Governor Roy Cooper announced appointments to boards and commissions last week, including four from Fayetteville.

Gov. Cooper appointed Chanavia A. Haddock as a member-at-large to the North Carolina Arts Council. Haddock is a volunteer with the Fayetteville Arts Council and has served on the City of Fayetteville Arts Commission. She is the second self-published author to be invited to the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art for her book, “Miracle.”

Gov. Cooper appointed Jennifer Jones as a Workforce Development Commission representative to the North Carolina Commission for the Blind. Jones is an Accountability Manager for the North Carolina Department of Commerce Division of Workforce Solutions.

Gov. Cooper appointed Valencia A. Applewhite as a member of the General Assembly to the North Carolina Courts Commission. Senator Applewhite is in her first term in the North Carolina State Senate. She previously served three terms on the Fayetteville City Council.

Gov. Cooper appointed Caroline Cowan Gregory as a member-at-large to the Fayetteville Technical Community College Board of Trustees. Gregory is an attorney who practices law at Rand and Gregory Attorneys at law in Fayetteville.

For a full list of State Boards and Commissions appointments, visit https://governor.nc.gov/news/press-releases/2023/07/03/governor-cooper-announces-state-boards-and-commissions-appointments.

The human body is a marvel. When working correctly, the body automatically performs scores of metabolic functions.

Individuals can facilitate the performance of those functions in various ways. Careful consideration of what they put into their bodies is one way individuals can make things easier on their bodies. It is vital to supply the body with the nutrients it needs. This includes the essentials: A, C, D, E, K, and the eight B vitamins.

Vitamin A: This vitamin helps ensure the health of the skin, corneas, lining of the urinary tract, lungs, and intestines. Vitamin A also helps protect against infection. It also is important for vision, as it improves vision in dim light.

Vitamin C: Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, plays a vital role in immune system function, helping to protect cells from free radicals. Since the body cannot store vitamin C, it needs to be consumed daily.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D assists in calcium and phosphorous absorption, which helps to keep bones and teeth strong. The body can produce vitamin D naturally by spending time in sunlight. That is why it’s often called “the sunshine vitamin.”

Vitamin E: This vitamin maintains muscles and red blood cells. It also protects fatty acids.

Vitamin K: Vitamin K is necessary for blood to clot and helps to keep bones and other tissues in the body healthy.

Thiamine (B1): B1 is needed for metabolism and for nerve and heart function.

Riboflavin (B2): Another important nutrient for metabolizing foods, B2 helps maintain healthy mucus membranes, such as those in the mouth and nose.

Niacin (B3): This vitamin helps to release energy from food and keeps the nervous system healthy.

Pantothenic Acid (B5): B5 is another vitamin that aids energy metabolism. It also plays a role in normalizing blood sugar levels.

Pyridoxine (B6): People rely on B6 to metabolize food energy. It also has a role in proper nerve function and helps in the creation of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen around through red blood cells.

Biotin (B7): This is only needed in small amounts to make fatty acids.

Folate (B9): Folate is very important for healthy red blood cells. Folate also helps to prevent birth defects, which is why it is recommended as a prenatal vitamin. The manufactured form of folate is called folic acid.

Cobalamin (B12): B12 is needed to make red blood cells, DNA, RNA, and myelin for nerve fibers. It is preferable to obtain vitamins through healthy foods. If and when foods are inadequate, supplementation might be recommended.

Certain vitamins are fat-soluble, which means they are stored in the body’s fat and used slowly over time, according to WebMD.

Others are water-soluble, so they are not stored and need to be replenished frequently.

Individuals should speak to their doctors and nutritionists about any vitamin deficiencies they may have and how to combat them safely.

The Fayetteville Fire Department is equipping firefighters with four new medications expanding and enhancing lifesaving services designed to keep the community safe.

Firefighters added these four new medicines to their treatment protocol on July 1: albuterol, oral glucose, diphenhydramine (Benadryl), and acetaminophen (Tylenol).

The addition of these medications will positively impact those suffering from breathing difficulties, diabetic emergencies, allergic reactions, high fevers and related illnesses.

Nearly 70% of calls for service are medical in nature, so FFD continually focuses on opportunities to enhance patient care and increase survivability during medical emergencies. These new medications will help to improve the quality of care and outcomes for the citizens and visitors of Fayetteville by facilitating early access to life-saving therapy.

All Fayetteville firefighters are certified Emergency Medical Technicians or EMTs credentialed through the State of North Carolina, and each firefighter received education and training leading up to the implementation of the new medicines.

This will be an efficient and low-cost service improvement due to the partnership with Cape Fear Valley Health and close working relationship with Cumberland County EMS.

Has there even been a point of time in which so many public controversies rest on a single, abstract principle of constitutional government? I can’t think of one.

The principle in question is the separation of powers. Here are only some of its recent political manifestations:

• The U.S. Supreme Court has just blocked President Joe Biden’s attempt to transfer hundreds of billions of dollars in debt from student borrowers to federal taxpayers. The federal constitution gives Congress the power of the purse, not the president, and the statute Biden cited as giving him sweeping authority to transfer debt did no such thing.
  
  
• The Supreme Court also struck down the racial preferences used by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and other highly selective institutions to discriminate against white and Asian students.
  In her dissent, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson argued that if her colleagues believe “preventing consideration of race will end racism,” their intention will “be in vain.” But as Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in the majority decision, the judiciary isn’t authorized to pursue policy intentions of any kind. Its job is to decide whether specific acts are lawful. Racial discrimination isn’t. If you think there should be exceptions, your proper course is to rewrite the relevant federal statutes and constitutional provisions. Courts can do neither.
  
  
• In yet another decision with North Carolina connections, Moore v. Harper, the Supreme Court ruled that the constitutional language giving “state legislatures” the power to determine the time, place, and manner of federal elections does not exclude such legislative decisions from review by state courts. As you may recall, the North Carolina Supreme Court intervened before the 2022 elections to strike down a congressional map drawn by the General Assembly. The state court, then composed mostly of Democrats, drew from general language in the state constitution about “free elections” and “equal protection” to invent a new rule against partisan gerrymandering. Then it authorized non-lawmakers to draw congressional districts for 2022. After the midterm elections, which produced a 5-2 GOP majority on the N.C. Supreme Court, this abuse of the separation of powers was (properly) reversed.
  In the meantime, however, Speaker Tim Moore had appealed the case to the U.S. Supreme Court, arguing that under the federal constitution, state courts may exercise no legitimate oversight of congressional redistricting. Chief Justice Roberts disagreed, writing in this majority decision that Moore’s argument “does not account for the Framers’ understanding that when legislatures make laws, they are bound by the provisions of the very documents that give them life.” There is ample precedent for Roberts’ interpretation, such as a 1932 decision upholding the power of governors to veto congressional districts if that’s what their state constitutions permit. When the U.S. constitution refers to state legislatures, the court ruled, it does so in full knowledge that legislatures must act “in accordance with the method which the state has prescribed for legislative enactments.”
  
  
• Finally, on several occasions this session the North Carolina General Assembly has sought to strip the executive branch of significant influence over the enforcement of state laws and the administration of state agencies. As I’ve previously argued, you can be sympathetic to the legislature’s concerns without endorsing an unconstitutional remedy for them. Like the federal one, our state constitution specifically requires that the “legislative, executive, and supreme judicial powers of the state government shall be forever separate and distinct from each other.” Why? Because checks and balances are essential to freedom and effective governance. The English philosopher John Locke argued in 1689 that in any “well-formed government,” the “legislative and executive powers are in distinct hands.” The man who coined the phrase “separation of powers,” Charles de Montesquieu, wrote in 1748 that “when the legislative and executive powers are united in the same person, or in the same body of magistrates, there can be no liberty.”

Process matters. That’s what we can learn from all of these disputes. Few lessons are more important.

