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  • Cape Beard Brotherhood Johnny Schantz, George W. Richards and Tom Diffin sit outside Rude Awakening in downtown Fayetteville. An idyllic cry to their blue-collar roots, they are dressed in loose button downs, T-shirts and worn blue jeans. They would say they are comfortably dressed. In their professions, it doesn’t matter much how they come dressed — one a mechanic, the other an owner of a pet sitting business and the third a motorcycle builder. Each profession carries its load of dirt from a hard day’s work. The clothes they sit in now will look different at the end of most days. They laugh and joke, speaking to one another with an ease of lifelong friends.

    They always address each other as “brother.”

    All of the men are adorned with long, grown out grayed beards. They wear it as a proud token of membership to the group of brothers with whom they belong.

    Without much provocation, Diffin brings out his worn black wallet. It’s well-used and thin except for a bump under which are three coins — one is his, one is his brothers and the third for Ted, a member of the group who has passed on. Each one of the men’s wallets houses one of these thick metal coins — a token of membership. It is a coin of brotherhood. And the rule is, they must carry this on them at all times.

    These brothers, as they call each other, are members of Cape Beard — a beard and mustache group with a unique niche — charity work.
    And they have three main rules: family, work and club.

    “In that order,” Richards says.

    Diffin flips one of his coins back and forth and rubs it between his fingers. He looks like a hardball. One of the first guys to go 200 miles per hour on a Harley Davidson and stereotypical to the look of a motorcycle rider. But as he sits on the sunny Friday morning, he speaks softly, tears at the thought of his brothers who have passed on and talks fondly and proudly about Cape Beard.

    “It all started as a joke back in 2011. A bunch of us got together and watched sports teams and hung out on Sundays,” Diffin says, laughing. “To see what it has blossomed into today is just unbelievable.”

    In the beginning, Cape Beard started out with 10 members. Diffin is number 13. His identical twin brother Tim, the other half of the motorcycling duo, was number 12. He passed away in 2012. George W., a jokester who strongly pronounces both the George and the W in his name, is number 55. When Schantz joined, he became member 75.

    “Tom got me involved in it,” Schantz says. “Love him to death for it.”

    “Don’t blame me,” Diffin says, laughing.

    The group is currently preparing for its upcoming event at Dirt Bag Ales, Beardtober Fest. They have hosted this event since 2012 and held it at Dirt Bag Ales for the last four years. It will include food vendors and of course, beard and mustache competitions of all sorts. Last year, they saw 100 competitors in their competitions. The event’s proceeds will go 100% to the Karen Chandler Trust, which helps local cancer patients with rent, utilities and other expenses while undergoing cancer treatment.

    “It is the best non-profit in the world. No sitting board member gets any money,” Richards says.

    Cape Beard prides itself on choosing only charities that have no overhead. They said this was one of the things that attracted them to the Chandler Trust.

    “They go broke every year.” Diffin says. “Kind of like us.” Diffin laughs.

    “We vet the local organization,” Richards says. “If we don’t like something we cut ties and we leave. We’ll leave if we don’t like where the money is going or if it ends up being corrupt.”

    The group is philanthropic but they say they look atypical for a group whose main focus is charity. They may be right as most of them are burly men who stay bearded at least nine months out of the year to comply with Cape Beard’s bylaws. Most of them hold blue collar jobs. They seem, at a glance, like the toughest of men.

    “People look at us and they go, we are like the dregs of society. Unshaven. Comfortably dressed. We were reluctant to file for the 501(c),” Diffin says.

    Eventually, they did and any money they collect at any of their events goes straight to the local charity that they are supporting. The club has hosted up to five events per year and each event is tied to a local charity. At the end of each event, the members do what they call a “bump up,” where they throw in their own money to round up the donation.

    “The little thing about some of the guys in this group. I have phone calls where some of the guys can’t make it to the meeting because they are low on fuel and ask me to give them a ride. Then they spend their whole weekend raising money to give to someone else? How do you not love people like that?” Schantz asks.

    Diffin tears a little and says a firm, “amen.” Schantz rocks his head a little as he talks.

    “When I saw that — I was hook, line and sinker. I was in the frying pan cooking myself. I was done. This is where I needed to be.” Schantz says.

    Of the events Cape Beard sponsors, the most popular are their Pig Pickin’ for Autism, “Show Us Your Cans” food drive and Beardtoberfest. However, members of the community have been asking the group when they plan to bring back Bearded Beauties. When they were first asked to host the event years ago, the group jumped to some conclusions about the details.

    “We are going — beautiful women … evening gowns … talent. Yeah. What do you want us to do? Be Chaperones?,” Diffin says, laughing. “Miss Sarah looked at us, ‘No, we want you to be the contestants.’ It took 3 maybe 4 meetings to talk the brothers into stepping out of their comfort zone.”

    In the end, the bearded beauties stepped up to the plate. The first Bearded Beauties event even included a calendar of the group that they sold for charity. It was a hit. Diffin laughs as he says the calendar has come back to “haunt” them. People keep asking them about when they are making another one. However, in the end, they admit it was worth it, as every event is to them.

    Some time ago, the group received a note from a young boy in the community. Being unable to write himself, his mother helped him to thank the members of Cape Beard. The young boy was in cancer treatment in Cumberland County and was supported by the efforts of Cape Beard. One of the brothers read the note aloud at a monthly meeting while the others listened.

    “It was the first time I saw that many grown men, that looked like they could take over the town, cry,” Diffin says. “Guys that are tougher looking than me were crying. That just brings meaning to what we do.”

    The men also are a foundation for each other, a brotherhood. They note that some of the group members suffer depression or lingering issues from years of military service. But a brother is just a call away.

    “We lost a brother to suicide,” Diffin chokes up. “All he had to do was reach out. It's disheartening to know there’s nothing in place for them for support. I am the oldest guy here. I wear my emotions on my sleeve. It hurts me when they don’t reach out.”

    The men all nod their heads in unison. They are silent for a second and then continue on to laugh and joke with one another. In the midst of regular conversation, one of them says the acronym, “KTF.” Another repeats it. It’s the rally cry of their group. When asked about the meaning, the three laugh. There's a long story involved and perhaps a swear word or two. But if asked, they’ll share the story and the passion they have for their community.

    BeardtoberFest will be hosted Oct. 15 at Dirt Bag Ales. Doors open at 6 p.m. and competitions start at 7 p.m. Admission is $15. Those in attendance can compete in one event with admission. Any additional events are $5.

  • Dogwood Fall Fest pic It is the time of year for the annual Dogwood Fall Festival, delivering fun and entertainment for all.

    The Dogwood Festival is a non-profit, community-oriented organization dedicated to providing various family-focused activities held in historic downtown Fayetteville. The Festival aims to entertain the community, promote and sustain new and existing businesses, enhance a positive community image, and attract out-of-town tourists while sharing the cultural and recreational opportunities available in the Fayetteville area.

    On Friday, Oct. 14, the Dogwood Fall Festival will be from 6 to 10 p.m. in Festival Park with hayrides, a KidZone, and food trucks.
    Take a ride on a tractor pulled hayride and let the guides tell you and your family all about the history of the downtown district. This ride will delight the little ones without being too scary, while the older ones will be able to appreciate some spooky elements. The hayrides will run through the entire weekend. Pre-sale tickets are going for $5 while day-of tickets are selling at $7 or buy 4 or more it’s $5 per ticket. Children two or younger ride for free.

    Guests are welcome to come out to Festival Park between noon and 10 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 15. The Promenade Fair opens at noon for those interested in taking a stroll down Festival Park Plaza to explore a variety of vendors and sponsors.

    KidZone continues on Saturday from noon until 9 p.m. Hayrides will run from 2 to 10 p.m. The Battle of the Bands will go from 1 to 8 p.m. This year’s line-up includes talented performers from around the Cape Fear area. The Dogwood Fall Festival’s MC, Casey T. Cotton, will lead the performers as they compete for the opportunity to open for the 2023 Fayetteville Dogwood Festival headlining band(s). After the Battle of the Bands, stick around for the Dueling Piano Show with Blazin Keys Entertainment. This dueling piano showdown is free.

    On Saturday, you can also grab your favorite costume and compete in the Dogwood Fall Festival’s Costume Contest. Participants can sign up on the day of the event at the Costume Contest Tent (located in Festival Park - 335 Ray Avenue). The event will begin at 3 p.m. and it’s free to participate.

    The on-site Dogwood Fall Festival will run from 9:30 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16. On Sunday, the Promenade Fair and KidZone will run from noon until 6 p.m. Hayrides will be from 2 to 6 p.m.

    If you or someone you know owns a hot set of wheels, be sure to check out the Dogwood Fall Festival Car, Motorcycle, and Truck Show, which begins at 9:30 a.m. This event welcomes all vehicles including, but not limited to, cars, motorcycles and trucks. This premier event includes the opportunity to win a variety of awards, music, fun, and of course, bragging rights if you win. Pre-registration will be available until Friday, Oct. 15 at 11:59 p.m. After that, vehicles will meet at the Festival Park Plaza, walk-ups are welcome, but space is limited, so don’t wait to register. It’s $15 for motorcycles to enter and $25 for cars and trucks to enter.

