For 27 years this season, the Cumberland Oratorio Singers have been performing traditional choral music throughout the Sandhills – and not without getting the community’s attention. The group was inducted into the Fayetteville Music Hall of Fame for 25 years of service under the leadership of Michael Martin, and has recently established a new youth choir, the Campbellton Youth Chorus. To celebrate the group’s achievements, COS will kick off its 27th season with some unexpected sounds. “A Night of Jazz” is set for Friday, Oct. 19, at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church at 7:30 p.m. 

For “A Night of Jazz,” the Singers will collaborate with the Fayetteville Technical Community College Choir to perform classic jazz hits from the ’30s and ’40s. According to COS Choral Director Jason Britt, “COS alone is great, but when you add more people to it, it can become really great.” 

Moreover, the collaboration is an attempt to unify Cumberland County and broaden COS’ audience. “By reaching out to the community, with more people, we can do bigger and better things,” said Britt. 

The COS plan to team up with a jazz combo band and are set to perform pieces such as “I’ve Got a Crush on You,” “They Can’t Take That Away from Me,” “A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square,” “You Make Me Feel So Young,” “The Way You Look Tonight” and “I Got Rhythm,” among others. 

For most of the group’s existence, the COS has performed captivating traditional pieces that its audience has grown to expect and love. The ensemble’s director, however, is excited to introduce new styles into the group’s repertoire. 

  “My emphasis on this season is to try to relate to the people a little better by performing music that might be recognizable to our audience members,” said Britt. “For the last 26 years, the Cumberland Oratorio Singers have had a reputation of preserving traditional choral music, and I realized that not everybody is a fan of that.” 

  While Britt and many of the members of the ensemble, not to mention its audience, cherish the more traditional works, the group is ready to adopt some new sounds. “A Night of Jazz” is the COS’ first step to achieving this goal. 

  Jazz isn’t the only genre to expect from the Singers’ upcoming season. “I included one night of just traditional music (in this season),” Britt said. “I really didn’t want to alienate our base – some members really expect traditional choral works, and we love performing them.” 

  This year’s COS season includes “A Night of Screen and Stage,” which will include popular hits from famous movies; “Messiah Sings!” a Christmas cantata featuring Handel’s beloved “Messiah;” and “A Night with the Masters,” which features traditional choral pieces by artists such as Mozart and Schubert. 

  “We really wanted a variety of things,” Britt summarized. “It’s very refreshing not to do the same thing every time; you have a variety of elements that make things interesting.” 

  Tickets for the Oct. 19 season opener, “A Night of Jazz,” can be purchased for $15 at the door. Students with ID can purchase tickets for $5. Holy Trinity Episcopal Church is located at 1601 Raeford Rd. 

  Season tickets are $45. Learn more at www.singwithcos.org. 

 Julia Napoli isn’t the type to back down from challenges, especially when told she can’t do something. 

Her mother, Jen, remembers a time in fourth grade when she wrote a paper about football and why it’s usually off limits for girls. “Everybody would say girls can’t do that because they’re not strong enough or fast enough,’’ Jen Napoli said. “She still has the paper, which is funny.’’ 

Julia’s also got the will to beat the odds, and she’s doing it so far as she recently made the football team at Gray’s Creek Middle School, the first girl in school history to do that. 

By the time this issue prints, Napoli and her Bruin teammates will have played their first game of the season at Douglas Byrd Middle School. 

Napoli is no stranger to the world of competitive sports. Growing up, she took part in soccer for some years and later switched to gymnastics. 

But after going as far as she felt she could with gymnastics, she turned her attention to playing football at Gray’s Creek. 

When Gray’s Creek coach Dante Murphy met Napoli at the school’s open house this year, he had no reservations about letting her try out for the team. 

“She’s an outstanding athlete,’’ Murphy said of Napoli, who’s about 5-foot-3 inches tall and weighs around 120 pounds. 

“I told her from the beginning they’re going to treat you just like a football player, no less, no different.’’ 

Murphy said her teammates have accepted her with no reservations. “I’ve got a great group of kids,’’ he said. 

Napoli is playing wide receiver and defensive back for the Bruins and is also competing on special teams. 

Murphy said she’s not a starter at this point and that time will tell what kind of role she plays on the team. 

While not wanting to discourage her daughter from pursuing her dreams, Jen admitted it wouldn’t be the truth if she said she wasn’t concerned about injury. 

“We bought her some extra pads and a padded shirt that will protect her ribs, kidneys and spine,’’ her mother said. “It’s stuff she can legally wear that’s not issued by the team.’’ 

Jen said there’s a fine line between standing in the way of Julia’s ambition and keep- ing her safe pursuing it. “I don’t want to shelter her so she doesn’t take a chance and never knows if she could have made it,’’ Jen said. 

Jen said she wants her child to win, but at the very least, she wants her to have fun with what- ever she does. 

Like her mom, Julia knows there’s a chance she could get hurt, but she’s not focused on that. “I just pray,’’ she said. “I like playing wide receiver because you get to run and you get to beat some- body to the ball. It’s all about who gets to the ball first and being able to run.’’ 

As for the chance to play defensive back, she looks forward to tackling someone “for another brother,’’ she said. “I take pride that it’s your team, it’s your brotherhood and you’re together forever.’’ 

In a perfect world, Julia said she already knows what she’d like to see happen in her first game.

“A touchdown,’’ she said. “A touchdown. Or an interception.’’

Whatever happens, she’s finally living her dream by just being on the field. 

Photo: Julia Napoli

Primary Health Choice, Inc. presents Hotel California – “A Salute to the Eagles” band Friday, Oct. 19, at 8 p.m. at Givens Performing Arts Center. 

“We actually had Hotel California back in 2011, so this is their second time coming here,” said Chad Locklear, director of marketing of GPAC. “They came before and we had a great turnout from the community, so we thought we would invite them back again for our 2018 Homecoming.” 

Hotel California, the original Eagles tribute band, will perform during UNC Pembroke’s homecoming celebration. The band will showcase classic hits that include “Take It Easy,” “Desperado,” “The Long Run” and “Hotel California.” 