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

On the outskirts of downtown Fayetteville, just off Person Street, is Deep Creek Outfitters. The large brick building has a massive wooden front porch area with a tin roof. Behind it, not too far, is the roaring of the water from the Cape Fear River.

The brownish-colored river twirls in and out of thick foliage and trees, intertwining with all that surrounds it. The sound of the river can be heard from just the parking lot on certain days.

On the backside of the outfitters is a large grass space, with the Person Street bridge and the Cape Fear River creating a picturesque backdrop for it.

With an appropriate location and even more appropriate name, Rock’n On the River concert series will host Rivermist and Reflections II in just a little more than a week, on July 21 from 6 to 10 p.m.

Greg Adair, the coordinator for Rock’n On the River and drummer and vocalist for Rivermist, is a hard man to nail down. Between gigs and coordinating, he can often be reached on the road, either coming from or going to an event.

“Dos Equis and a lime please,” he says to his waitress. He and his bandmates then have a little laugh about this as it's exactly a line from one of the band’s original songs, “Right Place Right Time,” written by Allen Pier. The line isn’t always appropriate, Adair chuckles. At certain family events or venues, they change up the lyrics slightly.

“We’ve changed it to Pepsi and a lime.”

Today the five members of Rivermist are on their way to another gig. The bandmates include Adair, Allen Pier, lead and backup vocals and keyboard, Tony Harrison, Bass Guitar, Cliff Bender, Lead Guitar and Rick Starling, Vocals and Percussion/keyboard.

“We are all over the place,” Adair says about their music. Rivermist is a variety band, playing songs from Bruno Mars to Eagles to Lynard Skynard. Some of which they fit into medleys.

“‘All Summer Long’ segs with ‘Sweet Home Alabama,’” Adair says. The band chats among themselves. They seem to share a lot of laughs.

One thing Adair promises is the energy that he and the bandmates bring to each and every show. For many people, he says, they have to see it to understand it.

“If you get to [one of our] shows, you are going to say, ‘that’s good’ and I’m not saying this to sound cocky.” Adair speaks about the energy on the stage.
“There’s a lot going on.”

Adair, Pier, Harrison, Bender and Starling have been playing together since 2016. Adair got his start in music at the age of 6, playing at church and drumming on lunchboxes, cardboard boxes, really anything he could get his hands on.

He and all the members of the band, he says, are still active in their various churches.

“God has blessed us in that,” Adair says of the band’s success. So naturally, he concludes, the members must give back as well.

For Adair, he grew up as a pretty strict Christian with a lot of rules. As a kid, he wasn’t allowed to swim with someone of the opposite sex.

As far as music, he was supposed to play church music. But that really didn’t stop Adair or any of his friends.

“We all did,” he laughs about playing other types of music. Some of his favorite bands growing up are now bands he covers in Rivermist, like The Eagles, Journey, Earth, Wind and Fire.

Joining Rivermist for Rock’n on the River on the 21st is another variety or cover band, Reflections II. While two variety bands seem like they wouldn’t complement each other, Adair says the feel of Reflections II, with just as much energy as Rivermist, goes well together since they play different set lists and types of music. Reflections plays classic rock to modern country, and even dance music.

The show will begin at 6 p.m. on July 21 with Reflections II as the opener and Rivermist, the headliner, will take the stage somewhere around 8 p.m.

Adair encourages concertgoers to bring chairs. While the event is free to go, parking at the venue is a flat $10 fee. The event is outdoors and family-friendly.

No outside food is allowed but there will be food and drinks for sale. The event water and beer sales will go to the Karen Chandler Fund, a local nonprofit for cancer patients.

For more information on the Rock’n On the River series or this particular concert, the event series has a Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100049990406810 or you can email rocknontheriver@gmail.com.

The series goes throughout the year and has published all upcoming events online.

The National Park Foundation reports that the National Park System spans more than 84 million acres and encompasses 424 sites and units in the United States.

National parks do their part to foster conservation of natural resources and reserve wild land for the scores of animals that call these places home. They’re also enticing places to visit, with their vast vistas and interesting wildlife. Planning ahead can make any trip to a national park even better.

Know when to go. Research the best times of year to visit certain parks. All may not be open year-round. Think about the kind of experience you want to have. Most parks are busiest during the summer. Therefore, if you want to skip the crowds, perhaps visit in a slower season.

Research environments. With so many parks, it can be challenging to decide where to go. Take into consideration your interests as well as your limitations.

Find out which amenities and features each park offers, including shuttles, stores for gear, animal life, terrain, and potential hazards.

The more you know about each potential park, the better you can narrow down the place to visit first.

Know the rules and regulations. Most parks have regulations in place to keep visitors safe. Some parks require reservations to enter or access certain areas of the park. Some may need you to reserve space in advance.

Permits may be needed for certain activities, such as fishing. Check the park’s website to learn about permits or restrictions that may affect your trip.

Choose your accommodations. With their expanse of land and things to see, you’ll likely want to spend more than one day exploring a park. Figure out if the park has accommodations on the property. If not, you’ll need to locate lodging nearby.

Camping on the grounds can be a way to enjoy the park more intimately. Look into campsite rentals or whether recreational vehicles can be parked on a campsite in or near the national park.

Yellowstone and Yosemite are two national parks that tend to book campsites well in advance, so visitors should plan accordingly.

Pick your priorities. National parks tend to be massive, so make a list of the must-see attractions this time around (you can always visit again). While you can have an itinerary, you likely will enjoy the trip more if you’re relaxed and get to meander around rather than sticking to a strict schedule.

Consult the rangers. Make friends with the park rangers. They are experts on the park and can let you know which places to visit or if there are any shortcuts to certain attractions. Use their experience and guidance.

National parks are located across the United States. The parks are wonderful vacation spots, and visitors can plan now for their trips to see these natural wonders.

Fishing education workshops and summer day camps are available in July at the John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center on Raeford Road.

All of the workshops and summer day camps mentioned are free. The Family Fishing Workshop will take place on July 15 from 9 a.m. to noon.

The Family Fishing Workshop is designed for the entire family and teaches the basics of fishing. Children aged 15 and younger must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

All tackle and bait are provided, and no outside tackle or bait is allowed.

The workshop includes fishing in the center's stocked ponds. The families will learn but are not limited to: How to set up and cast a fishing rod; how to tie a basic fishing knot; how to catch a fish; catch and releasing fishing methods; and how to properly handle a fish.

The Camp Largemouth summer day camp will take place on July 19 to 21, from 9 a.m. to noon.

Camp Largemouth is a three-day summer day camp for teens aged 14 to 17. This camp focuses on bass. Campers will learn about bass fish and various bass fishing techniques.

The Fly-fishing Summer Camp will take place from July 26 to 28, from 9 a.m. to noon.

The Fly-fishing Summer Camp is a three-day summer day camp for ages 14 to 17. Day 1 includes an introduction to fly-fishing and beginning fly-tying. Day 2 offers fly-casting instruction. Day 3 will be fly-fishing for panfish and catfish.

It is recommended participants wear sunscreen and weather-appropriate clothing, such as closed-toe shoes and no sweatpants.

You can view a schedule of classes and register by visiting their website.

The Pechmann Fishing Education Center is the only fishing education center in North Carolina. Built in 2007, it was founded and is operated by the NC Wildlife Resources Commission.

The center's instructors teach a variety of programs to anglers of all ages and abilities.

The center is named after John E. Pechmann, a criminal attorney from Fayetteville, who was the chairman of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. He also sponsored various youth fishing programs.

For more information, please contact the John E. Pechmann Fishing Education Center via their website at https://www.ncwildlife.org/Learning/John-E-Pechmann-Fishing-Education-Center, or via phone at 910-868-5003.

The Pechmann Center is open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on weekends during events only.

