https://www.upandcomingweekly.com/


  • 12 NCMBCThe Department of Defense’s $7 billion boom in new, major construction projects on bases in North Carolina is now history. However, new construction at Fort Bragg, Camp Lejeune, Cherry Point and other installations remains strong — the third highest in the country for fiscal year 2020 at $616.3 million. Military installations are also turning to operation and maintenance funding to execute additional sustainment projects on existing facilities, and hurricane recovery work may drive military-related construction spending to new highs.

    '
    Sustaining, restoring and modernizing existing infrastructure will be a primary strategy for bases in North Carolina to address their facility needs for the foreseeable future. Operation and maintenance-funded work provides new opportunities for North Carolina construction-related businesses capable of executing small, mid-size and even large sustainment, restoration and modernization projects either as prime, also called general, or sub, also called specialty, contractors. 


    Additionally, the destruction caused by Hurricanes Florence and Matthew in 2018 provided additional opportunities for the construction industry. Naval Facilities Engineering Command Mid-Atlantic recently announced a $1.7 billion program to restore Camp Lejeune and Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point due to these hurricanes. The impact of Hurricane Dorian — either in new damage or exacerbating old damage — has not yet been determined. 


    To connect businesses in North Carolina to these opportunities, the offices of Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C.,  and Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.,  and the NCMBC will co-host the 2019 Southeast Region Federal Construction, Infrastructure & Environmental Summit at the Wilmington Convention Center on Oct. 23-24. The Summit is the premier, best-established and most-recognized federal construction event in the Southeast — businesses that are already engaged or want to perform in the federal market should attend.


    The Summit brings together over 700 representatives of the Corps of Engineers, NAVFAC, Fort Bragg, Marine Corps Installations East, Seymour Johnson AFB, other Army, Air Force, Navy and USMC installations, the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of Veterans Affairs, General Services Administration, other federal agencies and construction-related contractors from throughout the Southeastern United States.


    Attendance is encouraged for general and specialty contractors, design firms, construction supply firms and companies  provide facility-support contracts. The businesses must work in Virginia, N.C., South Carolina, Georgia and/or Florida.  Current federal contractors seeking partners and suppliers are also welcome.


    For more information on The Summit, visit: https://summit.ncmbc.us or contact the North Carolina Military Business Center (www.ncmbc.us).


    The North Carolina Military Business Center is a business development entity of the North Carolina Community College System, headquartered at Fayetteville Technical Community College. The mission of the NCMBC is to leverage military and other federal business opportunities to expand the economy, grow jobs and improve quality of life in North Carolina. The NCMBC’s primary goal is to increase federal revenues for businesses in North Carolina. The Department of Defense has an annual impact of $66 billion and is the second largest sector of North Carolina’s economy at  — 12% GDP.  With six major military bases, 116 National Guard and 40 Army Reserve facilities and the third highest number of uniformed military personnel in the country, the state of North Carolina created the NCMBC to leverage opportunities with these installations, DOD commands and federal agencies operating worldwide.

  • 17 Que TuckerReprinted with permission from The Stanly News & Press


    The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has put the North Stanly High School cheerleaders on probation for the rest of the football season for their part in holding up a Trump banner during the Aug. 30 game against Piedmont.

    The Aug. 30 incident happened before the game began, when some of the North cheerleaders and a couple other individuals gathered for a photo. A cheerleader and a young male held up a banner that read “Trump 2020 ‘Make America Great Again.'” The photo circulated on Facebook after a North teacher posted it.

    After talking with the central office, and since the incident appeared on social media and caused people to feel uncomfortable, the NCHSAA took a greater look at it.

    “One of the rules we have is that every contest should be conducted in a wholesome, athletic environment,” North Carolina High School Athletic Association Commissioner Que Tucker said. “We take that to mean that it’s in an environment where good sportsmanship is shown, where people feel safe … that respect for all people participating is being shown.”

    Due to the fact the incident caused concern for many and helped create a negative athletic environment, according to Tucker, the NCHSAA decided to reprimand the cheerleaders by putting them on probation.

    Superintendent Dr. Jeff James said Dean Shatley, of Shatley and Campbell law firm, reviewed the NCHSAA’s decision and felt it was appropriate.

    James said the school system did not discipline any of the students because there were no violations of the student code of conduct. He said school officials will likely update the code to include rules against political campaigning on school campuses during sporting events.

    Following multiple media reports about the North Stanly incident and a letter sent to the NCHSAA from Congressman Richard Hudson regarding the matter, Que Tucker, NCHSAA Commissioner, released the following clarification:
    While the NCHSAA does not have a specific policy prohibiting the display of political advertisements at athletic events, the behavior was contrary to the NCHSAA’s “Philosophy of Cheerleading” in the NCHSAA Handbook. This philosophy emphasizes the cheerleader’s important role in representing the school to its fans and others in attendance in a positive manner, while eliciting appropriate support for their team in accordance with the spirit and letter of NCHSAA and local school policies and expectations.

    It is our understanding that Stanly County Schools has a policy against political advertisements on campus or at school events. It is also our understanding that Stanly County Schools does not make political endorsements. As the district officials related in their release yesterday, ‘Because the cheerleaders were in uniform and were acting as representatives of the school, the display of the sign could be perceived as the school or school system endorsing a political campaign."

    NCHSAA probation, in and of itself, is not a punishment. It serves as a notice of behavior or action that is against NCHSAA Handbook Policy or contrary to expectations of sportsmanship and proper behavior. Should infractions occur during a probation period at a member school or within a team at a member school, additional sanctions such as fines or suspensions could be implemented. In the aforementioned instance, opportunities for participation were neither eliminated nor limited.

     The decision to place the cheerleaders on probation was made to highlight the NCHSAA’s philosophy of cheerleading as well as Stanly County Schools’ local district policy on political endorsements by individuals representing the school. The NCHSAA has no comment on the letter released by Representative Hudson.”

    Editor's Note: Late Friday afternoon, the Stanly County Schools announced that because of new safety concerns in the wake of the school’s cheerleaders being placed on probation, Friday’s Sept. 20 home football game with China Grove Carson was postponed to Saturday morning, Sept. 21.

    Pictured: Que Tucker

  • 16 Amanda LockamyLinda Lockamy is gearing up to put on the 10th Tee It Up For MS Charity Golf Tournament. It will be held Friday, Oct. 11, at Cypress Lakes Golf Course.

    But Lockamy’s passion for the event is just as strong as it was at the first one in 2009.

    That’s because her commitment to raising money for the fight against multiple sclerosis is personal, starting 18 years ago when her daughter, Mandy Lockamy, was first diagnosed with the disease.

    Currently in remission, the younger Lockamy’s condition has been improved by an assortment of MS drugs, including an infusion of a new medication a few years ago that nearly halted the disease in its tracks.

    But as Linda Lockamy noted, while Mandy’s condition is improved, she’s not cured. She continues to take medication for headaches and fatigue related to the MS, and she takes a special medicine designed to help her walk.

    Many of her treatments have come from the research that money from events like the golf tournament have helped to fund. Since it was created, Linda Lockamy said the tournament has raised about $72,000 for the fight against the disease.

    For Linda Lockamy, it all started in 2002 when friends of Mandy told her about the local MS Walk. Linda formed a team and has participated in the walk ever since.

    But she wanted to do more, and she got her chance when she got a call from the former Beef O’Brady’s restaurant about sponsoring a charity golf tournament.

    The original plan was for the benefit to rotate among local charities, and MS would be the focal charity once every three or four years.

    While she appreciated the help, Lockamy soon realized one tournament every three or four years wasn’t enough.

    “There were so many people in that first golf tournament that knew people with MS, we said we can’t wait three or four years,’’ she said. “We need to do this every year.’’

