A redrawn boundary of North Carolina Senate District 21 is said to have contributed to the election victory this month of Democratic candidate, now Senator-elect, Kirk deViere. The district was gerrymandered in 2010 by the Republican General Assembly to exclude many African-American voters. At that time, former Fayetteville City Councilman Wesley Meredith, a Republican, defeated incumbent Democratic Margaret Dickson. Meredith won the seat in the wake of what was characterized by politicos as a nasty, personal campaign against Dickson.

Meredith had little trouble beating the opposition every two years after that. This year was the first general election since the district was redrawn in  2017 as a result of a federal lawsuit that challenged 28 legislative districts as racial gerrymanders. With more than 52 percent of registered voters casting ballots, North Carolina had better turnout than the nation as a whole.

The national turnout was “the highest turnout for a midterm election since 18-year-olds received the right to vote,” the Bipartisan Policy Center said in an email.

The new legislative redistricting map rounded off and pushed the boundaries for Senate District 21 slightly west and farther north. That left more Democratic voters in the adjacent 19th district. Democrats had hoped to flip that seat in their favor in efforts to end Senate Republicans’ 35-15 veto-proof supermajority, which they did. The lines no longer favored Republicans and comprised what FLIPNC called North Carolina’s third most flipable Senate district in the state.

Democrats needed to pick up six seats to eliminate the supermajority. “Now we need to find ways to compromise,” deViere said. The election “brought back a balance in state government and the governor’s veto stamp will actually work now.”

deViere’s win was close. Of 59,000 ballots cast in the district election, 433 votes made the difference for deViere. “In the last 90 days, we knocked on 30,000 doors, 300 to 400 doors a week,” deViere said. “That was the biggest piece of our campaign.”

The 2018 North Carolina Voter Guide, published by Common Cause, said deViere’s legislative priorities include reinvesting in our public schools and teachers; providing affordable health care for all through expansion of Medicaid; and increasing North Carolina’s minimum wage.

“I strongly support an independent redistricting process,” deViere said. “Extreme partisan gerrymandering results in extreme partisan policies, not solutions.”

He added, “I understood how to build a team to make a winning force when I was on city council; I hit the ground running.”

As for his personal life, the Senator-elect said he and his wife Jenny “will do what we can to minimize the impact on the family.” They have a 2-year-old son. “She’ll continue to work,” deViere said of his wife, “and I will balance legislative work with my family and business.”

They haven’t decided whether to take an apartment in Raleigh.

Photo:  Kirk deViere

 Two Navy SEALs and two Marines face murder charges in the June 2017 death of a Fort Bragg Green Beret in West Africa. The charges include felony murder, involuntary manslaughter, conspiracy, obstruction of justice, hazing and burglary in the strangulation of Army Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar in Bamako, Mali. An Article 32 preliminary hearing for all four is scheduled for Dec. 10, according to a release from Navy Region Mid-Atlantic public affairs.

None of those charged were named in the release. But previous reporting by The New York Times identified the two SEALs as Petty Officer 1st Class Tony DeDolph and Chief Petty Officer Adam Matthews. The Times cited a leaked an Army preliminary investigation document that it was DeDolph, a former professional mixed martial arts fighter, who choked Melgar to death.

Whereas previous accounts only noted that the two SEALs had assaulted Melgar, charge documents indicate that the two Marines identified only as a staff sergeant and a gunnery sergeant were also involved in the assault. Staff Sgt. Melgar, 34, was found dead in U.S. embassy housing in the Malian capital. It’s the same part of West Africa where four other Fort Bragg special operators were ambushed and killed while on a covert support mission in Niger.

The SEALs allegedly offered money to Melgar when he learned the others had stolen money from an informant fund. When Melgar declined, they allegedly broke into his bedroom while he was asleep, bound him with duct tape and strangled him. Rear Adm. Charles Rock, the commander of Navy Region Mid-Atlantic, approved the charges following the completion of an investigation into Melgar’s death. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service recently completed the investigation and turned it over to Rock, said Adam Stump, a spokesman for NCIS.

Pentagon officials had long declined to discuss the homicide on the record other than to acknowledge the soldier’s death. Melgar and the four accused service members were assigned to a secretive special operations team operating out of Mali to help French and Malian troops target terrorist cells aligned with al-Qaida and the Islamic State.

Investigative documents allege that the killers are also charged with conspiring to cover up Melgar’s death; that they performed a medical procedure on the victim’s throat to hide evidence of his fatal injuries. The men are also accused of making false statements to their commanders and, later, to military investigators from the Army and Navy.

The gunnery sergeant is said to have made up a story that Melgar and another individual mutually initiated a wrestling match in Melgar’s room during which he was accidentally killed, a claim described in the charging documents as “totally false.” 

Melgar, a Texan, was an Afghanistan combat veteran twice. His hometown paper, The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal, reported that Melgar was a 2006 graduate of Texas Tech University. He enlisted in the Army in 2012 and graduated from the Special Forces Qualification course in 2016. At the time of his death, Staff Sgt. Melgar was assigned to Fort Bragg’s 3rd Special Forces Group (Airborne).

Photo: Army Staff Sgt. Logan Melgar

 In case I have not been crystal clear before, let me be so now. In my opinion, as a whole, Congress is a dismal failure in meeting its responsibilities to the people of America. I am profoundly disappointed by the full body — Republicans, Democrats, everybody. I say “as a whole” because there are some high quality people in the House and Senate, but their efforts come nowhere near lifting the full Congress from the utter depths of failure. I offer this opening because the thoughts that follow focus on Democrats, and I do not want anybody to conclude that Democrats are the sole cause of my congressional concerns.

With that bit of clarification, let me address the fact that it is decision time for Democrats. Now that they will hold the majority in the House of Representatives, Democrats must decide how to proceed. The options are to legislate or investigate. They cannot do both. Democrats have backed themselves into a corner where all they can do is investigate President Trump, thereby keeping up their efforts to force him from office. This backing themselves into a corner is the result of how Democrats have conducted themselves going into, and since, Trump’s election. They have pursued a course that employs obstructing the president at every opportunity and disparaging him nonstop.

The result of that approach is an atmosphere where millions of Americans are consumed by dislike, if not pure hatred, for Trump. This undesirable condition played heavily, if not totally, in Democratic gains during the 2018 midterm election. Some will argue that the Democratic success resulted from their focus on improving access to health care. They have not put forth a feasible plan and will not be able to do so in the next two years. That failure will leave Democrats with “Destroy Trump” as their only strategy. That is the arrow that got them here, and it is the only arrow in their quiver.

It does not require much effort to see that, to the extent that they are winning elections, Democrats are doing so by provoking and nurturing dislike for Trump. I have seen various media reports that support this conclusion, but I saw it live and in person during the 2018 election.

As a volunteer, I passed candidate information to voters at the Board of Elections early voting site. There must have been 15 people, in the midst of candidate signs, lining both sides of the sidewalk leading into the building where voting is done. A lady walked through that gauntlet and stopped at the building entrance. She turned and, facing us, announced that she was one of those white, educated, suburban women coming to vote against Trump. She was screaming at a level that seemed to be as loud as possible. My sense was that she was beyond angry. In addition to the words, her tone, movement and expression seemed to indicate the presence of pure hatred.

On that same day, while volunteering, I had a conversation with another lady. She was composed, and we talked about the president. Her comment was that she dislikes him. When I tried to talk with her about his long list of positive actions on behalf of the country, the lady kept going back to her dislike of him. She could not move beyond her dislike to even consider actions that are good for the country.

