of the General Assembly in Harper v. Hall, she might find herself in an R+1 tossup district.”

    Jackson said in either case, she could expect a lot of money to be thrown against her re-election bid.
    “The Democrats say, well, we'll beat her,” said Crone. “They are so ill-informed that they don't realize there will be new maps, and with (Rep, John R.) Bradford leaving that's going to give him some flexibility, so she could very well end up with a very nice district that will probably be competitive or lean a little R and give her an advantage, and she if she elects to run again, can stay in the General Assembly.”

    Bradford said he is considering running for state treasurer now that State Treasurer Dale Folwell is running for the Republican nomination for governor.

    Another Raleigh political insider told CJ, on the condition of anonymity, that centrist voters of any race really do not have a place in today’s North Carolina Democratic Party, adding that (former Governor)

    “Jim Hunt Democrats” no longer exist in the state.

    Crone says the Democratic Party has to do a lot of self-inspection as to whether or not they want to have moderate centrist voters with voices and leadership roles in the party.

    “Otherwise, you will not be able to build a coalition to govern in the governor's position or ever think about taking back the legislature,” he said. “You cannot disenfranchise center-of-the-road, middle-of-the-road voters and expect to build the governing coalition. They have to decide if they want to be competitive in the legislature and competitive in statewide races by drawing middle-of-the-road centrist voters back to supporting Democrats.”

    Party switching may not end with Cotham. Chris Cooper said there might be a couple of other Democrats who are considering a similar move, and it is something to keep an eye on moving forward.

    “Party switching does happen, usually not with such critical short-term implications for public policy,” he said.

  • 13aThe Visual Conversation: Artists Who Teach exhibition opens at Gallery 208 on April 6. The exhibition is the result of a group of public school art teachers who attended an eight-hour enrichment workshop using non-toxic printmaking techniques.

    For this exhibition, artists who teach have shared their voices in an experimental medium that they are able to share with their students in the classroom.

    After registering for the workshop, the artists/teachers only brought their sketchbooks, some basic tools, a lot of creativity, and an opportunity to meet the demands of a printmaking marathon. A day filled with experimenting and new processes resulted in successful prints for the exhibition to share with the public.

    Sponsored by a grant from the Fayetteville and Cumberland County Arts Council, the workshop enabled yours truly to have the supplies and durables available needed for each participant to create up to 30 monoprints while working through the processes.

    The exhibition reflects a group of artists’ courage to explore ways to expand upon their regular ways of working while applying new processes and expanding upon their ideas.

    The creative stages of preparation, incubation, insight, evaluation, and elaboration have been replaced with an open-ended collaborative period of time in which each artist’s work evolves from improvision, experimentation, and adapting to technical challenges.

    The group (Nameral Graybeal, Alfie Frederick, Angela Williams, Kyle Harding, Manuela Smith, Adrian Solomon, Tiara Siner, Rick Kenner, Kathleen Fair and Chantel Dorisme) all met the challenges of the workshop: let go of preconceived ideas about how their work should look; instead, adapt to immediacy!

    Preconceived relationships between composition and scale, structure and space, tone and color, shape, and line were replaced with a new perceptual awareness of the potential of each formal relationship in the new works.13b

    Collaborations in the workshop played a critical role in supporting and stimulating the creative process since dynamic dialogue and exchange between artists took place. Each artist took advantage of the opportunity to experiment with technical processes in a medium they are not accustomed to while embracing different modes of using the material, new ways to conceptualize their work, and getting feedback from the class.

    Not only was the workshop an occasion for teachers to learn new techniques for the students in their art classes; but, equally important, it was an opportunity for teachers to give themselves the gift of what they give to their students: the joy of exploring their individual ideas in a safe and encouraging creative environment and having the opportunity to explore image making processes in a different way.

    Each artist can now practice using non-toxic materials and printing without a press in their own studio or classroom and has benefitted from a health movement in traditional printmaking that took place in the 1980s. Keith Howard, a pioneer in safer printmaking techniques in printmaking developed a gelatin-based photo etching technique, known as the Howard process, which helped to reshape a paradigm shift towards a safer work environment.

    13cHoward’s influential book titled “Non-Toxic Printmaking Techniques” in the 1990s influenced the “green” professional printmaking studios and for artists to be able to practice printmaking in their homes. Even today the research continues, and a significant number of manufacturers have developed soy and acrylic-based alternatives.

    The Visual Conversation: Artists Who Teach is evidence of the transformative power of process and experimentation. Each artist began with an open-minded way to rethink visual structures and ended up with a new way to convey meaning and intent. Visitors to the gallery will hopefully experience the same transformation that took place with each artist during the workshop — to experience something outside of themselves and then reconnect on a very personal level.