The Pechmann Fishing Education Center is located at 7489 Raeford Road in Fayetteville. For those familiar with the Pechmann Center, it is no longer accessible by traveling South Reilly Road due to construction of Fayetteville’s I-295 loop. Access is available by continuing on Raeford Road, then by turning north onto Rim Road, then right on Old Raeford Road.

A court sport is sweeping the nation, and it isn’t tennis or basketball. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, 4.8 million people played pickleball in 2021, marking a nearly 15% growth in the total number of players from the year prior.

Data from the SFIA suggests pickleball is popular among people of all ages. Total participation among players between ages six and 17 (21%), 18 and 34 (29 %) and 35 and 54 (20%) is significant, and players 65 and older also are well represented (18%).

As the popularity of pickleball grows, now is a great time to explore the basics of this game that’s become a go-to pastime for so many people.

What is pickleball?
USA PickleballTM notes that pickleball combines many elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. That game is played with a paddle and a plastic ball with holes and can be played both indoors and outdoors on a badminton-sized court with a slightly modified tennis net.

Much like tennis, pickleball can be played in a singles (one-on-one) or doubles (two-on-two) format.

How long has pickleball been played?
Despite a recent and meteoric spike in popularity, pickleball has been around since 1965. The brainchild of three fathers from Bainbridge Island (which is just a brief ferry ride away from Seattle), the game was invented as a means of entertaining bored children. It has since evolved from those roots and become a wildly popular game across both the United States and Canada, and the game has even begun to spread into Europe and Asia.

How is pickleball played?
An extensive list of the rules of pickleball can be found at https://usapickleball.org/what-is-pickleball/official-rules/rules-summary/. A game is typically played to 11 points, and a team must win by two. Tournament games may be played to 15 or 21, and a team must win by two.

Does pickleball use referees?
Recreational games of pickleball can rely on the honor system much like pick-up games of other sports do. However, USA PickleballTM notes that referees and line judges are important components of tournament play. More information about becoming a pickleball referee can be found at https://usapickleball.org/get-involved/pickleball-officiating/

Why should I play pickleball?
Players enjoy the game of pickleball for a multitude of reasons, including the thrill of competition, the chance to socialize and the opportunity to exercise outside of a gym or home fitness center. But many play the game because they find it fun.

Pickleball has experienced a notable spike in popularity in recent years. More information about the game and how to get involved is available at https://usapickleball.org.

Many people commit suicide under the impression that they no longer want to be a burden on those around them. What they do not realize is those who love them are left in a devastating condition grasping for reason and purpose to the loss.

The rate of suicide for veterans was 57.3% higher than that of non-veteran adults in 2020, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that law enforcement officers and firefighters are more likely to die by suicide than in the line of duty.

Furthermore, EMS providers are 1.39 times more likely to die by suicide than the public.

Enrique “Rick” Murillo understands this more than he would want to. He started the Man 22 Suicide Awareness Run eight years ago in honor of someone he knew personally who took their own life.

“For the history of the run, which started eight years ago, May 1st, 2016, and it was because of a friend, one of my best friends, who committed suicide,” Murillo told Up & Coming Weekly.

“I wanted to do something for him, and everybody was doing 22 push-ups a day. [That’s] based off of the 22 veterans that were committing suicide a day. So I said I wanted to do something more challenging. So I said, ‘Hey, let’s run 2.22 miles... and do the 22 push-ups at the end. And we do this run with body armor and wear the name tapes of those that are following a suicide at the time, eight years ago.’”

For that first run, 55 people showed up on a rainy Sunday morning. Now, Murillo says they have averaged 800 to 1,000 people for the last four years.

The run is also not just about the run. Murillo’s organization also places an emphasis on respecting and honoring Gold Star families. There will be an event Friday, July 21, for the families. There will be a private dinner with sponsors from 5 to 6 p.m. Then, after 6 p.m., the meet and greet will be open to the public. There will be raffles, auctions, food, drinks and entertainment. This will take place at The Kraken-Skulls at 822 Shannon Drive. Ideally, this is when the community comes out and meets the sponsors, volunteers and learns more about the organization.

“They don’t get to experience what community is when they go back home, or, once again, it’s a stigma of suicide, and people don’t recognize that as an honorable death. So [it is important] to have them here, have them see what we do and how we try to combat it,” Murillo said.

The 8th Annual MAN22 Suicide Awareness Run will take place on Saturday, July 22. This year, the run will take place in downtown Fayetteville, starting at Festival Park.

The event will kick off with the Gold Star Escort at 9 a.m. The escort will start at Hendrick Jeep, at 543 N. McPherson Church Road, and end at Festival Park.

The event will officially kick off at 11 a.m. with a demonstration from the All Veteran Group.

Following the demonstration, an invocation and ceremony will feature guest speakers from the community.

Fayetteville City Councilmember Kathy Jensen is the guest speaker for the city; Fayetteville Police Chief Kemberle Braden will be the guest speaker for first responders; and retired Master Sgt. Chris Corbin will be the guest speaker for veterans.

As with each Man22SAR event, there will be 22 push-ups and a 2.22-mile run. The run will start at Festival Park, go into Segra Stadium, onto Hay Street, and back again.

Following the event, Festival Park will have food trucks and 10 vendors. Nonprofit organizations will be available to talk and provide resources for those who need them.

Unlike most other runs, registration is not required. You can just show up to the run and participate free of charge.

The event is not about money, according to Murillo. The event is about showing up, being a community and providing resources to those who need it.

“In our sixth year, I had five people reach out and say thank you because they went to therapy, they went to inpatient therapy, and then they’re more active in the community. If I’m able to reach one person at this run, then I feel like I’ve accomplished something. If I could save one life,” Murillo said.

“That year, five people reached out and said ‘thank you.’ And so here we were, 500% accomplished.”

Murillo shared with Up & Coming Weekly that he lost a good friend last month to suicide. He believes more can be done because we are still losing people.

This year, Murillo is going to be running with 10 nametags attached to him; all are people he knew personally.

“I believe we’re not doing enough, and there’s more that could be done. But together, we need to come together as a community and be stronger for each other and care for each other,” Murillo said.

While the event is primarily organized for veterans and first responders, Murillo wants the entire community to come out, show support, and participate because suicide has a major rippling effect on everyone.

“We are open up to everybody because suicide is affecting everybody, especially our young kids at a very young age. So I want as many people to come out and just see what we do, see what we do as a community. I always tell people if you want to understand what community means, come to Fayetteville, North Carolina, and you will see.”

For more information about the run, go to https://www.facebook.com/events/544556577655990.

For more information about Through Tragedy Comes Light, the nonprofit whose CEO is Murillo, visit https://throughtragedycomeslight.org/.

As the financial recovery from the pandemic continues, Transworld’s Main Street Market Report found that business acquisitions were up more than 32% from 2021 to 2022. This rebound is great news for buyers, but to fully understand the uptick, let’s drill down into who is currently looking to sell their businesses and which demographics are primed to make a purchase.

Who’s Selling
The primary sellers are baby boomers. Born between 1946 and 1964, the later end of this demographic is approaching retirement and looking to plan for their third act. The last of the boomers will reach full retirement age in 2031, less than 10 years down the road. Additionally, recession concerns, labor shortages and general burnout are propelling some to consider selling their businesses sooner rather than later.

However, not all boomers are ready to cash out and leave the workforce. In fact, 49% of baby boomers expect to, or already have, extended their working lives past 70 or do not plan to retire, according to the nonprofit Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies in collaboration with the Transamerica Institute.

Finally, the other top category of sellers is those interested in capitalizing on the buoyant business sales market we are currently experiencing. These sellers may be looking to step back from entrepreneurship or simply feel it’s the right time to shift their focus to a new and different business.

Who’s Buying
If the sellers are boomers and those looking to cash in on the hot sales market, who are the individuals buying at the moment? The two main groups are people looking to leave corporate America and be their own bosses and strategic buyers.

