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  • 09Stand Down Recent hurricanes have brought disaster on parts of the community, causing people to lose their homes and prized possessions. It is crucial for communities to stick together and help each other in times of need. With that in mind, United Way of Cumberland County presents the 2018 Community Homeless and Hunger Stand Down Friday, Nov. 16, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at VFW Post 6018 located at 116 Chance St. in downtown Fayetteville.

    “The purpose of the event is to provide a one-day wraparound service for people in need – and not just homeless people but working people who are in need,” said Crystal Williams, community impact director for United Way of Cumberland County and coordinator for the Community Homeless and Hunger Stand Down. “We usually have anywhere from 30 to 35 agencies that participate, and our goal is to connect people with the services they need.”

    Williams added The American Red Cross and Operation Inasmuch will provide breakfast, and The Salvation Army will provide a free lunch using chicken provided by Mountaire Farms of North Carolina.

    The services offered include voter registration, prescription assistance, job placement assistance, blood pressure and glucose screenings, dental screenings, housing authority assistance, veteran services, continuing adult education, free personal hygiene kits, a prayer tent, free haircuts, flu shots, new and gently used clothing and more. Local artists will provide free entertainment.

    “Second Harvest Food Bank will provide carry-away groceries that consist of non-perishable food items,” said Williams. “Some of the agencies that will be there will set up an appointment and the individual will have to come to their office.”

    Free bus transportation by Fast Transit will be provided to and from the event. “All the person needs to do is let the bus driver know they are going to the stand down and your travel will be free,” said Williams. “And when you leave from there, your travel will be free back to your destination.”

    Last year’s event rendered assistance to 300 to 400 people, and Williams is expecting more this year. “This is a community event for those who are in need in our community, and especially now because we had Hurricane Florence and people are still suffering from Hurricane Matthew,” said Williams. “If folks want to get involved, this is a great way to give back to the community.”

    For more information, to volunteer or to make a donation, call 910-483-1179.

  • 10maher It’s been said that small businesses are the backbone of our nation’s economy. It can be easy for consumers to forget the risks entrepreneurs face in building sustainable businesses and the impact these organizations have on a community. Thursday, Nov. 15, Methodist University will host the 4th Annual Reeves School of Business Symposium and Awards Dinner to do just that – celebrate our risk-takers and change-makers.

    This year, the symposium will focus on keys to success and the changing landscape of the golf industry. The event will recognize the achievements of leaders and individuals associated with the PGA Golf Management Program who have made outstanding contributions. There will be nine awards presented: Alumni Business Person of the Year, Business Person of the Year, Entrepreneur of the Year, Greater Good Award, Outstanding Woman Entrepreneur of the Year, Silver Spoon Award, Small Business Excellence Award, University Service Award, and Friend of the Program Award.

    David Maher, president and CEO of Acushnet, will be the keynote speaker. Maher has worked at Acushnet since 1991. He started as a sales support representative and worked his way through field sales and sales management for Titleist. For the company’s success, he credits its ongoing investment in product innovation, commitment to quality, strong trade partnerships, rich golfer connections and an enduring, rewarding company culture.

    In celebrating small businesses, Maher noted, “It’s important to recognize and support talented business partners whether they are large or small. As you might expect, small business, in the form of golf courses and their golf pro shops, is an especially important component of the golf industry.”

    Like any field, the golf industry faces headwinds that require thoughtful solutions. It’s an unchanging fact of life and has been for years.

    Maher noted that Titleist’s founder, Phil Young, back in the early 1930s, believed he could make a better golf ball by employing a better manufacturing process. Young’s entrepreneurial spirit lives throughout Acushnet today.

    “The game is filled with stories of equipment innovation, golf course design innovation and even golf course maintenance innovation,” he said. “I expect these advancements will continue for as long as the game is around.”

    He continued, “It is important to understand and build upon your strengths and competitive advantages while establishing strong customer connections. Golf has been around for hundreds of years and is as inviting and enjoyable as ever. … More recently, we have seen thousands of facilities become more family-friendly and more inviting to beginners and juniors over the past decade.

    “Today there are more junior golfers in the U.S. than at any other time, which is an exciting byproduct of these efforts.”

    As for the future of golf and the golf industry, that’s up to the next generation of golfers and what they want from the game. In the next 10 years, Maher sees technology and connectivity playing a more prominent role for some, while for others it will mean an opportunity to disconnect for a few hours to enjoy the game, competition, camaraderie and exercise. “The point is, the golf industry must adapt to evolving golfer preferences, and I am confident that it will,” Maher said.

    The 4th Annual Reeves School of Business Symposium and Awards Dinner takes place at the Embassy Suites Fayetteville/Fort Bragg. Networking starts at 5:30 p.m. The symposium begins at 6:30 p.m. For more information, call Krista Lee at 910-630-7148.

    Photo: David Maher, President and CEO of Acushnet

  • 11BetterHealth On Saturday, Nov. 17, Better Health will host its 6th annual Red Apple Run for diabetes in downtown Fayetteville. It’s a fun event for the entire family whether they are running or enjoying what the vendors have to offer. The Red Apple Run aids Better Health in its mission to help those in the community who are uninsured. It also supports Better Health’s diabetes program, which was started in the 1970s. The program provides clients with one-on-one meetings with a nurse and dietitian, offers participation in cooking demonstrations, access to diabetic supplies and more.

    Over the last six years, the Red Apple Run has had a turnout of about 300-400 participants of all ages. The run offers a 5K course, 10K course and 1-mile fun run that all wind through Historic Haymount.

    Better Health Executive Director Amy Navejas said, “Last year, 5K participant times ranged from our first-place winner Mack Brooks’ 18-minute pace to an hour. Participants in the 10K ranged from Mary Tramazzo’s incredible 36-minute completion time to an hour and a half.”

    Children can participate, too. In fact, children from one of Better Health’s programs will join the event with the Honeycutt Elementary School’s running team. Both groups of children will participate in the 5K. The 5K and the 10K races will be timed, while the 1-mile race will be just for fun.

    There will be multiple sponsors for the Red Apple Run as well as vendors like Master Exterminators, which will provide information about its services, and New Deli, which will provide delicious snacks for the finishers.

    The top three overall male and female winners in each age group of the 5K and the 10K runs will receive awards.

    Better Health was started 60 years ago as a nonprofit to provide emergency medicine to those without insurance. Over the years, it has evolved and now offers multiple services and programs like emergency dental extractions, vision screenings, a diabetes program, a childhood obesity program and a new Fayetteville Fit program meant to support obese children and help their families start healthier lifestyles.