After a gunman ruthlessly took the lives of 11 people at Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Trump visited the area to grieve. A pastor who lives near the synagogue protested the president’s visit. Her screaming from a sidewalk was widely reported by various media outlets. An article in Pulpit & Pen titled “Ranting Lady Pastor Protests Trump’s Visit in Pittsburgh” notes that the protester screamed the following at Trump: “This is our neighborhood. You are not welcome here. We don’t want him here. We don’t want him on our streets. … You don’t belong here. This is our neighborhood. We welcome everybody here. You are not welcome on my street. … You are not welcome in Squirrel Hill.”

The contradiction in that “rant” by Susan Rothenberg cries out. She says that her neighborhood welcomes everybody, but the president of the United States is not welcome. Watching the video of her protest leads me to sense far more than disagreement with policies or a simple dislike for the president. Her protestations look and sound like hate.

Then there is what recently happened at the home of Tucker Carlson. He is host of a nightly Monday through Friday show on Fox Cable News. The focus is current events. I watch Carlson’s show with some frequency. He seeks to make sense of what is going on, and not going on, in our country and the world. That leads him to ask tough questions and challenge positions taken by guests. He brings this same approach to his personal examination of, and commentary on, issues and events. In a world where reason and godly values are rare, Carlson’s approach brings out tremendous opposition.

That opposition recently manifested itself in accordance with what is becoming normal in America. Antifa members surrounded Carlson’s home. Karol Markowicz, in an article titled “The mob at Tucker Carlson’s house is a serious threat to freedom,” reported that the Antifa members chanted, “We know where you sleep at night.” Markowicz also wrote: “The mob vandalized the Carlsons’ driveway with graffiti, tried to break down their front door, shared the family’s address on social media and encouraged others to confront him.

“In an interview with The Washington Post, Carlson said, ‘It wasn’t a protest. It was a threat. They weren’t protesting anything specific that I had said. They weren’t asking me to change anything. They weren’t protesting a policy or advocating for legislation... They were threatening me and my family and telling me to leave my own neighborhood in the city that I grew up in.’

“Carlson’s wife hid in a back room until police arrived. Their four children were not at home at the time.”

What was done to the Carlson family looks like, feels like and smells like pure hatred.

What is presented to this point defines a societal atmosphere of rapidly growing hatred that is driven by Democrats’ unbounded quest for power. The happenings that support this conclusion go on far beyond what has been addressed here. To get an even better feel for the severity of our situation, please read “Rap Sheet: ***594** Acts of Media-Approved Violence and Harassment Against Trump Supporters.” Simply enter the title in your browser search bar.

As to how Democrats proceed now that they are the House majority, I hold that they will not have the fortitude, or good sense, to turn from their “Destroy Trump” strategy. That strategy has contributed mightily to the condition of rampant hatred indicated by what is discussed above. The likely accuracy of this assessment is supported by what Zachary Basu writes in an article titled “Democratic hit list: At least 85 Trump investigation targets.”

The article reads: “Now that they’re set to assume control of the House, there are at least 85 topics that Democrats have said they’d target — or are expected to target — in the forthcoming torrent of investigations and subpoenas to be directed at the Trump White House, according to Axios’ reporting and analysis of members’ public comments.”

Eric Tucker’s article titled “Trump warns Dems against investigating him” gave the president’s response. “Some House Democrats have threatened to use the subpoena power they will gain in January to investigate Trump and administration actions. But, he warned, he will respond in kind and government will suffer.”

Since the Democrats have locked themselves into a hate-producing “Destroy Trump” strategy, standby for government to suffer and, thereby, for the American people to suffer.

Photo: Tucker Carlson

 When it comes to giving parents more control over where their children attend elementary and secondary school, North Carolina has become a national leader. Now that Republicans no longer enjoy veto-proof majorities in the legislature, however, will the state’s progress on school choice be arrested or reversed?

That’s one of many questions politicos are asking in the aftermath of the 2018 midterm elections, which produced a 16-seat gain for Democrats in the General Assembly. No one can answer it for certain yet, but I tend to think school choice will survive and thrive despite recent shifts in the political winds.

It is certainly true that Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper has been a skeptic, at best, when it comes to the core elements of North Carolina’s school-choice strategy: charter schools and assistance to low-income and special-needs students who attend private schools. He and his appointees would prefer to limit charter-school expansion and to reduce if not eliminate funding for the other programs.

If he vetoes a state budget next year over these issues, Republicans do not have enough votes on their own to override. But it is important to remember that Democrats are hardly unified in their opposition to school choice. Some members of the House and Senate are strong supporters of the popular charter schools in their districts, for example. Others believe that opportunity scholarships and educational savings accounts aimed at at-risk and special-needs students are a worthy expenditure of state funds.

To put the issue in a national context, North Carolina’s policy commitments to parental choice and competition in education rank us sixth in the nation in educational freedom, according to the Cato Institute, and seventh in the nation on the Parent Power Index, published by the Center for Education Reform.

Moving North Carolina into the top five will require continuing expansion of both charter school enrollments and annual funding for opportunity scholarships, among other things. The top states in school choice, such as Indiana and Florida, have had their schoolchoice reforms in place for a longer time. They serve more of the students in those states.

But North Carolina is headed in the right direction — toward giving parents more authority to direct the education of their children, and toward giving educators and community leaders more opportunities to be innovative in addressing the many needs of our students across the state.

School choice has sometimes proved to be a partisan issue. That’s unfortunate. As I have argued many times, both fiscal conservatives and progressives can endorse choice and competition in North Carolina without betraying their fundamental principles.

After all, we have for decades allowed beneficiaries of government programs to make choices among competing providers of critical services. That’s how Medicare and Medicaid work. Patients aren’t assigned hospitals and doctors based on their home addresses or socioeconomic status. They make that choice for themselves. The underlying assumptions are that individual choice leads to a better fit between patient and provider and that the resulting competition lowers the cost while increasing the quality of services rendered.

Our public policies follow the same course when it comes to nutrition assistance, Section 8 housing vouchers, preschool and day care subsidies, and assistance to students attending private as well as public colleges and universities. To wall off K-12 education as the one place where choice and competition will be largely absent, where the vast majority of students attend schools assigned to them by central authorities, would be odd and counterproductive.

I recognize, however, that some interest groups and individuals disagree vociferously with my argument here. They will push the larger Democratic minorities in the General Assembly, plus as many Republican legislators as will listen, to keep new families from accessing choice programs while imposing much heavier regulation on charter, private and even home schools.

The resulting debate may get testy. The legislative battle may get messy. In the end, though, I don’t think North Carolina will take a backward step toward monopoly. I think we’ll keep moving forward.

 It’s time for our community to give metro government a second thought. We need to have that serious conversation about the future of our community. We are growing at breakneck speed, desperately trying to find our place in the 21st century.

Yes, we are making progress, but not at the pace we could if everyone in the city and county governments were working together for the betterment of all residents — regardless of where citizens live, their economic status, race or political affiliation. Decades have passed, and other North Carolina cities have grown and prospered while Fayetteville and Cumberland County have all too often acquiesced into mediocrity. We deserve better.

Recently, our Cumberland County legislative delegation met with Fayetteville City Council — without our senators, of course, who obviously had more important things to do than meet with constituents. Think about what priority Cumberland County has with them. The purpose of this meeting was to hear what the city’s priorities are and find out how to assist our leadership in moving the city forward.