The band was founded with intentions of filling the void left by the demise of The Eagles. For three decades, the band has been recreating the legendary sounds. They’ve captivated audiences all over the world since then and set the bar in 1986 by remaining the industry lead substitute for The Eagles. 

The band toured relentlessly in the ’80s through today and have shared the stage with The Doobie Brothers, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Gretchen Wilson, REO Speedwagon and more. 

Their stage show has evolved into one of the most popular productions on the North American festival circuits that has audiences dancing and enjoying the music. 

The homecoming festivities for UNCP will take place Oct. 15-20 and will include athletic games, a step show, a homecoming dance, a tailgate party, an alumni awards banquet, midnight madness event, a bonfire, Ms. UNC pageant and much more. 

“We try to bring acts here that will engage and entice our alumni,” said Locklear. “We have a lot of alumni that come home for homecoming, so this is one of the shows that is geared more towards that crowd. 

“We are looking forward to a festive week, so come join us for the fun.” 

Tickets cost $31-$36. Alumni tickets cost $18, $15 for children, $16 for faculty and staff and $10 for UNCP students. For more information, call 910-521-6361 or visit www.uncp.edu/ advancement/alumni/homecoming-2018. 

 After a brief delay caused by Hurricane Florence, the popular Gallberry Corn Maze is back and better than ever at 5991 Braxton Road in the Gray’s Creek community. 

Originally scheduled to open Sept. 15, things finally got started at slightly reduced hours the weekend of Sept. 29. 

By the time this story publishes, corn maze spokesperson Jeannette McLean expects regular hours to resume from 5-10 p.m. Friday, noon to 10 p.m. Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday. 

The last tickets go on sale an hour before closing time each day. Admission is $10 per person ages 3-65. Military, county school employees and senior citizens 65 and older get a $1 discount. Groups of 20 or more also get a $1 discount. 

The admission fee covers basic entrance to the corn maze and children’s maze plus a host of activities, McLean said. The list includes a hay ride, barrel train ride, jumping pillows, interaction with farm animals including maze mascot Mr. Hee Haw the donkey, a double barrel tube slide, the giant fort over the double sand- box, and a corn shack with 6,000 pounds of corn to play in. 

One activity that comes with extra charge is playing with air cannons that shoot tennis balls. 

There is one new activity called rat rollers. McLean described it as huge corrugated plastic tubes that children get inside. They then navigate down a track made of plumbing pipe. “They work together, race down the pipes and turn around and roll back,’’ she said. 

The rat rollers is included in the general admission price. 

There is also a full concession stand featuring a variety of special items including things like fried corn on the cob, fried Oreos, fried honey buns and family-sized s’mores packs for the maze’s fire pit. 

A final decision hasn’t been made, but McLean said it’s likely the maze will be kept open an additional week to Nov. 11 since the opening was delayed by the hurricane. 

“We think the crop will hold up,’’ she said. They use sorghum instead of corn, and McLean said it generally stays greener than corn longer. 

For folks who are concerned about the mosquitoes that have descended on the area since the hurricane, there will be insect repellent available on-site, but spectators are encouraged to bring their own as well in case the problem continues. 

“Once it turns cooler, we won’t have a problem,’’ McLean said of the mosquitoes. 

For further information, check the Facebook page, Gallberry Corn Maze, go to www.gallberrymaze.com, or call 910-309-7582. 

Twenty-five miles of interstate highway in Cumberland, Harnett and Johnston counties are going to be widened from four to eight lanes. Construction on a local segment of I-95 will begin next year, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The public is invited to attend an open house meeting to review the accelerated schedule and preliminary map designs. The public meeting from 5-7 p.m. will be held Thursday, Oct. 18, at the Falcon Children’s Home Activity Building in Falcon. 

The DOT plans to award a contract next spring to a design and construction team that will widen I-95 from Eastover exit 56 in Cumberland County to Dunn exit 71 in Harnett County. In 2020, the DOT is scheduled to award another contract to extend the interstate expansion beyond exit 71 to exit 81 in Benson, where I-95 and I-40 intersect. 

I-95 additionally will need new interchanges and overpasses in Harnett County. “We have to rebuild six interchanges with new bridges and overpasses and ramps and loops,” said DOT spokesman Andrew Barksdale. “They are not up to modern design, and the bridges are substandard for height.” The structures will be raised in height to better accommodate truck traffic. 

Crashes and overall traffic safety are some of the factors used by DOT in determining which projects will get funded in the Transportation Improvement Program. Fatal and otherwise serious crashes have occurred regularly in Eastover, and north into Harnett County where the highway has narrow medians and archaic metal guard rails. 

“I-95 is our East Coast main highway and a vital link in our state for business expansion, residential growth and tourism,” said Grady Hunt, who represents Division Six on the N.C. Board of Transportation. “This will be a significant investment in North Carolina.” 

The projects will mark the state’s first substantial upgrade of I-95, which was funded in the 1950s as part of what became known as the Eisenhower interstate system. The combined projects are estimated to cost more than $700 million in land acquisition and construction, including appropriations the state transportation improvement program and a $147 million federal program known as Infrastructure for Rebuilding America. The DOT was awarded the federal grant this summer. State transportation officials hope to widen other sections of I-95 in future projects. 

The open house Oct. 18 will be informal, designed to allow people to examine maps, talk with DOT representatives and provide feedback. The department will accept comments on the projects through Nov. 2. 

For more information or to send comments, contact Scott Pridgen at Division Six at 910-364-0603 or on- line at gspridgen@ncdot.gov; or P.O. Box 1150, Fayetteville, NC, 28302. 

NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons who wish to participate in the Oct. 10 workshop. People requiring special services should contact Diane Wilson at pdwilson1@ncdot.gov or 919-707-6073. 

A consultant for the city says downtown Fayetteville parking will not be a problem when the Hay Street minor league baseball stadium opens. Jon Martens of Walker Consultants told city council that the current system is adequate “with lots of room to grow.” Marten’s firm counted just over 2,500 public parking spaces within a five-minute walk of the stadium. 