    Participants may register in the following categories: Car/Truck- Antique (1900-1975); Classic (1976-2000); Modern (2001-present day), Motorcycle- General Entry.

    One off-site event will happen at 6 p.m. on Sunday. The I Am Plush Plus Size Fashion Show will take place at the Moose Event Center located at 3740 Owen Drive. The show promotes body positivity and plus size fashion fabulousness. General admission tickets are $25 and VIP tickets are $50. Both can be purchased at Eventbrite.com. For more information about the fashion show call 910-823-7663.

  • Dogwood Pageant UCW 10 5 22 The Fayetteville Dogwood Festival hosted its 24th Annual Miss Fayetteville Dogwood Pageant Sept. 17 at Seabrook Auditorium. The longstanding community tradition celebrates the talent and accomplishments of young women and ladies across the Sandhills.

    This year, 26 contestants were grouped into five competition levels: Little Miss (5-7), Young Miss (8-10), Junior Miss (11-13), Teen Miss (14-17), and Miss Fayetteville (18-24).

    More than a mere “beauty pageant,” the young ladies competing for Miss Fayetteville Dogwood are judged by rigorous criteria, which include both a private and on-stage interview for all contestants, Sunday Best for Young and Little Miss, Evening Gown for Miss, Teen Miss, and Junior Miss, and finally, Talent for the Miss Fayetteville Dogwood level.

    While putting their best dress forward is certainly part of the fun for the contestants, the Dogwood Festival makes their values clear as the interview portion is the most strongly weighted criterion at each competition level.

    All young ladies aged 5-24 are eligible to compete, provided they live in Bladen, Cumberland, Harnett, Hoke, Moore, Robeson or Sampson county.
    Winners in the Miss and Teen Miss categories each win a scholarship along with their titles, and winners in all other categories will have an opportunity to represent the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival at various events throughout the year.

    Up & Coming Weekly spoke with Sarahgrace Snipes Mitchell, executive director of the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival, about the organization's involvement with the pageant and its dedication to developing opportunities for young ladies of the region.

    “The Miss Fayetteville Dogwood Pageant is a way for us to interact with a different population within the community,” Mitchell explained. “We usually interact through music and art, but through this event, we're able to have a more personal and intimate relationship with our contestants, the winners, and their families.”

    In a society focused on elevating women based on likes, clicks and views, the Miss Fayetteville Dogwood Pageant seeks to show the value of substance over superficiality.

    Through this pageant, the young women on stage get to compete based on their merit, personality and passions — building strong foundations for their futures.

    “The value of this pageant is in the experience these young ladies get,” said Mitchell. “When we look at female empowerment, young women need an opportunity to build confidence in who they are and who they can be.”

    For 40 years, the Dogwood Festival name has been synonymous with unification and has come to exemplify the best of what Fayetteville and surrounding areas have to offer; as such, their standards for Miss Fayetteville Dogwood Festival are quite high.

    “Our pageant is looking for young women who are honest, have strong integrity, patience, kindness, and the ability to be humble,” shared Mitchell.

    Up & Coming Weekly spoke with this year’s winners to learn a little more about the young women representing the Fayetteville Dogwood Festival.

    Little Miss — Betty Leggett

    Elizabeth “Betty” Leggett is this year’s Little Miss Fayetteville Dogwood Festival title winner. This is the Village Christian Academy Kindergartener's very first pageant.

    A born performer with a great imagination, Betty loves dancing, dressing up, and playing with her baby dolls. Betty also participates in cheer, ballet, and jazz dance. When she grows up, she'd like to use her talents to become a farmer or a teacher.
    Though she loves getting all dressed up and putting on makeup, Betty finds it challenging to sit still and not fidget, but admits it's worth it to win a crown.

    Young Miss — Emma Luchetta

    The winner of this year's Young Miss Fayetteville Dogwood Festival is ten-year-old Emma Luchetta of Eastover Central Elementary. Emma, a fifth grader this year, is new to pageantry, having participated in her first one back in February, where she was named Little Miss Cape Fear.

    Emma is a competitive gymnast on the Gold Team at Omega Gymnastics when not on stage. In addition to her extracurricular accomplishments, Emma is Vice-President of her school's BETA Club and Student-Athlete of the Year.

    Along with the Young Miss title at this year’s pageant, Emma won Miss Congeniality and Best Interview in her category. Emma wants to be a Marine Biologist and hopes to own a cage-free animal rescue when she grows up.

    “I love how much fun you can have and that you can just be yourself,” she said of competing in pageants. “You don't have to pretend to be like anyone else.”

    Junior Miss — McKala Sallie

    Mac Williams Middle School eighth-grader McKala Sallie took home the title of Junior Miss Fayetteville Dogwood Festival.
    McKala is a seasoned performer, having participated in pageants since she was six months old. McKala has earned several titles, including Carolinas’ Miss Unity for Miss Celebrations USA and Junior Miss Eastover.

    In addition to her commitment to pageantry, McKala also runs track for Mac Williams Middle School. When she graduates, she’d like to pursue a career as a sports announcer for ESPN college football or give back all the knowledge she’s gained as a pageant coach.

    McKala admits it can be challenging to overcome her nerves but loves competing in pageants for the skills they teach and the opportunity they offer to talk about her passions.

    “I love pageants because they give me a chance to learn life lessons, like interviews and public speaking,” McKala shared with Up & Coming Weekly. “They also give me the opportunity to tell everyone about my platform, Off-Road OutReach, and why there shouldn't be homeless Veterans.”

    Teen Miss — Olivia Gray

    Oliva Gray is this year's Teen Miss Fayetteville Dogwood Festival Pageant winner. A high school senior at Village Christian Academy, this is Olivia's first foray into the pageant world.

    Olivia is currently a part of the High School Connections Program at Fayetteville Technical Community College and is pursuing a certificate in Criminal Justice. Outside of her academic successes, Olivia is her school's varsity cheer captain, yearbook editor, is involved in several clubs, and speaks two languages. Though she's new to pageantry, Olivia is no stranger to competition. She has danced since age two, danced competitively since age five, and dreams of being a Dallas Cowboy Cheerleader.

    After obtaining her Criminal Justice certificate and graduating in May of 2023, Olivia plans to major in pre-law or forensics with a minor in Spanish with the long-term goal of becoming a lawyer.

    Although this is Olivia’s first pageant, she has enjoyed her experience thus far and looks forward to competing in the future.

    “Becoming Miss Teen Fayetteville Dogwood Festival has been one of my biggest accomplishments to date,” she shared. “I have very high expectations for myself, and it pushes me to work hard. Accomplishing the goals I set for myself is very rewarding and worth the challenge in the end.”

    Miss Fayetteville — Janiya Pipkin

    The winner of 2022’s Miss Fayetteville Dogwood Festival crown is 21-year-old Methodist University senior Janiya Pipkin.
    Initially hesitant, the criminal justice major and licensed cosmetologist entered this year’s competition after a chance encounter with Miss North Carolina and at her mother’s urging.

    “I’ve done pageants before but stopped when I was seven or eight,” she confessed. Honestly, my mom encouraged me to enter. I’ve always dreamed of competing for the Miss America or Miss USA title and felt this would be a great place to start.”

    A pastor's daughter, Janiya, is extremely involved in her church and credits her confidence and success to her faith in God. When not working as a cosmetologist, Janiya serves her church as a youth ministry leader and praise and worship leader.

    In addition to pursuing her criminal justice undergraduate degree, Janiya also cheered full-time for the Methodist University Monarchs, finishing up her tenure this past February. After graduation, she intends to enter law school with the ultimate goal of becoming a judge.

    Though she's been out of the pageant game for a while, Janiya says the main takeaway is the confidence competing in pageants gives her.

    “The thing I love about competing is the boost of confidence it gives you,” Janiya said. “For any pageant, whether you win or lose, you’re putting yourself out there to be judged, and it’s important to know that no matter what happens, you’re still a winner. It takes a lot of courage, strength and confidence to put yourself out there.”

    Another aspect of pageantry Janiya enjoys is the camaraderie and the opportunity to act as a role model for young women on a similar path.

    “We all had nerves and jitters, but we came together in support of one another — no matter who won. One thing I would tell the young women behind me is this: ‘you can do it.’ I tell them to remember the process, the excitement they feel backstage, and not to let anyone take those feelings of joy away. No matter what, you have to keep telling yourself you can do it.”

  • Yom Kippur Metro Recently, Jews around the world observed the most sacred day on our calendar — Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). In truth, one should atone for wrongdoing whenever committing a transgression. The ancient sages advise repenting the day of death; the message being that since we don’t usually know exactly when we will die, we ought to repent every day.