It’s a great idea — except that a similar meeting will be held separately with our elected Cumberland County commissioners. And therein lies the problem. The dirty little secret that’s not a secret at all is our city and county operate as separate and divided agencies to the detriment and peril of the residents. Sure, in public they both claim emphatically that they work closely together in cooperation and respect. However, their rhetoric and actions reflect otherwise.

This no doubt frustrates our state legislators, who could accomplish much more in Raleigh on behalf of our community if unity, cooperation and a common vision were present. After all, our state elected officials represent all the residents and rightfully refuse to be referees in local conflicts. The result? Little gets done on our behalf, and our community suffers.

A perfect example is the ongoing situation concerning a centralized and consolidated 911 center. Everyone agrees we need it and acknowledges the economic benefits it would bring to the community, yet our two divisive governments can’t agree on where it should go or who should run it. And it’s all to the detriment of local residents who deserve the very best services when it comes to health and safety. Yet the center is not forthcoming, and taxpayers are picking up the tab for such inefficiency, delays and procrastination.

A metro government may not solve all the problems, but it would be a step in the right direction. It’s difficult to ask our state legislators to be effective in Raleigh when they are relegated to representing and serving two conflicting entities.

I know this conversation may be futile, but what would be the harm in having a joint public hearing or town hall meeting on this subject? Let’s get the topic of metro government out in the open and see how the public feels about it. 

Education and awareness may be the only things needed to assist our electeds in doing what is best for all citizens. What do we have to lose? Besides, if metro government is not in our future, maybe electing responsible and responsive county commissioners and city councilmen is.

We’ll see.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

 Not many local events can claim a legacy that spans 40-plus years. The North Carolina State Ballet’s presentation of “The Nutcracker” is one such treasured tradition. “The Nutcracker” invites audience members to immerse themselves in Christmas spirit with the beauty of classical ballet performed to Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s iconic score. Performance dates are Dec. 8 and 9 at the Crown Complex Theatre.

This production proudly calls

Fayetteville its home thanks to Charlotte Blume. In the 1960s, the NC State Ballet was based in Raleigh, and Blume was its prima donna. When the director stepped down, Blume took over — and took the company with her to her home in Fayetteville, where she owned the Charlotte Blume School of Dance. Her studio, nestled in downtown Fayetteville, became home for the NC State Ballet.

Blume oversaw production on “The Nutcracker” every year from 1975 until she passed away two and- a half-years ago.

Dina Lewis, NC State Ballet board member and vice president of the company for the past three years, attended Terry Sanford High School with Blume and shared a close friendship with her. Lewis said Blume’s passion was to bring the arts to Fayetteville and to give everyone the opportunity to see a classical ballet.

“Ms. Blume’s last words were to keep (“The Nutcracker”) produced and to keep, every year, something fresh,” Lewis said. “And every year since her passing, we have had something fresh going on, whether a set change or costume change. The only thing that’s remained untouched is her core choreography.”

“The Nutcracker” ballet, which first debuted in 1892, is a dreamy, wonder-filled story that has both evergreen appeal and plenty of room for the yearly innovation Blume encouraged. Originally choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov, the ballet is based on E. T. A. Hoffmann’s story “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King,” which was written in 1816. The ballet follows a young girl, Clara, whose Uncle Drosselmeyer — a magician — on Christmas Eve gifts her a nutcracker carved as a toy soldier. That night, Clara’s dreams transport her to a world where she meets enchanted characters like the Nutcracker Prince, the evil Mouse King, the Sugar Plum Fairy and Mother Ginger. She also, as goes dream logic, visits Spain, Russia and China.

This year, Lewis said, it’s the Mother Ginger scene that boasts that “something fresh” Blume wanted — an all-new costume made by one of the dance moms, Rhonda Drewery. “We also added probably an additional 12 cast members to (that scene) this year,” Lewis said. “We’re really excited about that. I kind of think it’s going to steal the show.”

Fifty-seven dancers ages 7-18 comprise this year’s cast. They’ve been rehearsing for almost five months. “The majority of them have been (dancing) with us since they were babies,” Lewis said. “They’re all our homegrown students.”

Lewis said she’s impressed by the level of work ethic and multifaceted talent she sees in the dancers, specifically naming Marissa Morris, Evelyn Hairr and Ella Lewis as shining examples.

“These are people who are varsity cheerleaders, participate in Student Government Association, cross country. … They’re in Honor Society. They’re in Key Club. It’s amazing that they still come to the studio on time, and they stay late and get the job done.”

Hairr shares the role of Grown Clara with Hannah Reeder; Novalee English and Haebin Drewery play Little Clara. Jacqueline Sullivan and Isabella Rogers share the role of Fritz, Clara’s younger brother. Ella Lewis and Morris both portray the Snow Queen and Jewel, and Lewis also portrays Sugar Plum along with guest artist Deprecia Simpson.

Adam Chavis and Sheila Mitchell served as primary choreographers.

Morris, Hairr and Ella Lewis are also three of several advanced Charlotte Blume School of Dance students who were selected to dance minor roles with the Moscow Ballet’s Fayetteville stop on its traveling tour for “Great Russian Nutcracker.”

“So, this whole time, they’ve not only rehearsed for our production of ‘The Nutcracker,’ but they’re also rehearsing for Moscow’s production, which is totally different choreography,” Lewis said. “These are professional Russian ballerinas and ballet masters. It’s a very big honor and opportunity.” That performance takes place at the Crown Theatre Dec. 10. Learn more about it at www.crowncomplexnc.com.

In the midst of striving for excellence for their own performance, Lewis said, a family atmosphere remains important and emphasized. Dancers focus on how they can help others get better rather than how they can outdo each other. It helps that the dancers’ parents have a strong presence in the production, whether that’s in a behind-the-scenes role like costuming or whether that’s onstage. “The Mouse King this year is a teenager, and her dad is in the party scene,” Lewis said.

“It’s this wholesome tradition. … It takes you to a place where you remember your childhood. It’s a story of this little girl who has this beautiful fantasy dream and it all comes to life. I think that’s what growing up is all about. You have these dreams and hopes, and you should always shoot for it all. If you don’t try, you’re going to miss out. I think the story of Clara really brings that all into focus.”

See “The Nutcracker” Dec. 8 and 9 at the Crown Complex Theatre at 3 p.m. Tickets cost $20 for adults; $10 for children 12 and under; and are free for children under 5. Call 910-484-3466 to purchase tickets. Learn more about the Charlotte Blume School of Dance at www.charlotteblumeschoolofdance.com.

 When the coaches from the Patriot Athletic Conference and the media who cover the league were asked to predict the order of finish in football for 2018, the three schools that drew most of the attention were defending champion Terry Sanford, former champion Cape Fear and a strong South View team. 

Pine Forest was ranked fifth by the media and sixth by the coaches. Did that bother veteran Trojan head coach Bill Sochovka? No. 

“I liked the fact we were under the radar,’’ Sochovka said. “I had my whole defense coming back. A lot of these kids on defense had started since the ninth grade.’’ 

At the end of the regular season, Pine Forest held seven opponents under 20 points and only allowed three to score more than 28 or more en route to a 9-2 record and the school’s first outright conference title in football since 1999. 