    The public is invited to the opening reception of The Visual Conversation: Artists Who Teach exhibition at Gallery 208 on April 6 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

    The exhibition will remain up until May 30. The hours at the gallery are Monday — Thursday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For information call 910-484-6200.

  • 17Cumberland County Extension Master Gardeners will hold its annual Plant Fair on April 15 at the Cooperative Extension Center at 301 E. Mountain Drive.

    From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., novice and experienced green thumbs can peruse a variety of native plants, herbs, vegetables and harvested seed packs. As visitors browse the bounty of locally grown greenery, they can also talk a little shop and get some gardening advice.

    “We have noticed that a lot of people have a lot of questions about plants,” shared Linda Myers, former president of the Extension Master Gardener Volunteers. “Our goal is to help the citizens of Cumberland County make smart decisions about what to plant in their yards or how to take care of their house plants.”

    Funds raised from the event will go toward several horticultural programs that serve the community. The Second Harvest Food Bank Garden, horticulture scholarships, Cape Fear Botanical Garden, Extension Master Gardener Education programs, and similar initiatives will benefit.

    In addition to its function as a major fundraising event, the Plant Fair also serves as an educational opportunity for people in the community. Major topics on the day’s agenda include sowing and saving seeds, home gardening, house plants, attracting bees, birds and butterflies, and much more.

    Educational displays, demonstrations and Extension Master Gardener volunteers will be on hand to answer questions. The fair will also offer information on Cumberland County Extension Consumer Horticulture, Extension Master Gardener Volunteers, 4H, and Junior Master Gardener programs.

    Horticulture is the art or practice of garden cultivation and management, dating back thousands of years. According to the annual National Gardening Survey, around 77% of Americans garden and spend over
    $45 billion annually on gardening supplies.

    As concerns about the environment increase and conversations surrounding the importance of sustainability maintain a foothold in the national discourse, the ability of the individual American to grow their own food and grow their own plants is seeing a surprising resurgence.

    Entities such as the Extension Master Gardener Volunteers of Cumberland County provide valuable information and hands-on support for those looking to dig in the dirt.

    “Horticultural Education is so important,” Myers shared. “Sometimes there are things you just don’t know. For instance, some plants will not grow in Cumberland County. If you end up planting something that likes cold weather here in the south — you’re wasting your money.”

    In addition to raising much-needed funds to support such important work, Myers is excited about the opportunity for connection events like this provide. After two years of social hibernation brought on by the pandemic, many organizations are trying to get back to where they were before everything stopped.

    “Coming out of the pandemic when we didn’t meet for a year and then only by zoom, we need to reinvigorate our organization and the whole program,” Myers stated. “The Plant Fair is a way for master gardeners to engage with each other and a way for us to reengage with the public.”

    For more information about the Plant Fair, call 910- 321-6882.

  • 15Easter Sunday is one of the most significant days on the Christian calendar. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus from the dead and is a time of reflection, celebration and renewal.
    In many parts of the world, Easter is also associated with the Easter Bunny, a figure who brings Easter eggs and sweet treats for children to enjoy.

    However you chose to celebrate Easter, be reminded that the center of it is family.

    There are several area churches that are prepared for special services during Holy Week — from Maundy Thursday and Good Friday to Resurrection Sunday. Call or visit the websites listed for more details on the programs being held during the week leading to Easter Sunday.

    Epicenter Church, 2512 Fort Bragg Road, Fayetteville, 910-485-8855. Will conduct an Easter egg hunt on Saturday April 8. The event is called “Hop Around Town — Fayetteville” a free Easter event tailored for the whole family. The event will include egg hunts, inflatables, pizza and more. Epicenter will conduct “Hop Around Town” at three additional locations: Anderson Creek, Linden Oaks and Grays Creek. You can register for the event at any location at www.hoparoundtown.com. Service times on Sunday are 9 and 11 a.m.

    Northwood Temple, 4250 Ramsey Street, Fayetteville. Sunday service times are 9 a.m. Sunday School, 10 a.m. Worship Service and 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. Wednesday Family Night. Services are held in Spanish at Iglesias Northwood (Spanish) HORARIOS: Domingo 11 a.m. & Miércoles 8 p.m. online, https://northwoodtemple.org/events/live-easter-egg-hunt/.

    Highland Baptist Church, 4456 Legion Road, Hope Mills. Join Highland Baptist Church for their annual Easter Dash fun run, celebrating Easter! Children (up through 5th grade) will be racing to various stations that will teach them about the meaning of Easter. Like a Color Run, this run will include obstacles and clouds of color. Additional festivities will include music, face-painting, food, and bounce houses. Open to the public. Pre-registration required. www.highlandbaptistnc.org. Service times on Sunday are 9:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m.