    Navejas said, “Our new Fayetteville Fit program requires funding to help these children and their families become active and create healthier lifestyles. Another recent need would be for hurricane victims who are unable to afford emergency medications or dental care. Without the funds, we can’t offer these services.”

    Navejas added, “Diabetes has many facets, and, if not well controlled, can contribute to or lead to many other issues occurring in the body.” 

    Diabetes is said to be the leading cause of blindness for those between the ages of 20-74 years old. The disease is also the main cause for nontraumatic foot amputation, affecting 73,000 people per year in the United States. The best way to stay healthy and avoid diabetes includes getting vision and foot screenings, attending regular checkups, eating healthy and exercising regularly.

    Better Health is partnering with Cape Fear Eye Associatesto offer free quarterly vision screenings. The clinic also provides quarterly foot screenings with the help of podiatrist, Dr. Dan Laut.

    The Red Apple Run helps secure funding for Better Health and its programs, allowing it to continue to provide for the community. Better Health uses these funds to serve more than 5,000 clients every year, creating a tremendous impact on the community.

    Register for the run online at https://its-go-time. com/red-apple-run-for-diabetes or in person at the Packet Pickup, 1422 Bragg Blvd., on Nov. 16 from 4-6 p.m., or the day of the race at 7:30 a.m. behind the Medical Arts Building. The 10K starts at 8:30 a.m.; the 5K starts at 8:45 a.m.; and the 1-mile fun run starts at 8:50 a.m.

    Contact the Better Health Clinic at 910-483-7534 or visit https://its-go-time.com/red-apple-run-fordiabetes for more information.

  • 12FTCC Virtually every organization is connected to the internet. As such, virtually every entity has a network that needs to be managed – including your home network on a much smaller scale. Whenever someone buys or upgrades a wireless router, connects their devices and/or configures wireless parameters, they are managing a network.

    Organizations, on the other hand, have multiple computers that need to be connected to each other and to the internet. The range of technologies involved in setting up and managing a network is vast.

    Information technology specialists receive training in various aspects of the industry to bring it all together. Fayetteville Technical Community College can help students learn the necessary skills to enter an exciting and lucrative career in IT/network management.

    What is a network?

    A network is a series of connected devices, such as personal computers and servers, for sharing resources. End devices, like PCs, cell phones and tablets, are devices used by individuals. Intermediary devices, like routers, switches and firewalls, are typically not seen. All of these devices comprise the network.

    Switches connect multiple end devices together. A router connects networks. Connecting the switch to a router provides a path for the end devices to connect to other networks, including the internet.

    Some devices are capable of performing more than one function, while others are designed to perform a series of dedicated functions very well and can easily scale to handle millions of events per second, such as forwarding packets. Enterprise grade routers and switches fall under this category. A packet is a unit of data that includes addressing information. The addressing information specifies where (what device) the packet came from and where (what device) it is going.

    Addressing devices

    Every company has a dedicated phone number followed by individual extensions to access each employee. To communicate with an employee, two parts are needed: the main number and the extension number. In a similar way, the network address of a specific computer has two components: the network portion, or main phone number and a host portion, or extension.

    The address used for networking devices is called an IP (internet protocol) address. There are two flavors: IPv4 and IPv6. IPv4 allows for just over 4.2 billion unique addresses. IPv6 offers the capacity for enough unique combinations to theoretically assign a unique IPv6 address to every grain of sand on planet Earth and not come close to running out.

    Other things to consider in a network

    Suppose you need to install 2,000 new computers. Do you want to assign an IP address to each one individually? Of course not. You set up a DHCP – dynamic host configuration protocol – server to automatically assign IP address to devices as they are powered up.

    If you need to connect 100 networks using, for example, 20 routers, do you want to configure each router with entries that tell it how to reach every single one of those 100 networks? No. You enable a routing protocol that allows each router to tell its neighbor about its directly connected networks. This information is propagated to all the other routers until the network converges. When the network converges, every router will have an entry allowing it to forward packets to any one of the 100 networks based on the destination IP address in the packet.

    Security is another important concern. If the network is not secure, end devices could be at risk. The more you know about how a network is managed, the better you will be at securing it.

    FTCC’s programs

    FTCC offers an associate degree program in IT/ network management as well as a Cisco Networking Certificate. Both offerings prepare students for the Cisco Certified Networking Associate industry certification exam, which gives credibility to accomplishments and abilities as a networking professional. FTCC students spend at least 75 percent of classroom time performing hands-on activities that put into practice the concepts learned.

    According to Glassdoor.com, the national average for salaries for network engineers is $76,970. Salary varies with location, experience and level of education.

    Upon completion, FTCC students will be ready for an entry-level opportunity in the networking field and be on their way to a rewarding, lucrative career.

  • 13Holmes Rev. Wesley Holmes is a newcomer to Hope Mills, but he plans to bring a familiar message about giving thanks when he leads the annual community Thanksgiving service scheduled this Sunday, Nov. 18, at 6 p.m. at Highland Baptist Church on Legion Road.

    Holmes, a native of Rome, Georgia, became pastor at Hope Mills Church of God in July of this year.

    He’s been a full-time minister since 2002, pastoring at North Carolina churches in Sanford, Greenville and Morehead City.

    He called the community Thanksgiving event a wonderful time to come together, worship the Lord and offer thanks.

    “I believe thanksgiving is an everyday experience,’’ Holmes said. “I think we should be thankful each and every day.’’

    During the entire month of November, Holmes puts extra emphasis on the importance of giving thanks.

    He thinks it’s important that Christians of all denominations share the experience. “I believe when we get to heaven it’s not going to be just one denomination,’’ he said. “We’re all the body of Christ and we believe in Jesus Christ. We need to worship together.’’

    He believes for many people the only time they stop to give thanks daily is at meal time.

    “To take a day or a month to emphasize thanksgiving is very important for people,’’ he said. “Just to slow down and remember the blessings of the Lord. Be thankful for what he’s done in our lives.’’

    While Holmes will be delivering the message at the community service, pastors from other congregations in Hope Mills will take part in the service.

    An offering will be received at the service, with the money going to local flood relief efforts.

    Photo: Rev. Wesley Holmes

  • 14ALMSHOUSE sign copy A tradition that started in 2009 at the Hope Mills ALMSHOUSE will continue this Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22, as volunteers at the ecumenical community ministry will again serve a traditional Thanksgiving meal to those in need in the community.

    Grilley Mitchell, volunteer program coordinator for the ALMSHOUSE Love Lunch program, said the Thanksgiving meal was such a big hit when it was first tried that the ALMSHOUSE has made it an annual event.