    And that’s what happened, save for one year when Mandy Lockamy was undergoing treatments. Since the first tournament in 2009, save that one year, the MS golf tournament has been held every October at Cypress Lakes Golf Course.

    “We’ve got people that have played in every tournament,’’ Lockamy said. “I have people call me in late summer asking when the tournament is and do you have it scheduled yet.’’

    The cost of this year’s tournament is $300 for a four-man team. The entry fee includes lunch, a goody bag, beverages and a dinner.

    Registration opens at 11 a.m. the day of the tournament with a noon shotgun start.

    While the deadline for registering is one week before the tournament is held, Lockamy said individual players often show up the day of the tournament to see if they can get on a team and no one has been turned away.

    For those who don’t play golf, some companies have paid sponsorship fees for first responders, allowing them to play. Hole sponsorships are also available for $100 a hole. If a team in the tournament sponsors a hole, the cost of the sign is only $50.

    Registration forms are available at the Cypress Lakes clubhouse and on Lockamy’s Facebook page, Linda Swanson Lockamy. You can email her at swanlock74@aol.com or call 910-977-8662.

    Pictured: Amanda Lockamy 

  • 02 RocksPublisher’s Note: There’s always something to do in Cumberland County! This past week was a perfect example of the diverse activities that are happening. We have theatres, festivals, car shows and even events celebrating the accomplishments of service organizations in our community. The Vision Resource Center, over the weekend, brought the community together in Downtown Fayetteville to thank them for their support and to raise money for the continuation of their relentless service to our blind and sight-impaired population. This kind of activity is popping up all over the county. I am yielding my space to Earl Vaughan, Jr. who has discovered an emerging cultural organization in Hope Mills. Their projects are aimed at enhancing the arts and cultural awareness in Hope Mills as well as the quality of life for its citizens. Without a doubt, Hope Mills ROCKS! Thanks for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

    It could be said that the Hope Mills Creative Arts Council is off to a rocky start. Fortunately, it’s in a positive way.


    The newly created arts council recently got the help of a couple of local Girl Scout troops to introduce itself to the Hope Mills area and recruit more artists and volunteers to grow the organization.


    This past weekend, the council held a rock-painting event to create miniature works of art that will be given away at the upcoming Ole Mill Days at Hope Mills Municipal Park.


    “We were trying to come up with something we could do to announce our presence and be a small part of Ole Mill Days,’’ said Elizabeth Blevins, executive director of the council and a contributing writer to Up & Coming Weekly.
    “We have a small budget so we invited Girl Scout troops to come paint rocks,’’ Blevins said. “Painting them and hiding them in parks is a big thing at the moment.’’


    The arts council provided the Girl Scouts from troops 1147 and 2147 the rocks and the paint to create the miniature art works.


    Blevins said the council has also teamed up with other civic organizations that will work with the members of the arts council the night before Ole Mill Days on Saturday, Oct. 5 and hide the rocks around Municipal Park on Rockfish Road where most of the Ole Mill Days activities will be held.


    “They will be able to find the rocks and this will let them know we are there,’’ Blevins said.


    The public is welcome to keep the rocks or hide them again for someone else to find at a future date.


    Blevins said one of the rocks she’ll be hiding was one she and her husband Jim found during a recent visit to Calabash. “Sometimes it’s about moving them from place to place, the joy of having found them and being able to distribute them,’’ she said.


    For further information on the Hope Mills Creative Arts Council, visit its Facebook page of the same name. The staff is working on a website and will provide the name of it on the Facebook page as soon as it’s available.


    “We are always excited to hear from artists, musicians, performers, volunteers and people who just want to be involved,’’ Blevins said.


    To contact the group directly, email to hopemillscac@gmail.com or call Blevins at 910-853-4539.

  • Fall FamilyOle Mill Days, the annual Hope Mills community festival that celebrates the town’s rich history as a mill village with a wide variety of family-related activities, returns at the slightly earlier date this fall of Saturday, Oct. 5.

    Meghan Freeman, assistant director of programs and events for the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Department, said the change in the date was made to avoid a conflict with Fayetteville’s annual Dogwood Festival.

    “Historically it’s been toward the end of October,’’ Freeman said of Ole Mill Days. “We looked at the calendars for surrounding areas and it didn’t seem like there were any big, big events that would be a conflict.’’

    Freeman said the event is a way for families to enjoy the community and see the assortment of family-related activities the town has to offer that day.

    “There are a lot of activities for the kids as well as vendors and food trucks,’’ she said.

    Hours for most activities at Ole Mill Days will be from noon until 6:30 p.m. Interactive events for the children will be from noon until 4 p.m.

    One new feature of the event will be a 105-foot inflatable zipline. There will also be a bungee trampoline.

    The traditional petting zoo will also be featured. Provided by It’s A Zoo Life, the zoo typically includes a lemur, an alpaca, a kangaroo, a mini-horse, a goat, a sulcata or spurred tortoise, a capybara (the world’s largest rodent), a mara (a rabbit-like animal), a fennec fox (a small fox with big ears) or a llama. The selection of animals varies due to availability from week to week, Freeman said.


    Ole Mill Days will coincide with the town’s final monthly Good2Grow Farmer’s Market of the year, which will be held from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.


    For the adults, Dirtbag Ales will sponsor a beer garden.


    There will be two live bands performing, Upscale N Casual at 1:30 p.m. and Rivermist at 4:30 p.m. Upscale N Casual primarily features smooth jazz. Rivermist performs classic rock and is described as a variety party band.
    They have been voted Best Local Band for the last three years in Up & Coming Weekly’s Best of Fayetteville survey.


    An annual feature of Ole Mill Days will be the reunion for the millworkers from Hope Mills. It will be hosted at Town Hall from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m.


    Primary parking areas for the event will be at Rockfish Elementary School across the street from the Town Hall and Municipal Park complexes, as well as behind Fields 4, 5 and 6 at Municipal Park, as well as the public library.
    Tables and chairs will be provided, but the public is welcome to bring its own portable chairs Freeman said.


    Those planning to attend should not bring coolers or alcoholic beverages. All of the activities will be free of charge, excluding the things being sold by the vendors and the food trucks.


    For any questions, contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 910-426-4109.

  • 14 After The RideA few weeks back, I wrote about riding to Sturgis, some of the preparations I did beforehand and some ideas to help make your future rides more comfortable and enjoyable. Today, let us talk about after the ride.

     For Sturgis, we rode over 4,500 miles. When I returned, I unpacked and let her sit for a few days. My bike, named Traveler, was pretty dirty. A few days later, I washed her off and then brought her into the garage and broke out my cleaning supplies and my tool kit.

     I usually start from the top to bottom. I remove the windshield and set it aside. Then I apply Honda Spray Cleaner and Polish around the bike to give a sharp-looking polish and clean. I have used this product for years. More recently, I have bought it by the case on Amazon. It does a beautiful job of cleaning my bike, plus it makes me touch every square inch of the bike.

     As I go over every inch of Traveler, I take my tools and ensure that every nut and bolt is tight. During your travels, something will inevitably start to come loose. This little preventive maintenance will save you a lot of time and money down the road if something pops off.

     As I use my bike's tool kit, I am also checking to make sure that I have every tool I need for it. This trip, I discovered I was missing a #4 metric Allen wrench. Having a couple of bikes, I also put colored tape around each of my tools to make sure that I have the right tool for the right bike.

    I use window cleaner on the windshield and replace it on the bike.

    Lastly, I take the GPS off and download my route and any extra waypoints I saved and clear up my GPS's memory.

     Once the bike is finished, I know she is ready for our next adventure.

    If there is a topic that you would like to discuss, you can contact me at motorcycle4fun@aol.com. Ride safe!