    Nevertheless, Yom Kippur is a day set aside to focus exclusively on admitting one’s failings, repenting and resolving how to do better.
    Often misunderstood is that Yom Kippur only atones for transgressions against God. Trespasses against fellow human beings require direct apology and forgiveness. Harm to another also violates against God’s law, but the Almighty can only forgive the aspect of violating God’s teaching. The actual hurt can only be forgiven by the one harmed.

    Yom Kippur is traditionally observed through countless hours of synagogue worship aimed at spiritual cleansing. Nearly all the prayers and confessions are phrased in the plural. In a community everyone shares a degree of responsibility for the failings of others by insufficiently supporting each other in avoiding shortcomings. We are indeed our brother’s keeper.

    Yom Kippur is characterized famously by refraining from any food or drink from sunset until nightfall the next day (as all Jewish days begin at night). Because of worship requirements, the actual fast lasts closer to 25 or 26 hours. Yet, whenever health is a concern, food or drink is not only permitted, but required.

    Other traditional prohibitions for the day include refraining from bathing, anointing (i.e. ancient cosmetics), sexual relations, and wearing leather shoes (which were considered luxurious, particularly in earlier times). The idea is that by removing our usual physical concerns, we can focus completely on our spiritual needs.

    I like to tell my congregants the following story.

    An arrogant hiker visiting Israel ignored directions given to him. Following several predictably wrong turns he found himself lost in the Negev desert. After hours of wandering, desperate for water, he saw something in the distance. He walked toward the object only to find a little old man at a small stand in the middle of nowhere selling neckties emblazoned with the words “Repent! God forgives.”

    The lost hiker asked, “Do you have any water?” He replied, “I don’t have any water, but would you like to buy a necktie? They’re only 5 Israeli sheqels.”

    The hiker screamed, “I don’t need your stupid ties! I just need water!”

    “Okay” said the old man. “I recommend getting a tie, but you can find water over that hill about 5 kilometers. There’s a really nice restaurant there. But, don’t take too long, you don’t want them to close on you.”

    A couple hours later the hiker staggered back. The old man asked, “Is everything okay?” “What do you think?” gasped the hiker. “Your brother won’t let me in without a tie.”

    Too often we are so focused on our material needs and desires that we don’t think we need anything else. But, before it’s too late, let’s remember to bring along a spiritual tie.

  • pumpkin Metro I love fall. The first things I begin to think about are pumpkins, brilliant colored foliage, cool mornings, the first fire, sweaters and boots.
    There is no in-between, you either like the flavor of pumpkin or you don’t. There are many ways to enjoy pumpkins in the form of drinks, cuisine and decoration. I like everything about pumpkins and decided to write about them.

    When you initially think of pumpkins in the fall we may think about pumpkin lattes, pumpkin pie, or pumpkin doughnuts which are just some of the ways to enjoy them outside of the many uses for décor!

    Pumpkins have been around for more than 5,000 years and the word pumpkin was debuted in the fairy tale “Cinderella.” The pumpkins known as rouge Vif d’Etampes are thought to be the inspiration for Cinderella.

    The carriage for Cinderella may have been used because of the resiliency of a pumpkin. They are a fruit that can grow in sparse soil and the vines engage by sharing nutrients along a connected vine that reaches into the soil to replenish itself. For this reason, pumpkins are a symbol of prosperity, abundance and growth. Maybe this is the reason that the perfect mode of transportation for Cinderella was a pumpkin.

    Cinderella’s fairy godmother told her to go into the garden and pick out a fine pumpkin, so she went to the garden and picked the finest pumpkin she could find and could not imagine how a pumpkin would get her to the ball. Her fairy godmother hollowed out the pumpkin and touched it with her ring turning it into a beautiful coach.

    Did you know that there are Cinderella pumpkins? They are medium to large averaging thirty to thirty-five pounds, round, and flattened blossom and stem end. They have thick skins and are a rich orange color.

    When cooked they have a slightly sweet taste, creamy and moist. They were one of the most popular items in French markets and sold as an heirloom variety in the 1880s. They are a favorite with chefs for soups and pies. They are also used in many homes as décor.

    Pumpkins have not always been jack-o’– lanterns. The original lanterns were made with turnips and potatoes by the Irish to ward off evil spirits. Irish immigrants brought the tradition to America but found that pumpkins were much easier to carve. They are grown on every continent except Antarctica and the U.S. produces more than 1. 5 billion pounds each year with 8% of the crop available in October. The largest pumpkin recorded weighed about 2,600 pounds and was grown in Germany. The largest pie baked weighed 3,699 pounds. A normal size pumpkin has about 500 seeds and the recommended planting time is between May and July with more than 45 different varieties.

    Pumpkins are part of the fruit family; every part is edible and offers a wide range of health benefits. They are low in calories and are comprised of about 90% water. One of the health benefits is Beta Carotene, a powerful antioxidant that our bodies convert to Vitamin A. They are good for fiber, boost your immune system, and good for heart health and skin. Aside from the health benefits, pumpkins can make a great mask that exfoliates and soothes the skin. Make a pumpkin mask by combining ¼ cup pureed pumpkin, one egg, a tablespoon of honey, and a tablespoon of milk. Apply and rinse in 20 minutes with warm water.

    Live, love life and pumpkins.

  • FTCC colege transfer day Fayetteville Technical Community College will host College Transfer Day on Oct. 27 from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. at the Tony Rand Student Center Multi-Purpose Room.
    This year, FTCC anticipates representation from 46 public and private universities.

    College Transfer Day serves as an avenue to promote the transferability of academic credits earned by community college students to public and private four-year colleges and universities.

    Students can connect and have questions answered by university representatives on topics such as admissions requirements, programs of study, scholarship and internship opportunities and financial aid processes. The ability for students to connect with a multitude of educational representatives at the same time is a unique and helpful resource.

    The process of transferring to another college is not identical to applying to college for the first time. While a student’s high school transcript and SAT/ACT scores may be reviewed, these items typically take a back seat to the academic college transcript that a student has earned at the community college level. Community college students wishing to transfer to 4-year colleges should strive to achieve excellent grades in order to be competitive during the transfer process, as current academic college transcripts will be reviewed more rigorously than high school transcripts.

    College Transfer Day is a great way for students to learn about each school’s unique policies and deadlines and to make contacts, receive literature and ask questions.

    Transfer students should be mindful of important university deadlines. Universities not only have deadlines that may vary from one school to another but also have specific policies for transfer students who are applying to professional programs.

    The pandemic presented students and universities with many challenges, but the opportunity to visit the campuses of universities before deciding if a college is the right fit academically and emotionally is important. Students interested in transfer tours may reach out to FTCC’s office of University Outreach for assistance.

    The Office of University Outreach also offers many opportunities and programs that allow transfer students to receive a better understanding of the academic landscape involved with the transfer process, and FTCC’s College Transfer Day is one of those opportunities. Transfer Thursdays are offered weekly at FTCC, allowing students to make an appointment to receive an evaluation of two universities of the student’s choice. After evaluation of the current course work, the student is given additional advisement and, if desired, is registered.

    At FTCC, we understand that better skills lead to better jobs with better pay. Helping students achieve their educational goals to prepare for a successful career is our top priority. Finding your way forward is easy, with FTCC.

    College Transfer Day is a free event open to anyone wanting information about college transfer options. Questions may be directed to nelsonl@faytechcc.edu or by calling 910-678-8205.

  • Guiding Wellness free yoga for mil Guiding Wellness Institute was established as a brick and mortar business in 2016, but entrepreneur Kelsy Timas has been serving the military and first responder communities for the past 15 years with the motto “Live Well. Be Well.”

    As an educational center, Guiding Wellness Institute has a greater reach within society. Guiding Wellness is a registered yoga school offering 200-hour and 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training, as well as continuing education classes for those registered with Yoga Alliance. The organization will graduate their 18th class of students this month from programs held in 3 different states. Over the past seven years, these trainings have resulted in hundreds of trained teachers all over the world. The yoga school takes a nervous system informed approach.

    Kelsy Timas has a passion for teaching people about their nervous system, and how that relates to self-regulation. Timas said, “As adults, we have the responsibility of managing yet we do not equip people with self-regulation. When people come to our yoga classes, some people are learning how to regulate their nervous system for the first time.” For global populations in suffering, yoga provides a unique opportunity for collective growth.

    From a holistic approach, Guiding Wellness offers flotation therapy. As a pioneer in the holistic world, the wellness center even participated in the first evidence-based trial. With the normalization of holistic health, Guiding Wellness offers individual services, such as RTM trauma therapy, and even provides corporate wellness training.

    Guiding Wellness provides therapeutic massages that are customizable, offering cupping and hot stone within a recovery environment. The massages range from deep tissue to myofascial release and neuro muscular release. Massage can help with sleep and relieve pain. The price list for massages can be found on their website.

    For the military community, Guiding Wellness offers a program designed to serve and support the unique needs of the military family through all seasons of the military life cycle from the family perspective. These seasons range from bootcamp to deployment, redeployment and retirement. The Military Advocacy Program, or M.A.P., is committed to creating access to immediate and long-term care with collaborative work to help service members and families. M.A.P. even offers Care for the Caregivers and discount wellness memberships for military, teachers and first responders.