Few disagree with the consultant, from city staff to downtown realty professionals. “Forty-five years ago, there were many more businesses and half as much parking,” said realtor John Malzone. City Manager Doug Hewett noted that parking availability improves after business hours, which is when baseball games are played. 

“Peak parking occurs at 1 p.m. weekdays,” Martens said. Even then, he noted, only 45 percent of the spaces are used. 

Special events and large promotional celebrations will require parking opportunities beyond the five-minute walk parameters, Martens said. Park and ride shuttles from areas beyond the immediate center city could be adopted according to city traffic engineer Lee Jernigan. He said a more detailed report of additional considerations such as providing convenient parking for the disabled will be available in a month or two. 

The Franklin Street Parking Deck is typically underutilized. It is two-and- a-half blocks from the stadium and just within the five-minute walking distance, Jernigan said. “A short walk to the ballfield is part of the professional baseball experience,” said Mark Zarthar, Fayetteville Baseball Club president. 

Estimated game attendance will vary from 2,700 to 3,500 fans depending on who you talk to. A sold-out event would consist of 4,700 people. Jernigan said private business people and county government are being asked to make their parking lots available for ballgames. 

The owner of the Medical Arts building at the corner of Robeson Street and Hay Street has agreed to lease its parking lot to the city. City Hall, the Airborne & Special Operations Museum and NC Veterans Park lots are governed by the city and will be popular parking areas for fans. 

Making the public aware of available parking is a major challenge to be undertaken by city government. “We can use technology to provide customer information,” said City Councilman Jim Arp. 

The consulting firm suggested that an automated parking guidance system be adopted. Martens urged officials to proceed with a multifaceted plan combining new parking technology and an informational campaign showing where parking spaces are available downtown, including promoting the Franklin Street Parking Deck. Lighted LED signs with colorful, bright, moving messages would attract customers. Smaller permanent, custom signs could direct motorists to clusters of inner-city parking availability. 

The new ballpark is being built at a cost of nearly $38 million. Features will include a 360-degree concourse, a grand stand and casual outdoor dining areas for group gatherings and parties. Zarthar said at least three firms have indicated interest in stadium signature naming rights. 

The name of the Advance Single-A team owned by the Houston Astros will be announced early next month. 

Damage caused to the Hope Mills Parks and Recreation Center offices will force this year’s fall one-stop voting to relocate from there to the Gray’s Creek Recreation Center. 

Both Cumberland County Board of Elections officials and representatives of Hope Mills are hopeful that voting will return to the recreation center on Election Day in November. If it can’t, Election Day voting will move to Town Hall. 

Terri Robertson of the Cumberland County Board of Elections said she was informed there was dam- age to the center that could not be guaranteed to be repaired by the time one-stop voting begins Oct. 17. 

Robertson said nothing about one-stop voting will change in Hope Mills except the location. Hours of operation will be the same. To confirm what those are, visit the Board of Elections website at www.co-Cum-berland.nc.us/departments/election-group/elections. 

Adams said the recreation center had already been scheduled for repairs caused by possible condensation from the air conditioner before Hurricane Florence arrived. The storm did further damage to the roofing, which led to interior leaking and damage inside the building. 

The repairs of the earlier damage have been rescheduled to coincide with the repair of the roof. 

Adams said the town is in the process of getting bids on the repair work. While insurance will pay for some of the cost, she said the matter will likely have to go before the Board of Commissioners for approval. 

If the bids are obtained in time, she hoped to make the presentation at the board meeting scheduled for Oct. 8. If the bids weren’t available by then, she indicated a special meeting may have to be called since she didn’t want to wait until the next scheduled meeting on Oct. 22 to get approval to begin the repairs. 

In addition to forcing a change in one-stop voting, the damage to the recreation center has forced parks and recreation staff to temporarily relocate to space in Town Hall so they can continue planning for the town’s big Ole Mill Days and Trunk or Treat events coming up later this month. 

The damage has also disrupted the schedule of many regular activities held at the recreation center. 

“We are terribly sorry for the inconvenience for events scheduled at parks and recreation,’’ Adams said. “We are trying to work as quickly as possible so they don’t have to be disrupted any longer than they have to be. 

“We apologize and ask for the public’s patience.’’ 

To quote the Apostles in the musical “Jesus Christ Superstar,” “What’s the buzz, tell me what’s happening?” In response, to quote the Entomologists, AKA Bug Exterminators, “The buzz is our old friend Psorophora ciliata, better known as the giant mosquitos from Hell.” To mangle the opening lines of the old Superman TV show, “Look up in the sky, it’s a bird! It’s a plane! It’s Super Mosquitos! 

“A horde of strange visitors from another planet who came to Earth with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal mosquitoes. Psorophora ciliata, who changed the course of the mighty Cape Fear River, chewed through metal window screens with their bare proboscises, and who, disguised as zillions of mild-mannered dormant mosquito eggs lying in Florence floodwaters, fight a never-ending battle against DEET, for Insect Triumphalism and the Mosquito Way.” 

Jerry Lewis’ closing song in the annual Muscular Dystrophy Association telethon was right. Since HurricaneFlorence, when you go outside, you will never walk alone. You will be surrounded by a horde of bloodsucking beasts. I do not refer to politicians or lawyers.You have just crossed over into the Mosquito Zone. It is a dimension as vast as the Kavanaugh judicial hearings and as timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between light and shadow, between fruitlessly swatting mosquitos and splattering blood- gorged skeeters on your arm. It lies between the pit of man’s insect fears and the summit of his ability to develop mosquito repellant. Your next stop, the Mosquito Zone. 