  • 10 Charlie and Snoopy copyThe Gilbert Theater opened the 2019-2020 season with “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” based on the comic strip “Peanuts” by Charles M. Schulz. The show, which launched its 26th season, brings the familiar fun of Charlie Brown and his friends to a new audience, while thrilling the inner child of older audience members with a nostalgic trip down memory lane. The show runs through Oct. 6.

    Linda Flynn, the stage designer, kept things simple with a sunny background, reminiscent of the original comic look. The actors carry the few props they use in and out of each scene as necessary. But they didn’t skimp on tradition. Schroeder’s piano, Lucy’s psychiatric advice booth and Linus’s blanket all feature prominently throughout the play.

    The production also stayed close to tradition with the costumes. Lucy is in a blue dress, Sally wears pink and Charlie Brown is unmistakable in his iconic yellow tee shirt with brown zig zags. Their characters are as familiar as a childhood friend.

    The cast dazzled the audience. 18-year-old Dan Follett was irresistible as Charlie Brown. He plays the anxiety-ridden character perfectly and has the audience in tears as he pines for the ‘red-head girl’ from beneath a brown paper bag.
    Jennifer Czechowski is the delightfully bossy, Lucy. She bounces back and forth between know-it-all psychologist and lovestruck schoolgirl pining away for Schroeder with ease.

    Gage Long plays Schroeder, the tortured artist who’s more infatuated with Beethoven’s “Fur Elise” than Lucy’s attention-seeking moves. His character seems hopelessly out of place when he’s not banging on his beloved keyboard.
    Caryn Festa plays Sally. Her platinum ringlets and fluffy pink dress notwithstanding, she’s the most adult-like character in the bunch with an innate ability to manipulate everyone from the teacher to Snoopy.

    LeeAnn Valcarcel is Snoopy, America’s most beloved pet. Whether she’s lounging on top of the doghouse or chasing rabbits with Sally, she’s delightfully sarcastic and always manages to appear cooler than the humans.

    And finally, Quentin King steals the show as Linus. His lispy line delivery juxtaposed with his four-syllable dialogue were charming. Who else could deliver a five-minute dissertation on the psychological similarities between a security blanket and an adult’s hobby? And he truly believes he can walk away. “It’s a cozy sanctuary but it’s far from necessary, ‘Cause I’m just as self-reliant as before. As a simple demonstration of my independent station, I will go and leave my blanket on the floor.” Until he realizes he can’t.

    The entire cast warbles through each song, slightly off key but with the enthusiasm only a school-aged child could deliver. And they bounce from one scene to another, staying only long enough to remind you of some long-forgotten conversation, maybe on the playground or in your best friend’s back yard. And then they’re off again, bouncing around your childhood memories and hitting all the hot spots.

    For more information and to purchase tickets visit www.GilbertTheater.com.
     
  • 06 GI BillThe number of people using the Post-9/11 GI Bill has fallen substantially for each of the past two fiscal years, federal data indicates. About 54,000 fewer people used the GI Bill in fiscal 2017 and 2018, a 7% decline both years, according to data from the Department of Veterans Affairs. Officials of veteran service organizations, and some of the schools that enroll the greatest numbers of GI Bill users, said they’re not overly concerned about the falling GI Bill usage — at least not yet. Fayetteville Technical Community College has been ranked No. 2 by Military Times in its “Best for Vets: Career & Technical Colleges.” Schools like FTCC, which have put the most thought and effort into tailoring programs and policies around veterans’ unique experiences, have experienced growth.


    Experts offered several possible explanations for declining enrollments, including more vets earning degrees, GI Bill rules that could be discouraging vets from using the benefit and the strong national economy. Meanwhile, public universities continued to account for most GI Bill students. “A lot more of the public and the not-for-profit private schools are offering distance education now,” said James Schmeling, executive vice president of Student Veterans of America.
    For years, the for-profit University of Phoenix has enrolled more GI Bill users than any other institution, but it has seen plummeting GI Bill enrollment recently. In fiscal year 2018, the school shed more than 5,940 Post-9/11 GI Bill students — about 21% — dropping to 22,428 such students. The school declined to answer questions about its falling GI Bill enrollment.


    The recent overall drops in GI Bill usage in fiscal 2018, among all universities, mirror a similar trend affecting military tuition assistance, which saw usage rates decline 6% from fiscal 2016 to 2017 and then go down another 2.5% from fiscal 2017 to 2018. The 7% declines charted in fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2018 were calculated by adding all schools’ GI Bill populations and comparing year-on-year changes.


    Veterans Affairs did not respond to interview requests to discuss declining GI Bill usage.


    In addition to enrollment losses, the amount of money spent on GI Bill benefits decreased by nearly $287 million in fiscal 2018 to about $4.6 billion, a 5.9% drop.


    Officials offered a variety of theories to explain the falling numbers. “A reduction in beneficiaries may indicate more veterans successfully complete degrees and are moving into the workforce,” said John Aldrich, a vice president at the country’s fourth most popular GI Bill school, American Military University, a for-profit institution.


    Another possible explanation Aldrich offered is that students may be turning away from the GI Bill because it shrinks their housing stipends if they attend school entirely online.


    The Forever GI Bill, signed into law in August 2017, allowed anyone who left the military after January 2013 to use the GI Bill at any time in the future. Previously, all benefits had to be used within 15 years of separation. In addition, officials pointed to a common higher education trend: More people go to college to improve their job prospects in bad economies, while fewer go to school when the economy is strong.

  • 07 FloodingHurricane Florence was a powerful and long-lived Cape Verde hurricane that caused extensive damage in the Carolinas in September 2018, primarily as a result of freshwater flooding. Florence dropped 35.93 inches of rain in Elizabethtown, becoming the wettest tropical cyclone recorded in the Carolinas, as well as the eighth-wettest overall in the contiguous United States. The first major hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season, Florence originated from a strong tropical wave that emerged off the West Coast of Africa. The system became a tropical storm on Sept. 1 and fluctuated in strength for several days over open ocean. Rapid intensification occurred on Sept. 4–5, culminating with Florence becoming a major Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph.


    As forecast models indicated an increasing threat to the Southeastern United States, North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper declared a state of emergency on Sept. 7. Transportation rules for farmers were waived to enable faster harvesting. President Donald Trump declared an emergency in North Carolina, granting the state access to federal funds. Strong wind shear then tore the storm apart, and by the evening of Sept. 13, Florence had been downgraded to a Category 1 hurricane, though the storm began to stall as it neared the Carolina coastline.


    An overnight curfew was established in Lumberton for the duration of the hurricane. Early on Sept. 14, Florence made landfall just south of Wrightsville Beach and weakened further as it slowly moved inland. Despite making landfall as a weakened Category 1 hurricane, Florence still had enough wind speed to uproot trees and cause widespread power outages throughout the Carolinas. A ridge of high pressure over eastern North America stalled Florence’s forward motion for several days while making landfall.


    This led to Florence moving forward at only 2–3 miles per hour; the storm continually dumped heavy rain along coastal areas from Sept. 13, when the outer rain bands first began to be felt, to Sept. 15, when the storm was still stalled out only a few miles west of Wilmington. Coupled with a large storm surge, this caused widespread flooding along a stretch of the North Carolina coast, from Wilmington to New Bern. As the storm moved inland, from Sept. 15 to 17, heavy rain caused widespread inland flooding in Fayetteville, Lumberton and Smithfield as major rivers, including the Cape Fear and Lumber, spilled over their banks.


    Most major roads and highways in the area experienced some flooding, with large stretches of I-40, I-95 and US Route 70 remaining impassable for days after the storm had passed. The city of Wilmington was cut off entirely from the rest of the mainland by floodwaters. At least 54 deaths were attributed to the storm. Property damage and economic losses in the United States reached $24 billion. Estimated insured losses ranged between $4.8–5 billion. One preliminary estimate for North Carolina was nearly $17 billion, more than the damage from Hurricane Matthew and Hurricane Floyd combined.