    With the Warrior’s Spirit, Guiding Wellness proudly offers free yoga classes for active and retired members of the armed forces as well as the military family. On Tuesday and Thursday from 11a.m. to 12 p.m., the studio hosts Mindful Movement Chair Yoga. On Friday mornings from 9:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., Timas facilitates Therapeutic Yoga Mat Class. These military yoga classes are adaptable and accessible. Manager and Yoga Instructor Julia Pillman said, “One class a week could change your life.”

    Guiding Wellness is located at 143 Skateway Drive in Fayetteville. This is off Raeford Road near 71st High School. These class times and instructors are subject to change seasonally, so be sure to follow Guiding Wellness Institute on Facebook and Instagram. For more information on M.A.P. visit the website at https://guidingwellness.com/m-a-p/ and subscribe to the Be Well Podcast.

    If you would like to learn more about services or would like to become an affiliate partner, please email the program advisor at MAP@guidingwellness.com.

  • Lafay fall fest fire truck Reliably transporting commodities thousands of miles, moving tons of concrete and battling house fires is only a fraction of what trucks do. In fact, one of a truck’s most important jobs is giving kids the opportunity to climb inside.

    On Saturday, Oct. 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Lafayette Ford will host its Fall Festival where the whole family can get an up-close and personal look at some of the service vehicles that make our world just a little bit easier and safer.

    “We’re trying to get all of our community vehicles involved,” said Lafayette Ford Marketing Director Paula Lindler. “And not even necessarily trucks. It can be any vehicle, but we’re trying to get” an ambulance, a fire truck, a police car, and interesting things like that for the whole family to enjoy.

    If you’ve taken a drive around town or a walk through the grocery store, you’re aware that we haven’t completely recovered from the pandemic. Thankfully, Lafayette Ford’s Fall Festival is a means to give our imaginations something to contemplate other than the misery of a crippled supply chain.

    All sorts of major industries rely on service vehicles to maintain their supply chain, and this reliance is echoed in smaller industries, said tech company Cloud Trucks. Everything from raw material that come from forests, mines and farms must be transported by truck in a distribution process that repeats itself all the way down to the consumer, CT said.

    Transportation of supplies is not the only industry that relies on vehicles. Utilities, public service, law enforcement, medical care and of course, the fire department, rely on vehicles so workers can accomplish their duties.

    “Kids love fire trucks,” Lindler added. “We want kids to get to know local police, and it’s just a good will community building event.”

    Despite promoting an event called “Truck Day” in November for the past few years, this year they changed the name to the Fall Festival, Lindler said. “Because Lafayette Ford is expanding into things besides trucks.”

    Lafayette Ford’s Fall Festival is a community event, and it is free to everyone. However, Lafayette Ford is asking each person to bring one can of food to donate to the Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast North Carolina.
    The first 250 people to bring a food donation will get a free lunch from one of the food trucks paid for by Lafayette Ford. Plus, you will get a ticket for a chance to win one of the door prizes, Lindler said. You can eat a cheap lunch and win some cool prizes that day, Lindler added.
    The Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center will be on hand, too. So, while the kids are playing on all the cool trucks, the adults can roll up their sleeves and give blood if they want, Lindler said.

    “[Lafayette Ford] isn’t trying necessarily to sell vehicles [during the festival]. It’s really about giving back to the community,” Lindler said.

    “We’re going to have Truck or Treat for the kids. We’re going to have some trucks decorated for Halloween, and we’ll be giving out candy,” Lindler said.

    Lafayette Ford’s Fall Festival is scheduled for Oct. 22 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 5202 Raeford Road. Lafayette Ford is located on the southwestern side of Fayetteville. For more information about the Fall Festival and Lafayette Ford, please visit LaFayetteFord.com.

    Take a break that Saturday, wear your favorite costumes and head down to Lafayette Ford. Kids of all ages can have fun checking out all the trucks and other vehicles while helping a few local good causes.

    “There will be a lot of vehicles on display” at the Fall Festival, such as utility trucks that restore power when there’s a storm, Lindler added.
    Lafayette history

    In 1949, Bess Smith opened Lafayette Motor Sales in downtown Fayetteville. This All-American dealership started out using the fundamental values of honesty, integrity, respect and community involvement. Values that Lafayette Ford holds dear to this day.

    In 1955, George Purvis Sr. purchased Lafayette Motor Sales. As Fayetteville expanded, Purvis realized Lafayette Ford needed to expand, as well, and was essential in turning Lafayette Motor Sales into the dealership it is today.

    In 1982, Lafayette Ford found its official home on Raeford Road. At that time, the dealership consisted of a small new and used sales building and car wash, but, as time went on and the business became more successful, a service and parts department was added, making Lafayette Ford the one-stop-shop for all of our automotive needs.

    In 1995, Don Price purchased Lafayette Ford. Price began his career as a salesman at Lafayette Ford back in the mid-1960s, and, by the time he bought the dealership, he was general manager. Before that, Price was in the Air Force.

    With Price, son Tim and son-in-law Mark Fisher on board, Lafayette Ford continues over 70 years of success by being the dealership that treats its customers like family, and the Fall Festival won’t be the exception.

  • rockn logo jpeg 80’s Unleashed, The Guy Unger Band and Rivermist will play at Rock’n On The River on Oct. 16. The concert was originally scheduled in August but postponed due to inclement weather.

    “The Regional Band Blowout is something that I thought about and we started planning it around September or October [of 2021],” said Greg Adair, manager and member of Rivermist.

    “I thought about how would the attendance be with all of these followers from these great regional bands altogether in one spot.”
    Adair added, “We never get a chance to play side by side or see each other because everyone is out gigging, so we figured this would be a stellar event and the bands’ followers would get a chance to see their favorite band perform.”

    The band 80’s Unleashed started out as 80’s Unplugged 13 years ago. The band members are Curtis Church, guitar and vocals; Mitra Maraj, percussion; Domo Max, drums; and Bryan Shaw, lead singer and bass player.

    “The audience should expect a fun show while taking a trip down memory lane,” said Bryan Shaw, lead singer and bass player of 80’s Unleashed. “Hopefully they will sing along and remember the tunes that we bring to them.”

    The Guy Unger Band started with all of its members playing in various bands together.

    “We do a lot of classic rock stuff and we do everything from Led Zeppelin, Floyd, The Eagles, Billy Idol, Men at Work, some dance music and more,” said Guy Unger, founder, guitarist and singer of The Guy Unger Band. “We have opened for many acts such as Collective Soul, Charlie Daniels, Skid Row and tons of big name bands.”

    “I have got some good solid musicians with me and they are the best players around. I think that Rivermist, 80’s Unleashed and The Guy Unger Band are the best musicians around and we have put ourselves to a level where it is hard to do what we have done over the years and be just as successful as we all have,” Unger said. “As for the event, the audience should expect some of the best musicians and performances that you can see here in Fayetteville and I feel honored to be playing with Rivermist and 80’s Unleashed because they are awesome bands.”

    Rivermist is a local party hometown band that was formed in 2014 and is comprised of Adair, manager, drummer and vocalist; Tony Harrison, bass player; Cliff Bender, guitarist; Allen Pier, songwriter, keyboards and lead vocalist; and Rick Starling, percussion, vocals and keyboards.
    The band has many accomplishments but there is one more thing they would like to achieve.

    “I want Rivermist to be a household name and keep getting better and better together,” said Adair.

    Rock'n On The River is free and open to the public. Parking is $10 per vehicle. No outside food or coolers will be allowed.
    80’s Unleashed will begin at 3 p.m. The Guy Unger Band will followup at 4:30 p.m. Closing out the night will be Rivermist, who will be playing at 6 p.m.

    For more information, visit the Rock'n On The River Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/Rockn-On-The-River-271048666818630.

  • Marksmen The Fayetteville Marksmen will be kicking off their season this month, and our local hockey team is ready to face every team in the Southern Professional Hockey League.
    The Marksmen will be facing their rival team, the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, at their home at the Berglund Center on Friday, Oct. 21. The very next day on Saturday, Oct. 22, they will face off again on our home turf at the Crown Coliseum at 6 p.m.

    The Marksmen defeated Roanoke 11 times in 17 tries last season, including a pair of overtime/shootout wins. The Marksmen will see Roanoke 13 times this upcoming season, more than any other opponent.

    “This is a rivalry we wanted to keep going,” said Marksmen owner Chuck Norris in a press release. “No one likes playing them and they don’t like playing us, but those battles are great for our fans.”

    Last season, the Marksmen set the Fayetteville franchise record for most regular season wins and the most standings points in a single season.
    In addition, forward Taylor Best was named to the SPHL all-rookie team, while Don Olivieri took home first-team all-star honors.

    Behind the bench, Cory Melkert was named league coach of the year honors finalist.

    This year, the Marksmen will face every team in the SPHL, hosting seven of them at the Crown Coliseum.

    “After the success of last season, it’s a challenge for us to embrace facing everyone but one that we’re excited for, and one we hope the fans are excited for too,” said team president Alex Wall.