The Trojans earned a first-round bye and the No. 3 seed in the 4-A East bracket of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association playoffs. They face Apex Middle Creek in the second round on Friday, Nov. 23, at Pine Forest. 

Middle Creek, 8-4 and the No. 6 seed, beat Knightdale 23-17 in the first round. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. 

Where his team was picked to finish the season turned out to be the least of Sochovka’s concerns after the challenging year Pine Forest and all the teams in Cumberland County faced. 

The county had to endure not one but two hurricanes during the season that disrupted schedules and twice forced Pine Forest to play two games in a single week. One of those times was the final week of the season when Pine Forest took on Overhills on a Monday and wrapped up the week in what turned out to be the conference title game with a high-scoring South View team. 

   “We knew they were probably going to score some points,’’ said Trojan linebacker Bernard Flerlage. “The only concern we had was everybody staying together as a team, playing hard and making sure we didn’t fall apart.’’ 

   The Trojan defensive backs, especially Jordan Gladney, Le’Vonte McLean, Richard McEachern and Jaden Jones, combined to hold South View Shrine Bowl selection Emery Simmons to one touchdown reception in Pine Forest’s 14-7 win. 

   “We trusted our defensive backs,’’ Flerlage said.  Fullback and defensive lineman Malik Daniels felt the win sent a message for this year and years to come for the Pine Forest program. 

   “We changed the culture,’’ he said. “Nobody thought of us going to the conference championship. Nobody gave us our respect. Nobody pictured us being there. 

“We set the tone for the younger guys coming up, and we set the tone for the postseason. It was an important win for us.’’ 

   The state playoffs are pretty much uncharted territory for most of the players on this Pine Forest team. In recent years when Pine Forest has made it to the postseason, the journey hasn’t lasted long. They’ve normally been eliminated in their first game, rarely making it to the second round. 

   To find a Pine Forest team making it all the way to a third-round game, you have to go back to 2003 when the Trojans beat Raleigh Millbrook and Raleigh Broughton in the first two games before falling to Southeast Raleigh in the third round. 

   This year, thanks to the bye, they’re guaranteed at least a trip to the second round, and since the NCHSAA moved the playoffs back a week because of the two hurricanes, they’ll get the rare privilege of practicing on Thanksgiving, which is traditionally the sign that a high school football team has enjoyed a good season. 

   Sochovka appreciates all these achievements and precedents, but his main concern is keeping the team focused on the task at hand, and he actually thinks the messy schedule during the regular season will make that an easier job. 

   During the season, Pine Forest wound up playing a game on every night of the week but Wednesday and Sunday. Despite all those disruptions, the players stayed focused enough to win the conference title. 

   Sochovka thinks the team will have no trouble adjusting to the three-day practice schedule of last week’s bye week before getting back into a regular grind preparing for the second-round game this week. 

   Neither does Flerlage. “We’re going to use this to our advantage,’’ he said. “We’ll review stuff and fix what we need to fix, make sure we are ready to prep ourselves for whoever we have coming this week.’’ 

   Daniels said Sochovka will have the Trojans ready for Friday night, bye or no bye. “I believe the whole coaching staff will keep us sharp,’’ he said. “We want to go far in these playoffs. We want to make it to states. That’s our main goal.’’ 

Photo: Bernard Flerlage

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 Commissionersand Mayor’s Youth Leadership CouncilMonday, Nov. 19: POSTPONED. 

• Parks and Recreation Advisory CommitteeMonday, Nov. 26, 6 p.m., Parks and Recreation Building.* 

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

• Festival CommitteeMonday, Dec. 3, 5:30 p.m., Town Hall reception area. 

• Board of CommissionersMonday, Dec. 3, 7 p.m., Town Hall. 

Activities 

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

• Christmas at the LakeFriday, Nov. 30, 6-7:30, p.m. 

• Hope Mills Christmas ParadeSaturday, Dec. 1, 3 p.m. 

Promote yourself 

Email hopemills@upandcomingweekly.com. 

  Evergreens have been a symbol of life since even before the ancient Druids of Stonehenge fame. Early European Christians brought evergreens to their gatherings at Christmas to symbolize the birth of Christ. The tradition of our modern-day Christmas tree is believed to have begun in the 16th century in Germany when people, Martin Luther among them, brought evergreen trees into their homes and decorated them. Today, a brightly decorated Christmas tree has become the focal point for family gatherings. In keeping with Christmas tradition, Fort Bragg ushers in the holiday season with the annual lighting of the garrison Christmas Tree at the Main Post Parade Field Thursday, Nov. 29, from 4:30-7 p.m. 

   Ornaments on early Christmas trees were likely to be gingerbread, apples, sweets and colored paper. Later, decorations evolved as glassmakers crafted glass ornaments similar to those used today. Those early trees were lit by candles, which are still in use throughout much of Europe in modern times. Late in the 19th century, electric lights were first used to illuminate a Christmas tree in a New York City apartment. As electrification spread to homes throughout the U.S. and the U.K., strings of electric tree lights supplanted candles as a much safer way to provide that holiday glow. 

   Each year, a military family from among the Fort Bragg community is honored as the Family of the Year. The family is selected as one who demonstrates exceptional strength, character, service and commitment to both their unit and to the wider community. 

   Fort Bragg’s Family of the Year symbolizes all military families who sacrifice so much in service to our country. The senior commander will introduce the Family of the Year, who will then share the honor of lighting the tree. During this time of traditional holiday celebrations, the Fort Bragg tree-lighting ceremony has become a way of celebrating and honoring these families, many of whom may have family members currently deployed. 

Fort Bragg Mutual Federal Credit Union is the presenting sponsor for the 2018 tree-lighting ceremony and will be represented at the event by President and CEO Todd Kenthack. Gilbert Baez will act as the master of ceremonies. There will be a Kidz Corner and light refreshments while supplies last. 

   Among the highlights of the evening will be a demonstration of a parachute jump by the Golden Knights. The Poole Elementary Chorus will entertain the crowd throughout the evening with renditions of holiday favorites. The evening will be capped off by a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. 

   The event is free and open to the public. The rain date is Nov. 30. Call 910-396-9126 for more information. 

  Gilbert Theater’s “It’s a Wonderful Life,” opening this weekend, centers on the themes of family and gratitude. Of all the Christmas classics, Gilbert chose to perform “It’s a Wonderful Life” this year because of its sobering values. 

  Gilbert Theater Artistic Director Matthew Overturf, who has played a part in the production for four years, said, “It has become a staple in the Fayetteville community. It still speaks here in 2018 about the ‘everyman’ and what in our life we can appreciate and what in our life makes us good people. We all need to see … that we truly have a lot to be grateful for, and our lives impact a lot of other people.” 

  According to Miles Snow, who will portray George Bailey, the show’s most critical theme is “the importance of family – being appreciative of what you already have. This is a guy who at the beginning of the show is in a suicidal state; he has to take a moment to reflect and (realize) ‘I have a wife and kids I love and a job in a town where people respect me, and that’s a lot – that’s more than enough.’” Snow looks forward to presenting the paradigm shift in Bailey’s life. 

  Director Ja’Maul Johnson welcomes the challenge of portraying a beloved classic in a new way. “I have been a part of this production since we started doing it at the Gilbert,” he said. “There will be a couple of twists and turns to reinvent it … but keep it the same story.” 

  Snow hopes to reimagine the show while still respecting its original narrative. He commented, “People bring their own expectations to it, and that’s already a part of the show in a sense, and you want to honor the piece.” 