The pandemic changed how many people looked at work/life balance. The first group of people buying took a hard look at how their jobs were aligning with their personal lives during the pandemic and came away thinking there had to be a better way. They are interested in entrepreneurship so they can be the ones making the rules and deciding when they need to clock in and out. As a result, this group is looking for businesses that are considered the most recession-proof. Among that group, service-based opportunities are the most popular.

That leaves strategic buyers, i.e., people interested in acquiring a business for strategic reasons. They have most likely never owned the type of business they are purchasing and are interested in the business to enhance their competitive position.

For instance, this type of buyer may be looking to gain complementary products, technologies, customer bases, or distribution channels that will help them with cost savings, revenue growth, market expansion, or other strategic objectives.

Strategic buyers can be larger companies looking to buy a smaller business to expand their offerings or consolidate their industry position. They could be buying a company to enter a new market or eliminating a competitor. The focus is on the long-term benefits the business gives them, not financial returns alone.

Even with some economic conditions changing in 2023 — interest rate increase and concerns about inflation — the data on sales speed, price and deal volume continue to trend upwards, as they did in 2022. These are all good signs for anyone looking to sell their quality business in the months ahead.

Editor's note: Ashley Kelsey is a Business Broker at Transworld Business Advisors of Eastern North Carolina. She can be reached at 910-302-6447 or email akelsey@tworld.com.

The Fayetteville Fury has a new owner: Phillip Lin aims to cultivate community and a love for soccer in Fayetteville

Fayetteville’s newest professional sports team, the Fayetteville Fury soccer team, has played two full seasons, and is now preparing for its third.

The Fayetteville Fury was officially announced on June 7, 2021, as the second franchise in the National Indoor Soccer League.

When Lin joined as a minority owner in June 2021, the Fayetteville Fury team had four owners. In March 2023, Lin decided to buy out the remaining owners’ shares, thus making him the primary shareholder of the soccer team.

When asked, “Why Fayetteville?,” Phillip responded, “At the time I was looking to get into sports ownership and picked Fayetteville because I felt connected to this city and its strong ties to the military community. As a successful serial entrepreneur, I felt it was time for me to give back to the community. I believed Fayetteville had a need for community and to have more sports entertainment. I really felt a warmness from the community, and they have embraced me and the entire team.”

It was Lin’s passion for sports and community that motivated him to continue building and investing in Fayetteville sports entertainment.

“I feel people get connected through sports. Since COVID, people have lost human connection and I feel sports brings communities together with a common goal and interest.”

“My favorite thing about attending the games is the energy of the fans, seeing how happy they are, and how they don’t take their eyes away from the game. They are engaged the entire time and it’s a bond for the community as they are cheering together.”

As a self-identified serial entrepreneur, Lin owns multiple businesses, The Howdy Triangle in Cary, Catering by Design in Raleigh, and three sports teams: Fayetteville Chutes, Oak City Gliders, and now Fayetteville Fury.

Lin is also a published author of “One Bad Asian,” an autobiography detailing his life as an immigrant whose Taiwanese family moves to the United States to achieve the American dream. He details his struggles as an immigrant, working three jobs, his journey through entrepreneurship, and how he navigated obstacles in life.

Not only has Lin continued to grow and invest into the Fayetteville team, but he has reorganized the leadership and structure.

The new organizational structure for the Fury includes Owner Phillip Lin; General Manager and Men's Head Coach Al Florez; Assistant General Manager Dustin Lee; Community Relations Director Ashley Blake; Merchandise Director Terri Sue Maynor-Guevara; Marketing Partners 219 Group; Account Exec Brandon Rodriguez; Women’s Head Coach is to be announced at a later date; Assistant Coach Miguel Sanchez; Fan Engagement & Inclusion Director Ali Arostegui; and the Operations Director will be announced soon.

The team will host 12 regular season home games at the Crown Center when the season starts in January 2024. Each game-night will feature a Men’s and Women’s Doubleheader.

During the off-season the Fury soccer team is busy with community outreach, hosting tryouts, youth soccer camps, and soccer tournaments. The team even added their very own dragon mascot, Furyous, who loves engaging with fans.

The Fayetteville Fury is a professional indoor soccer team dedicated to the community, personal development of the players, and to the growth of soccer among the youth by providing them with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in the sport. For more information visit www.fayettevillefury.com/

Cucumbers are a summer favorite for me, and I love them so much that I think I could eat my weight in this low-calorie fruit!

Cucumber (Cucumus sativus) is a family of fruit, not vegetables, including watermelon, pumpkin, muskmelon and squash. They are native to India and are one of four ancient fruits that have been grown as a food source for over 3,000 years.

Early cucumbers may have been bitter because of compounds that were natural defenses to repel insects and other pests. Over the centuries, great strides have been taken to eliminate the bitterness with cultivation, but we occasionally can bite into one with a bitter taste.

Cucumbers were eaten in ancient Egypt, but the Egyptians made weak liquor out of them by cutting a hole in the ripened fruit and stirring with a stick on the inside to liquefy it. After it was liquefied, they plugged the hole and buried it for several days. The result was said to be a weak form of liquor, but I suggest that you do not try this!

They were also grown in Italy in the 8th and 9th centuries and later spread to western Europe. During the reign of King Henry VIII, his first wife (Catherine of Aragon) often demanded cucumbers for her Spanish salads.

Columbus is credited for bringing them to the New World with other vegetables and fruits. He introduced them to Haiti in 1494 and by 1806 eight varieties of cucumbers could be found growing in America’s colonial gardens.

There are about 100 varieties of cucumbers. Many are found in supermarkets, and farmer’s markets, including English, Persian, Kirby and pickling. There are rare white cucumbers, some are “burpless” and others require a little flavoring in vinegar with salt and pepper.

There are eight common varieties:

English cucumbers are seedless, burpless cucumbers that are long with sweet firm flesh, thin and dark green. They are often preferred for cucumber sandwiches, salads and even infused with water and cocktails.

White cucumbers have a culinary interest because of the white skins. They are served much as English cucumbers.

Persian cucumbers are small and burpless, easily digestible, have very few seeds.

Garden cucumbers have thicker skin and are best when they are peeled because the skin may contain some bitterness and they have larger seeds.

Lemon cucumbers are the size of a small tennis ball. They are mild and sweet with a cool crispy texture and are ideal for salads.

Kirby cucumbers, my favorite, are small in size with bumpy skins and firm flesh and are a favorite for pickling.

Gherkins are pickled baby cucumbers that have been allowed to ferment. Pickled in brine or vinegar, they are a favorite for charcuterie boards and cheese trays.

Armenian cucumbers are long, also known as yard-long cucumber and snake melon. They are not cucumbers but fall into the category of musk melons.

The health benefits of cucumbers are many. They are about 97% water and great for hydration. The term “cool as a cucumber” is common because a cucumber can be considerably cooler on the inside. They are aids in battling immense heat and they are known for aiding with sunburn by mixing up a puree and applying it to the skin.

Cucumbers help with flushing toxins and the ability to battle kidney stones. They are also loaded with vitamins and help with weight loss with one cup having sixteen calories.

Live, love life and stay cool as a cucumber.

Summer vacations invite exploration, and who doesn’t love to explore? According to Webster’s dictionary, “explore” is defined as traveling in or through an unfamiliar place in order to learn more about it. Whether it’s the excitement of the unknown or the thrill of learning something new, from young to old, we all enjoy taking a risk now and then.

Such was the case years ago when our young family ventured to the Cayman Islands. Renting a Jeep for the week we decided to go off the beaten path with our two young boys.

At some point we chose to ignore the road signs (those warnings meant for our safety) and found our paved road turning into a dirt road. It was then that it happened. Our Jeep got stuck in a rut quickly ending our explorations. Thank goodness God got us out of that rut — that deep track made by the repeated passage of those who had made the same wrong choice as us. But what about the ruts in life that get us stuck spiritually?