North Carolina’s Florence mosquito infestation has kept us in the national news. Viewers in less flooded locations can’t get enough of the biblical plague of mosquitos that has descended upon our fair city. I encountered the full blast of the Mosquito Zone while carrying a chair into a shed in the back yard. The chair took two hands to tote, leaving my bald head defenseless against Mosquito Attack Force Zebra. It was a short walk through the yard. The mosquitos spotted me immediately, descending on my head armed with battle axes, pikes, hypodermic needles and C4 explosives. I was defenseless. Both hands were occupied, so I was an all-you-can-eat buffet for the skeeters at the Country Corral Bald Head Café. Hordes of Psorophora swooped in and began chewing. Bald heads are not particularly attractive. A bald head covered with mosquito welts looks worse than that slice of 2-week-old pizza that you forgot at the back of the refrigerator after the power went off during Florence. 

Things are grim on the mosquito front. Reports from the usually unreliable sources have come in about citizens being raptured up into the sky by mosquitos to be eaten at leisure. FEMA is reported to have purchased 300,000 complete suits of armor from China for the citizens of Cumberland County. The armor serves the dual purposes of slowing mosquito bites and being so heavy that mosquitos cannot carry off voters. To sign up for the mosquito armor, dial BR 549 and wait until Hell freezes over – which, incidentally, is when the mosquitos will finally disappear – at the first frost in December. 

The relentless mosquito attacks got me thinking about the Insect Fear genre of all the great 1950s science fiction horror movies that featured giant bugs eating people. A classic example is the movie “THEM!” starring giant radioactive ants under Los Angeles. 

“The Incredible Shrinking Man” was a poor guy sprayed by a mosquito truck with bad chemicals that shrank him down to a nub. He ended up in a terrifying fight with a normal-sized spider that was the size of an elephant compared to his shrunken size. Our hero was armed only with a straight pin, which he used like a spear to fight the spider. 

In “The Fly,” the hero gets into a trans- porter that zaps a human from place to place. Unfortunately, he doesn’t notice a fly has gotten into the transporter with him. He comes out with a fly head and a fly arm. Double plus ungood. 

“The Day of the Triffids” has Hollywood being attacked by hordes of giant praying mantises. The “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” has space aliens who burrow into people and wrap their victims up in creepy cocoons until they take over their bodies.

In “The Thing from Another World,” James Arness, who ultimately became Marshal Matt Dillon, plays a giant, intelligent carrot from outer space who lands at the North Pole. This movie has the greatest line of dialogue ever written – Scotty: “An intellectual carrot. The mind boggles.” While a giant carrot is not technically an insect, the principle is the same. Some small, everyday item becomes giant and malevolent and tries to eat people. Just like our newest insect foe: the Psorophora ciliata. 

The next time you swat a mosquito, realize you are not only defending your own skin, but you are defending the earth from Insect Fear. The mind boggles. You may now resume itching and scratching. 

 For many people in the Carolinas, this week has been hellish with the aftermath of Hurricane Florence. My heart goes out to so many that have lost so much. 

A few days prior to getting my storm preparation on, I was doing a mental inventory of what I needed versus what I had. Then I thought to myself, my motorcycle has a lot of things that I might be able to use. 

I have two bikes, a Suzuki DR-650 and a BMW R1200GS. Both are great bikes on and off the road. 

I have traveled on both bikes for weeks in some very remote places, so I am capable of living off the grid with them. As I looked at the situation, I started breaking things down. I’ve always had a Plan A and Plan B for critical situations. Plan A was to stay at the house. Thus far, I have not experienced flooding but could easily be land-locked. Plan B, if needed, was to evacuate to a friend or family member’s house. 

For Plan A, the motorcycle bags non my GS could be used as water- proof luggage. I have a Rugged Geek RG1000 Safety 1000A Portable Car Jump Starter, Battery Booster Pack and Power Supply with LCD Display, INTELLIBOOST Smart Cables, LED Flashlight and USB and laptop charging. This is great for keeping things charged around the house. 

My bike has a nice first-aid kit that has tourniquet supplies in the event of a serious motorcycle emergency. This includes stitches, Band-Aids, trauma bandages, blood clotting bandages and a few other things. 

My wife had bought me a generator after Hurricane Matthew for a Christmas present. Gas was somewhat a concern for me since I have not used the generator before, so I was not sure how much gas I needed. I had three 5-gallon gas cans but was not sure how long that would last. However, I knew I had two motorcycles with almost 5 gallons each that I could siphon from and my wife’s car, which has about 18 gallons. 

I did discover I had a small problem with my hose that I had in the bike. It was cut
to siphon gas from motorcycle to motor- cycle and not from the bottom of a car tank to the bike’s tank. SoI was short about 5 feet. This put me in a small panic. Before the night of the storm, I found a hose at Auto Zone. Relief!

I have a SPOT emergency transponder that I have mounted on whichever bike I’m on. This device runs on AAA batteries and is waterproof. It is very small and has a snap-link that can clip onto anything. The SPOT works over satellite to an emergency call center that in turn will notify 911. 

As a last result, I could also use the power adapter on the bike to charge electronics or use my electric air com- pressor to blow up our air mattress in the event we needed to put up an extra guest. 

If I needed to execute Plan B and get the heck out of dodge, I’d need maps. Detailed maps. I didn’t have time to get them for the state, but my Garmin GPS on the bike has a car mount. That would be great because my Garmin GPS has detailed trails and other specifics that my cell phone or car GPS does not have. 

For travel water, I have a few cases of water in the garage, but for the bikes, I have two 2-quart canteens and a CamelBack hydration pack for extra water. 

I also have a small gas stove that I could use to cook or boil water if I needed to purify water. 

Although the hurricane has passed, our day-to-day things we have around us can always be used as dual-purpose. 

I hope we never have to go through another storm like this again, but Mother Nature always does what Mother Nature does. 

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

In January 2016, the Pentagon ordered the armed services to conduct a sweeping review of medals of valor awarded since the 9/11 terror attacks. Officials directed service leaders to determine whether individual military members had been shortchanged in the medals they received. As a result, former Army Staff Sgt. Ronald Shurer II’s Silver Star was upgraded to the Medal of Honor for heroism above and beyond the call of duty. Shurer fought through an enemy ambush, saving his teammates’ lives 10 years ago in Afghanistan. 