  Staci Graybill, who will act as Mary Bailey, commented on the challenge of playing Mrs. Bailey for a second time: “A real challenge for me is going to be playing all the different ages that they go through.” 

  Snow, who has played Mr. Bailey several times, said, “I just want to see if we can collectively take it along, take it further.” 

  Johnson, in agreement, is excited to see the growth within the individual cast members this year. “Each year, someone brings something new – I want to see what this collection will bring to it,” he said. 

  Graybill said, “It’s so easy to get lost in all the hardships in life, but if you stop and look around and see all the loving people in your life, I think that’s a good reminder.” 

  Johnson added that he desires to take that message “throughout the year, not just in Christmastime.” 

  “It’s a Wonderful Life” runs Nov. 23-Dec. 16, with student matinees on the Nov. 27 and Dec. 4 at 10 a.m. at the Gilbert Theater, 116 Green St. To purchase tickets, visit www.gilberttheater.com or call 910-678- 7186 for more information. 

Fayetteville Police Chief Gina Hawkins says she needs more officers. Hawkins mentioned to city council that she is changing the patrol schedule to get more cops on the street. It was not part of her quarterly report to city council but came in response to a question from Councilman Larry Wright. 

Hawkins said Fayetteville’s pro rata number of police officers per population is below that of other cities our size. But she recognizes that city council, just three years ago, raised the property tax rate to hire additional officers. The city added 40 cops, bringing the authorized strength to 433. “We’re going to 12-hour shifts, putting 42 officers on patrol per shift,” Hawkins told Up & Coming Weekly. 

Traditionally, Fayetteville Police have worked three eight-hour shifts, resulting in an average of 26 patrol officers on duty at any given time, according to the chief. Each shift also has supervisory lieutenants and sergeants. Hawkins said she will be promoting three officers to sergeant to improve supervisory efforts. Councilman Johnny Dawkins said the longer shifts could put a hardship on the policemen. “Tired officers can create situations that are unpleasant,” he said. 

Chief Hawkins said the department’s personnel strength has stabilized in recent years, resulting in an average turnover of only three officers per month. She noted that 16 rookie cops took their oaths of office last week and that 25 more candidates will be part of the routine overhire employment plan in the January academy. 

  Officers will have a dependable work schedule that will give them every other weekend off. Monthly shifts will result in two days on duty followed by two days off, then three days on and two days off. Hawkins conceded that officers who work part-time jobs while off duty may have to adjust their secondary schedules but that the P.D. comes first. 

  Hawkins’ quarterly report to city council contained data explaining the departments work. The FPD’s narcotics and gang units seized a large amount of marijuana over the first nine months of this year. Seizures of opioids were way down, but the narcotics unit alone confiscated 732 pounds of marijuana compared to 43 pounds during the same time period last year. The gang unit seized another 439 pounds of weed. The chief said much of that which was nabbed resulted from two major drug busts. 

  As for major crimes, homicides, rapes and robberies were down 14.3 percent so far this year. Aggravated assaults rose 21 percent. Hawkins said 35 percent of the assaults were related to domestic violence. Property crimes, including burglaries and larcenies, were down 12.2 percent. Hawkins emphasized the need for motor vehicle owners to lock their cars. She said 812 larcenies were from motor vehicles, 74 percent of which were unsecured. 

It’s that time of year again. The city calls it loose leaf season. It’s the only time loose leaves and pine straw can be put at the curb uncontainerized. Loose leaf season usually runs from mid-November through mid-March. 

Vacuum trucks operated by the Fayetteville- Cumberland Parks & Recreation Department collect the yard debris on a published schedule of neighborhoods itemized by postal ZIP codes. This year’s schedule has not yet been announced. 

Leaves and pine straw placed in bags or brown roll-out containers are picked up on a regular weekly schedule. If garbage collection is Monday, yard waste collection is Friday. If garbage collection is Tuesday, yard waste collection is Thursday. If garbage collection is Thursday, yard waste collection is Tuesday. And if garbage collection is Friday, yard waste collection is Monday. 

Arts Council wins national award 

The Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County recently received special recognition from Ovation, the nation’s arts network. Ovation joined Spectrum to award the Arts Council $10,000 as part of its “Stand for the Arts” joint initiative. It is dedicated to supporting local arts, cultural and educational organizations. 

  The Arts Council will use the award money to raise awareness of available grants and scholarships that promote the arts throughout the region. 

  “The Arts Council is honored and thrilled to be among only 12 national organizations presented with such a prestigious award,” said Deborah Martin Mintz, Arts Council executive director. 

  Also, Spectrum will run public service announcements to highlight its “Stand for the Arts” partnership with Ovation and reinforce the value local arts organizations bring to communities across the country. 

  Grant recipients were chosen based on three criteria: their level of community outreach and engagement, their ability to create inclusive access to artistic programming, and their innovative approach to arts education and skills development. 

Highway safety 

  As family and friends come together for the holidays, the State Highway Patrol has prepared in hopes of ensuring safe travel. According to the American Automobile Association, November and December are the busiest time of the year for travel across the country. Troopers will be out in full force to monitor driver behavior. 

  “Our mission is simple; reduce needless collisions in hopes of reporting zero fatalities statewide,” said Col. Glenn McNeill Jr., commander of the North Carolina Highway Patrol. 

  The safety campaign is taking place on the busiest travel days of the holiday period, especially on interstate highways. Motorists can assist with safe travel by expecting delays and planning ahead to use alternate routes. Drive cautiously. Speeding is still the leading cause of traffic collisions. Avoid distractions. Focus solely on driving, and never drive impaired. 

Citizens Academy 

  The next Fayetteville Citizens Academy class is being held Tuesday, Dec. 11, at the City Services Building conference room, 455 Grove St. Class begins at 9 a.m. Representatives of the Fayetteville Area System of Transit, Fayetteville Regional Airport and Traffic Services Division will be on hand. 

  “The Citizens Academy gives residents an opportunity to see city of Fayetteville employees at work, up close and personal,” said Corporate Communications Director Kevin Arata. 

  Applicants must be city of Fayetteville residents or work in the city. The class size is limited to 25 people, so early applications are encouraged. Residents will interact with department directors and staff and engage in hands-on learning. Lunch will be provided. 

  The application window closes Thursday, Dec. 6, and applicants will be notified of their acceptance by close of business Friday, Dec. 7. 

Small Business Saturday 

  Many small and independent retailers who are holding Small Business Saturday shopping events Thanksgiving weekend are banding together. Small Business Saturday started in 2010 to encourage consumers to skirt the big box stores and shop local stores instead. Some communal Small Business Saturday events have grown to the point where they’re organized by local chambers of commerce and community business organizations, although Fayetteville merchants have yet to capitalize on it in a big way. 

  Some downtown store owners got involved last year under the auspices of the new Cool Spring Downtown District. What’s considered the downtown district covers an area of 30 blocks and includes roughly 125 small, independent shops, restaurants and entertainment establishments. Last year, retailers said they saw a sales blip during Small Business Saturday, but their aim is also to remind shoppers that they are there year-round. 

  This holiday was created by American Express in 2010 and aggressively marketed via social media, radio and national broadcasting. Today, it is a registered trademark of American Express. 