I remember once reading a road sign that said, “Be careful the rut you choose, because you will remain in that rut for the next 25 miles.” In other words, be careful with your chioces.

It’s one thing to get stuck with the people you love on a hot afternoon in the Caymans. It’s another thing to get stuck spiritually — to form a habit or pattern of thinking that is incorrect, especially in your walk with God.
Romans 12 says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect His will really is.”

In a world full of blurred lines, it’s easy to get stuck in thinking the way the world does, and once we get in that rut, it’s difficult to get out. But the Bible teaches us not to become so comfortable with our culture, which is usually self-centered, that we fit in without even thinking. We are challenged to let God’s Word teach us to think differently. Not an easy task considering everywhere we turn we are influenced by others defining truth for us.

It takes a deliberate, hard turn to align our thinking with God’s truth. But when we do so, we discover that God loves us so much, He will never leave us circling in deeply rutted paths of untruth.

Making the commitment to study the Bible is not a task to be taken lightly. But attempting to navigate through life with no direction, no signs, no moral or spiritual boundaries to ensure we stay on the right path — well, that will land you in a pothole. When we study the Bible, we get to know the character of God — how He thinks, His nature, His attributes, His desires for our life and for mankind.

We learn that God will go to any length to have a relationship with people, even as far as sacrificing His son, Jesus.

We learn the history of how God has reached down to mankind through the ages revealing Himself.

We learn of man’s rebellious nature, wanting to ignore the road signs and go his own selfish way.

We lament over the inescapable consequences of man’s sin, yet we are reminded that with Jesus, there is always hope for restoration.

Through studying the Bible we get to know God, and knowing God changes the way we think. God transforms us into a new person by renewing our minds with His unchangeable truth. After all, nothing is different until you think differently.

Looking at life through the lens of the Bible changes the way we look at everything in this life. Understanding what God loves and what God hates, grasping His holiness, believing in His sovereignty over all peoples and nations throughout all time — well, that invites a new perspective.

When we trust in God as the ultimate authority in our lives, His thoughts gradually become ours. We may still be in the rut of unmovable circumstances, but our wrong thinking does not have to remain in that rut. God invites us into a way of right thinking. We begin to see and understand His good and perfect will throughout the ages and how He brings good out of the worst of situations. And once we align our will (our thinking) with God’s will, when we prove by the way we live that He can be trusted, we are changed from the inside out. In the biblical paraphrase of Eugene Patterson, “God brings the best out” in us.

What well-worn path of your own making are you spinning your wheels in today? After all, we never arrive anywhere in this life by accident. Knowing who or what to trust nowadays seems harder than ever.

Rather than trusting your own limited, faulty wisdom, consider exploring the Bible this summer. The Bible does not gloss over hard truths, and that’s a good thing — because God knows your name and the rut you are in.

The good news is you don’t have to occupy that same rut you are existing in the rest of your life. God loves to seek and rescue all, even from the ruts of our own making.

What are you waiting for? Open the Bible and find the solid ground you have been searching for.

Editor’s note: A version of this article appears in the June issue of Women’s View Magazine.

The Public Works Exhibition, powered by the Fayetteville Public Works Commission, is on display through July 22 at The Arts Center on 301 Hay Street in historic downtown Fayetteville. The exhibit is free and open to the public.

“PWC is thrilled to continue supporting this community event, which has become a cherished tradition,” says Lamont Hinson, Communications & Community Relations Associate of the Fayetteville Public Works Commission. “Through the arts, we aim to foster a stronger sense of connection within our community and bring vibrancy to our downtown areas. Come and see the amazing creativity of our talented local neighbors.”

Curated by the Ellington-White Community Development Corporation, Public Works welcomed individuals of any age or background, regardless of their artistic experience, to submit their unique, culturally enriched visual artwork. The collection of artwork on display in a professional gallery setting is diverse in nature, featuring various techniques such as 2D and 3D paintings, drawings, printmaking, photography, sculpture, ceramics, and more. Each artist had the creative freedom to select their subject matter.

Residents living in Cumberland, Hoke, Robeson, Sampson and Scotland Counties, and those in Fort Liberty and Pope Army Airfield were encouraged to participate in the exhibit.

“This exhibit offers a fair opportunity for individuals of all ages and backgrounds to publicly express their artistic talents,” says Bob Pinson, President|CEO of the Arts Council. “Art has the power to convey powerful messages and promote dialogue, making it a universal language that can help bring people together and build our community. Whether you're a highly trained artist or a self-taught beginner, there’s an artist inside each of us waiting to be discovered.”

Artwork from the exhibition is also available for purchase.

People’s Choice Honor
Visitors to the art exhibition before June 24 were able to vote for their favorite artwork in the “People’s Choice” selection. The pieces with the highest number of votes will be declared as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners, along with Honorable Mentions. The winners will receive a gift basket containing distinctive items from downtown businesses, and their work will be featured in the e-ARTSletter, digital and social media platforms, an artist interview, and an Up & Coming Weekly print ad.

The Arts Center gallery hours vary. Visit https://www.wearethearts.com/pwc for more details.

Vision Resource Center has been assisting the visually impaired and blind in Fayetteville since 1939 and its reading service is one of the newer innovations since its conception. Vision Resource Center has a 24/7 stream where those in the Fayetteville community can hear local news, obituaries and other happenings in the community.

Terri Thomas, executive director at the center, explained more about the service.

The stream contains content Thomas and volunteers read live or pre-record articles from local newspapers and magazines. The service is accessible to the blind or visually impaired via Zeno Radio, Alexa, online or a telephone call-in. Content includes some entertainment news as well.

The fresh content comes on from noon to 2 p.m. From 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. audio books, podcasts and uplifting content can be heard. From there, the previous content streams on until the new content comes on at 12 p.m. the next day.

There are several ways to listen to the stream. The first is by using the websites visionresourcecentercc.org or vrcvlyreadingservice.org.

Secondly, listeners can dial-in to the number 1-518-801-1347.

Thirdly, streamers can download the Zeno Radio app.

The final way to listen is to ask Amazon’s Alexa to open VRCVLY Reading Service. When prompted, say, “Listen Live.”

Currently, they have about 76 listeners but Thomas knows more will come in time.

The Road to the Reading Service
For those wondering how the reading service started, Thomas said it started with COVID.

She said during COVID-19 clients of the Vision Resource Center let her know they needed to know what was going on with COVID. They also needed other forms of entertainment.

She said a Fayetteville nonprofit at one point in time did have a radio service located on the Fayetteville State University campus where they read newsy information out to those visually impaired or blind. She said that service was discontinued.

Thomas explained to the VRC Board that an organization in Raleigh could help the VRC fill the gap where listeners could listen via radio. Rocky Mount had a similar service.

Thomas said she was researching the two and learning more about how to bring those services to Fayetteville. She said using radio seemed like a great platform, but she knew streaming was what everybody used.
Johnathan Milam from Winston-Salem contacted Thomas and put together the VRC-VLY website and station remotely.

The VLY stands for Virginia Lilly Yarborough. According to Thomas, Yarborough was one of the VRC’s biggest supporters and she loved listening to audio books.

Thomas said it was only fitting to ask her husband and family if the VRC could name the service in her honor.

Thomas said the service started in 2020. She went on a sabbatical in 2021. They relaunched again in March 2023 because she has been looking for more volunteers to help with the reading service.

Volunteers needed
Thomas said she wants to make VRC-VLY more accessible so anyone can access it. She said she already noticed senior citizens utilizing it. She just needs more volunteers to make it happen.

“People who want to volunteer and get more volunteer hours can do the readings at the VRC or virtually,” Thomas said.

Volunteers can come to the VRC at noon and read either for one or two hours. A reading partner will be there, too, so one person is only reading part of the time. Another option is to pre-record the news segment at the VRC or via Zoom from 9 to 11 a.m. to upload before noon. Thomas said volunteers can record via Zoom while another person is at the VRC at noon.