    Regular meals are part of what the ALMSHOUSE does, serving food Monday through Friday at noon and 5 p.m. and on Saturday at noon and Sunday at 5 p.m.

    Mitchell said the only difference at the Thanksgiving meal, which will start at noon and continue until the food runs out, is the fare focuses on the traditional Thanksgiving dinner.

    Mitchell said this year’s meal is planned to include turkey, ham, candied yams, green peas, green beans, macaroni and cheese, potato salad and desserts.

    Community support and a variety of donations make the special meal possible, Mitchell said.

    ALMSHOUSE volunteers prepare and serve the food. In some cases, Mitchell said, whole families come in to take part in helping with preparation.

    “They want to do something to serve and teach their kids how to give back,’’ Mitchell said.

    There are no restrictions on who can show up to take part in the meal.

    “Anybody that needs a meal and wants a meal is served,’’ Mitchell said. “We do not turn anyone away. Show up and let us serve you.’’

    Anyone who would like to make a contribution of food or money to support the ALMSHOUSE ministry can drop by during normal business hours Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. at 3909 Ellison St. or contact Mitchell directly at 910-476-3719.

    “Come out and enjoy,’’ Mitchell said. “We give each and every one love and respect.’’

  • 15Bazaar slide Some things about the annual Hope Mills United Methodist Church Christmas Bazaar have changed though the years, like the date it was held and the name of the event, but the purpose has basically remained the same: give the people in the community an opportunity for wholesome fun while raising money for a worthy cause.

    All of the net proceeds from this year’s bazaar, which is scheduled for this Saturday, Nov. 17, at the church, will benefit the Hope Mills ALMSHOUSE, an ecumenical ministry that supports the community’s underprivileged.

    “We really believe in the churches working together, and the ALMSHOUSE is a great example of that,’’ said the Rev. Bob Kretzu, pastor at Hope Mills United Methodist. “It’s a nondenominational, cooperative mission, not only helping people with the flood but other people in need.’’

    Even if there wasn’t a money-raising angle to the bazaar, Kretzu said, it’s still a great activity for the entire community.

    This year’s bazaar is scheduled to run from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. and will feature a variety of activities.

    Events for children are scheduled from 8 a.m. until noon.

    “The whole front of the church will be set up with games for the kids, (including) an 18-foot tall inflatable slide and a bouncy house,’’ Kretzu said.

    There will be various games with prizes to be won, and children can get their photo taken with Santa Claus for $5.

    There will also be a raffle with tickets going for $2 each or 10 for $10.

    The top raffle prize is a $500 gift card from Walmart. Second prize is a $300 card from Lowe’s, while third prize is $100 in cash.

    If you can’t attend the bazaar, you can drop by the church during regular business hours, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., and purchase raffle tickets.

    There will be 27 different vendors in the church’s family life center.

    The items that will be available for sale include crafts, essential oils, clothes, barbecue sauce, jewelry and dolls.

    A silent auction will also be held at the bazaar. Among items up for bid are a large stand fan, an iPad and a Nordic track.

    A chicken dinner catered by Paradise Acres can be purchased for $8 per plate. The meal includes chicken, two sides and a drink. There will also be a bake sale.

    Breakfast food prepared by the church volunteers will also be available during the morning hours of the bazaar.

    For questions about the bazaar, contact the church at 910-425-0108.

  • Meetings

    For details about all meetings and activities, including location where not listed, call Town Clerk Jane Starling at 910-426-4113. Until the Parks and Recreation building has been repaired following damage from Hurricane Florence, some meetings may be moved to Luther Meeting Room at Town Hall at regular dates and times. Those meetings are noted with an asterisk below.

    Board of Commissioners and Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council Monday, Nov. 19: POSTPONED.

    Lake Advisory Committee Tuesday, Nov. 20, 6 p.m., at Parks and Recreation Building.*

    Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee Monday, Nov. 26, 6 p.m., at Parks and Recreation Building.*

    Appearance Commission, Tuesday, Nov. 27, 6:30 p.m. at Parks and Recreation Building.*

    Activities

    Hope Mills United Methodist Church Christmas Bazaar Saturday, Nov. 17, 8 a.m.-noon.

    Community Thanksgiving service, Sunday, Nov. 18, at Highland Baptist Church, 6 p.m.

    Thanksgiving Thursday- Friday, Nov. 22-23: Town offices closed.

    Promote yourself

    Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • 16David Phelps 1 The holiday season will come alive with the unmistakable sound of multi-Dove and Grammy Awardwinning recording artist David Phelps when he visits Fayetteville’s Village Baptist Church on Saturday, Dec. 1. WCLN-FM is proud to present this exciting Christmas concert event – one of just 15 stops on Phelps’ December “It Must Be Christmas 20th Anniversary Tour.” This special musical evening begins at 7 p.m.

    Once a childhood musical prodigy from Tomball, Texas, Phelps earned a bachelor’s degree in music from Baylor University. Since then, he has become a nationally celebrated vocalist.

    Perhaps best known as the powerful tenor for the multiple Grammy and Dove Award-winning Gaither Vocal Band, Phelps is constantly building on a career that has already been groundbreaking. Emerging as a leading voice in contemporary Christian music, Phelps has been winning the hearts of audiences all over the world for more than two decades.

    He has performed at numerous prestigious venues across the globe, including the White House, New York’s Carnegie Hall and the Sydney Opera House in Australia. His electrifying voice has moved audiences from all walks of life, crossing generational and stylistic barriers.

    Phelps has visited Fayetteville before as a soloist and as part of the Gaither Vocal Band, and he now returns for what promises to be an unforgettable evening of celebration.

    Many of the songs that will be featured during the evening at Village Baptist are included on Phelps’ album “It Must Be Christmas,” which was released this fall. In addition to songs from this new Christmas album, the evening will also include exciting renditions of classics like “Angels We Have Heard On High,” “Go Tell It On The Mountain” and “Sleigh Bells,” along with Phelps’ new classics like “Fall On Your Knees,” “Christmas Rush” and “Anthem of the Lord.”

    Phelps performs each classic like it has never been performed before, leaving each listener saying, “It must be Christmas!”

    Village Baptist Church is located at 906 S McPherson Church Rd. WCLN – 105.7 FM is treating listeners to Christmas songs from Phelps along with exclusive contests during November.

    VIP, artist circle and general admission tickets are on sale now. There are discounts for groups of four or more. Complete ticket and tour information is available by visiting ticketbud.com or davidphelps.com.