    Fayetteville will host five games in November and five games in December at the Crown Coliseum. There will be five games at home in January, February and March. The Marksmen will play three games in April at the season's close.

    This season's schedule offers opportunities for a variety of days and times. The Marksmen will play three-weekday games this season, nine games on Fridays, 12 games on Saturdays, and four games on Sundays. The Marksmen have also announced that all weekday games will occur at 7:15 p.m. this season. Saturdays will still be played at 6:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. As part of Opening Night, the Marksmen will be giving away free magnet schedules and have a post-game skate.

    For the post-game skate, guests are allowed to bring their own skates, or rent skates there while sizes last. The post-game skate will last 45 minutes and the cost to skate, regardless of skate rental, is just $10.

    Other home game themes will include Nickelodeon Night, Pirates & Princesses Night, Wizardy Night, College Night, Superhero Night, Dr. Suess Night, Luck O’ The Irish Night, Peanuts Night, Disney Night, Star Wars Night and four Salutes to Service Nights. Each themed game will have special promotional items, a post-game jersey auction, and characters for kids to meet.

    To secure tickets for the 2022-23 season, visit www.marksmenhockey.com and click the tickets tab.

  • pexels polina kovaleva 6185245 USE YOURE VOICE Want to keep PWC from being sold? Vote Yes in November.

    When somebody tells me I can’t vote, it makes me want to vote even more. It makes me want to vote six times instead of just twice for Fayetteville Council offices. The City Council’s actions tell the citizens of Fayetteville that we should not be allowed to vote on the proposal to change the way the Council is elected.

    The road blocks thrown up against voting by the Council are not surprising. People in power seldom want to give up power. The Council is no exception. They like being in power. If more people are allowed to vote, we might vote wrong, thus endangering their power.

    The Council has done its best to prevent citizens from voting on this proposal. It twice postponed its vote to put the referendum on the November ballot. It waited until the last day to actually vote against it due to concerns that a non-existent form had not been completed by the proponents of the referendum.

    By delaying the vote until the last day, the Council apparently hoped that ballots could not be printed in time for the November election.
    Like Dean Wormer in “Animal House,” the Council used the non-existent form excuse to put Fayetteville voters on Double Secret Probation to prevent them from voting.

    The Vote Yes folks immediately filed a law suit to put the referendum on the November ballot. Superior Court Judge Jim Ammons ordered Vote Yes to appear on the ballot. The Council then filed an appeal to the North Carolina Court of Appeals seeking to stop the vote. The Court of Appeals denied the Council’s appeal and ordered the Vote to go on in November.

    If something walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, and swims like a duck, it is probably a duck. The City Council is a duck. It wants to duck and cover up your right to vote.

    The Council’s scrambling to prevent the Vote Yes initiative shows they don’t want the voters to decide how they want to be governed. Any political group, Democrats or Republicans, which wants to prevent people from voting is no fan of Democracy. Currently you can vote for two people on the City Council, the Mayor and your District Representative. Five thousand Fayetteville citizens signed a petition to put to a vote the proposal to change the election to allow a citizen to vote for six members of the Council, the Mayor, 4 at-large Council members and a District Representative. Six votes are more than two votes. The average voter gets much more input into how the city is governed if Vote Yes passes.

    Your vote yes is crucial. Local ownership of PWC is on the line. The current Council is quite likely to vote to sell PWC down the river, killing the goose that laid the golden eggs. Like a zombie from “The Walking Dead,” the double secret deal to sell PWC will rise from the grave. The Council will get a big wad of money from the sale to use for pet projects. The windfall will be spent. The current Council will ultimately leave office. Local control of PWC will end.

    PWC rates and preventive maintenance of utilities will take a back seat to the interests of out of state shareholders interested in squeezing every dollar from Fayetteville residents. Citizens will be left holding a very expensive empty bag.

    If you want to keep local control of your City Council and prevent the sale of PWC, Vote Yes on the referendum.
    To quote Woody Guthrie: “Nobody living can ever stop me/ As I go walking the freedom highway/ Nobody living can ever make me turn back/ This Land was made for you and me.”

    Get out and vote yes, this local government and PWC were made for you and me.

  • Mostley Crue tribute bandFor a spooky, rock-filled night, don’t miss out on Sweet Valley Ranch’s “Music at the Farm Concert Series” on Oct. 15. The concert’s opening band is called Hell is Here, and headliner Mostley Crue is a Motley Crue tribute band.
    Hell is Here is a local death metal band that was formed in 2014. They have one album, “Fall of the Morningstar,” which was released in 2018. Mostley Crue has been together for 15 years and has played hundreds of shows as Motley Crue. The current lineup and their alter egos are Gabriel Pettit as lead vocalist Vince

    Neil, Darius Rose as drummer Tommy Lee, Keith Baumbaugh as guitarist Mick Mars and Miller Barefoot as bassist Nikki Sixx.
    Pettit is the only original member of the band. He was in another band creating his own music when he was asked to join Mostley Crue as Vince Neil.
    Pettit is known for his uncanny ability to sound like Neil by duplicating his range and tone. He credits this to spending years as a karaoke DJ, where he would imitate other musicians. The Motley Crue singer happened to be one of them. And, like most people, he liked to sing on road trips.

    “I used to sing in the car all the time, and I would adapt my voice to whatever the singer happened to be on my playlist at the time,” Pettit told Up & Coming Weekly. “I just listened to an absolute ton of Motley Crue for a fairly extended period of time, over a few months.”

    Attendees can expect all the Motley Crue hits, but the band does play earlier songs and B-sides or songs that may not have made it onto an album. But they should not expect the band to come out rocking the glam look popular in the 80s.

    “Our look is more of a hybrid [of] their later look, post-glam,” Pettit said. “Obviously, none of us look good in spandex anymore.”

    “We are humbled by everyone’s appreciation of us, and we love to hear and speak to those people who come to see us. We’ll take pictures with fans,” he said.

    “This is about enjoying the music and enjoying the process of playing it. Don’t be scared to come up and talk to us. We’re here to have fun, too.”

    At Sweet Valley Ranch, Hell is Here takes the stage at 8 p.m., followed by Mostley Crue at 9:15 p.m. for this special Halloween show.
    These two bands will set the stage on fire throughout the night, the perfect background noise while you also check out Sweet Valley Ranch’s “Backwoods Terror Ranch.”

    Guests are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket. Refreshments and concessions will be available for purchase. No outside food or drink is allowed.

    For information or tickets for “Music at the Farm” or “Backwoods Terror Ranch,” visit https://www.sweetvalleyranchnc.com/ or call 844-622-3276.
    Sweet Valley Ranch is located at 2990 Sunnyside School Road in Fayetteville.

  • young people vote buttons Deadlines are looming to register to vote and to request an absentee ballot for the Nov. 8 election. Voter registration will close for the Nov. 8 election on Friday, Oct. 14, according to the Cumberland County Board of Elections website.
    All voters have a choice of voting by absentee mail-in ballot or voting early beginning Oct. 20. Angie Amaro, interim director of the Cumberland County Board of

    Elections Office, says she expects a smooth election and that her staff and poll volunteers will be ready for the task.

    “We are preparing like we always prepare for any election,” Amaro said in a recent email. “Absentee requests are greater than in previous midterms,” she added.
    Amaro said she is “very confident” that plans are in place to ensure an accurate vote count. Voting machines and other election computers will be reliable, she said.

    “They are tested for logic and accuracy before every election,” Amaro said in the email.

    Voters will decide races for U.S. Senate and House of Representatives; N.C. Senate and House; N.C. Supreme Court (two seats) and N.C. Court of Appeals (four seats); and N.C. Superior Court judge and N.C. District Court judge.
    In Cumberland County, voters will choose two members of the Board of Commissioners, three members of the Board of Education, a sheriff, the clerk of court, and two Soil and Water District supervisors. In addition, Fayetteville voters will decide whether to approve changing the way City Council members are elected in a referendum on the Vote Yes Fayetteville initiative.

    City voters also will decide on three bond packages: $60 million for public safety improvements; $25 million for infrastructure updates; and $12 million for housing initiatives. A voter must be a citizen of the United States, 18 or older, and a legal resident of Cumberland County for 30 days before Election Day.
    Registrants must rescind any previous registration in another county or state, and they must provide a North Carolina driver’s license number and the last four digits of their Social Security number.

    Register to vote or update your registration at the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles website. Or download a registration application at the N.C. Board of Elections website.

    In Cumberland County, residents may register to vote in person at the county Board of Elections Office, 227 Fountainhead Lane. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Registration also is available at public libraries. To change your address, fill out the back of your voter registration card and return it to the county Board of Elections Office. It must be postmarked or received at least 25 days before the election.

    If you do not provide a valid form of identification, you will be asked to show ID the first time you vote. One-stop early voting for the Nov. 8 elections begins on Oct. 20 and ends at 3 p.m. Nov. 5. Information is available at the county Board of Elections website, Cumberland County elections website.