Shurer was as a Green Beret medic with Fort Bragg’s 3rd Special Forces Group. He joined the Army in 2002 and was deployed with Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Afghanistan for six months, from November 2007 to May 2008. Shurer was one of 10 members of his unit to receive Silver Stars for their heroics. He was honored with the nation’s highest award for valor by President Donald Trump Oct. 1. 

On April 6, 2008, Shurer and his team were assigned to take out high-value targets of the Hezeb Islami al Gulbadin in Shok Valley, according to the Army. As the soldiers moved through the valley, they were attacked by enemy machine gun, sniper and rocket-propelled grenade fire, the White House said. The lead assault element suffered several casualties and became pinned down on the mountainside. 

Shurer ran through enemy fire to treat a soldier who had been hit in the neck by shrapnel from an RPG blast. He then fought for an hour through a barrage of bullets and enemy fighters up the mountain to the rest of the lead element. There, Shurer treated and stabilized four more wounded soldiers before evacuating them aboard medic helicopters. 

The Green Berets honored for their heroism in the Battle of Shok Valley represented the largest set of citations for a single battle since the Vietnam War. After the citations were read, the then-commander of Fort Bragg’s U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Lt. Gen. John F. Mulholland Jr., stated: 

“There is no finer fighting man on the face of the earth than the American soldier. And there is no finer American soldier than our Green Berets. If you saw what you heard today in a movie, you would shake your head and say, ‘that didn’t happen,’ but it does, every day.”

Shurer was honorably discharged in May 2009 and went on to serve with the U.S. Secret Service. He was eventually assigned to its Special Operations Division. Shurer lives in Virginia, with his wife and two sons. 

Photo: Former Army Staff Sgt. Ronald Churer, II

The Fayetteville Symphony Orchestra is committed to educating, entertaining and inspiring the citizens of the Fayetteville, North Carolina, region as the leading musical resource. Making first-rate music affordable takes some creativity, though. That creativity manifests in forms like the FSO’s Bachtoberfest fundraiser, which is set for Thursday, Oct. 18, from 6-9 p.m. 

“This event helps support a lot of the things we do,” said FSO CEO and President Christine Kastner. “Our ticket prices are (kept) low. They really only cover 20 percent of the cost of a concert, so we have to fundraise and get grants to cover the rest. 

“We want to keep ticket prices affordable, so we really can’t go higher... or it limits who can come to the shows. Our tickets for concerts and other events are $30 and below.” 

Like its concerts, the symphony’s fundraisers are inventive and fun. Bachtoberfest will take place in a local, private biergarten and will include delicious German fare prepared by the symphony’s board members. Think bratwursts and German potato salad. Guests can wash it down with a sudsy brew and sample 10 craft beers. Bright Light Brewing Co., Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom, Southern Pines Brewing Company and Healy Wholesale will provide the evening’s beverages. 

“There will be some games going on, too – relay races with a full beer stein and some of those kinds of fun games,” said Kastner. 

FSO musicians will play music throughout the event. “There will be oompah music as well as jazz to keep the evening flowing,” Kastner said. “The location has a fire pit, so you can make your own s’mores, too.” 

Bachtoberfest is intentionally casual and laid back to make it inviting to people who may have preconceived ideas about the symphony. “People think of the symphony as formal and stuffy, and we are not,” Kastner said. 

The FSO has another fundraiser planned for November – Friendsgiving Brewery Tour, which will include tastings from Bright Light Brewing Co., Dirtbag Ales Brewery and Taproom, Mash House Brewing Company, World of Beer and Paddy’s Irish Pub. 

These fundraisers not only help keep ticket costs low, they support outreach initiatives like the Nov. 3 free children’s concert, “Once Upon a Symphony.” The concert is for young and special-needs children. 

“(The children) can move around as they need to and sit on the floor or the bleachers,” said Kastner. “The whole program is kid-friendly. We will have music from ‘Frozen,’ ‘Harry Potter,’ ‘Star Wars’ and ‘Superman.’ It is a way for families to introduce young kids to the symphony.”

Tickets for the Oct. 18 Bachtoberfest are $75 per person. Call the symphony office at 910-433-4690 or go to www.fayettevillesymphony.org and click on the Support and Events tab, then Special Events. 

 In past years, Gallberry Farm Elementary School Principal Dawn Collins has kissed a rabbit and a pig at the school’s annual Fall Festival. 

Now she’s bracing to pucker up for a llama. Again. 

The vote to determine if Collins or Assistant Principal Natasha Norris gets to be a little too personal with the llama is one of the highlights of this year’s annual event. It’s scheduled for Friday, Oct. 12, from 5-8 p.m. at
the school of about 1,000 students. 

Collins started the festival about eight years ago after becoming principal because she felt they needed some kind of community outreach that would involve the school and surrounding area. 

“We talked about a spring fling, but so many children are involved in sports in this community (that) we decided the response would be better in the fall.’’ 

The event is always scheduled on the same Friday when Gray’s Creek High School has an open date on its football schedule. Collins said that’s because she borrows a host of volunteers from the high school student body, pulling from organizations like Future Farmers of America, Student Government Association, National Honor Society, JROTC and the school’s technology academy. 

“We truly do not have enough staff to pull this off on our own,’’ she said. 

She was briefly worried that Hurricane Florence was going to disrupt this year’s football schedule and possibly wreck the festival, but she remained hopeful things would work out, and they did. 

After Hurricane Matthew hit the area in 2016, Collins said Gallberry had the most successful fall festival in school history. She’s hoping for similar results this year. “People were looking for something happy and positive to do,’’ she said. “That’s what we’re hoping now. We know there is a lot of loss in the community. We are hoping we can bring them back together for something lighthearted.’’ 

For Collins, that probably means kissing a llama again this year. Last year she lost the vote to Norris, and she’s already fearful it will go against her again this time. 

She plans to use the same strategy for kissing the llama as last time. 

“I tried to go to the side, kiss him on the side of the mouth, and when I did, he turned his whole face to mine,’’ she said. “The kids love it.’’ 

Anyone from the Gallberry or Gray’s Creek community is welcome to attend, whether they have a child attending the school or not, Collins said. 