    Photo: David Phelps

  • 17Alex Scruggs E.E. Smith Expectations were high at E.E. Smith last year when Alex Scruggs transferred to the Seabrook Road school from Trinity Christian School to join the Golden Bull basketball team.

    After taking Smith to the fourth round of last year’s North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-A state playoffs and with the Wake Forest commit returning for her senior season, there’s no reason Smith coach Dee Hardy shouldn’t be even more optimistic about the 2018-19 season.

    “She has such a lovely personality and blends in anywhere she goes,’’ Hardy said. “It was pretty smooth sailing.’’

    Scruggs led Cumberland County Schools in scoring with 28.3 points per game last season. She was also among the rebounding leaders with 11.7 per game and tops in 3-point field goals with 55, almost 20 more than the second-place finisher.

    “This season, my expectations have to be (for me) to be an overall better player than last year and make my teammates better,’’ Scruggs said.

    Scruggs said she feels she needs to be tougher this year, especially driving to the basket and rebounding. “I think public school (basketball) is a lot more aggressive and fast-paced than private school,’’ she said.

    Smith has added some new faces to the team this year. Kendall Maccauley transferred from Freedom Christian along with Daireanna McIntyre from Seventy-First. They join holdovers Keonna Bryant, Trinity Dixon and Kayla Parson.

    “We’ll look to them for guidance and maturity,’’ Hardy said of the three Smith returnees.

    As for competition from the rest of the Patriot Athletic Conference, Hardy expects Pine Forest to be a major threat with the addition of Northwood Temple transfers, cousins Ciara and Kendal Moore, who led Northwood to the North Carolina Independent School Athletic Association 1-A basketball title last year.

    “Terry Sanford has a lot returning and I look for them to be strong,’’ Hardy said. The Bulldogs are again led by versatile athlete Lindsay Bell.

    Hardy expects a test from South View and veteran coach Brent Barker. “They always have something,’’ she said.

    Smith begins the season with a difficult challenge, facing 3-A East Regional finalist Havelock on Nov. 24.

    Photo: Alex Scruggs

  • 18Yates Johnson Terry Sanford basketball Senior leadership, togetherness and a commitment to zone defense helped carry Terry Sanford’s boys to a share of the Patriot Athletic Conference regular-season title with Overhills last year.

    For a repeat to occur in 2018-19, head coach Darren Corbett is going to have to find some new faces as graduation hit his Bulldogs hard.

    “We are leaning heavily on Yates Johnson,’’ Corbett said. “Yates is a rising junior who started every game last year but one.’’

    Johnson was the Bulldogs’ third-leading scorer last year behind departed starters Gabe Hardison and Holt Walker, averaging 9.4 points, 4.4 rebounds and hitting 24 3-point goals.

    A newcomer will be Northwood Temple transfer Jay Hickman, like Johnson a junior. He’ll join a couple of returnees from last season, Dante Bowlding and D.J. Herz.

    Corbett said Hickman, a 6-foot-1-inch guard, has gotten interest from some Division I schools including East Carolina.

    Corbett expects Johnson to score a few more points this season but won’t be calling on him to carry the entire load.

    “He’s a big asset to us as far as his intensity level and work ethic he brings every day,’’ Corbett said.

    Johnson said he’s worked on his 3-point shooting and finishing at the rim. “I need to be a leader like I was last year, just in a bigger role,’’ he said.

    Corbett expects Westover and Overhills to provide major challenges again this season. “Pine Forest was really good last year and Cape Fear is good as well,’’ he said. “If we can establish ourselves early, we can be competitive.’’

    Photo: Yates Johnson

  •  The second annual Hoops and Dreams Showcase is scheduled Nov. 23-24 at Methodist University’s March Riddle Center.

    The event will feature top local and national high school basketball teams.

    Tickets will only be sold on-site on a first-come, first-served basis.

    Local teams taking part include Trinity Christian, Northwood Temple, Village Christian, Fayetteville Academy, New Life Christian, Freedom Christian and Cape Fear Christian.

    Some of the out-of-area teams taking part include Word of God Christian from Raleigh, Charlotte Independence, Greensboro Smith, Morrisville Panther Creek, Greenfield School, Farmville Central and Asheville Christian.

    Some of the top committed players scheduled to appear are Josh Nickelberry of Northwood to Louisville, Greg Gantt of Trinity Christian to Providence and Justin McKoy of Panther Creek to Penn State.

  • 19Lexy Cole Jack Britt volleyball Here is the Sandhills Athletic Conference All-Conference volleyball team as chosen by the league’s coaches.

    Player of the year: Lexy Cole, Jack Britt

    Coach of the year: Leigh Ann Weaver, Jack Britt

    Jack Britt: Caitlin Broome, Alyssa Bullard, Lauren Walker, Kaiah Parker, Ilena Hall

    Pinecrest: L’asia Jackson, Liz Mann, Carley Modlin, Madi Ringley

    Richmond SeniorSavannah Lampley, Carley Lambeth, Layne Maultsby

    Lumberton: Alexandria Simpson, Rachel O’Neil, Katie Kinlaw

    Scotland: Sarah Eury

    Seventy-First: Morrigan Denman 

    Purnell Swett: Khalie Jones, Nyasia Jackson Hoke County: Veronique Woodson

    Photo: Lexy Cole

  • 20Lauren Adams Cape Fear volleyball Here is the Patriot Athletic Conference All- Conference volleyball team as chosen by the league’s coaches.

    Player of the year: Lauren Adams, Cape Fear

    Coach of the year: Jalesty Washington, Gray’s Creek

    First team

    Cape Fear: Techiera Matthews, Marlie Horne, Taylor Melvin

    Gray’s Creek: Kylie Aldridge, Hailey Pait, Morgan Brady Terry Sanford: Kara Walker, Kate Perko

    South View: Sierra Gosselin

    E.E. Smith: Ja’Nya Lunnermon

    Second team

    Westover: Tia Johnson

    Cape Fear: Alexis Spexarth. 

    Terry Sanford: Ashley Bolton, Ally Danaher

    South View: Mellody Bombatepe

    Pine Forest: Chayse Daniels, Erin Debenport

    Gray’s Creek: Savannah Mullis, Jaide Holliday Overhills: Monique Reid

    Honorable mention

    E.E. Smith: Alexandria Scruggs, Kayden Antonson, Antonia Powell, Kayla Parsons, Serenity Lunnermon

    Pine Forest: Aliciav Hairston, Jalena Novak

    Overhills: Alexis Lillard, Kirsten Kirschbaum

    South View: Amaria McLaughlin, Casey Dees

    Gray’s Creek: Summer Powell, Kelsie Rouse

    Westover: Mya Johnson

    Terry Sanford: Ashley Shannon

    Photo: Lauren Adams

  • 21Aliyah Smith scholar athlete 71st Aaliyah Smith

    Seventy-First • Junior •

    Tennis

    Smith has a grade point average of 3.0. In addition to tennis, she’s active in the Seventy-First Junior ROTC and forensics.