    U.S. citizens who live overseas — including members of the military and their spouses and dependents — have until 5 p.m. the day before Election Day to register to vote or request an absentee ballot.

    Requests for absentee mail-in ballots are now being accepted for the Nov. 8 general election.
    The deadline to submit a request for an absentee mail-in ballot is Nov. 1 for the Nov. 8 general election, according to the Cumberland County elections website. All registered voters in the county are eligible to vote by mail giving no excuse if they choose not to vote in person. An absentee mail-in ballot can be requested at the N.C. vote-by-mail portal. Members of the military and those serving overseas are included. More information for military members is at military voting assistance guide.

    Information also is available by email at absentee@cumberlandcountync.gov.
    To apply for a mail-in ballot, the voter or the voter’s near relative or legal guardian must complete a request form that can be returned by mail or in person.

    For the Nov. 8 election, the request form must be received by the county elections office by 5 p.m. Nov. 1.
    The ballot must be marked in the presence of a notary public or two witnesses. The voter and the witnesses must sign the back of the ballot envelope and provide their full addresses.

    Hand-delivered absentee ballots must be received by the county Board of Elections by 5 p.m. Nov. 8, Election Day. Absentee ballots returned by mail must be postmarked and received no later than the third day after the election.

    Find your polling site here at https://www.cumberlandcountync.gov/departments/election-group/elections/resources/polling-sites.
    Find your sample ballot at https://www.ncsbe.gov/voting/sample-ballot.

  • FOrt Bragg sign The Department of Defense announced on Oct. 6 that Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III issued a memo accepting the recommendations of a congressionally authorized commission to rename U.S. military installations honoring Confederate soldiers. This included nine army installations, Fort Bragg among them.

    The Naming Commission, which first met in 2021, completed its analysis earlier this year with recommendations to remove all Department of Defense assets with “the names, symbols, displays, monuments, and paraphernalia that honor or commemorate the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the ‘Confederacy’) or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America.” The commission found over 1,100 Confederate references across the Defense Department.

    Fort Bragg was identified as the Army installation named after Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg.
    The commission recommended changing Fort Bragg’s name to Fort Liberty.

    “In the words of Admiral Michelle M. Howard, the Naming Commission's chair, the commission's goal was to inspire Service members and military communities ‘with names or values that have meaning.’ The Department's implementation of the Commission's recommendations will do just that - and will give proud new names that are rooted in their local communities and that honor American heroes whose valor, courage, and patriotism exemplify the very best of the United States military,” Austin’s memo stated.

    Bragg was the only facility to get a proposed name that is not connected to a figure in military history. However, Lawrence Romo, a member of the Naming Commission, said that at the second listening session that included civilians, servicemembers and committee leaders, many were “very, very adamant about the name Fort Liberty.”

    The word “Liberty” can be found in the 82nd Airborne Song, and the value of liberty is deeply connected with the military.

    “We acknowledge the announcement by the Secretary of Defense and we are in close coordination with the Army, OSD, and the Naming Commission,” said Fort Bragg Garrison Commander Col. John Wilcox.

    Beginning on Dec. 18, the Department of Defense will start its plan to rename assets. On Fort Bragg, this includes a number of streets, buildings, equipment, uniforms, databases, police vehicles, recycling bin decals, plaques, the USASOC Memorial Wall, the Parade Field, the 82nd Airborne Museum, and the Hendrick Stadium Memorial Wall.

    However, according to Austin's mandate, some of the commission’s recommended changes, such as altering the Department of Defense’s memorialization and naming processes, will be implemented immediately, according to Austin’s mandate.

    “The installations and facilities that our Department operates are more than vital national security assets. They are also powerful public symbols of our military, and of course, they are the places where our Service members and their families work and live,” Austin wrote.

    It will cost the Pentagon an estimated $62.5 million to implement the recommendations. The cost estimation for Fort Bragg – soon-to-be Fort Liberty – is $6,374,230. The most expensive military installation to rename.

    The Department of Defense has until Jan. 1, 2024, to complete all renaming and removals at the installations.

     

  • To help respond to the opioid epidemic in Cumberland County, county officials are allocating opioid settlement funds to provide services for those addicted to opioids, often prescribed as pain-reducing medications.

    Last summer, a majority of states, including North Carolina, made a $26 billion settlement with the nation’s largest opioid distributors: McKesson, Cardinal Health and AmerisourceBergen. Opioid manufacturer Johnson & Johnson is also a part of the lawsuit.

    In all, 46 states have reached an agreement with the three distributors, while 45 states have settled with Johnson & Johnson. North Carolina has come to an agreement with all four companies and will receive more than $750 million from the national lawsuit. 

    Cumberland County alone will get $17 million of that state sum in annual payouts until 2038, Carolina Public Press previously reported. That is the seventh-highest payout among all of North Carolina’s 100 counties.

    The opioid epidemic has spread through communities all over the country in the past 20 years, resulting in the deaths of over 564,000 people nationwide from 1999 to 2020, according to the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

    According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, doctors started increasing opioid prescriptions for patients in the late 1990s, resulting in widespread addiction. These addictions developed despite reassurances from pharmaceutical companies that the drugs were not addictive.

    Opioids have been involved in the deaths of more than 25,000 people statewide since 2000, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

    In Cumberland County, nearly 1,230 have died from opioid overdoses, according to data from NCDHHS. Cumberland’s opioid-related deaths in 2021 occurred at a rate of 60.5 per 100,000 people, well above the statewide rate of 35.8 per 100,000 people.

    Annual deaths in the county increased sharply in 2020 and 2021, from 163 to 203 deaths, compared with 2019, when 97 died from opioid overdose.

    To help prevent overdose deaths, Cumberland County received an initial sum of $1.8 million from the settlement in two payments from this past spring and summer.

    What Cumberland is doing with the settlement funds

    In August, the Cumberland County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved the recommended use of over half of the initial $1.8 million from the settlement funds.

    The Cumberland County Health Department presented the recommended uses of the funds to the board after holding community meetings with county residents in Fayetteville, Spring Lake, Eastover and Hope Mills throughout the summer. There was also an online survey that residents used to submit recommendations to the county.

    “The top three priorities that were selected were addiction treatment for incarcerated persons, early intervention programs and recovery support services and housing,” Jennifer Green, Cumberland’s public health director, said.

    As a result, the state issued a list of core strategies for local governments to follow as guidelines for use of settlement funds to fight the opioid epidemic. The strategies are separated into two broad categories: short-term and long-term uses.

    Addiction treatment for incarcerated people and intervention programs are short-term strategies under the state guidelines.

    In Cumberland County, nearly all of the short-term treatments for opioid addiction are in place, Green said, but they need more funding.

    “They need more capacity, they need more staff, they need more time,” Green said.

    In response, the Board of Commissioners approved the use of up to $800,000 from the initial settlement payments to fund early intervention treatment, including those who are uninsured or underinsured.

    The only short-term strategy Cumberland is not using, Green said, is county-operated medication-assisted treatment, or MAT, a combination of counseling and behavioral therapies used to treat opioid addiction.

    To meet that need, specifically for those incarcerated, the board approved $200,000 from the $1.8 million to go toward MAT at the Cumberland County Detention Center.

    For County Commissioner Jimmy Keefe, longer-term strategies, such as education of the harms of opioids, should take priority.

    “This is not a short-term fix. This is a generational educational problem,” Keefe said.

    In response, Green said that future payments could be used for more longer-term solutions, such as education initiatives.

    Cumberland considers recovery community center

    While there is strong interest in the funding of a community recovery center, the board did not approve the plan because it is unclear if the settlement funds could be used to operate it. Green said such a facility would help with coordinating and providing services such as peer support groups, reentry programs, job readiness training, professional education and transitional housing.

    Loren Bymer, director of Cumberland County Public Information, said in an email that county officials are in talks with the N.C. Association of County Commissioners and the N.C. Department of Justice to determine if the guidelines under the settlement permit the construction and operation of a recovery community center.

    County also plans to use Narcan

    In addition to funding MAT and early intervention, the board approved the use of up to $70,000 to be used to purchase naloxone, the medication that can reverse an overdose from opioids.

    Since opioids can slow or stop breathing and cause death from overdosing even hours after taking the medication, naloxone is important because it can save someone’s life. Naloxone is not addictive and does not reverse overdoses from nonopioid drugs.

    Residents can get free naloxone kits from the first floor of the Cumberland County Health Department while supplies last. There are also free kits at a vending machine in the county detention center. Green said some kits are also given to first response teams that treat overdose victims in emergencies.

    The funding from the settlement will double the amount of available naloxone in the county, Green said. In total, just over $1 million of the settlement funds was approved for use, leaving about $800,000 from the initial $1.8 million the county received from the opioid settlements.

    The money was left over intentionally, Green said, to fund longer-term plans to fight the opioid epidemic.

    “We can’t just fund a recovery. We can’t just fund treatment,” Green said. “We can’t just fund prevention, we need to fund programs along the continuum.”

  • North Carolinians are just a few weeks away from seeing “I voted” stickers on the clothes of strangers at the grocery store.