An entry fee of $10 gets you an armband that pro- vides admission to a host of activities, the highlight of which is the haunted hallway, a hallway in the school building that features child-friendly scares and thrills. There will also be a trunk-or-treat event and unlimited access to an assortment of games. 

The armband also covers a hot dog, drink and chips. 

There will be additional food items on sale that can be purchased either for cash or with tickets that can be bought on-site, $5 for 20 tickets. All transactions on site will be cash. An ATM will be available. 

Collins said the festival is by far the school’s biggest fundraiser each year and holds a special place both for faculty and students. 

“It makes me feel very positive about the culture of our school,’’ she said. “It’s just a great community event.’’ 

 Fayetteville Technical Community College’s Systems Security &Analysis program is a concentration under the information technology major. This curriculum provides individuals with the skills required to analyze and implement effective, comprehensive information security controls. Upon completion of the program, students receive an associate degree in System Security & Analysis and will be well equipped to enter the growing field of cyber security.

Alumni of this program have gone on to work for companies including the city of Fayetteville, Dell, and Cisco. 

The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have designated FTCC as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Two-Year Education. This designation is known by the acronym CAE2Y. FTCC’s Systems Security & Analysis program offers students a diverse educational opportunity by exposing them to materi- als from several academic partners, such as Cisco, CompTIA, EC-Council, Palo Alto, and Red Hat. 

The Systems Security & Analysis department is also a member of the National CyberWatch Center, a Data Privacy Day champion, and a National Cyber Security Awareness Month champion. The Department partners with the Fayetteville/Fort Bragg chap- ter of the Information Systems Security Association. 

Fayetteville Tech offers a broad range of programs of study lead- ing to the award of associate degrees, certificates and diplomas. Many educational choices are available in the field of computer and information technology, where graduates can seek employment as designers, developers, testers, support technicians, system administrators and programmers. Specialty areas include business intelligence, database services, healthcare informatics, security and more. 

Specific program areas to explore at FTCC include CISCO Networking Academy, Computer Programming & Development, Cyber Defense Education Center, Database Management, Digital Media Technology, Game & Interactive Programming, Mobile & Web Programming, Network Management, PC Support & Services, Systems Security & Analysis, and Simulation & Game Development. Within each of these program areas are additional specialty programs of study, which allow students broad choices for expansion in becoming well equipped for a great career in the computer technology field. 

Fall eight-week classes begin Oct. 18, and the spring semester begins Jan. 14. For students inter- ested in pursuing an exciting career in a high- demand field, FTCC is the smart choice for educa- tion in computer and information technology. Visit www.faytechcc.edu to apply now and begin the enrollment process. 

For more information about the program, visit www.faytechcc.edu/academics/computer-information-technology-programs/systems-security-analy- sis. Call 910-678-8509 or email herringc@faytechcc. edu with questions about pursuing Systems Security & Analysis education at FTCC. 

FTCC’s Cyber Defense Education Center also has information concerning the program, ISSA meetings and other current events. Visit www.faytechcc.edu/ academics/computer-information-technology-pro- grams/cyber-defense-education-center to access that information. 

The U.S. Department of Education has named Eastover-Central Elementary School of Arts a 2018 National Blue-Ribbon School. The honor is reserved for exemplary high-performing schools whose students are among the state’s highest achievers. 

“I’m pleased to celebrate with you as your school is named a National Blue-Ribbon School,” saidU.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos in a video message to the honorees. “We recognize and honor your important work in preparing students for successful careers.” 

Eastover-Central was one of only eight schools sanctioned in North Carolina and 349 schools ac- knowledge across the country. “This national honor recognizes the tremendous work being done at East- over-Central to help each student achieve success in the classroom and beyond,” said Dr. Marvin Connelly Jr., Cumberland County Schools superintendent. 

School honorees will be formally recognized at an awards ceremony in Washington, D.C., Nov. 7-8. 

Fayetteville murder rate on par 

At least one city council member claims the city’s murder rate has skyrocketed since Police Chief Gina Hawkins took over. Police command staff members said they haven’t heard that. 

Hawkins’ first day on the job was Aug.15, 2017. During the13 1/2 months since then, there have been 32 homicides in Fayetteville, according to FPD spokesman Lt.Gary Womble. So far this year, the FPD has investigated 18 murder cases. 

Police records indicate that the annual murder rate trend over the last 10 years has been in the mid to upper 20s. Fayetteville’s all-time-record of 31 homicides was set in 2016 before Hawkins came to Fayetteville. 

Mosquito control 

Favorable weather conditions have been helpful as mosquito control efforts got underway locally. Cumberland County’s mosquito control contractor trucks have sprayed most sections of the county over the past week-and-a-half. The spraying is done overnight. The product being sprayed is EcoVia, a botanical insecticide with low toxicity to humans and pets. Beekeepers registered with DriftWatch.org were notified of the spraying by the Health Department’s environmental health division. 

“The (mosquito control) vendor has GPS, which allows these locations to be plugged in and avoided while they are spraying,” said Rod Jenkins, deputy health director. 

Mosquito dunks have been distributed to residents upon request. A Mosquito dunk looks like a small donut, which floats on standing water. As the dunk slowly dissolves, it releases a bacterium that is toxic to all species of mosquito larvae. Mosquito experts say floodwaters can cause eggs that would have otherwise laid dormant to hatch. The mosquitoes plaguing the Carolinas are called “Gallinippers,” according to entomologist Michael Waldvogel of North Carolina State University. 

Thousands of military veterans affected by Hurricane Florence 

Hurricane Florence dumped dozens of inches of rain on southeastern North Carolina, causing Veterans Affairs clinics to close. Appointments were cancelled, and untold numbers of veterans’ homes were ravaged from Fayetteville to the coast. Fayetteville VA officials continue to play catch-up with thousands of rescheduled appointments. 

VA Secretary Robert Wilkie, who grew up in Fayetteville, toured VA facilities here and in Wilmington. He also met with emergency VA employees who responded to Fayetteville from across the country and who continue to work to help local officials cope with the storm’s affects. 