     

     

     

     

    22Adam Lindee Grays Creek scholar athleteAdam Lindee

    Gray’s Creek • Senior •

    Cross country

    Lindee has an unweighted grade point average of 3.54. In the recent Patriot Athletic Conference cross country championship meet at South View High School, Lindee placed tenth with a time of 18:04.30.

  • I was going to spend most of this part of the column talking about the various scenarios for who will qualify for the playoffs from the Sandhills and Patriot Athletic Conferences.
     
    But all of that should sort itself out on the field with no need for any complicated tiebreaks, so I’m going to let the scores take care of answering those questions.
    There’s a more important topic to discuss as the result of some ugly incidents that took place at football games elsewhere in the state in recent weeks.
     
    I’m not going into detail but let’s just say it involved fights and in a couple of cases serious penalties handed down by the N.C. High School Athletic Association that ended the season for the schools involved.
     
    As we approach this final weekend of the high school regular season, I send a warning to those schools that are still in the running for the postseason.
     
    One moment of anger and frustration on your part can light the fuse to an explosion that will end your football season now.
    The NCHSAA has stiff and severe penalties for being involved in a fight on the field of play, penalties that will land you on the bench and your team out of the playoffs.
     
    Just remember this. If a fight breaks out, walk away. Do not engage. Cover yourself if need be but don’t swing back.
    And if you are on the sideline, never, ever come out on the field when a fight starts. The NCHSAA considers coming on to the field during a fight a violation just as bad as if you were out there throwing punches.
     
    Some of you are just inches away from competing for a state title. Don’t blow your shot with a fit of temper.
    The record: 73-20
    Talk about a dose of reality. I had a miserable 3-3 week to drop the record to 73-20. Bye bye 80 percent right as I dipped to 78.5 percent.
    Let’s try to regroup and get back to 80 percent going into the postseason.
    Cape Fear at Douglas Byrd - This isn’t automatic for Cape Fear, which needs a win to have a shot at a piece of second place in the Patriot Athletic Conference. Byrd exploded against Westover last week and Cape Fear needs to take the Eagles seriously.
    Cape Fear 20, Douglas Byrd 14.
    E.E. Smith at Westover - This is Smith’s last chance to avoid a winless season. I don’t think it’s going to happen.
    Westover 28, E.E. Smith 14.
    Terry Sanford at Gray’s Creek - This is a tough one to pick. There are reports of possible key injuries for Terry Sanford. Under normal circumstances, both teams have plenty of offense. But I think Gray’s Creek has a slight edge on defense. I’m going to give the Bears the advantage playing at home.
    Gray’s Creek 24, Terry Sanford 23.
    Jack Britt at Scotland - Britt could be looking at an emotional letdown after the big win against Seventy-First. Scotland needs a win to avoid a sub-.500 finish.
    Scotland 28, Jack Britt 20.
        Pinecrest at Seventy-First - Seventy-First has definitely been off its game in the closing weeks of the season. I’m not sure if the Falcons can       regroup in time to get past Pinecrest this week.
        Pinecrest 28, Seventy-First 27.
    Pine Forest at South View - It all comes down to this for the Patriot Athletic Conference championship. Pine Forest has far exceeded my expectations for the year and definitely deserves to be in this position. South View was most people’s pick to be here this week, and I see no reason to change my thinking as one of those who thought the Tigers would be playing for the title.
    South View 29, Pine Forest 22.
    Harrells Christian at Village Christian - These teams already met at Harrells on Sept. 7 with Village winning 43-6. I don’t expect this week’s game to be much different, as Village advances to the N.C. Independent Schools Athletic Association 11-man Division III championship game against either SouthLake Christian or Asheville School. Village would be the host team against either in the finals as it is the No. 1 seed in its bracket.
    Village Christian 34, Harrells Christian 12.
  • 21Tatyana Sluss

    Tatyana Sluss

    Jack Britt • Senior •

    Tennis

    Sluss has a weighted grade point average of 4.41. She is a member of Health Occupations Students of America, Spanish Club and National Honor Society. She plans to major in biology and hopes to become a surgeon.

     

     

    22Komla Akogo

     

    Komla Akogo

    Seventy-First • Junior •

    Soccer

    Akogo has a 3.3 grade point average. He enjoys playing basketball and running track.

  • 20Fayetteville Academy state championship Julian Barbaro and Hudson Zeisman weren’t just playing for Fayetteville Academy in a drive toward back-to-back North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association 2-A soccer championships.

    They were playing for family and friends. When the Eagles defeated Gaston Day 3-1 to bring home this year’s NCISAA state title recently, their mission was complete.

    This season, Barbaro and Zeisman shared a tradition of putting a piece of tape on each other’s wrists.

    The day of the championship game, the band on Barbaro’s wrist contained references to three people: his sister Emmi; Zeisman’s mother, Missy; and the late Deacon Burgess of Terry Sanford.

    Burgess was a former Bulldog football player who died from cancer. Zeisman’s mother has been recovering from a double aneurysm and attends Academy soccer games in a motorized wheelchair.

    Emmi Barbaro was killed in a tragic accident six years ago.

    Barbaro drew special inspiration from his sister, who always used to say anything is possible and never give up.

    “That was pretty much the reason I remember her throughout the game,’’ Barbaro said. He had special reason to keep her words in mind as this season drew to a close. In Fayetteville Academy’s senior night game, Barboro tore the meniscus in his left knee and his status for the playoffs was seriously in doubt.

    He skipped one game after the injury, then took the field for the Academy’s final three games, scoring two goals, including one in the championship game with Gaston Day.

    “I took the risk,’’ he said, wearing a brace on his knee during the playoffs. He plans to have surgery on the knee sometime this month.

    “I’m so happy for my senior season to end like this,’’ he said.

    Zeisman also had his mother in mind when the Eagles beat Gaston Day. When the game ended, he wound up with the game ball in his hands. “The first thing that came to my mind was I was going to give it to my mom,’’ he said. “She’s been the one person who’s been there for me through thick and thin.’’

    Zeisman also said he had no doubt Barbaro was going to battle through his injury in the playoffs. “He played through and scored the third goal (in the finals),’’ Zeisman said. “He’s a warrior.’’