 Each year, people gather from surrounding counties to launch the official start of the Christmas holiday season in Fayetteville. In its 19th year, the annual “A Dickens Holiday” transports revelers to Victorian England in hopes of catching a glimpse of Tiny Tim, Ebenezer Scrooge, Jacob Marley and other beloved characters from Charles Dickens’ story “A Christmas Carol.” Unlike the classic tale, there are no “Bah! Humbug’s!” uttered during this event, but rather “ooohs and aaahs!” by all the festivalgoers. Hosted by the Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County in Historic Downtown Fayetteville, “A Dickens Holiday” kicks off at 1 p.m. the Friday after Thanksgiving and ends after dark, around 9 p.m. 

The Saturday after Thanksgiving is traditionally Small Business Saturday, where people are encouraged to shop at small, brick-and-mortar local businesses for holiday shopping. In Fayetteville, people patronize small businesses a day early. Lampposts and storefronts are decorated with holiday greenery and ribbons. Merchants along Hay Street sell their wares to wandering festivalgoers, who leisurely stroll while sipping hot cider or hot chocolate. 

“‘A Dickens Holiday’ truly is the ultimate ‘Shop Local’ experience as merchants pull out all the stops,” said Janet Gibson, marketing and communications director for the Arts Council. “But it’s also a time to enjoy holiday music, strolling carolers, Annie’s Alehouse, horse-drawn carriage rides and to get your photo taken with Father Christmas – and, of course, enjoy gingerbread cookies and hot apple cider.” She added that the day ends with “an amazing candlelight ceremony for as far as the eye can see down Hay Street!” 

“A Dickens Holiday” celebrates the best of Victorian times and Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” Attendees filled with joy merrily wish each other good cheer while the echoes of Christmas carols drift through the air. 

The Arts Council pop-up pub “Annie’s Alehouse” is found in the Arts Council building at 301 Hay St. This gathering place is perfect for revelers to warm their hands and tummies while pub tunes play in the gallery. 

Carriage drivers dressed in Victorian garb take riders through the streets of downtown in an elegant carriage. There are two choices for carriage rides. Ye Dickens Wagon begins at noon and starts from 222 Hay St. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children. If you’re looking for a fancier carriage ride, the Queen Victoria Carriage is hosted at the Fayetteville Area Transportation and Local History Museum at 325 Franklin St. Tickets for the Queen Victoria Carriage cost $15 for adults and $10 for children. Reservations in advance are recommended either in person at 222 Hay St. or by calling 910-223-1089. It’s a perfect way to snuggle up with your sweetheart! 

Father Christmas makes a special appearance to the delight of children of all ages, who eagerly run to meet the jolly, white-bearded man sitting in his colorfully adorned sleigh. Parents can snap photos and take videos of their kids with Father Christmas at the Arts Council building from 1-8:30 p.m. 

More recently, the Fayetteville Area Habitat for Humanity began hosting the Gingerbread House Community of Hope during the festivities. The spicy scent and fun decor of gingerbread houses are a holiday tradition for many, and residents in the community are invited to construct their most creative gingerbread houses for display at SkyView on Hay, 121 Hay St. 

Bob Pinson, Arts Council operations director and longtime Dickens event planner, said the Gingerbread Community of Hope is a fun way for Habitat for Humanity to raise awareness of its mission to ensure affordable, quality housing for lower-income people. 

“With the recent hurricanes and the destruction they brought, (this event) seeks to show how grateful we are for what we have but remember that there is a great need for the community to support rebuilding efforts for so many,” he said. 

There is no fee to enter a creation for display, but an entrance form is needed. Entry forms and a base for the house can be picked up at Fayetteville Habitat for Humanity ReStore, 3833 Bragg Blvd. Voting for the best gingerbread house will take place between 1 and 5:30 p.m. The winner will receive $250. 

The historic Fayetteville Market House is also open to the public during “A Dickens Holiday,” where visitors can view the “This Victorian Life” exhibit. Local history is on display, including an interactive area where visitors can learn about the area, view the decorated Christmas tree and identify obsolete household items from Victorian times. It also offers the best bird’s eye view of bustling Hay Street below. 

Many other fun activities abound throughout the day, including Marvelous Mauve, the roving photographer – dressed in mauve, of course. Marvelous Mauve roams the streets looking for revelers dressed in Victorian attire so she can snap photos for the Virtual Costume Contest. Winners receive gift cards to local stores or eateries. Marvelous Mauve will also be at the Rainbow Room from 2-3 p.m. and 4-5 p.m. to take photos. 

New this year is the Canterbury Victorian Dance Group. The group will demonstrate various English country dances such as the Rufty Tufty, Hearts Ease and the Queen’s Waltz. There will be opportunities for audience members to participate during the Circle Waltz and the Halfe Hannikin. Dances will be performed in the front hall of The Capitol Encore Academy, 126 Hay St. throughout the day. 

The highlight of “A Dickens Holiday” is the anticipation of the candlelight procession. As the sun sets, crowds gather in front of the Arts Council and all along Hay Street to the Market House. With candles in hand, festivalgoers eagerly await the arrival of Queen Victoria. One by one, each person shares their candle flame with another until all of Hay Street is aglow with candlelight. 

Finally, Queen Victoria arrives. Once she’s tucked in her carriage, the procession begins. The Queen waves to onlookers as her carriage advances from the Arts Council to the Market House along Hay Street while the street is lit by thousands of candles. The excitement grows as the crowd strains to catch a glimpse of the queen. Bagpipers playing Christmas songs declare the Queen’s arrival by marching in front of her. Spectators hum along to the tunes. 

After much fanfare and cheers from the crowd, the evening culminates in a chorus of oohs and aahs as colorful fireworks burst above the Market House and the holiday lights are lit along Hay Street for the season. “A Dickens Holiday” showcases the best of Fayetteville and its community members on one enchanted day. 

According to Gibson, planning for the next event begins as soon as this one ends. Preparing for attendance numbers that hover between 15,000 and 20,000 each year takes a lot of forward-thinking. 

The charming affair is held Nov. 23 from 1-9 p.m. Find out more at www.theartscouncil.com/things-to-do/a-dickens-holiday. If you want to turn your experience up a notch, consider dressing Victorian-style! The Arts Council has a handy How to Dress Dickens Style guideline available here at www.theartscouncil.com/sites/default/files/HowToDressR_links-compressed.pdf. 

 Here is the Patriot Athletic All- Conference golf team as chosen by the league’s head coaches. 

Player of the year:Toni Blackwell, Cape Fear 

Coach of the year:Todd Edge, Cape Fear 

First team 

Cape Fear:Toni Blackwell, Gary Bynum, Madison Burrell, Mary Catherine Hales 

Terry Sanford:Carmen Tucker 

Gray’s Creek:Marisol Morento 

Second team 

Pine Forest:Kennedi Whitener- Mason, Jasmine Cotton 

Terry Sanford:Gabby Tucker 

Cape Fear:Jaclyn Daniels 

Gray’s Creek:Rebecca Collins 

Photo: Toni Blackwell

Vance McAllister, who has been overseeing the opening of the new Surge Trampoline Park in Hope Mills, said the 2-year-old company’s mission can be summed up in three words. 

Fun, friends and family. 

“It’s a family-style environment,’’ said McAllister of the Louisiana-based business. “That’s what brought Drew Brees on to be a partner of Surge. It’s a great atmosphere for kids of all ages.’’ 

Brees, the standout quarterback for the New Orleans Saints, appears in a promotional video for the newest Surge facility that recently opened in Hope Mills in the former Bi-Lo Supermarket building. The video can be seen on the Surge Trampoline Park Hope Mills Facebook page. 