    The first major hurricane of the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season, Florence originated from a strong tropical wave that emerged off the West Coast of Africa.

  •  09 Heritage FestivalAs its name implies, the Cape Fear Botanical Garden’s annual Heritage Festival, to be held Oct. 5 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m., is a throw-back to earlier and perhaps less complicated times. Held in the McCauley Heritage Garden and featuring a fully restored 1880 farmhouse and general store, the festival celebrates life on a turn-of-the-century farm. 2019 marks the 16th annual Heritage Festival, CFBG’s oldest annual event.

    This year, the Garden is partnering with the Cumberland County North Carolina Cooperative Extension Office to produce the festival, which will be sponsored by Ed’s Tire and Auto Service and Holt Oil Company.

     In keeping with the period, according to Sheila Hanrick, director of marketing and events for CFBG, “Activities (will) include butter churning, pumpkin decorating, corn husk doll making, beeswax candle making, games, crafts and more. We will also have a scarecrow-building contest that attendees can enter for prizes. Some of the activities will require an additional fee. The Garden will be selling roasted sweet potatoes, along with all the trimmings like butter, cinnamon sugar, marshmallows and more.

     “Vendors of handmade crafts and food items will also be a part of Heritage Festival. And we will have two food trucks participating: My Daddy’s BBQ and Cedar Creek Fish Farm. James Creek Cider House will be on-site selling cider and hard cider.”
     On hand will also be a petting zoo from Carolina Fun Factory and ax-throwing by Axes and Armor. Keeping the crowd entertained throughout the event will be the bluegrass band, Cumberland County Line and the Young Warriors Praise Team Native American Dancers from Robeson County as well as cloggers from Kerry’s Dance Beat in Eastover.

     According to Hanrick, CFBG focuses on educating the community and helping people reconnect with nature. “All proceeds raised through our public events, including the Heritage Festival, go back into supporting our education programs,” said Hanrick. “Our vision is to transform people’s relationship with nature and help them connect with the natural world. We are a beautiful green space for people to leave stress behind and come reconnect.”

     To that end, CFBG hosts over 7,000 school children each year. It also sponsors a Therapeutic Horticulture program that serves people of all abilities in partnership with the U.S.O. of N.C, Wounded Warrior Program, CFV Cancer Center, Service Source, Vision Resource Center and several long-term care facilities in Cumberland County. CFBG also provides adult education classes and various horticultural workshops yearly.

    “Heritage Festival is a fun event that provides an opportunity to step back in time,” said Hanrick. “Come out and play a game of checkers on the front porch, sip some cider, enjoy some food and listen to great music.”

     Heritage Festival admission is free for members of CFBG. General admission for nonmembers is $5 for adults and $3 for children 6-12 with children five and under admitted free. Special note should be made of the 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. festival time as it differs from past years. For further information, visit the CFBG website at www.capefearbg.org.
     
  • 03 VapingLook down, look down that loathsome road and decide today’s question: Are e-cigarette companies worse than heroin pushers? At least with heroin, the first shot is free. Ponder this issue for a moment to divert you from deciding whether having to buy the ACC network from cable vision is a rip-off or merely an abomination. First, a brief tour through the candy-flavored mists of vaping history. In 2006, a Chinese company brought out an e-cigarette called the Ruyan V8. It was billed as a way to help people stop smoking tobacco. The Ruyan V8 sounds like either a vegetable health drink or a snazzy sports car that James Bond might have driven.

    Gentle reader, perhaps you are curious about what vaping involves. The Ruyan began with simple tobacco flavored e-juice. This tobacco juice proved. E-cigs soon begat a variety of flavored e-juices. There are some pretty funky ingredients in e-juice.

    Consider the components. E-juice contains sweet-tasting glycerol, which is also used in explosives and antifreeze. It has propylene glycol to create the beautiful and sophisticated clouds of vapor. Oils both natural and unnatural flavor the e-juice. Nicotine rounds out these taste treats. Nicotine provides the bracing addicting element that keeps vapers coming back for more. Fun fact: One e-juice pod is about the equivalent of a pack of cigarettes. The final ingredient is benzoic acid, a food preservative that has the added benefit of increasing the potency of the nicotine.

    The ingredients in e-juice could have come from Shakespeare’s play Macbeth. Recall the witches hanging around the stew pot mixing up their own e-juice chanting: “Double, double toil and trouble/Fire burn and caldron bubble/Fillet of a fenny snake/In the caldron boil and bake/ Eye of newt, and toe of frog/Wool of bat, and tongue of dog/Adder’s fork, and blind-worm’s sting/Lizard’s leg, and owlet’s wing/For a charm of powerful trouble/Like a hell-broth boil and bubble/Double, double toil and trouble/Fire burn and caldron bubble.” I would take my chances with the witches’ brew before an e-pod.

    Smokers put e-juice into the internal combustion engine of the vaporizer to impregnate their lungs with the deeply satisfying molecules of nicotine and the other delicious chemicals. This process of inhaling witch’s brew of e-juice by the addicted vaper is reminiscent of the scene in “Silence of the Lambs” where Buffalo Bill tells the captive lady in the pit: “It puts the lotion on its skin, or else it gets the hose again.” The vaper puts the e-juice in his lungs, or else he gets the nicotine shakes again.

    Vaping is big business. “The Wall Street Journal” reports $7 billion of vaping went on in 2018 by 8 million adults and 5 million children. Unsurprisingly Big Tobacco is all over e-cigarettes. The Altria Group, which used to be named Phillip Morris, owns 35% of Juul — the leading seller of e-cigarettes. Juul runs full-page ads in “The Wall Street Journal,” saying it doesn’t want children to buy its product. Similarly, I, as a UNC fan, don’t want North Carolina State to get rid of a bad basketball coach, either.

    Debate remains about whether the various e-cigarette companies are sincere about not selling their product to children. If you go on an e-cigarette website, you have to click on a box that says you are over 21 to buy e-cigarettes there. It’s the honor system. Clicking on the box is as effective as the old stickers on cigarette machines that said minors could not buy cigarettes from the machine. Consider the names of some flavored e-juices that various vaping companies used to entice underage buyers to purchase their products. I am not making these flavors up: Cool Mint, Mango, Crème Brûlée, Cool Cucumber, Fruit Medley, Chocolate, I Love Donuts- Blueberry, I Love Cookies, Vanilla Custard, Cinnablaze, Corn Flake Tart, Blueberry Jam, Baby Clouds, Blueberry Cobbler, Peanut Butter Cup, and Custard’s Last Stand. There are hordes of manly men out there wanting to smoke Baby Clouds e-cigarettes.

    Here actual ad copy on an e-cigarette web site that doesn’t appear to be aimed at adults. To wit: “Many smokers who switch to vaping start out with tobacco flavors and move on to find delight in these sugary e-liquids, which are also available in seven or more nicotine levels. Many of these e-cig dessert flavors are available in our high-VG Ultimo Vapor E-Juice, including Napoleon’s Fave. When you vape it, it feels like you’re devouring a cone topped with a triple-scoop of vanilla, strawberry and chocolate ice cream that never melts! Vapers and former smokers can also find e-cig indulgence in our prefilled e-cig cartridges, where these dessert e-juices are among 150 flavors that come loaded up and ready to deliver you pure vaping pleasure.”