    The run to the state title may have been easier for Fayetteville Academy than winning its own conference. The Eagles were members of the Coastal Rivers Conference, a combination 3-A/2- A league. League rival Cape Fear Christian was the NCISAA 3-A champion, while league member Coastal Christian was the top seed in the 3-A state tournament and advanced to the semifinals before losing to 3-A runnerup Gaston Christian.

    McCarthy felt the Eagles’ title was a combination of hard work, daily training and the high standards that have helped the school win 17 state soccer titles.

    “We had nine great seniors that were involved in what we were trying to do,’’ McCarthy said. “They worked incredibly hard during the summer. It was an awesome group.’’

    Obviously, with nine senior starters, the Eagles will take a huge graduation hit – but McCarthy is optimistic for next season. “We’ve got some good young players,’’ he said. “We’ll see if they keep developing. We’re excited.’’

  • 19Britt golf A strong finish in this year’s North Carolina High School Athletic Association 4-A golf tournament by Jack Britt and the pending return of sophomore sisters Mckenzie and Mckayla Daffin has the future of Buc girls golf looking bright.

    Britt finished tied for fourth with Cardinal Gibbons High School in this year’s two-day 4-A tournament held last month at Pinehurst No. 3.

    With only the Daffin sisters and senior Angelique Seymour qualifying for the state tournament from Britt, all three scores counted toward the team total each day of the tournament.

    Britt posted the best score of any team in the state finals with only three players participating: 490.

    Mckenzie led the way, shooting 78-80-150. Seymour recorded 84-81-165, and Makayla shot 84-83-167.

    The performance didn’t surprise Britt golf coach Ray Musselwhite. “I felt we had the potential to go further than we’d ever gone before,’’ he said. “We beat Pinecrest for the first time (in a regular season match) and qualified four girls back to the regionals.’’

    Musselwhite was especially impressed with the play of Mckenzie Daffin. “She battled through a swing change and was struggling a bit at midseason with the consistency she wanted,” he said.

    He praised Seymour for surviving her first experience facing the strong level of competition in the state tournament. “I can’t say enough about how she performed, especially on day two, picking up strokes and battling down the stretch,’’ he said.

    Seymour, who picked up golf about four years ago, said she’s gotten a few college offers and is seriously considering one from Belmont Abbey. “I’m thinking about going there and studying biology,’’ she said. “I might go to a larger school and play as a walk-on.’’

    Mckayla picked up strokes the second day and also improved her overall play.

    What’s most impressive about the success of the Britt team is the Daffin sisters have only been playing golf a few years.

    Seymour said the Daffin sisters weren’t looking ahead of what was in front of them in the state finals. “By the time they are seniors, they should be state champion contenders,’’ Musselwhite said.

    Looking ahead, Mckenzie likes her driver and iron play but wants to work on her short game. “I’d like to see my putts come down and to save more strokes with chipping,’’ she said. “I want to become more accurate with my clubs and irons.’’

    Mckayla added 20 yards to her drives this year but wants to improve her irons and chipping. “By the end of next year, I’d like to be shooting around mid- 70s or lower,’’ she said. “I’m definitely going to put the work in to make it possible.’’

    Photo:  L-R: Mckayla Daffin, Angelique Seymour, Mckenzie Daffin

  • 18Freedom ChristianThe pieces were there for Freedom Christian Academy to win its first North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association state volleyball championship this season, but it took first-year coach Wyndee Mathias and her senior-laden squad several games for the picture to come into focus.

    Once it did, it was an absolute masterpiece.

    After starting the season with a 9-6 record, Freedom ended with a 13-0 run that included outscoring its opponents 39-1.

    In the title game, the Patriots avenged an earlier loss to Gaston Day with their twelfth 3-0 win in their last 13 games.

    Mathias told her team the first part of the season would be a learning process for them and for her.

    “We’re going to experiment with lineups, changes and different things,’’ she explained to them. “We’ll get a starting point and know where we’ve got to work from.’’

    But she also made them aware of their potential. “I told them you are very capable of playing in the state playoffs and going far,’’ she said. “I told them your only limitation would be you.’’

    The Patriots qualified for the state playoffs as the No. 6 seed, meaning the trip to the championship match would have to include wins over the top three seeds in the tournament.

    Throughout the win streak, Mathias said the team never discussed what they were doing, focusing only on the next game on the schedule and no further. In the finals with Gaston Day, she said, the team was only at about 70 to 75 percent of effectiveness and had to play more of a mental than a physical game. “They fought through that game and ground for every point they could,’’ she said.

    For much of the season, the Patriots were led by NCISAA All-State selections Jasmine Wooten and Sophie Majerske.

    Majerske is a setter, Wooten an outside hitter. “I think we all played a lot harder because it was our last year and we’ve gone through ups and downs together,’’ Wooten said. “We really wanted to win for each other.’’

    Majerske said, “For the seniors, it was knowing for a lot of us this was our last time. We’re not playing in college. We really just went hard.’’

    Despite the loss of nine seniors this year, Mathias is optimistic about Freedom’s chances to compete for the title next season. “We’re looking at how we can improve the program from the sixth grade up,’’ she said. “We’re focusing on the entire program and how we can develop a much stronger program.”

  • Meetings

    For details about all meetings and activities, including location where not listed, call Town Clerk Jane Starling at 910-426-4113. Until the Parks and Recreation building has been repaired following damage from Hurricane Florence, some meetings may be moved to Luther Meeting Room at Town Hall at regular dates and times. Those meetings are noted with an asterisk below.

    • Board of Commissioners and Mayor’s Youth Leadership Council Monday, Nov. 19: POSTPONED.

    • Lake Advisory Committee Tuesday, Nov. 20, 6 p.m., at Parks and Recreation Building.*

    • Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee Monday, Nov. 26, 6 p.m., at Parks and Recreation Building.*

    • Appearance Commission, Tuesday, Nov. 27, 6:30 p.m. at Parks and Recreation Building.*

    Activities

    • Veterans Day Monday, Nov. 12: Town offices closed.

    • Thanksgiving Thursday-Friday, Nov. 22-23: Town offices closed.

    Promote yourself:Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com.

  • 17Eddie Dees Building 1 of 3 by Liz BThere’s a reason Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner likes to develop partnerships with local businesses and the community to preserve and improve local buildings and historical landmarks. In her opinion, these partnerships work to everyone’s benefit.

    “Good things happen when we partner and we share,’’ Warner said. “They do things we couldn’t afford to do.”