    Manna Church, 5117 Cliffdale Road, Fayetteville, presents an epic love story beyond comparison. Manna invites you to an Easter celebration that walks you through the final weeks of Jesus, the Creator of the World. Beginning on Maundy Thursday, April 6 at 6:30 p.m., come share in the Last Supper through the tradition of Communion. Continue to Good Friday April 7, when the church will hear how Jesus paid the cost of sin on the cross. On Saturday April 8 at 5 p.m. and Sunday April 9, Manna Church will conclude the week by celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus. Families can download an Easter Activity Kit at www.fayftbragg.manna.church that include crafts, games, coloring and recipes. Visit the churches website for date, times and eight locations.

    Village Baptist Church, 906 McPherson Church Road, Fayetteville. Join the Village for a special Maundy Thursday service April 6. It’s the day to remember the Last Supper, when Jesus celebrated the Passover with his disciples the night before his betrayal, arrest, and the events leading to his crucifixion. Resurrection Service Sunday April 9 at 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. Come celebrate the Good News of Christ's victory. For more information visit https://www.thevillagebc.church/easter.

    Holy Trinity Episcopal Church, 1601 Raeford Road in Fayetteville, will follow the life of Jesus from Palm Sunday on April 2 at 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. to Easter Sunday. Maundy Thursday April 6 (Holy Eucharist), Good Friday April 7 (Solemn Liturgy with Communion) noon and 7 p.m., and Easter Sunday on April 9 at 10:30 a.m. and Annual Easter Egg Hunt following the morning liturgy. Visit https://www.holytrinityfay.org/ for info.

    First Presbyterian Church, 102 Ann Street in Fayetteville, invites all to worship on Easter Sunday morning April 9 at 6:30 a.m. for Community Sunrise Easter Worship Service in Lafayette Park. Visit the website for registration and more information. http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07ejocwprodc541032&llr=6avwukjab.

    The Fayetteville Church, 1700 Elliot Farm Road in Fayetteville. Join Fayetteville Church on April 9 for an early morning devotional and Easter Sunday Service followed by an Egg Hunt. Sunrise Prayer 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 a.m., Easter Sunrise Devotional 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Visit the website for additional information - https://www.thefayettevillechurch.org/event-details/easter-sunday-2

    Victory Outreach Word Ministries, 4814 U.S. 301 in Hope Mills. Join the VOW Church family for Easter Service on April 9. Service times are Sunday at 11 a.m. and Wednesday at 7 p.m. Visit the website for more information. https://www.facebook.com/thevowchurch/about.

    Balm in Gilead Ministries, 3110 Doc Bennett Road in Fayetteville. All are welcomed to attend Balm in Gilead Ministries for Good Friday Communion Service held on Friday April 7 at 6 p.m. Easter Morning Worship service begins at 10:30 a.m. Please visit the link for more information http://www.balmingileadnc.org/.

    Covenant Love Church, 420 Dunn Road in Fayetteville. Join CLC for an Easter weekend celebration. Friday, April 7 will be celebrating Good Friday with a Worship Service as we Behold Jesus together! Everyone is welcome to attend and join us, doors open at 6 p.m. and worship begins at 7 p.m. in the Main Sanctuary in Building B. The Easter Weekend continues in the Prayer Room on Saturday, April 8 from 5 to 7 p.m. as we come together to pray over our Easter Service and community. Saturday's Prayer Room will take place in Building D Mission Control. Easter Sunday takes place on Sunday, April 9. We will be having one service at 10 a.m. with the Campus opening at 9 a.m. Please visit the link for more information https://covenantlove.churchcenter.com/registrations/events/1552507.

    Fayetteville Christian Church, 4308 Rosehill Road in Fayetteville. Join FCC church family for Sunday morning service at 10:30 a.m. for an Easter Sunday celebration. Please visit https://www.fayettevillechristian.org/for more information.

    Saint Ann Catholic Church, 357 N. Cool Spring Street in Fayetteville. Father Michael Coveyou and congregation invite you to Holy Thursday, April 6, (no 9 a.m. Daily Mass), Mass of the Lord’s Supper 7 p.m. The church will remain open until 10 p.m. for Adoration at the Altar of Repose. Good Friday, April 7, (no 12:15 p.m. Daily Mass), Stations of the Cross 3 p.m.; Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion 7 p.m. Holy Saturday, April 8, Blessing of the Easter Food Baskets 10 a.m. (no 5 p.m. Mass), The Great Easter Vigil 8:30 p.m., Easter Sunday, April 9, 8:30 a.m. Mass and 11 a.m. Mass. Visit website for more information - https://www.stanncatholicchurch.org/.