    As Macbeth’s witches said: “Scale of dragon; tooth of wolf/ Witches’ mummy; maw and gulf/ Of the ravin’d salt-sea shark; Root of hemlock digg’d in the dark; Sliver’d in the moon’s eclipse/ Nose of Turk and Tartar’s lips/ Make the gruel thick and slab;/ Add thereto a tiger’s chaudron/ For the ingredients of our cauldron/ Cool it with a baboon’s blood/ Then the charm is fine and good.”


    Take a puff; it’s summertime. Enjoy the pure vaping pleasure of the hell-broth.

  • 20 01 Marissa Morris copyMarissa Morris
    Terry Sanford• Cross country, track • Junior
    Morris has a weighted GPA of 4.375. This is her third year on the varsity cross country and track teams. Her activities include National Honor Society, Tri Chi and Key Club. She attends dance practice and is in her 11th year of dance. When she is not running or dancing she likes to hang out with friends.
     
     
    20 02 Morgan WilliamsMorgan Williams
    Terry Sanford• Volleyball, track• Junior
    Williams has a weighted GPA of 4.235. This is her first year on the varsity volleyball team and will be her second year on the varsity track team.  She is the junior class secretary, member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and in the global studies program. She aspires to be a Kentucky Wildcat.
     
  • The Arts Council of Fayetteville and Cumberland County will host the 41st International Folk Festival Sept. 28 and 29. IFF packs an amazing amount of diversity into the two-day festival.


    The longest running festival in the region gives the Arts Council an opportunity to introduce Fayetteville to the unique variety of original artistic traditions from dozens of diverse cultures. Fort Bragg brings many people to our community from all over the world so many of these cultures are represented in the Fayetteville community.


    The festival kicks off Saturday at 10:30 a.m. with the Parade of Nations on Hay Street. Experience the distinct and vibrant cultures of more than 30 nations as representatives parade down Hay Street wearing their native dress.


    Following the parade, head to Festival Park and take in seven unique cultural performance areas with craft and food vendors. Enjoy authentic cuisine, live performances, arts, crafts and vendors from around the world.


    Saturday night’s festivities include Rocksplosion! — the ultimate rock star tribute show. It is one band with four distinct performances, representing Madonna, Tina Turner, Bon Jovi and Jimmy Buffet.


    Sunday’s events begin at 1 p.m. with Praise in the Park, a performance of 10 praise and worship dance groups and 10 faith-based choirs. It concludes with the 6 p.m. performance of gospel sensation, Yael Hilton. Hilton, a Fayetteville native, has a powerful voice reminiscent of Nina Simone.


    In addition to the cultural performances, the schedule includes live demonstrations from area artist, mimes, aerialists, drum circles, performance art, belly dancers, storytelling, fiddle players, magicians, balloon artists, painters, fire dancers and traditional American blues performances.


    This year, the Art Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County has teamed up with the Grandstand App to provide attendees with the best festival experience. Download the app through your app store to find maps of the performance areas, lists of vendors and show times. The app lets you share information through your social media accounts, add to your list of events and add events to your personal calendar so you don’t miss a single thing. It’s available for iPhones at  https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/grandstand-events/id1196052305 and for Android devices at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.grandstand.grandstandfa. For more information about the International Folk Festival visit http://www.theinternationalfolkfestival.com

  • 13 SMOKE LORE“You shouldn’t be so worried about the transition in the barbecue world.”

    Jim Auchmutey was trying to reassure John Shelton Reed and me about our loss of old-time barbecue restaurants, including Wilber’s in Goldsboro and Allen & Son in Chapel Hill.

    Auchmutey wrote for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution for almost 30 years, specializing in stories about the South and its history and culture. His new book, “Smokelore: A Short History of Barbecue in America,” is a must-read for barbecue fans and social history students. Retired UNC-Chapel Hill professor Reed is one of North Carolina’s barbecue gurus and co-author of “Holy Smoke: The Big Book of North Carolina Barbecue.”

    Auchmutey understands how we are grieving the loss of our barbecue icons, but he urged us to consider some positive developments. “Young people who have been on the barbecue contest circuit have learned the science of heating and cooking meats. They are better than some of the old masters, and they are opening up restaurants where the barbecue is more consistently good than some of the old masters.”

    He pointed out that the young restaurant owners are expanding their menus. And not just with ribs and beef briquettes. They are experimenting with wood-fired dishes from all over the world, adding opportunities for expanding the palate.
    Reed and I conceded that there are some fine new restaurants, such as Picnic in Durham, where young owners have delivered outstanding results, thanks to careful sourcing of the meats and consistent cooking methods.

    But, we told Auchmutey, there is a problem. The new places have to charge higher prices to cover the increased rent, new cooking equipment, loan payments and compliance with new construction and environmental requirements.

    Higher prices and fancier menus mean we do not get the same mix of construction workers, white collar people, students and folks of modest means. Reed held out Stamey’s in Greensboro as the ideal, where a simple barbecue sandwich with fixings can be within the lunch budget of almost everybody who works for a living.

    These newer places, Reed said, don’t give us a place where people from all walks of life can come together for a good meal at a modest price.

    Something like what is happening to barbecue restaurants here in North Carolina is happening to other diners across the country according to a story by Steven Kurutz in The New York Times last month.
    Kurutz describes the Oakhurst Diner in Millerton, New York, as “a living time capsule.”

    “Housed in the original 1950s Silk City dining car, it screams classic diner: crimped stainless-steel facade, Formica counter with stools, pink-and-blue neon sign, specials scrawled on chalkboards.”
    “But,” he writes, “the nods to midcentury nostalgia mostly end there.”
    He explains that the menu includes a bowl of seaweed and brown rice, kimchi, and a hamburger made from “grass-fed and grass-finished” beef. That fancy hamburger costs $16.

    It is the “same look and vibe as the classic steel original, but the food has been upgraded to reflect current tastes.”

    “And,” mourns Kurutz, “So was born the greasy spoon serving avocado toast and deconstructed chicken potpie.”

    Kurutz introduces and quotes Richard J.S. Gutman, author of “American Diner Then and Now,” who explains the current appeal of the old diners. “You feel at home in the diner whether you’ve been there dozens of times or it’s your first time. There’s a buzz inside. There’s a kind of energy when you’re sitting stool to stool, cheek by jowl, asking for the ketchup. That feeling, that place you’d go with your grandpa or your auntie, where is that anymore? There’s something so democratic about diners. They’re part of the community. I think that’s what people are craving.”


    It is also what Reed and I are craving and what we are missing as our old-time barbecue places bite the dust.

  • 18 01 TaurienneWestover linebacker Taurienne Freeman was the only Cumberland County football player chosen to this year’s Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas.

    The annual all-star football game, the oldest of its kind in the United States, is scheduled Saturday, Dec. 21, at Wofford College’s Gibbs Stadium in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Kickoff is at 1 p.m.

    The game annually pits the top senior football players from North Carolina and South Carolina to benefit the Shriners Hospitals for burned and crippled children.

    Freeman, a 6-foot-1, 205-pound senior, is being recruited by numerous major and mid-major colleges according to Westover head coach Ernest King. He has yet to make a commitment to play for any school.

    King called Freeman both a hard-working player and a good student in the classroom. As far as his playing style, King said Freeman is an old-school, downhill type of player who reminds him of stars he coached at E.E. Smith High School like Aaron Curry and Jordan Stocks.

    18 02 Ernest King“He’s very aggressive, doesn’t take any plays off,’’ King said. King coached in the Shrine Bowl last year as an assistant coach and said it’s an honor to have Freeman representing Westover High School, Cumberland County and the state of North Carolina in this year’s game.

    Freeman said he was shocked at first to hear he had been chosen for the North Carolina team but said he is ready to compete for a chance to start and play in the game as one of seven linebackers chosen. “I know how to compete,’’ he said. “I can read the offensive line. I feel I can get the starting spot if I work hard enough.’’