“I could not be prouder of VA,” Wilkie said. “I could not be prouder of my hometown.” 

Wilkie said local officials will have the resources they need to recover from the storm. “This is my home. This is my wife’s family’s home,” he said. 

The Fayetteville VA covers communities around Fort Bragg and Camp Lejeune. It is among the fastest growing regions in the VA, Wilkie said, with 2,000 veterans added each month. Close to 17,000 appointments were canceled because of the storm, officials said. 

The VA Medical Center on Ramsey Street remained open during the hurricane, despite being located along the Cape Fear River. 

Food stamps for Hurricane Victims 

Thousands of residents of 27 North Carolina counties impacted by Hurricane Florence got help buying food through the Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services received federal authority to implement the program. Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Bladen, Moore, Robe- son and Sampson counties are among those that were eligible for supplemental food stamps. 

“For North Carolinians working to get back on their feet after Hurricane Florence, help feeding their families will make a tremendous difference,” Gov. Cooper said. 

This program helped people who suffered losses buy food for their families. Most application sites were local social services offices. Wait times were long because of the volume of people who applied. 

New downtown Fayetteville official 

The Cool Spring Downtown District has hireda new marketing official. Melissa Purvines joined the team Sept. 17 as the marketing and communications manager. She brings with her 15 years of experience in advertising, marketing and sponsorship sales. Purvines holds a Bachelor of Arts from Texas Tech University. 

Originally from Amarillo, Texas, Melissa moved to Fayetteville in early 2018 to join her husband, Scott, who is stationed at Fort Bragg. Their son, Connor, is a seventh-grader at the Capitol Encore Academy in downtown Fayetteville. 

“I am excited to call Fayetteville my home and look forward to helping the Cool Spring Downtown District continue growing as the vibrant center of artistic, cultural, civic and commercial activity,” she said. 

Former mayor Tony Chavonne has been named interim president & CEO of the organization. 

 “You’d better be careful,” my wonderful seventh grade teacher, Miss Winifred Potts, preached to my class more than 65 years ago. 

Miss Potts had a set of strategies to encourage us to behave, in and out of class. To discourage mischief- making while she was writing math problems on the blackboard, she told us that people said she could see out of the back of her head. 

Her most persuasive tactic, one she used when one or some of us were flirting with serious trouble, was to tell us about her visits from the FBI. 

“They come to talk to me when one of my former students is up for a big job in the government. I have to tell them the truth about what I know that person did in my class. Just remember that when you are thinking about getting into trouble with me.” 

Ironically, federal intelligence agents did visit my hometown about 10 years later to ask questions about me. I do not know whether they talked to Miss Potts, but one of my high school teachers told me that federal agents had asked about my connections to suspected troublemakers. 

Those questions were, I think, because of my effort to gain a top security clearance when I was in the Army and being considered for a position in the Army’s counter- intelligence corps and training in counterintelligence operations. 

That training was designed to prepare me to work on background investigations for others who were seeking security clearances or assignments to sensitive positions. 

After my counterintelligence training, I took on other positions in the Army and never had a chance to use the investigative skills I learned in training. 

Later on as a lawyer, I once was employed to investigate an alleged scheme to secretively and illegally funnel corporate funds into a political campaign. Working on this project, I learned the frustrations of seeking the truth from people involved in the activities that brought about the investigation and from their friends and colleagues. 

Finally, many years later, the FBI came to interview me about my connection to a political candidate. This connection was remote, but investigators heard that I had been in the same room with the accused when important information was promulgated. 

At first, I had no memory of the event whatsoever. But the FBI agent kept coming back until I remembered a few details. Then he requested copies of all of my emails that might have any connection with the accused or his family. I was impatient with what I thought was wasted time and effort on the part of the agent. But I was impressed with his diligence and commitment to get to the bottom of whatever connection I might have had. 

Why have I burdened you with all these personal details and unexceptional personal experiences? 

It is only to assert that I know just a little something about the intricacies and difficulties of conducting FBI and other serious investigations. I think that “little something” puts me in a position to assert that I know investigations can be amazingly productive when diligent investigators with good resources are put on the case and given the time to find the facts. 

Time is critical. 

Time to prepare and conduct the interviews. Time to run down leads and to follow up. The facts don’t magically appear, and when the facts do appear, they are often conflicting and require more follow-up. 

So at the end of a hard-charging but time-limited weeklong FBI investigation of Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford, we may know much more than we do now. 

But that will not be nearly all there is to know. 

Photo: Dr. Ford

The ninth annual Running Water Singers Powwow is set for this Friday, Oct. 12, from 5-11 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 13, from noon-11 p.m., at 102 Indian Dr. in Fayetteville. 

“A Native American powwow is where several different tribes come together, and we dance, sing and do everything that has to do with our culture,” said Bradley Jacobs, event representative. “There will be handmade crafts and beadwork, speakers, dancers, Native American flute music, a hand drum segment, 20 cultural dances and competitions, three food vendors, 20 merchandise vendors, cultural songs, the honoring of veterans and much more.” 

Jacobs added that some individuals make a living by selling their handmade crafts at all the powwows throughout the East Coast. 

“We hold our powwow at Les Maxwell Indian School; it is the school where all Native Americans from Cumberland and surrounding counties were bussed to during segregation,” Jacobs said. He added that the opening ceremony is a significant part of the events each day. “There is one thing that we always do at the beginning of the powwow each day, and that is bring the American flag, Native American flag and our sacred Eagle Staff out.” 

One of the highlights of the powwow is the delicious Native American food. Look forward to Indian fry bread, buffalo burgers, buffalo Indian tacos, col- lard sandwiches and more. 

Like most cultures, dance plays a big part in Native American history. “There will be $10,000 in prize money for the Native Americans who compete in the dance competitions,” Jacobs said. 

Native American cultures across the United States are notable for their wide variety and diversity of lifestyles, customs, art forms and beliefs. “The pow- wow is more for cultural awareness and is open to the public, so you can come out and see how we really (are) rather than how TV portrays us,” said Jacobs. “We don’t go scalping people, and we don’t hit (anyone) over the head with sticks.” 