    U.S. Army Fort Bragg All American Chapel Services, Bldg. C-7242. Sunday morning Worship Service — live stream at 11 a.m.; Catholic Mass Saturday at 5 p.m. and Mass Sunday at 9 a.m.
    Additional Protestant Religious Education Programs:
    Friday at 7 p.m. — LDS Religious Education, Protestant Women of the Chapel, Tuesday 9 a.m. — live stream Tuesday 6:30 p.m. (Nightly Study) 2nd and 4th Thursday at 9 a.m.
    Spanish PWOC Reconciliation (30 minutes prior to every Mass), Saturday 4:30 p.m. and Sunday 8:30 a.m.

    Visit the website for additional chapel locations and times, https://home.army.mil/bragg/index.php/about/garrison/religious-services/al.

    Editor's Note: Due to space, we can not list all Church Easter activities. If your church would like Up & Coming Weekly to help publicize your events, please contact us at editor@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • 9bOver the next few months, a number of streets will be redesignated as part of the Fort Bragg redesignation to Fort Liberty.

    In total, nine streets will be named to commemorate and recognize the selfless services of U.S. Army Soldiers who share a special connection to the installation, according to a media release from Fort Bragg.
    The “redesignation of the streets, and the name Liberty honors the heroism, sacrifices, and values of the soldiers, service members, civilians and families who live on and serve alongside this installation,” the release stated.

    “We view this as the next chapter in the post’s history and look forward to honoring the stories of the military heroes of every generation and walk of life.”

    The streets that will be redesignated are Bragg Boulevard, Reilly Road, Randolph Street, Armistead Street, Alexander Street, Pelham Street, Jackson Street, Donelson Street and Mosby Street.

    Bragg Boulevard will change to Liberty Boulevard. The well-known street, Bragg Boulevard, that will change to Liberty Boulevard will only pertain to the portion of the road that runs through the installation. Bragg Boulevard is Highway 87 and only the portion on the installation will be redesignated.

    Reilly Road will change to Rock Merritt Avenue. Kenneth “Rock” Merritt was a WWII and Vietnam veteran who jumped into Normandy on D-Day June 6, 1944. He earned a Silver Star for disabling a German machine gun nest at Hill 131 near La Cuiroterie. Merritt went on to serve during Operation Market Garden and the Battle of the Bulge. He was also Command Sergeant Major of the XVIII Airborne Corps, twice.

    Randolph Street will change to R. Miller Street. Staff Sgt. Robert J. Miller received the Medal of Honor, posthumous, for actions conducted in Afghanistan in January 2008 while serving with 3rd Special Forces Group. Miller’s extraordinary valor during that battle in which he was mortally wounded ultimately saved the lives of seven members of his own team and 15 Afghanistan National Army soldiers.

    Armistead Street will change to Stiner Road. Gen. Carl Stiner was the former commanding general of USASOC, JSOC, XVIII Abn. Corps, and the 82nd Airborne Division. With his extensive background in special operations, he was heavily involved in the capture of the terrorists in the Achille Lauro hijacking, the Panama invasion and the capture of Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega, and all special operations activities during Operation Desert Storm.9a

    Alexander Street will change to Gandara Street. Pvt. Joe Gandara received the Medal of Honor, posthumously, for actions conducted on June 9, 1944 in Amfreville, France. While serving with Company D, 2nd Battalion, 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Abn. Div., Gandara’s detachment came under devastating enemy fire from a strong German force that pinned the men on ground for a period of four hours. He advanced alone firing his machine gun from his hip destroying three hostile machine guns before he was fatally wounded.

    Pelham Street will change to Conde-Falcon Road. Staff Sgt. Felix M. Conde-Falcon received the Medal of Honor, posthumously, for actions conducted in 1969 while serving as an acting platoon leader in an operation near Ap Tan Hoa, Vietnam. While serving with Company D, 1st Battalion, 505th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade, 82nd Abn. Div., Conde-Falcon moved ahead of his platoon heaving grenades towards a first bunker. Without hesitating, he proceeded to take out two additional bunkers in the same manner. Rejoined with his platoon, they came under heavy enemy fire. He single-handedly assaulted the nearest fortification carrying a machine gun killing the enemy before running out of ammunition. He retrieved an M-16 rifle and concentrated on the next bunker — within 10 meters of his goal, he was shot by an unseen assailant and soon died of his wounds.

    9cJackson Street will change to Merriweather Road. Staff Sgt. Daniel Merriweather was killed in action on Jan. 13, 2010, during Operation Enduring Freedom while serving with the 503rd Military Police Battalion, 16th Military Police Brigade (Airborne) at Fort Bragg. Merriweather’s vehicle was attacked by enemy forces with an improvised explosive device. He is survived by his wife, Rachelle, and his two sons.