    In defense of her position, she cited a number of projects during her tenure as a town leader that in her opinion have been win-win situations.

    Old Town Hall

    At the top of the list is old Town Hall in the heart of the downtown area, which some years ago was converted into an office complex by Dr. Eric Raynor.

    “Dr. Raynor was not only able to maintain the building; he’s refurbished it,’’ Warner said. “He’s added a lot of mill work and put in an elevator to make it handicapped-accessible.’’

    There’s a placard on the outside of the building that gives a brief account of its history along with pictures inside of the bygone era in Hope Mills.

    “It’s an old building that looks new because of what he’s done to maintain and refurbish it,’’ she said.

    The Eddie Dees Building

    Just across the street from old Town Hall on Main Street is the Eddie Dees Building, which was purchased by Jeff Gram, a close friend of the late mayor and an entrepreneur who is involved in a number of professional ventures.

    The building has been home to several businesses over the years until Gram converted it into a combination of shops and office spaces.

    “It was very appropriate he named it after Eddie Dees because Eddie was influential in helping him acquire that property,’’ Warner said. “He completely redid the building and rents it now.

    “If it hadn’t been redone, it would have become another building that was dilapidated. It would have cost a good bit to update and upgrade it, but someone like him who had the money and interest in old buildings was able to do it.’’

    First Citizens Bank

    A little farther down Main Street from Old Town Hall and the Dees Building is First Citizens Bank.

    Before the bank took over, the property wasn’t terribly attractive. First Citizens agreed to a partnership with the town. The bank tore down the structures on the property, built a new bank that reflected the architecture of the mill period of the early 1900s, and added a paved parking lot that it agreed to share with the town.

    “We ended up with a municipal parking lot and an area that is very well landscaped,’’ Warner said. “They also gave us $20,000 to landscape and upgrade the land right across the street from there so it could be matching.’’

    Plank Road

    Plank Road weaves through various parts of Hope Mills, including an area off Golfview Road where it ran perilously close to the backyards of residents.

    Warner said the road was difficult to maintain because of the homes, so the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners decided to close it and give the property to the homeowners there.

    “Now the homeowners don’t have to worry about people cutting through there and they were given an extension of their backyard,’’ she said. “Most are very happy because it stopped a lot of traffic.’’

    State Employees Credit Union

    At least three houses had to be torn down to build the State Employees Credit Union on Main Street, but Warner said the people who sold the property were excited and the town also wound up a winner.

    “We got a tastefully designed building with landscaping and signage that’s very discreet and very pretty once the building was built,’’ she said.

    “SECU keeps the landscaping beautiful and it’s a pretty corner.’’

    Public Works Commission

    The town of Hope Mills has continued to grow, and Warner knew a time was coming when the town wouldn’t be able to maintain the infrastructure it needed to expand water services.

    Enter the Public Works Commission, which came in and purchased the water and sewage system.

    “They have replaced a lot of old pipes and stuff that had been there for a long time,’’ she said. “It makes sense that we can use PWC and they take care of the infrastructure needs for us. And it saves us dollars.’’

    Senior Center

    The old Senior Center became a problem for the town because of its somewhat isolated location. It wasn’t available for use for night events for the seniors. Eventually it was given to the town, and the town invested money into the property for upkeep.

    Finally, the local chapter of the Veterans of Foreign Wars offered to buy the building as its headquarters and struck a deal with the town as a nonprofit organization to pay $50,000, the amount of money the town had spent on upkeep.

    The VFW named the building for one of its members, former Mayor Edwin Deaver.

    Although the building was listed as an asset on the town books at $250,000, Warner said the town never actually had that money in the bank, and got back the $50,000 it put into the building when it sold it.

    Now the VFW pays utilities and upkeep on the building, and Warner is certain if the town needed it for any kind of function they would be able to work out an agreement with the VFW.

    The Senior Center activities have been moved to Town Hall. There, they have their own remodeled room at the Parks and Recreation Department plus easier access to the gym and its facilities.

    “There’s a positive side to all of it,’’ Warner said. “I just want things to be positive.’

  • 16Tina West Tina West said she prefers to do her work in the shadows, avoiding the limelight as much as possible.

    But it was hard to overlook her efforts during Hurricane Florence, and recently the manager of the South View High School cafeteria was honored by the local Red Cross at a meeting of the Cumberland County Board of Education.

    West, who has been manager of the South View cafeteria for about eight years, was recognized for her volunteer efforts providing food to the evacuees who stayed in the shelter at South View during Hurricane Florence.

    West and her family literally moved into a storage closet at the school for nearly a week, sleeping on air mattresses so she could be on-scene as much as possible to oversee the eating needs of the 317 people who called the South View gymnasium home for as many as nine days.

    “Basically, we made sure they had at least two meals a day,’’ West said. She tried to make sure all the meals were hot and got an assist from cafeteria managers from neighboring schools.

    There were some challenges. The gym was powered by a generator when the electricity went off, but there was a day when the generator went out.

    West lost power to the freezer at the school and had to transfer food from there to the freezer at South View Middle School next door.

    Once the generator came back on, she moved the food back to the high school.

    Breakfast and lunch were the main meals she and her helpers served daily. With the help of donations, they were also able to serve dinner on occasion.

    “We had one teacher who bought pizza for dinner,’’

    West said. “A gentleman who runs a local body shop bought cheeseburgers and chicken sandwiches.’’

    West also tried to interact with the evacuees, especially one group of elderly ladies, a couple of whom lost everything to the storm. “They just needed someone to talk to,’’ West said.

    Chad Barbour, assistant principal at South View, said West’s performance during the storm came as no surprise.

    “She does an excellent job,’’ he said. “She’s been named cafeteria manager of the year by the county.

    “She does a lot of things she doesn’t seek credit for. She feeds a lot of children from getting food donations. She’ll send backpacks of food home and coordinates all this herself.’’

    Barbour said he played a small role in South View’s Hurricane relief efforts and praised the school staff, including West, for the job it did.

    “The hours were difficult on the folks,’’ he said. “Our custodial and cafeteria staff stepped up, took charge and ran it. Our school resource officer played a big role in providing security and things like that.

    “It’s leadership philosophy. Get the right people, put them in the right place, and get out of their way.’’

    Photo: Tina West

  • 15Michael Tucker Michael Tucker hopes to use the platform he’s been given as Cumberland County’s principal of the year to share the challenges faced by public education in 2018. Tucker, principal at Stoney Point Elementary School and an educator in the county school system since 1999, was named winner of the annual honor as county’s principal of the year late last month.