Native Americans have a rich history and a lot to share, which is why powwows are so important – so they can share their heritage with people who want to learn more about Native Americans and their tribes. 

“My grandfather, Chief James Pernell Jacobs, was the first Indian chief that was elected by ballot for the Coharie Indian Tribe of Sampson County,” said Jacobs. “He was awarded so many awards throughout his lifetime, received the Jefferson Award and was known for helping his tribe and others no matter what.” Jacobs added that growing up, he was taught about unity and helping others. 

The nonprofit organization is always in need of donations to support the event. “We do a lot of legwork, and we ask people we do business with for help,” said Jacob 

“The only thing we reap from the powwow is to educate the public and help the young kids to not lose their heritage.” 

This is a drug- and alcohol-free event that is open to the general public. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for youth ages 7-12, $5 for seniors 60 and older, $5 for military with ID, and free for children ages 6 and under. The weekend pass is $12. For more information, call 910-308-7249. 

This editorial originally ran in The Fayetteville Observer, Sunday Sept. 23, 2018. It is reprinted here, with Bill Harrison’s permission. 

Wesley Meredith has been a state senator for eight years, providing him ample time to build a record with the people of Cumberland County. If his latest television ads are to be believed, Senator Meredith wants the people to weigh that record come November, particularly his record of support for public schools. It’s important then that the voters of Cumberland County receive the whole story, so they can judge Senator Meredith’s record accordingly. 

Before Senator Meredith went to Raleigh, North Carolina was viewed as a shining light for education policy in the South. Our state was a national leader in bipartisan education reforms that had real, positive impacts on the students of this state. We led the nation in high-quality pre-kindergarten programs, attracted the best and brightest into teaching via the Teaching Fellows program and we helped students earn college degrees while still in high school via the state’s award-winning Learn and Earn program. 

These investments drove student performance gains through the nineties and into this century. In 2011, North Carolina students outperformed their peers from educational juggernauts like Finland, the United Kingdom, and Canada on international math tests, and was singled out by Harvard University as one of six states for making the most academic gains per dollar spent. 

Things were not perfect. School districts were operating on tight budgets, teacher pay was below the national average, and too many students – especially those from low income families – weren’t provided the resources necessary to overcome barriers to success. These problems were compounded when a historic recession required substantial cut- backs in North Carolina’s budget. We assumed the budget cuts were going to be temporary, and that the state would continue on the path of growth and improvement once the economy recovered. This was the state of education when voters sent Wesley Meredith to Raleigh. Unfortunately, he’s failed to address the problems facing our schools. In many instances, he’s actually made things worse. 

In eight years in office, Meredith has starved our public schools of the resources needed to succeed. Adjusted for inflation, per-student funding remains 5 percent below pre-Recession levels. Under Senator Meredith’s watch, our schools are now getting fewer teachers, assistant principals, and teacher assistants. Funding for textbooks and classroom supplies is about half of where it was before the Recession. And over a period where school shootings are becoming distressingly more frequent, Senator Meredith has reduced funding for school nurses, psychologists, and counselors by 9 percent. 

Senator Meredith touts his record on teacher pay, but there’s little for him to be proud of. When Senator Meredith got to Raleigh, average teacher pay in North Carolina trailed the national average by 16 percent. Seven years later (no data exists yet for this school year), average teacher pay in North Carolina continues to trail the national average by 16 percent. In fact, a new report from the Economic Policy Institute singled out North Carolina for exceptionally poor marks in teacher pay. The gap between what teachers earn in North Carolina and the pay earned by other college-educated professionals in the state is the second-highest in the nation. It is no surprise then that enrollment in university teaching programs has plummeted under Meredith’s watch. 

Rather than providing schools with the resources they need to succeed, Senator Meredith has pursued an agenda grounded in misguided ideology, rather than evidence of what really works for our kids. Meredith has championed virtual charter schools that have failed in every other state and have been among the worst-performing in North Carolina. He has supported unaccountable voucher programs that have done more to boost fraud and embezzlement than they have to boost student performance. He supports an A-F grading system that stigmatizes high-poverty schools, even those making huge gains. And his effort to boost third grade read- ing scores by threatening to retain young children failing their end-of-grade test has backfired tremendously, with third grade reading scores nosediving precipitously over the past five years. 

Senator Meredith has gone to unprecedented ends to advance his misguided agenda. He and his colleagues have illegally gerrymandered voting districts and sought to make it harder for regular folks to vote. He has buried controversial programs in massive budget bills, released in the dead of night, to avoid open debate and input from knowledgeable stakeholders. Through it all, Meredith has consistently ignored and shunned our state’s greatest asset for shaping education policy: the expertise of experienced educators. 

A change in leadership in Raleigh will put our schools back on a path that will raise opportunities for success for all of Cumberland County’s children. 

First, Cumberland County needs education leaders who will invest in programs that help students from low-income families overcome poverty- related barriers to learning. Expansion of the state’s high-quality pre-kindergarten program and invest- ments in student health and nutrition will help to ensure that all students arrive at our schools ready to learn. 

Second, policymakers must admit that choice is not a substitute for quality. It does families little good to give them “a choice” between an under- funded charter school and an underfunded traditional public school. 

Third, we must continue to uplift the teaching profession, aiming for pay packages that are competitive with other professions, providing teachers with greater flexibility to mold curriculum to meet their students’ needs, and meaningfully including educators in the policymaking process. 

Finally, leaders must restore investments to the classroom to ensure that all students have the textbooks, supplies, and equipment necessary for all students to thrive. All students deserve field trips, after-school programs, exposure to the arts and music, and high-quality learning opportunities that engage students at all levels. 

If there’s one lesson to take away from Wesley Meredith’s eight years in office, it’s that he has no intention of putting Cumberland County’s schools back on that path to success. Despite what his misleading ads try to claim, his actual track record shows that his concern for our schools and teachers is – at best – an afterthought. Luckily, Cumberland County voters are smart enough to see through his claims and put North Carolina schools back onto a successful path.