Call the center at 910-483-2719 for more information.

If you’ve ever gone to a nail salon or had a spa day, I’m sure you notice how your mood and self confidence boosts after experiencing that small act of self care … now just imagine what that would’ve been like to have that feeling as a kid.

Zoë Noelle’s Princess Spa and nail salon is a unique pink oasis that gives kids a chance to have that feeling of luxury and princess treatment, right here in downtown Fayetteville.

Zoë, a pageant winner, model and now business owner, is a kid who has been going to salons with her mother since the age of 2.

She’s always enjoyed playing dress up in her mom's make up and clothes, and has had a sense for luxury as she’s grown up. At just the age of 11 she’s been able to realize how going to nail salons and spas has been a huge impact on her self confidence, and now wants to share that with other kids who she feels deserves that same experience.

Up & Coming Weekly had a chance to visit Zoë’s new spa and speak with her and her mother Dr. Shenae Whitehead about how important this business is for their family and the community.

Shenae says, “As adults we always try to give our kids the things we didn’t have growing up. Zoë has been able to experience a lot of different things being by my side for the majority of the time. Since I have my own business as well, I wanted to give Zoë the opportunity to work for herself and leave a legacy for her.”

Zoë says, “Many adults haven’t experienced luxury as children, they had to grow up just to experience it. I think kids should have that because it introduces you to new things, and even helps with your creative mind set. You can look good, but you have to feel good too, it’s all a part of a mind set.”

Shenae’s business is in psychology, where she owns three practices and oversees a number of psychologists who work with clients. Her background in psychology has rubbed off on Zoë, and they are able to intertwine their love for mental health and self love at Zoë’s Princess Spa.

“For one of my practices, Zoë led a discussion group for middle school girls, where she was able to discuss her anxiety and things she’s gone through, she’s very open and honest with her feelings. We want to do more discussion groups paired with Zoë’s spa to open the doors for kids her age to be able to talk to each other and express themselves,” Shenae says.

Zoë and her mom don’t plan on just stopping there when it comes to connecting with the youth. Inside the salon is a shelving area that showcases tons of accessories and products made for kids, and some even by kids.
They’re also teaming up with a local bath bomb brand to sell them in the salon, as well as kid-friendly skincare products.

Shenae says “We wanted to use this opportunity for Zoë to make relationships and partnerships with other young entrepreneurs in the city. It’s important for kids her age to support each other, especially with their businesses.”

Zoë and her mom make sure to have high quality items for the customers to use and have while visiting their Spa. They also make sure to use vegan products to better accommodate all skin types.

“Everything from the spa robes, to the nail polish, are things we would personally use as well. We didn’t want to cut any corners on quality, and give everyone the same experience we would want to have visiting other places,” says Shenae.

It’s hard to miss the Spa walking down Hay Street. You can look through the glass and see faux clouds hanging from the ceiling, bright pink trees by the service stations and a neon sign that reads “Glamorous.”
Shenae and Zoë are making an impact in the community with the shop already. They chose to partner with some high schools in the city to hire young girls of color, to give them proper working experience before entering the work force as a full adult.

At times, women of color are overlooked in the workplace, or even overlooked in terms of the hiring process. For Zoë and her mom, hiring and showing young girls who look like them that they can work in comfortable environments and be business owners too was an extremely important goal to achieve when opening this Spa.

Salon services at the Princess Spa include basic manicures, pedicures and facials for kids and adults. Parents can bring their kids for a special bonding experience, or just routine nail maintenance at an affordable price.
They even offer princess treatment packages that include a massage with scented lotion, a robe to wear, snacks and more.

Zoë’s Princess Spa offers birthday and spa party packages along with their regular salon services.

If you want a group of kids to get the full spa experience, Zoë has you covered. The party packages offer everything from tea table set ups, to robe and slipper sets. They even include a parent lounge, custom gift boxes and tiaras for the guests.

Zoë Noelle Princess Spa is located at 321 Hay Street and is open from Tuesday through Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sundays noon to 6 p.m. The shop is closed on Mondays.

To view their full services and packages visit their website znprincessspa.com. To contact and book for parties and rentals contact them at znprincessspa@gmail.com or give them a call at 910-500-3134.

Young historians from across the state gathered in person for the first time in three years for the North Carolina Museum of History’s 2023 Tar Heel Junior Historian Association Annual Convention in June. The all-day event featured dynamic learning experiences that help young people appreciate and understand North Carolina’s rich history and recognized the junior historians for their impactful historical work on projects.

Workshops connected to the 2022–2023 themes of Tar Heel Junior Historian Magazine. Highlights included: performances from local musicians, learning how to play the dulcimer, building their own banjos, and diving into the science of sound.

Representing Cumberland County was Azaleyah Mosqueda from Saint Patrick Catholic School. Mosqueda won second place in the intermediate division of the Exhibit & Visual Arts Contest for her submission Town Creek Indian Mound.

“Knowing about who came before us is an infectious thing,” said Dr. Darren Waters, Deputy Secretary of the North Carolina Office of Archives and History during his opening remarks to the young historians. “I am hoping you’re deeply inspired and bring inspiration back with you to inspire others.”

Other presenters emphasized the importance of knowing our history, including Durham band The Beast, who said, “It is so important to know your roots. If you don’t use the roadmap given to you, you can’t know where you’re going. We must use the roadmap so we never forget where we came from and to improve the way ahead.”

This year’s awards recognized junior historians for their outstanding projects, which featured a wide variety of historical significance of people, places, and events in their own communities and across our state. From artifacts to visual arts, photography, creative writing, and more, there is plenty to learn from in this year’s student projects.

“As the Tar Heel Junior Historian Association, we believe that students can contribute to knowledge of North Carolina history. And it’s true. I learn new things about North Carolina history each year from the students’ projects. From local conservation efforts that saved the bluebird to the story of local students who operated a printing press, it really illustrates that kids can be great historians, too,” said Jessica Pratt, Curator of Education Outreach and THJHA Program Coordinator at the North Carolina Museum of History.

All winning projects are showcased in the exhibit History in Every Direction: Tar Heel Junior Historian Association Discovery Gallery, now open to museum visitors.

Authorized by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1953, the Tar Heel Junior Historian Association is sponsored by the North Carolina Museum of History, part of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources. The association is made up of a network of free clubs across the state, with members in grades 4 to 12.

Clubs may be sponsored by public, private or home schools, or by other organizations such as museums and historical societies, 4-H groups, Boy Scouts, or Girl Scouts. Clubs can be any size, from one student and one adviser to hundreds of students and several advisers.

Clubs must renew their membership each school year, and new clubs can join at any time using an online application at tarheeljuniorhistorians.org.

Cumberland County Government will reopen the application period for its Small Business Economic Assistance Program from July 1 to July 31 to allow for additional small businesses to apply for assistance.

The announcement comes along with the Board of Commissioners’ approval on June 19 of a revised Small Business Economic Assistance Policy in light of the U.S. Treasury’s Final Rule on the American Rescue Plan, which was released in April 2022.

The revised policy includes modifications with implications for the county’s Small Business Economic Assistance Program, including revised eligibility criteria, updated funding allocation guidelines, and revised reporting requirements.

The Cumberland County Small Business Economic Assistance Program allows small for-profit businesses that faced economic hardship due to the COVID-19 pandemic to apply for up to $50,000 in financial assistance.

For the purpose of this program, small businesses are defined as having no more than 250 employees (including the owner) at the time of application submission.

Assistance may be provided to reimburse the small business for qualifying expenses related to:

• Payroll, which includes wages and associated payroll taxes; and
• Occupancy, which includes rental lease payments, mortgage (for business property) as well as utilities.

The application and revised policy is available on the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners’ American Rescue Plan website at cumberlandcountync.gov/arp-small-business

The website also includes a link to a virtual information session with county staff, which will provide more information about the program, including a question-and-answer period.