    A native of Harnett County and a 1993 graduate of Triton High School, Tucker earned his college degree, teaching credentials and a master’s in school administration from Fayetteville State University.

    He served as a classroom teacher at various county schools before moving into administration in 2009.

    He took over at Stoney Point in July. 

    One thing Tucker isn’t sure the public is aware of is the level of responsibility the principal has for everything that goes on at the school.

    “If you’re in a large school or small school, you’re responsible for just about everything that takes place in that building,’’ he said. “You’re going to get the praise if it’s successful or the criticism if it’s unsuccessful.

    “There are so many layers with this job.’’

    One of the biggest challenges is making the education experience the best it can be for both students and teachers but drawing the line when it comes to deciding what may be a good thing to do in the classroom and what’s going too far.

    “Teachers want to do things that are fun and creative,’’ he said. “We sometimes have to be the bearer of bad news and say this might not be appropriate or we can’t use these kinds of resources in the classroom.’’

    Tucker said he hopes his recognition as principal of the year in the county will provide him opportunities to speak out not about the challenges in his job, but the difficulties faced by the teaching profession as a whole in North Carolina.

    He said he’s supervised teachers in schools both large and small and there’s been a common thread wherever he’s worked.

    “There are many teachers who teach as a fulltime job but they have another job outside of teaching,’’ he said. “They may be waiting tables. They may be working in retail. They might be doing something else.’’

    He said all are doing it for the same reason: to supplement the income they are getting as teachers.

    “It’s disappointing they have a full-time job with 24/7 responsibility but they have to supplement their income by having a second job,’’ he said. “That’s something I don’t think a lot of people are aware of.’’

    Students also face shortages in the classroom because of budget shortfalls, Tucker said. Many schools are shifting from costlier printed textbooks to cheaper digital options, but Tucker said sometimes the shift isn’t as smooth or seamless as it should be.

    “There may be gaps between the resources teachers have to actually provide that instruction,’’ he said. “They might not have access to laptops or digital tools.’’

    But Tucker said the story he wants to share isn’t a total tale of woe when it comes to public schools. “There’s a lot of good things going on in public education in North Carolina and around the country,’’ he said. “I think we are trying to trend in the right direction, but there are a lot of areas that need to be brought to public awareness so we can try to affect a change.’’

    Photo: Michael Tucker

  • 14Warner Alex Warner is a political shark. After two terms on the Cumberland County School Board, he ran a record-breaking campaign for the North Carolina House of Representatives. He served nine terms representing District 45.

    In person, Warner is modest about his political prowess. But when he speaks, it’s evident his tenure has made him an expert on this topic with very strong opinions on politics – and politicians.

    “Our Constitution is very clear – our founding fathers wanted ‘frequent elections,’” Warner said. “They wanted our representatives there for two years. That way if they weren’t performing to meet the needs of the people they represent, the people could vote them out.”

    Warner has watched from the sidelines for eight years while his wife, Mayor Jackie Warner, has battled, not with her constituents, but with her fellow commissioners. The behavior of the commissioners is why Alex Warner recently broke his silence and decided it was time to play an active role in politics again.

    Warner is protective of his wife and family, especially now when board members have been attacking them for months. But he’s also pragmatic and realizes if they’ll attack his family, they could attack any family in Hope Mills.

    “I’ve seen this so many time,” he said. “Someone gets elected and takes office with the idea they’re going to represent the people. But it takes a person with strong character to do that. Too often, they bow to special interest groups. Ultimately, they forget who put them in office. They start to feel like they’re smarter than the people who elected them, and that hubris justifies any bad behaviors.”

    He’s referring to the board’s political missteps throughout the summer months. When faced with a proposal from a national organization wanting to purchase municipal land, the board stalled, pushed false narratives and ultimately refused to hear from the public before denying the offer. For many of the voters, the real offense was in not allowing a public hearing. But the board has accused the Warner family of trying to manipulate the system to force the sale. To date, there’s been no evidence to support this claim, but board members continue to dig and continue to hurl accusations.

    Warner sees this as a symptom of a bigger problem. “Some of the board members seem insecure,” he said. “They’ve got to go by a title or insist on telling you what their profession is outside of the board or manipulate rules to control the staff and other board members. They were elected to serve. They were elected to execute the people’s will. We have a pretty savvy constituency; they won’t tolerate being led around like sheep. Many elected officials have paid a price for that misconception with short-lived political careers.”

    On Oct. 21, the political action committee Hope Mills Citizens for Change installed signs around Hope Mills encouraging citizens to vote no on a 4-year referendum. If passed, the mayor and two commissioners with the most votes would be elected for four years in the 2019 election. The remaining three seats would convert to 4-year terms in the 2021 election.

    The referendum was suggested by Commissioner Mike Mitchell and quickly pushed through four meetings and a public hearing at which the public was unanimously against it.

    As soon as the signs appeared, Mitchell contacted the Cumberland County Board of Elections and began digging for information. What he found was a receipt showing Alex Warner donating the signs to the PAC. Mitchell also takes issue with a tagline at the bottom of the signs that reads “for this board.” He’s used social media to accuse the PAC and Warner of misleading the public.

    Warner laughed at the accusation. “I was accused of buying political signs that say ‘vote no for this board for 4-year terms,’” he said. “I want everybody to know Alex Warner designed the signs, I paid for the signs, I donated the sign to HMCFC, and I don’t have anything to hide.”

    Warner said the behavior of this board inspired his decision. He was ready to place the signs in yards himself when he heard a PAC had formed. He immediately contacted Elizabeth Cooper to donate the signs and join the PAC. He’s hoping the signs will inspire the people to question what’s happening, to be more involved and to vote.

    “Our people need to be involved in our government other than just being tax-payers,” he said. “They need to hold the elected accountable for their actions. They need to ask, what has this board done to improve the lives of the people of Hope Mills?”

    He was quick to condemn this board for their lack of action. He cited the “back-biting, jockeying for position and a lack of cohesion” as hindrances. But he also pointed out that the few times they’ve come together to vote on anything, it was self-serving. They voted in spring to award themselves huge raises and benefits, and they voted to put the referendum on the ballot.

    While Warner and HMCFC are lobbying to stop the 4-year referendum, they’re also thinking ahead. Their next step is a year-long voter registration drive. They hope to double the number of registered voters and vote out the board members who don’t serve the citizens. “They’re part of a single board, but their egos are getting in the way,” Warner said, “They have to go.”

    Those interested in joining HMCFC can find information at facebook.com/HopeMillsCFC.

    Photo: Alex Warner

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