    Donelson Street will change to Benavidez Street. Master Sergeant Roy P. Benavidez served with the XVIII Abn. Corps and 82nd Abn. Div. and earned a Medal of Honor for actions conducted in 1968 while serving as a staff sergeant in Vietnam with 5th Special Forces Group. Benavidez voluntarily joined his comrades, who were in critical straits, to expose himself constantly to withering enemy fire. He refused to be stopped despite numerous severe wounds, and ultimately saved the lives of at least eight men.

     Mosby Street will change to Shachnow Lane. Maj. Gen. Sidney Shachnow survived imprisonment, the Nazi Holocaust, and the Second World War to become one of the most influential Army Special Forces officers of the post-Vietnam era. He is a Distinguished Member of the Special Forces Regiment as well as both the Psychological Operations and Civil Affairs Corps Halls of Fame. He served as the Honorary Colonel of the Special Forces Regiment from 2008 to 2011 and was the only General in the U.S. Army to have survived the Holocaust.

    The street names selected were based off input from units on the installation. The new names honor the heroism, sacrifices and values of those who have a unique connection to Fort Bragg.
    According to Fort Bragg officials, all streets will have new signs in place over the next few months and no later than Dec. 31.

  • 5What would the Founding Fathers think if they were here today?

    In my opinion, it wouldn’t be self-driving cars or the internet that would surprise them the most. I think it would be the size of our government.

    The entire executive branch used to fit inside of the White House. Yet today, executive departments, independent agencies, and other boards and commissions fill hundreds of buildings with millions of bureaucrats constantly seeking to expand their power.

    Our government is meant to be responsive to the people. Our system of checks and balances was not set up to have un-elected bureaucrats making laws and rules that impact the everyday lives of you and your family.

    Earlier this month, President Joe Biden presented his budget to Congress. This reckless budget will grow the size of government even further and proposes trillions in new spending and higher taxes for you and families across the country. It will further increase our national debt and your cost of living — at a time when we suffer a $31 trillion debt and an inflation crisis.

    This radical budget spends $16.5 billion on the climate and $3 billion for gender equity, yet just $40 million to combat the fentanyl crisis that is killing thousands of Americans. It also contains a staggering $1.9 billion to fund the ATF — directly declaring war on your Second Amendment rights.

    I was proud to introduce a resolution last week to prevent the ATF from enforcing an unconstitutional pistol brace rule that targets law-abiding citizens and combat wounded veterans. As this bill is considered by the House, I will continue to support efforts to defend your constitutional rights, just as I continue my work to expand school safety and mental health.

    In the Energy and Commerce Committee last week, I had the opportunity to question the CEO of TikTok and express my concerns with the social media app. As a parent, I'm very concerned about the ways in which social media companies impact our children’s behaviors and mental health. While many might consider TikTok to be just another video-sharing app, in reality it’s likely it has been functioning as a massive Chinese Communist Party surveillance program — and it is all in the palm of your hand.

    As Fort Bragg’s Congressman, I have serious concerns about the opportunities TikTok gives the CCP to access non-public sensitive data from our military families.

    I asked the TikTok CEO if the company can access other devices on your home Wi-Fi to collect data. He could not give me a straight answer. It should concern every American that his answer wasn’t “No.” I look forward to further addressing the threat this app presents to our national security in order to create a strong national data privacy standard that will put you back in charge of your data.

    From reckless spending, to threatening your constitutional rights, to refusing to stand up to the Chinese Community Party, the Biden administration is a threat to the freedoms you hold so dear.

    As your Congressman, I never stop working to solve problems facing you and your family.

  • 6aThe U.S. Army Airborne & Special Operations Museum will again host the Field of Honor from Sept. 11 to Nov. 12. All flags will proudly be displayed on the Museum’s Parade Field.

    The 2023 Field of Honor is brought to the public by the Cool Spring Downtown District and the Airborne and Special Operations Museum Foundation.

    Each flag comes with its own story and displays a tag identifying both the flag sponsor and honoree.

    This living display of heroism flies as a patriotic tribute to the strength and unity of Americans, and honors all who are currently serving, those that have served, and the men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our nation’s security and freedom.

    Flags are now available for purchase. Sales will close on Aug. 1. This year, a limited number of flags are available around the Iron Mike Circle for a special price.

    To purchase a flag, visit: https://shop.asomf.org/field-of-honor/.

  • 14 The upcoming spring and summer season of Sweet Tea Shakespeare will include plays in both Fayetteville and Raleigh. “Shakespeare in Love,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “The Illusion,” and “The Little Princess” will take audiences to a realm of grand drama and intense emotion.

    Tickets for all plays continue to be among the most reasonably priced entertainment alternatives in the area, as Sweet Tea Shakespeare embraces its purpose to make theater accessible to everyone.

    A chance to see all four plays at a discounted price has been made available for those looking for a genuinely entertaining spring and summer event.