Anyone with questions should contact the county’s American Rescue Plan team at arpsmb@cumberlandcountync.gov. For more information on the ARP Committee and Cumberland County’s ARP programs, visit cumberlandcountync.gov/arp.

Today we are going to learn how the universe is arranged. It is too complicated to explain the goings-on between Putin and Prigozhin in Mother Russia. Russia’s current situation is, to quote Winston Churchill, “a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.”

Instead we will review how the Cosmos is organized. There are a number of colorful theories about the origin and structure of the universe and Earth’s place therein. You are invited to choose the theory you like best.

The Big Bang Theory is the one that Mr. Science chooses to believe. Under this concept, once upon a time 13.8 billion years ago there was an original atom who we will call Miss Kitty. She is not to be confused with Marshal Matt Dillon’s friend who ran the Long Branch Saloon in Gunsmoke. For reasons, even Mr. Science does not understand, one day the cosmic Ms. Kitty blew up and spewed out the entire universe, planets, stars, dark matter and the Dook basketball team.

There are two versions of the Big Bang Theory, neither of which is particularly encouraging. Under the Inflationary Big Bang theory the universe will keep expanding forever until every star and planet is alone in a vast dark void. Not even the Federal Reserve raising interest rates will be able to stop the cosmic inflationary spiral into nothingness.

The other version is the Big Crunch theory which holds that at some point after the Big Bang, the universe will stop expanding like a rubber band being pulled by a three year old kid. Then, like a rubber band, the universe will snap back into its original location. This will squash everything in the universe into a Mega Black Hole which will once again explode into a new Big Bang. Nothing will be left from our universe after the Big Crunch but Twinkies, cockroaches, and Keith Richards.

There are a number of other scientific theories about the universe worth mentioning in passing. The Geocentric theory held that the Earth is the center of the universe with the stars rotating around us. Our old buddy Ptolemy came up with this theory in 2nd century AD. It was pretty much the standard theory until an astronomer named Copernicus came up with his heliocentric theory which said the Earth revolved around the sun. Galileo sided with this theory and got into big trouble with the Pope’s Inquisition in 1615.

The Earth got downgraded again in 1785 when a smart aleck astronomer named William Herschel came up with the Galactocentric theory that our very own sun was the center of the Milky Way galaxy. Not only was the Earth not the center of the universe, it wasn’t even the center of its own solar system, much less its galaxy. Now we know how Pluto felt when it got downgraded from being a planet in 2006.

The ancient Egyptians’ theory was that in the beginning, the universe was just a big wet puddle of nothing with the Sun God, a dude named Atum sleeping in it while floating around. One day Atum woke up and created an island because he could. Atum stood on the island and began creating the universe by inventing gods and goddesses. When he got tired of creating theological beings, he created humans to amuse himself. The rest is history.

One of my favorite theories is the Turtles all the way down proposition. A western traveler we will call Fred was in Asia. Fred met an Asian philosopher there. Fred asked what is the nature of the world?

The philosopher told him that the Earth is “A great ball resting on the flat back of the world turtle.” Fred asked “What is the world turtle standing on?” The philosopher explained that it is “Turtles all the way down.” That is a lot of turtles. It is unclear what the bottom turtle is standing upon. Like in 1950’s horror movies, “There are some things man should not know.”

I have saved the best cosmic possibility for last. Welcome the Flat Earth Theory. Flat Earthers believe the Earth is flat like a big Frisbee. No globalism for them. A poll in 2017 found that 1% of Americans believe the Earth is flat. While that does not sound like much, America’s population is about 332 million. That means over 300,000 Americans believe the Earth is flat.

The most popular Flat Earth theory holds that the Artic Circle is in the middle of the Earth. Antarctica is a circular ring around the outside of the Flat Earth Disk with a wall of ice about 150 feet tall.

Employees of NASA are stationed all along the outer ring of the ice wall to keep civilians from finding out the Earth is flat and to keep them from falling off to where the turtles holding up the Earth might eat them.

You are now free to pick out the cosmic theory that suits you, just as you are able to pick out the news silo that suits your political leanings. Have a celestial day.

Happy birthday to us!

Birthdays can be wonderful celebrations for families and friends, and lots of us are having lots of them! In fact, we the American people are having so many birthdays, we are now older than we have ever been.

Our median age in 2022 was a record-breaking 38.9 years old, according to U.S. Census Bureau data released last month. And while the graying of nations is an international phenomenon, we remain younger than many European nations that have a median age of 44.

Japan is the oldest industrialized nation with a median age of nearly 49 years, while tiny Monaco has the world’s oldest population at a median age of 55.4.

Many Americans, including this writer, look at 39 as relatively young, but in demographic terms, we have become much older relatively quickly.

Our median age in 1980 was 30, in 2000 it was 35, and now it is almost 39. Cumberland County is a bit of an outlier with a much younger median age of 31.4 years, in part because of the young people and young families stationed here in military service.

Compare that to our neighbors in Bladen and Sampson Counties, with median ages above the national average at 44.8 and 40.3 respectively.

So what does this graying of America mean? Firstly, it is all about numbers and trends. And once trends have begun, they play themselves out, meaning that because our birth rate has fallen 20% since the Great Recession of the late 2000s, there are simply fewer babies to bring down the median age.

American millennials, as well as those in other industrialized nations, have put education and career before starting families. Some research also suggests that many of them will not have children for various reasons, including fear of the future, environmental concerns, toxic politics, and fertility issues.

In other words, another trend can emerge if our birth rate increases, but the current one will continue.

In addition, as the United States continues to gray, we are also becoming a more diverse nation. So far this decade, our Asian population has grown the most, followed by our Hispanic population, followed by Blacks, then whites. Southern and Western states are growing rapidly through both births and migration from other states and nations.

The scary part is that many — soon to be most — older Americans are no longer working and paying taxes on their wages, shifting that burden to younger and fewer Americans who are building careers. Will they be willing and able to pay for the social programs, primarily Social Security and Medicare, needed and expected by the millions of Baby Boomers now retiring in droves and even as their life spans continue to increase?

Economists have been pondering this situation for decades, and the rubber is now hitting the road. The United States confronts questions about the allocation of precious public resources among generations.

Other nations, some with much more robust social programs, face similar dilemmas. The World Bank suggests several strategies to address the consequences of an aging population. These include improving educational quality at all levels to generate a more productive workforce, encouraging women and seniors to remain in the workforce, increasing savings at all levels — federal, state, local and personal, and supporting innovation and emerging technology.

And, lest you think the aging of America is not a pressing issue, ponder this. The U.S. Census Bureau says people 65 and over will outnumber Americans under 18 by 2034.

That is a mere 11 years away.

Six months ago, our community was attacked.

Two substations in Moore County were intentionally attacked on the evening of Dec. 3, leaving my house and 45,000 of our neighbors without power for up to 10 days.

In the aftermath of the attack, hospitals were impacted threatening medical treatments, schools were shut down, businesses were affected, stop lights were dark, gas stations were closed, cell signals were impacted, and water couldn’t be heated.

An attack like this could have devastated our community and we didn’t go without our struggles. But overall, I am so proud of our resilient response. In the days that followed, residents truly showed the best of Moore County and the best of America.

Throughout our region, churches, small businesses, restaurants, police and fire departments, local governments, and individuals stepped up to help their neighbors and showed the true strength of the community. It was inspiring to see everyone come together in our time of need.

I also thank Sheriff Ronnie Fields and our local law enforcement for their quick response during those dark days and for their ongoing investigations to determine who is responsible for December’s attack.

We must hold those responsible for this act accountable and I will continue to support law enforcement as they conduct their investigation.

Since the attack occurred, I have been in listening mode. I have heard from constituents, grid operators, community developers, the FBI and law enforcement, and business owners who have concerns with our grid’s security and resilience — all against the backdrop of historic energy costs.