With a growing family of three boys and one girl, Brees has an obvious interest in activities for the family, and McAllister said that’s exactly what Surge has to offer. 

“He’s all about keeping them active and competitive, not getting caught up in the world of Fortnite,’’ McAllister said of Brees and his family. 

In growing the business to seven facilities nationwide, with another four scheduled to open in the coming months, McAllister said the company looks mainly for existing buildings that can be converted into Surge franchises, if the demographics show there are enough families in the area to support it. 

   “We go in and rehab the building, change it over to the Surge look and logo,’’ he said. “The two things we are always looking for are high ceilings to put one in and obviously parking.’’ 

   While trampolines were the initial focus of the Surge parks, McAllister said they have been transitioning toward a 50-50 mix between trampoline and climbing features like rock walls. 

   The Hope Mills park includes many of these attractions. “We try to keep them engaged and not just a straight bounce, turn, roll, flip and tumble type thing,’’ McAllister said. 

   One of the attractions at the new park is called High Nine, where you try to jump high enough to hit a sensor as you compete with others. 

   Another popular feature is called Wipeout, where a long beam rotates in a circle and you have to jump over it as it passes. 

   Other activities include pits of soft foam, climbing walls and a giant Rubik’s Cube. 

   With so many physical activities, McAllister said safety is among Surge’s utmost concerns. 

   While on the mats, everyone must wear trampoline socks that have grips on the bottom. They can bring their own or purchase a pair there for $3. 

   For all climbing activities, customers must wear a safety harness and fall restraint. 

   All of the rules of the park are clearly posted at various locations within the facility. 

   Surge isn’t just for individual customers. There are party and banquet options available. 

   There are 12 party tables, along with a separate private banquet room for any type of corporate event, birthday or other celebrations. 

   And the park isn’t just for kids. Some adult groups have already scheduled exercise classes at Surge. 

   With its emphasis on activities for families, Hope Mills Mayor Jackie Warner said Surge fits right in with the family-oriented, small-town atmosphere Hope Mills is trying to promote. 

   “I believe it’s going to be a destination spot because you don’t have to go all the way into town,’’ she said, referring to people having to drive from surrounding areas to Fayetteville. 

   “We’re a family place to live, and this just adds to it, all the way around a good addition for Hope Mills,’’ Warner said.

   It’s hard to celebrate Christmas at the Lake when you’re missing the lake. 

   That’s been the problem for several years in Hope Mills as the community struggled with losing its centerpiece lake following two failures of the Hope Mills Dam. 

   But now that the dam is back and the lake has been restored after years of absence, Christmas at the Lake will return in all its glory this month. 

   The event is scheduled for Friday, Nov. 30, from 6-7:30 p.m. 

   Cathy Johnson of the Hope Mills Appearance Committee described the evening that has been planned as “an old-fashioned Christmas in the mill village.’’ 

   Everyone is hoping for good weather because if it’s raining, Johnson said, there are no plans to move the event indoors anywhere and it will have to be canceled. 

   This year’s resumption of Christmas at the Lake will include familiar features from past years. Most of the activities will take place in the open area of the lake park between the gazebo and the opposite end of the park near the rebuilt dam. 

   Special events will include the lighting of the Christmas tree and the burning of the traditional Yule log. 

   Johnson said the plan also includes the singing of Christmas carols by groups from a variety of local churches. 

   Free hot chocolate and cookies will be provided for all in attendance, Johnson said. 

   Phyllis Hales, longtime Hope Mills resident, said Christmas at the Lake offers special memories for older residents of the area and she’s glad to see it return. 

   “It’s something for everybody,’’ she said, “kind of the opening of the Christmas season.’’ 

Hayden Diaz Figueroa 

Gray’s Creek • Senior • 

Soccer 

Figueroa had an unweighted grade point average of 3.83. He helped lead the Bears to the Patriot Athletic Conference tournament championship, scoring 15 goals for the season and handing out five assists.  

 Drew Menscer 

Gray’s Creek • Senior • 

Tennis 

Menscer has an unweighted grade point average of 4.0 while competing for the Gray’s Creek varsity tennis team. 

About 50 percent of all turkeys produced in the United States last year came from four states: Minnesota, North Carolina, Arkansas and Missouri. Minnesota is responsible for 18 percent of all turkey production. North Carolina is No. 2, producing 14 percent of turkeys, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. While Minnesota had the edge on the number of turkeys, the value of turkeys produced in North Carolina was greater. At $848.8 million, North Carolina’s turkeys are worth about $10 million more than Minnesota’s. 

Butterball, LLC, is one of America’s most iconic brands. Headquartered in Garner, North Carolina, Butterball is the nation’s largest producer of turkeys. The company owns and operates farms, processing facilities and support offices. Butterball opened its newest processing plant in nearby Raeford three years ago with an initial investment of $30 million. 

The company recently added another $20 million to expand the Raeford operation, including a new production line for turkey bacon products. “When Butterball opened the Raeford plant in 2015, we knew we had a great workforce and a state-of-the-art facility, but the overall operation has exceeded our expectations,” said Barry Gum, Butterball chief financial officer. “We are a proud North Carolina-based company and are excited about the opportunity to continue to grow our business within the state.” 

In 2015, then-Gov. Pat McCrory said the plant would create 367 jobs in Hoke County over three years. The company expects to add an additional 50 jobs to its Hoke County workforce. “I think when we had that first announcement... we were talking about the employees being close to 500 or 600 associates at some point in time,” said Mike Bliss, vice president of operations. 

Plant production climbed to 130 million pounds of turkey in 2017. Data compiled by Iowa State University’s Agricultural Marketing Resource Center found that growth in poultry consumption has outpaced that of red meat over the past decade and has grown twentyfold since 1910. Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays typically feature traditional turkey feasts. 

The history of the Thanksgiving turkey is a mystery. Historians have different theories. Thanks to letters and records kept by early American settlers, we know that when the pilgrims sat down to dine with the Wampanoag Indians, beef and fowl were on the menu. This historical meal would later become known as the first Thanksgiving. 

Although historians cannot say for sure which types of fowl were served that day, a letter written by pilgrim Edward Winslow mentions a turkey hunting trip before the meal. The wild turkey is native to North America. Benjamin Franklin claimed this made the turkey a more suitable national bird than the bald eagle. Not everyone agreed with Franklin, and the bald eagle became the national emblem for the United States in 1782. The bald eagle may be America’s bird 364 days a year, but the turkey has one day all to itself – Thanksgiving. 

 A pair of Cumberland County high school football coaches were recently presented with their Shrine Bowl jackets. These jackets signify the honor of their being chosen to coach in this year’s Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas high school football all-star game on Saturday, Dec. 15. The game takes place at 1 p.m. at Wofford College’s Gibbs Stadium in Spartanburg, South Carolina. 

In the left photo above, South View assistant coach Marcus Wall (center, in green) is shown getting his jacket while South View’s Emery Simmons (second from right) and Mariana Blount (far right) clap. Simmons was the lone Cumberland County football player picked for this year’s Shrine game. Blount will serve as a student athletic trainer at the game. 

   In the right photo, Westover head coach Ernest King is also shown being recognized by the Shriners at his team’s game with E.E. Smith last Friday. Like Wall, King will also serve as an assistant coach on this year’s North Carolina Shrine Bowl staff. 