     
    Freeman said he may try to add a little weight before the game in December and continue eating healthy and keeping in top shape.
    “It’s a big honor for me,’’ he said. “I know I’ll represent the area well.’’

    King said he was surprised Freeman was the only player from Cumberland County picked for the game.
    “We have a lot of talent in this county,’’ he said. “I think it’s kind of being overlooked.’
     

    Pictured from top to bottom: Taurienne Freeman, Ernest King 

     
  • 04 state leadersThe state of the political discourse was lousy. “Laws are no longer made by a rational process of public discussion,” wrote one longtime columnist. “They are made by a process of blackmail and intimidation, and they are executed in the same manner. The typical lawmaker of today is a man wholly devoid of principle — a mere counter in a grotesque and knavish game.” The same writer observed that, compared to “a state legislature in session,” a visit to the local zoo would be “informing, stimulating and ennobling.”


    His name was H.L. Mencken. He was writing about the contentious politics of 1930, not the contentious politics of 2019. And Mencken was grossly exaggerating.


    Our political process is under tremendous pressure, no question. In North Carolina and beyond, politics has been overly coarsened, polarized and trivialized. But the system isn’t irreparably broken.


    Lawmakers continue to draft important bills, recruit bipartisan support and make substantive arguments for or against enactment. Political leaders still engage each other without constantly resorting to schemes or insults. North Carolinians of differing views haven’t stopped talking to each other.


    We don’t do these things enough, of course. We must do more. But cynicism about our civic dialogue is premature. There are positive examples out there, examples that deserve attention and emulation.


    The North Carolina Institute of Political Leadership has been doing this kind of work for decades. I have long been on its faculty and currently chair the board of directors. Its signature program is the IOPL Fellowship. Twice a year, IOPL selects a class of promising leaders — North Carolinians aspiring to be public servants in some capacity — and provides extensive training to prepare fellows to fill those roles effectively.


    The participants, faculty, and board of IOPL are carefully balanced by party, ideology and other characteristics. Fellows learn the nuts and bolts of political campaigns, to be sure, but they also learn how to govern wisely, in either elective or appointive office, as well as how other institutions such as associations, interest groups, think tanks, and media outlets help to shape political events and issues.


    Four years ago, IOPL decided to take its message to a larger audience by cohosting a series of hometown debates, along with local chambers of commerce. During election years, the series focuses on statewide offices or referenda. In nonelection years, IOPL and its partners assemble panels of elected officials and policy practitioners to debate critical issues facing North Carolina.


    The 2019 series of hometown debates  began on Tuesday, Sept. 24, at the 119 West Third Event Center of the J. Smith Young YMCA in Lexington. Former Rep. Nelson Dollar, R-Wake, and former State Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin, current chair of the North Carolina Democratic Party, joined two other panelists to discuss Medicaid transformation and expansion.


    On Oct. 1, Rep. Carla Cunningham, D-Mecklenburg, and Sen. Carl Ford, R-Cabarrus, will headline a panel at the Norvell Theater in Salisbury on health insurance issues. On Oct. 8, Sen. Jim Perry , R-Lenoir, and Sen. Don Davis, D-Greene, will be part of a debate at East Carolina University’s Black Box Theater on how to improve health care access in rural areas. Finally, on Oct. 17, Reps. Maryann Black, D-Durham, and Donna White, R-Johnston, will discuss issues of health care delivery at the Civic Center of Vance-Granville Community College.


    All four one-hour debates begin at 7 p.m. and will be moderated by Loretta Boniti, senior political reporter for the cable channel Spectrum News. Each will be broadcast on the Spectrum website and, in edited form, as an episode of Boniti’s weekly public-affairs show “In Focus.”


    Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, the Independent Insurance Agents of North Carolina, the North Carolina Association of Health Underwriters and the North Carolina Rural Center are among the series sponsors. If you want to elevate the political conversation, attend or watch the hometown debates — and help organize similar projects in your community. We all have a part to play in improving the practice of self-government in the state we proudly call home.

    The 2019 series of hometown debates  began on Tuesday, Sept. 24.

  • 19 Jimmy TeagueThe Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas announced rosters for this year’s game last week, a move that caught some people by surprise. In past years, the announcement has been held until closer to the end of football season.
    Ronnie Blount, who is general chairman of the game and lives in Cumberland County, said there was logic behind the decision to move the announcement date up a month.

    Nominations were opened on July 15 this season and closed on Labor Day he said.

    The main reason for the advance was because of challenges getting football uniforms to fit an assortment of players. This year’s Shrine rosters have players as short at 5-foot-9 and as tall as 6-foot-7.

    Blount said the Shriners had encountered problems getting equipment delivered in time with the late announcement date. The vendor who provides the uniforms needs 90 days to turn the orders around he said.

    Another plus of moving the date up was that coaches had some free time over the summer to work on nominations, resulting in more nominations than in past years.

    This year’s game is scheduled Saturday, Dec. 21, at 1 p.m. at Wofford College’s Gibbs Stadium in Spartanburg, S.C.

    The head coach for the North Carolina team has Cumberland County ties. Jimmy Teague, veteran coach at Reidsville High School, is a former assistant coach at Pine Forest High School.
    • Lacrosse continues to grow in Cumberland County and the region. The North Carolina High School Athletic Association has announced the new conferences for boys and girls lacrosse and county schools will no longer be in the same league with teams from the Raleigh area.

    The new league for boys includes Jack Britt, Cape Fear, Pinecrest and Terry Sanford.

    For girls, the league members are the same four schools plus Union Pines.

    Lacrosse practice begins Feb. 12, 2020, with the first matches on March 2.
     
    • The next Region 4 Emergency Fund Golf Tournament will be held Sunday, Oct. 13, at Gates Four Golf and Country Club. Rain date is Oct. 20.

    The tournament raises money for the coaches and officials emergency fund, which provides monetary support to individuals and families in the area during a time of crisis.
    There are slots for as many as 32 teams in the fall tournament.

    Those registering before Oct. 6 pay $75 per golfer. After Oct. 6, the cost rises to $85 per golfer.

    For more information on the tournament, including how to register, visit www.regionfour.org.
     

    Pictured: L-R Former Pine Forest assistant football coach Jimmy Teague, Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas general chairman Ronnie Blount and Dean Boyd of York Comprehensive High School in York, South Carolina announce this year's Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas teams live on Facebook. Teague is head coach at Reidsville High School and North Carolina head coach this year. Boyd is the South Carolina head coach.

     

     

     
  • 11 01 Profile Series 9In contemporary art, the subject for an artist can range from the decorative to the political, the profane to the sublime, or stark minimalism to excessive detail. For local artist Cornell Jones, “the works are an extension of myself — a record, a reflection. Making new work answers questions for me and keeps me constantly in the mindset of observing the world around me.”

    In his one-person exhibition titled Small Things that Fit... Works by Cornell Jones, opening Oct. 1 at Gallery 208, visitors to the opening reception will preview a body of work that reveals Jones’ sensibilities to the world around him.
    Raised in Alabama, he attended Troy State University and then spent time in New York City, working in art organizations, social work agencies and community organizations after earning a Master of Fine Arts in illustration from the School of Visual Arts in New York. He later returned to our region and presently works as an elementary art teacher in Fayetteville and an adjunct member of the faculty at Fayetteville State University.

    Jones distinguishes himself as a Southerner and an American of African descent. He noted: “My cultural identity influences both my artwork and the process through which I create. It is extremely important to me that I reflect my community, experiences and beliefs in the work that I present.” What the artist does not state is how the idea of identity is the common thread throughout the works in the exhibit.

    Although Jones’ heritage is fixed, meaning in each work is fluid, and he leaves us room for interpretation. The exhibit conveys conditions for abstracted circumstance, change and influence. In most of the works, the figure is totally obscure or partially obscured, allowing the viewer to re-examine the identity in each work. Is the figure you, someone you know or a stranger?