    “The Illusion” and “Shakespeare in Love” will run consecutively in Fayetteville April through early July. “A Little Princess” will run in June and “A Midsummer Night's Dream” will run in late July, both in Raleigh. To see all four shows, it’s only $50. For students of any age, it is $25.

    Sweet Tea Shakespeare’s production of Tony Kushner’s “The Illusion” will sprinkle some magic across Fayetteville. This comedy drama, which is an adaptation of “L’Illusion Comique” by French writer Pierre Corneille from the 17th century, is sure to amuse audiences this spring.

    “The Illusion” focuses on Pridamant, a worried parent frantically looking for his son Clindor. When he meets Alcandre the Magician, whose promise is to reveal Clindor’s location through a vision, this story takes an unexpected turn. It serves as a reminder that travels are genuine, even if some of what we see in life may not be, as it unfolds with stock characters from commedia dell’arte and full of illusions that confound even Alcandre himself.

    Jeremy Fiebig, Sweet Tea Shakespeare Artistic Director, is in charge of directing the play.

    This outdoor performance will run from April 21-23, April 28-30 and May 5-7 starting at 7:30 p.m. at the rustic amphitheater at Gillis Hill Farm. There will be a live music pre-show 45 minutes before show time.

    Many call “Shakespeare in Love” a testament to storytelling. In this story, the Queen demands a comedy and every word the playwright pens leaves him perplexed. To have the opportunity to voice her opinions, a noblewoman challenges the established quo. In Sweet Tea Shakespeare’s production, the most tragic love story ever written is re-imagined.

    “Shakespeare In Love,” a theatrical adaptation of the 1999 Oscar-winning screenplay by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard, will be performed in Fayetteville this summer to the delight of Sweet Tea Shakespeare audiences.

    The play follows a young Will Shakespeare’s struggle to write his next play and how his encounters with Viola DeLessex, a young member of the aristocracy, affect him.

    Viola dreams of appearing in one of his plays despite the fact that doing so is against the law. Their interactions inspire Will to write the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet.

    It is directed by special guest Jim Warren (Founding Director of the American Shakespeare Center, author of Shakespeare's New Contemporaries, and head project consultant for the American Globe Center), and features original music by award-winning multi-hyphenate musician Owen Eddy (www.oweneddy.com).

    Will and Viola fall in love and get into trouble as they try to navigate their star-crossed path to happiness against the humorous backdrop of mistaken identity, cunning plotting and backstage antics.

    What transpires is evidence of the storytelling’s ability to lead us to unexpected locations, unbelievable opportunities, and eventually our magum opus — our great life’s work.

    The venue for this performance is to be announced soon. This show will run from June 23-25, June 20-July 2 with shows beginning at 7:30 p.m. There will be a live music pre-show 30 minutes before show time.

    Guests can purchase the All Four One package or individual show tickets. For more information on productions in Fayetteville and the two to be performed in Raleigh, visit https://sweetteashakespeare.com/.

  • 16b Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation and Methodist University are teaming up this year to celebrate health and wellness along the tranquil banks of the Cape Fear River.

    The second annual Step Up 4 Health and Wellness Expo will take place on Saturday, April 15, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Methodist University’s campus.

    An expansion of Cape Fear Valley Health Foundation’s long-standing Ribbon Walk, the expo, presented by Cumulus Media, was introduced last year and held at Festival Park.

    “This year’s move to Methodist University’s campus is an exciting opportunity to reach more people in the community and have more patients benefit from the event,” said Kristen Carpenter, Cape Fear Valley Health’s Development Coordinator for Community Engagement.

    Continuing in the tradition of the Ribbon Walk, registrants can sign up to participate in either a one mile race or a 4K (around 2.5 miles), which will send them on a course through Methodist University’s beautifully landscaped, 600-acre campus. The fundraiser, which brought in more than $70,000 last year, offers support to various services directly impacting the lives of patients in the community.

    Opening ceremonies for the walk will kick off at 9:30 a.m., followed by a survivor’s lap. All survivors are welcome and encouraged to join. Both the walk and the expo will officially begin at 10 a.m.
    The Health Expo, located at the university’s newly-renovated Duggins Soccer Stadium, is free and open to the public.

    The family-friendly community event promises to have a little bit of everything. Attendees are in for a fun and informative afternoon with around 60 vendors and booths from various community organizations and Cape Fear Valley Health service lines. During the expo, participants will have an opportunity to learn hands-on CPR, get wellness checks, and snag a goodie bag or two. The hope is that people will leave just a bit healthier and more informed than they came.

    With a Healthplex membership raffle, kid’s area, music, food trucks, and some pulse-pumping Zumba — the expo has all the makings of a fun Saturday out with the family.

    “It’s a great opportunity for the community to come out and learn more about the different services we offer, get their wellness checked, and learn more about other organizations in the community as well,” Carpenter commented.