    One-stop voting, also commonly known as “early voting,” begins Oct. 20 and will continue through Nov. 5. All signs point to trends showing that the majority of North Carolina voters will take advantage of the two-week opportunity to cast their ballots. 

    “In recent statewide and federal elections, in-person early voting has been the most popular way to vote for North Carolinians,” said Patrick Gannon, spokesperson for the N.C. State Board of Elections.

    How early voting became a powerhouse

    In the 2008 and 2012 general elections, roughly 56% of the state’s total ballots came from early voting. That number jumped to 62% in 2016 and 65% in the 2020 general election, according to the state Board of Elections.

    But it took different pieces of state legislation proposed over the course of more than 20 years for early voting to become the powerhouse it is now.

    Early voting in North Carolina dates to 1977, when the N.C. General Assembly amended absentee voting laws to allow residents already eligible for absentee ballots — people with disabilities or those who would be out of state on Election Day — to go to a county board of elections office, apply for an absentee ballot and cast their vote all in one location.

    The next step toward the emergence of early voting, according to the University of North Carolina School of Government, came in 1999. Then, two separate pieces of legislation made any voter eligible for an absentee ballot and authorized counties to establish multiple one-stop voting locations, rather than only using the county board of elections’ office. 

    The legislature solidified an early voting time frame beginning the third Thursday before and ending the Saturday before Election Day in 2001, and in 2007, lawmakers ruled that a person could both register and vote on the same day at an early voting site. 

    Since then, as Gannon said, one-stop voting has become the most popular ballot-casting method, with droves of North Carolinians voting at early voting precincts.

    “We anticipate one-stop early voting will be the most popular method of voting in the 2022 general election as well,” he said.

    Who uses NC’s early voting option?

    It’s not just presidential elections that rope in one-stop voters. In the most recent primary election in May, state data shows about 62% of voters utilized early voting. 

    “This popularity no doubt derives from the convenience that early voting provides,” UNC professor Robert Joyce wrote in the School of Government’s blog in 2010. 

    “Voters have a choice of many days (including at least one Saturday) to vote and a choice of several locations (not just their one assigned Election Day precinct voting place.)”

    A closer look at the state’s recent voter turnout data shows that women took advantage of early voting more than men. During the primary election earlier this year, approximately 54% of one-stop voters were women. About 44% were men, and 2% did not specify a gender. 

    White voters made up about 72% of those who used North Carolina one-stop precincts from April 28 to May 14, and approximately 23% of the more than 559,000 early voters were Black. Other races and ethnicities constituted the remaining 5%. 

    Political party affiliation also appears to play a part in early voting turnout. During the 2022 primary, about 40% of one-stop voters were Democrats, 33% were Republicans, and 27% were unaffiliated.

    These trends are a likely indicator for how the upcoming election Nov. 8 will play out, as similar gender, racial and political affiliation percentages have been evident in several recent elections.

    For example, the November 2018 general election — which had similar congressional, state and local contested races — essentially mirrored the demographic percentages of one-stop voting in May 2022. 

    The only major difference was with Republican voters. In 2018, they made up only about 30% of all early votes cast. In 2022, that percentage grew to 33%.

    Democrats, on the other hand, constituted about 40% of all one-stop ballots in 2022 while in 2018, that percentage was roughly 42%.

    How do I vote early?

    Any eligible voter in North Carolina can vote early by going to one of the state’s more than 350 one-stop voting sites, which are frequently in libraries, schools and community centers. 

    For the Nov. 8 general election, early voting will be from Oct. 20 to Nov. 5. One-stop voting locations are typically open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Some sites are not open on Saturday. 

    To find details on locations and hours of operation of early voting sites in your county, visit this N.C. State Board of Elections website.

    Eligible individuals are able to register to vote and cast a ballot on the same day at a one-stop voting location. Registered voters can modify their current registration at early voting sites — except for changing political affiliation.

    Still have questions about voting in North Carolina? Check out Carolina Public Press’ in-depth guides for absentee and new voters, and test your knowledge about voting in the state with our quiz.

  • fayetteville nc logo Grading work is underway for an expansion of Veterans Park, according to a city of Fayetteville news release.

    The city recently acquired surplus property from the N.C. Department of Transportation that will be used for the expansion, according to the release. The 8-acre site is near the intersection of Bragg Boulevard, Rowan Street and Murchison Road and became available after DOT replaced the Rowan Street bridge.

    Design for the project, known as Veterans Park II, is nearing completion. Construction is expected to begin after bids are awarded and to be completed within a year, the release said.

    The park will include green space and a parade grounds, a “hero’s walk,” parking and a pedestrian bridge connecting to the existing Veterans Park.
    Excess soil from the grading process will be used for other parks and recreation projects, including Senior Center East, Mazarick Park Tennis Center and Mabel C. Smith Park, the release said.

    Those projects and the Veterans Park expansion are being financed by a $35 million parks and recreation bond package approved by city voters in 2016, according to the release.

    Another project financed by that bond package, the Bill Crisp Senior Center, is scheduled to open at the end of October near Lake Rim.

  • ncdot logo The N.C. Department of Transportation has awarded a $247 million contract to widen an eight-mile section of Interstate 95 north of Lumberton.

    Flatiron Constructors Inc. of Morrisville will widen the interstate from four lanes to eight from just south of Exit 22 to mile marker 29, the state Transportation Department said in a release.

    The project will include reconstructing Exit 25 with a longer, wider and taller bridge and new ramps with roundabouts, the release said. Two overpasses — Powersville Road and McDuffie Crossing Road — will also be replaced.

    Exit 22, which was recently rebuilt as a diverging-diamond interchange, will not need to be replaced, the release said.

    The department said the project is needed to reduce congestion, plan for anticipated growth in traffic volumes and improve safety.

    Work can begin by Nov. 1. The contractor will have toward the end of 2026 to complete the project, the release said.

    The project will require the installation of concrete barriers for safety; reduced shoulder access; and occasional lane closures overnight with reduced speed limits.

    This is one of several state highway contracts for widening I-95. The improvements will help it meet modern interstate design standards, the department has said.

  • bomb You can expect to hear some “booms’’ starting this weekend as the 10th Marine Regiment returns to Fort Bragg for its semi-annual training.
    The Camp Lejeune-based Marines will conduct their semi-annual field artillery section certifications, command-post exercise and live-fire training as part of Operation Rolling Thunder, Fort Bragg officials said in a release. The training began Tuesday and is scheduled to continue through Oct. 28.

    “The training conducted at Fort Bragg is necessary to help maintain the 10th Marine Regiment’s readiness,” said Sharilyn Wells, a Fort Bragg spokeswoman. “We ask the communities surrounding Fort Bragg to be understanding while they are here training.”

    The field artillery live-fire portion of the exercise is scheduled to start Saturday. The 10th Marines will fire M777 Howitzer 155mm ammunition from 18 M777 Howitzers, which can be associated with loud explosions and reverberations upon detonation, the release said.

    Fort Bragg units also will be conducting live-fire training, adding to the loud explosions and reverberations. That training will involve field artillery units from the 82nd Airborne Division and the 18th Field Artillery Brigade, the release said.
    The units will comply with requirements that prohibit them from massing fires larger than battalion size between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. daily or from firing during the hours of 10 a.m. to noon on Sundays, the release said.

  • house fire A homeless man has been charged in connection with a string of fires in vacant buildings in Spring Lake over the past week, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office said.

    Thomas Reilly, 50, of Spring Lake, is charged with three counts of burning certain buildings, the Sheriff’s Office said in a release. The charge means the structures were unoccupied, said Sgt. Mickey Locklear.

    “If they had been occupied then it would have been arson,’’ Locklear said.

    Around 5:30 p.m. Monday, the Sheriff's Office responded to 107 N. Betty St. in Spring Lake in reference to a vacant structure fire, the release said.

    Arson detectives identified Reilly as the suspect and also linked him to two other structure fires, the Sheriff’s Office said in the release. One occurred Sept. 28 at 114 Pine Tree Lane and the other occurred Sunday at 1255 Spring Ave., the release said.

    The fires were at two mobile homes and a residential structure, Locklear said. No one was living in the structures at the time, he said.

    “With the quick response and hard work of the arson detectives, Reilly was quickly taken off the streets and prevented any further damage to the town of Spring Lake,’’ the Sheriff’s Office said in the release.

    Reilly is being held at the Cumberland County Detention Center on a $250,000 secured bond. His first appearance was scheduled for Tuesday afternoon at the detention center.

     

  • domestic violence The “Remember My Name’’ domestic violence vigil is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 6 at Festival Park in downtown Fayetteville.

    The vigil, which is meant to raise awareness of domestic violence, begins at 5:30 p.m.

    Elenah Kelly, the Air Force violence prevention integrator at the Airman and Family Readiness Center at Pope Army Airfield, will be the keynote speaker, according to a release from Cumberland County court officials.

    Retired Chief District Court Judge Beth Keever will read aloud the names of the people who died as a result of domestic violence in North Carolina over the past year.