    How the artist would like us to see something about his “community” is subtle and influenced by his history. Although we do not need to know influences on the work, knowing the influences does alter our perception of meaning, and we are able to connect to the artist; we are able to understand something about his “community” in the works.

    Jones described the influences from his childhood: “My process of exploring materials is directly inspired by the time I spent with my great-grandmother as she made patchwork quilts. Often, as a young boy, I found myself threading needles and sorting through her bags of colorful fabric scraps. I still enjoy searching, but the fabric has been replaced with hand-painted and found papers.”

    11 02 Profile SeriesKnowing his history of watching his great-grandmother select parts of fabric to create a whole, we can easily understand how according to  Jones, “discarded or fragmented pieces are assembled to create something new into my artistic practice, whether it be drawing, painting or collage. The traditions, rituals, landscape and memories of my Southern upbringing are deeply rooted in my process and product.”

    Within Jones’ busy schedule and his many responsibilities, he still finds time to be a practicing artist. A testament to the creative impulse within him, Jones noted he creates new works because he is curious. “I study things that I might have overlooked, and I enjoy the process of developing or growing an idea from a sketch to a finished piece to a body of work. As a teacher, I also find it necessary to continue creating so that I can talk to students from a place of current experience. I stay active in the creative process by making, learning new skills and researching the ways other artists perceive the world that are outside the way I think about it.”

    Jones is not only an excellent educator and a family man, but he continues to share his work with the public in exhibitions. His work has been included in exhibitions in New York and North Carolina. Most recently he was selected to exhibit in 2017 at the Arts Council in Fayetteville/Cumberland County for the 10:10:10 exhibit.  Jones’ works have also been exhibited at the Delta Arts Center in Winston-Salem, the Greenhill Center for North Carolina Art in Greensboro and Ellington White Contemporary Gallery in Fayetteville.

    For Jones, due to his professional and personal obligations, the greatest challenge is setting up a routine he can follow to create new works. Although his creative time is often interrupted, he noted how he still tries to be consistent and routinely returns to the studio to create new work.

    The routine of making time to continue to be an artist may have been influenced by his upbringing and watching his great-grandmother making quilts. One cannot imagine a clearer view of his creative impetus, he is still the innocent child at the table with his great-grandmother, exploring and assembling materials. For Jones, like his great-grandmother, the creative experience is “following ideas … artmaking is an exploration in materials and concepts. I reflect. I record. I draw. I paint. I cut. I assemble,” said Jones.

    Everyone is invited to meet Jones at the opening reception of his exhibit, “Small Things that Fit... Works by Cornell Jones,” Tuesday, Oct. 1, at Gallery 208, at 208 Rowan St. in Fayetteville, between the hours of 5:30-7 p.m. The artist will do a short presentation at 6 p.m. and share insight with everyone about his process and the content of the works in the exhibit.

    For anyone not attending the opening, the exhibit will remain up until Dec. 15. For information call 910-484-6200.
     
  • earl vaughan srForgive me for a personal indulgence today, but it’s a milestone moment in the life of someone extremely special to me.
     
    I’d like to take a few moments to wish a happy 90th birthday to my father, the Rev. Earl Vaughan Sr. There is not enough space in all the databanks everywhere to thank him for everything he’s done for me through the years.
     
    The United States Army brought him to Fort Bragg from his native Missouri. During his Army days he met and eventually married my mother, the late Peggy Blount Vaughan, a hometown Fayetteville girl. I joined the party in 1954 and nine years later dad decided to enter the ministry. He earned his ministerial credentials at Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia. We returned to North Carolina where he served pastorates in Bryson City, Cleveland, Leland and Warsaw before retiring and moving back to Fayetteville with mom.
     
    He’s still preaching every so often and loves finding bargains, interacting with people and doing the Lord’s work.
     
    Thank you dad for being there for me everyday I’ve been on this earth. Have a super birthday.
     
    The record: 23-7
     
    I survived Friday the 13th with a 5-2 record, which is far better than it could have been given the difficulty of the predictions. The season total is 23-7, 76.7 percent. 
     
    Cape Fear at Terry Sanford- The Battle of the Blues is a big Patriot Athletic Conference matchup for both teams. I’m worried about Cape Fear being a little rusty. The Colts are coming off an open date and have only played two games this year since their opener with Clinton was canceled by the weather.
    But Terry Sanford lost to Jack Britt and had a tough time with E.E. Smith after an open date the previous Friday.
    This will be the first “home” game for the Bulldogs as they move to their temporary headquarters at Reid Ross Classical High School’s John Daskal Stadium. I’ll be interested to see just how homey things are for the team and its fans.
    Cape Fear 21, Terry Sanford 20.
     
    South View at Douglas Byrd- The Eagles got a big win against Westover last week but they will face a stiff test from the versatile South View offense Friday night. 
    South View 28, Douglas Byrd 14.
     
    E.E. Smith at Overhills - The Golden Bulls came close against Terry Sanford last week but weren’t able to seal the win.
    I’m worried about an emotional letdown against Overhills this week after getting up for a big rival like the Bulldogs.
    Overhills 22, E.E. Smith 17.
     
    Pine Forest at Gray’s Creek - The big concern here is which Pine Forest team is going to show up. The Trojans have been a little inconsistent early in the season and defense has been a problem. Gray’s Creek is much improved, but I think the Bears will have a tough time containing Pine Forest’s offense.
    Pine Forest 24, Gray’s Creek 18.
     
    Goldsboro at Westover - Here’s hoping home field will give Westover enough of a boost to get its first win of the season.
    Westover 22, Goldsboro 20.
     
    Jack Britt at New Hanover - Call me crazy, but after three weeks Brian Randolph had me drinking that purple Jack Britt Kool-Aid. I think the Buccaneers are for real and they’ve got a chance to make a statement Friday against a solid New Hanover team.
    Jack Britt 28, New Hanover 27.
     
    Open date: Seventy-First.
     
    Other games: Fayetteville Christian 14, Rocky Mount Academy 12; Trinity Christian 21, Metrolina Christian 14.
  • 17 Deputy Chief Hank HarrisMost people begin to worry about hurricanes when the weather reports grow ominous as a major storm advances on the place that they live.

     
    But emergency personnel like Hank Harris, deputy chief of the Cotton Fire Department in Hope Mills, have to remain focused on storms throughout hurricane season — and not just ones that threaten our local communities.
     
    Cotton is part of a larger group known as Urban Search and Rescue Teams. They work together with the Fayetteville Fire and Police Departments and Cumberland County Emergency Medical Services.
     
    “There are seven teams like it across the state,’’ Harris said. “Most of them are in big municipalities. They’ve got equipment to shore up structurally collapsed buildings. We’ve got swift-water rescue stuff. They are self-sustainable for 72 hours.’’
     
    In past storms, local rescue personnel have been involved with sending swift-water rescue teams to storm-stricken areas.
     
    During Hurricane Dorian, the Fayetteville-area team sent a forklift to the Outer Banks to load supplies at hurricane-ravaged Ocracoke Island.
     
    Harris said the Fayetteville area team also has tents available that can be used to house team members when they are sent elsewhere to serve, or they can be sent to disaster areas to provide an emergency hospital or shelter to feed people displaced from their homes.
     
    In 2017, Hurricane Harvey devastated Houston and southeast Texas, causing $125 billion in damage, mostly from flooding.
     
    Harris said the team from the Fayetteville area sent 90 people to Texas to help with relief during that storm.
     
    “We go everywhere,’’ he said.
     
    With the growing frequency of storms every fall in the United States, Harris said it’s a good idea for people to not wait to hear bad news on the weather and maintain a basic level of readiness whenever hurricane season arrives in the Southeast.
     