    The registration fee to either walk or run is $30, and all participants will receive a T-shirt. Participants can register as individuals or as teams representing various organizations, local businesses or in remembrance of a loved one.

    Registrants can stick to tradition and apply their registration fee to Friends of the Cancer Center or to support the following: Children’s Services, the Community Alternatives Program, Cumberland County Medication Access Program, or Heart Care. The fee can be split amongst all of these service lines as well.

    There is no cost or registration to attend the Wellness Expo.
    To register for the walk, visit www.cfvfoundation.org/stepup4health.

    Methodist University is located at 5400 Ramsey Sreet.

  • 11aPrivei is a luxury menswear store in Fayetteville that every streetwear lover needs to experience. The store is now located at the Cross Creek Mall, by the Macy’s entrance. They are now on their third location in the city, with plans to expand outside of the store and give customers a different Privei experience.

    “The best way to describe the brand is high-end streetwear,” says owner and operator Nicolino Parisi.

    Privei is a store that holds carefully selected legacy brands, such as Billionaire Boys Club, Comme Des Garçons, Puma Select, and many others. They also sell home goods, shoes and a variety of accessories that you won’t find anywhere else in Fayetteville.

    “I feel like what makes us unique is our ability to not compromise. We’re in the business of service, and I care a lot about the experience, energy, brands and overall feel of everything dealing with the store. Presentation, marketing, all of it,” says Parisi.

    Privei first opened its doors back in 2014, with a location off of Skibo Road. The store stood out on the street with a bright sign spelling out the name, and that location was a home for many art exhibits, music showcases and creatives around the city. Alongside Parisi was former manager of Privei, James Gonzales (also known as musician James Vader).

    Together, Parisi and Gonzales cultivated ideas and organized those events that still have an impact on the community they serve today. Parisi also gives a lot of credit to his father as a huge support system, who has helped Parisi build out his vision at his locations over time.

    The name ‘Privei’ is a unique French spelling of the word “private,” which speaks to the store’s luxurious feel and the unique brands carried. Their brand focuses on concept, market and art. Privei strives to make a unique shopping experience for its customers, as well as be a centerpiece in the community for art, music and culture.11b

    The Fayetteville native always had a love for fashion, but Parisi truly discovered the importance of individuality and standing out, at Douglas Byrd High School. Due to strict dress codes, backpacks could only be grey, black or white. With an urge to stand out and be different, he used his creativity, and started tie dying backpacks for his classmates.

    Parisi then transitioned from backpacks to clothes, where he started creating cut and sew pieces, more specifically jeans. With success from selling his creations, he figured it was time to put his clothes in
    a store.

    11cSlim, owner of a former streetwear store in Fayetteville called ‘Exclusive Game,' gave Parisi his first opportunity to sell his clothes at his desired price point. This act of kindness gave him the belief that his path in fashion was possible.

    It was also from this act, that later birthed Privei’s showcases and market day series, which Parisi credits has kept the store thriving throughout the years. “Ninety-eight percent of businesses close within their first five years, we’ve been able to combat that by opening our doors to the community and artists in our early years, and maintaining that relationship.”

    With Privei’s roots grounded in the city, they plan to keep expanding on their love for community, and giving other businesses a chance to monetize what they love to do. They are looking to partner with bigger entities in the city to make this happen, and are looking to welcome more legacy brands in the near future.

    A visit to Privei is worth a trip to Cross Creek Mall. Their store is open seven days a week,

  • 4For the first time in my 30-year history of being associated with Fayetteville/Cumberland County youth baseball,

    I was greatly disappointed that out of 17 combined city and county elected officials, no one representing this community’s residents felt it necessary enough to show up at the Kiwanis Recreation Center’s ballfields to participate and celebrate the excitement of Youth Baseball’s Opening Day.

    Hundreds of people gathered together last Saturday morning when the Fayetteville Kiwanis Club welcomed the “children of summer” onto the baseball field. Where were our Cumberland Commissioners, Fayetteville Mayor Mitch Colvin, and any member of the Fayetteville City Council?

    The most glaring absence was that of Councilman Johnny Dawkins since the ballpark and all that Opening Day excitement was taking place in his home District 5. Oops! Or, perhaps we should refer to this as his other home in District 5. His real home, where his wife resides, is in the Raleigh-Garner area, as recently reported by the news media. I doubt living part-time elsewhere would qualify as an “excused absence.”

    However, it does speak volumes to the adage “out of sight, out of mind.”
    Like many others elected, Dawkins likes to get out of Fayetteville as often as he can. A disturbing circumstance for someone elected to represent ALL the residents of Fayetteville full-time.

    But this editorial is not about Dawkins. This local newspaper believes that elected city and county officials are responsible for representing their constituents and promoting their community's interests.
    Elected officials cannot do this if they are constantly absent from major public events, meetings and local social gatherings.