After ending their arrangement to have Hope Mills Board of Commissioners meetings aired by the city of Fayetteville’s television channel, the commissioners have returned to the air on the Fayetteville- Cumberland County Educational TV channel. 

Sally Shutt, assistant county manager for Cumberland County, first mentioned the idea to Hope Mills town manager Melissa Adams a few months ago. 

Hope Mills had ended its arrangement with the city of Fayetteville after the board of commissioners discontinued a trial agreement with Fayetteville to broadcast the meetings. Had the arrangement continued, Hope Mills was going to have to pay to have its meetings broadcast. 

Shutt said Cumberland County has a partnership with Fayetteville Technical Community College, which operates the FCETV channel, Channel 5 on Spectrum Cable TV. 

   The FCETV channel airs the meetings of the Cumberland County commissioners. Shutt said she reached out to Brent Michaels of FTCC and asked if they would be willing to air the Hope Mills commissioners meetings as well. She said Michaels agreed. 

   “They (Hope Mills) are filming their own meetings and putting them on their YouTube channel,’’ Shutt said. 

   Shutt said any local municipality that films its own meetings is welcome to pursue having them aired on the FCETV channel. 

   Hope Mills will record its meetings on a digital file and upload the file for broadcast on the FCETV channel. 

   At a recent meeting, the Hope Mills Board of Commissioners voted unanimously to have board meetings air on the FCETV channel at 9 p.m. on Friday evenings. 

   To check the complete schedule of programs being aired on FCETV, visit the channel’s website at FCETV.org. 

   Most of the current programming is education-related, along with some government and county news broadcasts. 

Why would I ask you to read from a column I wrote almost 30 years ago? 

When I read that column, tearfully, at a recent family reunion, I knew I wanted to share it with you, just in case you missed it back in 1987. 

That year was one of triumph for my mother. 

In 1933, she finished college and left her home in South Georgia to go to New York to study theatre. She was admitted to the prestigious Neighborhood Playhouse, training ground for many of America’s best actors. It was the Depression, hard times for everybody. But she worked hard and took extra jobs to make enough money to stay in New York. 

Would she have been a star? 

You can never tell which gifted people fate will select to be successes in the world of acting. But it is clear that she had the talent to be good – to be great. 

Fortunately for me, one of her jobs was producer and director of a summer stage production called “O Professor.” It traveled from place to place in the South during the summer of 1934. She recruited local talent, trained them, sold ads for the programs, managed costumes, directed the production and then split the profits with local charities or church groups. One stop was in Davidson, where my father (to-be) was working for Davidson College. 

The rest of the story? It’s obvious. Well, almost. Romance. Love. Marriage. Children. Happiness. And sorrow, too. Through it all, I don’t think she ever regretted her choice to be a wife and mother. 

But she was never able to prove what she knew in her heart – that she was good enough to be a star. 

Those few who saw her through the years in amateur productions knew that she was good. Meanwhile, she earned her reputation as the caring, exuberant wife of a college administrator, who pushed students to do their best, charmed potential donors, thought up wonderful connections to bring people and resources together – and most of all – for three generations of college alumni, she remembered your name when you came back to campus. 

When my father, who was as close to a perfect husband and father as could be, was struck down with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease, she did not hide it or deny it. There was no shame in her sorrow. Instead, she used that tragedy to help other families struck by Alzheimer’s. She helped them overcome their anger and guilt with the knowledge that many other families who suffered were ready to help each other. 

She was a success by any measure, and at 76, she had every reason to sit back and relax, but she went through her entire life without ever making it to the professional stage, until... 

Until this spring (1987), when she got a chance to try out for the Charlotte Repertory Theatre’s production of the Broadway hit “Steel Magnolias.” To make this long story a little shorter, she won a leading part and was a smashing success in a cast with five professional actresses – I mean five other professional actresses. 

They packed them in. They wowed them. At 76, making her professional debut, my mom was a star. Triumph. 

Unfortunately, not long after the curtain came down, she noticed a dreaded lump in her breast. It was malignant, and she had a mastectomy. 

Down and out you would think she would be. Nope. Her first words to me on my first visit after surgery: “Can you get the script for ‘Steel Magnolias?’ Charlotte Rep is going to do the play again and they have asked me to come back and do my part.” 

She pushed through the recovery and was a star again, a reminder that we too may still have important roles to play, whatever our age or circumstance. 

Photo:  Louise McMichael Martin 

As a child, when I took more food than I could eat my mother would say, “Your eyes are bigger than your stomach.” Well, the same may be said of Fayetteville and Cumberland County’s appetite for initiating future economic development projects. 

Currently, public opinion is positive and cautiously optimistic about the economic development projects taking place in our city. Residents are excited and supportive of our new Houston Astros Advanced Class A minor league baseball team, the Fayetteville Woodpeckers, and the forthcoming new $37.8 million stadium. This structure, along with the $17 million renovation of the historic Prince Charles Hotel into apartments plus a parking deck, hotel and office complex, is the nucleus of a much-needed healthy economic boom for the revival of Fayetteville’s downtown community. Add to that the prospects of a statewide Civil War and Reconstruction History Center, and this becomes a masterful undertaking. 

Is it needed? Yes. 

Will it succeed? Well that depends on how our elected leadership manages our resources. And from that point of view comes plenty of healthy skepticism. After all, the sports complex center, skate board park and east side senior citizen facility, all of which were included and approved in the $35 million parks and rec bond package, are still in the planning stages. 

Before the first Woodpecker home game or the first lease on a Prince Charles apartment is signed, our elected are spending tens of thousands of dollars with consultants on feasibility and location studies of a potential performing arts center in downtown Fayetteville. 

The need for a performing arts center has been talked about and even debated for more than a decade. There was a need then, and there is still a need. With new construction taking place and the number of future projects yet to be completed, even ardent supporters of a performing arts center feel it may be prudent to slow down the development frenzy to make sure we don’t overextend our resources. We need to be able to support and adequately pay for these cultural amenities without adding an undue burden on local taxpayers – a reasonable request. No doubt the need is upon us with the deteriorating conditions of the Crown Theatre. However, the question remains – will the demographics of Cumberland County support such a facility? With a potential price tag of $50 million-plus, there are still plenty of other questions that need to be addressed. 

What shows will it attract? And at what price? 

Recently, tickets at Durham Performing Arts Center for the touring company of “Hamilton” sold at Broadway prices. Given a choice, why would big-show promoters choose Fayetteville over larger markets like Charlotte, Raleigh, Durham, Greensboro and Winston-Salem? 

What effect would it have on other local cultural institutions like Cape Fear Regional Theatre, Charlotte Blume’s annual “Nutcracker” ballet, Community Concerts and the “Heart of Christmas Show?” 

And, the most critical question of all: How do we pay for it? 

Sure, the consultants say once built the facility will pay for itself. Historically, there are many who will dispute that claim. Besides, when it comes to taking advice and direction from any consultant, always pay close attention to who is paying them. It is a good indication of the outcome. 

A Fayetteville Performing Arts Center is a good, feasible and honorable idea. However, residents must first see and experience the positive effects of the economic impact promised as a result of the current downtown development and investments. Success here will add excitement, enthusiasm, confidence and support to a Fayetteville performing arts center proposal and any future projects that will enhance the quality of life in our community. 

Let’s develop Fayetteville on a solid foundation of proven successes and not on speculation. 

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.