    “It’s always good to have a hurricane kit,’’ Harris said. You can visit ReadyNC.org on the internet or download the ReadyNC app to your smartphone and get a lot of valuable information there, Harris added.
     
    “It gives you a list of materials you need to keep on hand,’’ he said. “You know what happens to all the grocery stores. They start emptying the shelves. You can be a little bit ahead of the game by having some of that stuff already in place.’’
     
    Some basics to have on hand include bandaging material, water both to drink and to clean wounds with and enough food to sustain life for everyone in the home for several days.

     

    Harris said it’s also a good idea to be aware of what rescue personnel with the fire department can and can’t do when a storm hits.

     
    Harris said his agency normally won’t respond to situations like a tree falling on a house and simply causing physical damage to the building. They will come out for emergencies like people trapped in a home or car, for rising water and, in some cases, for downed power lines. They try to refer power line situations to the appropriate power company.
     
    “It keeps us from stretching our resources so thin,’’ he said, "in times when multiple calls might be coming in."
     
    Harris said the safety of rescue personnel also has to be factored in. “When the wind gets up, it’s not safe for us to respond,’’ he said. “If the winds are too high for us to respond and something happens to us, we’re not helping anybody.’’
     
    Pictured: Deputy Chief Hank Harris
     
  • 16 MatsThe Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Department is in the third year of a program to make sleeping mats for the homeless from plastic bags.

     
    Anne Evanco, a program specialist for the Parks and Recreation Department, said the program has stockpiled plenty of raw material for the work, but it needs more helping hands to create the mats.
     
    The program started at the former senior center on Davis Street but has relocated to the Parks and Recreation building on Rockfish Road.
     
    Evanco estimates that the volunteers in the program have churned out roughly 300 mats since they started.
     
    They collect plastic bags from various local businesses and then bring them to the recreation center. There they are flattened, folded and cut into a material they call plarn, which means plastic yarn.
     
    Once the plarn has been made, it can be used in a variety of ways to create the sleeping mats. Evanco said they can be knitted, crocheted or weaved, depending on the preference of the person making the mat.
     
    She added it’s a simple process to learn and anyone can do it with minimal training.
     
    When people come out to take part in the program for the first time, Evanco said they are usually assigned to the process of making the plarn.
     
    “We want them to learn each step,’’ she said. “After you learn how to process the bags and make the plarn, it doesn’t take long to learn the weaving method.’’
     
    The process of making a mat can take from 10 to 30 hours Evanco said. A lot of that depends on the individual worker and how nimble their hands are. Some of the crocheted mats can take as long as 60 hours.
     
    The mat makers convene at the recreation center three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday from noon until 4 p.m. each day.
     
    While the program was originally intended for senior citizens, Evanco said people of all ages are now welcome to take part.
     
    The mat-making room is somewhat crowded on Wednesday and Friday, Evanco said, but they could use some more volunteers who would like to work on mats on Mondays.
     
    The mat makers aren’t responsible for getting the mats into the hands of the homeless. The recreation center staff works with other organizations, especially Fayetteville Urban Ministry, to drop off the mats and have them put directly into the hands of the homeless.
     
    Evanco said she doesn’t have an idea on how long a mat will actually last, saying it varies from person to person and the type of surface they might be sleeping on, with mats used on grass surfaces standing up better than those used on concrete.
     
    Anyone interested in learning how to make the mats should just show up at one of the Monday, Wednesday or Friday sessions. “The people in this program are very welcoming,’’ Evanco said. “We’ll bring that person in and put them to work, show them the process.

     

    “It’s great to see someone who has never done anything like this before. There’s something for everyone in this program.’’

    Pictured: Paula Ray, center, a Hope Mills volunteer, delivers mats to staff at the Veterans Administration Stand Down Center last August

  • 18 RefInappropriate adult behavior at high school athletic events throughout the country has reached epidemic proportions.

     
    When more than 2,000 high school athletic directors were asked in a recent national survey what they like least about their job, 62.3% said it was “dealing with aggressive parents and adult fans.”
     
    And the men and women who wear the black and white stripes agree. In fact, almost 80% of officials quit after the first two years on the job and unruly parents are cited as the reason why. As a result, there is a growing shortage of high school officials nationwide, and in some sports like wrestling, swimming, and track and field, the shortage is severe. No officials means no more games.
     
    If you are a parent attending a high school athletic event this fall, you can help by following these six guidelines.
     
    Act your age. You are, after all, an adult. Act in a way that makes your family and school proud.
     
    Don’t live your life vicariously through your children. High school sports are for them, not you. Your family’s reputation is not determined by how well your children perform on the field of play.
     
    Let your children talk to the coach instead of you doing it for them. High school athletes learn how to become more confident, independent and capable—but only when their parents don’t jump in and solve their problems for them.
     
    Stay in your own lane. No coaching or officiating from the sidelines. Your role is to be a responsible, supportive parent — not a coach or official.
     
    Remember, participating in a high school sport is not about getting a college scholarship. According to the NCAA, only about two percent of all high school athletes are awarded a sports scholarship, and the total value of the scholarship is only about $18,000.
     
    Make sure your children know you love watching them play. Do not critique your child’s performance on the car ride home. Participating in high school sports is about character development, learning and having fun — not winning and losing.
     
    Purchasing a ticket to a high school athletic event does not give you the right to be rude, disrespectful or verbally abusive. Cheer loud and be proud, but be responsible and respectful. The future of high school sports in our nation is dependent on you.
  • 14 WorshipThe secret to eternal youth is a lot simpler than we make it. It's not found in some rejuvenating elixir or dietary plan. The only remedy to growing old is to simply stop waking up. Because the fact of the matter is that every time we wake, we are certain to have aged — at least a little.

     
    As I crossed the threshold of a landmark birthday this summer, I found myself surprised at how quickly it actually got here. When I was a young man, I thought by this time in my life I'd be creaking around, sitting in a rocker on the porch randomly yelling at neighborhood kids to get off my lawn. But no. Growing old and aging aren't necessarily the same.
     
    On a recent weekend, I put in some earbuds and headed out to mow the lawn and selected a playlist that caused me to be excited not only for my age, but also for the generations coming behind me. Warning: the rest of this will probably seem decidedly Christian to some, but what do you expect? I run a Christian radio station, which is more an extension of who I am than it is has ever been a job.
     
    The playlist I selected was called, “Praise and Worship Hotlist.” It treated me to dozens of songs ranging from energetic pop to reflective anthems  — all with a focus on inciting a deeper relationship with God in the listener. The experience led me to recall the cliché phrases we hear from those aging around us like, “They call that music?” But that's not how I felt. Instead, I thought it was beautiful to hear such lyrical and poetic thoughts wrapped in musical packages that completely reflected a generation I can only observe from the outside.
     
    The young songwriters and musicians spoke to the realities of their world. And while we hear many people complain about the same things, they offered them to God, and declared he was the one who would strengthen them to endure and eventually change them. All the more poignant, most of the songs were recorded live, and you could hear the echoes of a great crowd around them.
     
    We often hear about the number of young people walking away from the church. We're told they hold nothing about their parents' faith dear. They even call them the “nones.” No preference. No faith. Nothing. What we hear less about is the burgeoning faith and devotion of the same generation who didn't leave. Or the ones whose faith came fully alive as they entered adulthood.  For the former — the nones — perhaps they didn't walk away at all. More likely they only went
    through the motions of faith because that's where their parents took them or where  their limited social circle centered.
     
    Genuine Christian faith is not something you walk into and out of. It becomes more an extension of who you are than a place you go or a thing you do. And to those demonstrating that faith: I like your music. Walk on my lawn any time.

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