    Our present elected officials constantly shield themselves from the public. And, rightfully so. Why? Accountability. They know all too well that by making themselves more visible and accessible to their constituents, they would be held accountable and responsible for their actions and decisions. And, since many of them are oblivious to what is happening in the community, they cannot intelligently explain their actions or behavior, which makes this matter even more egregious.

    We, as responsible citizens, want to get to know our elected officials. We want them to see our support, yet we intend to hold them accountable for their actions. But, there are other reasons they should make themselves accessible. They should want to build trust and relationships with residents. Getting out in public allows elected officials to connect with constituents personally, which builds confidence, trust and promotes transparency.

    Elected officials should want to raise awareness of important city and county issues and initiatives and engage the community by asking for their input.
    Effective elected officials demonstrate leadership by appearing at public events like Opening Days, Dogwood Festivals, Karen Chandler Concerts, and Chamber of Commerce events, etc., taking advantage of the opportunity to demonstrate and endorse their commitment to the community while taking an active and genuine role in representing Fayetteville/Cumberland County constituents to promote positive change and enhance the quality of life.

    In closing, I feel being out in public and promoting constituents' interests is their overall responsibility. Attending public events and mingling with the people is integral to an elected official’s role in serving the Fayetteville and Cumberland County community.

    They need to stop trying to communicate with us through ineffective websites, social media and Constant Contact email blasts. Nothing works better than transparency and face-to-face interaction.

    Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

  • 16aEvery year in April for the last 13 years, Fayetteville and surrounding areas have been festooned with bright blue pinwheels in honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month.
    The pinwheels represent “the bright future every child deserves to have,” Faith Boehmer, Prevention and Volunteer Coordinator for the Child Advocacy Center of Fayetteville, explained. As they spin and flash, the pinwheels remind all who see them that not every child grows up in a secure, stable or nurturing environment.
    According to the American Society for the Positive Care of Children, over 4 million child maltreatment reports were made in 2021 involving over 7.2 million children. Of that number, only 2.9 children received prevention and post-response services.

    Though the numbers are smaller, they are no less startling when viewed a bit closer to home.

    “In 2021-2022, we had 808 [child abuse] referrals,” Boehmer shared. “Of that, 569 cases were followed by forensic interviews. Though our cases have doubled over the past 14 years, so have our efforts to educate the community.”

    To bring awareness to the very real issue of child abuse and neglect in Cumberland County, the CAC has launched a month-long campaign to inform the community about resources, support and prevention.

    As April gets underway, concerned community members can show their support in a number of ways. Community Pinwheel Kits containing 25 pinwheels and a yard sign are available on the CAC website for $50. Pinwheel vases, pins, jewelry and decals are also available for sale. All purchases must be made through the CAC website and picked up from the office during regular office hours. A portion of all sales supports the CAC and its continued effort to be “a voice for the children.”

    There are seven scheduled pinwheel plantings around Cumberland County throughout April to increase the visibility of this ongoing crisis. Cumberland County Schools, Fayetteville State University, FTCC, the Town of Spring Lake, Methodist University, and the Town of Hope Mills will each hold a ceremony to plant 400 pinwheels in high-traffic areas to show their support for abused and neglected children.

    Fayetteville is also encouraged to #ShopBlueDowntown for child abuse awareness in April. Twenty downtown merchants are raising awareness and funds on behalf of the CAC by offering special blue-colored items at a discount on select days throughout the month. A full list of participating merchants can be found on the CAC website, https://www.cacfaync.org/.

    On Thursday, April 20, Cumberland County and Fort Bragg community partners will host their Annual Child Abuse Summit from 8 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. at the John D. Fuller Sr. Recreational/Athletic Complex on Old Bunce Road in Fayetteville. This year’s summit will cover topics such as the dangers of sexting, human trafficking, the WORTH Court, the integration of clinical hypnosis and child abuse, and other areas of concern.

    Filmmaker and child sexual abuse survivor, Sasha Neulinger, will be featured on the panel’s list of speakers to screen and discuss his documentary “Rewind” about the traumatic abuse he suffered at the hands of a family member.

    The free summit is designed with professionals who work with at-risk children.
    For more information and a full list of activities, speakers and programs, visit https://www.cacfaync.org/.

Latest Articles

  • Gallery 208: Beyond Surface: Abstractions by Kellie Perkins
  • Kindah Temple No. 62 hosts annual Spring Ceremonial
  • FTCC Foundation invests in students’ futures
  • Unique Easter traditions from around the globe
  • Flawless Touch Detailing celebrates new location
  • CFRT: The Play That Goes Wrong...Again
Up & Coming Weekly Calendar
  

Advertise Your Event:

 

Login/Subscribe