As your neighbor, I share these concerns with you. And a similar, yet thankfully unsuccessful, attack in Randolph County several months ago underscores the need to address this issue.

That’s why I brought my colleagues from Congress to Moore County for a House Energy and Commerce Committee field hearing. I took my colleagues to the site of one of the attacks so they could understand the substation involved.

I introduced them to the community and people who were impacted by the attack. Just as I promised back in December, I brought Washington here and put real faces to the issues that rocked our community.

Before the hearing, we stopped at the Duke Energy West End substation, one of the two substations in Moore County that was intentionally attacked. At the field hearing, experts from Duke Energy, NC Emergency Management, NC State University, and energy security shared their testimony on the current state of our grid security and resilience and how we move forward from these attacks.

There are 45,000 stories of why Moore County — and our nation — needs greater grid resilience, and my colleagues and I welcome these testimonies and your feedback in order to help do our jobs effectively.

This field hearing was the first of many our committee will hold in our efforts to improve the security and resiliency of our nation’s energy grid. It was important to me that the first hearing be where the attack happened, and this is only the beginning of our investigations.

Being your voice in Congress is a responsibility I take extremely seriously and I will continue to make sure Washington pays attention to the concerns and needs of you and your family.

It is an honor to represent you and the best of our community — which always shines bright, even in the dark.

The newly installed president of the Greater Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, Nat Robertson, is wasting no time setting the course to make the “New” Fayetteville Chamber a tour de force advocacy for business in the Fayetteville/Cumberland County community.

Hitting the ground running, Robertson is revamping and overhauling Chamber programs to create more value for its members. He is developing new policies, streamlining operating procedures, and hiring competent staff who embrace the organization’s mission and have the skill sets and work ethic to create, implement and execute effective value-added programs for Chamber members.

In just weeks, the Chamber will relocate its Ray Avenue office to Bronco Square at 1047 Murchison Road, Suite 120, across from Fayetteville State University, putting Robertson on the fast track to turning the Chamber of Commerce into a relevant organization that supports local businesses by taking an active role in their success.

Vibrant businesses and healthy economic growth foster a vibrant city. Being the former Mayor of Fayetteville, Robertson knows the importance of competent and trustworthy leadership. He also understands that the Chamber of Commerce must actively recognize and nurture such leadership. This is why Robertson’s latest innovative program exemplifies its high priority on well-informed leadership.

That program is the Greater Fayetteville Chamber’s first Candidates Academy on July 29. For one day, the Chamber invites everyone seeking an elected office in Fayetteville to attend a free pre-election program to get “up close and personal” insights into the city’s operation, making them better-informed candidates.

Robertson has assembled an impressive and diverse faculty of a dozen local business, political and community leaders who will share their experience and knowledge of city government concepts and inner workings, including the realities of policymaking.

The topics being covered are as diverse as the facility itself. They include The Downtown District, City Wants vs. Needs, Economic Development, Public Utilities, Arts & Culture, Crime and Safety, and other topics that are vitally important to enhancing our quality of life and assuring that Fayetteville lives up to its reputation as an All America City.

According to Robertson, “I believe by educating the candidates before taking office, we have a better opportunity of them understanding exactly what we do, and why. Often after taking office, the candidate’s perspective changes … if we can have an honest exchange prior to that time, it may be beneficial for all the residents of Fayetteville.”

The Chamber will invite all the candidates filing for a municipal office in Fayetteville. Based on attendance, they may open it up to other Cumberland County municipalities if room allows.

The Chamber of Commerce will later host the Fayetteville Candidates Forum on Oct. 17. Many topics covered during the Academy will be presented as questions during the Forum.

Up & Coming Weekly supports and applauds Robertson’s efforts and the Chamber’s new, refreshing, long-overdue outlook on Fayetteville.

We desperately need competent leadership to move Fayetteville forward. For nearly a decade, our city has suffered from a deficit of municipal leadership plagued with ignorance, incompetence and many suspicious allegations of corruption.

Robertson’s commitment to the community and innovative programs like the Candidates Academy is what Fayetteville needs to attract and develop competent leadership, new businesses, and organizations to the Chamber of Commerce.

Keep your eye on Robertson and the “New” Greater Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce. Fayetteville and Cumberland County need a strong Chamber and competent leadership for a prosperous future. No doubt, we are moving in the right direction.

Thank you for reading Up & Coming Weekly.

Editor's note: This article has been updated to reflect date changes.

Due to the continued threat of excessive heat into next week, Cumberland County, in partnership with the City of Fayetteville, will extend the availability of several facilities as cooling stations through July 18 for residents who do not have access to air conditioning and need a place to get out of the heat.

The National Weather Service in Raleigh is forecasting high temperatures and heat indices above 100 degrees today through next Wednesday. Cooling stations will be available in the following locations during normal business hours today through Wednesday. Additional days may be added depending on the forecast for next week.

The Cumberland County Department of Social Services, located at 1225 Ramsey Street, will open the auxiliary lobby as a cooling station. Hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. All public lobbies will be available to citizens. Masks or face coverings are encouraged for those with preexisting conditions. 

The first-floor lobby of the Cumberland County Department of Public Health, located at 1235 Ramsey Street, is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Masks or face coverings are required in some areas and for those immediately following a COVID-19 infection or had close contact with someone who has had the infection. Citizens with preexisting conditions are encouraged to wear a mask or face covering. 

All eight Cumberland County Public Library locations will be open as cooling stations. Libraries are open Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Headquarters Library at 300 Maiden Lane, Fayetteville, along with Cliffdale, North Regional, and Hope Mills branches are also open Sundays from 2 to 6 p.m. To find your local library, go to cumberlandcountync.gov/departments/library-group/library.

The lobbies of Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks and Recreation Centers are open to the public year-round, during normal operating hours and can be used by residents as respite from the heat. Recreation center locations, hours, contact information and programming schedules are posted at fcpr.us/facilities/recreation-centers/. 

The lobby of the Fayetteville Area System of Transit (FAST), located at 505 Franklin Street, is also open to the public during normal operating hours. Operating hours for FAST are posted at fayettevillenc.gov/city-services/transit/about-fast/operating-hours-schedules. .

Extreme heat and humidity will significantly increase the potential for heat-related illnesses, particularly for those working outdoors. Cumberland County Emergency Services reminds residents to take precautions during the hot weather. Drink plenty of fluids, stay in air-conditioned rooms, stay out of the sun, avoid strenuous work, check on relatives and neighbors, and never leave children or pets unattended in vehicles.

Stay informed by visiting the County’s website at cumberlandcountync.gov or County social media pages at facebook.com/CumberlandNC, facebook.com/CumberlandCountyNC911 and twitter.com/CumberlandNC.

Photo by Pixabay

Twenty-four teachers from across North Carolina have been selected as finalists for the 2023 North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching Career and Technical Education Teacher of the Year Award.
The NCCAT recognizes their dedication, innovation and ability to inspire students to achieve.

Cumberland County Schools announced that Ashley Long McCullen, the agriculture teacher at Gray's Creek High School, is one of the finalists for the NCCAT honor.

From this impressive group of finalists, one educator will be chosen as the NCCAT 2023 NC CTE Teacher of the Year.

The finalists will gather at the NCCAT campus in Cullowhee for a week of professional development in October. The award ceremony is scheduled to take place on Oct. 19 at the Bardo Center on the Western Carolina University campus.

“Each day in schools, Career and Technical Education teachers inspire and guide students to important future careers and roles in society,” NCCAT Executive Director M. Brock Womble said.

“Taking time to honor excellent Career and Technical Education educators across our state through the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching 2023 NC CTE Teacher of the Year program is important, as we are continually striving to elevate the teaching profession and emphasize the significance of the work educators do every day. Congratulations to these finalists and the school districts they represent. We look forward to having them with us for a week of professional development and a special night to honor the teaching profession.”