    Others who are scheduled to participate include Chief District Court Judge Toni S. King, Resident Superior Court Judge Jim Ammons, District Attorney Billy West, Fort Bragg Garrison Commander Col. John Wilcox and the 82nd Airborne Division All-American Chorus, the release said.

    The vigil is organized by the Cumberland County District Court, Cumberland County Superior Court, the CARE Center Family Violence Program, the Cumberland County Department of Social Services, the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office, the Fayetteville Police Department, the Hope Mills Police Department, Army Community Services, Legal Aid of North Carolina and the Phoenix Center, the release said.

    There are several community resources available to victims of domestic violence, including:

    Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office: non-emergency 910-323-1500; Victim Assistance 910-677-5454 or ccsonc.org.

    Fayetteville Police Department: 910-433-1529; Victim Assistance 910-433-1849 or www.bethebadge.com

    Hope Mills Police: 910-425-4103

    Spring Lake Police: 910-436-0350

    Cumberland County Family Court: 910-475-3015 or
    nccourts.gov/locations/cumberland-county/family-court-administration.

    Clerk of Superior Court Lisa Scales, Safe-Link Domestic Violence Assistance Program: 910-475-3000, Cumberland County Courthouse, Room 340

    Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office: 910-475-3010

    The CARE Center Family Violence Program: Crisis Line 910-677-2532 or office 910-677-2528

    Army Community Services: 910-396-8262 or www.myarmybenefits.us.army.mil.

    Legal Aid of North Carolina Fayetteville Chapter: 910-483-0400 or www.legalaidnc.org

    The Phoenix Center hotline: 910-485-7273

    U.S. Army Family Advocacy Program: 910-322-3148 or hotline 910-584-4267.

  • liter Volunteers are being sought for Fayetteville Beautiful, a citywide litter cleanup scheduled from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 8.
    Volunteers should meet at the Cumberland County Courthouse, 117 Dick St., according to a city news release. Trash bags, gloves, water, snacks and T-shirts will be distributed.

    Registration forms, rules and a photo gallery can be found on the Fayetteville Beautiful webpage.

    Fayetteville Beautiful is held once every spring and fall. Volunteers collected 1.3 tons of litter last spring, the news release said.
    The city’s “Put Waste in Its Place” campaign to reduce litter and other pollutants on streets and in stormwater systems is a reminder to residents and visitors of their role in keeping the city clean, according to the release.

    New anti-litter signs will be posted in communities where litter is a significant problem to remind residents about fines associated with littering, the release said.

    “Fayetteville truly is a beautiful place, and your city leaders want to keep it that way,” Mayor Mitch Colvin said in the release. “The new signs should remind us of our common goal to have a clean city and a place where we all come together to do our part. If each of us continues to put waste in its place and makes a commitment to keeping Fayetteville beautiful, we can positively impact our streets and neighborhoods, making our home a place where we all want to live, work and play.”

    Fayetteville-Cumberland Parks & Recreation crews regularly collect between 1.5 and 2 tons of litter each week, according to the release. Litter and pollutants blown into stormwater systems can block the flow of rainwater.

    The city also encourages residents to participate in its recycling program to reduce waste.

    Other cleanup efforts include Five for Friday, through which volunteers pledge to collect at least five pieces of trash and recyclable items each Friday.
    Community groups and individuals can sign up for Adopt-a-Street or Adopt-a-Site by committing to clean at least 2 miles of roadway or a green space for a year. Visit www.fcpr.us for an application and guidelines.

  • FPD logo A woman who was forced at gunpoint to get into a vehicle was sexually assaulted early Sunday in the 100 block of South Eastern Boulevard, according to Fayetteville police.

    Detectives with the Fayetteville Police Department’s Special Victims Unit are asking for the public’s help to identify the suspect, according to a news release.
    The sexual assault was reported about 1 a.m. Sunday, the release said. The woman told investigators that she was in a parking lot in the 700 block of Blue Street about 12:30 a.m. Sunday when a man pulled up in a black car. He flagged down the victim and pointed a silver and black handgun at her, forcing her to get into the vehicle, the release said.

    The man drove to the 100 block of South Eastern Boulevard and sexually assaulted the woman, the release said. He forced the woman to get out of the car, and she called police from a nearby motel.

    The woman told investigators that she could not identify the man, the release said.
    The suspect was described as a white man, possibly in his 30s, with a “chunky” build, the release said. He is bald and has tattoos on his chest and neck area and on one arm. He was wearing a silver chain and a tank top, the release said.

    Anyone with information about the suspect or the reported assault is asked to contact Detective D. Bell of the Fayetteville Police Department at 910-929-7504 or Fayetteville/Cumberland County CrimeStoppers at 910-483-TIPS (8477) or http://fay-nccrimestoppers.org.

  • hope mills logo The Hope Mills Board of Commissioners on Monday night voted 4-1 to delay a vote on an apartment complex proposed for Elk Road.

    Commissioners Bryan Marley, Joanne Scarola, Grilley Mitchell and Jerry Legge voted to delay the vote; Mayor Pro Tem Kenjuana McCray voted in opposition.
    The issue drew a number of concerned residents from the Pinewood Lakes subdivision, which is next to the proposed apartment complex. The Pinewood Lakes development was built in the 1960s and is home to many retirees.

    Board members delayed a vote on the project until their next meeting, saying they want more information about the project from the planning department, specifically information about a proposed secondary exit.

    The board was scheduled to consider and review the development of The One at Hope Mills apartment complex submitted by The Charleston Group on behalf of Fayetteville Christian Schools Inc.

    The plan, which began in February, calls for 360 units of a three-story garden-style apartment complex with a clubhouse, pool area, 70 garage spaces and 624 parking spaces.
    The grounds also would have two retention ponds.
    The main entrance would be on Elk Road, but N.C. Department of Transportation regulations require a secondary egress. The emergency, or secondary egress, is scheduled to connect to the Pinewood Lakes subdivisions via Sycamore Drive through an emergency gate.

    Pinewood Lakes residents voiced concerns about noise pollution, lower property values, increased traffic and flooding. But the gate was also a big concern.
    Pinewood Lakes resident Denise Schmude did not speak at the meeting, but she said she attended because of her concerns about traffic and noise pollution the complex would bring. Schmude, who has lived in Pinewood Lakes since 2015, said she didn’t want that traffic going through her neighborhood.

    “One of the reasons we purchased our house there was that it wasn't densely populated. When you get apartments, you get more people,” Schmude said.

    Some people also expressed concern about the retention pond. Some residents told the board that their yards already flood whenever it rains due to a nearby Walmart retention pond.

    “I’m here to oppose the apartments,’’ resident Jason Hulon said. “I truly hope the council can stop the entrance and flooding from coming into our neighborhood.

    Something is gonna have to be done.

    “Everyone sits here and says they are going to fix it and we’re gonna make sure that’s not going to happen, but that’s what you told us about Walmart.”

    “Right now Walmart floods my house,’’ Hulon told the board. “My house is the one with 2 feet of water in it every time it rains.”

    Hulon told a reporter later that he complains but nothing is ever done. “We need to have a solution for the problem before it exists,” he said.

    Wendy Soto has lived in Pinewood Lake for 24 years. She told the board that her property also floods due to the Walmart retention pond, which she said everyone promised wouldn’t happen.

    “With this apartment complex coming in, are we going to get the same thing?’’ Soto said. “Everyone is kind of feeding us stuff —- it’s going to be OK. We’re going to put a wall up, you’re not going to get traffic, you’re not going to get flooding. How are we to believe any of that? I don’t.”

    After residents spoke, Chancer McLaughlin, the town’s Planning and Economic Development director, presented the development review to the board before its scheduled vote.
    McLaughlin said his department understood the concerns of the Pinewood Lakes residents and took them into consideration when it laid out the regulations for the developer’s permit requirements.

    McLaughlin said nothing would be built or allowed to proceed without the developer first satisfying the regulations required from the town, the state Transportation Department and the Public Works Commission.
    McLaughlin also said the plan for the gate that would connect the apartment complex and Pinewood Lakes was only accessed by emergency vehicles.

    “No vehicle will ever pass through that gate if it is not an emergency vehicle,” McLaughlin said.

    Bret Andres, another concerned resident, gathered signatures from neighborhood residents who are opposed to the apartment complex and presented them at the board’s last meeting. He presented new signatures Monday night.

    At the last meeting, Andres told the board that apartment complexes lower the value of the property around them.
    Andres told a reporter that he feels like McLaughlin’s department is “pushing for the developer’s plans.”

    “That’s how I feel, and I think most of us think and feel,’’ Andres said. “But I’m happy about tonight’s meeting. There’s strength in numbers.”

    McLaughlin, Town Manager Scott Meszaros and the town attorney told the board that the comments were not a public hearing. The town board must legally vote yes if the developer has met all of its requirements. McLaughlin told the board it had and his department recommended approval.

    Jason Canady covers Hope Mills for CityView. He can be reached at jcanady@cityviewnc.com.

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